bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Laryngeal dyskinesia: An under‐recognized condition
Authors: Lawrence Sean G 
Published: February 2007

AbstractObjective:  To perform a review of the epidemiology, pathogenesis, clinical presentation, diagnosis and management of laryngeal dyskinesia.Methods:  A search of the Medline database from 1966 to 2003 was performed. A manual search was performed of the references of each article.Results:  Laryngeal dyskinesia is a respiratory condition characterized by abnormal vocal cord adduction and airflow limitation at the level of the larynx in the absence of evidence of local organic disease. It typically presents to the ED as wheeze, stridor or apparent upper airway obstruction. It occurs across a wide age range, is more common in females, and is typically associated with a range of underlying psychopathologies. Diagnosis is often delayed and unnecessary emergency treatment such as intubation and tracheostomy is not uncommon. Patients are commonly on high‐dose steroids and are frequent users of the health‐care system, often over prolonged periods. There are multiple diagnostic features on history and examination, and flexible nasendoscopy of the vocal cords in the ED can be used to confirm the diagnosis. Treatment options in the ED include sedation and use of continuous positive airway pressure. Long‐term treatment involves a multidisciplinary approach involving respiratory physicians/ear, nose and throat surgeons, speech therapy and psychiatry.Conclusion:  Laryngeal dyskinesia remains an under‐appreciated cause of respiratory presentations to the ED. Emergency physicians are ideally placed to make the diagnosis and initiate appropriate referral for specific therapies that have a high level of success.
Colonization Strategies of Two Liana Species in a Tropical Dry Forest Canopy
Authors: Avalos Gerardo , Mulkey Stephen S. , Kitajima Kaoru , Wright S. Joseph 
Published: February 2007

ABSTRACTLianas impose intense resource competition for light in the upper forest canopy by displaying dense foliage on top of tree crowns. Using repeated access with a construction crane, we studied the patterns of canopy colonization of the lianas Combretum fruticosum and Bonamia trichantha in a Neotropical dry forest in Panama. Combretum fruticosum flushed leaves just before the rainy season, and its standing leaf area quickly reached a peak in the early rainy season (May–June). In contrast, B. trichantha built up foliage area continuously throughout the rainy season and reached a peak in the late rainy season (November). Both species displayed the majority of leaves in full sun on the canopy surface, but C. fruticosum displayed a greater proportion of leaves (26%) in more shaded microsites than B. trichantha (12%). Self‐shading within patches of liana leaves within the uppermost 40–50 cm of the canopy reduced light levels measured with photodiodes placed directly on leaves to 4–9 percent of light levels received by sun leaves. Many leaves of C. fruticosum acclimated to shade within a month following the strongly synchronized leaf flushing and persisted in deep shade. In contrast, B. trichantha produced short‐lived leaves opportunistically in the sunniest locations. Species differences in degree of shade acclimation were also evident in terms of structural (leaf mass per area, and leaf toughness) and physiological characters (nitrogen content, leaf life span, and light compensation point). Contrasting leaf phenologies reflect differences in light exploitation and canopy colonization strategies of these two liana species.
Development of a Sensitive and Specific Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay Based on Recombinant Antigens for Rapid Detection of Antibodies against
Mycoplasma agalactiae
in Sheep
Authors: Fusco Marisa , Corona Lucia , Onni Toniangelo , Marras Elisabetta , Longheu Carla , Idini Graziano , Tola Sebastiana 
Published: February 2007

ABSTRACT

We developed a new recombinant enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (rELISA) for serodiagnosis of contagious agalactia (CA), a disease caused by
Mycoplasma agalactiae
in sheep and goats. The assay is based on two
M. agalactiae
surface proteins, namely, P80 and P55. Identification of these immunodominant and common antigens was accomplished by examining the antibody response elicited in sheep during experimental infection and comparing it to the protein expression profiles of 75
M. agalactiae
field strains. Our rELISA was tested with 343 sera, collected from sheep with a laboratory-confirmed diagnosis of CA (
n
= 223) and from healthy animals (
n
= 120). All sera had previously been tested by Western blotting (WB) for reactivity against
M. agalactiae
. In addition, our rELISA was compared with a commercial routine ELISA based on inactivated antigens (CHEKiT). Among the 223 samples that were WB positive for
M. agalactiae
, 209 (93.7%) tested positive for rP80-P55 with our ELISA, whereas only 164 (73.8%) tested positive with the CHEKiT ELISA. Among the 120 samples tested that were WB negative for
M. agalactiae
, 96.7% were confirmed as negative with our rELISA, while only 75.8% were confirmed as negative with the CHEKiT ELISA. A comparison of the results with receiver operating characteristic curves indicated that the differences observed between our rELISA and the CHEKiT ELISA are statistically significant. The use of recombinant peptides instead of inactivated antigens could significantly improve the discrimination of positive and negative animals, bringing significant advantages in controlling the import/export of live animals and helping in eradication of this economically detrimental disease.
Detection of Genes Encoding Internalization-Associated Proteins in
Streptococcus pyogenes
Isolates from Patients with Invasive Diseases and Asymptomatic Carriers
Authors: Baldassarri Lucilla , Creti Roberta , Imperi Monica , Recchia Simona , Pataracchia Marco , Orefici Graziella 
Published: February 2007

ABSTRACT

A total of 161
Streptococcus pyogenes
isolates from patients with invasive infections or from asymptomatic carriers were examined for genes (
prtF1
,
prtF2
, and
fba
) coding for fibronectin-binding proteins to evaluate their involvement in the pathogenesis of different streptococcal manifestations. We found no significant differences in the presence of these three genes between the two groups. Overall, the
prtF2
gene was present in similar percentages among strains from both sources (61% versus 63%). Strains carrying the gene
fba
were slightly more common among those isolated from asymptomatic carriers (72.6% versus 65%). Also, the
prtF1
gene was present in a higher, but not significant, percentage among strains from throat swabs than among isolates from invasive infections (75% versus 64.9%). However, this more detailed characterization of the genes encoding fibronectin-binding proteins allowed us to identify a strong association of genes of the
erm
class, coding for macrolide resistance, with
prtF1
and
prtF2
rather than with
prtF1
alone. Since macrolide resistance was significantly associated with throat swab isolates, it may be hypothesized that proteins coded by
prtF1
and
prtF2
genes may be synergic in providing support for cell invasion and/or colonizing or persistence efficiency.
A Prospective, Randomized, Double-Blind Study of Vaginal Microflora and Epithelium in Women Using a Tampon with an Apertured Film Cover Compared with Those in Women Using a Commercial Tampon with a Cover of Nonwoven Fleece
Authors: Chase David J. , Schenkel Berenike P. , Fahr Anne-Marie , Eigner Ulrich 
Published: February 2007

ABSTRACT

Healthy women with normal menstrual cycles were randomly assigned to use either a test tampon during cycle 1 and a reference tampon during cycle 2 or a reference tampon during cycle 1 and a test tampon during cycle 2. Tampons were identical except for their cover materials: apertured film for the test tampon and nonwoven fleece for the reference tampon. Product use was doubly blinded. Qualitative and quantitative analyses of vaginal cultures were done pre-, mid-, and postmenstrually for a broad panel of microorganisms, colposcopy was performed, and diary reports were collected; 101 of 105 enrolled subjects completed the study. Midmenstrual findings for a variety of organisms differed from pre- and postmenstrual observations whether subjects were using test or reference tampons. No statistically significant differences were noted in prevalence or colony counts at premenstrual versus mid- and postmenstrual visits for most microorganisms. Prevalences of
Gardnerella
and anaerobic gram-negative rods were significantly different between tampons at the premenstrual visit, when unusually low values were observed for the test and reference tampons, respectively. None of the changes or differences in microflora were considered to be clinically significant. It is noteworthy, however, that declines in the prevalence and abundance of
Lactobacillus
during the menstrual periods were less pronounced during the use of both test and reference tampons than those reported from previous studies. Colposcopy showed no abnormal findings with either tampon and no changes in vaginal or cervical epithelial integrity. Thus, all evidence from both microbiological and colposcopic evaluations indicates that the apertured film cover of the test tampon is as safe as the nonwoven cover of the reference tampon.
Determination of Kaposi's Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus C-Terminal Latency-Associated Nuclear Antigen Residues Mediating Chromosome Association and DNA Binding
Authors: Kelley-Clarke Brenna , Ballestas Mary E. , Srinivasan Viswanathan , Barbera Andrew J. , Komatsu Takashi , Harris Te-Ana , Kazanjian Mia , Kaye Kenneth M. 
Published: February 2007

ABSTRACT
Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus latency-associated nuclear antigen (LANA) tethers viral terminal repeat (TR) DNA to mitotic chromosomes to mediate episome persistence. The 1,162-amino-acid LANA protein contains both N- and C-terminal chromosome attachment regions. The LANA C-terminal domain self-associates to specifically bind TR DNA and mitotic chromosomes. Here, we used alanine scanning substitutions spanning residues 1023 to 1145 to investigate LANA self-association, DNA binding, and C-terminal chromosome association. No residues were essential for LANA oligomerization, as assayed by coimmunoprecipitation experiments, consistent with redundant roles for amino acids in self-association. Different subsets of amino acids were important for DNA binding, as assayed by electrophoretic mobility shift assay, and mitotic chromosome association, indicating that distinct C-terminal LANA subdomains effect DNA and chromosome binding. The DNA binding domains of LANA and EBNA1 are predicted to be structurally homologous; certain LANA residues important for DNA binding correspond to those with roles in EBNA1 DNA binding, providing genetic support for at least partial structural homology. In contrast to the essential role of N-terminal LANA chromosome targeting residues in DNA replication, deficient C-terminal chromosome association did not reduce LANA-mediated DNA replication.
Induction of Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress in Thymic Lymphocytes by the Envelope Precursor Polyprotein of a Murine Leukemia Virus during the Preleukemic Period
Authors: Yoshimura Fayth K. , Luo Xixia 
Published: February 2007

ABSTRACT
Infection of thymic lymphocytes by a mink cell focus-forming murine leukemia virus induces apoptosis during the preleukemic period of lymphomagenesis. In this study, we observed that during this period, the viral envelope precursor polyprotein accumulated to high levels in thymic lymphocytes from mice inoculated with virus. Envelope accumulation occurred with the same kinetics as the induction of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, which resulted in the upregulation of the 78-kDa glucose-regulated protein (GRP78). In thymic lymphomas, GRP78 levels were higher than those in virus-infected preleukemic cells, and GRP58 was upregulated. These results suggest that Env precursor accumulation induces ER stress, which participates in thymic lymphocyte apoptosis. The subsequent upregulation of ER chaperone proteins GRP78 and GRP58 may contribute to rescuing cells from virus-induced apoptosis.
Protein Kinase CK2α as an Unfavorable Prognostic Marker and Novel Therapeutic Target in Acute Myeloid Leukemia
Authors: Kim Jin Seok , Eom Ju In , Cheong June-Won , Choi Ae Jin , Lee Jin Koo , Yang Woo Ick , Min Yoo Hong 
Published: February 2007

Abstract
Introduction: Protein kinase CK2 is implicated in cellular proliferation and transformation. However, the clinical and biological significances of CK2 have not been elucidated in acute myeloid leukemia (AML).
Experimental Design: We evaluated the biological significances of catalytic subunit of CK2 (CK2α) expression in leukemia cell lines and primary leukemic blasts obtained from AML patients.
Results: In this study, the expression of CK2α was elevated in a substantial proportion of AML. In AML patients with normal karyotype, the disease-free survival and overall survival rates were significantly lower in the CK2α-high compared with the CK2α-low AML cases (P = 0.0252 and P = 0.0392, respectively). An induced overexpression of CK2α increased the levels of Ser473 phosphorylated (p)-Akt/protein kinase B (PKB), p-PDK1, pFKHR, p-BAD, Bcl-2, Bcl-xL, Mcl-1, and XIAP. Treatment of U937 cell line and primary AML blasts with selective CK2 inhibitor, tetrabromobenzotriazole or apigenin, reduced the levels of these molecules in a dose-dependent manner. CK2α small interfering RNA treatment also resulted in a down-regulation of p-Akt/PKB and Bcl-2 in U937 cells. Apigenin-induced cell death was preferentially observed in the CK2α-high leukemia cell lines, HL-60 and NB4, which was accompanied by cytoplasmic release of SMAC/DIABLO and proteolytic cleavage of procaspase-9, procaspase-3, procaspase-8, and poly(ADP)ribose polymerase. An induced overexpression of CK2α potentially enhanced the sensitivity of U937 cells to the apigenin-induced cell death. Apigenin-induced cell death was significantly higher in CK2α-high AML compared with CK2α-low AML (P &lt; 0.0001) or normal bone marrow samples (P &lt; 0.0001).
Conclusion: These findings strongly suggest protein kinase CK2α as an unfavorable prognostic marker and novel therapeutic target in AML.
Implications of Endocrine Gland–Derived Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor/Prokineticin-1 Signaling in Human Neuroblastoma Progression
Authors: Ngan Elly S.W. , Sit Francesco Y.L. , Lee King Liu , Miao Xiaoping , Yuan Zhengwei , Wang Weilin , Nicholls John M. , Wong Kenneth K.Y. , Garcia-Barcelo Mercè , Lui Vincent C.H. , Tam Paul K.H. 
Published: February 2007

Abstract
Purpose: Neuroblastoma is a common pediatric tumor that is derived from improperly differentiated neural crest cells (NCC). We recently revealed that endocrine gland–derived vascular endothelial growth factor/prokineticin-1 (EG-VEGF/Prok-1) is a key factor mediating the growth and differentiation of enteric NCCs during development. In this report, we further elucidate its role in neuroblastoma progression.
Experimental Design: We studied the expression and copy number of EG-VEGF/Prok-1 receptors (PK-R1 and PK-R2) in 26 neuroblastoma tumors by real-time reverse transcription-PCR and immunohistochemical analysis. Implication of EG-VEGF/Prok-1 signaling in neuroblastoma progression was further shown in a neuroblastoma cell line (SK-N-SH).
Results: We found that all neuroblastoma samples from stages II to IV expressed both PK-R1 and PK-R2. Kruskall-Wallis signed rank tests revealed that the expression level of PK-R1 transcript is associated with the stages and metastasis of the neuroblastoma (P &lt; 0.05), and PK-R2 is persistently higher in advanced-stage neuroblastoma samples. About 38% of the neuroblastoma tumors (10:26) possessed MYCN amplification, whereas no PK-R1 and PK-R2 amplifications were detected, suggesting that the overexpression of the receptors was not due to gene amplification. Subsequent functional studies showed that EG-VEGF/Prok-1 activates the Akt pathway to induce the proliferation of neuroblastoma cells. Targeted down-regulation studies revealed that EG-VEGF/Prok-1–mediated proliferation requires the presence of these two receptors, and that PK-R2 is essential for inhibiting apoptosis. In vitro migration and invasion assays also indicated that EG-VEGF/Prok-1 significantly enhances the cell migration/invasion of SK-N-SH.
Conclusions: Our study has shown for the first time that aberrant EG-VEGF/Prok-1 signaling favors neuroblastoma progression and could be a potential target for future neuroblastoma treatment.
Phylogenetic signal and functional categories in Proteobacteria genomes
Authors: Comas Iñaki , Moya Andrés , González-Candelas Fernando 
Published: February 2007

Abstract

Background
A comprehensive evolutionary analysis of bacterial genomes implies to identify the hallmark of vertical and non-vertical signals and to discriminate them from the presence of mere phylogenetic noise. In this report we have addressed the impact of factors like the universal distribution of the genes, their essentiality or their functional role in the cell on the inference of vertical signal through phylogenomic methods.

Results
We have established that supermatrices derived from data sets composed mainly by genes suspected to be essential for bacterial cellular life perform better on the recovery of vertical signal than those composed by widely distributed genes. In addition, we show that the "Transcription" category of genes seems to harbor a better vertical signal than other functional categories. Moreover, the "Poorly characterized" category performs better than other categories related with metabolism or cellular processes.

Conclusion
From these results we conclude that different data sets allow addressing different questions in phylogenomic analyses. The vertical signal seems to be more present in essential genes although these also include a significant degree of incongruence. From a functional perspective, as expected, informational genes perform better than operational ones but we have also shown the surprising behavior of poorly annotated genes, which points to their importance in the genome evolution of bacteria.
Analysis of a Triple Testcross Design With Recombinant Inbred Lines Reveals a Significant Role of Epistasis in Heterosis for Biomass-Related Traits in Arabidopsis
Authors: Kusterer Barbara , Muminovic Jasmina , Utz H Friedrich , Piepho Hans-Peter , Barth Susanne , Heckenberger Martin , Meyer Rhonda C , Altmann Thomas , Melchinger Albrecht E 
Published: February 2007

Abstract
Primary causes of heterosis are still unknown. Our goal was to investigate the extent and underlying genetic causes of heterosis for five biomass-related traits in Arabidopsis thaliana. We (i) investigated the relative contribution of dominance and epistatic effects to heterosis in the hybrid C24 × Col-0 by generation means analysis and estimates of variance components based on a triple testcross (TTC) design with recombinant inbred lines (RILs), (ii) estimated the average degree of dominance, and (iii) examined the importance of reciprocal and maternal effects in this cross. In total, 234 RILs were crossed to parental lines and their F1's. Midparent heterosis (MPH) was high for rosette diameter at 22 days after sowing (DAS) and 29 DAS, growth rate (GR), and biomass yield (BY). Using the F2-metric, directional dominance prevailed for the majority of traits studied but reciprocal and maternal effects were not significant. Additive and dominance variances were significant for all traits. Additive × additive and dominance × dominance variances were significant for all traits but GR. We conclude that dominance as well as digenic and possibly higher-order epistatic effects play an important role in heterosis for biomass-related traits. Our results encourage the use of Arabidopsis hybrid C24 × Col-0 for identification and description of quantitative trait loci (QTL) for heterosis for biomass-related traits and further genomic studies.
The MLA, 1883-1953
Authors: Parker William R. 
Published: February 2007

Not to know what happened before one was born is always to be a child.—Cicero.The aim of history is to assemble real facts and real speeches, to the end that lovers of knowledge may be instructed and persuaded.—Polybius.History is simply a piece of paper covered with print; the main thing is still to make history, not to write it.—Bismarck.If history does not truly repeat itself, knowledge of it may, sometimes, give current problems a familiar, less formidable look. That is one reason for looking backward to our origins while we, as an Association, consider anew the status of modern language study in America and seek means to amend it. Another reason is that next December we celebrate our seventieth birthday.
Does the Foreign-Language Teacher Have to Teach English Grammar?
Authors: Twaddell W. F. 
Published: February 2007

This topic was formulated by Win Stone and Don Walsh, and it shows it. There are at least three questions buried—not very deeply—inside it, and there are booby-traps buried inside each of those three questions.First : Why should a foreign-language teacher teach grammar?Second: If he should teach grammar, why English grammar?Third: If he has to teach English grammar, why didn't his students' English teacher teach them English grammar? These three questions are interlocked, and we may admire the Stone-Walsh rhetoric which has homogenized them through a skilful use of noun-modifiers and verb-phrase structure. Nevertheless, let us at least begin by examining the three questions in order, and with some degree of separateness.
IV.—The Essential Difference Between a Chanson De Geste and A Roman D'Aventure
Authors: Comfort William Wistar 
Published: February 2007

The national epic poems of France offer a vast body of literature in which we may study the development of French ideals from the eleventh to the fourteenth century. During so long a period at a critical epoch in European civilization influences of all kinds are of course reflected in this poetry. These influences may be described as literary, political, social and religious.It is with but one of the literary forces which came to bear upon the chansons de geste that we are concerned just now. This external force is that exerted by the matièdre de Bretagne, popularized in France about the middle of the twelfth century. The admirably brief statement of Mr. Alfred N utt (in Celtic and Mediaeval Romance, pp. 15-18) leaves little to be desired as regards the influence of the Breton matter upon the matièdre de France. Mr. Nutt's account of the change in literary ideals during the twelfth century recommends itself to anyone who is conversant with the period.
XV.—The Legend of Saint George; Its Development Into a Roman d'Aventure
Authors: Matzke John E. 
Published: February 2007

It is a well known fact that the ground-work of the story of Saint George as told by Richard Johnson in his Seven Champions of Christendom is represented by the Old French, or better the Early English, story of Sir Beves of Hamtoun. The object of this article is to determine the history of the fusion of the two traditions.When Saint George had become the champion of the English knights during the third crusade, the official sanction being given at Oxford in 1222, it is not difficult to understand why the story of his life should have passed into a new phase of its development. Before the crusades only the legend of his martyrdom was known in Western Europe. There, however, he had always been represented as a warrior, ‘miles egregius,’ and now during these expeditions he became the battle saint, whose timely aid brings victory to the Christian armies.