bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Nutrient content of incident rainfall, throughfall and stemflow in a Nigerian secondary lowland rainforest
Authors: Muoghalu Joseph I. , Oakhumen Arthur 
Published: May 2006

Abstract. Nutrient content of rainfall, throughfall and stemflow was studied over one year in the open and under the crowns of three tree species in a secondary rain forest at Ile‐Ife, Nigeria. Throughfall and stemflow comprised 78.8 % and 5.2 % respectively; 16.0 % of the incident rainfall was intercepted by the forest canopy. The concentrations of various nutrient elements in throughfall and stemflow were higher than those of incident rainfall. In throughfall and stemflow potassium concentration was highest and that of ammonium nitrogen was the lowest. Only calcium and sodium concentrations showed significant monthly variation in incident rainfall. Ca, Mg, K. Cu and P showed significant monthly variation in throughfall and stemflow. The concentrations of the elements were highest during the heavy‐rain months (May‐September). High concentrations of some of the elements were recorded also in November, the last rain month and the beginning of the dry season.The concentration of these elements in stemflow and throughfall was affected by tree species. The highest quantity of each element was deposited in the forest via throughfall followed by incident precipitation and the lowest via stemflow. The tree species affected the quantities of these elements by the volume of their stemflow and throughfall and the concentration of the various elements herein. Total nutrient concentration was much higher than available (dissolved) nutrient concentration. This was very pronounced with micronutrients.
How long does it take for epilepsy to become intractable? A prospective investigation
Authors: Berg Anne T. , Vickrey Barbara G. , Testa Francine M. , Levy Susan R. , Shinnar Shlomo , DiMario Frances , Smith Susan 
Published: May 2006

AbstractObjectiveTo determine prospectively when in the course of epilepsy intractability becomes apparent.MethodsData are from a prospective cohort of 613 children followed for a median of 9.7 years. Epilepsy syndromes were grouped: focal, idiopathic, catastrophic, and other. Intractability was defined in two ways: (1) 2 drugs failed, 1 seizure/month, on average, for 18 months (stringent), and (2) failure of 2 drugs. Delayed intractability was defined as 3 or more years after epilepsy diagnosis.ResultsEighty‐three children (13.8%) met the stringent and 142 (23.2%) met the two‐drug definition. Intractability depended on syndrome (p < 0.0001): 26 (31.3%) children meeting stringent and 39 (27.5%) meeting the 2‐drug definition had delayed intractability. Intractability was delayed more often in focal than catastrophic epilepsy (stringent: 46.2 vs 14.3%, p = 0.003; two‐drug: 40.3 vs 2.2%, p ≤ 0.0001). Early remission periods preceded delayed intractability in 65.4 to 74.3% of cases. After becoming intractable, 20.5% subsequently entered remission and 13.3% were seizure free at last contact.InterpretationIntractable epilepsy may be delayed, especially in focal epilepsy. It often is preceded by a quiescent period, followed by further remissions. These findings help explain why surgically treatable epilepsies may take 20 years or longer before referral to surgery. Ann Neurol 2006
Reading and writing book reviews across the disciplines
Authors: Hartley James 
Published: May 2006

AbstractReading and writing book reviews for learned journals plays an important part in academic life but little is known about how academics carry out these tasks. The aim of this research was to explore these activities with academics from the arts and humanities, the social sciences, and the natural sciences. An electronic questionnaire was used to ascertain (a) how often the respondents read and wrote book reviews, (b) how useful they found them, and (c) what features they thought important in book reviews. Fifty‐two academics in the arts, 53 in the social sciences, and 51 in the sciences replied. There were few disciplinary differences. Most respondents reported reading between one and five book reviews a month and writing between one and two a year. There was high overall agreement between what the respondents thought were important features of book reviews, but there were also wide individual differences between them. This agreement across the disciplines supports the notion that book reviews can be seen as an academic genre with measurable features. This has implications for how they are written, and how authors might be taught to write them better. A potential checklist for authors is suggested.
A pilot study with a new, rapid‐exchange, thrombus‐aspirating device in patients with thrombus‐containing lesions: The Diver C.E. study
Authors: Burzotta Francesco , Trani Carlo , Romagnoli Enrico , Belloni Flavia , Biondi‐Zoccai Giuseppe G.L. , Mazzari Mario Attilio , De Vita Maria , Giannico Floriana , Garramone Barbara , Niccoli Giampaolo , Rebuzzi Antonio Giuseppe , Mongiardo Rocco , Schiavoni Giovanni , Crea Filippo 
Published: May 2006

AbstractBackground: In patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS), distal embolization of thrombotic material is more likely to play a key role in the pathogenesis of myocardial no‐reflow during percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Thus, interventional techniques able to reduce thrombus burden at the culprit vessel might improve final myocardial reperfusion. Objective: To evaluate a new rapid‐exchange thrombus‐aspirating catheter, the Diver C.E., in patients with thrombotic coronary lesions undergoing PCI. Methods: Fifty patients with acute myocardial infarction (n = 44) or with non‐ST‐elevation ACS and angiographic evidence of coronary thrombus (n = 6) undergoing urgent PCI were prospectively enrolled. The Diver C.E. was used to aspirate coronary thrombus from the culprit lesion after placement of the guidewire. Adjunctive balloon inflations and stent implantation were used to achieve good angiographic result. Angiographic coronary flow (by means of TIMI score and corrected TIMI frame count, cTFC), thrombus score (TS), and myocardial perfusion (by means of postintervention myocardial blush grade, MBG) were assessed in all patients. Results: The device could be successfully employed in 96% of the cases (48/50) and yielded significant (P < 0.0001) acute reduction in thrombus burden (TS: predevice 3.5 ± 0.8, postdevice 2.5 ± 0.9) and improvement in coronary flow (TIMI grade: predevice 1.0 ± 0.9, postdevice 2.0 ± 0.9; CTFC predevice 71 ± 31, postdevice 39 ± 26). Final TIMI grade 0–1 was observed in one patient only (2%). A significant (P = 0.02) correlation was found between preintervention TS and efficacy of thrombus aspiration. A more pronounced acute reduction of thrombus burden after thrombus aspiration (TS reduction ≥2) was associated with a better postintervention angiographic myocardial perfusion (MBG 2.3 ± 0.9 vs 1.7 ± 0.8; P = 0.05). Conclusions: This new, easy‐to‐use, device is able to reduce thrombus burden and to improve coronary flow in patients with thrombus‐containing lesions. The improvement in myocardial perfusion associated to greater thrombus removal highlights the importance of thrombus aspiration in the management of thrombus‐burdened coronary lesions. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Estimating the power of variance component linkage analysis in large pedigrees
Authors: Chen Wei‐Min , Abecasis Gonçalo R. 
Published: May 2006

AbstractVariance component linkage analysis is commonly used to map quantitative trait loci (QTLs) in general pedigrees. Large pedigrees are especially attractive for these studies because they provide greater power per genotyped individual than small pedigrees. We propose accurate and computationally efficient methods to calculate the analytical power of variance component linkage analysis that can accommodate large pedigrees. Our analytical power computation involves the approximation of the noncentrality parameter for the likelihood‐ratio test by its Taylor expansions. We develop efficient algorithms to compute the second and third moments of the identical by descent (IBD) sharing distribution and enable rapid computation of the Taylor expansions. Our algorithms take advantage of natural symmetries in pedigrees and can accurately analyze many large pedigrees in a few seconds. We verify the accuracy of our power calculation via simulation in pedigrees with 2–5 generations and 2–8 siblings per sibship. We apply this proposed analytical power calculation to 98 quantitative traits in a cohort study of 6,148 Sardinians in which the largest pedigree includes 625 phenotyped individuals. Simulations based on eight representative traits show that the difference between our analytical estimation of the expected LOD score and the average of simulated LOD scores is less than 0.05 (1.5%). Although our analytical calculations are for a fully informative marker locus, in the settings we examined power was similar to what could be attained with a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) mapping panel (with >1 SNP/cM). Our algorithms for power analysis together with polygenic analysis are implemented in a freely available computer program, POLY. Genet. Epidemiol. 2006. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Innovative wavelengths in endodontic treatment
Authors: Schoop Ulrich , Kluger Wolf , Dervisbegovic Selma , Goharkhay Kawe , Wernisch Johann , Georgopoulos Apostolos , Sperr Wolfgang , Moritz Andreas 
Published: May 2006

AbstractBackground and ObjectivesThe sanitation of the root canal system and the adjacent dentin has always been a key requirement for successful endodontics. In recent years, various laser systems have provided a major contribution to this aim, namely the Nd:YAG‐, the 810 nm Diode‐, the Er:YAG‐, and the Er,Cr:YSGG laser. Numerous studies could prove their efficiency within the endodontic procedure. Recently, two new wavelengths have been introduced to the field of oral laser applications: The KTP laser emitting at 532 nm and the 980 nm diode laser. The present in vitro investigation was performed to evaluate the effects of these laser systems focusing on their antibacterial effect in deep layers of dentin and their impact on the root canal dentin.Study Design/Materials and MethodsTwo‐hundred slices of root dentin with a thickness of 1 mm were obtained by longitudinal cuts of freshly extracted human premolars. The samples were steam sterilized and subsequently inoculated with a suspension of either Escherichia coli or Enterococcus faecalis. After the incubation, the samples were randomly assigned to the two different laser systems tested. Each laser group consisted of two different operational settings and a control. The dentinal samples underwent “indirect” laser irradiation through the dentin from the bacteria‐free side and were then subjected to a classical quantitative microbiologic evaluation. To assess the temperature increase during the irradiation procedure, additional measurements were carried out using a thermocouple. To assess the impacts on the root canal walls, 20 additional samples underwent laser irradiation at two different settings and were subjected to scanning electron microscopy.ResultsMicrobiology indicated that both laser systems were capable of significant reductions in both test strains. At an effective output power of 1 W, E. coli was reduced by at least 3 log steps in most of the samples by the tested wavelengths, with the best results for the KTP laser showing complete eradication of E. coli in 75% of the samples. E. faecalis, a stubborn invader of the root canal, showed minor changes in bacterial count at 1 W. Using the higher setting of 1.5 W, significant reductions of E. coli were again observed with both laser systems, where the lasers were capable of complete eradication of E. faecalis to a significant extent. There was no significant relation between the temperature increase and the bactericidal effect.ConclusionsThe present study demonstrates that both wavelengths investigated could be suitable for the disinfection of even the deeper layers of dentin and equal the results achieved by established wavelengths in state‐of‐the‐art endodontics. Lasers Surg. Med. 38:624–630, 2006. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Multiscale white matter fiber tract coregistration: A new feature‐based approach to align diffusion tensor data
Authors: Leemans A. , Sijbers J. , De Backer S. , Vandervliet E. , Parizel P. 
Published: May 2006

AbstractIn this paper an automatic multiscale feature‐based rigid‐body coregistration technique for diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) based on the local curvature κ and torsion τ of the white matter (WM) fiber pathways is presented. As a similarity measure, the mean squared difference (MSD) of corresponding fiber pathways in (κ, τ)‐space is chosen. After the MSD is minimized along the arc length of the curve, principal component analysis is applied to calculate the transformation parameters. In addition, a scale‐space representation of the space curves is incorporated, resulting in a multiscale robust coregistration technique. This fully automatic technique inherently allows one to apply region of interest (ROI) coregistration, and is adequate for performing both global and local transformations. Simulations were performed on synthetic DT data to evaluate the coregistration accuracy and precision. An in vivo coregistration example is presented and compared with a voxel‐based coregistration approach, demonstrating the feasibility and advantages of the proposed technique to align DT data of the human brain. Magn Reson Med, 2006. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Logistic Regression Analysis of Customer Satisfaction Data
Authors: Lawson Cathy , Montgomery Douglas C. 
Published: May 2006

AbstractVariation exists in all processes. Significant work has been done to identify and remove sources of variation in manufacturing processes resulting in large returns for companies. However, business process optimization is an area that has a large potential return for a company. Business processes can be difficult to optimize due to the nature of the output variables associated with them. Business processes tend to have output variables that are binary, nominal or ordinal. Examples of these types of output include whether a particular event occurred, a customer's color preference for a new product and survey questions that assess the extent of the survey respondent's agreement with a particular statement. Output variables that are binary, nominal or ordinal cannot be modeled using ordinary least‐squares regression. Logistic regression is a method used to model data where the output is binary, nominal or ordinal. This article provides a review of logistic regression and demonstrates its use in modeling data from a business process involving customer feedback. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Foreign body sensation in the throat due to displacement of the superior cornu of the thyroid cartilage: two cases and a literature review
Authors: Nadig S K , Uppal S , Back G W , Coatesworth A P , Grace A R H 
Published: May 2006

The sensation of a foreign body in the throat when swallowing is a common and very discomforting symptom for those who experience it. Common causes are gastroesophageal reflux disease and possibly upper oesophageal dysmotility. This complaint may be dismissed as psychogenic when a cause for the problem is not readily apparent.We present two cases in which the patient had a foreign body sensation in the throat, associated with a dry swallow. The most helpful diagnostic procedure was careful examination of the hypopharynx and neck and flexible fibre-optic rhinolaryngoscopy. One case was treated with surgery of the neck and larynx to trim the medially projecting superior cornu of the thyroid cartilage. Surgery was successful in eliminating the symptoms.Although an uncommon finding, our experience is that symptoms due to a medially displaced thyroid cornu should be considered in the differential diagnosis as an important and surgically correctable cause of persistent foreign body sensation at the hyoid level in the neck.
Rat adipocyte apoptosis induced by TNF-α
Authors: Ya-Qiu Lin , Rui-Wen Li , Chao Sun , Guo-Zhu Chen , Yong-Qing Yang , De-Lian Meng , Gong-She Yang 
Published: May 2006

AbstractThe effects of different concentrations of tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) on rat adipocyte apoptosis were detected by optical microscopy, agarose gel electrophoresis and flow cytometry methods. The morphological changes of rat adipocyte apoptosis induced by TNF-α correlated linearly with the concentration of TNF-α, ranging from 5 to 20 ng/ml. High concentrations of TNF-α induced more obvious apoptosis. Significant morphological changes of rat adipocytes treated with 5 ng/ml TNF-α were noticed, but DNA ladders did not appear in the DNA electrophoresis analysis, i.e. morphological changes occurred earlier than the biochemical changes. TNF-α induced apoptosis in the rat adipocyte in a dose-dependent manner. The induced apoptotic effect of 5, 10, 15 and 20 ng/ml TNF-α was significantly different (P0.01), but the effect among 10, 15 and 20 ng/ml TNF-α treatments was not significantly different (P0.05). Thus the optimum concentration of TNF-α for inducing apoptosis was 10 ng/ml.
Plasmodium berghei calcium‐dependent protein kinase 3 is required for ookinete gliding motility and mosquito midgut invasion
Authors: Siden‐Kiamos Inga , Ecker Andrea , Nybäck Saga , Louis Christos , Sinden Robert E. , Billker Oliver 
Published: May 2006

SummaryApicomplexan parasites critically depend on a unique form of gliding motility to colonize their hosts and to invade cells. Gliding requires different stage and species‐specific transmembrane adhesins, which interact with an intracellular motor complex shared across parasite stages and species. How gliding is regulated by extracellular factors and intracellular signalling mechanisms is largely unknown, but current evidence suggests an important role for cytosolic calcium as a second messenger. Studying a Plasmodium berghei gene deletion mutant, we here provide evidence that a calcium‐dependent protein kinase, CDPK3, has an important function in regulating motility of the ookinete in the mosquito midgut. We show that a cdpk3– parasite clone produces morphologically normal ookinetes, which fail to engage the midgut epithelium, due to a marked reduction in their ability to glide productively, resulting in marked reduction in malaria transmission to the mosquito. The mutant was successfully complemented with an episomally maintained cdpk3 gene, restoring mosquito transmission to wild‐type level. cdpk3– ookinetes maintain their full genetic differentiation potential when microinjected into the mosquito haemocoel and cdpk3– sporozoites produced in this way are motile and infectious, suggesting an ookinete‐limited essential function for CDPK3.
Assembly and role of pili in group B streptococci
Authors: Dramsi Shaynoor , Caliot Elise , Bonne Isabelle , Guadagnini Stéphanie , Prévost Marie‐Christine , Kojadinovic Mila , Lalioui Lila , Poyart Claire , Trieu‐Cuot Patrick 
Published: May 2006

Summary Streptococcus agalactiae[group B streptococcus (GBS)] is the leading cause of neonatal pneumonia, sepsis and meningitis. An in silico genome analysis indicated that GBS strain NEM316 encodes five putative sortases, including the major class A sortase enzyme and four class C sortases. The genes encoding the class C sortases are tandemly arranged in two different loci, srtC1‐C2 and srtC3‐C4, with a similar genetic organization and are thought to be involved in pilus biosynthesis. Each pair of sortase genes is flanked by LPXTG protein encoding genes, two upstream and one downstream, and a divergently transcribed regulatory gene located upstream from this locus. We demonstrated that strain NEM316 expresses only the srtC3‐C4 locus, which encodes three surface proteins (Gbs1474, Gbs1477 and Gbs1478) that polymerize to form appendages resembling pili. Structural and functional analysis of this locus revealed that: (i) the transcriptional activator RogB is required for expression of the srtC3‐C4 operon; (ii) Gbs1477, and either SrtC3 or SrtC4 are absolutely required for pilus biogenesis; and (iii) GBS NEM316 pili are composed of three surface proteins, Gbs1477, the bona fide pilin which is the major component, Gbs1474, a minor associated component, and Gbs1478, a pilus‐associated adhesin. Surprisingly, pilus‐like structures can be formed in the absence of the two minor components, i.e. the putative anchor Gbs1474 or the adhesin Gbs1478. Adherence assays showed that Gbs1478 confers adhesive capacity to the pilus. This study provides the first evidence that adhesive pili are also present in Gram‐positive pathogens.
Demonstration of plasminogen‐like protein in amphioxus with implications for the origin of vertebrate liver
Authors: Liang Y. J. , Zhang S. C. 
Published: May 2006

AbstractPlasminogen, the proenzyme of serine protease plasmin, is a plasma glycoprotein synthesized primarily in the liver, and its evolutionary origin in chordates remains unclear. We demonstrated here that the humoral fluid in amphioxus is capable of cross‐reacting with anti‐human or anti‐mouse plasminogen antibodies, and the hepatic diverticulum in amphioxus is the site of plasminogen‐like protein synthesis. The presence of plasminogen‐like protein in amphioxus pushes the origin of plasminogen to before the last common ancestor of vertebrates. In addition, the localization of plasminogen‐like protein in the hepatic diverticulum suggests that the diverticulum in amphioxus is functionally homologous to the vertebrate liver in respect of plasminogen synthesis, supporting the hypothesis that the vertebrate liver evolved from the hepatic diverticulum of an amphioxus‐like ancestor during early chordate evolution.
Efficacy and tolerability of tolterodine extended‐release in continent patients with overactive bladder and nocturia
Authors: NITTI VICTOR W. , DMOCHOWSKI ROGER , APPELL RODNEY A. , WANG JOSEPH T. , BAVENDAM TAMARA , GUAN ZHONGHONG ,   the 037 Study Group
Published: May 2006

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the clinical efficacy and tolerability of tolterodine extended‐release (ER) in continent patients with overactive bladder (OAB) and nocturia.PATIENTS AND METHODSA post hoc analysis was conducted of data from a 12‐week, double‐blind study of 850 patients randomized to tolterodine ER (4 mg once daily) or placebo, taken within 4 h of going to bed. Patients with a mean of ≥ 8 voids/24 h were enrolled, including a mean of ≥ 2.5 voids/night. Patients completed 7‐day voiding diaries, and for each void an urgency rating was assessed using a 5‐point scale (1, none; 5, urgency incontinence); 24‐h voids were categorized by urgency rating: total (1–5), non‐OAB (1–2), OAB (3–4), and severe OAB (4–5) voids. All adverse events were recorded.RESULTSThe post hoc analysis included 513 patients (243 placebo; 270 tolterodine ER; 58% men) who were continent at baseline; 47% of 24‐h voids were classed as non‐OAB, and 12% as severe OAB. After 12 weeks of treatment, tolterodine ER significantly reduced mean urgency rating and 24‐h OAB, severe OAB, and total voids vs placebo. Tolterodine ER did not affect normal, non‐OAB voids, and there were no significant adverse events related to voiding. Other than dry mouth (tolterodine ER, 9% vs placebo, 2%), all the adverse events were reported in <3% of patients; <2% of patients receiving tolterodine ER withdrew because of adverse events.CONCLUSIONSIn continent patients with OAB, tolterodine ER significantly improved urgency rating and reduced 24‐h OAB, severe OAB, and total voids, suggesting that it is an effective and well‐tolerated treatment option for this subpopulation. More studies are needed to better understand the clinical efficacy of tolterodine ER in this under evaluated group of OAB patients without incontinence.