bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Refocusing NASA planetary science funding
Authors: Zielinski Sarah 
Published: November 2006

NASA should invest more money in data analysis for its planetary science missions, even if it means delaying or canceling a future mission, members of the science committee of the NASA Advisory Council (NAC) uggested at a 12 October meeting.Science committee member Mark Robinson, director of the Center for Planetary Sciences at Northwestern University in Chicago, Ill., said that large amounts of data from NASA planetary science missions are accumulating, and the funds for data analysis often are inadequate to properly analyze all of it. For example, there is a large amount of currently unanalyzed Mars data that could be used in planning for the Mars Science Laboratory (expected to launch in 2009), and particularly for site selection. This includes data from the recently arrived Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, which is likely to send more data to Earth in its first year than has been collected by all previous Mars missions combined.
Collaboration between shipboard oceanic and atmospheric programs
Authors: Smith Shawn R. 
Published: November 2006

There are a few programs dedicated to providing high‐quality, automated surface oceanographic and meteorological observations from ships to the research and operational community. These observations typically include vessel position and motion, winds, air and sea temperature, atmospheric pressure and humidity, precipitation, radiation at the Earth's surface, sea surface salinity conductivity, fluorescence and other ocean measurements. The observations, which are a component of a global ocean observing system, provide essential benchmark values that can aide in understanding the exchange of heat, moisture, carbon, and other quantities that cross the ocean‐atmosphere interface.The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Office of Climate Observation sponsored a recent workshop to initiate collaboration between the Global Ocean Surface Underway Data (GOSUD) pilot project (http://www.gosud.org/), the Shipboard Automated Meteorological and Oceanographic System (SAMOS) initiative (http://samos.coaps.fsu.edu/), and other international programs that provide these essential observations. The goals of the workshop were to improve international collaboration between shipboard observation programs and to stimulate interest in applying these observations to applications such as satellite and model product evaluation, air‐sea flux analyses, and ocean process studies.
Thermal unfolding of eosinophil cationic protein/ribonuclease 3: A nonreversible process
Authors: Nikolovski Zoran , Buzón Víctor , Ribó Marc , Moussaoui Mohammed , Vilanova Maria , Cuchillo Claudi M. , Cladera Josep , Nogués M. Victòria 
Published: November 2006

AbstractEosinophil cationic protein (ECP)/ribonuclease 3 is a member of the RNase A superfamily involved in inflammatory processes mediated by eosinophils. ECP is bactericidal, helminthotoxic, and cytotoxic to tracheal epithelium cells and to several mammalian cell lines although its RNase activity is low. We studied the thermal stability of ECP by fourth‐derivative UV absorbance spectra, circular dichroism, differential scanning calorimetry, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The T 1/2 values obtained with the different techniques were in very good agreement (T 1/2 ≈ 72°C), and the stability was maintained in the pH range between 5 and 7. The ECP calorimetric melting curve showed, in addition to the main transition, a pretransitional conformational change with a T 1/2 of 44°C. Both calorimetric transitions disappeared after successive re‐heatings, and the ratio ΔH versus ΔH vH of 2.2 indicated a significant deviation from the two‐state model. It was observed that the thermal unfolding was irreversible. The unfolding process gives rise to changes in the environment of aromatic amino acids that are partially maintained in the refolded protein with the loss of secondary structure and the formation of oligomers. From the thermodynamic analysis of ECP variants, the contribution of specific amino acids, such as Trp10 and the region 115–122, to thermal stability was also determined. The high thermal stability of ECP may contribute to its resistance to degradation when the protein is secreted to the extracellular medium during the immune response.
Effects of additives on surfactant phase behavior relevant to bacteriorhodopsin crystallization
Authors: Berger Bryan W. , Gendron Colleen M. , Lenhoff Abraham M. , Kaler Eric W. 
Published: November 2006

AbstractThe interactions leading to crystallization of the integral membrane protein bacteriorhodopsin solubilized in n‐octyl‐β‐D‐glucoside were investigated. Osmotic second virial coefficients (B22) were measured by self‐interaction chromatography using a wide range of additives and precipitants, including polyethylene glycol (PEG) and heptane‐1,2,3‐triol (HT). In all cases, attractive protein–detergent complex (PDC) interactions were observed near the surfactant cloud point temperature, and there is a correlation between the surfactant cloud point temperatures and PDC B22 values. Light scattering, isothermal titration calorimetry, and tensiometry reveal that although the underlying reasons for the patterns of interaction may be different for various combinations of precipitants and additives, surfactant phase behavior plays an important role in promoting crystallization. In most cases, solution conditions that led to crystallization fell within a similar range of slightly negative B22 values, suggesting that weakly attractive interactions are important as they are for soluble proteins. However, the sensitivity of the cloud point temperatures and resultant coexistence curves varied significantly as a function of precipitant type, which suggests that different types of forces are involved in driving phase separation depending on the precipitant used.
Sensitivity of secondary structure propensities to sequence differences between α‐ and γ‐synuclein: Implications for fibrillation
Authors: Marsh Joseph A. , Singh Vinay K. , Jia Zongchao , Forman‐Kay Julie D. 
Published: November 2006

AbstractThe synucleins are a family of intrinsically disordered proteins involved in various human diseases. α‐Synuclein has been extensively characterized due to its role in Parkinson's disease where it forms intracellular aggregates, while γ‐synuclein is overexpressed in a majority of late‐stage breast cancers. Despite fairly strong sequence similarity between the amyloid‐forming regions of α‐ and γ‐synuclein, γ‐synuclein has only a weak propensity to form amyloid fibrils. We hypothesize that the different fibrillation tendencies of α‐ and γ‐synuclein may be related to differences in structural propensities. Here we have measured chemical shifts for γ‐synuclein and compared them to previously published shifts for α‐synuclein. In order to facilitate direct comparison, we have implemented a simple new technique for re‐referencing chemical shifts that we have found to be highly effective for both disordered and folded proteins. In addition, we have developed a new method that combines different chemical shifts into a single residue‐specific secondary structure propensity (SSP) score. We observe significant differences between α‐ and γ‐synuclein secondary structure propensities. Most interestingly, γ‐synuclein has an increased α‐helical propensity in the amyloid‐forming region that is critical for α‐synuclein fibrillation, suggesting that increased structural stability in this region may protect against γ‐synuclein aggregation. This comparison of residue‐specific secondary structure propensities between intrinsically disordered homologs highlights the sensitivity of transient structure to sequence changes, which we suggest may have been exploited as an evolutionary mechanism for fast modulation of protein structure and, hence, function.
Accidental intracerebroventricular injection of anaesthetic drugs during induction of general anaesthesia
Authors: Tiefenthaler W. , Tschupik K. , Hohlrieder M. , Eisner W. , Benzer A. 
Published: November 2006

SummaryA 51‐year‐old patient scheduled for surgery under general anaesthesia was accidentally given remifentanil 150 μg and propofol 1% 10 ml through an intracerebroventricular totally implantable access port placed in the right infraclavicular region, which was mistakenly thought to be an intravenous line. Severe pain in the head and neck caused the mistake to be discovered rapidly, and 20 ml of a mixture of cerebrospinal fluid and the anaesthetic drugs were aspirated from the implantable access port. The patient suffered no apparent adverse neurological sequelae.
Hypophosphataemia causing profound cardiac failure after cardiac surgery
Authors: Heames R. M. , Cope R. A. 
Published: November 2006

SummaryWe report the case of a patient who developed severe cardiac failure after cardiac surgery and required high‐dose inotrope infusion. The patient was found to have significant hypophosphataemia and high insulin requirements immediately after surgery. On giving intravenous phosphate, there was a rapid decrease in inotrope requirement and improved glycaemic control. This occurrence raises questions about the cause of hypophosphataemia after cardiac surgery, the possible need for pre‐operative plasma phosphate measurement and whether phosphate replacement should be part of the standard management of postoperative hypophosphataemia.
The efficacy of pharyngeal packing during routine nasal surgery – a prospective randomised controlled study
Authors: Basha S. I. , McCoy E. , Ullah R. , Kinsella J. B. 
Published: November 2006

SummaryThe efficacy of pharyngeal packing in the prevention of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) in patients undergoing nasal surgery was evaluated in a prospective randomised controlled study. The effect of the presence of the pharyngeal pack on the incidence of postoperative sore throat was also assessed. One hundred patients were randomly allocated to one of two groups; the first had packing and the second received no packing. The placement of a pharyngeal pack was found to have no effect on the incidence of PONV but was associated with a significantly increased incidence of sore throat. The absence of a pharyngeal pack was not associated with an increase in postoperative aspiration or vomiting. We conclude that the routine placement of pharyngeal packs during uncomplicated nasal surgery has no effect on the incidence of PONV and will increase the incidence of postoperative sore throat.
Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors on basophils and mast cells
Authors: Sudheer P. S. , Hall J. E. , Donev R. , Read G. , Rowbottom A. , Williams P. E. 
Published: November 2006

SummaryAnaphylaxis in response to drugs administered during anaesthesia is a rare but potentially catastrophic event. The anaesthetic drugs most commonly associated with anaphylaxis are neuromuscular blocking agents. As these drugs act on the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor of the neuromuscular junction, potentiation of anaphylaxis by a nicotinic receptor on basophils and mast cells is plausible. The aim of this study was to investigate whether nicotinic acetylcholine receptors are present on a human basophil and mast cell lines as their presence may suggest a mechanism of associated anaphylaxis. Nicotinic receptors were demonstrated on a basophil and a mast cell line using an α‐bungarotoxin–fluorescein conjugate by flow cytometry and by both conventional and confocal microscopic techniques. The identity of this receptor was confirmed by reverse transcriptase PCR and quantitative PCR.
Ghrelin does not regulate the GH response to insulin‐induced hypoglycaemia in children but could be involved in the regulation of cortisol secretion
Authors: Huber J. , Reiterer E. E. , Sudi K. , Gallistl S. , Friedl K. , Weinhandl G. , Aigner R. , Borkenstein M. H. 
Published: November 2006

SummaryObjective  Ghrelin activates the growth hormone secretagogue receptor GHS‐R. It strongly stimulates GH secretion and has a role in energy homeostasis. The relationship between plasma ghrelin and cortisol levels during insulin‐induced hypoglycaemia in prepubertal and pubertal children has not yet been investigated. The aim of the present study was to establish whether insulin‐induced hypoglycaemia stimulates ghrelin secretion and whether changes in ghrelin concentrations are related to changes in GH and cortisol in children.Design and patients  We studied a group of 20 children and adolescents (five girls, 15 boys, mean age 10·8 ± 3·7 years) undergoing insulin tolerance tests (ITTs) for clinical investigation of GH deficiency.Measurements  Stimulation tests were performed to investigate the relationship between ghrelin, GH, cortisol and glucose levels according to age and pubertal stage by determining the ghrelin profiles during insulin‐induced hypoglycaemia (at 0, 60 and 120 min).Results  Ghrelin was significantly and inversely related to body weight, height, body mass index (BMI) and age of children (P < 0·05). Significant changes in ghrelin levels (P = 0·00013) were found after the insulin bolus, with a decline at 60 min and an increase to baseline values at 120 min. Changes in cortisol levels were negatively correlated with changes in ghrelin at 60 min (r = –0·59, P = 0·004) and at 120 min (r = –0·605, P = 0·003).Conclusions  This study shows that ghrelin might not regulate the GH response to insulin‐induced hypoglycaemia in prepubertal and pubertal children. A role for ghrelin in the regulation of cortisol secretion can be hypothesized concerning the negative correlation between changes in ghrelin and cortisol. Furthermore, the results imply that ghrelin secretion is age dependent and is a function of growth.
Clinical characteristics of poorly differentiated thyroid carcinomas compared with those of classical papillary thyroid carcinomas
Authors: Lin Jen‐Der , Chao Tzu‐Chieh , Hsueh Chuen 
Published: November 2006

SummaryObjective  The aim of this study was to compare the clinical presentation and prognosis of poorly differentiated thyroid carcinoma (PDTC) with those of classical papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) to identify the appropriate surgical modalities for use in conjunction with radioactive iodide (131I) therapy and external radiotherapy for treating PDTC.Design  Sixty‐seven PDTC patients (mean age 50·3 ± 18·1 years, range 14–82 years) underwent surgery at the Chang Gung Medical Centre (CGMC), Linkou. To compare clinical presentations and treatment outcomes, 134 age‐ and gender‐matched patients with classical PTC were selected randomly from the patient database at CGMC.Results  Of the 67 PDTC patients, 53 underwent near‐total thyroidectomy. Following surgery, 45 were administered 131I for remnant ablation and treatment of distant metastatic disease. Forty‐one of the 67 (61·2%) patients with PDTC and 26/134 (19·4%) with classical PTC failed to achieve disease‐free status. Twenty‐four of the 67 (34·3%) PDTC patients eventually died of thyroid cancer after a mean follow‐up of 5·9 ± 0·6 years. Age and TNM staging at surgery were significant indicators of PDTC patient survival and mortality.Conclusions  As the prognosis for PDTC patients is poorer than that for classical PTC patients, 131I treatment following surgery is useful. To improve the survival rate, early diagnosis is crucial for PDTC.
The α1S subunit of the L‐type calcium channel is not a predisposition gene for thyrotoxic periodic paralysis
Authors: Tang Nelson L. S. , Chow C. C. , Ko Gary T. C. , Tai Morris H. L. , Kwok Rachel , Yao X. Q. , Cockram Clive S. 
Published: November 2006

SummaryObjective  Thyrotoxic periodic paralysis (TTP) has been associated with genetic variations in the gene encoding the alpha 1 subunit of the L‐type calcium channel (CACNA1S). Mutations in CACNA1S are known to account for the majority of cases of familial hypokalaemic periodic paralysis (HOKPP). In this study we have examined 48 genetic polymorphisms in the CACNA1S gene and genotyped a tagging set of representative polymorphisms to determine the role of this gene in TPP.Design and patients  A genetic association study was carried out with 98 TPP patients and 162 male thyrotoxic controls. Among 47 polymorphisms evaluated for linkage disequilibrium (LD) and the spectrum of haplotypes in the Chinese population, 31 were selected as tagging single‐nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) for genotyping the whole sample. A new genotyping protocol was used to analyse an insertion/deletion (I/D) polymorphism.Results  We studied the LD among 47 polymorphisms in the CACNA1S gene, which comprised a set of high‐density markers with an average of one SNP every 2 kb. Subsequently, 31 tagSNPs were genotyped for all the samples. The gene is composed of three LD blocks. With this block structure, we were confident that variations of the gene were comprehensively covered by the tagSNPs. No significant association was found between the polymorphisms and TPP.Conclusion  We established the LD structure of this calcium channel subunit gene (CACNA1S) for the first time. However, its genetic variations are not associated with TPP in Chinese patients.
Diversity and distribution of aphids in the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau–Himalayas
Authors: HUANG XIAOLEI , QIAO GEXIA , LEI FUMIN 
Published: November 2006

Abstract1. Based on the geographic distribution database of museum specimens and published literature, the diversity and distribution of aphids in the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau–Himalayas was studied using the GIS method.2. A total of 646 aphid species/subspecies belonging to 195 genera in Adelgidae, Phylloxeridae, and 16 subfamilies of Aphididae were recorded from this region; among which Aphidinae shared the highest species proportion (343 species, 53.1%), followed by Greenidinae (63, 9.7%), Eriosomatinae (54, 8.3%), and Lachninae (48, 7.4%). A total of 326 species and 20 genera are endemic to this region.3. The aphid fauna has diverse faunal components and shows affinity with other zoogeographic realms. It is also rich in alpine species.4. The aphid fauna exhibits an asymmetric distribution pattern with few species found on the high surface of the plateau. Four distribution centres were mapped. These were (i) the associated mountainous areas of the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau and the western Qinling Mountains and southern Gansu Province, (ii) the Hengduan Mountains Region, (iii) the eastern Himalayas, and (iv) the western Himalayas.5. The aphid fauna of the region may have multiple origins, and has been influenced by geological and ecological factors, such as glaciers and diversified vegetation. Possible reasons for the species diversity and distribution patterns are discussed. The implications and priorities for conservation based, on these distribution patterns, are also discussed.
Inflammation affects lipid metabolism during recovery from hyperinsulinaemia
Authors: Heliövaara M. K. , Teppo A. M. , Karonen S. L. , Ebeling P. 
Published: November 2006

AbstractBackground  Inflammation is an established contributor in atherosclerosis and several other common diseases including diabetes. Therefore the study was to investigate how inflammatory factors affect lipid metabolism during recovery from hyperinsulinaemia in healthy individuals.Materials and methods  A total of 22 healthy subjects [aged 27·7 ± 1·8 years; body mass index (BMI) 24·1 ± 0·8 kg m−2] participated in the study. After a 4‐h euglycaemic hyperinsulinaemia (55·9 ± 2·2 mU L−1) insulin infusion was stopped and baseline blood samples were taken. Glucose infusion at a decreasing rate continued for 120 min to maintain euglycaemia throughout the study.Results  The free fatty acid (FFA) concentration at the 120‐min time‐point was associated with baseline alpha‐1‐acid glycoprotein (A1GP) (r = 0·57, P < 0·01), C‐reactive protein (CRP) (r = 0·54, P < 0·02) and serum amyloid A (r = 0·53, P < 0·02); in total they accounted for 54% of the variation in FFA concentration at the 120‐min time‐point. Baseline A1GP was also associated with the triglyceride concentration at the 120‐min time‐point (r = 0·66, P < 0·001). Insulin sensitivity was the most important factor associated with glucose disposal at the 120‐min time‐point, thus explaining 30% of the variation (P < 0·01). Interleukin‐6 (positive correlation) and fibrinogen (negative correlation) increased the proportion to 48% (P < 0·01). There was no significant change in the most acute‐phase proteins between baseline and the 120‐min time‐point.Conclusion  Inflammation is an important contributor to lipid and glucose metabolism during recovery from hyperinsulinaemia.
Women with polycystic ovary syndrome are sensitive to the TNF‐α‐lowering effect of glucose‐induced hyperinsulinaemia
Authors: Puder J. J. , Varga S. , Nusbaumer C. P. G. , Zulewski H. , Bilz S. , Müller B. , Keller U. 
Published: November 2006

AbstractBackground  Restoration of near‐euglycaemia by intensive insulin therapy results in decreased serum levels of inflammatory mediators. The authors investigated whether the anti‐inflammatory effect of insulin was independent of its glucose‐lowering action and if this effect was intact in insulin‐resistant women with the polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) characterized by low‐grade chronic inflammation.Materials and methods  Blood was drawn on the third and sixth days after progestin‐induced withdrawal bleeding in 20 young non‐diabetic women with PCOS and once between the third and sixth days of the menstrual cycle in 21 age‐matched lean healthy control women during a 75‐g oral glucose tolerance test (oGTT). Serum insulin, glucose and tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF‐α) concentrations were measured after 0, 30, 60, 90 and 120 min.Results  The increase in insulin and glucose concentrations during the oGTT was significantly more pronounced in patients with PCOS (one patient with impaired fasting glucose, one patient with impaired glucose tolerance, three patients with both) compared with healthy controls. The TNF‐α serum concentrations decreased in patients with PCOS (mean of both days, P = 0·004). In patients and in controls, there was an inverse correlation between the serum concentrations of insulin and of TNF‐α during oGTT (for patients, a mean of both days, P = 0·009; for controls, P = 0·047), but not between the serum concentrations of glucose and TNF‐α.Conclusions  The decrease in TNF‐α concentrations during oGTT and the inverse correlation between endogenous hyperinsulinaemia and serum TNF‐α concentrations suggested an anti‐inflammatory effect of moderately‐high insulin concentrations. This occurred despite the presence of moderate hyperglycaemia. These findings also demonstrated a preserved responsiveness of inflammatory mediators to insulin in PCOS.
Tacrolimus treatment of plasmacytoid dendritic cells inhibits dinucleotide (CpG‐)‐induced tumour necrosis factor‐alpha secretion
Authors: Naranjo‐Gómez Mar , Climent Nuria , Cos Joan , Oliva Harold , Bofill Margarita , Gatell José M. , Gallart Teresa , Pujol‐Borrell Ricardo , Borràs Francesc E. 
Published: November 2006

SummaryTacrolimus is a widely used immunosuppressive agent. Although T cells are the main targets of these pharmacological drugs, antigen presentation may also be affected. Among antigen‐presenting cells, plasmacytoid dendritic cells (PDCs) are the main source of type I interferons upon microbial challenge, and are involved in several diseases and autoimmune disorders. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether tacrolimus can modulate the function of PDCs in vitro. Maturation and function of PDCs was determined using flow cytometry, enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay and cytometry bead arrays. The effect of tacrolimus on PDCs was observed mainly when the cells were pretreated with the immunosuppressive agent before activation. Upon dinucleotide–oligodeoxynucleotide (CpG–ODN) activation, tacrolimus pretreated PDCs showed a significant reduction in the surface expression of co‐stimulatory molecules and human leucocyte antigen D‐related (HLA‐DR) and secreted reduced levels of tumour necrosis factor (TNF)‐α. These results show that tacrolimus treatment of PDCs impairs CpG‐induced activation, which could affect the outcome of the immune response.