bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Motor cortex stimulation for levodopa‐resistant akinesia: Case report
Authors: Tani Naoki , Saitoh Youichi , Kishima Haruhiko , Oshino Satoru , Hatazawa Jun , Hashikawa Kazuo , Yoshimine Toshiki 
Published: June 2007

AbstractWe treated a patient with levodopa‐resistant akinesia with motor cortex stimulation (MCS), and she showed dramatic improvement more than 1 year. On admission, the patient presented severe akinesia and gait disturbance without tremor and rigidity, and did not respond to levodopa test. The patient was suspected pure akinesia and progressive supranuclear palsy. First, high‐frequency rTMS of primary motor cortex was examined, and showed the dramatic improvement. Next, chronic subdural electrodes were implanted over the motor cortex bilaterally. One year after surgery, the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale had improved remarkably, and she could walk four times faster than before. The H215O PET study showed a significant increase of rCBF in the left SMA and right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex after bilateral MCS. MCS may be an alternative treatment for patients with akinesia, including those with PD, and particularly for levodopa‐resistant patients, who respond well to rTMS. © 2007 Movement Disorder Society
Effects of chronic subthalamic stimulation on nonmotor fluctuations in Parkinson's disease
Authors: Witjas Tatiana , Kaphan Elsa , Régis Jean , Jouve Elisabeth , Chérif André Ali , Péragut Jean‐Claude , Azulay Jean Philippe 
Published: June 2007

AbstractThe aim of this study was to assess the outcome of nonmotor fluctuations (NMF) after chronic Subthalamic nucleus (STN) Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) in Parkinson's disease(PD). Chronic stimulation of the STN has proved to be an effective treatment for advanced PD with motor complications. The outcome of NMF, which are also disabling, remains unknown. Forty‐patients underwent bilateral STN stimulation. Each patient was interviewed before and after 1 yr of STN DBS with a structured questionnaire about their NMF. After 1 yr of chronic stimulation, the improvement in the motor score (UPDRS III) and dyskinesia amounted respectively to 67.4 and 76.3%. The decrease in motor fluctuations (MF) was 59% and 13 patients reported that their MF had disappeared. Comparatively, a reduction of the total number of NMF was also observed (mean number preoperatively: 15.6 per patient, postoperatively: 6.6). Most of the nonmotor fluctuating symptoms occurred in the “off” state preoperatively and no longer depended on the patient's motor state after surgery. The improvement in NMF was not identical for the different categories: pain/sensory fluctuations showed the best response to STN DBS (84.2%). Dysautonomic and cognitive fluctuations were also markedly improved (>60%) while psychic fluctuations remained the most frequent postoperative NMF observed. Some incapacitating manifestations such as drenching sweats and akathisia showed a remarkably good response to STN stimulation. In conclusion STN DBS alleviates NMF. It has strikingly successful effects on sensory, dysautonomic and cognitive fluctuations. However, psychic fluctuations respond less consistently to this treatment. © 2007 Movement Disorder Society
Dopaminergic modulation of timing control and variability in the gait of Parkinson's disease
Authors: Almeida Quincy J. , Frank James S. , Roy Eric A. , Patla Aftab E. , Jog Mandar S. 
Published: June 2007

AbstractThe basal ganglia have been implicated in timing control, yet the nature of timing disturbances in Parkinson's disease (PD) is poorly understood. We evaluated the influence of timing cues on spatiotemporal aspects of gait control and its variability, and the impact of dopaminergic treatment on timing. Three separate groups: 19 PD (OFF state); 24 PD (ON state); and 30 control participants were tested. Participants walked on a computerized carpet at four randomized and metronome‐controlled rates: self‐paced, 60, 80, or 100 steps/min. To our knowledge, this is the first study to demonstrate that medicated PD patients had poorer timing control than patients withdrawn from medication and healthy participants when modulating timing to an external stimulus. Increased step‐to‐step timing variability and deficits in mean temporal gait characteristics revealed that the medicated PD group (in contrast to nonmedicated PD group) performed least like healthy participants. This was observable in externally‐cued conditions, but not during self‐paced gait. Similar to previous research, step length contributed to overall slowness in PD, while temporal characteristics of gait did not. Interestingly, healthy participants increased stride length with each increase in cue rate, whereas both PD groups locked their step length regardless of temporal demand. Step‐to‐step variability differences between PD and healthy (e.g. step and double‐support time measurements) may be indicative of specific basal ganglia involvement in temporal control of gait. © 2007 Movement Disorder Society
Free latissimus dorsi perforator flap for reconstruction of hemifacial atrophy: Case report
Authors: Suominen Erkki A. , Niemi Tarja S. , Koskivuo Ilkka O. , Brück Nina M. , Saaristo Anne M. 
Published: June 2007

AbstractProgressive hemifacial atrophy (PHA) is characterized by slow and progressive atrophy usually of one side of the face. PHA affects primarily the subcutaneous fat and muscle tissues, but may involve the bone. The cause is unknown. The treatment is symptomatic and directed at augmentation of the deficient soft‐tissue volume. The reconstructive procedures may combine fat grafts, dermis fat grafts, pedicle flaps, bone grafts, microvascular free flaps, and alloplastic implants. We report a patient with of PHA whose condition was treated with a free latissimus dorsi (LD) perforator flap. The LD perforator flap was suitable for the large defect of the patient. It could easily be tailored and thinned to follow the facial contour. Minor revisions were needed for esthetic reasons. There was neither significant downward gravitation nor wasting of the flap. 23 months later, the natural appearance of the face was maintained. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc. Microsurgery, 2007.
Microsurgical nonmicrovascular flaps in forearm and hand reconstruction
Authors: Georgescu Alexandru V. , Matei Ileana , Ardelean Filip , Capota Irina 
Published: June 2007

AbstractRelatively new method in flap's surgery, perforator flaps tends to monopolize nowadays the surgeon's interest. The question is: could these flaps be used not only as free flaps, as were mainly used until now, but also as local or regional flaps? On the basis of our experience with 115 operated cases, we will try to demonstrate that a lot of simple or composite defects in the forearm and hand could be covered, in selected cases, by using local or regional perforator flaps. This may have as result, in the future, a dramatic decrease in the indication for free flap transfers. Because these flaps need a microsurgical dissection, but do not need microvascular sutures, they could be defined as “microsurgical nonmicrovascular flaps.” The main advantages of these flaps could be summarized as: no microsurgical sutures, no main vascular pedicles sacrifice, same surgical field, shorter hospitalization time. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc. Microsurgery, 2007.
Heuristic analysis of the complete symmetry group and nonlocal symmetries for some nonlinear evolution equations
Authors: Myeni S. M. , Leach P. G. L. 
Published: June 2007

AbstractThe complete symmetry group of a 1 + 1 evolution equation has been demonstrated to be represented by the six‐dimensional Lie algebra of point symmetries sl(2, R) ⊕sW, where W is the three‐dimensional Heisenberg–Weyl algebra. We construct a complete symmetry group of a nonlinear heat equation ut= F(ux)uxx for some smooth functions F, using the point symmetries admitted by each equation. The nonlinear heat equation is not specifiable by point symmetries alone even when the number of symmetries is 6. We report Ansätze which provide a route to the determination of the required nonlocal symmetry necessary to supplement the point symmetries for the complete specification of these nonlinear 1 + 1 evolution equations. The nonlocal symmetry immediately realized is said to be generic to a class of equations as it gives a specific structure to an equation. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Ecdysteroids from the medicinal fern Microsorum scolopendria (Burm. f.)
Authors: Snogan Eva , Vahirua‐Lechat Isabelle , Ho Raimana , Bertho Gildas , Girault Jean‐Pierre , Ortiga Sophie , Maria Annick , Lafont René 
Published: June 2007

AbstractFronds of the fern Microsorum scolopendria are widely used in traditional medicine in the Society Islands. They were investigated for the presence of ecdysteroids, which might be responsible for at least some of their medicinal properties. M. scolopendria represents an excellent source of ecdysone (0.16% of dry weight) and 20‐hydroxyecdysone (0.20%), and also contains significant amounts (0.01–0.02%) of makisterones A and C, inokosterone and amarasterone A, together with lower amounts of poststerone and of a compound tentatively identified as 24,28‐diepi‐cyasterone. During this study, three new minor phytoecdysteroids, namely 20‐deoxymakisterone A, a 25(?)‐epimer of amarasterone A and 25‐deoxyecdysone 22‐glucoside were also isolated by a combination of normal‐ and reversed‐phase HPLC and subsequently identified by NMR. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Why is late‐onset Huntington disease under‐diagnosed?
Authors: Teodorczuk Andrew 
Published: June 2007

AbstractHuntington disease is still under‐diagnosed by neurologists and psychiatrists –particularly in the elderly population. Dr Teodorczuk explores the reasons for under‐diagnosis and misdiagnosis and provides an update on the features of Huntington disease with an emphasis on late‐onset disease. Copyright © 2007 Wiley Interface Ltd
Structure, flexibility, and mechanism of the Bacillus stearothermophilus RecU holliday junction resolvase
Authors: Kelly Stephen J. , Li Jie , Setlow Peter , Jedrzejas Mark J. 
Published: June 2007

AbstractHere we report a high resolution structure of RecU‐Holliday junction resolvase from Bacillus stearothermophilus. The functional unit of RecU is a homodimer that contains a “mushroom” like structure with a rigid cap and two highly flexible loops extending outwards. These loops appear to be highly flexible/dynamic, and presumably are directly involved in DNA binding and holding it for catalysis. Structural modifications of both the protein and DNA upon their interaction are essential for catalysis. An Mg2+ ion is present in each of the two active sites in this homodimeric enzyme, and two water molecules are coordinated with each Mg2+ ion. Our data are consistent with one of these water molecules acting as a nucleophile and the other as a general acid. The identities of the general base and general acid involved in catalysis and the Lewis acid that stabilizes the pentacovalent transition state phosphate ion are proposed. A model for the RecU‐Holliday junction DNA complex is also proposed and discussed in thecontext of DNA binding and cleavage. Proteins 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
A consensus algorithm to screen genomes for novel families of transmembrane β barrel proteins
Authors: Garrow Andrew G. , Westhead David R. 
Published: June 2007

AbstractThe ability to search sequence datasets for membrane spanning proteins is an important requirement for genome annotation. However, the development of algorithms to identify novel types of transmembrane β‐barrel (TMB) protein has proven substantially harder than for transmembrane helical proteins, owing to a shorter TM domain in which only alternate residues are hydrophobic. Although recent reports have described important improvements in the development of such algorithms, there is still concern over their ability to confidently screen genomes. Here we describe a new algorithm combining composition and hidden Markov model topology based classifiers (called TMB‐Hunt2), which achieves a crossvalidation accuracy of >95%, with 96.7% precision and 94.2% recall. An overview is given of the algorithm design, with a thorough assessment of performance and application to a number of genomes. Of particular note is that TMB/extracellular protein discrimination is significantly more difficult than TMB/cytoplasmic protein discrimination, with the predictor correctly rejecting just 74% of extracellular proteins, in comparison to 98% of cytoplasmic proteins. Focus is given to directions for further improvements in TMB/non‐TMB protein discrimination, with a call for the development of standardized tests and assessments of such algorithms. Tools and datasets are made available through a website called TMB‐Web (http://www.bioinformatics.leeds.ac.uk/TMB‐Web/TMB‐Hunt2). Proteins 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Classification and functional annotation of eukaryotic protein kinases
Authors: Miranda‐Saavedra Diego , Barton Geoffrey J. 
Published: June 2007

AbstractReversible protein phosphorylation by protein kinases and phosphatases is a ubiquitous signaling mechanism in all eukaryotic cells. A multilevel hidden Markov model library is presented which is able to classify protein kinases into one of 12 families, with a misclassification rate of zero on the characterized kinomes of H. sapiens, M. musculus, D. melanogaster, C. elegans, S. cerevisiae, D. discoideum, and P. falciparum. The Library is shown to outperform BLASTP and a general Pfam hidden Markov model of the kinase catalytic domain in the retrieval and family‐level classification of protein kinases. The application of the Library to the 38 unclassified kinases of yeast enriches the yeast kinome in protein kinases of the families AGC (5), CAMK (17), CMGC (4), and STE (1), thereby raising the family‐level classification of yeast conventional protein kinases from 66.96 to 90.43%. The application of the Library to 21 eukaryotic genomes shows seven families (AGC, CAMK, CK1, CMGC, STE, PIKK, and RIO) to be present in all genomes analyzed, and so is likely to be essential to eukaryotes. Putative tyrosine kinases (TKs) are found in the plants A. thaliana (2), O. sativa ssp. Indica (6), and O. sativa ssp. Japonica (7), and in the amoeba E. histolytica (7). To our knowledge, TKs have not been predicted in plants before. This also suggests that a primitive set of TKs might have predated the radiation of eukaryotes. Putative tyrosine kinase‐like kinases (TKLs) are found in the fungi C. neoformans (2), P. chrysosporium (4), in the Apicomplexans C. hominis (4), P. yoelii (4), and P. falciparum (6), the amoeba E. histolytica (109), and the alga T. pseudonana (6). TKLs are found to be abundant in plants (776 in A. thaliana, 1010 in O. sativa ssp. Indica, and 969 in O. sativa ssp. Japonica). TKLs might have predated the radiation of eukaryotes too and have been lost secondarily from some fungi. The application of the Library facilitates the annotation of kinomes and has provided novel insights on the early evolution and subsequent adaptations of the various protein kinase families in eukaryotes. Proteins 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
NAD+‐dependent DNA ligase (Rv3014c) from Mycobacterium tuberculosis: Novel structure‐function relationship and identification of a specific inhibitor
Authors: Srivastava Sandeep Kumar , Dube Divya , Kukshal Vandana , Jha Ashok Kumar , Hajela Kanchan , Ramachandran Ravishankar 
Published: June 2007

AbstractMycobacterium tuberculosis codes for an essential NAD+‐dependent DNA ligase (MtuLigA) which is a novel, validated, and attractive drug target. We created mutants of the enzyme by systematically deleting domains from the C‐terminal end of the enzyme to probe for their functional roles in the DNA nick joining reaction. Deletion of just the BRCT domain from MtuLigA resulted in total loss of activity in in vitro assays. However, the mutant could form an AMP‐ligase intermediate that suggests that the defects caused by deletion of the BRCT domain occur primarily at steps after enzyme adenylation. Furthermore, genetic complementation experiments using a LigA deficient E. coli strain demonstrates that the BRCT domain of MtuLigA is necessary for bacterial survival in contrast to E. coli and T. filiformis LigA, respectively. We also report the identification, through virtual screening, of a novel N‐substituted tetracyclic indole that competes with NAD+ and inhibits the enzyme with IC50 in the low μM range. It exhibits ∼15‐fold better affinity for MtuLigA compared to human DNA ligase I. In vivo assays using LigA deficient S. typhimurium and E. coli strains suggest that the observed antibacterial activity of the inhibitor arises from specific inhibition of LigA over ATP ligases in the bacteria. In silico ligand‐docking studies suggest that the exquisite specificity of the inhibitor arises on account of its mimicking the interactions of NAD+ with MtuLigA. An analysis of conserved water in the binding site of the enzyme suggests strategies for synthesis of improved inhibitors with better specificity and potency. Proteins 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Solid‐phase peptide synthesis using nanoparticulate amino acids in water
Authors: Hojo Keiko , Ichikawa Hideki , Maeda Mitsuko , Kida Shinya , Fukumori Yoshinobu , Kawasaki Koichi 
Published: June 2007

AbstractSolid‐phase peptide synthesis has many advantages compared with solution peptide synthesis. However, this procedure requires a large amount of organic solvents. Since safe organic solvent waste disposal is an important environmental problem, a technology based on coupling reaction of suspended nanoparticle reactants in water was studied. Fmoc‐amino acids are used widely, but most of them show low solubility in water. We prepared well‐dispersible Fmoc‐amino acid nanoparticles in water by pulverization using a planetary ball mill in the presence of poly(ethylene glycol). Leu‐enkephalin amide was prepared successfully using the nanoparticulate Fmoc‐amino acid on a poly(ethylene glycol)‐grafted Rink amide resin in water. Copyright © 2007 European Peptide Society and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Strong Vector Minimization and Duality
Authors: Craven B. D. 
Published: June 2007

AbstractA constrained minimum of a vector valued function is defined, in terms of an ordering cone. The definition chosen leads to a vector analog of the Kuhn‐Tucker theorem, and to a duality theorem where the dual problem has a vector valued objective function, and weak duality is defined by appropriate cone orderings. Also proved are a vector valued converse duality theorem, and a vector quasiduality theorem which does not require convexity. The results are related to perturbations of the objective function in a minimization problem.
Rayleigh‐Taylor Instability of a Visco‐Elastic Fluid
Authors: Ariel P. D. , Aggarwala B. D. 
Published: June 2007

AbstractThe character of equilibrium of an incompressible visco‐elastic fluid of variable density stratified in the vertical direction has been investigated. It is demonstrated that the solution is characterized by a variational principle. Use has been made of this principle to obtain approximate solution for an Oldroyd fluid of exponentially varying density confined between two horizontal boundaries. It is shown that the rate at which the system departs from equilibrium increases with the stress relaxation time and decreases as the strain retardation time increases. For a configuration in which gravity effects are ignored, it is found that the waves can be excited for some disturbances for which no oscillatory motion is possible in a newtonian fluid. The effects of rotation are also considered. Finally the usefulness of variational principle is checked by comparing some exact results with approximate ones.
Variational Principles for Rate Boundary‐Value Problems in Non‐Associated Plasticity
Authors: Telega J. J. 
Published: June 2007

AbstractThis study concerns a systematic search for variational principles applicable in solving rate boundary‐value problems of nonassociated plasticity. An investigated solid is assumed to be elastic‐plastic, work hardening and/or softening, obeying non‐associated flow rule. Coupling between elastic and plastic deformation has also been included. It is shown by means of the method of adding the adjoint operator that the counterparts of the variational principles of H u ‐ Washizu and Hellinger‐Reissner can be derived. Variational principles corresponding to the principles of a stationary value of potential energy and stationary value of complementary energy are studied. Convenient in applications counterparts of the principles of virtual velocities, virtual changes of rate of stresses and virtual work are derived. Two reciprocal theorems are formulated.
Solution of Einstein's Gravitational Field Equations by the Finite Element Method
Authors: Gass N. 
Published: June 2007

AbstractEinstein's field equations of gravitation in presence of matter are presented in the form of a discrete functional from which, after performing an extremization process, a system of nonlinear algebraic equations arises. On this basis, a 4‐dimensional finite element is developed and in the case of spherical symmetry and time‐independence, a numerical example is carried out.
Unsteady Boundary Layer on a Two Dimensional or Axisymmetric Body with Higher Order Effects
Authors: Arunachalam M. , Rajappa N. R. 
Published: June 2007

AbstractAn analysis of the higher order effects upon the boundary layer growth on two dimensional and axisymmetric bodies which move impulsively with a linear velocity as an exponential function of time, is presented. Using the method of matched asymptotic expansions the full Navier‐Stokes equations are solved analytically for the universal velocity profiles. The theory is applied to study the motion of cylinder in two dimensions and sphere in three dimensions.
On the MHD‐Instability of Slowly Spreading Jets
Authors: Plaschko P. 
Published: June 2007

AbstractThe problem of inviscid instability of electrically conducting, slowly diverging circular jets in the presence of homogeneous axial magnetic fields is analyzed. Using the method of multiple scales, the study investigates the spatial growth of axisymmetric disturbances in the limit of very low values of the magnetic Reynolds number. It is shown that the effect of the combined action of jet divergence and magnetic field is to pick out disturbances suffering the greatest axial gain. The corresponding Strouhal numbers are reduced by the impact of the field as well as the gains and the regime where the growth can take place.
Some New RKT‐Formulas for First‐Order Differential Equations Requiring a Minimum Number of Differentiations
Authors: Fehlberg E. 
Published: June 2007

AbstractFor first‐order differential equations, new RKT (Runge‐Kutta‐Transformation)‐formulas with stepsize control are derived. Formulas of the 9th, 11th, and 13 th order are presented requiring a minimum number of differentiations of the differential equations. Their coefficients are tabulated in fraction form. The application of the formulas to quadrature problems is discussed in an appendix.
Potentials and Green's Functions in Micropolar Fluid Theory
Authors: Ramkissoon H. , Majumdar S. R. 
Published: June 2007

AbstractThe system of coupled differential equations characterizing the slow, steady, incompressible flow of micropolar fluid is examined. Integral representations for the velocity vector and the microrotation vector are obtained by utilizing the fundamental singular solutions corresponding to a concentrated force and a concentrated couple. The very form of these integral representations suggests the introduction of surface potentials of single and double layers. The properties of these potentials are stated in various theorems without detailed proofs since they behave much like the ordinary harmonic potentials. Matrix Green's functions are then constructed with the aid of the fundamental singular solutions. By making use of the integral representations, formal solutions to two types of boundary value problems are generated in terms of integrals which include given body forces, surface data and these matrix Green's functions.