bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Effect of pH on the structure and stability of Bacillus circulans ssp. alkalophilus phosphoserine aminotransferase: Thermodynamic and crystallographic studies
Authors: Kapetaniou Evangelia G. , Thanassoulas Angelos , Dubnovitsky Anatoly P. , Nounesis George , Papageorgiou Anastassios C. 
Published: March 2006

AbstractpH is one of the key parameters that affect the stability and function of proteins. We have studied the effect of pH on the pyridoxal‐5′‐phosphate‐dependent enzyme phosphoserine aminotransferase produced by the facultative alkaliphile Bacillus circulans ssp. alkalophilus using thermodynamic and crystallographic analysis. Enzymatic activity assay showed that the enzyme has maximum activity at pH 9.0 and relative activity less than 10% at pH 7.0. Differential scanning calorimetry and circular dichroism experiments revealed variations in the stability and denaturation profiles of the enzyme at different pHs. Most importantly, release of pyridoxal‐5′‐phosphate and protein thermal denaturation were found to occur simultaneously at pH 6.0 in contrast to pH 8.5 where denaturation preceded cofactor's release by approximately 3°C. To correlate the observed differences in thermal denaturation with structural features, the crystal structure of phosphoserine aminotransferase was determined at 1.2 and 1.5 Å resolution at two different pHs (8.5 and 4.6, respectively). Analysis of the two structures revealed changes in the vicinity of the active site and in surface residues. A conformational change in a loop involved in substrate binding at the entrance of the active site has been identified upon pH change. Moreover, the number of intramolecular ion pairs was found reduced in the pH 4.6 structure. Taken together, the presented kinetics, thermal denaturation, and crystallographic data demonstrate a potential role of the active site in unfolding and suggest that subtle but structurally significant conformational rearrangements are involved in the stability and integrity of phosphoserine aminotransferase in response to pH changes. Proteins 2006. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
D‐Trehalose/D‐maltose‐binding protein from the hyperthermophilic archaeon Thermococcus litoralis: The binding of trehalose and maltose results in different protein conformational states
Authors: Herman Petr , Staiano Maria , Marabotti Anna , Varriale Antonio , Scirè Andrea , Tanfani Fabio , Vecer Jaroslav , Rossi Mose' , D'Auria Sabato 
Published: March 2006

AbstractIn this work, we used fluorescence spectroscopy, molecular dynamics simulation, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy for investigating the effect of trehalose binding and maltose binding on the structural properties and the physical parameters of the recombinant D‐trehalose/D‐maltose binding protein (TMBP) from the hyperthermophilic archaeon Thermococcus litoralis. The binding of the two sugars to TMBP was studied in the temperature range 20°–100°C. The results show that TMBP possesses remarkable temperature stability and its secondary structure does not melt up to 90°C. Although both the secondary structure itself and the sequence of melting events were not significantly affected by the sugar binding, the protein assumes different conformations with different physical properties depending whether maltose or trehalose is bound to the protein. At low and moderate temperatures, TMBP possesses a structure that is highly compact both in the absence and in the presence of two sugars. At about 90°C, the structure of the unliganded TMBP partially relaxes whereas both the TMBP/maltose and the TMBP/trehalose complexes remain in the compact state. In addition, Fourier transform infrared results show that the population of α‐helices exposed to the solvent was smaller in the absence than in the presence of the two sugars. The spectroscopic results are supported by molecular dynamics simulations. Our data on dynamics and stability of TMBP can contribute to a better understanding of transport‐related functions of TMBP and constitute ground for targeted modifications of this protein for potential biotechnological applications. Proteins 2006. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Detection of planar motion objects using Radon transform and one‐dimensional phase‐only matched filtering
Authors: Tsuboi Tatsuhiko , Hirai Shinichi 
Published: March 2006

AbstractWe describe an algorithm to detect the position and orientation of multiple objects in planar motion using the Radon transform and 1D phase‐only matched filtering (POMF). The proposed vision algorithm performs pattern matching between a template and input image to detect the position and orientation of the objects. First, the Radon transform is applied to the two images to separate the rotation and translation of the objects. Next, 1D POMF along the distance of the Radon transform is applied to the transformed images so as to detect the separated position and orientation. Since it uses 1D POMF to detect both position and orientation, the proposed algorithm can detect the position and orientation of multiple objects. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Syst Comp Jpn, 37(5): 56–66, 2006; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/scj.20398
Disease‐related gene search by association analysis based on link structure
Authors: Matsunaga Tsutomu 
Published: March 2006

AbstractA method is proposed in the present paper for analyzing associations based on a link structure. By means of this method, the effect that disabled target information in a linked information group has on the other information is calculated and the mutual association is quantified. An approach that is well known to biological experimentation is the knockout study whereby a specific gene is knocked out, that is, deleted, and symptoms are observed in an attempt to estimate gene function. The method proposed here can be regarded as one in which the basic concept of this knockout study is introduced as an information processing technique, with the state transition model being used to obtain the observation results. Also discussed is the application of this method to disease‐related gene search in the field of life sciences, where knowledge discovery is very important. In the present paper, the well‐known OMIM (Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man) was used as the database related to hereditary diseases in humans, and the effectiveness of the association analysis was proven through the results of experiments involving hypertension and other lifestyle‐related diseases in which multiple genes play a complex role. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Syst Comp Jpn, 37(5): 46–55, 2006; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/scj.20404
Trace reduction for performance improvement assessment of message passing parallel programs
Authors: Ino Fumihiko , Kanbe Yuki , Okita Masao , Hagihara Kenichi 
Published: March 2006

AbstractThis paper proposes a trace reduction method for assessing the improvability of the performance of message passing parallel programs. This assessment is based on a what‐if prediction approach that forecasts future program performance, for example, the execution time if the target program is modified according to typical tuning techniques. Our method reduces the size of trace files by aggregating records of communications that do not change the predicted execution time. In order to avoid recording such useless information, our method automatically identifies them during program execution by comparing the occurrence time of sends and receives. In case studies, our method reduces the analysis time for what‐if predictions as well as the size of trace files roughly by half. We also discuss the usability of our method. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Syst Comp Jpn, 37(5): 1–13, 2006; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/scj.20521
The effect of patch demography on the community structure of forest trees
Authors: Kohyama Takashi 
Published: March 2006

AbstractThe effect of patch demography on the structure of forest tree communities was examined using a patch‐age and tree‐size structured model of forest dynamics. Changes in abundance of species of different types (four different maximum tree‐size classes each in two or three shade‐tolerance classes) were numerically modeled in response to changes in the duration of the gap‐formation‐free lag phase. Average patch mortality was identical in all simulations. Tolerant species were more abundant without a lag phase due to larger variation in patch longevity, while subtolerant or intolerant species were successful when patch longevity was fixed with a long duration of lag phase. Variation in patch‐age distribution facilitated species coexistence. Increasing ‘advance regeneration’, or surviving fraction at gap formation, brought about the exclusive dominance of the tolerant species. Results suggest that patch demography plays a significant role in the community organization of forest trees. In species‐rich systems like tropical rain forests, longevity or canopy duration of large trees can differ among species, which brings about the variation in patch longevity, thus promoting further coexistence of species.
Tuberculosis of the Hand
Authors: Leung P. C. 
Published: March 2006

Eleven cases of tuberculous infection affecting the hand are presented. The age incidence, clinical presentations and investigations are discussed. Treatment includes chemotherapy, radical synovectomy and early mobilisation. Hand function after surgery in the follow up period of three to twenty-one months was very satisfactory with the exception of three cases which presented at a very late stage with secondary involvement of the wrists. The confusion that exists while using such terms as “Tuberculous Dactylitis” and “Tuberculous Tenosynovitis” is discussed. An alternative suggestion is made that “Tuberculosis of the Hand” be used.
Small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses
Authors: Babin E , Rouleau V , Vedrine P O , Toussaint B , de Raucourt D , Malard O , Cosmidis A , Makaeieff M , Dehesdin D 
Published: March 2006

Introduction: Small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (SNEC) of the sinonasal tract is a rare disease.Objective: Report a descriptive study of a relatively large cohort of SNEC of the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses.Method: The medical records of 21 patients presenting with nasal and paranasal SNEC to various French hospitals, from 1989 to 2003, were analysed to determine the clinical features and current treatment of the disease.Results: Patient data were obtained from eight French hospitals. Twelve of the patients were male and nine were female, with a mean age at presentation of 55 years (range: 27 to 79 years). Patients' staging for nasal cavity malignancy was: T1, four; T2, three; T3, one; T4, 13; N0, 18; N2, three; M0, 20; and M1, one. None of the patients suffered from SNEC of the sinonasal tract with ectopic hormone production. Immunohistochemistry proved useful for diagnosis in 20 cases. Twelve cases were positive for cytokeratin, 14 for chromogranin, eight for neuron-specific enolase and 11 for neuron-specific synaptophysin. One patient had an adenocarcinoma and an inverted papilloma associated with neuroendocrine carcinoma. Patients underwent surgery (11 cases), radiotherapy (14 cases) and chemotherapy (12 cases). Recurrence occurred in 10 cases. Five patients had visceral metastases or cervical lymph node involvement. Nine of the patients died within four years of onset of the disease.Conclusion: Small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of the sinonasal tract is an uncommon neoplasm with aggressive clinical behaviour. Recurrence is frequent and the prognosis is poor. However, the current treatment of these neuroendocrine neoplasms varies widely.
Endoscopy-aided laser therapy for intractable granular myringitis
Authors: Jang C H , Kim Y H , Cho Y B , Wang P C 
Published: March 2006

Objective: We report our technique and results for endoscopy-aided CO2 laser therapy for the treatment of intractable granular myringitis, as an out-patient office procedure.Materials and methods: A total of 21 patients (14 women and seven men; mean age 32.6 years) were retrospectively reviewed, all of whom suffered from intractable granular myringitis and had undergone endoscopy-aided laser treatment. Granulation tissue was vaporized for one to two seconds with a CO2 laser (spot size 0.5–1 mm with a power setting of 5–10 W in continuous mode). The mean follow-up period was 11 months.Results: Eighteen of the 21 patients (85 per cent) were cured after a single treatment. Three patients with the diffuse form of the disease required repeat laser treatments coupled with self-irrigation with a diluted vinegar solution. We noted no perforations of patients' tympanic membranes after laser vaporization. We also observed no recurrences over follow-up periods ranging from three months to 2.6 years. Our laser procedure produced no adverse effect on hearing thresholds, nor were any other complications observed.Conclusion: Our results suggest that endoscopy-aided CO2 laser ablation is a reliable and minimally invasive method associated with low rates of recurrence and a low incidence of complications. It can be conducted as an office procedure.
Considering Islam from the West
Authors: AMIRAUX VALÉRIE 
Published: March 2006

Richard W. Bulliet, The Case for Islamo-Christian Civilization (New York: Columbia University Press, 2004), 192 pp., $24.50 (hb), ISBN 0231127960.Henry Laurens, Orientales II. La IIIe République et l'Islam (Paris: CNRS éditions, 2004), 376 pp., €29.00, ISBN 2271062071.William E. Watson, Tricolor and Crescent: France and the Islamic World (London: Praeger, 2003), 295 pp., £31.99 (hb), ISBN 0275974707.But there is a difference between knowledge of other peoples and other times that is the result of understanding, compassion, careful study and analysis for their own sakes, and knowledge that is part of an overall campaign of self affirmation. There is, after all, a profound difference between the will to understand for purposes of co-existence and enlargement of horizons, and the will to dominate for the purposes of control. It is surely one of the intellectual catastrophes of history that an imperialist war confected by a small group of unelected US officials was waged against a devastated Third World dictatorship on thoroughly ideological grounds having to do with world dominance, security control, and scarce resources, but disguised for its true intent, hastened, and reasoned for by Orientalists who betrayed their calling as scholars.
Back to European Fascism
Authors: PINTO ANTÓNIO COSTA 
Published: March 2006

Michael Mann Fascists (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2004), 429 pp., £17.99 (pb), ISBN 052153856.Robert O. Paxton The Anatomy of Fascism (London: Allen Lane, 2004), 321 pp., £8.99 (pb), ISBN 0141014326.Nancy Bermeo Ordinary People in Extraordinary Times. The Citizenry and the Breakdown of Democracy (Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press: 2003), 265 pp., £13.95 (pb), ISBN 0691089701.Didier Musiedlack Mussolini (Paris: Presses de Sciences PO, 2005), 436 pp., €16.15, ISBN 2724608062.Paul H. Lewis Latin Fascist Elites. The Mussolini, Franco and Salazar Regimes (Westport, CT: Praeger, 2003), 209 pp., $85.95 (hb), ISBN 027597880X.
Effect of Nosocomial Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococcal Bacteremia on Mortality, Length of Stay, and Costs
Authors: Song Xiaoyan , Srinivasan Arjun , Plaut David , Perl Trish M. 
Published: March 2006

AbstractObjective:To determine the impact of vancomycin-resistant enterococcal bacteremia on patient outcomes and costs by assessing mortality, excess length of stay, and charges attributable to it.Design:A population-based, matched, historical cohort study.Setting:A 1,025-bed, university-based teaching facility and referral hospital.Patients:Two hundred seventy-seven vancomycin-resistant enterococcal bacteremia case-patients and 277 matched control-patients identified between 1993 and 2000.Results:The crude mortality rate was 50.2% and 19.9% for case-patients and control-patients, respectively, yielding a mortality rate of 30.3% attributable to vancomycin-resistant enterococcal bacteremia. The excess length of hospital stay attributable to vancomycin-resistant enterococcal bacteremia was 17 days, of which 12 days were spent in intensive care units. On average, $77,558 in extra charges was attributable to each vancomycin-resistant enterococcal bacteremia. To adjust for severity of illness, 159 pairs of case-patients and control-patients, who had the same severity of illness (All Patient Refined-Diagnosis Related Group complexity level), were further analyzed. When patients were stratified by severity of illness, the crude mortality rate was 50.3% among case-patients compared with 27.7% among control-patients, accounting for an attributable mortality rate of 22.6%. Attributable excess length of stay and charges were 17 days and $81,208, respectively.Conclusion:Vancomycin-resistant enterococcal bacteremia contributes significantly to excess mortality and economic loss, once severity of illness is considered. Efforts to prevent these infections will likely be cost-effective.
The Epidemiology of Vancomycin-ResistantEnterococcusColonization in a Medical Intensive Care Unit
Authors: Warren David K. , Kollef Marin H. , Seiler Sondra M. , Fridkin Scott K. , Fraser Victoria J. 
Published: March 2006

AbstractObjective:To determine the epidemiology of colonization with vancomycin-resistantEnterococcus(VRE) among intensive care unit (ICU) patients.Design:Ten-month prospective cohort study.Setting:A 19-bed medical ICU of a 1,440-bed teaching hospital.Methods:Patients admitted to the ICU had rectal swab cultures for VRE on admission and weekly thereafter. VRE-positive patients were cared for using contact precautions. Clinical data, including microbiology reports, were collected prospectively during the ICU stay.Results:Of 519 patients who had admission stool cultures, 127 (25%) had cultures that were positive for VRE. Risk factors for VRE colonization identified by multiple logistic regression analysis were hospital stay greater than 3 days prior to ICU admission (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 3.6; 95% confidence interval [CI95], 2.3 to 5.7), chronic dialysis (AOR, 2.4; CI95, 1.2 to 4.5), and having been admitted to the study hospital one to two times (AOR, 2.3; CI95,1.4 to 3.8) or more than two times (AOR, 6.5; CI95, 3.7 to 11.6) within the past 12 months. Of the 352 VRE-negative patients who had one or more follow-up cultures, 74 (21%) became VRE positive during their ICU stay (27 cases per 1,000 patient-ICU days).Conclusion:The prevalence of VRE culture positivity on ICU admission was high and a sizable fraction of ICU patients became VRE positive during their ICU stay despite contact precautions for VRE-positive patients. This was likely due in large part to prior VRE exposures in the rest of the hospital where these control measures were not being used.
Bacterial Contamination of Computer Keyboards in a Teaching Hospital
Authors: Schultz Maureen , Gill Janet , Zubairi Sabiha , Huber Ruth , Gordin Fred 
Published: March 2006

AbstractWe tested 100 keyboards in 29 clinical areas for bacterial contamination. Ninety five were positive for microorganisms. Streptococcus, Clostridium perfringens, Enterococcus (including one vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus), Staphylococcus aureus, fungi, and gram-negative organisms were isolated. Computer equipment must be kept clean so it does not become another vehicle for transmission of pathogens to patients.
Implementation of the Canadian Contingency Plan for a Case of Suspected Viral Hemorrhagic Fever
Authors: Loeb Mark , MacPherson Douglas , Barton Michele , Olde Jan 
Published: March 2006

AbstractObjective:To describe the implementation of the Canadian contingency plan for viral hemorrhagic fever (VHF) in response to a suspected case.Setting:A 300-bed, tertiary-care, university-affiliated hospital.Participants:A 32-year-old Congolese woman admitted to the hospital with suspected VHF in February 2001. Contact evaluation included hospital healthcare workers and laboratory staff.Intervention:Enhanced isolation precautions were implemented in the patient care setting to prevent nosocomial transmission. Contact tracing and evaluation of close and high-risk contacts with symptoms was conducted. Laboratory precautions included barrier precautions and diversion of specimens. Communication occurred to both hospital employees and the media.Results:Three high-risk contacts, 13 close contacts, and 60 casual contacts were identified. Two close contacts became symptomatic and required evaluation. Challenging process issues included tracing of laboratory specimens, decontamination of laboratory equipment, and internal and external communication. After 5 days, a transmissible VHF of public health consequence was ruled out in the index case.Conclusion:Contingency plans for VHF can be implemented in an efficient and feasible manner. Contact tracing, laboratory issues, internal communication, and media interest can be anticipated to be the key challenges.
The Changing Epidemiology of Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococci
Authors: Lai Kwan Kew , Fontecchio Sally A. , Kelley Anita L. , Baker Stephen , Melvin Zita S. 
Published: March 2006

AbstractObjective:To determine the distribution of vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) cases in our hospital and those from outside of our hospital from 1993 through 1998.Methods:Weekly rectal surveillance was instituted whenever there were two or more cases present in the units. Cases were divided into acquired in our hospital, acquired outside of our hospital (VRE positive after and within 72 hours of admission, respectively), and indeterminate. Hospital cases were attributed to the originating ward or intensive care unit (ICU) if patients were noted to be positive within 72 hours of transfer.Results:From 1993 to 1998, the rate of VRE per 1,000 admissions increased threefold, from 3.2 to 9.8, for the hospital. VRE cases acquired outside of the hospital increased by approximately 5% per year (r= 0.87;P= .03). The rate of VRE per 1,000 admissions increased 1.7-fold in the ICUs and 3.6-fold in the wards. The ICUs had an average of 75.3 cases per year, with the number of new cases per year increasing by approximately 9 (r= 0.80;P= .028). In the wards, there were an average of 22.0 new cases per year, with a slight upward trend of 3 additional new cases per year (r= 0.69;P= .64). There was a highly significant increasing linear trend (P= .0007) for VRE colonization and infection.Conclusion:Although VRE still predominate in the ICUs, cases originating from outside of our hospital and the wards are becoming more common. VRE colonization remained more frequent than infection.