bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of the activities of the medfly and Drosophila hsp70 promoters in vivo in germ‐line transformed medflies
Authors: Kalosaka K. , Chrysanthis G. , Rojas‐Gill A‐P. , Theodoraki M. , Gourzi P. , Kyriakopoulos A. , Tatari M. , Zacharopoulou A. , Mintzas A. C. 
Published: May 2006

AbstractThe promoter of the hsp70 gene of Drosophila melanogaster has been widely used for the expression of foreign genes in other insects. It has been generally assumed that because this gene is highly conserved, its promoter will function efficiently in other species. We report the results of a quantitative comparison of the activities of the medfly and D. melanogaster hsp70 promoters in vivo in transformed medflies. We constructed transformed lines containing the lacZ reporter gene under the control of the two promoters by using Minos‐mediated germ‐line transformation. The activity of each promoter was evaluated in 15 transformed lines by β‐galactosidase quantitative assays. The heat‐inducible activity of the medfly promoter was found several times higher than the respective activity of the heterologous D. melanogaster promoter. These results were confirmed by northern blot analysis and indicate that the D. melanogaster promoter does not work efficiently in medfly. The −263/+105 medfly promoter region that was used in this study was found able to drive heat shock expression of the lacZ reporter gene in all stages of medfly, except early embryonic stages, in a similar fashion to the endogenous hsp70 genes. However the heat inducible RNA levels driven from this promoter region were significantly lower than the endogenous hsp70 RNA levels, suggesting that additional upstream and/or downstream sequences to the −263/+105 region may be necessary for optimum function of the medfly hsp70 promoter in vivo.
oskar gene expression in the vector mosquitoes, Anopheles gambiae and Aedes aegypti
Authors: Juhn J. , James A. A. 
Published: May 2006

AbstractA disease control strategy based on the introduction into mosquito populations of a gene conferring a pathogen‐refractory phenotype is currently under investigation. This population replacement approach requires a drive system that will quickly spread and fix antipathogen effector genes in target populations. Modified transposable elements containing the control sequences of developmentally regulated genes may provide the basis for a gene drive system that regulates gene mobilization in a sex‐ and stage‐restrictive manner. Screening of a Drosophila melanogaster database for genes whose products localize exclusively in the future germ cells during early embryonic development resulted in the identification of several candidate genes. The regulatory sequences of these genes could be used to drive transposition. Mosquito orthologous genes of oskar were identified based on sequence homology and characterized further. The tissue‐ and sex‐specific expression profiles and hybridizations in situ show that oskar orthologous transcripts in Anopheles gambiae and Aedes aegypti accumulate in developing oocytes of adult females and localize to the posterior poles of early embryos. These characteristics potentiate the use of the regulatory sequences of mosquito oskar genes for the control of modified transposable elements.
Should high‐energy infant formula be given at full strength from its first day of usage?
Authors: Evans S. , Twaissi H. , Daly A. , Davies P. , MacDonald A. 
Published: May 2006

AbstractObjective  To evaluate the feeding tolerance of a high‐energy (1 kcal mL−1) infant formula (HEIF) for infants with faltering growth, weighing 2.5–8 kg, when administered at full strength from day 1 compared with stepwise introduction.Methods  Thirty infants (aged 2–43 weeks) from a supraregional children's hospital requiring a high‐energy formula for faltering growth were randomly allocated to receive either a 1 kcal mL−1 ready to feed infant formula at full strength from day 1 or the same formula in diluted form, graded to full strength over 3 days. Bowel actions, vomits and volume of feed taken were recorded daily for 2 weeks. Weight, length, head circumference and mid‐upper arm circumference were recorded at recruitment and after 2 weeks.Results  The number of bowel actions in the first 2 days was significantly higher for the full strength group than for the stepwise group (P = 0.02); younger infants (<12 weeks) had more bowel actions over the first 2 days on the HEIF at full strength (Spearman's correlation = −0.5; P = 0.04); and infants with a total higher energy intake (kJ kg−1) had more frequent bowel actions over the first 4 days (Spearman's correlation = 0.48; P = 0.01). There was no significant difference between groups for growth or vomiting.Conclusions  High‐energy infant formula was generally well tolerated in infants under the age of 12 months with faltering growth when administered at full strength from day 1. However, younger infants (<12 weeks of age) may benefit from a graded introduction in order to avoid increased bowel frequency.
Influence of storage time and temperature on pleural fluid adenosine deaminase determination
Authors: ANTONANGELO Leila , VARGAS Francisco S. , ALMEIDA Luciana P. , ACENCIO Milena M. P. , GOMES Fabrício D. M. , SALES Roberta K. , SEICENTO Márcia , TEIXEIRA Lisete R. 
Published: May 2006

Objectives and background:  The determination of adenosine deaminase (ADA) activity in pleural fluid is important for differentiation of pleural effusions and diagnosing pleural tuberculosis. Although measurement of ADA is simple and inexpensive, controversies exist regarding potential errors caused by time elapsed between sample collection and analysis, storage temperature and the use of anticoagulants. The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of storage time (1, 3, 7, 10 and 28 days) and temperature (4°C and −20°C) on the determination of ADA in pleural fluid samples collected in EDTA and sent at ambient temperature to the laboratory for initial processing within 1 h of collection.Methodology:  Twenty‐seven pleural exudates obtained from 20 patients with neoplastic disease and seven with tuberculosis were analysed. The ADA activity obtained within 1 h of collection was considered the gold standard and was compared with the other measurements.Results:  The correlation between the initial measurement and all others was ≥0.90 for both temperatures up to the 10th day after thoracocentesis and tended to decrease by 28 days after collection, but this difference was not significant.Conclusions:  Pleural fluid samples collected in EDTA and sent for analysis within 1 h after collection can be used to determine ADA up to 28 days after collection if stored at 4°C or −20°C, with no evidence of significant increases or decrease in enzyme activity that might distort the results.
Hippocampal synaptic plasticity and spatial learning are impaired in a rat model of sleep fragmentation
Authors: Tartar Jaime L. , Ward Christopher P. , McKenna James T. , Thakkar Mahesh , Arrigoni Elda , McCarley Robert W. , Brown Ritchie E. , Strecker Robert E. 
Published: May 2006

AbstractSleep fragmentation, a symptom in many clinical disorders, leads to cognitive impairments. To investigate the mechanisms by which sleep fragmentation results in memory impairments, rats were awakened once every 2 min via 30 s of slow movement on an automated treadmill. Within 1 h of this sleep interruption (SI) schedule, rats began to sleep in the 90‐s periods without treadmill movement. Total non‐rapid eye movement sleep (NREM) sleep time did not change over the 24 h of SI, although there was a significant decline in rapid eye movement sleep (REM) sleep and a corresponding increase in time spent awake. In the SI group, the mean duration of sleep episodes decreased and delta activity during periods of wake increased. Control rats either lived in the treadmill without movement (cage controls, CC), or had 10 ‐min periods of movement followed by 30 min of non‐movement allowing deep/continuous sleep (exercise controls, EC). EC did not differ from baseline in the total time spent in each vigilance state. Hippocampal long‐term potentiation (LTP), a long‐lasting change in synaptic efficacy thought to underlie declarative memory formation, was absent in rats exposed to 24 and 72 h SI. In contrast, LTP was normal in EC rats. However, long‐term depression and paired‐pulse facilitation were unaltered by 24 h SI. Twenty‐four hour SI also impaired acquisition of spatial learning in the hippocampus‐dependent water maze test. Twenty‐four hour SI elevated plasma corticosterone (CORT) to levels previously shown to enhance LTP (125 ng/mL). The results suggest that sleep fragmentation negatively impacts spatial learning. Loss of N‐methyl‐d‐aspartate (NMDA) receptor‐dependent LTP in the hippocampal CA1 region may be one mechanism involved in this deficit.
Neural mechanisms of joint attention in infancy
Authors: Striano Tricia , Reid Vincent M. , Hoehl Stefanie 
Published: May 2006

AbstractOne of the key transitions in early cognitive development is from participating in face‐to‐face interactions to engaging in joint attention exchanges. It is known that the ability to jointly attend with another person to an object is essential for the development of abilities such as language in later life. Strikingly, little is known about the function of joint attention in infants in the first year. We developed a novel interactive‐live paradigm to assess the neural mechanisms of joint attention in 9‐month‐old infants. An adult interacted with each infant, and infants' electrical brain activity was measured in two contexts. In the joint attention context, a live adult gazed at the infants' face and then to a computer displayed novel object. In the non‐joint attention context the adult gazed only to the novel object. We found that the negative component of the infant event‐related potential (ERP), a neural correlate indexing attentional processes, was enhanced in amplitude during the processing of objects when infants were engaged in a joint attention interaction compared to a non‐joint attention interaction. These results suggest that infants benefit from joint attention interactions by focusing their limited attentional resources to specific aspects of the surrounding environment.
Evaluation of the Effects of Ischemic Injury and Ureteral Obstruction on Delayed Graft Function in Cats After Renal Autotransplantation
Authors: MEHL MARGO L. , KYLES ANDREW E. , REIMER S. BRENT , FLYNN ALISON K. , POLLARD RACHEL E. , NYLAND TOM , KASS PHILIP H. , GRIFFEY STEPHEN M. , GREGORY CLARE R. 
Published: May 2006

Objective— To determine the relative importance of ischemic injury to delayed graft function (DGF) in cats.Study Design— Experimental study.Animals— Six intact female cats.Methods— Cats had renal autograft transplantation without ureteral transection and reimplantation and a contralateral nephrectomy. Serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) concentrations were measured regularly and abdominal ultrasound was performed before surgery, the day after surgery and twice weekly thereafter. Ultrasound‐guided renal biopsy was performed on day 7. Cats were euthanatized on day 21. Histology of the autograft, ureter, bladder, vascular anastomoses sites, and contralateral kidney were performed. Observations were compared with those from an historic group of research cats that had extravesicular ureteroneocystostomy and contralateral nephrectomy.1Results— Five cats completed the study. Serum creatinine and BUN concentrations increased after surgery, peaking at 3.2±0.8 and 77.6±15.9 mg/dL, respectively, 1–2 days after surgery. Serum creatinine concentration returned to the reference interval by 6 days after surgery. BUN gradually decreased in all cats but did not return to the reference interval by study end. Serum creatinine and BUN concentrations were consistently lower but not significantly so (P=.29 and .56, respectively) compared with the historic ureteroneocystostomy group. No ultrasonographic abnormalities or renal biopsy histologic abnormalities were observed. At necropsy, 1 autograft had generalized interstitial fibrosis.Conclusion— Harvesting the renal graft and the ischemia before revascularization causes impaired renal function after engraftment.Clinical Relevance— The process of harvesting and reimplanting the renal graft can contribute to DGF in cats, independent of ureteral obstruction.
Ventral Laparoscopic Abomasopexy in 18 Cattle with Displaced Abomasum
Authors: MULON PIERRE‐YVES , BABKINE MARIE , DESROCHERS ANDRÉ 
Published: May 2006

Objective—To evaluate the feasibility and outcome of a technique for laparoscopic abomasopexy in cattle with displaced abomasum (DA).Study Design—Retrospective study.Animals—Dairy cattle (n=18).Methods—Retrieved data included signalment, clinical findings, treatments, and outcome. Laparoscopic abomasopexy was performed with the sedated cow in dorsal recumbency. The pexy site was determined after identification of the antrum and the greater curvature of the abomasum. Three or 4 absorbable sutures were passed through the body wall and abomasal wall for abomasal fixation. Wound complications, DA recurrence, food consumption, owner satisfaction, and long‐term survival were assessed.Results—Left DA was diagnosed in 17 cows and right DA in 1 cow. Abomasal decompression was performed in 12 cows and abomasopexy was achieved in all cows. Surgical wounds healed without complication, except in 4 cows that had mild periportal swelling. Postoperative return to normal appetite occurred quickly except for 2 cows with concurrent diseases. Owner satisfaction varied from good to excellent. DA did not recur.Conclusion—Ventral laparoscopic abomasopexy was successfully performed in 18 cows with DA. Abomasal decompression was necessary for adequate abomasal manipulation and identification of landmarks for pexy. An adequate return to food consumption and no recurrence of DA occurred (mean follow‐up, 15.5 months).Clinical Relevance—Ventral laparoscopic abomasopexy is technically feasible and an effective method for surgical treatment of DA.
Anatomical Reconstruction of Knee Posterolateral Complex with the Tendon of the Long Head of Biceps Femoris
Authors: Zhao Jinzhong , He Yaohua , Wang Jianhua 
Published: May 2006

Background There is no consensus about the best way to reconstruct the knee posterolateral complex. Hypothesis Anatomical reconstruction of the knee posterolateral complex with the tendon of the long head of biceps femoris can restore knee posterolateral stability. Study Design Case series; Level of evidence, 4. Methods Anatomical reconstruction of the fibular collateral ligament, popliteofibular ligament, and popliteus tendon was performed consecutively in 28 patients with chronic posterolateral knee injuries. Two distally pedicled tendon slips more than 16 cm long were created from the tendon of the long head of the biceps femoris. The posterior tendon slip was used to reconstruct the popliteofibular ligament and popliteus tendon, and the anterior slip were doubled to reconstruct the lateral collateral ligament. The patients were followed up for 2 to 4 years. Results At the latest follow-up, examinations showed that 96.4% (27/28) of the patients had a normal or nearly normal reconstructed fibular collateral ligament as judged by manual examination. All patients had a normal or nearly normal reconstructed popliteofibular ligament and popliteus tendon as judged by manual examination. Conclusion Anatomical reconstruction of the knee posterolateral complex with the tendon of the long head of biceps femoris is effective in restoring knee posterolateral stability.
Anatomical Posterior Cruciate Ligament Transplantation
Authors: Davis Daniel K. , Goltz David H. , Fithian Donald C. , D'Lima Darryl 
Published: May 2006

Background Although current techniques of posterior cruciate ligament reconstruction may successfully stabilize the posterior cruciate ligament-deficient knee, no studies have demonstrated restoration of intact-knee kinematics. Hypothesis Posterior cruciate ligament transplantation will successfully restore posterior stability and kinematics to the posterior cruciate ligament-deficient knee. Study Design Controlled laboratory study. Methods Seven pairs (donor/recipient) of size-matched cadaveric knees underwent a novel technique for posterior cruciate ligament transplantation. The grafts were fixed at the femoral origin and tibial insertion using an inlay technique with rigid fixation. The knees were tested in the intact (intact group), posterior cruciate ligament-deficient (deficient group), and posterior cruciate ligament-transplanted (transplant group) states. A 3-dimensional electromagnetic tracking system during an active knee extension and passive knee flexion maneuver was used to quantify kinematics, specifically looking at femoral rollback. KT ligament arthrometry was used to quantify posterior stability at the quadriceps neutral angle (70°). Results For femoral rollback, the intact versus deficient groups was significantly different (P = .045) as was deficient versus transplant groups (P = .008) but not intact versus transplant groups. Similar differences were noted with the measurements of posterior stability (P < .001). Total posterior laxity between the intact versus deficient groups was significantly different (means, 1.32 mm vs 11.1 mm; P < .0001), as was deficient versus transplant groups (means, 11.1 mm vs 2.04 mm; P< .126) but not intact versus transplant groups. Conclusion In a posterior cruciate ligament-deficient cadaveric model, we demonstrated the technical feasibility and efficacy of posterior cruciate ligament transplantation for restoring femoral rollback and posterior stability at the quadriceps neutral angle. Clinical Relevance Future studies in posterior cruciate ligament reconstruction should not only address stability but also restoration of normal knee kinematics in assessing the success of a given technique.
High-Impact Athletics after Knee Articular Cartilage Repair
Authors: Mithoefer Kai , Williams Riley J. , Warren Russell F. , Wickiewicz Thomas L. , Marx Robert G. 
Published: May 2006

Background Knee articular cartilage injuries in athletes present a therapeutic challenge and have been identified as an important cause of permanent disability because of the high mechanical joint stresses in athletes. Purpose To determine whether microfracture treatment of knee articular cartilage injuries can return athletes to high-impact sports and to identify the factors that affect the ability to return to athletic activity. Study Design Case series; Level of evidence, 4. Methods Thirty-two athletes who regularly participated in high-impact, pivoting sports before articular cartilage injury were treated with microfracture for single articular cartilage lesions of the knee. Functional outcome was prospectively evaluated with a minimum 2-year follow-up by subjective rating, activity-based outcome scores, and the ability for postoperative participation in high-impact, pivoting sports. Results At last follow-up, 66% of athletes reported good or excellent results. Activity of daily living, Marx activity rating scale, and Tegner activity scores increased significantly after microfracture. After an initial improvement, score decreases were observed in 47% of athletes. Forty-four percent of athletes were able to regularly participate in high-impact, pivoting sports, 57% of these at the preoperative level. Return to high-impact sports was significantly higher in athletes with age <40 years, lesion size <200 mm2, preoperative symptoms <12 months, and no prior surgical intervention. Conclusion Microfracture is an effective first-line treatment to return young athletes with short symptomatic intervals and small articular cartilage lesions of the knee back to high-impact athletics.
Evaluation of Apparent and Absolute Supraspinatus Strength in Patients with Shoulder Injury Using the Scapular Retraction Test
Authors: Kibler W. Ben , Sciascia Aaron , Dome David 
Published: May 2006

Background Physical examination of patients with shoulder injury not involving actual rotator cuff tears frequently demonstrates decreased rotator cuff strength on manual muscle testing. This decrease has been attributed to supraspinatus muscle weakness, but it may be owing to alterations in scapular position. Hypothesis The position of stabilized scapular retraction, by minimizing proximal kinetic chain factors and providing a stable base of muscle origin, positively influences demonstrated supraspinatus strength. Study Design Controlled laboratory study. Methods Supraspinatus strength was tested in 20 injured patients and 10 healthy controls in both the empty-can arm position and a position of scapular retraction using a handheld dynamometer. Pain in both maneuvers was measured by use of a visual analog scale. Results Paired t tests indicated the scapular retraction position resulted in statistically significantly (P =. 001) higher supraspinatus strength values within both groups. There was no significant difference between the 2 positions in visual analog scale scores. Conclusion This study shows that demonstrated apparent supraspinatus weakness on clinical examination in symptomatic patients may be dependent on scapular position. The weakness may be owing to other factors besides supraspinatus muscle weakness, such as a lack of a stable base in the kinetic chain or scapula. Clinical Relevance The clinical examination that addresses scapular posture and includes scapular retraction will allow more accurate determination of absolute supraspinatus muscle strength and allow efficacious rehabilitation protocols to address the source of the demonstrated weakness.
Treatment of Chronic Elbow Tendinosis with Buffered Platelet-Rich Plasma
Authors: Mishra Allan , Pavelko Terri 
Published: May 2006

Background Elbow epicondylar tendinosis is a common problem that usually resolves with nonoperative treatments. When these measures fail, however, patients are interested in an alternative to surgical intervention. Hypothesis Treatment of chronic severe elbow tendinosis with buffered platelet-rich plasma will reduce pain and increase function in patients considering surgery for their problem. Study Design Cohort study; Level of evidence, 2. Methods One hundred forty patients with elbow epicondylar pain were evaluated in this study. All these patients were initially given a standardized physical therapy protocol and a variety of other nonoperative treatments. Twenty of these patients had significant persistent pain for a mean of 15 months (mean, 82 of 100; range, 60-100 of 100 on a visual analog pain scale), despite these interventions. All patients were considering surgery. This cohort of patients who had failed nonoperative treatment was then given either a single percutaneous injection of platelet-rich plasma (active group, n = 15) or bupivacaine (control group, n = 5). Results Eight weeks after the treatment, the platelet-rich plasma patients noted 60% improvement in their visual analog pain scores versus 16% improvement in control patients (P =. 001). Sixty percent (3 of 5) of the control subjects withdrew or sought other treatments after the 8-week period, preventing further direct analysis. Therefore, only the patients treated with platelet-rich plasma were available for continued evaluation. At 6 months, the patients treated with platelet-rich plasma noted 81% improvement in their visual analog pain scores (P =. 0001). At final follow-up (mean, 25.6 months; range, 12-38 months), the platelet-rich plasma patients reported 93% reduction in pain compared with before the treatment (P <. 0001). Conclusion Treatment of patients with chronic elbow tendinosis with buffered platelet-rich plasma reduced pain significantly in this pilot investigation. Further evaluation of this novel treatment is warranted. Finally, platelet-rich plasma should be considered before surgical intervention.