bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Transient three‐dimensional‐patterned ripples appear during deformation of a two‐dimensional ripple field under wave‐induced oscillatory flow
Authors: Sekiguchi T. 
Published: February 2009

AbstractWave‐flume experiments on the process of deformation of pre‐existing two‐dimensional ripples revealed that one of two distinct types of three‐dimensional patterned ripple, the rhombic or the barrel type, emerged in the early stages of the experimental runs. Rhombic‐type ripples were characterized by a staggered pattern of similar‐sized mounds, whereas the barrel‐type ripples had a barrel‐like plan shape arranged in echelons. The former ripples were formed under strongly asymmetrical flow conditions with large excursion distances of water particle motion near the pre‐existing rippled bed, whereas the latter were formed under relatively symmetrical flow conditions with small excursion distances. The emergence of both types of ripples was also highly dependent on sediment grain size. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A new measure of the effective number of tests, a practical tool for comparing families of non‐independent significance tests
Authors: Galwey Nicholas W. 
Published: February 2009

Abstractp‐Values from tests of significance can be combined using the Šidák correction (or the closely related Bonferroni correction) or Fisher's method, but both these methods require that the p‐values combined be independent when all null hypotheses tested are true. In this paper adjustments to these methods are proposed, using a new eigenvalue‐based measure of the effective number of independent tests to which the actual tests performed are equivalent, and are compared with adjustments proposed by previous authors. The adjusted methods are evaluated using a sample of 726 Alzheimer's disease (AD) cases and 707 group‐matched controls, genotyped at 84,975 single‐nucleotide polymorphism loci in 2,000 randomly chosen genes. The tests for genetic association with AD at loci within each gene are combined. The number of loci tested per gene varies from 2 to 994. The adjusted combined p‐values agree well with the significance of the combined p‐values determined empirically by random permutation of the data (Šidák correction: r=0.990; Fisher's method: r=0.994). This indicates that the combined p‐values can be used to assess the relative strength of evidence for association of these genes with AD. The adjustment proposed here is a refinement of that of Nyholt ([2004] Am. J. Hum. Genet. 74:765–769), giving improved agreement with the results of random permutation. The improvement obtained is similar to that given by the refinement proposed by Li and Ji ([2005] Heredity 95:221–227). It is concluded that the concept of an effective number of tests is a valid approximation that allows p‐values to be combined in a highly informative way. Genet. Epidemiol. 33:559–568, 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
The sumLINK statistic for genetic linkage analysis in the presence of heterogeneity
Authors: Christensen G. B. , Knight S. , Camp N. J. 
Published: February 2009

AbstractWe present the “sumLINK” statistic—the sum of multipoint LOD scores for the subset of pedigrees with nominally significant linkage evidence at a given locus—as an alternative to common methods to identify susceptibility loci in the presence of heterogeneity. We also suggest the “sumLOD” statistic (the sum of positive multipoint LOD scores) as a companion to the sumLINK. sumLINK analysis identifies genetic regions of extreme consistency across pedigrees without regard to negative evidence from unlinked or uninformative pedigrees. Significance is determined by an innovative permutation procedure based on genome shuffling that randomizes linkage information across pedigrees. This procedure for generating the empirical null distribution may be useful for other linkage‐based statistics as well. Using 500 genome‐wide analyses of simulated null data, we show that the genome shuffling procedure results in the correct type 1 error rates for both the sumLINK and sumLOD. The power of the statistics was tested using 100 sets of simulated genome‐wide data from the alternative hypothesis from GAW13. Finally, we illustrate the statistics in an analysis of 190 aggressive prostate cancer pedigrees from the International Consortium for Prostate Cancer Genetics, where we identified a new susceptibility locus. We propose that the sumLINK and sumLOD are ideal for collaborative projects and meta‐analyses, as they do not require any sharing of identifiable data between contributing institutions. Further, loci identified with the sumLINK have good potential for gene localization via statistical recombinant mapping, as, by definition, several linked pedigrees contribute to each peak. Genet. Epidemiol. 33:628–636, 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
The anthropology of dementia: a narrative perspective
Authors: Randall William L. 
Published: February 2009

AbstractThis article draws on recent thinking in the field of narrative gerontology to lend support to Mahnaz Hashmi's “anthropological perspective” on dementia. From a narrative perspective, the relational component of human life ‐ and thus of dementia ‐ is underscored. Moreover, when the narrative dimensions of memory are considered, the line between “normal” and “pathological” is revealed as finer than commonly assumed. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Age‐related microstructural changes in subcortical white matter during postadolescent periods in men revealed by diffusion‐weighted MR imaging
Authors: Yoshiura Takashi , Noguchi Tomoyuki , Hiwatashi Akio , Togao Osamu , Yamashita Koji , Nakao Tomohiro , Nagao Eiki , Kumazawa Seiji , Arimura Hidetaka , Honda Hiroshi 
Published: February 2009

AbstractContinuous maturation of cerebral white matter (WM) in the postadolescent period is not fully understood. To elucidate the time course and location of possible postadolescent maturational changes in cerebral WM, we studied 60 healthy male subjects who were in their second to seventh decade using diffusion‐weighted imaging. Mean diffusivity (MD) in subcortical WM was measured in 78 cortical regions in each subject's brain using an automated method. Regression analysis was used to model the age‐related change in MD by either a linear or a quadratic function in each region. Age‐related changes in subcortical MD were best modeled by either a linear function or a quadratic function in 27 regions including language‐related regions, visual or multimodal areas in the bilateral occipital and temporal lobes, limbic areas including the bilateral parahippocampal gyri, and the bilateral postcentral and left precentral gyri. In these regions, the MD rapidly decreased until middle age and thereafter reached a plateau. Our results revealed microstructural changes in local subcortical WM and suggests a continuing maturational process in postoadolescent periods. Hum Brain Mapp 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
The retrieval of learned sequences engages the hippocampus: Evidence from fMRI
Authors: Ross Robert S. , Brown Thackery I. , Stern Chantal E. 
Published: February 2009

AbstractComputational models suggest that the hippocampus plays an important role in the retrieval of sequences. However, empirical evidence supporting hippocampal involvement during sequence retrieval is lacking. The current study used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to examine the role of the human hippocampus during the learning and retrieval of sequences. Participants were asked to learn four sequences comprised of six faces each. An overlapping condition, where sequences shared common elements, was comprised of two sequences in which two identical faces were shown as the middle images of both sequences. A nonoverlapping condition contained two sequences that did not share any faces between them. A third random condition contained two sets of six faces that were always presented in a random order. The fMRI data were split into a learning phase and an experienced phase based upon each individual's behavioral performance. Patterns of hippocampal activity during presentation, delay, and choice periods were assessed both during learning (learning phase) and after subjects learned the sequences to criteria (experienced phase). The results revealed hippocampal activation during sequence learning, consistent with previous findings in rats and humans. Critically, the current results revealed hippocampal activation during the retrieval of learned sequences. No difference in hippocampal activation was seen between the overlapping and nonoverlapping sequences during either sequence learning or retrieval of sequences. The results extend our current knowledge by providing evidence that the hippocampus is active during the retrieval of learned sequences, consistent with current computational models of sequence learning and retrieval. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Chronic diarrhea and abdominal pain: Pin the pinworm
Authors: Rajamanickam Anitha , Usmani Ali , Suri Sanjeev , Dimov Vesselin 
Published: February 2009

AbstractEnterobius vermicularis is the most common helminthic infection in the US. It is usually considered an innocuous parasite that at the most causes perianal itching. We report a case of an 84‐year‐old female patient from an assisted living facility who presented with symptoms of colitis for 2 months. On detailed history and exam, she was found to have E. vermicularis infection. All her symptoms resolved dramatically within 2 days after a single dose of albendazole. We want to emphasize the importance of including parasitic infections such as E. vermicularis in the differential diagnoses of patients presenting with symptoms of colitis. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2009;4:137–139. © 2009 Society of Hospital Medicine.
Standardized admission order set improves perceived quality of pediatric inpatient care
Authors: Bekmezian Arpi , Chung Paul J. , Yazdani Shahram 
Published: February 2009

AbstractBACKGROUND:Few studies exist on the ability of standardized preprinted order forms to improve patient care.OBJECTIVE:To examine resident‐perceived effects of introducing a pediatric admission order set (PAOS) on the quality of inpatient care.DESIGN:Cross‐sectional study.SETTING:University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Children's Hospital, a nonprofit, tertiary‐care teaching hospital and major referral center with approximately 3,000 admissions per year.PARTICIPANTS:A total of 97 pediatric residents (PL‐1, n = 34; PL‐2, n = 33; and PL‐3, n = 30) who did the vast majority of the inpatient admissions.MEASUREMENTS:Residents were asked to rate the PAOS overall and with respect to 9 specific dimensions using a 5‐point Likert scale.RESULTS:Overall, 89% of respondents approved of the PAOS, 58% reported using it ≥90% of the time, and all said that they would recommend it to their colleagues. Eighty‐four percent thought that it improved inpatient care, and 75% thought that medical errors were reduced. Eighty‐eight percent reported that the PAOS saved time; 93% said it was convenient; and most reported less need for clarification with secretaries (81%) and nurses (82%). In multivariate regression analyses, the only predictor of overall rating was whether the PAOS improved inpatient care (P = 0.04). Improved patient care, meanwhile, was predicted by whether the PAOS was comprehensive (P = 0.01), reduced medical errors (P = 0.01), and required less clarification with nurses (P = 0.01).CONCLUSIONS:A standardized admission order set is a simple, low‐cost intervention that residents believe may benefit patients by reducing medical errors and expediting high‐quality care. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2009;4:90–96. © 2009 Society of Hospital Medicine.
Clinical indications for newer antifungal agents
Authors: Naeger‐Murphy Nina , Pile James C. 
Published: February 2009

AbstractRecent years have seen the release of multiple new systemic antifungal agents, significantly increasing options for the treatment of most serious fungal infections. Newly available drugs include those in the echinocandin class, including caspofungin, micafungin, and anidulafungin, as well as the newer generation triazoles, voriconazole and posaconazole. Ordering of these agents is variably restricted, depending on a given institution's policies, and all are costly. In this review we examine the available evidence and outline the role of newer antifungal medications in several common and/or important situations, including invasive and mucocutaneous Candida infection, febrile neutropenia, invasive aspergillosis, zygomycosis, and endemic mycoses. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2008;4:102–111. © 2009 Society of Hospital Medicine.
Incidence and impact of adverse effects to antibiotics in hospitalized adults with pneumonia
Authors: Lin Robert Y. , Nuruzzaman Farzana , Shah Shaili N. 
Published: February 2009

AbstractBACKGROUND:This study sought to define the incidence, economic impact, and nature of adverse drug effects (ADEs) related to antibiotics in pneumonia hospitalizations in the US.METHODS:Adult pneumonia hospitalizations were tabulated in statewide (New York) and national databases, respectively, from 2000 through 2005. The incidences of antibiotic related ADEs were determined by identifying antibiotic specific e‐codes (external cause of injury codes). The modeled effect of the presence of antibiotic ADEs on length of stay (LOS) and total charges were also calculated. ADEs due to specific antibiotic classes, and the presence of certain cutaneous allergic and gastro‐intestinal manifestations commonly attributable to ADEs, were tabulated.RESULTS:ADEs related to antibiotics were reported in a small but consistent proportion (0.45–0.6%) of pneumonia hospitalizations in both cohorts. The most common identifiable antibiotics class associated with ADEs was the cephalosporins followed by penicillins and quinolones. Over 60% of the ADEs were associated with reported dermal/allergic and gastro‐intestinal manifestations. Multivariate analysis adjusting for co‐morbid conditions and demographic factors showed that the presence of an antibiotic adverse drug effect was a significant independent predictor of greater LOS and higher total hospital charges.CONCLUSIONS:ADEs related to antibiotics can be identified by analyzing administrative hospitalization databases. For pneumonia, a common hospitalization diagnosis, there is a defined calculable impact and incidence of antibiotic associated adverse effects. This should be considered in planning hospitalization resource allocation and in developing equitable hospitalization reimbursements. Identifying the nature of antibiotic associated adverse effects may facilitate the development of stratagies for reducing these adverse effects. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2009;4:E7–E15. © 2009 Society of Hospital Medicine.
Mitotic catastrophe as a prestage to necrosis in mouse liver cells treated with Helicobacter pullorum sonicates
Authors: Ceelen Liesbeth M. , Haesebrouck Freddy , D'Herde Katharina , Krysko Dmitri V. , Favoreel Herman , Vandenabeele Peter , Ducatelle Richard , Decostere Annemie 
Published: February 2009

AbstractHelicobacter pullorum infections have been associated with several enterohepatic diseases, but the mechanism of action is currently undefined. The present study was therefore set up to investigate possible cytotoxic effects of this pathogen on liver cells. A mouse hepatic cell line was exposed to H. pullorum sonicate and cytotoxicity was observed for all isolates after incubation for 72 h. Features characteristic for mitotic catastrophe characterized by chromatin condensation, formation of multinuclear distended cells and micronucleation, were recorded. In addition, intranuclear pseudoinclusions were seen in sonicate‐treated cells. Finally, cells exposed to sonicate eventually underwent cell death with the morphological features of necrosis, which occurred without activation of caspase‐3. The toxic factor involved in the cytotoxic activity proved to be soluble, trypsin–sensitive and stable at 56°C and at −70°C with a molecular weight to be over 50 kDa. The current study shows for the first time that H. pullorum causes mitotic catastrophe resulting in primary necrosis in mouse hepatocytes. J. Morphol., 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Effect of nickel on the mineralization of hydrocarbons by indigenous microbiota in Kuwait soils
Authors: AL‐Saleh Esmaeil S. , Obuekwe Christian 
Published: February 2009

AbstractAssessment of nickel contents in soil samples in Kuwait indicated only a minor difference in concentration in hydrocarbon‐contaminated (86 mg kg–1 soil) and non‐contaminated soils (84 mg kg–1 soil). The potential inhibitory effects of nickel on the number of hydrocarbon degraders, and hydrocarbon utilization were investigated over a wide range of nickel concentrations to span concentrations observed in the soil. Nickel addition, as nickel sulphate, to soil samples reduced the number of hydrocarbon degraders in all samples by a wide range (15–96%) depending on concentration and the hydrocarbon substrate utilized. Similarly, the metabolic activities were affected as observed in mineralization (3–60%) of soils amended with various concentrations of nickel. The inhibitive effects of nickel on hexadecane and crude oil utilization were minimal but were significantly higher with naphthalene (P < 0.05) in both hydrocarbon‐contaminated and non‐contaminated soils. Polarographic determination of hydrocarbons induced oxygen uptake rate demonstrated the tendency of nickel to significantly inhibit (P < 0.05) the oxidation of polyaromatic hydrocarbons compared to aliphatic hydrocarbons. (© 2009 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
The role of extracellular polymers on Staphylococcus epidermidis biofilm biomass and metabolic activity
Authors: Sousa Cláudia , Teixeira Pilar , Oliveira Rosário 
Published: February 2009

AbstractStaphylococcus epidermidis is now well established as a major nosocomial pathogen, associated with indwelling medical devices. Its major virulence factor is related with the ability to adhere to indwelling medical devices and form biofilms. In this study, the biofilm matrix of four S. epidermidis clinical isolates was extracted and the polysaccharides and proteins content was quantified. The results were correlated with the total biofilm biomass (determined by crystal violet assay) and cellular metabolic activity (evaluated with XTT reduction assay). According to the results, the exopolymers studied play an important role not only on structure and biofilm biomass but also on cellular activity. Thus, the strain forming biofilms with the highest level of polysaccharides (S. epidermidis 1457) also formed thicker biofilms but with the lowest metabolic activity. The protein concentration also varied among strains, with the biofilm matrix of S. epidermidis 9142 presenting a higher concentration of proteins comparing to the remaining strains. This fact indicates the different levels of importance that matrix proteins can hold on biofilm composition among strains albeit overall, it is suggested that extracellular protein production it is not a determinative factor for biofilm total biomass. (© 2009 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Vibrational spectroscopy and DFT calculations of amino acid derivatives: N‐acetyl‐L‐Asp and N‐acetyl‐L‐Glu in the solid state
Authors: Kausar Nighat , Alexander Bruce D. , Dines Trevor J. , Withnall Robert , Chowdhry Babur Z. 
Published: February 2009

AbstractExperimental vibrational spectroscopic studies and density functional theory (DFT) calculations of the amino acid derivatives N‐acetyl‐L‐Asp and N‐acetyl‐L‐Glu have been undertaken. Raman and IR spectra have been measured in the solid state for both molecules. DFT simulations were conducted using the B3‐LYP correlation functional and the cc‐pVDZ basis set in order to determine their energy minimized/geometry optimized structures (based on a single isolated molecule in the gaseous state), and vibrational spectra were computed at the optimized geometry in each case. Normal coordinate calculations have provided vibrational assignments for fundamental modes, including their potential energy distributions. Significant differences are observed in the computed structures and in the vibrational spectra of N‐acetyl‐L‐Asp and N‐acetyl‐L‐Glu. The combination of experimental and calculated results provides an insight into the structural and vibrational spectroscopic properties of N‐acetylated amino acid derivatives. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Enhancing disease resistance in peach fruit with methyl jasmonate
Authors: Jin Peng , Zheng Yonghua , Tang Shuangshuang , Rui Huaijin , Wang Chien Y 
Published: February 2009

AbstractBACKGROUND: Peaches are susceptible to microbial decay during postharvest distribution at ambient temperature. To search for effective alternatives to currently used fungicides for disease control, in this study the effect of methyl jasmonate (MeJA) on disease resistance and fruit decay of peaches after harvest in response to pathogen attack was investigated.RESULTS: Freshly harvested peaches were treated with 1 µmol L−1 MeJA vapour at 20 °C for 24 h. At 0, 12, 24 and 36 h after this treatment, both treated and untreated fruits were artificially wounded and inoculated with Penicillium expansum, Botrytis cinerea or Rhizopus stolonifer spore suspension (1 × 105 spores mL−1) and then incubated at 20 °C for 6 days. MeJA treatment significantly reduced the postharvest diseases. Incubation for 12 h was the optimal length of time after MeJA treatment, resulting in the lowest disease incidence and lesion diameter for all pathogens. The activities of defence enzymes including chitinase, β‐1,3‐glucanase, phenylalanine ammonia‐lyase, polyphenol oxidase and peroxidase were enhanced by MeJA treatment, and the level of total phenolics in MeJA‐treated fruit was also higher than that in control fruit. In addition, MeJA affected hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)‐metabolising enzymes such as superoxide dismutase, catalase and ascorbate peroxidase and induced a higher level of H2O2 during incubation, which might serve as a signal to induce resistance against P. expansum.CONCLUSION: MeJA was effective in reducing decay and might enhance disease resistance in peach fruit by increasing levels of antipathogenic proteins and antimicrobial phenolic compounds. Copyright © 2009 Society of Chemical Industry
Increased effectiveness of theTrichoderma harzianumisolate T‐78 againstFusariumwilt on melon plants under nursery conditions
Authors: Bernal‐Vicente Agustina , Ros Margarita , Pascual Jose Antonio 
Published: February 2009

AbstractBACKGROUND:The use of isolates of the genusTrichodermato controlFusariumwilt in melon plants is one of the most recent and effective alternatives to chemical treatments. In this work we have studied the immobilization of the isolateTrichoderma harzianumT‐78 on different carriers as an efficient method to control vascularFusariumwilt of melon in nurseries. Different formulations were developed: liquids (spore suspension, guar gum and carboxymethylcellulose) and solids (bentonite, vermiculite and wheat bran).RESULTS:The introduction ofF. oxysporumresulted in a significant decrease in seedling fresh weight. The treatments which gave a lesser reduction in weight and showing a greater biocontrol effect were the liquid conidial suspension and the solid treatments with bentonite and superficial vermiculite. Microbiological analyses revealed that the conidial suspension and all the solid treatments, except wheat bran, significantly decreasedF. oxysporumpopulations. Of all the treatments assayed, bentonite produced the greatest decline in theF. oxysporumpopulation.CONCLUSIONS:The most effective treatments againstFusariumwilt on melon plants were the solid treatments bentonite and superficial vermiculite. These two treatments gave the greatest plant weight, the lowest percentage of infected plants and the greatestT. harzianumpopulation throughout the assay. Copyright © 2009 Society of Chemical Industry