bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Indications and outcome of repeat penetrating keratoplasty in India
Authors: Vanathi M , Sharma Namrata , Sinha Rajesh , Tandon Radhika , Titiyal Jeewan S , Vajpayee Rasik B 
Published: November 2005

Abstract
Background
Repeat penetrating keratoplasty is quite often required as there is high chance of failure of the primary graft particularly in the developing world. We planned a study to analyze the indications and outcome of repeat penetrating keratoplasty in a tertiary care centre in India.

Methods
A retrospective analysis of all the patients who underwent repeat penetrating keratoplasty, between January 1999 and December 2001 was performed. The parameters evaluated were indication for the primary penetrating keratoplasty, causes of failure of the previous graft, and final visual outcome and clarity of the repeat corneal grafts.

Results
Of fifty-three eyes of 50 patients with repeat penetrating keratoplasty (three patients underwent bilateral corneal regrafts), 37 eyes had undergone one regraft each, 14 eyes two regrafts and two eyes had three regrafts. The follow-up of the patients ranged from one to three years. The most common primary etiologic diagnosis was vascularized corneal scars (66%), of which the scars related to infection were most common (68.5%). Twenty-eight regrafts (52.8%) remained clear at a mean follow-up of 1.54 ± 0.68 years, of which 25 were single regrafts (89.3%). The commonest cause of failure of regraft was infection to the corneal graft (recurrence of herpetic infection in 9 eyes and perforated graft ulcers in 3 eyes). Three (18.6%) of the 16 eyes with multiple corneal regrafts achieved a BCVA of 6/60. Overall, only five eyes (all with single regraft) achieved a BCVA of 6/18 or better at the end of follow-up.

Conclusion
Graft infection is the leading cause of failure of repeat keratoplasty in this part of the world. Prognosis for visual recovery and graft survival is worse in eyes undergoing multiple regrafts.
Testing assumptions for endophenotype studies in ADHD: Reliability and validity of tasks in a general population sample
Authors: Kuntsi Jonna , Andreou Penny , Ma Jonathan , Börger Norbert A , van der Meere Jaap J 
Published: November 2005

Abstract

Background
Advances in both genetic and cognitive-experimental studies on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have opened new opportunities for cognitive endophenotype research. In such genetic designs the focus is on individual differences in characteristics, associated with ADHD, that can be measured reliably over time. Genetic studies that take a 'quantitative trait loci' approach hypothesise that multiple susceptibility genes contribute to a continuous dimension of ADHD symptoms. As an important initial step, we aimed to investigate the underlying assumptions that (1) key cognitive-experimental tasks indicate adequate test-retest reliability and (2) ADHD symptom scores in a general population sample are associated with performance on these tasks.

Methods
Forty-nine children were assessed on a go/no-go task and a reaction time task (the 'fast task') that included manipulations with event rate and incentives. The children were assessed twice, with a test-retest interval of two weeks.

Results
The majority of the task variables demonstrated moderate-to-good test-retest reliability. The correlations between teacher ratings of ADHD symptoms and key task variables were .4–.6: ADHD symptoms were associated with poor performance (especially high reaction time variability) in a slow baseline condition, whereas there was low or no association in conditions with a faster event rate or incentives. In contrast, no clear pattern of findings emerged based on parent ratings of ADHD symptoms.

Conclusion
The data support the usefulness of the go/no-go and fast tasks for genetic studies, which require reliable and valid indices of individual differences. The overall pattern of associations between teacher ratings of ADHD symptoms and task variables is consistent with effects of event rate and incentives on performance, as predicted by the model of activation and arousal regulation. The lack of a clear pattern of findings with parent ratings of ADHD symptoms warrants further study.
Blood pressure patterns in rural, semi-urban and urban children in the Ashanti region of Ghana, West Africa
Authors: Agyemang Charles , Redekop William K , Owusu-Dabo Ellis , Bruijnzeels Marc A 
Published: November 2005

AbstractBackgroundHigh blood pressure, once rare, is rapidly becoming a major public health burden in sub-Saharan/Africa. It is unclear whether this is reflected in children. The main purpose of this study was to assess blood pressure patterns among rural, semi-urban, and urban children and to determine the association of blood pressure with locality and body mass index (BMI) in this sub-Saharan Africa setting.MethodsWe conducted a cross-sectional survey among school children aged 8–16 years in the Ashanti region of Ghana (West-Africa). There were 1277 children in the study (616 boys and 661 females). Of these 214 were from rural, 296 from semi-urban and 767 from urban settings.ResultsBlood pressure increased with increasing age in rural, semi-urban and urban areas, and in both boys and girls. The rural boys had a lower systolic and diastolic blood pressure than semi-urban boys (104.7/62.3 vs. 109.2/66.5; p < 0.001) and lower systolic blood pressure than urban boys (104.7 vs. 107.6; p < 0.01). Girls had a higher blood pressure than boys (109.1/66.7 vs. 107.5/63.8; p < 0.01). With the exception of a lower diastolic blood pressure amongst rural girls, no differences were found between rural girls (107.4/64.4) and semi-urban girls (108.0/66.1) and urban girls (109.8/67.5). In multiple linear regression analysis, locality and BMI were independently associated with blood pressure in both boys and girls.ConclusionThese findings underscore the urgent need for public health measures to prevent increasing blood pressure and its sequelae from becoming another public health burden. More work on blood pressure in children in sub-Saharan African and other developing countries is needed to prevent high blood pressure from becoming a major burden in many of these countries.
The use and diagnostic yield of radiology in subjects with longstanding musculoskeletal pain – an eight year follow up
Authors: Lindgren Hans , Bergman Stefan 
Published: November 2005

Abstract

Background
Longstanding musculoskeletal pain is common in the general population and associated with frequent use of health care. Plain radiography is a common diagnostic approach in these patients despite knowledge that the use in the investigation of musculoskeletal pain is associated with low diagnostic yield, substantial costs and high radiation exposure. The aim of this study was to assess the use of diagnostic imaging and the proportion of pathological findings with regard to duration and distribution of pain in a cohort from the general population.

Methods
An eight-year longitudinal study based on questionnaires at three occasions and medical records on radiological examinations done in medical care. Thirty subjects were selected from an established population based cohort of 2425 subjects that in 1995 answered a postal survey on pain experience. At baseline there were ten subjects from each of three pain groups; No chronic pain, Chronic regional pain, and Chronic widespread pain (CWP). Those who presented with CWP at two or all three occasions were considered to have a longstanding or re-occurring CWP. In total the thirty subjects underwent 102 radiological examinations during the eight year follow up.

Results
There was a non-significant (p = 0.10) finding indicating that subjects with chronic pain at baseline (regional or widespread) were examined three times more often than those with no chronic pain. When the indication for the examination was pain, there was a low proportion of positive findings in subjects with longstanding CWP, compared to all others (5.3% vs 28.9%; p = 0.045). On the other hand, in examinations on other indications than pain the proportion of positive findings was high in the CWP group (62.5% vs 14.8%; p = 0.001).

Conclusion
Radiological examinations had a low diagnostic yield in evaluation of pain in subjects with longstanding/reoccurring CWP. These subjects had on the other hand more often positive findings when examined on other indications than pain. This may indicate that subjects with longstanding/reoccurring CWP are more prone to other diseases. It is a challenge for caregivers, often primary care physicians, to use radiological examinations to the best for their patients.
Absence of force suppression in rabbit bladder correlates with low expression of heat shock protein 20
Authors: Batts Timothy W , Walker John S , Murphy Richard A , Rembold Christopher M 
Published: November 2005

Abstract

Background
Nitroglycerin can induce relaxation of swine carotid artery without sustained reductions in [Ca2+]i or myosin regulatory light chain (MRLC) phosphorylation. This has been termed force suppression and been found to correlate with ser16-phosphorylation of heat shock protein 20 (HSP20). We tested for the existence of this mechanism in a smooth muscle that is not responsive to nitric oxide.

Methods
Isometrically mounted mucosa free rabbit bladder strips were contracted with carbachol and relaxed with 8-Br-cGMP, forskolin, or isoprenaline.

Results
Contraction was associated with a highly cooperative relation between MRLC phosphorylation and force such that very small increases in MRLC phosphorylation induced large increases in force. Relaxation induced by 8-Br-cGMP, forskolin, or isoprenaline did not shift the MRLC phosphorylation-force relation from that observed with carbachol alone, i.e. there was no force suppression. HSP20 content was negligible (approximately two hundred-fold less than swine carotid).

Conclusion
The lack of force suppression in the absence of HSP20 is consistent with the hypothesized role for HSP20 in the force suppression observed in tonic smooth muscles.
Stakeholder views regarding cultural diversity teaching outcomes: a qualitative study
Authors: Dogra Nisha , Carter-Pokras Olivia 
Published: November 2005

Abstract

Background
Cultural diversity teaching is increasingly present in both undergraduate and postgraduate training programmes. This study explored the views of stakeholders in medical education about the potential outcomes of cultural diversity teaching and how they thought cultural diversity programmes might be effectively evaluated.

Methods
A semi-structured interview was undertaken with 61 stakeholders (including policymakers, diversity teachers, students and users). The data were analysed and themes identified.

Results
Many participants felt that clinical practice was improved through 'cultural diversity teaching' and this was mostly as a result of improved doctor-patient communication. There was a strong view that service users need to participate in the evaluation of outcomes of cultural diversity teaching.

Conclusion
There is a general perception, rather than clear evidence, that cultural diversity teaching can have a positive effect on clinical practice. Cultural diversity teaching needs to be reviewed in undergraduate and postgraduate medicine and better evaluation tools need to be established.
Immunohistochemical evidence for an endocrine/paracrine role for ghrelin in the reproductive tissues of sheep
Authors: Miller David W , Harrison Joanne L , Brown Yvonne A , Doyle Una , Lindsay Alanna , Adam Clare L , Lea Richard G 
Published: November 2005

Abstract

Background
The gut hormone, ghrelin, is involved in the neuroendocrine and metabolic responses to hunger. In monogastric species, circulating ghrelin levels show clear meal-related and body weight-related changes. The pattern of secretion and its role in ruminant species is less clear. Ghrelin acts via growth hormone secretagogue receptors (GHSR-1a) to alter food intake, fat utilization, and cellular proliferation. There is also evidence that ghrelin is involved in reproductive function. In the present study we used immunohistochemistry to investigate the presence of ghrelin and GHSR-1a in sheep reproductive tissues. In addition, we examined whether ghrelin and GHSR-1a protein expression is developmentally regulated in the adult and fetal ovine testis, and whether there is an association with markers of cellular proliferation, i.e. stem cell factor (SCF) and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA).

Methods
Antibodies raised against ghrelin and its functional receptor, GHSR-type 1a, were used in standard immunohistochemical protocols on various reproductive tissues collected from adult and fetal sheep. GHSR-1a mRNA presence was also confirmed by in situ hybridisation. SCF and PCNA immunoexpression was investigated in fetal testicular samples. Adult and fetal testicular immunostaining for ghrelin, GHSR-1a, SCF and PCNA was analysed using computer-aided image analysis. Image analysis data were subjected to one-way ANOVA, with differences in immunostaining between time-points determined by Fisher's least significant difference.

Results
In adult sheep tissue, ghrelin and GHSR-1a immunostaining was detected in the stomach (abomasum), anterior pituitary gland, testis, ovary, and hypothalamic and hindbrain regions of the brain. In the adult testis, there was a significant effect of season (photoperiod) on the level of immunostaining for ghrelin (p < 0.01) and GHSR-1a (p < 0.05). In the fetal sheep testis, there was a significant effect of gestational age on the level of immunostaining for ghrelin (p < 0.001), GHSR-1a (p < 0.05), SCF (p < 0.05) and PCNA (p < 0.01).

Conclusion
Evidence is presented for the presence of ghrelin and its receptor in various reproductive tissues of the adult and fetal sheep. In addition, the data indicate that testicular expression of ghrelin and its receptor is physiologically regulated in the adult and developmentally regulated in the fetus. Therefore, the ghrelin ligand/receptor system may have a role (endocrine and/or paracrine) in the development (cellular proliferation) and function of the reproductive axis of the sheep.
Combining metal oxide affinity chromatography (MOAC) and selective mass spectrometry for robust identification of in vivo protein phosphorylation sites
Authors: Wolschin Florian , Weckwerth Wolfram 
Published: November 2005

Abstract

Background
Protein phosphorylation is accepted as a major regulatory pathway in plants. More than 1000 protein kinases are predicted in the Arabidopsis proteome, however, only a few studies look systematically for in vivo protein phosphorylation sites. Owing to the low stoichiometry and low abundance of phosphorylated proteins, phosphorylation site identification using mass spectrometry imposes difficulties. Moreover, the often observed poor quality of mass spectra derived from phosphopeptides results frequently in uncertain database hits. Thus, several lines of evidence have to be combined for a precise phosphorylation site identification strategy.

Results
Here, a strategy is presented that combines enrichment of phosphoproteins using a technique termed metaloxide affinity chromatography (MOAC) and selective ion trap mass spectrometry. The complete approach involves (i) enrichment of proteins with low phosphorylation stoichiometry out of complex mixtures using MOAC, (ii) gel separation and detection of phosphorylation using specific fluorescence staining (confirmation of enrichment), (iii) identification of phosphoprotein candidates out of the SDS-PAGE using liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry, and (iv) identification of phosphorylation sites of these enriched proteins using automatic detection of H3PO4 neutral loss peaks and data-dependent MS3-fragmentation of the corresponding MS2-fragment. The utility of this approach is demonstrated by the identification of phosphorylation sites in Arabidopsis thaliana seed proteins. Regulatory importance of the identified sites is indicated by conservation of the detected sites in gene families such as ribosomal proteins and sterol dehydrogenases. To demonstrate further the wide applicability of MOAC, phosphoproteins were enriched from Chlamydomonas reinhardtii cell cultures.

Conclusion
A novel phosphoprotein enrichment procedure MOAC was applied to seed proteins of A. thaliana and to proteins extracted from C. reinhardtii. Thus, the method can easily be adapted to suit the sample of interest since it is inexpensive and the components needed are widely available. Reproducibility of the approach was tested by monitoring phosphorylation sites on specific proteins from seeds and C. reinhardtii in duplicate experiments. The whole process is proposed as a strategy adaptable to other plant tissues providing high confidence in the identification of phosphoproteins and their corresponding phosphorylation sites.
ATP-sensitive potassium channel (KATPchannel) expression in the normal canine pancreas and in canine insulinomas
Authors: Donley Vicky R , Hiskett Erin K , Kidder Aimee C , Schermerhorn Thomas 
Published: November 2005

Abstract

Background
Pancreatic beta cells express ATP-sensitive potassium (KATP) channels that are needed for normal insulin secretion and are targets for drugs that modulate insulin secretion. The KATP channel is composed of two subunits: a sulfonylurea receptor (SUR 1) and an inward rectifying potassium channel (Kir6.2). KATP channel activity is influenced by the metabolic state of the cell and initiates the ionic events that precede insulin exocytosis. Although drugs that target the KATP channel have the expected effects on insulin secretion in dogs, little is known about molecular aspects of this potassium channel. To learn more about canine beta cell KATP channels, we studied KATP channel expression by the normal canine pancreas and by insulin-secreting tumors of dogs.

Results
Pancreatic tissue from normal dogs and tumor tissue from three dogs with histologically-confirmed insulinomas was examined for expression of KATP channel subunits (SUR1 and Kir6.2) using RT-PCR. Normal canine pancreas expressed SUR1 and Kir6.2 subunits of the KATP channel. The partial nucleotide sequences for SUR1 and Kir6.2 obtained from the normal pancreas showed a high degree of homology to published sequences for other mammalian species. SUR1 and Kir6.2 expression was observed in each of the three canine insulinomas examined. Comparison of short sequences from insulinomas with those obtained from normal pancreas did not reveal any mutations in either SUR1 or Kir6.2 in any of the insulinomas.

Conclusion
Canine pancreatic KATP channels have the same subunit composition as those found in the endocrine pancreases of humans, rats, and mice, suggesting that the canine channel is regulated in a similar fashion as in other species. SUR1 and Kir6.2 expression was found in the three insulinomas examined indicating that unregulated insulin secretion by these tumors does not result from failure to express one or both KATP channel subunits.
Zustandsbeobachter für periodische Signale: Anwendung zur aktiven Kompensation von motorerregten Karosserieschwingungen (State Observers for Periodic Signals: A Case Study in Active Vibration Control)
Authors: Bohn Christian , Karkosch Hans-Jürgen , Svaricek Ferdinand 
Published: November 2005

Abstract
Viele der im Automobil auftretenden Signale weisen aufgrund der periodischen Energieumsetzung des Verbrennungsmotors ebenfalls periodischen Charakter auf. Zur Regelung dieser Signale sind Zustandsbeobachter auf Basis eines Signalmodells, welches diese Periodizität nachbildet, sehr gut geeignet. Der vorliegende Beitrag zeigt dies am Beispiel der aktiven Reduzierung von motorseitig erzeugten und in die Karosserie eingeleiteten Schwingungen.
A Hybrid Evolutionary-Algebraic Approach to Optimal and Robust Controller Design (Hybride evolutionär-algebraische Verfahren für den Entwurf optimaler und robuster Regler)
Authors: Werner Herbert , Farag Adel 
Published: November 2005

Abstract
Modern control techniques – such as H
2 or H
∞ optimal controller design – offer powerful synthesis tools, provided the controller has the same order as the plant, and there are no constraints on the information structure of the feedback loop (e. g. decentralized control). If these assumptions do not hold – as is often the case in practical applications – the synthesis problem becomes non-convex and hard to solve. A frequently encountered situation is however that a synthesis problem is intractable, whereas the corresponding analysis problem is convex and easy to solve. In this case, it is often more efficient to use the easily available analysis results to guide a stochastic search for the solution, rather than to address the hard synthesis problem directly. In this paper, such an approach – based on a combination of algebraic tools from optimal control theory and evolutionary search techniques – is presented. Four benchmark problems representing “hard” control problems are used to illustrate the approach and to compare its efficiency with that of previously published solutions.
Menge aller robust stabilisierenden PID-Regler: Methodik und Software (Teil I) (The Set of All Robust Stabilizing PID Controllers: Methods and Software (Part I))
Authors: Bajcinca Naim , Hulin Thomas 
Published: November 2005

AbstractKürzlich wurde gezeigt, dass aufgrund einer Entkopplung der PID-Reglerparameter bei singulären Frequenzen das nichtkonvexe Hurwitz-Stabilitätsgebiet im PID-Parameterraum aus konvexen polygonalen Schnitten zusammengesetzt werden kann. Dadurch teilt sich die Aufgabe zum einen in die Bestimmung der Intervalle, in denen stabile Polygone existieren und zum anderen in die automatische Berechnung dieser Polygone. Das Verfahren kann sowohl auf zeitkontinuierliche als auch auf zeitdiskrete LTI Systeme einschließlich totzeitbehafteter Systeme angewendet werden. Es eignet sich besonders für den Entwurf von PID-Reglern, die robust gegenüber Parameterunsicherheiten in der Regelstrecke sind. Neben einiger weniger offener Fragen ist die zugrunde liegende Theorie weitgehend abgeschlossen. Dieser Artikel ist der erste in einer Reihe von dreien, die die neuesten Ergebnisse, Algorithmen und eine MATLAB®Toolbox für die schnelle Berechnung der Stabilitätsgebiete der PID-Regler darstellen.
Resistance, accumulation and transformation of selenium by the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 after exposure to inorganic SeVI or SeIV
Authors: Gouget B. , Avoscan L. , Sarret G. , Collins Richard , Carrière M. 
Published: November 2005

Summary
Our purpose was to investigate the ability of Synechocystis sp . PCC 6803, a photosynthetic prokaryote isolated from fresh water, to resist, incorporate and reduce the oxidized forms of selenium including selenite and selenate, the major selenium species present in aquatic systems. Selenium speciation and the chemical intermediates during selenium transformation were determined by X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy. The possible internalisation pathways involving selenium and the metabolic fate of selenate and selenite were examined. Selenate metabolism seemed to proceed via the sulfate reduction pathway resulting in the formation of the R-Se-H, R-Se-R and R-Se-Se-R species. The transformation of selenate to toxic amino acids may explain the high sensitivity of Synechocystis to selenate. Several mechanisms of selenium reduction seem to compete during selenite assimilation. A specific mechanism may transform internalised selenite into selenide and, subsequently induce the biosynthesis of selenoproteins. A non-specific mechanism may interfere with thiols, such as glutathione in the cell cytoplasm, or with proteins in the periplasm of the bacteria, notably thioredoxins. Several hypotheses concerning the complex transformation of selenium in Synechocystis could therefore be proposed.