bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
A tree‐ring‐based drought index reconstruction for far‐western Mongolia: 1565–2004
Authors: Davi N. K. , Jacoby G. C. , D'Arrigo R. D. , Baatarbileg N. , Jinbao Li , Curtis A. E. 
Published: December 2008

AbstractTree‐ring records can provide longer, high‐resolution records of climate variability in remote regions such as western Mongolia, where recorded data are extremely limited. Here, we use three absolutely dated tree‐ring‐width chronologies to reconstruct the Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDSI) for a grid point in western Mongolia (48.75°N, 88.75°W). A reconstruction of the June–September PDSI for this region extends from 1565 to 2003 and explains 41% of the total variance in the instrumental PDSI. The 439‐year reconstruction shows that starting in the 20th Century and continuing into the 21st Century there is a large‐scale regional increase in growing‐season moisture conditions compared to the prior centuries, a trend not seen in central or eastern Mongolian tree‐ring reconstructions. This increasing trend in western Mongolia is consistent with station observations and other nearby proxy records. The wettest 5‐year period of the reconstruction is 1741–1745 followed by 1993–1997, and the driest period is 1755–1759, followed by 1882–1886. Spectral analysis shows significant periodicities at approximately 22, 11, 7 and 5 years. The reconstruction shows similar trends to a PDSI reconstruction from NW China during the 20th Century and also correlates with lake‐level data from nearby Khar‐Us Nuur, Mongolia. Copyright © 2008 Royal Meteorological Society
Tendon structural and mechanical properties do not differ between genders in a healthy community‐dwelling elderly population
Authors: Burgess K.E. , Pearson S.J. , Breen L. , Onambélé G.N.L. 
Published: December 2008

AbstractElderly women are reportedly at higher risk of falling than their male counterparts. Postural balance is highly associated with fall risk and is also correlated with tendon structural and mechanical properties. Gender differences in tendon properties could partly explain the discrepancy in fall risk. Thus the purpose of this study was to investigate the possible gender difference in tendon properties in the elderly. The properties of the patellar tendon of 55 elderly (men n = 27, aged 72 ± 1 years, women n = 28, aged 70 ± 1 years) participants were tested. Tendon stiffness (K), length (L), and cross‐sectional area (CSA) were measured using B‐mode ultrasonography, dynamometry, and electromyography during ramped isometric knee extensions. There were no significant differences (p > 0.05) between men and women in tendon stiffness (elderly men 550.9 ± 29.2 vs. women 502.9 ± 44.9 Nmm−1) or in Young's modulus (elderly men 0.32 ± 0.02 vs. women 0.36 ± 0.04 GPa). This elderly group had similar tendon structural and mechanical properties. The comparable characteristics in gender‐specific tendon properties in an elderly population exhibiting similar lifestyle characteristics to the current sample may not explain the reports in the literature regarding increased fall risk in elderly women relative to that seen in men of a similar age. © 2008 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 27: 820–825, 2009
Collagen I membranes for tendon repair: Effect of collagen fiber orientation on cell behavior
Authors: Gigante Antonio , Cesari Eugenio , Busilacchi Alberto , Manzotti Sandra , Kyriakidou Kyriaki , Greco Francesco , Primio Roberto Di , Mattioli‐Belmonte Monica 
Published: December 2008

AbstractTendons have poor spontaneous regenerative capabilities, and complete regeneration is never achieved despite intensive remodeling. In this in vitro study, we characterized two multilamellar collagen I membranes differing in the arrangement of collagen fiber deposition (oriented vs. nonoriented) and compared their mechanical properties. Human dermal fibroblasts and tenocytes were seeded on the two membranes to evaluate the effect of fiber orientation on cell viability and cytoskeletal organization. Results demonstrate that the multilamellar collagen I membrane with oriented fibers has the better mechanical properties and affords optimum cell proliferation and adhesion. Its fiber arrangement provides an instructive pattern for cell growth and may serve to guide the alignment of cells migrating from the ends of a crushed or frayed tendon to obtain a strong, correctly structured tendon, thus providing a viable clinical option for tendon repair. © 2008 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 27: 826–832, 2009
Reactivity of ethyl acetate and its derivatives toward ammonolysis: ramifications for ammonolysis‐based microencapsulation process
Authors: Chung Younglim , Kim Jayoung , Sah Hongkee 
Published: December 2008

AbstractThe reactivity of three ester organic solvents toward ammonolysis was examined in relation to the development of an ammonolysis‐based microencapsulation process. Ethyl acetate, ethyl chloroacetate, and ethyl fluoroacetate were chosen as ester organic solvents. Progesterone was considered as a model drug to be encapsulated into poly‐D, L‐lactide‐co‐glycolide microspheres. A polymeric dispersed phase was emulsified in an aqueous phase, to which ammonia was added to initiate ammonolysis. The polarization status of a carbonyl group in the backbone of the ester was found to decide the magnitude of the ester reactivity. In fact, the simple ester ethyl acetate hardly reacted with ammonia, while ethyl chloroacetate and ethyl fluoroacetate showed greater reactivity toward ammonolysis. The rapid completion of ammonolysis led to the conversion of the water‐immiscible solvents into water‐soluble solvents, thereby providing an efficient tool for microsphere solidification. Among microencapsulation parameters, the type of dispersed solvent, the molar ratio of ammonia to a dispersed solvent, and the percentage of the progesterone payload decisively influenced the characteristics of the microspheres. Subsequently, variations in such parameters accompanied considerable influence on microsphere morphology, incorporation efficiency, thermal behavior, the degree of residual solvents, and the physical status of progesterone. Optimization of the process parameters would not only contribute to improving the ammonolysis‐based microencapsulation process, but would also permit the tailoring of microsphere properties to specific demands. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Complete response to tacrolimus in a child with severe aplastic anemia resistant to cyclosporin A
Authors: Macartney Christine , Freilich Marshall , Odame Isaac , Charpentier Karen , Dror Yigal 
Published: December 2008

AbstractAplastic anemia (AA) is a rare disorder in children, usually treated with immunosuppressive therapy (IST) including antithymocyte globulin (ATG) and cyclosporin A. There are no current widely used alternative therapies with comparable efficacy. We describe a child with severe aplastic anemia (SAA), who developed severe gingival hyperplasia secondary to cyclosporin A, unresponsive to intensive dental intervention. When IST was changed to tacrolimus there was a significant improvement in the gingival hyperplasia, but equally important, he achieved complete response of his AA within several months. The use of tacrolimus in children with AA may be a potential modality of treatment. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2009;52:525–527. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Invasive fungal infections in pediatric leukemia patients receiving fluconazole prophylaxis
Authors: Kaya Zuhre , Gursel Turkız , Kocak Ulker , Aral Yusuf Ziya , Kalkanci Ayse , Albayrak Meryem 
Published: December 2008

AbstractBackgroundChildren with acute leukemia have increased risk for invasive fungal infections (IFI) but the role of long term antifungal prophylaxis (AFP) in morbidity and mortality of IFI is not well‐known.ProcedureMedical records of 154 children with acute leukemia who received AFP with fluconazole during intensive chemotherapy were retrospectively reviewed to determine risk factors, clinical characteristics and outcome of IFI.ResultsThe overall incidence of IFI was 13.6%. Frequencies of proven, probable and possible infections were 7.2%, 2.6%, and 3.8%, respectively. The causative agent was Candida in 12 (57.2%) and Aspergillus in 9 (42.8%) children. There were 10 children with candidemia (47.6%), 7 with pulmonary aspergillosis (33.4%), 2 with hepatosplenic candidiasis (10.0%), one with sinopulmonary aspergillosis (4.5%) and one with sinus aspergillosis (4.5%). IFI was twice as common in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) (20.7%) than in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) (10.2%). Duration of profound neutropenia (P = 0.01) and steroid medications (P = 0.001) were significantly associated with IFI in univariate but not in multivariate analysis. Liposomal amphotericin B (L‐AMB) was successful in 15 of 21 children as a single agent. Voriconazole produced complete response in four children with invasive aspergillosis and two with hepatosplenic candidiasis, who were unresponsive to L‐AMB. The rate of IFI attributable death was 5%.ConclusionsOur results indicate that AFP with fluconazole and early empirical antifungal therapy may be effective in reducing the incidence and mortality of IFI in children with acute leukemia. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2009;52:470–475. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Biological features of hepatitis B virus isolates from patients based on full‐length genomic analysis
Authors: Wen Yu‐Mei , Wang Yong‐Xiang 
Published: December 2008

AbstractThe mechanisms for HBV persistence and the pathogenesis of chronic HB have been shown mainly due to defects in host immune responses. However, HBV isolates with different biological features may also contribute to different clinical outcomes and epidemiological implications in viral hepatitis B (HB). This review presents interesting biological features of HBV isolates based on the structural and functional analysis of full‐length HBV isolates from various patients. Among isolates from children after failure of HB vaccination, 129L mutant at the ‘a’ determinant was found with normal binding efficiency to anti‐HBs, but with reduced immunogenicity, which could initiate persistent HBV infections. Isolates from fulminant hepatitis (FH) B patients were not all highly replicative, but differences in capacities of anti‐HBs induction could be involved in the pathogenesis of FH. The high replicative competency of isolates from hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients could result in enhanced immune‐mediated cytopathic effects against HBV viral proteins, and increased transactivating activity by the X protein. The mechanism of a double‐spliced variant in enhancing replication of the wild‐type virus is presented. The importance of integrating structural and functional analysis to reveal biological features of HBV isolates in viral pathogenesis is discussed. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Modeling the Loading and Unloading of Drugs into Nanotubes
Authors: Hilder Tamsyn A. , Hill James M. 
Published: December 2008

AbstractOne of the most promising applications of nanotechnology is that of drug delivery, and in particular the targeted delivery of drugs using nanotubes. Functionalized nanotubes might be able to target specific cells, become ingested, and then release their contents in response to a chemical trigger. This will have significant implications for the future treatment of patients, particularly those suffering from cancer, for whom presently the nonspecific nature of chemotherapy often kills healthy normal cells. Research to date has largely been through experiments investigating toxicity, biocompatibility, solubility, functionalization, and cellular uptake. More recently, the loading and unloading of molecular cargo has gained momentum from both experimental and theoretical investigations. This Review focuses on the loading and unloading of molecular cargo and highlights recent theoretical investigations, which to date have received very little attention in the review literature. The development of nanotube drug‐delivery capsules is of vital concern for the improvement of medical treatment, and mathematical modeling tends to facilitate such development and provides a quicker route to applications of the technology. This Review highlights the latest progress in terms of theoretical investigations and provides a focus for the development of the next generation of medical therapeutics.magnified image
What do patients do before it starts? Coping with mental health problems on a CBT waiting list
Authors: Helbig Sylvia , Hoyer Jürgen 
Published: December 2008

AbstractData from a patient survey on self-help and coping strategies during waiting time for CBT are reported. Individuals on an outpatient treatment centre waiting list received a short questionnaire assessing problem-related activities carried out in the interval before therapy (mean waiting time 69 days). A total of 306 patients with a wide range of reliably diagnosed mental disorders were assessed. Results showed that the vast majority of patients (~95%) instigated at least one form of coping or self-help activity related to their mental problem. Resource-orientated strategies were most often reported (88%), but ‘seeking information about the problem’ was also highly prevalent. About one third of persons reported additional health-care utilization. Higher rates of symptom distress and depression were associated with additional health-care utilization and with more passive coping strategies such as distraction. Active self-help strategies contributed to poorer depression outcome and were, thus, no indicator of good prognosis. Other coping strategies were not linked to outcome variables. It can be concluded that problem-related processes do start before treatment. A more systematic integration of self-help activities into the case-formulation and more systematic research on the related (motivational) processes are recommended.
Advancing the Emerging Field of Hydropedology First International Conference on Hydropedology; University Park, Pennsylvania, 28–31 July 2008
Authors: Lin Henry , Singha Kamini , Chittleborough David , Vogel Hans‐Joerg , Mooney Sacha 
Published: December 2008

Both soil science and hydrology are at a critical threshold of exploring breakthroughs. Synergies are expected by bridging classical pedology with soil physics, hydrology, geomorphology, and other related bio‐ and geo‐sciences to address complex soil and water interactions across spatiotemporal scales. Holistic study of the Earth's critical zone (i.e., the critical interface between the surficial solid Earth and its fluid envelopes, which ranges from the top of vegetation to the bottom of aquifers) demands interdisciplinary systems approaches to tackle a wide array of environmental, ecological, agricultural, geological, and natural resource issues of societal importance.In this spirit, and aiming to advance the emerging field of hydropedology, the first international conference on hydropedology was held at Pennsylvania State University (Penn State) with the theme “Water and Soil: Key to Sustaining the Earth's Critical Zone.” The International Union of Soil Sciences' Working Group on Hydropedology organized this meeting, with main sponsorships from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Research Initiative and Penn State.
Crude Documentary to Screen at Fall Meeting
Authors: Viñas Maria‐José 
Published: December 2008

A documentary on oil might be a bit difficult to pitch, even to your own family and friends. Marine biologist and filmmaker Richard Smith learned that lesson when in late 2005, he started working on Crude: The Incredible Journey of Oil. When Smith told acquaintances about the project, their responses were “muted, at best,” joked the Australian filmmaker when he received AGU's 2008 Walter Sullivan Award for Excellence in Science Journalism.Fortunately for the audience, Smith's bosses at the Australian Broadcasting Corporation were more supportive and he was able to develop his documentary, which follows the fascinating 160‐million‐year journey of a carbon atom beginning at the moment a volcano spewed it to the Earth's surface, back when dinosaurs dominated the planet. The film includes vivid animations of ancient creatures and interviews with many international experts, such as one of the members of the American team that in the late 1940s discovered Saudi Arabia's largest oil field.
Dorsal Cochlear Nucleus Hyperactivity and Tinnitus: Are They Related?
Authors: Kaltenbach James A. , Godfrey Donald A. 
Published: December 2008

PurposeEight lines of evidence implicating the dorsal cochlear nucleus (DCN) as a tinnitus contributing site are reviewed. We now expand the presentation of this model, elaborate on its essential details, and provide answers to commonly asked questions regarding its validity.ConclusionsOver the past decade, numerous studies have converged to support the hypothesis that the DCN may be an important brain center in the generation and modulation of tinnitus. Although other auditory centers have been similarly implicated, the DCN deserves special emphasis because, as a primary acoustic nucleus, it occupies a potentially pivotal position in the hierarchy of functional processes leading to the emergence of tinnitus percepts. Moreover, because a great deal is known about the underlying cellular categories and the details of synaptic circuitry within the DCN, this brain center offers a potentially powerful model for probing mechanisms underlying tinnitus.
First Report of Garlic common latent virus in Garlic from India
Authors: Majumder S. , Baranwal V. K. 
Published: December 2008

Garlic (Allium sativum L.) is one of the most important culinary herbs in the Indian subcontinent. Several viruses belonging to genera Potyvirus, Carlavirus, and Allexivirus are known to infect garlic (2,3). Garlic accessions grown on the research farm of the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, were tested for the presence of Onion yellow dwarf virus (OYDV), Shallot latent virus (SLV), and Garlic common latent virus (GarCLV). Leaves showing mild to severe mosaic symptoms were collected in January of 2008 from five accessions of garlic (Pusa Selection-34, G-1, Selection-17, G-282, and PGS-14) from the experimental plots. Direct antigen coated (DAC)-ELISA was performed with antisera to OYDV, GarCLV (Bioreba, Reinach, Switzerland), and Garlic latent virus (GarLV) (synonym for SLV) obtained from D. E. Lesemann, (Braunschweig, Germany). Total RNA was extracted from 100 mg of leaves with the RNeasy Plant Mini kit (Qiagen, Maryland) according to the manufacturer's protocol. Reverse transcription (RT)-PCR and DAC-ELISA confirmed the presence of OYDV and SLV in all selection lines, both of which were reported previously from garlic in India (1). The occurrence of GarCLV was confirmed by DAC-ELISA and RT- PCR using a primer pair 5′-AAATGTTAATCGCTAAACGACC-3′ and 5′-CTTTGTGGATTTTCGGTAAG-3′ designed from the conserved region of open reading frame (ORF) 5 (coat protein) and ORF 6 (nucleic acid binding protein) of GarCLV (GenBank Accession Nos. AB004566, X81138, and X81139). Expected amplicons of ∼500 bp for GarCLV were obtained from all garlic lines tested, confirming that all five garlic lines had mixed infections of OYDV, SLV, and GarCLV. The amplicons obtained from Pusa Selection-34 were directly sequenced and the 536-bp nucleotide sequence (GenBank Accession No. FJ154841) showed a sequence identity of 87% compared with GarCLV (GenBank Accession No. AB004566). To our knowledge, this is the first report of GarCLV in garlic cultivars in India. Our study demonstrates that GarCLV occurs frequently in mixed infections with OYDV and SLV and the potential impact of these mixed infections on garlic production needs to be evaluated. References: (1) S. Majumder et al. J. Plant Pathol. 90:369, 2008. (2) P. Van Dijk. Acta Hortic. 358:299, 1994. (3) D. G. A. Walkey and D. N. Antill. J. Hortic. Sci, 64:53, 1989.
An Outbreak of Head Rot of Cabbage Caused by Rhizoctonia solani AG2-1 in Central China
Authors: Zhang L. , Zheng L. , Hsiang T. , Lv R. , Huang J. 
Published: December 2008

In July of 2007, an outbreak of head rot of cabbage (Brassica oleracea) occurred on more than 2,500 ha in Changyang County, Hubei Province, China. On average, yields were reduced by approximately 50%. Affected plants were first observed in 2006, and symptoms were considered physiological or nutritional disorders by growers. In 2007, the more extensive summer rains favored an increase in disease severity. Initial symptoms consisted of irregular, brown-to-black lesions on leaves and sometimes a wet decay of the base of outer leaves. Lesions expanded until entire heads were rotted. Rhizoctonia solani was recovered consistently from symptomatic plant tissues. Five isolates were used to evaluate cultural and morphological characteristics of the pathogen. On potato dextrose agar (PDA), all isolates yielded colonies that became brown after 5 days of incubation. The hyphae, 4.9 to 8.0 μm in diameter, branched at right or acute angles near the septa and each cell usually had six to eight nuclei. Dark brown sclerotia, 0.5 to 5 mm in diameter, appeared after 10 days of incubation. Genomic DNA of a representative isolate, CY-1, was extracted, and the rDNA-internal transcribed spacer sequence showed 99.5% identity to R. solani AG2-1 (Accession No. EU513147) in GenBank. Pathogenicity tests were completed in the laboratory by placing 6-mm-diameter mycelial plugs from 3-day-old PDA cultures of the five isolates onto 30 cabbage leaves detached from 5-week-old cabbage plants. The inoculated leaves were incubated at 28°C with 95% relative humidity in a controlled environment chamber. Two days after inoculation, black, wet lesions were observed on all inoculated leaves, while no symptoms were apparent on leaves inoculated with noncolonized PDA plugs. Koch's postulates were fulfilled by reisolating R. solani from diseased leaves. R. solani AG1 (1), AG2-1 (2), and AG4 (4) have been reported as causal agents of diseases of cabbage and related plants, and AG2-1 has been previously isolated from cabbage grown in southwest China (3), but to our knowledge, this is the most severe outbreak reported from China. References: (1) G. S. Abawi and S. B. Martin. Plant Dis. 69:158, 1985. (2) L. Corazza et al. Eur. J. Plant Pathol. 101:341, 1995. (3) H. R. Li and H. H. Zhu. J. Yunnan Agric. Univ. 3:247, 1993. (4) G. H. Yang et al. Plant Pathol. 56:351, 2007.