bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
A strategic assessment of cervical cancer prevention and treatment services in 3 districts of Uttar Pradesh, India
Authors: Dabash Rasha , Vajpayee Jyoti , Jacob Martha , Dzuba Ilana , Lal Nisha , Bradley Jan , Prasad LB 
Published: December 2005

Abstract

Background
Despite being a preventable disease, cervical cancer claims the lives of almost half a million women worldwide each year. India bears one-fifth of the global burden of the disease, with approximately 130,000 new cases a year. In an effort to assess the need and potential for improving the quality of cervical cancer prevention and treatment services in Uttar Pradesh, a strategic assessment was conducted in three of the state's districts: Agra, Lucknow, and Saharanpur.

Methods
Using an adaptation of stage one of the World Health Organization's Strategic Approach to Improving Reproductive Health Policies and Programmes, an assessment of the quality of cervical cancer services was carried out by a multidisciplinary team of stakeholders. The assessment included a review of the available literature, observations of services, collection of hospital statistics and the conduct of qualitative research (in-depth interviews and focus group discussions) to assess the perspectives of women, providers, policy makers and community members.

Results
There were gaps in provider knowledge and practices, potentially attributable to limited provider training and professional development opportunities. In the absence of a state policy on cervical cancer, screening of asymptomatic women was practically absent, except in the military sector. Cytology-based cancer screening tests (i.e. pap smears) were often used to help diagnose women with symptoms of reproductive tract infections but not routinely screen asymptomatic women. Access to appropriate treatment of precancerous lesions was limited and often inappropriately managed by hysterectomy in many urban centers. Cancer treatment facilities were well equipped but mostly inaccessible for women in need. Finally, policy makers, community members and clients were mostly unaware about cervical cancer and its preventable nature, although with information, expressed a strong interest in having services available to women in their communities.

Conclusion
To address gaps in services and unmet needs, state policies and integrated interventions have the potential to improve the quality of services for prevention of cervical cancer in Uttar Pradesh.
Reliability of the biceps brachii M-wave
Authors: Calder Kristina M , Hall Lesley-Ann , Lester Steve M , Inglis J Greig , Gabriel David A 
Published: December 2005

Abstract
Background
The peak-to-peak (P-P) amplitude of the maximum M-wave and the area of the negative phase of the curve are important measures that serve as methodological controls in H-reflex studies, motor unit number estimation (MUNE) procedures, and normalization factors for voluntary electromyographic (EMG) activity. These methodologies assume, with little evidence, that M-wave variability is minimal. This study therefore examined the intraclass reliability of these measures for the biceps brachii.

Methods
Twenty-two healthy adults (4 males and 18 females) participated in 5 separate days of electrical stimulation of the musculocutaneous nerve supplying the biceps brachii muscle. A total of 10 stimulations were recorded on each of the 5 test sessions: a total of fifty trials were used for analysis. A two-factor repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) evaluated the stability of the group means across test sessions. The consistency of scores within individuals was determined by calculating the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). The variance ratio (VR) was then used to assess the reproducibility of the shape of the maximum M-wave within individual subjects.

Results
The P-P amplitude means ranged from 12.62 ± 4.33 mV to 13.45 ± 4.07 mV across test sessions. The group means were highly stable. ICC analysis also revealed that the scores were very consistent (ICC = 0.98). The group means for the area of the negative phase of the maximum M-wave were also stable (117 to 126 mV·ms). The ICC analysis also indicated a high degree of consistency (ICC = 0.96). The VR for the sample was 0.244 ± 0.169, which suggests that the biceps brachii maximum M-wave shape was in general very reproducible for each subject.

Conclusion
The results support the use of P-P amplitude of the maximum M-wave as a methodological control in H-reflex studies, and as a normalization factor for voluntary EMG. The area of the negative phase of the maximum M-wave is both stable and consistent, and the shape of the entire waveform is highly reproducible and may be used for MUNE procedures.
Importance of disulphide bonds for vaccinia virus L1R protein function
Authors: Blouch Robert E , Byrd Chelsea M , Hruby Dennis E 
Published: December 2005

Abstract
L1R, a myristylated late gene product of vaccinia virus, is essential for formation of infectious intracellular mature virions (IMV). In its absence, only viral particles arrested at an immature stage are detected and no infectious progeny virus is produced. Previous studies have shown that the L1R protein is exclusively associated with the IMV membrane and that myristylation is required for correct targeting. The L1R protein contains six cysteine amino acid residues that have all been shown to participate in intramolecular disulphide bonds. However, it was not clear what role, if any, the disulfide bonds play in the membrane topology of the L1R protein. To address this question, a comprehensive library of L1R mutants in which the cysteine residues have been mutated to serine (either individually or in combination) were tested for their ability to rescue a L1R conditional lethal mutant virus under non-permissive conditions. Much to our surprise, we determined that C57 was not essential for production of infectious IMV. These results suggest that protein disulphide isomerases may be involved in reorganization of disulfide bonds within the L1R protein.
Response inhibition deficits in externalizing child psychiatric disorders: An ERP-study with the Stop-task
Authors: Albrecht Björn , Banaschewski Tobias , Brandeis Daniel , Heinrich Hartmut , Rothenberger Aribert 
Published: December 2005

Abstract

Background
Evidence from behavioural studies suggests that impaired motor response inhibition may be common to several externalizing child psychiatric disorders, although it has been proposed to be the core-deficit in AD/HD. Since similar overt behaviour may be accompanied by different covert brain activity, the aim of this study was to investigate both brain-electric-activity and performance measures in three groups of children with externalizing child psychiatric disorders and a group of normal controls.

Methods
A Stop-task was used to measure specific aspects of response inhibition in 10 children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD), 8 children with oppositional defiant disorder/conduct disorder (ODD/CD), 11 children with comorbid AD/HD+ODD/CD and 11 normal controls. All children were between 8 and 14 years old. Event-related potentials and behavioural responses were recorded. An initial go-signal related microstate, a subsequent Stop-signal related N200, and performance measures were analyzed using ANCOVA with age as covariate.

Results
Groups did not differ in accuracy or reaction time to the Go-stimuli. However, all clinical groups displayed reduced map strength in a microstate related to initial processing of the Go-stimulus compared to normal controls, whereas topography did not differ. Concerning motor response inhibition, the AD/HD-only and the ODD/CD-only groups displayed slower Stop-signal reaction times (SSRT) and Stop-failure reaction time compared to normal controls. In children with comorbid AD/HD+ODD/CD, Stop-failure reaction-time was longer than in controls, but their SSRT was not slowed. Moreover, SSRT in AD/HD+ODD/CD was faster than in AD/HD-only or ODD/CD-only. The AD/HD-only and ODD/CD-only groups displayed reduced Stop-N200 mean amplitude over right-frontal electrodes. This effect reached only a trend for comorbid AD/HD+ODD/CD.

Conclusion
Following similar attenuations in initial processing of the Go-signal in all clinical groups compared to controls, distinct Stop-signal related deficits became evident in the clinical groups. Both children with AD/HD and ODD/CD showed deficits in behavioural response-inhibition accompanied by decreased central conflict signalling or inhibition processes. Neither behavioural nor neural markers of inhibitory deficits as found in AD/HD-only and ODD/CD-only were additive. Instead, children with comorbid AD/HD+ODD/CD showed similar or even less prominent inhibition deficits than the other clinical groups. Hence, the AD/HD+ODD/CD-group may represent a separate clinical entity.
In adult onset myositis, the presence of interstitial lung disease and myositis specific/associated antibodies are governed by HLA class II haplotype, rather than by myositis subtype
Authors: Chinoy Hector , Salway Fiona , Fertig Noreen , Shephard Neil , Tait Brian D , Thomson Wendy , Isenberg David A , Oddis Chester V , Silman Alan J , Ollier William ER , Cooper Robert G ,   the UK Adult Onset Myositis Immunogenetic Collaboration (AOMIC)
Published: December 2005

AbstractThe aim of this study was to investigate HLA class II associations in polymyositis (PM) and dermatomyositis (DM), and to determine how these associations influence clinical and serological differences. DNA samples were obtained from 225 UK Caucasian idiopathic inflammatory myopathy patients (PM = 117, DM = 108) and compared with 537 randomly selected UK Caucasian controls. All cases had also been assessed for the presence of related malignancy and interstitial lung disease (ILD), and a number of myositis-specific/myositis-associated antibodies (MSAs/MAAs). Subjects were genotyped for HLA-DRB1, DQA1 and DQB1. HLA-DRB1*03, DQA1*05 and DQB1*02 were associated with an increased risk for both PM and DM. The HLA-DRB1*03-DQA1*05-DQB1*02 haplotype demonstrated strong association with ILD, irrespective of myositis subtype or presence of anti-aminoacyl-transfer RNA synthetase antibodies. The HLA-DRB1*07-DQA1*02-DQB1*02 haplotype was associated with risk for anti-Mi-2 antibodies, and discriminated PM from DM (odds ratio 0.3, 95% confidence interval 0.1–0.6), even in anti-Mi-2 negative patients. Other MSA/MAAs showed specific associations with other HLA class II haplotypes, irrespective of myositis subtype. There were no genotype, haplotype or serological associations with malignancy. The HLA-DRB1*03-DQA1*05-DQB1*02 haplotype associations appear to not only govern disease susceptibility in Caucasian PM/DM patients, but also phenotypic features common to PM/DM. Though strongly associated with anti-Mi-2 antibodies, the HLA-DRB1*07-DQA1*02-DQB1*02 haplotype shows differential associations with PM/DM disease susceptibility. In conclusion, these findings support the notion that myositis patients with differing myositis serology have different immunogenetic profiles, and that these profiles may define specific myositis subtypes.
An experimental study of social attraction and spacing between the sexes in sheep
Authors: Michelena Pablo , Henric Karine , Angibault Jean-Marc , Gautrais Jacques , Lapeyronie Paul , Porter Richard H. , Deneubourg Jean-Louis , Bon Richard 
Published: December 2005

SUMMARYMost ungulates are gregarious species and outside the mating season are typically observed in single-sex groups. However little is known about the mechanisms underlying social segregation between sexes. We investigated the effect of conspecific attraction on individual spacing between unrestrained merino sheep Ovis aries and confined conspecifics. We considered differences between males and females and whether attractiveness of the confined conspecifics depends on their sex. A series of binary choice experiments was conducted in a large outdoor arena, located in pastures. One or two stimulus animals were placed in small individual cages (1.5 m×1 m) on opposite sides of the arena. Sheep were tested with one fixed peer of the same or opposite sex vs an empty cage, and with two fixed peers of either the same sex as themselves, or one male and one female. Sheep in a control condition were exposed to two empty cages. In all of the test conditions, confined sheep were highly attractive. Males were more attracted by single stimulus peers of the same than the opposite sex, whereas females did not display such a preference. Sheep confronted with two restrained conspecifics tended to remain between the stimuli. This also occurred when the stimuli were of opposite sex, although the males tended to be located nearer the same-sex peer. Our findings can explain the strong aggregative behaviour of merino sheep, but also the social segregation previously observed in a mixed-sex group through higher attraction for same-sex than opposite-sex peers in males.
K+-independent initiation of motility in chum salmon sperm treated with an organic alcohol, glycerol
Authors: Morita M. , Fujinoki M. , Okuno M. 
Published: December 2005

SUMMARYSperm of salmonid fishes are quiescent in the presence of millimolar concentrations of extracellular K+, but motility initiation occurs when sperm are suspended in K+-free medium. In this study, glycerol(CH2OHCHOHCH2OH) treatment of intact sperm in the presence of K+ induced the initiation of motility even though a large amount of K+ was present. Another organic alcohol, erythritol(CH2OH(CHOH)2CH2OH), had a similar effect,but ethylene glycol (CH2OHCH2OH) did not initiate sperm motility. Furthermore, this glycerol-treated sperm showed motility without subsequent addition of ATP and cAMP. CCCP, an uncoupler of the mitochondrial electron-transport chain involved in ATP synthesis, suppressed motility of glycerol-treated sperm, suggesting that ATP synthesis is required for dynein to slide microtubules in glycerol-treated sperm. The amount of intracellular cAMP ([cAMP]i) in glycerol-treated sperm did not increase on motility activation, but a protein kinase A (PKA) inhibitor, H-89, inhibited glycerol-treated sperm motility. In addition, phosphorylation of protein associated with motility initiation also occurred in glycerol-treated sperm,suggesting that the glycerol treatment induces activation of PKA without an increase in [cAMP]i. Taken together, it can be concluded that organic alcohol, glycerol and erythritol induce phosphorylation for motility initiation, bypassing the increase in [cAMP]i as a result of a decrease in extracellular K+ concentration.
Locomotor function of the dorsal fin in rainbow trout: kinematic patterns and hydrodynamic forces
Authors: Drucker Eliot G. , Lauder George V. 
Published: December 2005

SUMMARYIn this study, we examine the kinematics and hydrodynamics of the soft dorsal fin in a representative basal teleost, the rainbow trout(Oncorhynchus mykiss), during steady rectilinear locomotion at 0.5–2.0 body lengths (L) s–1 and during maneuvering. During steady swimming, dorsal fin height and sweep amplitude decrease with increasing speed. The dorsal fin wake, as viewed within a horizontal plane, consists of paired vortices on each side of the body (0.5 L s–1) or nearly linearly arrayed vortex centers above the body (1.0 L s–1) with central jet flows directed predominately laterally (lateral:thrust force ratio=5–6). At 2.0 L s–1, the dorsal fin is no longer recruited to add momentum to the wake. This pattern of decreasing involvement of the trout dorsal fin in thrust production with increasing speed contrasts with the results of our previous study of the soft dorsal fin of sunfish(Lepomis), which is hydrodynamically inactive at low speed and sheds a propulsive vortex wake at higher speed. Yawing maneuvers by trout involve unilateral production of a single vortex ring by the dorsal fin with a strong jet flow oriented almost directly laterally. During steady swimming,interception by the tail of the dorsal fin's vortical wake and the adipose fin's non-vortical (drag) wake is hypothesized as a mechanism for enhancing tail thrust. This study provides the first experimental evidence that the plesiomorphic soft dorsal fin of ray-finned fishes acts as an ancillary force generator during axial locomotion. We suggest that the distinction often made between median and paired fin (MPF) propulsion and body and caudal fin (BCF)propulsion in fishes obscures the important role of multiple propulsors acting in a coordinated fashion. Using a combination of anterior median fin oscillation and axial undulation, without continuous paired fin excursions,trout employ an `M–BCF' gait during steady swimming. The primarily lateral orientation of dorsal fin force in trout induces corresponding roll and yaw moments, which must be countered by forces from the caudal, anal and paired fins. Locomotion in trout therefore involves the simultaneous active use of multiple fins, presumably to maintain body stability in the face of environmental perturbations.
Insect gas exchange patterns: a phylogenetic perspective
Authors: Marais Elrike , Klok C. Jaco , Terblanche John S. , Chown Steven L. 
Published: December 2005

SUMMARYMost investigations of insect gas exchange patterns and the hypotheses proposed to account for their evolution have been based either on small-scale,manipulative experiments, or comparisons of a few closely related species. Despite their potential utility, no explicit, phylogeny-based, broad-scale comparative studies of the evolution of gas exchange in insects have been undertaken. This may be due partly to the preponderance of information for the endopterygotes, and its scarcity for the apterygotes and exopterygotes. Here we undertake such a broad-scale study. Information on gas exchange patterns for the large majority of insects examined to date (eight orders, 99 species)is compiled, and new information on 19 exemplar species from a further ten orders, not previously represented in the literature (Archaeognatha,Zygentoma, Ephemeroptera, Odonata, Mantodea, Mantophasmatodea, Phasmatodea,Dermaptera, Neuroptera, Trichoptera), is provided. These data are then used in a formal, phylogeny-based parsimony analysis of the evolution of gas exchange patterns at the order level. Cyclic gas exchange is likely to be the ancestral gas exchange pattern at rest (recognizing that active individuals typically show continuous gas exchange), and discontinuous gas exchange probably originated independently a minimum of five times in the Insecta.
Assessment of Vitamin D Status in Male Osteoporosis
Authors: Al-oanzi Ziad H , Tuck Stephen P , Raj Nicholas , Harrop John S , Summers Gregory D , Cook David B , Francis Roger M , Datta Harish K 
Published: December 2005

Abstract
Background: Clinical assessment of vitamin D status often relies on measuring total circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 (25OHD3), but much of each vitamin D metabolite is bound to plasma vitamin D–binding protein (DBP), such that the percentage of free vitamin is very low. We hypothesized that measurement of free rather than total 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 [1,25(OH)2D3] and 25OHD3 may provide better assessment of vitamin D status. We therefore aimed to assess vitamin D status in men with idiopathic osteoporosis, in whom possible secondary causes of osteoporosis had been excluded, and to determine the extent of change in biologically active “free” vitamin D caused by variation in plasma DBP concentrations.
Methods: We measured 1,25(OH)2D3 and 25OHD3 in plasma samples from 56 men with idiopathic osteoporosis [mean (SD) age, 59.6 (13.6) years; range, 21–86 years] and 114 male controls [62.4 (10.4) years; range, 44–82 years].
Results: Mean total plasma 25OHD3 in the 56 men with osteoporosis and the 114 controls was 44.7 (21) and 43.3 (17) nmol/L, respectively; total plasma 1,25(OH)2D3 measured in randomly selected men with osteoporosis (n = 50) and controls (n = 50) was 90 (37) and 103 (39) pmol/L, respectively. Mean plasma DBP was significantly higher (P &lt;0.001) in men with osteoporosis [224 (62) mg/L; n = 56] than in the controls [143 (34) mg/L; n = 114], but calculated free plasma 25OHD3 and 1,25(OH)2D3 were significantly lower in the osteoporotic men than in controls [6.1 (3.1) vs 9.1 (4.4) pmol/L (P &lt;0.00001) and 77 (37) vs 142 (58) fmol/L (P &lt;0.00001), respectively].
Conclusions: Measurement of total vitamin D metabolites alone, although providing a crude assessment of vitamin D status, may not give an accurate indication of the free (biologically active) form of the vitamin. The ratio of total 25OHD3 and 1,25(OH)2D3 to plasma DBP, rather than total circulating vitamin D metabolites, may provide a more useful index of biological activity. Further studies are required to substantiate this hypothesis.
Chemical speciation of Am, Cm and Eu with EDTA at high ionic strength: thermodynamics and laser fluorescence spectroscopy studies
Authors: Cernochova K. , Mathur J. N. , Choppin Gregory R. 
Published: December 2005

Summary
The complexation of Am3+, Cm3+ and Eu3+ with EDTA has been studied at an ionic strength of 6.60 mol kg−1 (NaClO4) and pcH 3.60 in the temperature range of 0 to 60 °C with a solvent extraction technique. The complex M(EDTA)− was formed with stability constant values (log β101) at 25 °C between 15.9 and 16.1 which increased with increasing temperature. The complex formation enthalpies have been obtained from the temperature dependence of the stability constants. The large positive enthalpy and entropy changes are attributed to the considerably reduced water activity at such high ionic strength resulting in large positive contributions from the dehydration of the trivalent metal ions as compared to the smaller negative contributions from the M3+–EDTA4− bonding interaction. The nature of the species of the EuEDTA complex formed at 6.60 mol kg−1 (NaClO4) and pcH ≥3.60 was studied by time-resolved laser fluorescence spectroscopy and lifetime measurements. Between pcH 3.60 and 7.0, Eu(EDTA)(H2O)3
− was formed while at pcH 9.0, Eu(OH)(EDTA)(H2O)2
2− was present.
Electrochemical and spectroelectrochemical behaviour of Np(VI) ions in nitric acid solutions
Authors: Kim Seong-Yun , Asakura Toshihide , Morita Yasuji 
Published: December 2005

SummaryElectrochemical and spectroelectrochemical has been used to investigate the behaviour of neptunium (VI) in 1 ∼ 8 M HNO3solutions. The electrochemical reactions of Np(VI) ions were found to occurquasi-reversibly. The formal redox potentials (E°) for Np(VI)/Np(V) couples were determined to be +0.906, +0.908, +0.909, +0.902, +0.896, +0.895, +0.888, and +0.884 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) for Np(VI) ions in 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 M HNO3solutions, respectively. The reduction processes of Np(VI) ions were followed spectroelectrochemically by using an optical transparent thin layer electrode cell. It was found that the absorption spectra measured at the applied potentials from +1.10 to +0.60 VversusAg/AgCl reference electrode redox couple for Np(VI) in HNO3solution have clear isosbestic points. These results indicate that the only reduction product of Np(VI) is Np(V), which is of considerable stability in HNO3solutions.