bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Ghrelin and cholecystokinin in term and preterm human breast milk
Authors: Kierson Jennifer A. , Dimatteo Darlise M. , Locke Robert G. , MacKley Amy B. , Spear Michael L. 
Published: April 2006

Abstract Aim: To determine whether ghrelin and cholecystokinin (CCK) are present in significant quantities in term and preterm human breast milk, and to identify their source. Methods: Samples were collected from 10 mothers who delivered term infants and 10 mothers who delivered preterm infants. Estimated fat content was measured. Ghrelin and CCK levels were measured in whole and skim breast milk samples using radioimmunoassays (RIA). Reverse transcriptase‐polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR) was performed using RNA from human mammary epithelial cells (hMECs) and mammary gland with primers specific to ghrelin. Results: The median ghrelin level in whole breast milk was 2125 pg/ml, which is significantly higher than normal plasma levels. There was a direct correlation between whole milk ghrelin levels and estimated milk fat content (r=0.84, p<0.001). Both the mammary gland and hMECs produced ghrelin. While CCK was detected in some samples, levels were insignificant. Infant gestational age, birthweight, maternal age, and maternal pre‐pregnancy body mass index did not significantly affect the results.Conclusion: Ghrelin, but not CCK, is present in breast milk. Since the mammary gland produces ghrelin message, and ghrelin levels in breast milk are higher than those found in plasma, we conclude that ghrelin is produced and secreted by the breast.
Heterogeneous three-dimensional anatomical and electrophysiological model of human atria
Authors: Seemann Gunnar , Höper Christine , Sachse Frank B , Dössel Olaf , Holden Arun V , Zhang Henggui 
Published: April 2006

Investigating the mechanisms underlying the genesis and conduction of electrical excitation in the atria at physiological and pathological states is of great importance. To provide knowledge concerning the mechanisms of excitation, we constructed a biophysical detailed and anatomically accurate computer model of human atria that incorporates both structural and electrophysiological heterogeneities.
The three-dimensional geometry was extracted from the visible female dataset. The sinoatrial node (SAN) and atrium, including crista terminalis (CT), pectinate muscles (PM), appendages (APG) and Bachmann's bundle (BB) were segmented in this work. Fibre orientation in CT, PM and BB was set to local longitudinal direction.

Descriptions for all used cell types were based on modifications of the Courtemanche
et al
. model of a human atrial cell. Maximum conductances of

,

and

were modified for PM, CT, APG and atrioventricular ring to reproduce measured action potentials (AP). Pacemaker activity in the human SAN was reproduced by removing

, but including

,

, and gradients of channel conductances as described in previous studies for heterogeneous rabbit SAN.

Anisotropic conduction was computed with a monodomain model using the finite element method. The transversal to longitudinal ratio of conductivity for PM, CT and BB was 1 : 9. Atrial working myocardium (AWM) was set to be isotropic.

Simulation of atrial electrophysiology showed initiation of APs in the SAN centre. The excitation spread afterwards to the periphery near to the region of the CT and preferentially towards the atrioventricular region. The excitation extends over the right atrium along PM. Both CT and PM activated the right AWM. Earliest activation of the left atrium was through BB and excitation spread over to the APG. The conduction velocities were 0.6 m s
−1
for AWM, 1.2 m s
−1
for CT, 1.6 m s
−1
for PM and 1.1 m s
−1
for BB at a rate of 63 bpm.

The simulations revealed that bundles form dominant pathways for atrial conduction. The preferential conduction towards CT and along PM is comparable with clinical mapping. Repolarization is more homogeneous than excitation due to the heterogeneous distribution of electrophysiological properties and hence the action potential duration.
Expression of CD163 in dermatofibroma, cellular fibrous histiocytoma, and dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans: comparison with CD68, CD34, and Factor XIIIa
Authors: Sachdev Reena , Sundram Uma 
Published: April 2006

Background:  Distinction between cellular fibrous histiocytomas (FHs) with a deep component and dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (DFSPs) can pose diagnostic problems. While CD68, CD34, and Factor XIIIa are helpful in distinguishing between these entities, none are diagnostically absolute. Recent work with CD163, a hemoglobin scavenger receptor, has demonstrated that this marker has high specificity for monocytes, macrophages, and histiocytes. Our goal is to evaluate the utility of CD163 in the diagnosis of dermatofibromas (DFs), cellular FHs, and DFSPs.Methods:  Sixty cases including 19 DFs, 23 cellular FHs with a deep component, and 18 DFSPs were tested with antibodies against CD163, CD68, CD34, and Factor XIIIa.Results:  CD163 was expressed in 17/19 (89%) DFs, 23/23 (100%) cellular FHs, and 3/18 (17%) DFSPs. CD68 was positive in 8/19 (42%) DFs, 19/23 (83%) cellular FHs, and 1/16 (6%) DFSPs. CD34 was expressed in 1/19 (5%) DFs, 5/23 (22%) cellular FHs, and 100% of DFSPs. Factor XIIIa labeled 4/19 (21%) DFs, 11/23 (48%) cellular FHs, and 0/17 cases of DFSPs.Conclusions:  CD163 expression is helpful in distinguishing between cellular FHs and DFSPs and will be useful in a panel of antibodies when these entities are in the differential diagnosis.
Small‐scale fluid motion mediates growth and nutrient uptake of Selenastrum capricornutum
Authors: WARNAARS T. A. , HONDZO M. 
Published: April 2006

Summary1. A fluid‐flow reactor using submersible speakers was constructed to generate small‐scale fluid motion similar to conditions measured in open water environments; flow was quantified by particle image velocimetry. Additionally a Couette‐type rotating cylinder was used to generate shear flows; flow was quantified using an optical hotwire probe and torque measurements. Growth rates of the green alga Selenastrum capricornutum were determined from changes in cell counts and viability was tested using the fluorogenic probe fluoresceine diacetate.2. Evidence that fluid motion directly affects growth rates was obtained as a significant difference between growth in a moving versus non‐moving fluid. A near 2‐fold increase in growth rate was achieved for an energy dissipation rate of ɛ = 10−7 m2 s−3; a rate common in lakes and oceans. The onset of the viability equilibrium, identified as the day of the test period when the number of active cells equalled non‐active cells, was delayed by 2 days for moving fluid conditions as compared with a non‐moving fluid.3. Nutrient uptake was determined by a decrease in the bulk fluid concentration and cellular phosphorus concentration was also estimated. The thickness of the diffusive sublayer surrounding a cell, a zone dominated by molecular diffusion, was estimated. Increasing fluid motion was found to decrease the thickness of this layer. The Sherwood number (ratio of total mass flux to molecular mass flux) showed that advective flux surrounding cells dominated molecular diffusion flux with regard to Péclet numbers (ratio of advective transport to molecular diffusion transport). Fluid motion facilitated uptake rates and resulted in increased growth rates, compared with no‐flow conditions. The rate‐of‐rotation and the rate‐of‐strain in a moving fluid equally mediated the diffusive sublayer thickness surrounding the cells. Our study demonstrates that small‐scale fluid motion mediates algal growth kinetics and therefore should be included in predictive models for algal blooms.
Immunology of canine leishmaniasis
Authors: BARBIÉRI C. L. 
Published: April 2006

SUMMARY The role of dogs as the main reservoir of visceral leishmaniasis has led to an increased interest in the immune responses and in Leishmania antigens implicated in protective cellular immunity in canine visceral leishmaniasis. The primary goal is to control the prevalence of human disease. Immune responses in canine visceral leishmaniasis are reviewed. Cellular immune responses toward a Th1 subset mediated by IFN‐γ and TNF‐α predominate in asymptomatic dogs exhibiting apparent resistance to visceral leishmaniasis. On the other hand, while the role of Th2 cytokines, such as IL‐4 and IL‐10, in symptomatic animals is still controversial, there is increasing evidence for a correlation of these cytokines with progressive disease. CD8+ cytotoxic T cells seem also likely to be involved in resistance to visceral leishmaniasis. Several Leishmania antigens implicated in protective immune responses are described and some pivotal points for development of an effective vaccine against canine visceral leishmaniasis are discussed.
Laser vs. settling velocity differences in silt grainsize measurements: estimation of palaeocurrent vigour
Authors: MCCAVE I. N. , HALL I. R. , BIANCHI G. G. 
Published: April 2006

AbstractThe use of grain‐size distribution of muds for the reconstruction of past deep ocean currents is becoming established and applied in the palaeoceanographic community. The methods are also applicable to shallow marine and tidal flat muds with similar inferences concerning the energy of wave and current sorting being drawn. Fine sediment grain‐size distributions can be obtained using a variety of instruments based on fundamentally different theoretical principles. These machines may give varying, sometimes misleading, results giving divergent interpretations of flow speed history. The new evidence presented here, combined with earlier work, suggests that of the three most commonly used analytical methods for fine silts with clays, settling velocity (Sedigraph) should be the method and instrument of choice, with electrical resistance pulse counters (e.g. Coulter Counter) as a suitable alternative. The data also show that laser particle sizers should be avoided for palaeocurrent reconstructions because the measured size of platey minerals can be dominated by their large projected area. This causes them to be recorded as the same size as larger equant grains although they have much smaller settling velocity and were deposited in aggregates. This produces results with a weaker relationship to the dynamics of deposition. The central problem is thus that some coarse clay/fine silt is recorded as medium to coarse silt, the key size in the ‘sortable silt’ mean size method of inferring changes in flow speed. For coarse silts (e.g. loess) the laser gives more satisfactory results.
Management of mutual health organizations in Ghana
Authors: Baltussen R. , Bruce E. , Rhodes G. , Narh‐Bana S. A. , Agyepong I. 
Published: April 2006

SummaryObjective  Mutual Health Organizations (MHO) emerged in Ghana in the mid‐1990s. The organizational structure and financial management of private and public MHO hold important lessons for the development of national health insurance in Ghana, but there is little evidence to date on their features. This paper aims at filling this data gap, and at making recommendations to Ghanaian authorities on how to stimulate the success of MHO.Methods  Survey among 45 private and public MHO in Ghana in 2004–2005, asking questions on their structure, financial management and financial position.Results  Private MHO had more autonomy in setting premiums and benefit packages, and had higher community participation in meetings than public MHO. MHO in general had few measures in place to control moral hazard and reduce adverse selection, but more measures to control fraud and prevent cost escalation. The vast majority of schemes were managed by formally trained and paid staff. The financial results varied considerably.Conclusions  Ghanaian authorities regulate the newly established public MHO, but may do good by leaving them a certain level of autonomy in decision‐making and secure community participation. The financial management of MHO is suboptimal, which indicates the need for technical assistance.
Evaluation of antifungals in the surgical intensive care unit: a multi‐institutional study
Authors: Garey Kevin W. , Neuhauser Melinda M. , Bearden David T. , Cannon Joan P. , Lewis Russell E. , Gentry Layne O. , Kontoyiannis Dimitrios P. 
Published: April 2006

SummaryIn the USA, >50% of candidemia episodes occur in medical or surgical intensive care units (SICU). However, studies focused on patterns and rationale for antifungal use are lacking. The objective of this study was to evaluate systemic antifungal usage in SICU patients. Retrospective audit of SICU patients receiving antifungal therapy from four American hospitals. Medical records were reviewed for demographics, hospital variables, microbiology results, antifungal regimens and indications for therapy. A total of 2411 patient‐days of antifungal use were evaluated in 225 patients. Fluconazole was the most frequently prescribed antifungal (1846 patient‐days) followed by amphotericin B deoxycholate (251 patient‐days), lipid formulations of amphotericin B (201 patient‐days), itraconazole (71 patient‐days), and caspofungin (42 patient‐days). Antifungals were prescribed empirically (44%), for preemptive therapy in critically ill patients colonised with Candida (43%), or for candidiasis (12%). Candida species were recovered from 98% of patients with positive fungal cultures most commonly from pulmonary (53%) or urinary sources (17%). Fluconazole is the most frequently prescribed antifungal agent in SICUs and is most often prescribed for empiric or preemptive indications. Research efforts to identify patients who warrant preemptive antifungal therapy for invasive candidiasis could dramatically change antifungal prescribing patterns in the SICU.
In vitro activities of new and conventional antimycotics against fluconazole‐susceptible and non‐susceptible Brazilian Candida spp. isolates
Authors: Alves S. H. , Da Matta D. A. , Azevedo A. C. , Loreto E. S. , Boff E. , Santurio J. M. , Guarro J. 
Published: April 2006

SummaryThe substantial increase in the rate of azole resistant Candida spp. yeast infections has become a serious treatment problem requiring new and more active antifungal agents. In this study, the in vitro activities of ravuconazole and albaconazole were compared with those of amphotericin B, flucytosine, itraconazole and fluconazole against 162 Brazilian isolates of Candida spp. from which 48 isolates had previously shown lower susceptibility or resistance to fluconazole. Ravuconazole susceptibility ranged from 84.6% (Candida albicans) to 100% for other species and albaconazole MIC90 was ≤1.0 μg ml−1 for all the species emphasising the potent activity of these triazoles. To our knowledge this is the first study evaluating the susceptibility of C. dubliniensis to albaconazole.
Evaluation of platelet kinetics in patients with liver cirrhosis: Similarity to idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura
Authors: Kajihara Mikio , Okazaki Yuka , Kato Shinzo , Ishii Hiromasa , Kawakami Yutaka , Ikeda Yasuo , Kuwana Masataka 
Published: April 2006

AbstractBackground:  Thrombocytopenia is a common manifestation of liver cirrhosis (LC), but its underlying mechanism is not fully understood. The purpose of the present paper was to evaluate the platelet kinetics in LC patients by examining several non‐invasive convenient markers.Methods:  Fifty‐seven LC patients, 32 patients with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), 12 with aplastic anemia (AA), and 29 healthy individuals were studied. Plasma thrombopoietin was measured by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay. Absolute reticulated platelet (RP) count and plasma glycocalicin were used as indices for thrombopoiesis, and the indices for platelet turnover were the RP proportion and the plasma glycocalicin normalized to the individual platelet count (GCI).Results:  There was no difference in thrombopoietin levels between LC patients and healthy controls. The RP proportion and GCI were significantly higher and the absolute RP count and glycocalicin significantly lower in LC patients than in healthy controls. These markers in ITP and LC patients were comparable, but significantly different from those in AA patients. The bone marrow megakaryocyte density in LC and ITP patients was similar, and significantly higher than in AA patients.Conclusions:  Cirrhotic thrombocytopenia is a multifactorial condition involving accelerated platelet turnover and moderately impaired thrombopoiesis. Thrombopoietin deficiency is unlikely to be the primary contributor to cirrhotic thrombocytopenia.
Optimal eradication: when to stop looking for an invasive plant
Authors: Regan Tracey J. , McCarthy Michael A. , Baxter Peter W. J. , Dane Panetta F. , Possingham Hugh P. 
Published: April 2006

AbstractThe notion of being sure that you have completely eradicated an invasive species is fanciful because of imperfect detection and persistent seed banks. Eradication is commonly declared either on an ad hoc basis, on notions of seed bank longevity, or on setting arbitrary thresholds of 1% or 5% confidence that the species is not present. Rather than declaring eradication at some arbitrary level of confidence, we take an economic approach in which we stop looking when the expected costs outweigh the expected benefits. We develop theory that determines the number of years of absent surveys required to minimize the net expected cost. Given detection of a species is imperfect, the optimal stopping time is a trade‐off between the cost of continued surveying and the cost of escape and damage if eradication is declared too soon. A simple rule of thumb compares well to the exact optimal solution using stochastic dynamic programming. Application of the approach to the eradication programme of Helenium amarum reveals that the actual stopping time was a precautionary one given the ranges for each parameter.
Obesity risk associated with the K121Q polymorphism of the glycoprotein PC‐1 gene
Authors: Wan C. , Zhang T. , Wang B. , Han Y. , Zhang C. , Zhang Y. , Gong H. , Jin F. , Wang L. 
Published: April 2006

Background:  Obesity is considered to be a multifactorial trait resulting from the combined influence of genetic and environmental determinants. Insulin resistance plays an important role in the development of obesity. Plasma‐cell membrane differentiation antigene‐1 (PC‐1) inhibits insulin receptor signalling when overexpressed and thus causes insulin resistance. PC‐1 gene polymorphism might be associated with adipocyte metabolism disturbance and energy imbalance. The purpose of this study was to determine whether K121Q polymorphism in PC‐1 gene is involved in obesity susceptibility in Chinese Han population.Methods:  The genotype of the polymorphism was determined using polymerase chain reaction‐restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis for 338 unrelated subjects of Beijing, China. Their Body mass index (BMI), plasma glucose, total cholesterol, triglyceride, high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL), free fatty acid (FFA) and insulin level were measured. Chi‐square analyses were applied to test the significance differences in genotypic and allelic frequencies. Association studies were undertaken using the t‐test and logistic regression analyses.Results:  The obese had significantly higher frequency of KQ/QQ genotype or Q allele than non‐obese in females (26.7% vs. 10.9%, p = 0.014 and 13.3% vs. 5.5%, p = 0.021). Significant elevation of insulin amongst the Q121 carrier women in obesity individuals and higher FFA level of Q121 carrier men in non‐obese controls (BMI ≤ 23 kg/m2) were observed. Binary logistic regression analysis revealed that PC‐1 genotype together with higher glucose, total cholesterol, triglyceride and serum HDL were independently associated with the presence of obesity.Conclusions:  The observed genotype distributions revealed a significant association of PC‐1 K121Q with obesity. PC‐1 Q121 carriers are more likely to be insulin‐resistant or get fatter in respect to KK subjects and carriers of the Q allele are at higher risk for the development of obesity in female.
Ethische Konflikte im Gesundheitswesen
Authors: Kliemt Hartmut 
Published: April 2006

AbstractThe public good provided by public health care is not the maintenance of citizens’ health but rather the maintenance of the legal order and the citizens’ support for it. Several policy proposals for achieving the aim of supporting the rule of law by minimal means of public health care provision are explored. A system of assigning limited amounts of guaranteed health care that are provided in competitive processes below market clearing prices is suggested. We are seeking for minimum public health care under the constraint of maintaining the legal order rather than solving a maximization problem.
Tomato is a highly effective vehicle for expression and oral immunization with Norwalk virus capsid protein
Authors: Zhang Xiuren , Buehner Norene A. , Hutson Anne M. , Estes Mary K. , Mason Hugh S. 
Published: April 2006

SummaryNorwalk virus (NV) is an important agent of epidemic gastroenteritis, and an oral subunit vaccine shows potential for protection. Recombinant Norwalk virus (rNV) capsid protein expressed in plants assembles virus‐like particles (VLPs) that are orally immunogenic in mice and humans. In this article we examine rNV expression in tomato and potato using a plant‐optimized gene, and test the immunogenicity of dried tomato fruit and potato tuber fed to mice. The synthetic gene increased rNV expression fourfold in tomato and potato plants, which assembled VLP. Four doses of 0.4 g freeze‐dried tomato fruit containing 64 µg rNV (40 µg VLPs) induced NV‐specific serum IgG and mucosal IgA in ≥ 80% of mice, while doses of 0.8 g elicited systemic and mucosal antibody responses in all mice. Feedings of 1 g freeze‐dried potato tuber containing 120 µg rNV (90 µg VLPs) were required to produce 100% responsiveness. Oxidation of phenolic compounds upon rehydration of dried tuber caused significant VLP instability, thus decreasing immunogenicity. Air‐dried tomato fruit stimulated stronger immune responses than freeze‐dried fruit of the same mass, perhaps by limiting the destruction of plant cell matrix and membrane systems that occurs with freeze‐drying. Thus, rNV in dried transgenic tomato fruit was a more potent immunogen than that in dried potato tubers, based on the total VLPs ingested. These findings support the use of stabilized, dried tomato fruit for oral delivery of subunit vaccines.
Subcellular localization of epidermal growth factor receptor in human submandibular gland
Authors: Lantini M. S. , Cossu M. , Isola M. , Piras M. , Piludu M. 
Published: April 2006

AbstractThe subcellular distribution of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFr) was demonstrated in the normal human submandibular gland by means of immunogold cytochemistry. EGFr labelling appeared in both acinar and ductal cells, where strong immunoreactivity was associated with a tubulovesicular system near the basolateral surfaces. In addition, groups of reactive vesicles were highlighted among secretory granules of both serous and mucous cells and at the apex of ductal cells. Basolateral vesicles were interpreted as being a result of EGFr internalization after activation by an exogenous ligand, although the functional meaning of those located apically remains unclear.