bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
DNA separation by capillary electrophoresis with hydrophilic substituted celluloses as coating and sieving polymers. Application to the analysis of genetically modified meals
Authors: Giovannoli Cristina , Anfossi Laura , Tozzi Cinzia , Giraudi Gianfranco , Vanni Adriano 
Published: November 2004

AbstractA coating procedure based on the physical adsorption of hydroxypropyl cellulose onto the wall of a capillary column has been successfully used for the separation of DNA fragments up to 500 bp. The method uses a running Tris‐phosphate‐EDTA buffer containing 2‐hydroxyethyl cellulose as sieving polymer. The separation procedure shows good reproducibility (measured as RSD%) for consecutive runs (< 0.64), for different days (< 1.15) and capillaries (< 2.15), short analysis times, and a long coating lifetime. Good reproducibility and efficiency are even achieved by performing the separation in the presence of additives such as ethidium bromide and mannitol. The method is applied to the detection of GMOs in soybean and maize meals with an accurate evaluation of the length of DNA sequences, previously amplified by polymerase chain reaction.
Application of wavelength‐resolved optically‐detected XAS methods to phase‐segregated silicates
Authors: Poolton N. R. J. , Pantos E. , Hamilton B. , Denby P. M. , Johnsen O. 
Published: November 2004

AbstractWavelength‐resolved optically‐detected X‐ray absorption experiments are described that monitor the emission from naturally occurring phase‐exsolved aluminosilicate feldspars, when exciting across the Ca and KL2,3core levels. The results from a selection of example cases are presented that demonstrate the power of the technique in examining the structural and optical properties of phase segregated materials that could not easily be achievable by other methods. The results highlight that in these materials, extrinsic point defects such as Mn2+and Fe3+can also become preferentially associated with particular exsolved phases. (© 2004 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Picosecond ultrasonic experiments to study phonon solitons
Authors: Maris H. J. , Singhsomroje W. 
Published: November 2004

AbstractWe describe experiments to study the propagation of phonon solitons in crystalline solids. A picosecond light pulse is used to generate a short strain pulse. As this pulse propagates, its shape changes as a result of phonon dispersion and elastic non‐linearity. After traveling a sufficient distance, the pulse breaks up into a number of solitons. The amplitude and number of these solitons are in excellent agreement with theoretical expectations. (© 2004 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Phonon interactions in semiconductor nanostructures
Authors: Kent A. J. 
Published: November 2004

AbstractThis paper considers the recent history, current developments and future directions of studies of phonon interactions in semiconductor nanostructures, e.g superlattices and quantum wells, wires and dots. The motivation for studying such systems is discussed and a few of the major achievements highlighted. Current projects underway in Nottingham on phonon assisted tunnelling and monochromatic phonon generation in superlattices are reviewed as examples of where the subject is at today. Finally, the future prospects for this area are speculated upon. (© 2004 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Trains of ultrashort acoustic solitons
Authors: Muskens Otto L. , Dijkhuis Jaap I. 
Published: November 2004

AbstractWe present results on soliton trains in a PbMoO4 crystal, and show that a wide range of soliton train parameters is accessible using different transducer materials. Brillouin spectra are presented probing the development of high‐amplitude bipolar strain pulses into soliton trains during propagation in PbMoO4 at liquid helium temperatures. A simple interpretation of the beating patterns in the Brillouin scattering yields the highest relative soliton velocities in the trains of up to 0.3%. We use this to predict a value for the third‐order elastic constant of PbMoO4 of C333 = –480 GPa. The extremely fast solitons predict participation of the entire LA phonon branch in the soliton formation. For a gold transducer, the solitons are much wider but their number in the train is even larger. (© 2004 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Ab initio and DFT modeling of stereoselective deamination of aziridines by nitrosyl chloride
Authors: Kalaiselvan Anbarasan , Venuvanalingam Ponnambalam , Poater Jordi , Solà Miquel 
Published: November 2004

AbstractThe stereochemical course of the deamination of cis‐2,3‐dimethylaziridine by nitrosyl chloride was investigated at the QCISD/6‐31G(d) level. Calculations reveal that the reaction takes place in two steps. In the first step, the reactants form a pre‐reactive complex, followed by a spiro‐type bicyclic transition state, which on dissociative cycloelimination gives the N‐nitrosoaziridine intermediate. In the second step, this intermediate undergoes cycloreversion through a slightly asynchronous concerted transition state to form an alkene with the same stereochemistry, which is in total agreement with experiment. In the whole reaction, the denitrosation step is found to be rate‐determining. For comparison, geometry optimizations and energies were also obtained at the B3LYP/6‐31G(d) level. It was found that the B3LYP energy results differed significantly from the QCISD ones. To analyze the reason for this difference, B3LYP calculations were repeated by varying the contribution of exact exchange in the Becke functional. With respect to the QCISD results, it has been shown that the functional with 0% exact exchange yields the best activation barriers, whereas the functional with 30% exact exchange is the most suitable one to carry out the complexation and reaction energy calculations. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2005
Neurotoxic regimens of methamphetamine induce persistent expression of phospho‐c‐Jun in somatosensory cortex and substantia nigra
Authors: O'Dell Steven J. , Marshall John F. 
Published: November 2004

AbstractRepeated systemic administration of moderate doses of methamphetamine (mAMPH) can result in neuronal damage. In addition to the prominent damage of forebrain dopamine and serotonin terminals, mAMPH also injures certain non‐monoaminergic neuronal somata in the cerebral cortex. In previous studies, we have localized the damaged neurons to the “whisker barrels” in primary somatosensory cortex, reported the time course of their appearance, and found that sensory inputs from the mystacial vibrissae appear to play a crucial role in the mechanism of their injury by mAMPH. One common feature of these studies is that they used a single marker for neuronal injury, the fluorochrome dye Fluoro‐Jade, which stains neurons injured by disparate mechanisms. Here we compare mAMPH‐induced damage to somatosensory cortical neurons as assessed by Fluoro‐Jade and immunohistochemical staining for phospho‐c‐Jun. A neurotoxic regimen of mAMPH induced phospho‐c‐Jun‐positive neurons in both cortical whisker barrels and the substantia nigra. Neurons in the barrel cortex can be sufficiently damaged by mAMPH that they become Fluoro‐Jade‐positive within 2 hr after the final mAMPH injection. By contrast, phospho‐c‐Jun immunoreactivity does not appear until 12–24 hr after mAMPH. As reported in an earlier study, unilateral removal of vibrissae prior to mAMPH treatment affords partial protection from injury in the hemisphere contralateral to the vibrissotomy. The vibrissotomized animals show similar decreases in Fluoro‐Jade staining and phospho‐c‐Jun immunoreactivity in the protected hemisphere. Since phospho‐c‐Jun indicates activation of Jun N‐terminal kinase pathways, which have been implicated in apoptosis, we conclude that phospho‐c‐Jun provides a useful new marker for mAMPH‐induced damage to cortical neurons. Synapse 55:137–147, 2005. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Analysis of detailed aerodynamic field measurements using results from an aeroelastic code
Authors: Schepers J. G. , Feigl L. , van Rooij R. , Bruining A. 
Published: November 2004

AbstractIn this article an analysis is given of aerodynamic field measurements on wind turbine blades. The analysis starts with a consistency check on the measurements, by relating the measured local aerodynamic segment forces to the overall rotor loads. It is found that the results are very consistent. Moreover, a comparison is made between measured results and results calculated from an aeroelastic code. On the basis of this comparison, the aerodynamic modelling in the aeroelastic code could be improved. This holds in particular for the modelling of 3D stall effects, not only on the lift but also on the drag, and for the modelling of tip effects. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Gap characteristics and regeneration in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Uganda
Authors: Babaasa Dennis , Eilu Gerald , Kasangaki Aventino , Bitariho Robert , McNeilage Alastair 
Published: November 2004

AbstractBefore Bwindi Impenetrable forest, Uganda, became a national park in 1991, there was a high level of human activity in much of the forest, especially cutting of large trees for timber by pitsawyers. This created extensive gaps in this tropical Afromontane rain forest. We quantified and compared tree regeneration in three sites that were logged at different intensities. Gap sizes in Bwindi, even under fairly natural conditions are very large (mean =4460.1 m2). Logging further enlarged the gap sizes and had a negative impact on tree regeneration. The study shows the strong role of logging disturbance in promoting an alternative successional pathway, where the large gaps created by logging are in a low‐canopy state dominated by a dense tangle of herbs, shrubs, and herbaceous or semi‐woody climbers. We recommend periodic monitoring of gap size and tree regeneration in the gaps to ascertain the trend of recovery from past logging disturbance.
The nuclear genes Lhcb and HEMA1 are differentially sensitive to plastid signals and suggest distinct roles for the GUN1 and GUN5 plastid‐signalling pathways during de‐etiolation
Authors: McCormac Alex C. , Terry Matthew J. 
Published: November 2004

SummaryFeedback mechanisms are critical to the regulation of chloroplast development and signals from functional plastids are required to maintain nuclear gene expression of chloroplast proteins. To understand the role of these signals in de‐etiolating Arabidopsis thaliana L. seedlings, we followed the expression of three nuclear genes, Lhcb, HEMA1 and GSA, under a variety of treatments (Norflurazon, lincomycin and a far‐red light pre‐treatment) leading to plastid damage in white light and in a range of genetic backgrounds known to modulate plastid signalling: the genomes uncoupled mutants, gun1, gun4, gun5 and the gun1,5 double mutant, and in a transgenic line over‐expressing NADPH:protochlorophyllide oxidoreductase. The three nuclear genes were differentially sensitive to changes in plastid signalling, with Lhcb the most strongly repressed and GSA insensitive to all but the most severe treatments. Analysis of plastid morphology in seedlings grown under identical conditions demonstrated that these responses corresponded closely to the degree of plastid damage. Furthermore, although Lhcb and HEMA1 were responsive to both GUN1 and GUN5 signals, the relative inputs from these pathways differed for each transcript with GUN1 being dominant for HEMA1 regulation. Further analysis of HEMA1 expression in gun1 seedlings under non‐photobleaching conditions indicates that GUN1 is an important suppressor of HEMA1 expression in the dark and under saturating white light. These results are consistent with plastid signals functioning in a feedback regulatory mechanism during chloroplast biogenesis, and suggest a key role for GUN1 during the early stages of chloroplast development.
Short Communication: Observations on false positive reactions in the rapid NOW® Filariasis card test
Authors: Simonsen Paul E. , Magesa Stephen M. 
Published: November 2004

SummaryThe NOW® Filariasis card test is a useful tool for rapid field diagnosis of Wuchereria bancrofti infection, based on detection of specific circulating filarial antigen (CFA) in the patients’ blood. Concern has been raised that a high proportion of infection negative individuals develop false positive reactions in these tests when the test cards are left for a prolonged period before being examined. We carried out a survey in an endemic Tanzanian village to investigate this phenomenon. Individuals who were positive in the NOW® Filariasis test at 10 min after specimen application were also positive in the TropBio ELISA for CFA, and thus appeared to be truly positive. Many of the test cards that were negative at 10 min developed a positive line later, but these lines appeared to be falsely positive when the TropBio test was used as the gold standard. Close examination revealed that true and false positivity lines could be distinguished on their shape and colour. The study thus reaffirmed that test cards should be read after 10 min to avoid false positives, but it also indicated that experienced test card users should be able to make a correct diagnosis even at a later time.
Melioidosis epidemiology and risk factors from a prospective whole‐population study in northern Australia
Authors: Currie Bart J. , Jacups Susan P. , Cheng Allen C. , Fisher Dale A. , Anstey Nicholas M. , Huffam Sarah E. , Krause Vicki L. 
Published: November 2004

SummaryObjectives  The aims of this study were to describe the epidemiology of melioidosis in tropical northern Australia and to assess the importance of defined risk factors.Methods  The data were taken from a 14‐year prospective study of 364 cases of melioidosis in the ‘Top End’ of the Northern Territory. A whole‐population logistic regression model was used to estimate the crude and adjusted relative risk (RR) for the defined risk factors.Results  The mean age of the study population was 46.8 years, 264 (72.5%) were male, 178 (49%) were aboriginal Australians and 59 (16.2%) died from melioidosis. Average annual incidence was 19.6 cases per 100 000 population, with an estimated rate of 260 cases per 100 000 diabetics per year. Using a whole‐population logistic regression model, the estimated crude and adjusted RR [95% confidence intervals (CI)] for melioidosis were 6.3 (5.1–7.8) and 4.0 (3.2–5.1) for those aged  ≥ 45 years, 2.3 (1.8–2.9) and 2.4 (1.9–3.0) for males, 2.9 (2.3–3.5) and 3.0 (2.3–4.0) for aboriginal Australians, 21.2 (17.1–26.3) and 13.1 (9.4–18.1) for diabetics, 2.7 (2.2–3.4) and 2.1 (1.6–2.6) for those with excess alcohol consumption, 6.8 (5.4–8.6) and 4.3 (3.4–5.5) for chronic lung disease and 6.7 (4.7–9.6) and 3.2 (2.2–4.8) for chronic renal disease, respectively.Conclusions  Diabetes, excess alcohol intake, chronic renal disease and chronic lung disease are each independent risk factors for melioidosis. In tropical northern Australia, male sex, aboriginal ethnicity and age of ≥45 years are also independent predictors for melioidosis. Impaired polymorph function may be critical in the predisposition to melioidosis.
Laparoscopic resection for rectal cancer in patients with previous abdominal surgery: A comparative study
Authors: Kwok Shek‐Yuen , Chung Cliff Chi‐Chiu , Tsang Wilson Wen‐Chieng , Li Michael Ka‐Wah 
Published: November 2004

Objective:  In laparoscopic colorectal procedures, the presence of peritoneal adhesions caused by previous surgery is one of the most common reasons for conversion and is often associated with increased postoperative morbidity. However, improvements in laparoscopic technique and instruments might, to some extent, help to overcome the adverse effects of peritoneal adhesions. Therefore, the present study was designed to compare and evaluate laparoscopic rectal cancer excision in patients who had had and who had not had previous abdominal surgery. Methods:  The present study was a non‐randomized comparison of patients who have had and have not had previous abdominal surgery. Data were extracted from a prospective cohort of patients who had undergone laparoscopic anterior resection for rectal cancer in one particular unit between January 1996 and May 2000. For the purpose of standardization, data on laparoscopic low anterior resection and laparoscopic abdomino‐perineal resection were not used for analysis. The measured outcomes included operation time, blood loss and length of hospital stay as well as complications and conversions.Results:  Of the 91 patients recruited for analysis, 26 patients had had previous abdominal surgery (study group), whereas 65 patients had not had previous abdominal surgery (control group). The two groups had a similar age and gender distribution as well as tumour staging. The median operating times of the study group and control group (115 vs 123 min, P = 0.34), their blood loss (122 vs 144 mL, P = 0.30) and lengths of hospital stay (10 vs 11 days, P = 0.66) were similar. The complication rates (23 vs 23%, P = 0.79) and conversion rates (15.4 vs 7.7%, P = 0.55) were also similar between the two groups. Conclusion:  Laparoscopic resection for rectal cancer in patients who have had previous abdominal surgery is technically safe and produces similar results to those who have not had previous abdominal surgery.
Peritoneal mesothelial cells produce inflammatory related cytokines
Authors: Yao Veronica , Platell Cameron , Hall John C. 
Published: November 2004

Background:  Peritonitis involves cascading interactions between cytokines that initiate robust signalling processes via the interferon‐g and nuclear factor kappa B pathways. The present study evaluates the interplay between various putative inducers of peritonitis and a battery of inflammation‐related cytokines.Methods:  Cultures of peritoneal mesothelial cells were isolated from omenta harvested from male Wistar rats. These cultures were exposed to tumour necrosis factor (TNF)‐α, lipopolysaccharide, zymosan, myeloperoxidase, peritoneal fluid from rats with zymosan‐induced peritonitis, and peritoneal fluid from control animals. The production of TNF‐α, interleukin (IL)‐1β, IL‐6, and IL‐10 was assessed after 4, 12 and 24 h.Results:  Lipopolysaccharide and zymosan stimulated TNF‐α, IL‐1β, and IL‐10 production; and peritoneal fluids from both control animals and animals with zymosan‐induced peritonitis stimulated the production of TNF‐α, IL‐1RII, and IL‐6. Expression and secretion of TNF‐α occurred in a constitutive manner and was regulation at the protein level. The decoy molecule IL‐1 receptor type II (IL‐1RII) was produced at the same time as IL‐1β and production of the anti‐inflammatory cytokine IL‐10 was evident within 4 h. IL‐6 was constitutively expressed and regulated at the transcriptional level as indicated by a marked discontinuity between the amount of IL‐6 produced and the extent IL‐6 messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) expression.Conclusions:  Tumour necrosis factor‐α might not be the sole primary mediator of peritonitis. The anti‐inflammatory molecules IL‐1RII and IL‐10 are induced at the same time as the pro‐inflammatory cytokines TNF‐α, IL‐1β, and IL‐6. This suggests that complex control systems are set in place by the factors that stimulate peritoneal mesothelial cells and might have the potential to cause peritonitis.
Daily versus intermittent iron supplementation in pregnant women: Hematological and pregnancy outcome
Authors: Mukhopadhyay Asima , Bhatla Neerja , Kriplani Alka , Pandey Ravindra M. , Saxena Renu 
Published: November 2004

AbstractAim:  To compare the hematological parameters and pregnancy outcome in women receiving daily versus weekly iron supplements during pregnancy.Methods:  A prospective randomized controlled study was carried out at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India, during which 111 women were randomized to receive either 100 mg elemental iron daily (n = 55) or 200 mg elemental iron weekly (n = 56). Hemogram and serum ferritin level estimation were carried out at the beginning of pregnancy and within the 32–34‐week period of gestation. Side‐effects, compliance and the number of tablets consumed were noted for each group. The mean birth weight, period of gestation at delivery and mode of delivery were also compared between the two intervention groups.Results:  There was no significant difference in the mean hemoglobin levels between the two intervention groups at the end of an average 17 weeks of iron supplementation. However, among anemic women who received daily supplementation, there was a greater rise in hemoglobin compared with those receiving supplementation weekly. The serum ferritin level was lower in the weekly supplemented group compared with that in the daily. There was no difference in the mean birth weight, period of gestation and mode of delivery between the two groups. Side‐effects and non‐compliance were significantly higher (P < 0.001) in the daily supplemented group.Conclusions:  Weekly iron supplementation is an effective option for prophylaxis in non‐anemic pregnant women, but has less than optimal benefit in anemic women.
Relationship between the timing of hysterosalpingography before gamete intrafallopian transfer and the subsequent fertility outcome
Authors: Kaya Hakan , Karci Mehmet , Ozkaya Okan , Sezik Mekin 
Published: November 2004

AbstractAim:  To investigate the prognostic significance of hysterosalpingography carried out before one‐sided gamete intrafallopian transfer for unexplained infertility.Methods:  Fifty‐nine first gamete intrafallopian transfer cycles in 59 couples with unexplained infertility were evaluated in two groups: 30 women with a hysterosalpingogram carried out 1–6 months prior to gamete intrafallopian transfer procedure combined with diagnostic laparoscopy, and 29 women with a hysterosalpingogram carried out during any other interval up to 2 years. The outcome measures were biochemical pregnancy, clinical pregnancy, miscarriage, preterm delivery, and term delivery. Groups were compared using Student's t‐test and chi‐squared tests. Logistic regression was used to predict the effects of hysterosalpingography on subsequent fertility outcomes.Results:  Univariate analysis yielded no significant differences across groups regarding the baseline characteristics and outcome measures. When confounding factors were controlled, carrying out hysterosalpingography at some time before 6 months of gamete intrafallopian transfer was associated with 5.2‐ and 3.4‐fold increased clinical pregnancy and term delivery rates, respectively.Conclusions:  An additional hysterosalpingography at most 6 months prior to gamete intrafallopian transfer procedure might improve fertility prospects. This effect could be attributed to proper selection of the fallopian tube for cannulation during transfer or some therapeutic effect of hysterosalpingography.