bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Effects of fallen snow on the voluntary intake and grazing behavior of Hokkaido native horses in winter woodland with underlying Sasa senanensis
Authors: KAWAI Masahito , HISANO Hanako , YABU Yumiko , YABU Naoki , MATSUOKA Sakae 
Published: September 2004

ABSTRACTThe intake, digestibility, and grazing behavior of Hokkaido native horses were investigated in winter woodland with underlying Sasa senanensis. Twenty Hokkaido native horses were grazed in a woodland (8.52 ha) for 14 days in December (snowy; 20 cm of snow fall) and in November (non‐snowy) of the next year. Three mares (360 kg of average bodyweight) were used in each experiment. The fecal collection, used to investigate the intake and digestibility by the double‐indicator method, and behavioral observations were carried out for 24 h on the 6th day in each experiment. During the snowy and non‐snowy periods, the dry matter intakes of sasa foliage were 7.3 and 9.6 kg/d, respectively, which is 2.1 and 2.7% when expressed as a percentage of bodyweight. The apparent digestibility of nutrients and energy released during the snowy and non‐snowy periods were similar. The proportions of digestible energy intakes to maintenance requirement in the mares were 119 and 164% during the snowy and non‐snowy periods, respectively. Their bodyweight remained constant during the non‐snowy period; however, a slight loss in their bodyweight was observed during the snowy period. The duration of grazing on sasa foliage was 416 and 544 min/d during the snowy and non‐snowy periods, respectively, the daily grazing area of the mares during these periods was 2.0 and 5.1 ha, respectively. In other words, the area during the snowy period was smaller than that during the non‐snowy period (P < 0.05). Fallen snow, even with a depth of approximately 20 cm, inhibited the grazing behavior and intake of sasa foliage by Hokkaido native horses grazing in winter woodland pasture.
Advanced treatment of swine wastewater by electrodialysis with a tubular ion exchange membrane
Authors: FUKUMOTO Yasuyuki , HAGA Kiyonori 
Published: September 2004

ABSTRACTTo remove the excess nitrogen and phosphorus in swine wastewater, an electrodialysis technique was applied to an advanced treatment method. The laboratory‐scale swine wastewater treatment system constructed for the present study consisted of an activated sludge process, as the main treatment unit, and electrodialysis, as an advanced treatment unit. This system was operated for 200 days and the processing performance was evaluated. By electrodialysis, approximately 99% of NO3– and PO43– in the activated sludge‐treated water (AT solution) was removed during operation. Furthermore, electrodialysis decreased the color density of the AT solution at a rate of 58%. The advanced treatment of swine wastewater by electrodialysis proved to be an efficient technique to remove excess nitrogen and phosphorus, and decrease color density.
The role of endogenous opioids in the control of gastrointestinal motility: predictions from in vitro modelling
Authors: Sanger G. J. , Tuladhar B. R. 
Published: September 2004

AbstractGastrointestinal motility can be assessed in vitro by investigating the effects of drugs or gene knockouts on intestinal propulsion, and on neurone‐mediated responses evoked by electrical field stimulation (EFS). The latter predominantly measure enteric motor activity and can detect prokinetic activity of exogenous agents. Some evidence suggests that naloxone has prokinetic activity when evaluated for an ability to modulate responses to EFS, but the effects are inconsistent across different species or intestinal regions. Models of intestinal peristalsis measure an integrated sensory‐motor nerve function and possess more intact neuro‐neuronal connections. In such preparations, the effects of naloxone also suggest a prokinetic property but again, this is inconsistent. By contrast, consistent prokinetic activity of naloxone is apparent in models where peristalsis is compromised by drug‐induced suppression of motor nerve activity or by modulation of endogenous processes using receptor antagonists or inappropriate intraluminal distension. These data suggest that endogenous opioids play little or no role in normal intestinal physiology, but suppress intestinal motility when motor function is compromised. Consequently, drugs that antagonize opioid receptors may exert prokinetic activity in conditions where intestinal motility is reduced, such as constipation. Further work is required to elucidate the opiate receptor(s) involved.
CO-Sensing Mechanisms
Authors: Roberts Gary P. , Youn Hwan , Kerby Robert L. 
Published: September 2004

SUMMARY

Carbon monoxide (CO) has long been known to have dramatic physiological effects on organisms ranging from bacteria to humans, but recently there have a number of suggestions that organisms might have specific sensors for CO. This article reviews the current evidence for a variety of proteins with demonstrated or potential CO-sensing ability. Particular emphasis is placed on the molecular description of CooA, a heme-containing CO sensor from
Rhodospirillum rubrum
, since its biological role as a CO sensor is clear and we have substantial insight into the basis of its sensing ability.
Microbial Type I Fatty Acid Synthases (FAS): Major Players in a Network of Cellular FAS Systems
Authors: Schweizer Eckhart , Hofmann Jörg 
Published: September 2004

SUMMARYThe present review focuses on microbial type I fatty acid synthases (FASs), demonstrating their structural and functional diversity. Depending on their origin and biochemical function, multifunctional type I FAS proteins form dimers or hexamers with characteristic organization of their catalytic domains. A single polypeptide may contain one or more sets of the eight FAS component functions. Alternatively, these functions may split up into two different and mutually complementing subunits. Targeted inactivation of the individual yeast FAS acylation sites allowed us to define their roles during the overall catalytic process. In particular, their pronounced negative cooperativity is presumed to coordinate the FAS initiation and chain elongation reactions. Expression of the unlinked genes, FAS1 and FAS2, is in part constitutive and in part subject to repression by the phospholipid precursors inositol and choline. The interplay of the involved regulatory proteins, Rap1, Reb1, Abf1, Ino2/Ino4, Opi1, Sin3 and TFIIB, has been elucidated in considerable detail. Balanced levels of subunits α and β are ensured by an autoregulatory effect of FAS1 on FAS2 expression and by posttranslational degradation of excess FAS subunits. The functional specificity of type I FAS multienzymes usually requires the presence of multiple FAS systems within the same cell.De novosynthesis of long-chain fatty acids, mitochondrial fatty acid synthesis, acylation of certain secondary metabolites and coenzymes, fatty acid elongation, and the vast diversity of mycobacterial lipids each result from specific FAS activities. The microcompartmentalization of FAS activities in type I multienzymes may thus allow for both the controlled and concerted action of multiple FAS systems within the same cell.
Determination of the Core of a Minimal Bacterial Gene Set
Authors: Gil Rosario , Silva Francisco J. , Peretó Juli , Moya Andrés 
Published: September 2004

SUMMARY
The availability of a large number of complete genome sequences raises the question of how many genes are essential for cellular life. Trying to reconstruct the core of the protein-coding gene set for a hypothetical minimal bacterial cell, we have performed a computational comparative analysis of eight bacterial genomes. Six of the analyzed genomes are very small due to a dramatic genome size reduction process, while the other two, corresponding to free-living relatives, are larger. The available data from several systematic experimental approaches to define all the essential genes in some completely sequenced bacterial genomes were also considered, and a reconstruction of a minimal metabolic machinery necessary to sustain life was carried out. The proposed minimal genome contains 206 protein-coding genes with all the genetic information necessary for self-maintenance and reproduction in the presence of a full complement of essential nutrients and in the absence of environmental stress. The main features of such a minimal gene set, as well as the metabolic functions that must be present in the hypothetical minimal cell, are discussed.
Phages and the Evolution of Bacterial Pathogens: from Genomic Rearrangements to Lysogenic Conversion
Authors: Brüssow Harald , Canchaya Carlos , Hardt Wolf-Dietrich 
Published: September 2004

SUMMARYComparative genomics demonstrated that the chromosomes from bacteria and their viruses (bacteriophages) are coevolving. This process is most evident for bacterial pathogens where the majority contain prophages or phage remnants integrated into the bacterial DNA. Many prophages from bacterial pathogens encode virulence factors. Two situations can be distinguished:Vibrio cholerae, Shiga toxin-producingEscherichia coli,Corynebacterium diphtheriae, andClostridium botulinumdepend on a specific prophage-encoded toxin for causing a specific disease, whereasStaphylococcus aureus,Streptococcus pyogenes, andSalmonella entericaserovar Typhimurium harbor a multitude of prophages and each phage-encoded virulence or fitness factor makes an incremental contribution to the fitness of the lysogen. These prophages behave like “swarms” of related prophages. Prophage diversification seems to be fueled by the frequent transfer of phage material by recombination with superinfecting phages, resident prophages, or occasional acquisition of other mobile DNA elements or bacterial chromosomal genes. Prophages also contribute to the diversification of the bacterial genome architecture. In many cases, they actually represent a large fraction of the strain-specific DNA sequences. In addition, they can serve as anchoring points for genome inversions. The current review presents the available genomics and biological data on prophages from bacterial pathogens in an evolutionary framework.
Fulminant liver failure: an indicator of silent myocardial rupture
Authors: Szawarski P , Sensky P R , Doshi M , Hudson I 
Published: September 2004

Abstract
A 56 year old man presented with an atypical chest infection. Remote inferoposterior myocardial infarction was noted on electrocardiography and transthoracic echocardiography. Hepatic failure developed with sudden gross elevation of liver aminotransferases and coagulopathy. No primary hepatic cause could be identified. Subsequent right heart failure led to transoesophageal echocardiography that revealed a large inoperable ventricular septal defect. Histopathological data showed ischaemic hepatitis and reinfarction of the inferoposterior myocardial wall. Acute cardiac events may be silent and precipitate misleading severe hepatic dysfunction.
Management of paediatric asthma
Authors: Grigg J 
Published: September 2004

Abstract
Paediatric asthma best practice not only includes prescribing the correct therapeutic mix based on consensus guidelines, but also reducing therapy once control has been achieved. Clinicians should also be aware that asthma in young children is a heterogeneous entity, and a beneficial response to bronchodilators and/or inhaled steroids is not inevitable. In general, preschool children and infants should not be prescribed inhaled corticosteroids above 200 μg beclometasone dipropionate equivalent twice a day, or regular oral steroids, or long acting β2-adrenoceptor agonists. New therapies such as anti-IgE antibodies are on the horizon, but these are unlikely to replace the established drug combinations. More likely is that the delivery of established drugs will become more convenient (for example, once a day inhaled corticosteroids, or season dependent prophylactic therapy).
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: the clinical management of an acute exacerbation
Authors: Hurst J R , Wedzicha J A 
Published: September 2004

Abstract
Exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease impose a considerable burden of morbidity, mortality, and health care cost. Management guidelines outlining best practice, based largely on consensus expert opinion, were produced by a number of organisations during the last decade. Current interest in the field is high. This has resulted in the publication of many further studies which have extended our understanding of the pathology involved and provided, for the first time, an evidence base for many of the therapeutic options. In this review we aim to bring the non-specialist reader up to date with current management principles and the evidence underlying such interventions.
QUANTUM DILATONIC GRAVITY IN d=2,4 AND 5 DIMENSIONS
Authors: NOJIRI SHIN'ICHI , ODINTSOV SERGEI D. 
Published: September 2004

We review (mainly) quantum effects in the theories where the gravity sector is described by metric and dilaton. The one-loop effective action for dilatonic gravity in two and four dimensions is evaluated. Renormalization group equations are constructed. The conformal anomaly and induced effective action for 2d and 4d dilaton coupled theories are found. It is applied to the study of quantum aspects of black hole thermodynamics, like calculation of Hawking radiation and quantum corrections to black hole parameters and investigation of quantum instability for such objects with multiple horizons. The use of the above effective action in the construction of nonsingular cosmological models in Einstein or Brans–Dicke (super)gravity and investigation of induced wormholes in supersymmetric Yang–Mills theory are given.5d dilatonic gravity (bosonic sector of compactified IIB supergravity) is discussed in connection with bulk/boundary (or AdS/CFT) correspondence. Running gauge coupling and quark–antiquark potential for boundary gauge theory at zero or nonzero temperature are calculated from d=5 dilatonic anti-de Sitter-like background solution which represents anti-de Sitter black hole for periodic time.
Tissue factor and tissue factor pathway inhibitor levels in trophoblast cells: implications for placental hemostasis
Authors: Brenner Benjamin , Katz Tamar , Miyagi Yohei , Lanir Naomi , Aharon Anat 
Published: September 2004

SummaryThe placenta is a highly vascularized organ with fetal and maternal blood supply. Syncytiotrophoblasts (STB), which line the placenta villous are possibly involved in local hemostatic mechanisms.The aim of this study was to evaluate the levels of tissue factor (TF) and its inhibitors, tissue factor pathway inhibitor (TFPI,TFPI-2), in STB model within hemostatic and inflammatory environments. Human primary STB cell cultures were characterized by vascular and hormonal markers. TF and TFPI mRNA expression, protein levels and activity were determined and compared to human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC). High levels of TF were demonstrated in STB cells compared to low levels in HUVEC. In contrast, STB expressed lower TFPI levels than HUVEC. LPS and TNFα increased the high constitutive TF in STB, whereas LPS and IL-1α further reduced TFPI levels. The procoagulant tendency of STB identified by us may reflect the physiological need for immediate inhibition of hemorrhage in the placental inter-villous spaces in basal and inflammatory conditions.This hemostatic balance may be critical for normal placental function and pregnancy outcome.
Blood coagulation kinetics: high throughput method for real-time reaction monitoring
Authors: Lo Ken , Diamond Scott 
Published: September 2004

SummaryA high throughput 384-well plate assay of blood function in 60 μl reactions with the fluorogenic thrombin substrate, boc-VPR-MCA, allowed for real-time monitoring of coagulation under a diverse set of reaction conditions. Using recalcified, citrated whole blood diluted 3-fold with corn trypsin inhibitor (to block Factor XIIa), addition of 0 to 13.8 pM of tissue factor (TF) reduced the time of maximal rate of thrombin production (Tmax) from 45 min to 11 min. Over this range of TF,Tmax was reduced from 35 min to 6 min by co-addition of 10 nM convulxin to activate platelets via GPVI. The maximal rate of thrombin production at Tmax was not a function of exogenously-added TF, Va, or reVIIa, but increased 30% with added convulxin. Addition of 0.07 to 0.7 pM TF along with convulxin produced small, but detectable reductions in Tmax. Addition of up to 0.67 nM reVIIa reduced Tmax by up to 53% in the range of 0.7 to 7 pM TF. Interestingly, platelet factor 4 (2.7 μM) caused a prolongation of Tmax from 45 min to 78 min at 0 TF, while protamine (1.8 μM) reduced Tmax to 30 min at 0 TF. Finally, combinatorial reaction studies with exogenously-added ADP, histamine, fMLP, indomethacin, anti-CD18, and fibrinogen revealed no unusual synergies amongst the agents, but demonstrated a striking procoagulant activity of added fibrinogen, due to protease contaminants in the “purified” fibrinogen. This high throughput approach allowed automated profiling of blood (50 reactions/ml of blood) to generate large data sets for testing cellular-proteomic kinetic models, screening drug interactions, and potentially monitoring subtle changes in the functional phenotype of a patient blood sample.
Paediatric cerebral sinus vein thrombosis
Authors: Waldman Dalia , Lubetsky Aharon , Kornbrut Nurit , Khalil Abdalla , Koren Ariel , Wolach Baruch , Fattal Aviva , Kapelushnik Joseph , Tamary Hannah , Yacobovitch Joanne , Raveh Eyal , Revel-Vilk Shoshana , Toren Amos , Brenner Benjamin , Kenet Gili 
Published: September 2004

SummaryThe etiology and pathophysiology of cerebral sinus venous thrombosis (CSVT) in the paediatric population is still poorly understood, and the role of thrombophilic risk factors remains to be elucidated. In our multi-center case-controlled study we studied 46 patients with CSVT diagnosed from April 1996 to December 2003, consecutively referred for thrombophilia work-up. The results of thrombophilia screen were compared to 112 healthy paediatric controls. Anticoagulant therapy was applied according to treating physicians’ decisions, and all cases were prospectively followed for a median of 4.1 years. Of 46 children, 8 had CSVT diagnosed in the neonatal period and therefore were analyzed separately. The prevalence of single thrombophilia markers and combinations of thrombophilic risk factors were similar among cases and controls. Among children with CSVT co-morbid systemic illness was present in most patients at diagnosis. Seven out of 8 children with idiopathic CSVT had thrombophilic risk factors as compared to 31/38 patients with co-morbid conditions. Anticoagulation was initiated in most patients, 11/46 patients continued therapy for a total of one year or more post event. Neither clinical presentation nor initial treatment decisions were affected by presence of thrombophilic risk factors in our study group. Thrombophilia prevalence was not increased in children with CSVT as compared to controls, however thrombophilia was more frequent among children with idiopathic CSVT. Thus, those selected patients would benefit most from thrombophilia work-up, required for long-term therapy considerations.
Tissue factor pathway inhibitor-2 (TFPI-2) recognizes the complement and kininogen binding protein gC1qR/p33 (gC1qR): implications for vascular inflammation
Authors: Petrovan Ramona , Ghebrehiwet Berhane , Ruf Wolfram , Peerschke Ellinor 
Published: September 2004

SummaryEvidence is accumulating to suggest that TFPI-2 is involved in regulating pericellular proteases implicated in a variety of physiologic and pathologic processes including cancer cell invasion, vascular inflammation, and atherosclerosis. Recent immunohistochemical studies of advanced atherosclerotic lesions, demonstrated a similar tissue distribution for TFPI-2, High Molecular Weight Kininogen (HK), and gC1qR/p33 (gC1qR), a ubiquitously expressed, multicompartmental cellular protein involved in modulating complement, coagulation, and kinin cascades. Further studies to evaluate TFPI-2 interactions with gC1qR demonstrated direct interactions between gC1qR and TFPI-2 using immunoprecipitation and solid phase binding studies. Specific and saturable binding between TFPI-2 and gC1qR (estimated Kd: ∼ 70 nM) was observed by ELISA and surface plasmon resonance (Biacore) binding assays. Binding was inhibited by antibodies to gC1qR, and was strongly dependent on the Kunitz-2 domain of TFPI-2, as deletion of this domain reduced gC1qR-TFPI-2 interactions by approximately 75%. Deletion of gC1qR amino acids 74-95, involved in C1q binding, had no effect on gC1qR binding to TFPI-2, although antibodies to this region and purified C1q both inhibited binding, most likely via allosteric effects. In contrast, HK did not affect TFPI-2 binding to gC1qR. Binding of TFPI-2 to gC1qR produced statistically significant but modest reductions in TFPI-2 inhibition of plasmin, but had no effect on kallikrein inhibition in fluid phase chromogenic assays. Taken together, these data suggest that gC1qR may participate in tissue remodeling and inflammation by localizing TFPI-2 to the pericellular environment to modulate local protease activity and regulate HK activation.
Haplotype analysis of the matrix metalloproteinase 3 gene and myocardial infarction in a Chinese Han population
Authors: Zhou Xiaoyang , Huang Jianfeng , Chen Jianhong , Su Shaoyong , Chen Runsheng , Gu Dongfeng 
Published: September 2004

SummaryMatrix metalloproteinase (MMP) 3 plays an important role in the pathogenesis of myocardial infarction (MI). Up to now, there has been conflicting data regarding the possible contribution of the MMP3 -1612 5A/6A promoter polymorphism to MI. In this study, we have investigated the possible association of three polymorphisms (-1612 5A/6A, -376C/G, Glu45Lys) in the MMP3 gene with MI in a Chinese Han population. The polymorphisms were analyzed in 509 patients with MI, and in 518 healthy controls. The frequency of the 5A allele was 14% in the healthy controls, which is less than in Western populations (40%-52%). Logistic regression analyses of individual polymorphisms indicated that individuals carrying the -1612 5A allele had an increased risk of MI (odds ratio [OR] 1.75, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.28 to 2.40), as did those carrying the -376 G allele (OR 1.78, 95% CI 1.33 to 2.38). The three polymorphisms studied were found to be in strong linkage disequilibria. Haplotype analyses showed that the 5A-G-Lys haplotype (-1612 5A, -376G and 45Lys) was independently associated with susceptibility to MI. Taken together, the effect of the MMP3 polymorphisms studied may be attributable to the -1612 5A/6A polymorphism. We conclude that the MMP3 -1612 5A/6A polymorphism is associated with MI in our population, implying that individuals of the 5A allele carriers have an increased risk of suffering MI.