bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Contribution of insulin to the ascorbate recycling system in the chicken liver
Authors: SASAKI Keisuke , YOSHIDA Tomotaro , KOGA Kengo , HARAGUCHI Takashi , OHASHI Kazunori , AOYAGI Yosuke 
Published: November 2004

ABSTRACTThe effect of insulin on the ascorbate recycling system in the chicken liver was examined. First, insulin was injected subcutaneously into the chicken, and liver glutathione‐dependent dehydroascorbate reductase (GSH‐DHAR) activity was determined. Insulin increased liver GSH‐DHAR activity, but did not affect plasma and liver ascorbate concentration. Dehydroascorbate increased plasma and liver ascorbate levels, and liver GSH‐DHAR activity. However, distinct changes in plasma insulin level were not observed by dehydroascorbate injection. In addition, reduction of external dehydroascorbate in cultured chicken hepatocytes could not be observed in an insulin‐deprived culture, although the cells reduced external dehydroascorbate in a serum‐free culture with insulin. We concluded that insulin affects the ascorbate recycling system as an essential factor in the chicken liver.
Estimation of the base line imagined as a muscular background for myoglobin determination by reflectance spectrometry
Authors: IZUMIMOTO Masatoshi , PIPEK Petr , YONEHARA Makiko 
Published: November 2004

ABSTRACTLiquid extraction method for determination of myoglobin in muscle is not suitable because of changes in the derivatives and time required. Optical reflectance method is useful as a non‐destructive and real‐time measurement. However, the base line of reflectance method, the muscular reflectance background (MRB) imagined as colorless structural elements, has been unknown because of non‐existence. The spectrum of the base line was analyzed as the analogy of bleached meat. A formula was derived for reflectance that had a linear relationship to the reciprocal of wavelength to the power 4. The reflectance characteristic of the MRB was not constant and the curve tended to rise with increasing wavelength. The reflectance at 700 nm was estimated to be 50%. By the characteristic analysis on Commission Internationale l’Eclairage color values and reciprocal reflectance, it was concluded that the reflectance spectrum of the muscular background obtained in this research was fitted as a base line for the reflectance spectrometry.
ESIS ON THE WORLD WIDE WEB
Authors: ANSARI SALIM G. , GIOMMI PAOLO , MICOL ALBERTO 
Published: November 2004

On 3rd November, 1993, ESIS announced its Homepage on the World Wide Web (WWW) to the user community. Ever since then, ESIS has steadily increased its Web support to the astronomical community to include a bibliographic service, the ESIS catalogue documentation and the ESIS Data Browser. More functionality will be added in the near future. All these services share a common ESIS structure that is used by other ESIS user paradigms such as the ESIS Graphical User Interface (Giommi and Ansari, 1993), and the ESIS Command Line Interface. A forms-based paradigm, each ESIS-Web application interfaces to the hypertext transfer protocol (http) translating queries from/to the hypertext markup language (html) format understood by the NCSA Mosaic interface. In this paper, we discuss the ESIS system and show how each ESIS service works on the World Wide Web client.
NEW RESULTS ON THE ASYMPTOTIC BEHAVIOR OF DIRICHLET PROBLEMS IN PERFORATED DOMAINSDIRICHLET PROBLEMS IN PERFORATED DOMAINS
Authors: MASO GIANNI DAL , GARRONI ADRIANA 
Published: November 2004

Let A be a linear elliptic operator of the second order with bounded measurable coefficients on a bounded open set Ω of Rn and let (Ωh) be an arbitrary sequence of open subsets of Ω. We prove the following compactness result: there exist a subsequence, still denoted by (Ωh), and a positive Borel measure μ on Ω, not charging polar sets, such that, for every f∈H−1(Ω) the solutions [Formula: see text] of the equations Auh=f in Ωh, extended to 0 on Ω\Ωh, converge weakly in [Formula: see text] to the unique solution [Formula: see text] of the problem [Formula: see text] When A is symmetric, this compactness result is already known and was obtained by Γ-convergence techniques. Our new proof, based on the method of oscillating test functions, extends the result to the non-symmetric case. The new technique, which is completely independent of Γ-convergence, relies on the study of the behavior of the solutions [Formula: see text] of the equations [Formula: see text] where A* is the adjoint operator. We prove also that the limit measure μ does not change if A is replaced by A*. Moreover, we prove that µ depends only on the symmetric part of the operator A, if the coefficients of the skew-symmetric part are continuous, while an explicit example shows that μ may depend also on the skew-symmetric part of A, when the coefficients are discontinuous.
SPECTRAL STUDY OF A COUPLED COMPACT-NONCOMPACT PROBLEM IN A NON-SELF-ADJOINT CASE
Authors: BENKADDOUR A. , SANCHEZ-HUBERT J. , RIDHA A. 
Published: November 2004

We consider a coupled problem of acoustic vibration of air in a porous medium Ω p that is in contact, by a plane interface Γ (x1=0), with free air in some region Ω f . The porous medium is made of infinitely narrow thin channels parallel to the x1-axis. In Refs. 1–3 and 5, problems of this type were considered with homogeneous Neumann boundary conditions on the exterior boundary of the whole domain Ω, Ω= Ω f ∪Γ∪Ω p . In this paper, we study the problem in the mentioned configuration but with the impedance condition ∂u/∂n=u/Z (where Z is a given complex number) on a part of the boundary of the porous medium Ω p defined by x1=–ℓ(x2, x3), where ℓ is a smooth positive function. Let us denote by A the operator associated with the coupled eigenvalue problem –Au=ω2u, and by Ap(x2, x3) the corresponding problem in a channel x2= const , x3= const . As in Ref. 1, two cases appear according to the values of ω2. In the first case ω2 is not an eigenvalue of Ap(x2, x3), and then we show that ω2 is either a point of the resolvent set or an isolated eigenvalue with finite multiplicity of A. In the second case ω2 is an eigenvalue of Ap(a2, a3) for some value (a2, a3) of (x2, x3), and then ω2 is a point of the essential spectrum of A. The novelty of this paper is the study of the spectrum of the operator A which is non self-adjoint and has a noncompact resolvent. We find a complex essential spectrum of A and we study its topological structure.
A rich chemokine environment strongly enhances leukocyte migration and activities
Authors: Paoletti Samantha , Petkovic Vibor , Sebastiani Silvia , Danelon M. Gabriela , Uguccioni Mariagrazia , Gerber Basil O. 
Published: November 2004

AbstractThe migration of leukocytes in immune surveillance and inflammation is largely determined by their response to chemokines. While the chemokine specificities and expression patterns of chemokine receptors are well defined, it is still a matter of debate how leukocytes integrate the messages provided by different chemokines that are concomitantly produced in physiologic or pathologic situations in vivo. We present evidence for a novel regulatory mechanism of leukocyte trafficking. Our data are consistent with a mode of action where CC-chemokine receptor 7 (CCR7) agonists and unrelated, nonagonist chemokines first form a heteromeric complex, in the presence of which the triggering of CCR7 can occur at a much lower agonist concentration. The increase is synergistic and can be evoked by many but not all chemokines. Chemokine-induced synergism might provide an amplification system in “chemokine-rich” tissues, rendering leukocytes more competent to respond to migratory cues.
Outcomes of the Bobath concept on upper limb recovery following stroke
Authors: Luke Carolyn , Dodd Karen J , Brock Kim 
Published: November 2004

Objective: To determine the effectiveness of the Bobath concept at reducing upper limb impairments, activity limitations and participation restrictions after stroke. Methods: Electronic databases were searched to identify relevant trials published between 1966 and 2003. Two reviewers independently assessed articles for the following inclusion criteria: population of adults with upper limb disability after stroke; stated use of the Bobath concept aimed at improving upper limb disability in isolation from other approaches; outcomes reflecting changes in upper limb impairment, activity limitation or participation restriction. Results: Of the 688 articles initially identified, eight met the inclusion criteria. Five were randomized controlled trials, one used a single-group crossover design and two were single-case design studies. Five studies measured impairments including shoulder pain, tone, muscle strength and motor control. The Bobath concept was found to reduce shoulder pain better than cryotherapy, and to reduce tone compared to no intervention and compared to proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF). However, no difference was detected for changes in tone between the Bobath concept and a functional approach. Differences did not reach significance for measures of muscle strength and motor control. Six studies measured activity limitations, none of these found the Bobath concept was superior to other therapy approaches. Two studies measured changes in participation restriction and both found equivocal results. Conclusions: Comparisons of the Bobath concept with other approaches do not demonstrate superiority of one approach over the other at improving upper limb impairment, activity or participation. However, study limitations relating to methodological quality, the outcome measures used and contextual factors investigated limit the ability to draw conclusions. Future research should use sensitive upper limb measures, trained Bobath therapists and homogeneous samples to identify the influence of patient factors on the response to therapy approaches.
Reliability and validity of functional balance tests post stroke
Authors: Tyson Sarah F , DeSouza Lorraine H 
Published: November 2004

Objective: To contribute to the reliability and validity of a series of functional balance tests for use post stroke. Design: Within-session, test-retest and intertester reliability was tested using the kappa coefficient and intraclass correlations. The tests were performed three times and the first and third attempts compared to test the within-session reliability. The tests were repeated a few days later to assess test-retest reliability and were scored simultaneously by two physiotherapists to assess the intertester reliability. To test criterion-related validity the tests were compared with the sitting section of the Motor Assessment Scale, Berg Balance Scale and Rivermead Mobility Index using Spearman's rho. Setting: Stroke physiotherapy services of six National Health Service hospitals. Participants: People with a post stroke hemiplegia attending physiotherapy who had no other pathology affecting their balance took part. Thirty-five people participated in the reliability testing and 48 people took part in the validity testing. Main outcome measures: The following functional balance tests were used: supported sitting balance, sitting arm raise, sitting forward reach, supported standing balance, standing arm raise, standing forward reach, static tandem standing, weight shift, timed 5-m walk with and without an aid, tap and step-up tests. Results: The ordinal level tests (supported sitting and standing balance and static tandem standing tests) showed 100% agreement in all aspects of reliability. Intraclass correlations for the other tests ranged from 0.93 to 0.99. All the tests showed significant correlations with the appropriate comparator tests (r=0.32-0.74 p≤0.05), except the weight shift test and step-up tests which did not form significant relationship with Berg Balance Scale (r=0.26 and 0.19 respectively). Conclusion: These functional balance tests are reliable and valid measures of balance disability post stroke.
Television and Adolescent Use of Over-the-Counter Analgesic Agents
Authors: Van den Bulck Jan , Leemans Lies , Laekeman Gert M 
Published: November 2004

BACKGROUND: Portrayals of the use of over-the-counter (OTC) analgesics on television may stimulate their use. OBJECTIVE: To explore the association between taking OTC analgesics and television viewing by adolescents. METHODS: A standardized self-administered questionnaire among first-year (mean age 13.16 y) and fourth-year (mean age 16.37 y) secondary students in Flanders, Belgium (n = 2546) was administered in a school setting. The independent variable was television viewing; control variables were school year, gender, drinking alcohol, days off sick, computer gaming, and Internet use. The main outcome variable was monthly use of OTC analgesics. RESULTS: On average, respondents watched 3 hours 18 minutes of television per day (boys more than girls, first-year students more than fourth-year students). Per additional hour of television per day, the odds that respondents were regular users of analgesics were 1.16 times higher (95% CI 1.08 to 1.24). For the 10% heaviest viewers, the odds were 2.30 times higher (95% CI 1.25 to 4.24) compared with the 10% lightest viewers. Odds of OTC analgesic use were higher for students reporting more sick days in the past year (OR 1.38, 95% CI 1.28 to 1.49), regular users of alcohol (OR 1.33, 95% CI 1.17 to 1.50), and girls (OR 1.92, 95% CI 1.35 to 2.73). CONCLUSIONS: A relationship was found between watching television and the use of OTC analgesics, even after controlling for gender and lifestyle measures. More research is needed to establish whether this relationship is causal.
Adverse Reactions During Imatinib and Lansoprazole Treatment in Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors
Authors: Severino Giovanni , Chillotti Caterina , De Lisa Roberto , Zompo Maria Del , Ardau Raffaella 
Published: November 2004

OBJECTIVE: To report the case of a patient affected by gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) who developed cutaneous adverse drug reactions during treatment with imatinib and lansoprazole. CASE SUMMARY: After 2 months of treatment with imatinib 400 mg/day, a 60-year-old white female affected by GIST developed bilateral palpebral edema with hyperemic conjunctivae and labial edema when lansoprazole 15 mg/day was introduced to treat dyspeptic symptomatology. Treatment was discontinued, and on reintroduction of both drugs, the patient developed Stevens—Johnson syndrome. Two months later, generalized cutaneous reactions appeared immediately following reintroduction of low-dose imatinib with corticosteroid plus lansoprazole treatment. After discontinuation of all drugs, with the exception of the corticosteroid, the progression of cutaneous lesions stopped. DISCUSSION: The use of imatinib is commonly associated with a high dose-dependent rate of rash and edema. Several cases of Stevens—Johnson syndrome have also been described, although not in patients affected by GIST. Severe skin reactions have been reported for lansoprazole including erythema multiforme, Stevens—Johnson syndrome, and toxic epidermal necrolysis. Applying Naranjo's algorithm, the adverse events were considered possible due to imatinib and probable due to lansoprazole. CONCLUSIONS: On the basis of the data reported, we conclude that the adverse reactions described may be attributed to either drug alone. However, combined use of drugs may increase the risk of onset of these adverse reactions due to a potential drug interaction involving CYP3A4.
Molecular Mechanism of Pregnenolone Sulfate Action at NR1/NR2B Receptors
Authors: Horak Martin , Vlcek Kamil , Petrovic Milos , Chodounska Hana , Vyklicky Ladislav 
Published: November 2004

NMDA receptors are highly expressed in the CNS and are involved in excitatory synaptic transmission and synaptic plasticity as well as excitotoxicity. They have several binding sites for allosteric modulators, including neurosteroids, endogenous compounds synthesized by the nervous tissue and expected to act locally. Whole-cell patch-clamp recording from human embryonic kidney 293 cells expressing NR1-1a/NR2B receptors revealed that neurosteroid pregnenolone sulfate (PS) (300 μm), when applied to resting NMDA receptors, potentiates the amplitude of subsequent responses to 1 mmglutamate fivefold and slows their deactivation twofold. The same concentration of PS, when applied during NMDA receptor activation by 1 mmglutamate, has only a small effect. The association and dissociation rate constants of PS binding and unbinding from resting NMDA receptors are estimated to be 3.3 ± 2.0 mm-1sec-1and 0.12 ± 0.02 sec-1, respectively, corresponding to an apparent affinityKdof 37 μm. The results of experiments indicate that the molecular mechanism of PS potentiation of NMDA receptor responses is attributable to an increase in the peak channel open probability (Po). Responses to glutamate recorded in the continuous presence of PS exhibit marked time-dependent decline. Our results indicate that the decline is induced by a change of the NMDA receptor affinity for PS after receptor activation.These results suggest that the PS is a modulator of NMDA receptorPo, the effectiveness of which is lowered by glutamate binding. This modulation may have important consequences for the neuronal excitability.
Effects of 4-nonylphenol on phytoplankton and periphyton in aquatic microcosms
Authors: Hense Burkhard A. , Jüttner Ingrid , Welzl Gerhard , Severin Gabriele F. , Pfister Gerd , Behechti Akbar , Schramm Karl-Werner 
Published: November 2004

Abstract
The effects of nonylphenol (NP) on phytoplankton and periphyton were studied in 230 L outdoor microcosms. Phytoplankton cell density and biomass, phytoplankton and periphyton diversity, and assemblage composition were analyzed during a four-week preapplication period, followed by six weeks of NP treatment via controlled release and a six weeks postapplication period. Changes in species richness and diversity were not correlated with NP concentrations. However, changes in phytoplankton cell densities during the first week of the postapplication period were related to previous exposure. In the controls and the lowestdosed microcosm, Conjugatophyceae constituted most of the biomass during the dosing and the postapplication period. In contrast, Dinophyceae dominated the biomass during the dosing and the postapplication period at higher NP concentrations. Principal response curves revealed changes in phytoplankton assemblage composition during the dosing and the postapplication period. Dinophyceae and most Cyanophyceae were more abundant at intermediate and higher NP concentrations, whereas Conjugatophyceae were less abundant compared to controls. Assemblages only partly recovered during the postapplication period. Periphyton taxon richness, diversity, and assemblage change was not related to NP concentrations. At the lowest and intermediate concentration, assemblages were significantly different from the controls and the higher concentrations, which were similar during the treatment period.
Lethal and sublethal toxicity of didecyldimethylammonium chloride in early life stages of white sturgeon, Acipenser transmontanus
Authors: Teh Swee Joo , Wong Cecilia , Furtula Vesna , Teh Foo-Ching 
Published: November 2004

Abstract
This study was conducted to describe the acute lethality and latent toxicity of didecyldimethylammonium chloride (DDAC) on early life stages of white sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus). Fish responses to 0, 10, 50, 100, 250, 500 μg/L concentrations of DDAC were determined using a 96-h standard static renewal method for acute toxicity testing, with three replicates per concentration. Twenty fish per replicate were tested for 3, 11, and 42-d-old larvae, and 7 fish per replicate were tested for 78-d-old juveniles. Following exposure, survival and growth were evaluated in exposed fish raised in clean water for 2 weeks. The 96-h median lethal concentration (LC50) values for DDAC were 10.0 to 50.0, 58.5, and 99.7 μg/L for 3, 11, and 42-d-old larvae and 100 to 250 μg/L for 78-d-old juveniles. Significant decreases in larval growth and survival were noted at all tested concentrations and in all sturgeon age groups. Results of this study reveal age- and concentration-dependent responses to DDAC. Among the age groups tested, the 3-d-old larvae were the most sensitive group. Results also revealed that 96-h lethality testing alone is not adequate for determining the toxicity of DDAC to white sturgeon.
Evaluation of brominated diphenyl ether-99 toxicity with Raphidocelis subcapitata and Daphnia magna
Authors: Evandri Maria Grazia , Costa Lucio Guido , Bolle Paola 
Published: November 2004

Abstract
Bromineted flame ratardants belong ta anew class of environmental contaminants. To obtain new information regarding the effects of 2,2′,4,4′,5-brominated diphenyl ether (BDE-99), one of the most frequently reported congeners in freshwater biota, the inhibition of algal growth of Raphidocelis subcapitata (also known as Selenastrum capricornutum) and acute toxicity to Daphnia magna were examined. The experimental design also involved a comparison with the polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) Aroclor 1254®. The uptake of BDE-99 by R. subcapitata and the transfer to D. magna (i.e., a higher level of aquatic biota in the food chain) was also assessed to verify the bioaccumulation phenomenon. After 24h, BDE-99 appeared to be less toxic than Aroclor 1254 to D. magna, but the two compounds showed a similar toxicity at 48h. In contrast to Aroclor 1254, BDE-99 was nontoxic to R. subcapitata at up to 100 μM, the highest tested concentration. However, the dose-dependent decrease in survival and impairment of reproduction of D. magna fed with BDE-99-treated algal culture demonstrate uptake by R. subcapitata. Because of the high persistence and bioconcentration, polybrominated diphenyl ethers as well as PCBs might be of environmental concern for years.
Water quality guidance for protection of freshwater mussels (Unionidae) from ammonia exposure
Authors: Augspurger Tom , Keller Anne E. , Black Marsha C. , Cope W. Gregory , Dwyer F. James 
Published: November 2004

Abstract
Ammonia toxicity data for freshwater mussels (Unionidae), a significantly imperiled taxa, were used to derive estimates of concentrations that would not likely be harmful in acute and chronic exposures and to assess the protectiveness of current U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) water quality criteria to this family of organisms. Thirty acute (24–96-h) median lethal concentrations (LC50s), covering 10 species in eight unionid genera, were used to calculate genus mean acute values (GMAVs) ranging from 2.56 to 8.97 mg/L total ammonia as N at pH 8. Freshwater mussels are at the sensitive end of the range when added to the GMAVs from the database used to derive the U.S. EPA criteria maximum concentration (CMC). We derived two estimates of acute exposure water quality guidance for the protection of freshwater mussels (CMCFM) by a recalculation of the CMC after adding freshwater mussel GMAVs to the U.S. EPA data set. The CMCFMs of 1.75 and 2.50 mg/L total ammonia as N at pH 8 average 60% less than the U.S. EPA CMC of 5.62 mg/L total ammonia as N at pH 8 for application when salmonids are present. These values average about 75% less than the CMC for application when salmonids are absent. No chronic ammonia exposure data existed for unionids. Thus, we applied a range of estimated acute:chronic ratios to the acute toxicity data set, expanded with the freshwater mussel GMAVs, to estimate continuous ammonia concentrations that may be protective of freshwater mussels. These estimates ranged from 0.3 to 1.0 mg/L total ammonia as N at pH 8, about 20 to 75% less than the U.S. EPA criteria continuous concentration (CCC) of 1.24 mg/L total ammonia as N at pH 8 and 25°C. The current numeric criteria for ammonia may not be protective of mussels, more than half of whose nearly 300 species are in decline in North America. While the CMCFM and CCCFM are not equivalent to revised U.S. EPA criteria, they are offered as interim guidance for the protection of freshwater mussels.