bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
TREATMENT OF FLEXION INSTABILITY OF LUMBAR SPINE WITH GRAF BAND
Authors: Moon Myung-Sang , Moon Young-Wan , Moon Jeong-Lim , Kim Sung-Sim , Shim Yong-Shik 
Published: March 2003

This study focused mainly on the long-lasting effectiveness of Graf band stabilization system on the stabilized lumbar motion segment together with the band fate and the final outcome. Graf soft stabilization operation was carried out to suppress the forward flexion and rotatory instability. Fifty-one patients were subjected to this study. Forty-five had pure forward flexion instability preoperatively. Among the 51 patients, 20 were irreducible mild spondylolisthesis and 8 reducible mild spondylolisthesis; 17 excessive flexion angular motion; one disc disease with mild stenotic symptoms; and 5 post-laminectomy instability. In this series, good or excellent results were obtained in 40 cases (78.7%); fair in 4; no improvement in 4; and poor in 3. JOA lumbar score increased from 16 at preoperative exam to 26.5 on average at the final examination. In 3 cases screws were malpositioned. In 2 cases, mild transient drop foot developed, and spontaneous fusion occurred in one disc surgery patient. There was no implant loosening or breakage, and no overstretch and tear of bands or disengagement. There was no recurrence of segmental instability at the immobilized segment. Also, there were no adjacent joint problems. In summary, the Graf procedure appears to be a good alternative to spinal fusion for the stabilization of the unstable segment with forward flexion instability.
SOFT STABILIZATION OF THE LUMBAR SPINE USING THE GRAF SYSTEM FOR SPINAL INSTABILITY SYNDROMES AND PSEUDOARTHROSIS — 5 YEARS' RESULTS
Authors: Leeks N. , Skinner I. , Hardcastle P. 
Published: March 2003

There is considerable controversy in the diagnosis and management of lumbar spinal instability. Most clinicians agree that patients suffering from the chronic low back syndrome who have suspected instability and have not responded to conservative measures, should be considered for operative treatment with stabilization using rigid or semi-rigid systems to reduce or eliminate movement at the painful segment.The concept of soft stabilization was introduced by Henri Graf in 1988 and has become a routine procedure in various centres throughout the world for stabilization for clinical instability syndromes.The Graf system was introduced into Western Australia in October, 1991. The aim of this paper is to report the independently reviewed retrospective results of the first 25 patients with respect to clinical outcome and radiological features.The clinical outcomes were consistent with other reported treatment measures for the chronic low back pain syndrome. The radiological results do not show any evidence of implant loosening or breakage.
STALLED REFORM: FAMILY LAW IN POST-UNIFICATION YEMEN
Authors: Würth Anna 
Published: March 2003

AbstractI examine here the conditions that have impacted on family law reform in unified Yemen. I will argue that during the early 1990s, the political climate of post-unification Yemen was polarized between supporters of the status quo ante— advocates of laissez-faire in the North and state intervention in the South. This division rendered any meaningful debate on family law impossible. Drawing on urban court records from the 1980s to the mid-1990s, I will show that courts are frequented mainly by women of modest origins who sue for divorce and maintenance, but who are discriminated against by judicial interpretation. Elite women use the courts only rarely and are comparatively better served by current judicial interpretation; thus, they have little concern for changing provisions on divorce and maintenance. Evaluating debates on women's rights in the late 1990s, I will briefly introduce some governmental and non-governmental initiatives with respect to family law to gauge current possibilities for reform.
RECENT DEBATES ON FAMILY LAW REFORM IN MOROCCO: ISLAMIC LAW AS POLITICS IN AN EMERGING PUBLIC SPHERE
Authors: Buskens Léon 
Published: March 2003

AbstractIn 1957-1958 Moroccan family law was codified in the Mudawwana, a text known for its close adherence to the classical Maliki tradition. Since the early 1980s the debate about reform has become more intense and widespread. The relatively limited reform of the Mudawwana in 1993 was closely linked to the beginnings of a process of cautious democratization. Since then the discussions have become more vehement, especially since the coming to power of a new government in 1998 consisting of former opposition parties. A year later this government presented a plan for extensive family law reforms. The plan has provoked considerable public debate over key concepts such as democracy, development, human rights, civil society, and ijtihād. Upon closer inspection, larger issues are at stake: Who may speak out in public and participate in politics? This new turn in the discussions is related to the emergence of a public sphere.
Permanent bilateral acoustic trauma due to air bag deployment in a young female adult
Authors: Kastanioudakis Ioannis , Exarchakos Georgios , Ziavra Nausica , Skevas Antonios 
Published: March 2003

Air bag safety systems have significantly reduced the number of occupant injuries from road traffic accidents (RTA). However air bag deployment is also associated with unavoidable risks.We report the acoustic trauma incurred by a young female driver who was a heavy smoker as a consequence of air-bag deployment in a low speed RTA and the sparing of her child seated in the rear.
Role ofMannheimia haemolyticaleukotoxin in the pathogenesis of bovine pneumonic pasteurellosis
Authors: Jeyaseelan Samithamby , Sreevatsan Srinand , Maheswaran Samuel K. 
Published: March 2003

AbstractBovine pneumonic pasteurellosis continues to be a major respiratory disease in feedlot cattle despite the recent advances in our understanding of the underlying complexities of causation. The etiological agent,Mannheimia haemolytica, possesses several virulence factors, including capsule, outer membrane proteins, adhesins, neuraminidase, endotoxin and exotoxic leukotoxin. Accumulating scientific evidence implicates leukotoxin as the primary factor contributing to clinical presentation and lung injury associated with this disease. Unlike other virulence factors, leukotoxin shows cell-type- and species-specific effects on bovine leukocytes. Recent investigations have delineated the mechanisms underlying the target-cell-specificity of leukotoxin and how this contributes to the pathogenesis of lung damage. This review summarizes current understanding of the secretion, regulation, mechanisms of action and evolutionary diversity of leukotoxin ofM. haemolytica. Understanding the precise molecular mechanisms of leukotoxin is critical for the development of more effective prophylactic and therapeutic strategies to control this complex disease.
Characterization of avian metapneumoviruses isolated in the USA
Authors: Lwamba Humphrey C. M. , Bennett Richard S. , Lauer Dale C. , Halvorson David A. , Kariuki Njenga M. 
Published: March 2003

AbstractAvian pneumovirus (APV; officially known as turkey rhinotracheitis virus) is an emergent pathogen of birds in the USA that results in upper respiratory tract disease in turkeys. Six years after the first outbreak in the USA, the disease continues to ravage turkey flocks, primarily in the state of Minnesota. From 1997 to 2000, the industry recorded losses estimated at US$15 million per annum. Researchers have developed sensitive diagnostic techniques, including the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and the reverse transcriptase–polymerase chain reaction, which, when used together, are highly sensitive in detecting APV outbreaks in commercial turkey flocks. Phylogenetic analysis of the nucleotide and predicted amino acid sequence of 15 US viruses isolated between 1996 and 2000 demonstrated that the US viruses are relatively homogenous but different from the European APV subgroups A and B, resulting in the classification of US isolates into subgroup C. Infectious APV was isolated from sentinel waterfowls placed close to an infected commercial turkey farm and from wild Canada geese captured in Minnesota, suggesting that free-ranging birds may be involved in the spread of APV. Current efforts to prevent and control the infection include improving management and biosecurity practices and developing attenuated live and deletion mutant vaccines capable of conferring protection.
EnterohemorrhagicEscherichia coliO157: epidemiology and ecology in bovine production environments
Authors: Renter David G. , Sargeant Jan M. 
Published: March 2003

AbstractEnterohemorrhagicEscherichia coli, particularly the O157(:H7) serogroup, has become a worldwide public health concern. Since cattle feces are often implicated as the source ofE. coliO157 in human infections, considerable resources have been devoted to defining the epidemiology and ecology ofE. coliO157 in cattle environments so that control might begin at the farm level. Diagnostic limitations and the complexity of often interrelated microbial, animal, herd, environmental and production factors have hindered the determination of the epidemiology, ecology and subsequent farm-level control ofE. coliO157. The widespread distribution ofE. coliO157, the transitory nature of fecal shedding, multiple potential environmental sources, lack of species specificity, and age-, feed- and time-related differences in cattle prevalence are documented. However, the significance and/or role of these factors in the epidemiology and ecology ofE. coliO157 is still unclear. Cattle are a major source ofE. coliO157, but it may be simplistic to believe that most herds are relatively closed systems with small percentages of cattle serving as true reservoirs. Practical on-farm control may require explicit definitions of the seemingly complex system(s) and the microbial, animal, herd, environmental and production factors involved in the multiplication, maintenance and transmission ofE. coliO157.
Optimized simulation of the control of tsetse flies Glossina pallidipes and G. m. morsitans (Diptera: Glossinidae) using odour-baited targets in Zimbabwe
Authors: Hargrove J.W. 
Published: March 2003

AbstractIn 1984–1985 insecticide-treated targets were deployed in the 600-km2 Rifa Triangle, Zambezi Valley, Zimbabwe. Trap catches of Glossina pallidipes Austen were modelled using a function combining logistic growth with diffusive movement. A simulation routine was linked to a non-linear least-squares optimization programme and fits optimized with respect to population carrying capacities, rates of growth and movement, and to levels of imposed mortality. In March–September 1984, the overall additional mortality was 2% per day of adult female G. pallidipes, increasing thereafter to 8% per day, due to the deployment of more targets, the onset of the hot, dry season and the ground-spraying of the adjoining Zambezi escarpment with DDT. For G. m. morsitans Westwood the corresponding estimates were 1 and 2% per day. For both species, the deployment of four targets km−2 in a closed population will ensure eradication. For G. m. morsitans a halving of target efficacy would reduce the killing rate to the point where eradication would be unlikely. Estimated daily displacements were c. 200 m for G. m. morsitans and 660 m for G. pallidipes. The lower rate for G. m. morsitans means that, while targets kill this species less effectively, re-invasion of cleared areas is slower. Targets do not markedly affect robust populations outside the deployment area. The Zambian tsetse population adjacent to the Rifa Triangle declined markedly during the experiment, however, suggesting that it is largely maintained by immigration. The methods developed here will be applied to data from other campaigns with the aim of improving the efficiency of tsetse control programmes.
Biological characteristics of the mirids Macrolophus costalis and Macrolophus pygmaeus preying on the tobacco form of Myzus persicae (Hemiptera: Aphididae)
Authors: Margaritopoulos J.T. , Tsitsipis J.A. , Perdikis D.C. 
Published: March 2003

AbstractBiological and population parameters of the predatory bugs Macrolophus costalis Fieber and Macrolophus pygmaeus Rambur preying on the tobacco aphid Myzus persicae (Sulzer) were examined. Tobacco was used as host plant and all experiments were carried out at 23°C and L16:D8. In M. costalis, the developmental time for eggs and the total duration of nymphal instars was 13.1 and 22.2 days and in M. pygmaeus 13.0 and 20.2 days, respectively. Both species completed their nymphal development feeding only on plant juices although they required significantly more time to attain adulthood than when feeding on prey. The longevity of M. costalis females and the preoviposition period were 49.9 and 5.6 days and those of M. pygmaeus were 50.3 and 6.3 days, respectively. Adult males showed a higher longevity than females in both species. The intrinsic rate of increase and the mean total number of eggs laid were 0.0644 and 121 in M. costalis and 0.0615 and 104 in M. pygmaeus, respectively. Mean total aphid consumption by nymphs of M. costalis was 61 aphids, about twice that of M. pygmaeus (37 aphids). Total aphid consumption by a male and female pair of M. costalis and M. pygmaeus until the death of the female was 244 and 285 aphids, respectively. The results of the study are discussed in relation to the impact of the two predatory bugs on tobacco aphid populations.
Differential parasitism of Plutella xylostella (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae) larvae by the parasitoid Cotesia plutellae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) on two host plant species
Authors: Liu Shu-sheng , Jiang Li-hui 
Published: March 2003

AbstractLaboratory experiments were conducted to examine host selection by Cotesia plutellae Kurdjumov when larvae of its host, Plutella xylostella (Linnaeus), fed on Chinese cabbage, Brassica campestris L. ssp. pekinensis and those fed on common cabbage, Brassica oleracea L. var. capitata were provided simultaneously, and to investigate the roles of plant and host volatiles in mediating host selection. When C. plutellae were provided with equal numbers of host larvae on plants of the two species in one arena, the parasitoid parasitized 4- to 15-fold more host larvae on Chinese cabbage than on common cabbage. This preference changed little with host density. However, an experience of searching coupled with an oviposition in a host larva on a leaf of the less-preferred plant, common cabbage, significantly increased the preference for parasitizing host larvae on this plant and resulted in twice as many host larvae parasitized on this plant than on Chinese cabbage. Dual choice tests with a Y-tube olfactometer showed that plant volatiles from Chinese cabbage were more attractive to female C. plutellae than those from common cabbage when plants of both species were either intact or infested. In parallel to the increased parasitism on common cabbage following experience, oviposition in a host larva on this less-preferred plant significantly increased the response to volatiles emanating from that plant. These results indicate that host plants may strongly influence the foraging behaviour of C. plutellae, but their differential attractiveness to the parasitoid may be altered by experience of the parasitoid.
Techniques for dissecting adult aleocharine beetles (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae)
Authors: Hanley R.S. , Ashe J.S. 
Published: March 2003

AbstractMethodology for detailed dissections of the phylogenetically most informative structures from adult aleocharine staphylinid beetles is provided. These methods include specimen preparation, relaxation, clearing, bleaching, dehydration and full dissection. A detailed summary of mouthpart and male and female genitalic dissections is provided. Recently described character systems, including those of the mouthparts and the thoracic regions, have been successfully used in phylogenetic studies of aleocharine staphylinids. This paper provides the first thorough description of the techniques necessary to reveal these character systems.
European monitoring of resistance to insecticides in Myzus persicae and Aphis gossypii (Hemiptera: Aphididae) with special reference to imidacloprid
Authors: Nauen R. , Elbert A. 
Published: March 2003

AbstractThe susceptibility to several insecticides of 16 and 8 strains of Myzus persicae Sulzer and Aphis gossypii Glover, respectively, received from different European countries in 2001 was investigated. Most of the strains were derived from places known for their aphid resistance problems to conventional insecticides before imidacloprid was introduced. In many regions and agronomic cropping systems imidacloprid has been an essential part of aphid control strategies for a decade, and therefore the susceptibility of aphid populations to imidacloprid using FAO-dip tests and diagnostic concentrations in a leaf-dip bioassay was checked. Additional insecticides tested were cyfluthrin (chemical class: pyrethroid), pirimicarb (carbamate), methamidophos and oxydemeton-methyl (organophosphates). Diagnostic concentrations (LC99-values of reference strains) for each insecticide were established by dose response analysis using a new leaf-disc dip bioassay format in 6-well tissue culture plates. Virtually no resistance to imidacloprid in any of the field-derived populations of M. persicae and A. gossypii was detected. In contrast, strong resistance was found to pirimicarb and oxydemeton-methyl, and to a lesser extent also to cyfluthrin. Two strains of A. gossypii exhibited reduced susceptibility to imidacloprid when tested directly after collection. However, after maintaining them for six weeks in the laboratory, the aphids were as susceptible as the reference strain. The diagnostic concentration of methamidophos did not reveal any resistance in M. persicae, but did so in four strains of A. gossypii.
Enrichment of a single clone from a high diversity library of phage-displayed antibodies by panning with Anopheles gambiae (Diptera: Culicidae) midgut homogenate
Authors: Killeen G.F. , Foy B.D. , Frohn R.H. , Impoinvil D. , Williams A. , Beier J.C. 
Published: March 2003

AbstractA high diversity library of recombinant human antibodies was selected on complex antigen mixtures from midguts of female Anopheles gambiae Giles. The library of phage-displayed single chain variable region fragment constructs, derived from β-lymphocyte mRNA of naïve human donors, was repeatedly selected and reamplified on the insoluble fraction of midgut homogenates. Five rounds of panning yielded only one midgut-specific clone, which predominated the resulting antibody panel. In A. gambiae, the epitope was found throughout the tissues of females but was absent from the midgut of males. The cognate antigen proved to be detergent soluble but very sensitive to denaturation and could not be isolated or identified by Western blot of native electrophoresis gels or by immunoprecipitation. Nevertheless, immunohistology revealed that this sex-specific epitope is associated with the lumenal side of the midgut. Severe bottlenecking may limit the utility of phage display selection from naïve libraries for generating diverse panels of antibodies against complex mixtures of antigens from insect tissues. These results suggest that the selection of sufficiently diverse antibody panels, from which mosquitocidal or malaria transmission-blocking antibodies can be isolated, may require improved selection methods or specifically enriched pre-immunized libraries.
Antigenic Classification ofRickettsia felisby Using Monoclonal and Polyclonal Antibodies
Authors: Fang Rong , Raoult Didier 
Published: March 2003

ABSTRACTRickettsia felisis a flea-transmitted rickettsia. There is a discrepancy between its reported phylogenic and phenotypic identifications. Following the first report ofR. felis, it was considered by tests with serologic reagents to be closely related to another recognized flea-transmitted rickettia,R. typhi. Subsequently, it appeared to be more closely related to spotted fever group (SFG) rickettsiae by genetic analysis. In the present work,R. feliswas studied by microimmunofluorescence (MIF) serologic typing and with monoclonal antibodies (MAbs). Mouse polyclonal antisera toR. feliscross-reacted only with SFG rickettsiae. A neighbor-joining analysis based on MIF indicated thatR. felisis actually related to SFG rickettsiae antigenically, clustering withR. australis,R. akari, andR. montanensis.A panel of 21 MAbs was raised against a 120-kDa protein antigen or a 17-kDa polypeptide ofR. felis. They cross-reacted with most members of the SFG rickettsiae but not withR. prowazekii,R. typhi, orR. canadensisof the typhus group (TG) rickettsiae. Sixty-four MAbs previously generated to seven other ricketttsial species were tested withR. felis.Three MAbs reacted with the 120-kDa antigen and were generated byR. africae,R. conorii, andR. akari, respectively. They exhibited cross-reactivities withR. felis. All our data show thatR. felisharbors the antigenic profile of an SFG rickettsia.
Contribution of Epitope Specificity to the Binding of Monoclonal Antibodies to the Capsule of
Cryptococcus neoformans
and the Soluble Form of Its Major Polysaccharide, Glucuronoxylomannan
Authors: Duro Raymond M. , Netski Dale , Thorkildson Peter , Kozel Thomas R. 
Published: March 2003

ABSTRACT

Incubation of encapsulated cryptococci with monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) specific for glucuronoxylomannan (GXM), the major capsular polysaccharide of
Cryptococcus neoformans
, produces two distinct capsular quellung-type reactions termed rim and puffy. The type of capsular reaction that occurs is determined by the epitope specificity of the MAb and the serotype of the yeast cell. Several biological activities, including opsonic activity, complement activation, and protective efficacy, are associated with the type of capsular reaction produced by a MAb. The goal of this study was to examine the reactivities of two families of anti-GXM MAbs with serotype A and D capsular polysaccharides in several immunochemical assays, including agglutination, immunofluorescence, quantitative precipitation, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, in an effort to identify serological assays that are predictive of the capsular quellung reaction. The results showed that the type of capsular reaction (rim versus puffy) is a qualitative assessment of antibody-capsule interaction that cannot be predicted on the basis of a serological assay. The results further showed that antibody reactivity demonstrated in one serological assay is not necessarily predictive of results in another assay, particularly in cases where one assay examines antibody-capsule interactions, e.g., agglutination, and another assay examines interaction of antibody with soluble GXM. Taken together, the results suggest caution in interpretation of immunochemical assays for anti-GXM antibodies and recommend the use of multiple assays formats when studying anticryptococcal antibodies.