bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Hearing Loss with Stapedotomy in Otitis Media
Authors: Falcone Michael T. , Gajewski Byron J. , Antonelli Patrick J. 
Published: December 2003

OBJECTIVEStapes fixation is often found in patients with either active or inactive otitis media (OM). Stapedotomy is generally not performed in ears with OM because of the potential risk of sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL). Recent studies have demonstrated that the inner ear may be fenestrated in the presence of OM without significantly increased risk of SNHL. The goal of this study was to determine if stapedotomy in the presence of OM significantly increases the incidence of postoperative SNHL.METHODSStreptococcus pneumoniae or Pseudomonas aeruginosa was injected bilaterally into the middle ears of guinea pigs (n = 18 and 16, respectively). A control group (n = 14) was injected with saline solution. Two days postinjection, a unilateral stapedotomy was performed. Auditory thresholds were evaluated by electrocochleography before and after stapedotomy.RESULTSBacterial OM was induced in all ears injected with pneumococci and pseudomonas. Auditory thresholds increased in all ears treated with stapedotomy. Stapedotomy performed in the presence of pseudomonas OM resulted in significantly greater SNHL than in control or pneumococcal ears (P = 0.0055). Hearing thresholds were not significantly different between pneumococcal OM and control ears treated with stapedotomy.CONCLUSIONStapedotomy in the presence of pseudomonas OM, but not pneumococcal OM, significantly increases the risk of SNHL in the guinea pig model.SIGNIFICANCEStapedotomy should be avoided in patients with active OM, particularly in the presence of pseudomonas. (Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2003;129:666‐73.)
Surgical Treatment of Otosclerosis in Elderly Patients
Authors: Ayache Denis , Corre Alain , van Prooyen Sandrine , Elbaz Pierre 
Published: December 2003

OBJECTIVEThe aim of this study was to analyze hearing results of stapes surgery in otosclerotic patients older than 65 years.STUDY DESIGNAmong 473 primary stapedectomies, 16 were performed in patients over 65 years old and were retrospectively reviewed. Hearing results were compared with those of a randomly selected group of 16 patients younger than 65 years old.RESULTSImprovement in hearing (closure of the air‐bone gap to <20 dB) was achieved in all of the cases, and closure of the air‐bone gap to less than 10 dB occurred in 87.5% at 1 month and in 81.8% at the last evaluation (mean follow‐up, 19.5 months). Hearing results were similar in elderly and younger patients.CONCLUSION AND SIGNIFICANCEStapes surgery is an effective procedure in elderly patients with oto‐sclerosis to avoid hearing aid use or to facilitate hearing aid fitting. (Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2003;129:674‐7.)
Diagnosis and Management of Pulmonary Metastasis from Recurrent Respiratory Papillomatosis
Authors: Silver Robert D. , Rimell Frank L. , Adams George L. , Derkay Craig S. , Hester Ryan 
Published: December 2003

OBJECTIVEWe sought to review the current and proposed management, as well as bring about discussion, of managing the patient with distal tracheal and pulmonary parenchymal involvement by recurrent respiratory papillomatosis (RRP).DESIGN, SETTING, AND PATIENTSWe conducted a review of 6 patients with pulmonary metastasis from RRP at 3 academic tertiary care hospitals. Interventions included surgical and medical management with antiviral, chemotherapeutic, and/or immunemodulating agents.RESULTSAlthough treatment with ±–2‐² interferon, isotretinoin, and methotrexate have not proved to eradicate pulmonary involvement by RRP, possible epithelial stabilization and slowing of disease progression are noted.CONCLUSIONSThe rates of distal tracheal and pulmonary metastasis as seen in our cohort were higher than previously reported. Approximately 12% of our patients with RRP have distal tracheal spread and as many as 7% of all patients with RRP at our institutions have pulmonary dissemination. Also, high suspicion for malignant conversion to squamous carcinoma in the patient with pulmonary spread should be maintained. In addition, aggressive treatment, although not proved to eradicate the pulmonary disease, should be undertaken due to the high morbidity and mortality associated with pulmonary dissemination of RRP in our cohort.
Global Trade Law: Challenges and Options for Africa
Authors: Fasan Olu 
Published: December 2003

The Uruguay Round of trade negotiations, completed in 1994, has fundamentally transformed the legal landscape of the world trading system, making the WTO arguably the most powerful international economic institution in the world. Yet, the systemic problems that have dogged the WTO since its establishment in 1995 have their roots in the nature of this transformation and its implications for developing countries, especially African states. Developing countries, hitherto excluded from GATT rules, became subject to expanded WTO legal rules and disciplines on a range of new areas, including services, intellectual property rights and investment measures. The possibility of deepening and widening the rule-base of the trade regime is also likely with the Doha agenda, which includes possible negotiations on new rules dealing with investment, competition policy, trade facilitation, and transparency in government procurement.Clearly, the increasing legalization and internationalization of trade rules have implications for weak states. International legalization involves sophisticated bargaining where power relations play a significant role. The purpose of this article is to explore, in the context of some of the theories of international law and political economy, how the preferences and interests of African countries are reflected in international rule making that involves both weak and powerful states. The article traces the institutional and legal evolution of the world trading system and how African countries have been affected by these developments. The new Doha agenda is examined with a view to establishing whether it holds out any real hope of redressing the imbalances in the system. Finally, suggestions are made as to how global trade rules can be fair, and therefore made to work for poor states.
Can Nigerian Local Government Councils Autonomously Impose Rates?
Authors: Achara R.A.C.E. 
Published: December 2003

Having been elected from the same pool from which state and federal officials have emerged, it might, on the face of it, seem rather unjustifiable to deny local government council (LGC) officials the autonomous tax imposition authority, which is ordinarily inherent in any government. But this is what the 1999 Constitution seems to have done in denying the autonomous power of rating to the LGCs, however, this constitution has used words made ambiguous by their historically varying content such that even the highest Nigerian court has been misled. The drafting has led to the impression that LGCs may “impose”, rather than merely “collect”, rates or any other such taxes by their own authority.This article attempts to discover the character and consequences of this hermeneutic problem, the apparent misconceptions that have led to it, and the doctrinal and historical approaches the courts may adopt for its solution. In trying to appreciate or rationalize the court's misapprehension of this part of the constitution, the article suggests that the major reason is the drafter's attempt to create a three-tier federation while at the same time retaining the traditional two-tier constitutional structure for allocation of federalist power.To return the courts to the right path, this article proffers historical approaches for clarification of the conceptual haze. It then concludes that, although the Nigerian constitution allows a delegation of rating power to LGCs, contrary to the current position of the Supreme Court, this rating authority is not autonomous.
Body size plasticity and local variation of relative head and body size sexual dimorphism in garter snakes (Thamnophis sirtalis)
Authors: Krause Mark A. , Burghardt Gordon M. , Gillingham James C. 
Published: December 2003

AbstractFor snakes, prey size and sex are two possible determinants of head and body size. In garter snakes Thamnophis sirtalis, females are generally longer and have greater body weights than males, and also have larger relative head sizes, which may facilitate foraging success. The selective pressures that account for sexual size dimorphism in garter snakes have not been unequivocally demonstrated. In this study, the body (length and mass) and head (head length, head width, jaw length, inter‐ocular distance) sizes of garter snakes inhabiting two nearby but ecologically dissimilar sites with different types of available prey were compared. Overall, the adult female snakes were larger and had greater relative head sizes than males. Males from the two sites did not differ significantly in body or head sizes. However, the mean body length and mass of females from a site where vertebrates are included in the diet were greater than that of females feeding almost exclusively on earthworms. There were also significant site differences in all four head measurements in females, although the direction of the difference varied by site. Diet‐induced morphological plasticity is well documented and was evident in this study, although the relative roles of genotype, ontogeny, and competing selective forces in the expression of such plasticity can only be ascertained through future experimental studies.
Open Problems in Partition Regularity
Authors: Hindman Neil , Leader Imre , Strauss Dona 
Published: December 2003

A finite or infinite matrix A with rational entries is called partition regular if, whenever the natural numbers are finitely coloured, there is a monochromatic vector x with . Many of the classical theorems of Ramsey Theory may naturally be interpreted as assertions that particular matrices are partition regular.While in the finite case partition regularity is well understood, very little is known in the infinite case. Our aim in this paper is to present some of the natural and appealing open problems in the area.
On Ramsey Numbers of Sparse Graphs
Authors: Kostochka Alexander , Sudakov B 
Published: December 2003

The Ramsey number, , of a graph G is the minimum integer N such that, in every 2-colouring of the edges of the complete graph on N vertices, there is a monochromatic copy of G. In 1975, Burr and Erdős posed a problem on Ramsey numbers of d-degenerate graphs, i.e., graphs in which every subgraph has a vertex of degree at most d. They conjectured that for every d there exists a constant c(d) such that for any d-degenerate graph G of order n.In this paper we prove that for each such G. In fact, we show that, for every , sufficiently large n, and any graph H of order , either H or its complement contains a (d,n)-common graph, that is, a graph in which every set of d vertices has at least n common neighbours. It is easy to see that any (d,n)-common graph contains every d-degenerate graph G of order n. We further show that, for every constant C, there is an n and a graph H of order such that neither H nor its complement contains a -common graph.
Turán Numbers of Bipartite Graphs and Related Ramsey-Type Questions
Authors: Alon Noga , Krivelevich Michael , Sudakov Benny 
Published: December 2003

For a graph H and an integer n, the Turán number is the maximum possible number of edges in a simple graph on n vertices that contains no copy of H. H is r-degenerate if every one of its subgraphs contains a vertex of degree at most r. We prove that, for any fixed bipartite graph H in which all degrees in one colour class are at most r, . This is tight for all values of r and can also be derived from an earlier result of Füredi. We also show that there is an absolute positive constant c such that, for every fixed bipartite r-degenerate graph H, This is motivated by a conjecture of Erdős that asserts that, for every such H, For two graphs G and H, the Ramsey number is the minimum number n such that, in any colouring of the edges of the complete graph on n vertices by red and blue, there is either a red copy of G or a blue copy of H. Erdős conjectured that there is an absolute constant c such that, for any graph G with m edges, . Here we prove this conjecture for bipartite graphs G, and prove that for general graphs G with m edges, for some absolute positive constant c.These results and some related ones are derived from a simple and yet surprisingly powerful lemma, proved, using probabilistic techniques, at the beginning of the paper. This lemma is a refined version of earlier results proved and applied by various researchers including Rödl, Kostochka, Gowers and Sudakov.
Canonical Vertex Partitions
Authors: Sauer N. W. 
Published: December 2003

Let σ be a finite relational signature, let be a set of finite complete relational structures of signature σ, and let be the countable homogeneous relational structure of signature σ which does not embed any of the structures in .When σ consists of at most binary relations and is finite, the vertex partition behaviour of is completely analysed, in the sense that it is shown that a canonical partition exists and the size of this partition in terms of the structures in is determined. If is infinite some results are obtained, but a complete analysis is still missing.Some general results are presented which are intended to be used in further investigations when σ contains relational symbols of arity larger than two or when the set of bounds is infinite.
Ramsey Games Against a One-Armed Bandit
Authors: Friedgut Ehud , Kohayakawa Yoshiharu , Rodl Vojtěch , Rucinski Andrzej , Tetali Prasad 
Published: December 2003

We study the following one-person game against a random graph process: the Player's goal is to 2-colour a random sequence of edges of a complete graph on n vertices, avoiding a monochromatic triangle for as long as possible. The game is over when a monochromatic triangle is created. The online version of the game requires that the Player should colour each edge as it comes, before looking at the next edge.While it is not hard to prove that the expected length of this game is about , the proof of the upper bound suggests the following relaxation: instead of colouring online, the random graph is generated in only two rounds, and the Player colours the edges of the first round before the edges of the second round are thrown in. Given the size of the first round, how many edges can there be in the second round for the Player to be likely to win? In the extreme case, when the first round consists of a random graph with edges, where c is a positive constant, we show that the Player can win with high probability only if constantly many edges are generated in the second round.
CandidabombicolaCells Immobilized on Patterned Lipid Films as Enzyme Sources for the Transformation of Arachidonic Acid to 20‐HETE
Authors: Phadtare Sumant , Parekh Parag , Shah Sachin , Tambe Amruta , Joshi Rohini , Sainkar S. R. , Prabhune Asmita , Sastry Murali 
Published: December 2003

AbstractPreparation of biocompatible surfaces for immobilization of enzymes and whole cells is an important aspect of biotechnology due to their potential applications in biocatalysis, biosensing, and immunological applications. In this report, patterned thermally evaporated octadecylamine (ODA) films are used for the immobilization of Candida bombicola cells. The attachment of the cells to the ODA film surface occurs possibly through nonspecific interactions such as hydrophobic interactions between the cell walls and the ODA molecules. The enzyme cytochrome P450 present in the immobilized yeast cells on the ODA film surface was used for the transformation of the arachidonic acid to 20‐hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (20‐HETE). The assembly of cells on the hydrophobic ODA surface was confirmed by quartz crystal microgravimetry (QCM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). SEM images confirmed the strong binding of the yeast cells to the ODA film surface after biocatalytic reactions. Moreover, the biocomposite films could be easily separated from the reaction medium and reused.
A Smart Bioconjugate of Alginate and Pectinase with Unusual Biological Activity toward Chitosan
Authors: Sardar Meryam , Roy Ipsita , Gupta Munishwar N. 
Published: December 2003

AbstractThe commercial preparation of pectinase (Pectinex Ultra SP‐L) was conjugated to alginate by noncovalent interactions by employing 1% alginate during the conjugation protocol. The optimum “immobilization efficiency” was 0.76. The pH optimum and the thermal stability of the enzyme remained unchanged upon conjugation with alginate. The soluble bioconjugate showed a 3‐fold increase in Vmax/Km as compared to the free enzyme when the smart biocatalyst was used for chitosan hydrolysis. Time course hydrolysis of chitosan thus showed higher conversion of chitosan into reducing oligosaccharides/sugars. The smart bioconjugate could be reused five times without any detectable loss of chitosanase activity.
Proteome Analysis of Antibody‐Expressing CHO Cells in Response to Hyperosmotic Pressure
Authors: Lee Moon Sue , Kim Kyoung Wook , Kim Young Hwan , Lee Gyun Min 
Published: December 2003

AbstractTo better understand intracellular responses to hyperosmotic pressure of recombinant Chinese hamster ovary (rCHO) cells expressing an antibody, we have taken a proteomics approach. Using two‐dimensional electrophoresis and mass spectrometry, a proteome profile of rCHO cells comprising 23 identified proteins was established. On the basis of this proteome profile, we found three proteins of which expression levels were significantly changed at 450 mOsm/kg. Compared to the results at 300 mOsm/kg, two glycolytic enzymes, glyceraldehyde‐3‐phosphate dehydrogenase and pyruvate kinase, were found to be up‐regulated, probably leading to an increased metabolic energy for antibody synthesis. The elevation of specific glucose consumption rate at 450 mOsm/kg agreed with the up‐regulation of these glycolytic enzymes. On the other hand, tubulin expression was down‐regulated, reflecting a depressed cell growth rate at 450 mOsm/kg. Taken together, this study shows the potential of the proteomics approach in understanding intracellular and physiological changes in cells and seeking a better insight into possible environmental or genetic manipulation approaches for increasing foreign protein production in rCHO cells.
Optimization of Cyclodextrin Glycosyltransferase Production from KlebsiellapneumoniaeAS‐22 in Batch, Fed‐Batch, and Continuous Cultures
Authors: Gawande Bharat N. , Sonawane Avinash M. , Jogdand Vithal V. , Patkar Anant Y. 
Published: December 2003

AbstractProduction of a novel cyclodextrin glycosyltransferase (CGTase) from Klebsiella pneumoniaeAS‐22 strain, which converts starch predominantly to α‐CD at high conversion yields, in batch, fed‐batch, and continuous cultures, is presented. In batch fermentations, optimization of different operating parameters such as temperature, pH, agitation speed, and carbon‐source concentration resulted in more than 6‐fold increase in CGTase activity. The enzyme production was further improved by two fed‐batch approaches. First, using glucose‐based feed to increase cell density, followed by starch‐based feed to induce enzyme production, resulted in high cell density of 76 g dry cell weight/L, although the CGTase production was low. Using the second approach of a single dextrin‐based feed, 20‐fold higher CGTase was produced compared to that in batch fermentations with media containing tapioca starch. In continuous operation, more than 8‐fold increase in volumetric CGTase productivity was obtained using dextrin‐based media compared to that in batch culture using starch‐based media.
Lipase‐Catalyzed Cellulose Acetylation in Aqueous and Organic Media
Authors: Yang Kui , Wang Ya‐Jane 
Published: December 2003

AbstractScreening for lipases capable of catalyzing acetylation of cellulosic substrates was conducted in aqueous buffer solution using water‐soluble carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) as substrate. Lipase A12 from Aspergillus niger (A. niger) showed the most promising acetylation activity among 11 tested commercial microbial lipases and was further applied to catalyzing acetylation of solid cellulose in aqueous solution. This reaction was shown to be feasible with an acetylation extent of 0.16 wt % achieved compared with no detectable acetylation in the absence of enzyme. Pretreatments on cellulose substrate by ultrasonic irradiation and surfactant solution only slightly improved the acetylation extent by 44 and 27%, respectively. Alternatively, this lipase‐catalyzed acetylation was remarkably improved with solubilized cellulose as substrate in the dimethyl sulfoxide/paraformaldehyde solvent system, with an acetylation extent (7.87 wt %) nearly 50 times higher than that achieved in aqueous solution. This improvement was attributed to (1) the absence of bulk water and the increase in substrate solubility by the transition of reaction media from aqueous solution to organic solvents and (2) the ability of lipase A12 to remain catalytically active in highly polar DMSO. This discovery that the A. niger lipase was capable of surviving its contact with polar solvents was further confirmed by its considerably preserved catalytic activity on CMC acetylation in aqueous media after enzyme pretreatments with organic solvents of various polarities and in mixture media with the aqueous phase partially replaced by organic solvents.
Improving Skilled Attendance at Delivery: A Preliminary Report of the SAFE Strategy Development Tool
Authors: Bell Jacqueline , Hussein Julia , Jentsch Birgit , Scotland Graham , Bullough Colin , Graham Wendy 
Published: December 2003

Abstract:  Background:  Increasing the proportion of births with skilled attendance is advocated by international agencies as a key factor in reducing maternal and perinatal mortality and morbidity. The SAFE Strategy Development Tool is designed to enable policy makers and planners to gather and interpret information systematically to develop strategies for improving skilled attendance at birth.Method:  Five modules were developed with partners in Bangladesh, Ghana, Jamaica, Malawi, and Mexico to guide the identification of problems related to skilled attendance, the collection of primary and secondary evidence, and the synthesis of this evidence to formulate strategies. The involvement of key players, including policy makers, is emphasized throughout the application of the tool and is vital to its success.Results:  The SAFE Strategy Development Tool was field tested in five collaborating countries. The methods employed by this tool were found to be feasible and produced evidence that will be useful in the formulation of strategies. Application of the tool can be completed in 3 to 5 months, and was estimated to cost between US$12,938 and US$15,627 for applications at district or subdistrict level. The final strategy options developed from the findings were presented at an international workshop in Aberdeen, Scotland, in February 2003.Conclusion:  The SAFE Strategy Development Tool is now available to governments, organizations, and institutions involved in the implementation of maternal health programs. (BIRTH 30:4 December 2003)