bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Vitamin D deficiency rickets caused by improper lifestyle in Japanese children
Authors: Miyako Kenichi , Kinjo Saori , Kohno Hitoshi 
Published: March 2005

Abstract
Background
: Nutritional rickets is considered rare in developed countries. However, reports on vitamin D deficiency rickets caused by improper lifestyle have recently increased. The clinical and laboratory characteristics of patients with vitamin D deficiency rickets treated at Fukuoka Children's Hospital, Fukuoka, Japan, were evaluated to clarify current causes and ways to prevent this disease.
Methods
: Clinical records were reviewed, and obtained information and data were summarized.
Results
: Eight patients with vitamin D deficiency rickets (five boys and three girls) were treated during the past 10 years (January 1992 to December 2001). Two infants were referred to the hospital for hypocalcemia and convulsion, and six toddlers (1–2 years old) for bowlegs. One patient lacked exposure to sunlight, and six had an unbalanced diet. The cause of rickets could not be established in one patient. Anthropometric and laboratory data did not indicate malnutrition. Serum alkaline phosphatase was 2518.3 ± 1401.7 IU/l, calcium was 8.2 ± 2.6 mg/dL (including 4.7 mg/dL in one infant and 4.8 mg/dL in another), and phosphorus was 4.9 ± 1.0 mg/dL. High sensitive parathyroid hormone was 1393.1 ± 321.7 pg/mL (reference range, 180–560), 1,25‐dihydroxyvitamin D was 86.0 ± 61.5 pg/mL (reference range, 20–70), and 25‐hydroxyvitamin D was 11.6 ± 5.6 ng/mL (reference range, 10–30). The patients recovered with a change to a balanced diet, the promotion of weaning, and/or an increase in sunlight exposure.
Conclusion
: Vitamin D deficiency rickets remains a common condition that is best managed by education and disease prevention.
Continuity and change from early childhood to adolescence in autism
Authors: McGovern Corina W. , Sigman Marian 
Published: March 2005

Background:  This longitudinal study of 48 children diagnosed with autism at 2–5 years of age was designed to test the hypothesis that diagnosis would remain stable for most of the sample but that there would be improvements in symptom severity, adaptive behavior, and emotional responsiveness in adolescence.Methods:  A sample of children with autism assessed in both early and middle childhood were observed in late adolescence with the Autism Diagnostic Observation Scale (ADOS) and their parents were administered the Autism Diagnostic Interview‐Revised (ADI‐R) and the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scale.Results:  All but 2 adolescents (46 of 48) met lifetime criteria for autism according to the ADI‐R, and all but 4 adolescents (40 of 44) met criteria for autism spectrum disorder on the ADOS. In contrast to the continuity in diagnosis, parents described improvements in social interactions, repetitive/stereotyped behaviors, adaptive behaviors, and emotional responsiveness to others’ distress in adolescence compared to middle childhood. High‐functioning adolescents with autism showed more improvement in these domains than low‐functioning adolescents with autism. The extent to which the adolescents were observed to be socially engaged with their peers in school in middle childhood predicted adaptive behavior skills even when intelligence level was statistically constrained.Conclusions:  The developmental trajectory of children with autism appears to show both continuity and change. In this sample, most individuals continued to be diagnosed in the autism spectrum but parents reported improvements in adolescence. The results suggest that social involvement with peers improves adaptive behavior skills, and this argues for focusing intervention programs in this area. In addition, it is clear that high‐functioning adolescents improve more than low‐functioning individuals not only in cognitive abilities but also in social interaction skills. Thus, any early intervention that impacts the cognitive abilities of young children with autism is likely to have a parallel influence on their social skills as they mature into late adolescence and early adulthood.
Reduced expression of frataxin extends the lifespan of Caenorhabditis elegans
Authors: Ventura Natascia , Rea Shane , Henderson Samuel T. , Condo Ivano , Johnson Thomas E. , Testi Roberto 
Published: March 2005

SummaryDefects in the expression of the mitochondrial protein frataxin cause Friedreich's ataxia, an hereditary neurodegenerative syndrome characterized by progressive ataxia and associated with reduced life expectancy in humans. Homozygous inactivation of the frataxin gene results in embryonic lethality in mice, suggesting that frataxin is required for organismic survival. Intriguingly, the inactivation of many mitochondrial genes in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans by RNAi extends lifespan. We therefore investigated whether inactivation of frataxin by RNAi‐mediated suppression of the frataxin homolog gene (frh‐1) would also prolong lifespan in the nematode. Frataxin‐deficient animals have a small body size, reduced fertility and altered responses to oxidative stress. Importantly, frataxin suppression by RNAi significantly extends lifespan in C. elegans.
Aging induces cardiac diastolic dysfunction, oxidative stress, accumulation of advanced glycation endproducts and protein modification
Authors: Li Shi‐Yan , Du Min , Dolence E. Kurt , Fang Cindy X. , Mayer Gabriele E. , Ceylan‐Isik Asli F. , LaCour Karissa H. , Yang Xiaoping , Wilbert Christopher J. , Sreejayan Nair , Ren Jun 
Published: March 2005

SummaryEvidence suggests that aging, per se, is a major risk factor for cardiac dysfunction. Oxidative modification of cardiac proteins by non‐enzymatic glycation, i.e. advanced glycation endproducts (AGEs), has been implicated as a causal factor in the aging process. This study was designed to examine the role of aging on cardiomyocyte contractile function, cardiac protein oxidation and oxidative modification. Mechanical properties were evaluated in ventricular myocytes from young (2‐month) and aged (24–26‐month) mice using a MyoCam® system. The mechanical indices evaluated were peak shortening (PS), time‐to‐PS (TPS), time‐to‐90% relengthening (TR90) and maximal velocity of shortening/relengthening (± dL/dt). Oxidative stress and protein damage were evaluated by glutathione and glutathione disulfide (GSH/GSSG) ratio and protein carbonyl content, respectively. Activation of NAD(P)H oxidase was determined by immunoblotting. Aged myocytes displayed a larger cell cross‐sectional area, prolonged TR90, and normal PS, ± dL/dt and TPS compared with young myocytes. Aged myocytes were less tolerant of high stimulus frequency (from 0.1 to 5 Hz) compared with young myocytes. Oxidative stress and protein oxidative damage were both elevated in the aging group associated with significantly enhanced p47phox but not gp91phox expression. In addition, level of cardiac AGEs was ∼2.5‐fold higher in aged hearts than young ones determined by AGEs‐ELISA. A group of proteins with a molecular range between 50 and 75 kDa with pI of 4–7 was distinctively modified in aged heart using one‐ or two‐dimension SDS gel electrophoresis analysis. These data demonstrate cardiac diastolic dysfunction and reduced stress tolerance in aged cardiac myocytes, which may be associated with enhanced cardiac oxidative damage, level of AGEs and protein modification by AGEs.
Reduced insulin/IGF‐1 signalling and human longevity
Authors: Van Heemst Diana , Beekman Marian , Mooijaart Simon P. , Heijmans Bastiaan T. , Brandt Bernd W. , Zwaan Bas J. , Slagboom P. Eline , Westendorp Rudi G. J. 
Published: March 2005

SummaryEvidence is accumulating that aging is hormonally regulated by an evolutionarily conserved insulin/IGF‐1 signalling (IIS) pathway. Mutations in IIS components affect lifespan in Caenorhabditis elegans, Drosophila melanogaster and mice. Most long‐lived IIS mutants also show increased resistance to oxidative stress. In D. melanogaster and mice, the long‐lived phenotype of several IIS mutants is restricted to females. Here, we analysed the relationship between IIS signalling, body height and longevity in humans in a prospective follow‐up study. Based on the expected effects (increased or decreased signalling) of the selected variants in IIS pathway components (GHRHR, GH1, IGF1, INS, IRS1), we calculated composite IIS scores to estimate IIS pathway activity. In addition, we analysed the relative impact on lifespan and body size of the separate variants in multivariate models. In women, lower IIS scores are significantly associated with lower body height and improved old age survival. Multivariate analyses showed that these results were most pronounced for the GH1 SNP, IGF1 CA repeat and IRS1 SNP. In females, for variant allele carriers of the GH1 SNP, body height was 2 cm lower (P = 0.007) and mortality 0.80‐fold reduced (P = 0.019) when compared with wild‐type allele carriers. Thus, in females, genetic variation causing reduced IIS activation is beneficial for old age survival. This effect was stronger for the GH1 SNP than for variation in the conserved IIS genes that were found to affect longevity in model organisms.
Metric capabilities of low‐cost digital cameras for close range surface measurement
Authors: Chandler Jim H. , Fryer John G. , Jack Amanda 
Published: March 2005

AbstractThis paper examines the potential of low‐cost digital cameras for close range surface measurement using feature‐based image matching methods. This is achieved through extracting digital elevation models (DEMs) and comparing accuracies between three low‐cost consumer‐grade digital cameras (Sony DSC‐P10, Olympus C3030, Nikon Coolpix 3100) and the proven Kodak DCS460. Surprisingly, the tests revealed that the highest accuracies were achieved using the Sony DSC‐P10, not the Kodak DCS460, whilst the other two cameras certainly proved suitable for most close range surface measurement tasks. Lens modelling was found to provide a limiting constraint on final accuracies, with very small systematic error surfaces caused by residual imperfections in lens modelling. The IMAGINE OrthoBASE Pro software and an independent self‐calibrating bundle adjustment were used to process these data. These tests identified an inaccuracy in the self‐calibrating capability of IMAGINE OrthoBASE Pro version 8·6 and Leica Geosystems LPS 8·7, which will be rectified in subsequent software releases. The study has demonstrated that cheaper consumer‐grade digital cameras have potential for routine surface measurement provided lens modelling is considered. The lead author is maintaining a web‐based repository for camera calibration data, which may assist other users.
Phosphate Availability Alters Lateral Root Anatomy and Root Architecture of Fraxinus mandshurica Rupr. Seedlings
Authors: WU Chu , WEI Xing , SUN Hai‐Long , WANG Zheng‐Quan 
Published: March 2005

Abstract: Plants have evolved some mechanisms to maximize the efficiency of phosphorus acquisition. Changes in root architecture are one such mechanism. When Fraxinus mandshurica Rupr. seedlings were grown under conditions of low phosphorus availability, the length of cells in the meristem zone of the lateral roots was longer, but the length of cells in the elongation and mature zones of the lateral roots was shorter, compared with seedlings grown under conditions of high phosphorus availability. The elongation rates of primary roots increased as phosphorus availability increased, but the elongation rates of the branched zones of the primary roots decreased. The number of lateral root primordia and the length of the lateral roots decreased as phosphorus availability increased. The topological index (altitude slope) decreased as phosphorus availability increased, suggesting that root architecture tended to be herringbone‐like when seedlings were grown under conditions of low phosphate availability. Herringbone‐like root systems exploit nutrients more efficiently, but they have higher construction costs than root systems with a branching pattern.(Managing editor: Wei WANG)
Antiporter Gene from Hordum brevisubulatum (Trin.) Link and Its Overexpression in Transgenic Tobaccos
Authors: LÜ Shi‐You , JING Yu‐Xiang , SHEN Shi‐Hua , ZHAO Hua‐Yan , MA Lan‐Qing , ZHOU Xiang‐Juan , REN Qing , LI Yan‐Fang 
Published: March 2005

Abstract: A vacuolar Na+/H+ antiporter cDNA gene was successfully isolated from Hordeum brevisubulatum (Trin.) Link using the rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE) method. The gene was named HbNHX1 and was found to consist of 1 916 bp encoding a predicted polypeptide of 540 amino acids with a conserved amiloride‐binding domain. Phylogenetic tree analysis of the Na+/H+ antiporters showed that the HbNHX1 gene shares 55.3%–74.8% similarity with the vacuolar‐type Na+/H+ antiporters. Transgenic tobaccos that contain the HbNHX1 gene, integrated by forward insertion into the tobacco genome, were obtained via Agrobacterium tumerfaciens and characterized for the determination of the concentration of Na+ and K+ ions, as well as proline, in the presence of 300 mmol/L NaCl. The T1 transgenic plants showed more tolerance to salt and drought than did wild‐type plants. Our data suggest that overexpression of the HbNHX1 gene could improve the tolerance of transgenic tobaccos to salt and drought through the function of the vacuolar Na+/H+ antiporter.(Managing editor: Li‐Hui ZHAO)
Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases Mediate the Signaling Pathway of Stomatal Closure of Vicia faba L.
Authors: SHI Wu‐Liang , LIU Xin , JIA Wen‐Suo , ZHANG Shu‐Qiu 
Published: March 2005

Abstract: The regulation of stomatal movement is one of the most important signaling networks in plants. The H+‐ATPase at the plasma membrane of guard cells plays a critical role in the stomata opening, while there are some conflicting results regarding the effectiveness of the plasma membrane H+‐ATPase inhibitor, vanadate, in inhibiting stomata opening. We observed that 2 mmol/L vanadate hardly inhibited light‐stimulated stomata opening in epidermal peels of Vicia faba L., but significantly inhibited dark‐ and ABA‐induced stomatal closure. These results cannot be explained with the previous findings that H+‐ATPase was inhibited by vanadate. In view of the fact that vanadate is an inhibitor of protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPases), we investigated whether the stomatal movement regulated by vanadate is through the regulation of PTPase. As expected, phenylarsine oxide (PAO), a specific inhibitor of PTPase, has very similar effects and even more effective than vanadate. Typical PTPase activity was found in guard cells of V. faba; moreover, the phosphatase activity could be inhibited by both vanadate and PAO. These results not only provide a novel explanation for conflicting results about vanadate modulating stomatal movement, but also provide further evidence for the involvement of PTPases in modulating signal transduction of stomatal movement.(Managing editor: Ping HE)
Conifer Woods of the Pliocene Age from Yunnan, China
Authors: YI Tie‐Mei , LI Cheng‐Sen , JIANG Xiao‐Mei 
Published: March 2005

Abstract: The Tertiary floras play an integral role in understanding the biodiversity and interactions between climate and vegetation in Yunnan, China. The fossil spores, pollen grains, and leaves in this region have been investiaged intensively. In comparison, the woods have been studied relatively little. A large number of Pliocene wood specimens was collected from the opencast lignite coal mine of Hongxing situated in Changning County of Yunnan Province. Among the collection, Tsuga cf. dumosa (D. Don) Eichler and Pinus cf. armandii Franchet were identified based on wood structures. The subtle feature of tori extensions is reported in the wood of T. cf. dumosa. Considering the climatic requirements of modern T. dumosa and P. armandii, the two species of conifer described from Pliocene sediments probably grew in mountainous terrain at an elevation of approximately 2 300 m, in a cool and humid environment.(Managing editor: Ya‐Qin HAN)
Glycosides from Roots of Cyathula officinalis Kuan
Authors: ZHOU Rong , LI Bo‐Gang , ZHANG Guo‐Lin 
Published: March 2005

Abstract: To search for new and bioactive compounds from traditional Chinese medicines, a new glycoside, 3‐O‐[α‐L‐rhamnopyranosyl‐(1→3)‐(n‐butyl‐β‐D‐glucopyranosiduronate)]‐28‐O‐β‐D‐glucopyranosyloleanolic acid (1), was isolated from the roots of Cyathula officinalis Kuan, along with 3‐O‐(methyl‐β‐D‐glucopyranosiduronate)‐28‐O‐β‐D‐glucopyranosyl oleanolic acid (2), 3‐O‐β‐D‐glucopyranosyl oleanolic acid (3), 3‐O‐β‐D‐glucuronopyranosyl oleanolic acid (4), 3‐O‐[β‐L‐rhamnopyranosyl‐(1→3)‐(β‐D‐glucuronopyranosyl)] oleanolic acid (5), 3‐O‐(β‐D‐glucuronopyranosyl)‐28‐O‐β‐D‐glucopyranosyl oleanolic acid (6), 28‐O‐β‐D‐glucuronopyranosyl‐(1→4)‐β‐D‐glucopyranosyl hederagenin (7), 3‐O‐[β‐L‐rhamnopyranosyl‐(1→3)‐β‐D‐glucuronopyranosyl]‐28‐O‐β‐D‐glucopyranosyl oleanolic acid (8), and 3‐O‐[β‐D‐glucopyranosyl‐(1→2)‐α‐L‐rhamnopyranosyl‐(1→3)‐β‐D‐glucuronopyranosyl]‐28‐O‐β‐D‐glucopyranosyl oleanolic acid (9). The structures of these compounds were determined based on spectral and chemical evidence. The 50 per cent growth‐inhibiting (GI50) of compounds 1 and 5 against MDA‐MB‐231 (a human breast cancer cell line) was 3.44 × 10‐4 and 4.66 × 10‐4 mol/L, respectively.(Managing editor: Wei WANG)
Variation in the Agronomic and Morphological Traits of Iranian Chickpea Accessions
Authors: NAGHAVI Mohammad Reza , JAHANSOUZ Mohammad Reza 
Published: March 2005

Abstract: Landraces of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) in Iran have not been adequately characterized for their agronomic and morphological traits. Such characterization would be helpful in the development of improved cultivars, so in this study 362 chickpea accessions, collected from the major chickpea growing areas of Iran, were evaluated to determine their phenotypic diversity. High coefficients of variation (CVs) were recorded in pods/branch, seeds/pod, yield/plant, seeds/plant, pods/plant and branches/plant. Using principal component (PC) analysis, the first four PCs with eigenvalues more than 1 contributed 84.10% of the variability among accessions, whereas PC5 to PC10 were less than unity. PC1 was positively related to days to first maturity, days to 50% flowering and days to 50% maturity. The characters with the greatest weight on PC2 were seeds/plant and yield/plant, whereas PC3 was mainly related to pods/plant, seeds/pod and 100‐seed weight, and PC4 was positively related to pods/branch and negatively to branches/plant. The germplasm was grouped into four clusters using cluster analysis. Each cluster had some specific characteristics of its own and the cluster I was clearly separated from clusters II, III and IV. These accessions are an important resource for the establishment of a core collection of chickpeas in the world.(Managing editor: Ping)
STUDY OF CHARM PHYSICS IN NEUTRINO SCATTERING IN THE CHORUS EXPERIMENT
Authors:   FOR THE CHORUS COLLABORATION., DE ROSA GIANFRANCA 
Published: March 2005

The CHORUS detector was exposed to the neutrino beam of the CERN SPS during the years 94-97. About 150,000 νμ events have been collected in the nuclear emulsion target and analyzed. With the present performance of the emulsion scanning systems, it has become possible to perform large area volume scanning around interaction vertex to detect decay topologies. This technique has been exploited to search for events where charmed particles are produced. More than 2000 events with a recognized charm decay have been collected.
COMPACT REPRESENTATIONS OF SIMPLICIAL MESHES IN TWO AND THREE DIMENSIONS
Authors: BLANDFORD DANIEL K. , BLELLOCH GUY E. , CARDOZE DAVID E. , KADOW CLEMENS 
Published: March 2005

We describe data structures for representing simplicial meshes compactly while supporting online queries and updates efficiently. Our data structure requires about a factor of five less memory than the most efficient standard data structures for triangular or tetrahedral meshes, while efficiently supporting traversal among simplices, storing data on simplices, and insertion and deletion of simplices. Our implementation of the data structures uses about 5 bytes/triangle in two dimensions (2D) and 7.5 bytes/tetrahedron in three dimensions (3D). We use the data structures to implement 2D and 3D incremental algorithms for generating a Delaunay mesh. The 3D algorithm can generate 100 Million tetrahedra with 1 Gbyte of memory, including the space for the coordinates and all data used by the algorithm. The runtime of the algorithm is as fast as Shewchuk's Pyramid code, the most efficient we know of, and uses a factor of 3.5 less memory overall.
ON PRODUCT SYSTEMS ARISING FROM SUM SYSTEMS
Authors: RAJARAMA BHAT B. V. , SRINIVASAN R. 
Published: March 2005

B. Tsirelson constructed an uncountable family of type III product systems of Hilbert spaces through the theory of Gaussian spaces, measure type spaces and "slightly colored noises", using techniques from probability theory. Here we take a purely functional analytic approach and try to have a better understanding of Tsireleson's construction and his examples. We prove an extension of Shale's theorem connecting symplectic group and Weyl representation. We show that the "Shale map" respects compositions (this settles an old conjecture of K. R. Parthasarathy8). Using this we associate a product system to a sum system. This construction includes the exponential product system of Arveson, as a trivial case, and the type III examples of Tsirelson. By associating a von Neumann algebra to every "elementary set" in [0, 1], in a much simpler and direct way, we arrive at the invariants of the product system introduced by Tsirelson, given in terms of the sum system. Then we introduce a notion of divisibility for a sum system, and prove that the examples of Tsirelson are divisible. It is shown that only type I and type III product systems arise out of divisible sum systems. Finally, we give a sufficient condition for a divisible sum system to give rise to a unitless (type III) product system.