bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Study on the Correlation between Some Physical and Microbial Quality Characteristics of Peeled Sweet Orange (Citrus sinensis)
Authors: Izah Sylvester Chibueze , Odubo Tamaraukepreye Catherine 
Published: March 2023

Background /Aim: The consumption of ready-to-eat fruits such as oranges has increased in recent times. This study assessed the correlation between some physical and microbial quality characteristics of peeled sweet orange (Citrus sinensis) sold in Yenagoa, the capital of Bayelsa State, Nigeria.
Methodology: A total of thirty peeled oranges were purchased, three from each location. Standard microbiological methods were applied for the analysis.
Results: Results showed that the in situ characteristics and microbiological load of peeled oranges sold in Yenagoa, Nigeria were in the ranges of 1.86 to 3.15 Log CFU/g (total fungi), 1.56 to 2.86 Log CFU/g (total heterotrophic bacteria), 3.14 to – 4.19 (pH), 1.84 to 3.03 ppt (salinity), 3.27 to 5.00 mS/cm (conductivity) and 2.56 to 4.10 ppt (total dissolved solid). There was statistical deviation (p<0.05) for the in situ characteristics only. There was a positive significant association between the total dissolved solids and conductivity, and total heterotrophic bacteria and total fungi. Salinity negatively correlates with total heterotrophic bacteria and total fungi. The microbial isolates found in the samples include Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Enterobacter, Bacillus, Proteus, and Micrococcus species, as well as Aspergillus, Penicillium, Mucor, Fusarium, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and Trichoderma species.
Conclusion: However, with improved handling and hygiene levels among orange vendors, the microbial load could be reduced. Furthermore, the study showed that similar factors affected the total dissolved solids, conductivity, total heterotrophic bacteria, and total fungi. While the negative correlations that exists between salinity and total heterotrophic bacteria and total fungi revealed that diverse factors affect their concentrations in the orange.
A Pheochromocytoma with Liver Metastasis: What about Curative Surgery?
Authors: Elm’hadi Choukri , Zerrik Meryem , Benameur Yassir , Taleb Imad , Tanz Rachid 
Published: March 2023

Introduction: 35% of pheochromocytomas are malignant and generally have a poor prognosis.Visceral metastases are associated with shorter survival. Treatments for advanced pheochromocytomas are essentially palliative. Surgery is potentially curative; however, tumor extension limits the chance for a curative resection.
Case Presentation: A 21-year-old women presented to our hospital with severe hypertension associated with Ménard's triad and heaviness of the left flank.The abdominal CT scan discovered a left adrenal mass with liver metastases. The diagnosis of pheochromocytoma was confirmed biochemically by the elevated catecholamine and metanephrine levels in the blood and urine. After preparation by the alpha-adrenergic blockade, she underwent left adrenalectomy and resection of left liver metastases followed by right hepatectomy. A pathology examination was performed and the final report was a metastatic pheochromocytoma with negative margins. She was discharged on postoperative without complications, and no evidence of recurrence occurred 48 months postoperatively.
Conclusion: complete resection of liver metastases from metastatic pheochromocytoma can improve survival and should also be considered in the event of predominant secreting symptoms.
Does Oral Administration of Fresh and Dry Ginger (Zingiber officinale) Juice have Effect on the Lipid Profile of Albino Rats
Authors: Waribo Helen Anthony , Ani Emmanuel Chukwu , Osuosa Atoukaritou Omodi 
Published: March 2023

Aim: This study compares the effect of fresh and dry ginger juice on the lipid profile of albino rats.
Methodology: Fifteen(15) albino rats with average weight of 150g divided into three groups of five (5) rats each were used for the study.5ml of the ginger juice was administered orally for 21 days using the gavage oral tube to the experimental animals. Blood samples were collected via cardiac puncture after a chloroform anesthesia was given to the animals to a heparinized sample bottle. Plasma samples were analyzed for total cholesterol, triglyceride, high density lipoprotein using the colorimeter while and low-density lipoprotein level was calculated.
Results: There was no significant difference in cholesterol, triglyceride, high density lipoprotein and low-density lipoprotein levels (P>0.05) when the group 1(control group) was compared with group 2 (dry ginger group) and group 3 (fresh ginger group).
Conclusion: Ginger juice in different preparation forms does not alter the lipid profiling in the experimental animals over a period of 21 days.
Effects of Culture Conditions on Enhancement of 2,4‐Dinitrotoluene Degradation by BurkholderiaEngineered with the Vitreoscilla Hemoglobin Gene
Authors: Nasr Mohamed A. , Hwang Kwang‐Woo , Akbas Meltem , Webster Dale A. , Stark Benjamin C. 
Published: July 2002

AbstractGrowth and degradation of 2,4‐dinitrotoluene (2,4‐DNT) were compared in liquid cultures in shake flasks for Burkholderiasp. strain DNT and strain DNT engineered to produce Vitreoscilla (bacterial) hemoglobin (strain YV1). Parameters varied included aeration rate, initial 2,4‐DNT concentration (50 and 200 ppm), and concentration and type of cosubstrate (yeast extract, succinate, casamino acids, and tryptic soy broth). 2,4‐DNT degradation increased with increasing cosubstrate concentration and was greater for strain YV1 than strain DNT under most conditions tested; the greatest advantages of YV1 (up to 3.5‐fold) occurred under limited aeration. A third strain (YV1m), derived from YV1 by repeated growth on 2,4‐DNT‐containing medium, demonstrated increased 2,4‐DNT degradation (up to 1.3‐fold compared to YV1) at 200 ppm 2,4‐DNT. The growth profiles of the three strains with respect to each other were in general similar to those of the degradation patterns of 2,4‐DNT.
Dispersed Organic Solvent To Enhance the Overall Gas/Water Mass Transfer Coefficient of Apolar Compounds in the Biological Waste‐Gas Treatment. Modeling and Evaluation
Authors: Cesário Maria T. , de Wit Hugo L. , Tramper Johannes , Beeftink Hendrik H. 
Published: July 2002

AbstractIn the biological treatment of waste gases, the contaminants are first transferred from the gas to the water phase and, subsequently, converted by the microorganisms. If the compound to be removed is poorly water‐soluble, the biological degradation is often limited by the slow transport from the gas to the aqueous phase. This transport limitation can be reduced by dispersing an apolar water‐immiscible organic solvent with a high affinity for the pollutants in the aqueous medium. A mathematical model was derived to be able to predict theoretically for which gaseous compounds and at which conditions a relevant intensification of the gas/water transfer can be expected. A characteristic composite gas/water mass transfer coefficient was obtained which is a function of the amount of solvent in the system and of the affinity of the compound for the water and for the solvent. Validation of the model predictions was done by carrying out steady‐state experiments in a stirred‐tank reactor in the absence of biological degradation. Two compounds were tested namely toluene and oxygen, being moderately and poorly water‐soluble, respectively. An increase of the mass transfer coefficient with increasing solvent volume fractions was found. While for oxygen a 2.2‐fold increase was found at 15% (v/v) FC40, an enhancement of circa 1.15 was observed for toluene at the same solvent volume fraction. The experimentally determined values of the enhancement factor defined as the ratio between the mass transfer coefficient in the systems with and without solvent compared well with the theoretical model predictions.
Estimation of O2 and CO2 Solubility in Microbial Culture Media
Authors: Gros J. B. , Dussap C. G. , Catté M. 
Published: July 2002

AbstractA simple model for predicting gas solubilities of O2 and CO2 at low pressure and near ambient temperature in solutions of salts, sugars, and organic solvents (alcohols, ketones, ethers, aldehydes, etc.) is proposed. It is derived from the Van Laar assumptions and takes account of size differences between molecules in solution by their volumetric fraction. It is a group contribution model where anions and cations are considered as groups and other molecules are treated as in the UNIFAC (UNIQUAC Functional group Activity Coefficients) procedure. Pseudo‐Henry's constants for groups were determined using solubility data in aqueous solutions containing only one salt, one sugar, or one organic compound at 25 °C. The predictive performance of the model was evaluated by comparison with experimental data using multicomponent aqueous salt−sugar mixtures. The model was used to estimate solubilities of oxygen and carbon dioxide in fermentation media.
Autocytotoxic T-cell clones in lichen planus
Authors: Sugerman P.B. , Satterwhite K. , Bigby M. 
Published: July 2002

AbstractWe examined the in vitro cytotoxic activity of cutaneous T-cell lines and clones from lichen planus (LP) patients against autologous epidermal keratinocytes. T cells were cultured from LP lesions and adjacent clinically normal skin and cloned by limiting dilution. Keratinocytes were cultured from LP lesions and adjacent clinically normal skin and immortalized by transfection with the E6 and E7 genes from human papillomavirus 16 (HPV16). The lesional T-cell line from one LP patient contained 27% γδ+ T cells and was significantly more cytotoxic against autologous lesional keratinocytes than the T-cell line from clinically normal skin. Clones isolated from the lesional T-cell line were significantly more cytotoxic against autologous lesional keratinocytes than clones isolated from the non-lesional T-cell line. Most cytotoxic clones from LP lesions were CD8+ and most non-cytotoxic clones from LP lesions were CD4+. One cytotoxic clone was CD4– and CD8– and expressed the γδ T-cell receptor. Two CD8+ LP lesional T-cell clones showed dose-dependent killing of HPV16 E6/E7-immortalized autologous lesional and normal keratinocytes, but no cytotoxic activity against Epstein–Barr virus-transformed autologous B-cell blasts. The cytotoxic activity of CD8+ lesional T-cell clones against autologous lesional keratinocytes was partially blocked with anti-major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I monoclonal antibodies. These data support the hypothesis that CD8+ lesional T cells recognize an antigen associated with MHC class I on lesional keratinocytes and that CD8+ cytotoxic T cells lyse keratinocytes in LP lesions.
The relative power of heat‐precipitation nephelometric and clottable (Clauss) fibrinogen in the prediction of ischaemic heart disease: the Caerphilly and Speedwell studies
Authors: Sweetnam P. M. , Yarnell J. W. G. , Lowe G. D. O. , Baker I. A. , O'Brien J. R. , Rumley A. , Etherington M. D. , Whitehead P. J. , Elwood P. C. 
Published: July 2002

The Caerphilly and Speedwell studies have previously reported the predictive power of heat‐precipitation, nephelometric, fibrinogen for 10‐year incidence of ischaemic heart disease. A Clauss, clotting time, fibrinogen was also measured at baseline, but has not previously been reported. The predictive power of the two assays is compared. Both methods were employed on fasting blood samples from a total of 4391 men aged 45–63 years. Over the following 10 years 533 (12%) developed major ischaemic heart disease. Nephelometric fibrinogen was higher by 0.33 g/l among the men who developed disease; clottable fibrinogen was higher by 0.20 g/l. This difference is statistically significant (P = 0.01). Relative odds of developing heart disease increased steadily to 3.53 (P < 0.0001) in the 20% of men with the highest nephelometric fibrinogen; for clottable fibrinogen the corresponding relative odds increased to 2.24 (P < 0.0001). When both measures of fibrinogen were included in logistic regression models together with age and smoking habit, the trend for incidence to increase with increasing nephelometric fibrinogen remained highly significant (P < 0.0001), whereas for the Clauss fibrinogen the trend almost entirely disappeared (P = 0.37).We conclude that functional assays of clottable fibrinogen may not reflect all of the mechanisms which mediate the association between fibrinogen and cardiovascular disease and that assays of both ‘heat precipitable’ and ‘clottable’ fibrinogen should be included in all future prospective studies.
Effect of lens wear on corneal stroma: preliminary findings
Authors: Jalbert Isabelle , McOptom Fiona Stapleton 
Published: July 2002

Purpose: The aim of the study was to measure the effects of long‐term extended wear of hydrogel lenses. Methods: Nine subjects wearing disposable hydrogel lenses and age‐ and sex‐matched non‐lens‐wearing control subjects were enrolled. Using confocal microscopy, stromal keratocyte cell densities were measured. Results: Anterior stromal keratocyte density was reduced in the lens‐wearing group (544 ± 206 cells/mm2) compared to the non‐lens‐wearing group (804 ± 145 cells/mm2) (P < 0.01). Posterior stromal keratocyte density was lower in the lens‐wearing group (514 ± 111 cells/mm2) than in the control group (628 ± 101 cells/mm2) (P < 0.05). Conclusions: These preliminary findings indicate that extended wear of hydrogel lenses reduces stromal keratocyte density. The mechanisms for this alteration may include hypoxic, cytokine‐mediated or mechanical effects.
The lens paradigm in experimental myopia: oculomotor, optical and neurophysiological considerations
Authors: Flitcroft D. I. 
Published: July 2002

SummaryThe lens‐rearing paradigm has developed great importance in the field of experimental myopia. Although an apparently simple paradigm, the results of any experiment can be influenced by a variety of factors including habitual viewing distance, ocular refraction, oculomotor performance and the spatial sensitivity of the retinal elements involved in retinal image assessment. Computer modelling has been used to evaluate the expected impact when lenses are placed in front of a primate eye as a function of the above parameters. Spatial band‐pass responses of the mechanisms responsible for emmetropisation are predicted to lead to a limited range of retinal defocus over which compensation to lenses could occur. Even assuming an equal ability to detect hyperopic and myopic defocus, it is predicted that primate eyes should be able to compensate for a much larger range of minus lenses than plus lenses. This derives from the ability of the accommodation system to keep retinal defocus within this operating range over a wider range of minus lenses than plus lenses. The range over which compensation can occur will depend on the spatial tuning of the elements responsible for detecting retinal defocus and capabilities of the accommodation system. The observed asymmetry in responses of the primate eye to rearing with plus and minus lenses and observed differences between primates and chickens in lens rearing studies may therefore be partly attributable to optical and neurophysiological considerations.
A minimal single-channel model for the regularity of beating in the sinoatrial node
Authors: Guevara Michael R. , Lewis Timothy J. 
Published: July 2002

It has been suggested that the normal irregular beating of the heart is a manifestation of deterministically chaotic dynamics. Evidence proffered in support of this hypothesis includes a 1/f-like power spectrum, a small noninteger correlation dimension, and self-similarity of the time series. The major cause of the normal fluctuations in heart rate is the impingement of several neural and hormonal control systems upon the sinoatrial node, the natural pacemaker of the heart. However, intrinsic fluctuations of beat rate can be seen in the isolated node, devoid of all neural and hormonal inputs, and even in a single cell isolated from the node. The electrical activity in such a single cell is generated by ions flowing through discrete channels in the cell membrane.
We decided to test the hypothesis that the fluctuations in beat rate in a single cell might be due to the fluctuations in the activity of this population of single channels. We thus assemble a model consisting of 6000 channels and probe its dynamics. Each channel has one or more gates, all of which must be open to allow current to flow through the channel. Since these gates are thought to open and close in a random manner, we model each gate by a Markov process, assigning a pseudorandom number to each gate every time that it changes state from open to closed or vice versa. This number, in conjunction with the classical voltage-dependent Hodgkin–Huxley-like rate constants that control the speed with which a gate will open or close, then determines when that gate will next change state. We also employ a second method that is much more efficient computationally, in which one computes the lifetime of the ensemble of 6000 channels. We show that the Monte Carlo model has behavior consistent with the hypothesis that the irregular beating seen experimentally in single nodal cells is due to the (pseudo)random opening and closing of single channels. However, since the pseudorandom number generator used in the simulations is deterministic, one cannot state that the activity in the model is random (or stochastic). Thus, it would be premature to claim that the irregularity of beating in a single nodal cell is accounted for by the stochastic behavior of a population of a few thousand single channels lying in the membrane of the cell. Finally, we consider some implications of our work for the naturally occurring in situ fluctuations in heart rate (‘‘heart rate variability’’).
Magnetic circular x-ray dichroism in Co/Pt multilayers (abstract)
Authors: Koide T. , Nakajima N. , Shidara T. , Miyauchi H. , Kawabe H. , Fukutani H. , Fujimori A. , Iio K. , Katayama T. , Suzuki Y. 
Published: July 2002

A Co/Pt multilayer is one of the most attractive candidates for next-generation high-density magneto-optical recording media. With a decreasing Co layer thickness, the direction of the easy axis of magnetization changes from in-plane to out-of-plane. We have measured core-level MCD of Co/Pt multilayers. Six Co/Pt multilayer samples were prepared which had Co layer thicknesses from 3 to 14 Å. The MCD experiments were made using circularly polarized undulator radiation.
The spectra were taken separately for the energy regions around the Co M2,3 (and Pt O3) and Pt N6,7 (and Pt O2) edges. The dichroic signals in reflectivity were recorded for two opposite directions of an external magnetic field of 2 T. We have also measured the reflectivity spectra down to 4 eV and have made Kramers–Kronig analyses to obtain the dielectric tensor. The dielectric tensor element which represents absorption MCD shows a dramatic change at the Co M2,3 edges. The MCD spectra of thinner Co-layer samples are more asymmetric than those of thicker ones. This shows that the orbital magnetic moment of Co is enhanced as the Co layer thickness decreases. The MCD spectra become sharper and narrower with a decreasing Co layer thickness. This feature strongly reflects a band narrowing of the Co 3d state at or around the Co/Pt interfaces. The MCD spectra at the Pt N6,7 edges show little dependence on the Co layer thickness. This can be explained by assuming that Pt atoms only at the interfaces are responsible for the MCD signals, since the surface density of Pt atoms is equal for all the samples. Combining the result at the Co M2,3 edges with that at the Pt N6,7 edges leads to the conclusion that perpendicular magnetic anisotropy mainly depends on the electronic structure of Co at Co/Pt interfaces and that Pt atoms at the interfaces play a partial role in magnetic anisotropy.
Solvent friction in polymer solutions and its relation to the high frequency limiting viscosity
Authors: Morris R. L. , Amelar S. , Lodge T. P. 
Published: July 2002

The rotational relaxation of the solvent Aroclor 1248 (A1248) has been examined in solutions containing either polystyrene (PS), 0≤c≤0.269 g/cc, or polybutadiene (PB), 0≤c≤0.264 g/cc, by oscillatory electric birefringence. Measurements were performed at eight temperatures from −17.31 to 25.00 °C. In all cases the normalized solvent relaxation time τ/τ0, where τ0 was the value in neat solvent, was an exponential function of concentration. For PS/A1248, ∂ ln(τ/τ0)/∂c was independent of temperature and equal to 13±1 cc/g, whereas for PB/A1248, ∂ ln(τ/τ0)/∂c increased steadily with temperature and was negative for measurement temperatures of 2.81 °C and below. These observations were qualitatively consistent with a picture of solvent clustering or ordering, which was enhanced by the addition of PS but disrupted by PB. Although some features of the data were also consistent with changes in solution free volume, as indicated by measurements of the composition-dependent glass transition temperature, such considerations were not sufficient to reconcile all the observed behavior. The ratio τ/τ0 was interpreted as representing an effective, average solvent friction function ζ̂(c,T), which could also be used to define an effective solvent viscosity, ηe(c,T)=ηs(T)⋅ζ̂(c,T). It was shown that ∂ ln ζ̂/∂c, also equivalent to an intrinsic effective viscosity [ηe], was very close in magnitude and sign to the intrinsic high frequency limiting viscosity [η′∞] for both PS/A1248 and PB/A1248. This implies that the measured values of
η∞ reflect predominantly polymer-induced changes in solvent friction. Therefore, it may not be necessary to invoke additional sources of energy dissipation, such as chain stiffness or internal viscosity, to describe the high frequency viscoelastic or oscillatory flow birefringence properties of flexible chains. Furthermore, to the extent that η′∞ reflects changes in solvent friction for any polymer/solvent system, measured values of the intrinsic viscosity [η] require reinterpretation, particularly for lower molecular weight polymers. It was also demonstrated that ζ̂(c,T), as inferred from measurements of solvent or probe diffusion in the same systems [von Meerwall, Amelar, Smeltzly, and Lodge, Macromolecules (in press)], was quite different from that reported here, indicating inter alia that the correct method for accounting for changes in local friction in polymer solutions has yet to be established.