bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Hemodynamic Reserve and High-Intensity Transient Signals in Moyamoya Disease
Authors: Horn Peter , Lanczik Oliver , Vajkoczy Peter , Daffertshofer Michael , Bueltmann Eva , Werner Axel , Schmiedek Peter , Hennerici Michael
Published: January 2005

Background: Moyamoya disease (MMD) as a rare obstructive cerebrovascular disease is assumed to present with ischemic symptoms due to hemodynamic compromise. However, alternative mechanisms, such as cerebral embolism in low-flow territories, may also contribute to clinical symptoms. The incidence of high-intensity transient signals (HITS) and the degree of hemodynamic compromise were studied in symptomatic patients with MMD. Methods: Twenty-four patients (17 female, 7 male; mean age 33 ± 13 years) with clinical symptoms attributable to cerebral ischemia and the angiographic features of MMD (21 definite form, 3 probable MMD; 22 patients ‘late stage’ MMD, 2 patients ‘early stage’ MMD) in 45 affected hemispheres were enrolled in the present study. Patients underwent parallel estimation of hemodynamic compromise by means of functional blood flow (rCBF) studies using SPECT, PET or xenon-CT and HITS detection by TCD. Results: Hemodynamic compromise was observed in 37/40 (92%) hemispheres studied. During TCD monitoring, HITS were detected in 3 patients (12.5%), with a total frequency of 3 (6.6%) in the 45 hemispheres investigated. All patients with HITS showed hemodynamic compromise in functional rCBF studies. In these patients, HITS were recorded ipsilateral to the symptomatic hemisphere. HITS occurred in late stage MMD patients only once, while both cases with early stage MMD demonstrated multiple HITS. Conclusions: The incidence of HITS in patients with MMD appears to be lower compared to patients with atherosclerotic or atherothrombotic arterial obstructions. In addition, ischemia-related symptoms in ‘late stage’ MMD seem to be caused by hemodynamic compromise in the majority of these patients.
Coagulation Factor XIII VaI34Leu Polymorphism in Patients with Small Vessel Disease or Primary Intracerebral Hemorrhage
Authors: Slowik Agnieszka , Dziedzic Tomasz , Pera Joanna , Figlewicz Denise A. , Szczudlik Andrzej
Published: January 2005

Background and Purpose: Factor (F) XIII is a transglutaminase which stabilizes fibrin clots by forming cross-links between chains of fibrin. A common Val34Leu polymorphism of FXIII is correlated with the level of activated plasma FXIII. The homozygous 34Val genotype may be associated with an increased risk for thrombosis by forming fibrin fibers more resistant to fibrinolysis. The aim of the study was to investigate the association between the FXIII Val34Leu polymorphism and the risk of ischemic stroke due to small vessel disease (SVD) or the risk of primary intracerebral hemorrhage (PICH). Methods: 66 patients with SVD stroke and 135 age- and sex-matched controls as well as 64 patients with PICH and their 127 controls were included. The FXIII Val34Leu polymorphism was genotyped using the polymerase chain reaction and restriction enzyme digestion methods. Results: The homozygous 34Val genotype was found significantly more often in patients with SVD stroke than in their controls (62 vs. 42%). On multivariate analysis, the Val/Val genotype was associated with an increased risk of SVD stroke (odds ratio: 2.1, 95% confidence interval: 1.1–3.9). The genotype distribution did not differ significantly between PICH patients and their controls (50 vs. 43%). Conclusion: Our results suggest that the Val/Val genotype of FXIII could be associated with an increased risk of SVD stroke.
Long-Term Antidepressant Treatment with Moclobemide for Aphasia in Acute Stroke Patients: A Randomised, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study
Authors: Laska A.C. , von Arbin M. , Kahan T. , Hellblom A. , Murray V.
Published: January 2005

Background and Purpose: Pharmacotherapy aimed at stroke rehabilitation through direct central nervous effects may be assumed to work in a similar way for language recovery and sensory-motor recovery. Some data suggest that antidepressant drugs could be beneficial also for functional improvement. This prompted us to investigate whether regression from aphasia after acute stroke could be enhanced by antidepressive drug therapy. Methods: We randomised 90 acute stroke patients with aphasia to either 600 mg moclobemide or placebo daily for 6 months, within 3 weeks of the onset of stroke. Aphasia was assessed prior to treatment and at 6 months, using Reinvang’s ‘Grunntest for afasi’ and the Amsterdam-Nijmegen-Everyday-Language-Test (ANELT). Result: The degree of aphasia decreased significantly at 6 months, with no difference between the moclobemide- and the placebo-treated groups. Multivariate regression analysis including treatment group, activities of daily living, aetiology of stroke, ANELT, and Reinvang’s coefficient at baseline, and neurological deficit confirmed these results. In all, 13 in the moclobemide and 10 in the placebo group stopped taking the study medication. No further change was found in the 56 aphasic patients followed up for another 6 months with no medication. Conclusions: Compared to placebo, treatment with moclobemide for 6 months did not enhance the regression of aphasia following an acute stroke.
Pharmacokinetic Advantages of Two-Hour Post-Dose Cyclosporin A Level for the Therapeutic Drug Monitoring in Stable Chinese Kidney Transplant Recipients
Authors: Leung Chi-Bon , Szeto Cheuk-Chun , Ho Chung-Shun , Law Wai-Keung , Lam Christopher Wai-Kei , Li Philip Kam-Tao
Published: January 2005

Background: Recent studies in Caucasian patients show that 2-hour post-dose cyclosporin A level (C2) monitoring has excellent correlation with the actual drug exposure and risk of rejection. However, the reliability of using C2 in stable Chinese renal transplant patients is unknown. Methods: Forty-nine stable Chinese renal transplant patients receiving microemulsion cyclosporin A (Neoral®) as part of their immunosuppressive therapy were recruited. Area under the time-concentration curve (AUC) was determined from whole blood cyclosporin A level taken at 0, 1, 2, 4 and 6 h post-dose at time 0 month. Cyclosporin A levels were repeated at 0, 1 and 2 h post-dose at 1 and 2 months later to determine the intra-individual variation at these specific time points. Results: The average duration of transplantation was 77 ± 42 months, with average daily cyclosporin dosage of 200 ± 43 mg in two divided doses. AUC has excellent correlations with cyclosporin A level at 1 h (C1) and 2 h (C2) (r = 0.81 and 0.82 respectively, p < 0.001 for both). The correlation between AUC and trough cyclosporin A level (C0) was statistically significant but only modest (r = 0.52, p < 0.001). On the other hand, the intra-individual coefficient of variation (CVw) of C1 was significantly larger than that of C2 (34.4 ± 24.2 vs. 15.9 ± 8.3%, p < 0.0001). Conclusion: We conclude that C2 level has favorable pharmacokinetic properties for therapeutic drug monitoring in stable Chinese transplant recipients. Both C1 and C2 have excellent correlation with AUC, but the intra-individual variability of C2 is much lower than that of C1.
Mortality of Multiple Sclerosis in Spain: Demonstration of a North-South Gradient
Authors: Llorca Javier , Guerrero Paula , Prieto-Salceda Dolores , Dierssen-Sotos Trinidad
Published: January 2005

Objective: To analyse the geographical distribution of multiple sclerosis in Spain from 1975 to 1998. Methods: Age-adjusted mortality rates by province were obtained by the indirect method using the whole Spanish population as the reference. Then, standardised mortality ratios (SMRs) and their 95% confidence intervals were estimated. Results: For both men and women, provinces with SMRs higher than the mean tended to be in the northern third of Spain, whilst those with SMRs lower than the mean were mostly located in the southern half. A linear regression analysis showed a significant positive association between mortality and latitude. Conclusion: A north-south gradient in age-adjusted multiple sclerosis mortality exists in Spain.
Estimating the Occurrence of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis among Gulf War (1990–1991) Veterans Using Capture-Recapture Methods
Authors: Coffman Cynthia J. , Horner Ronnie D. , Grambow Steven C. , Lindquist Jennifer
Published: January 2005

Objective: Using data from a recent report that indicated a 2-fold higher risk of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) among veterans of the 1991 Gulf War, we applied capture-recapture methodology to estimate possible under-ascertainment of ALS cases among deployed and non-deployed military personnel who were on active duty during that war. Study Design and Setting: One of the most serious concerns facing field epidemiological investigations is that of case ascertainment bias, particularly when it is differential among the study groups. Capture-recapture methods, however, have promise as an approach to assessing the impact of case ascertainment bias in such studies. To overcome potential limitations of any one approach, three different estimation methods were used: log-linear models, sample coverage, and ecological models, to obtain a comprehensive view of under-ascertainment bias in these populations. Results: All three approaches indicated differential undercount of ALS cases with modest under-ascertainment likely to have occurred among non-deployed military personnel, but little under-ascertainment among the deployed. After correcting the rates for under-ascertainment, the age-adjusted risk of ALS remained elevated among military personnel who had been deployed to S.W. Asia during the 1991 Gulf War, confirming the earlier report. Conclusions: Capture-recapture methods are a useful approach to assessing the magnitude of case ascertainment bias in epidemiological studies from which ascertainment-adjusted estimates of rates and relative risks can be calculated.
Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis Associated with Mushroom Worker’s Lung: An Update on the Clinical Significance of the Importation of Exotic Mushroom Varieties
Authors: Moore John E. , Convery Rory P. , Millar B. Cherie , Rao Juluri R. , Elborn J. Stuart
Published: January 2005

Hypersensitivity pneumonitis remains an important industrial disease in mushroom workers. It has a significant morbidity, and early diagnosis and removal from exposure to the antigen are critically important in its management. Recently, several new allergens have been described, particularly those from mushroom species originating in the Far East, which are of clinical significance to workers occupationally exposed to such allergens in cultivation, picking, and packing of commercial mushroom crops. Importing of exotic mushrooms including Shiitake is common in EU countries, and some of the exotic species of mushrooms are cultivated for local markets. This practice may contribute to an increase in clinical cases of mushroom hypersensitivity pneumonitis. This update reviews the recent literature and examines changing trends of mushroom worker’s lung, with increased movement of commercial product and labour markets worldwide.
Anaphylactic Reaction to Inulin: First Identification of Specific IgEs to an Inulin Protein Compound
Authors: Franck P. , Moneret-Vautrin D.A. , Morisset M. , Kanny G. , Mégret-Gabeaux M.L. , Olivier J.L.
Published: January 2005

Background: A woman with a past history of allergy to artichoke presented with two episodes of immediate allergic reactions, one of which was a severe anaphylactic shock after eating two types of health foods containing inulin. Results: Dot blot assay techniques identified specific IgEs to artichoke, to yoghurt F, and to a heated BSA + inulin product. Dot blot inhibition techniques confirmed the anti-inulin specificity of specific IgE. Conclusions: The absence of a positive reaction to an unheated milk-inulin mixture indicates the probability of protein-inulin binding. There is no cross-reactivity with the carbohydrates of the glycosylated allergens.
Wine Anaphylaxis in a German Patient: IgE-Mediated Allergy against a Lipid Transfer Protein of Grapes
Authors: Schäd Susanne G. , Trcka Jiri , Vieths Stefan , Scheurer Stephan , Conti Amedeo , Bröcker Eva-B. , Trautmann Axel
Published: January 2005

Background: IgE-mediated allergy to grapes has very rarely been reported in patients from the Mediterranean area. Recently, endochitinase 4 and a lipid transfer protein (LTP) have been identified as major allergens in grape-allergic patients who do not have an associated pollinosis. The purpose of this case study was to identify the allergens responsible for severe anaphylactic reactions after consumption of wine, fresh grapes and raisins in a German patient. Methods: Prick-to-prick tests and the basophil activation test (BAT) were performed to confirm allergy. Specific IgE was further analyzed by immunoblotting and inhibition tests for the determination of crossreactivity. The IgE-binding protein was subjected to N-terminal microsequencing. Results: Prick-to-prick tests were positive to fresh and cooked white and blue grapes, to raisins, to white and red wine, and to grape extract. Specific IgE against grapes (f259) was 2.43 kU/l (class 2). The BAT showed specific IgE-mediated activation of basophils after stimulation with grape extract. IgE binding to a 15-kDa protein was completely inhibited by pre-incubation with recombinant cherry LTP Pru av 3. N-terminal sequencing identified this 15-kDa protein as grape LTP Vit v 1. Conclusion: Our data show that sensitization to LTP can occur outside the Mediterranean area causing severe fruit allergy without association to pollinosis.
Additional Features of Beta-Blockers
Authors: Stoschitzky Kurt
Published: January 2005

The predominant action of β-blockers is their inhibition of the stimulating effects of adrenaline and noradrenaline on sympathetic β-adrenoceptors. In this context, they are particularly useful in the treatment of arterial hypertension, coronary artery disease, myocardial infarction, tachyarrhythmias and heart failure. However, a number of β-blockers also exert additional effects independent from the inhibition of β-receptors: nebivolol causes NO-derived vasodilation, carvedilol also inhibits sympathetic α-receptors, sotalol shows additional antiarrhythmic class III effects, and propranolol inhibits the conversion of thyroxine to triiodothyronine and shows slight antiarrhythmic class I effects. In addition, β-blockers may be used in the treatment of other diseases such as hyperthyroidism, migraine, essential tremor, portal hypertension, hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy and aortic dissection. As a special feature, most β-blockers are taken up into, stored in and released from adrenergic cells together with adrenaline and noradrenaline. Consequently, plasma concentrations of these drugs are markedly increased during exercise together with those of adrenaline and noradrenaline and remaining β-blocking effects long after the withdrawal of chronic administration of β-blockers, even when they are no longer detectable in plasma. Furthermore, except for nebivolol and carvedilol, all β-blockers investigated in this context inhibit the nocturnal production and release of melatonin. Finally, all β-blockers currently used in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases are racemic mixtures consisting of (R)- and (S)-enantiomers in a fixed 1:1 ratio although they may show different pharmacokinetics, and only the (S)-enantiomers cause β-blockade whereas the (R)-forms do not contribute to this effect but may increase side effects and drug interactions. Thus, β-blockers may exert a number of interesting features in addition to their well-known effects on cardiac β-adrenoceptors.
Self-Expanding Coronary Stent (Radius) Implantation with Cutting Balloon Angioplasty
Authors: Lee Sang Hak , Choi Seung-Hyuk , Ko Young-Guk , Choi Donghoon , Jang Yangsoo , Shim Won-Heum
Published: January 2005

To evaluate the effect of cutting balloon (CB) angioplasty on the outcome of self-expanding coronary stent implantation, we compared the results of Radius stent implantation using two predilation strategies. Seventy de novo lesions in 70 patients (60 men) were included in the study. Stenting was performed after conventional angioplasty (n = 38, group 1) or CB angioplasty (n = 32, group 2). In-stent restenosis (ISR) rates of each group were 39 and 10% at 6-month follow-up (p = 0.02). Major adverse cardiac events occurred in 20 and 11%, respectively (p = 0.25). Multivariate analysis revealed that ISR was predicted only by lesion length ≧20 mm. In conclusion, CB angioplasty did not reduce ISR after Radius stent implantation, when other independent risk factors, such as lesion length, were taken into consideration.
Metabolic Syndrome in a Screened Worksite Sample: Prevalence and Predictors
Authors: Godefroi Robert , Klementowicz Peter , Pepler Catherine , Lewis Barbara , McDonough Kenneth , Goldberg Robert J.
Published: January 2005

Relatively limited contemporary information is available about the magnitude of, and factors associated with, the metabolic syndrome in adult men and women. The purpose of our observational study was to describe the prevalence and predictors of the metabolic syndrome in a sample of employed adults attending a worksite cardiovascular screening program. The study sample consisted of 871 men and women between the ages of 21 and 77 years from 6 locations of the parent company. These individuals attended an employer-sponsored cardiovascular screening and wellness program during 2003. A standardized questionnaire was administered to all study participants and a number of different coronary risk factors were measured. Approximately 27% of the study sample was classified as having the metabolic syndrome. Men, persons with a history of hypertension, heart disease, or stroke, sedentary individuals, and those with an increased heart rate and higher levels of C-reactive protein were associated with presence of the metabolic syndrome. A relatively similar risk factor profile was noted in persons without a self-reported history of prior cardiovascular disease. The results of our cross-sectional observational study suggest that the prevalence of the metabolic syndrome is considerable. A number of demographic, comorbid, and other factors are associated with this syndrome. Increased attention to the metabolic syndrome, and modification of predisposing factors, remains of considerable public health and clinical importance.
Mitochondrial Dysfunction as an Initiating Event in Atherogenesis: A Plausible Hypothesis
Authors: Puddu Paolo , Puddu Giovanni M. , Galletti Livia , Cravero Eleonora , Muscari Antonio
Published: January 2005

It is now widely accepted that oxidant stress and the ensuing endothelial dysfunction play a key role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases. The mitochondrial respiratory chain is the major source of reactive oxygen species as byproducts of normal cell respiration. Mitochondria may also be important targets for reactive oxygen species, which may damage mitochondrial lipids, enzymes and DNA with following mitochondrial dysfunction. Free cholesterol, oxidized low-density lipoprotein and glycated high-density lipoprotein are further possible causes of mitochondrial dysfunction and/or apoptosis. Moreover, in patients with mitochondrial diseases, vascular complications are commonly observed at an early age, often in the absence of traditional risk factors for atherosclerosis. We propose that mitochondrial dysfunction, besides endothelial dysfunction, represents an important early step in the chain of events leading to atherosclerotic disease.
A New ex vivo Model to Study Venous Angiogenesis and Arterio-Venous Anastomosis Formation
Authors: Nicosia Roberto F. , Zhu Wen-Hui , Fogel Eric , Howson Karen M. , Aplin Alfred C.
Published: January 2005

Explants of rat inferior vena cava embedded in collagen gel and cultured under serum-free conditions produced microvascular outgrowths composed of endothelial cells and pericytes. Exogenous vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) dose-dependently stimulated angiogenesis and induced the formation of complex networks of highly branched microvessels. VEGF and the VEGF/bFGF combination also promoted pericyte recruitment. Medium conditioned by untreated vena cava cultures contained endogenous VEGF, and a blocking antibody against VEGF significantly reduced the spontaneous angiogenic response of the explants. Vena cava explants exhibited a greater capacity to form neovessels than aortic rings when tested in parallel cultures from the same animal. When compared with aorta-derived microvessels, neovessels of vena cava origin were longer and had fewer pericytes. Vena cava-aorta cocultures produced extensive anastomosing networks of microvessels, which were primarily contributed by the venous explants. Because of its florid angiogenesis and exquisite sensitivity to angiogenic factor stimulation, the vena cava model may provide novel insights into the regulation of the angiogenic process, which typically initiates from the venous side of the vascular bed. Combined with the aortic ring model, this new assay may also enhance our understanding of the mechanisms of anastomosis formation between the arterial and the venous circulations.
Structural Identification of Oxidized Acyl-Phosphatidylcholines That Induce Platelet Activation
Authors: Göpfert Matthias S. , Siedler Frank , Siess Wolfgang , Sellmayer Alois
Published: January 2005

Oxidation of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) generates proinflammatory and prothrombotic mediators that may play a crucial role in cardiovascular and inflammatory diseases. In order to study platelet-activating components of oxidized LDL 1-stearoyl-2-arachidonoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine, a representative of the major phospholipid species in LDL, the 1-acyl-phosphatidylcholines (PC), was oxidized by CuCl2 and H2O2. After separation by high-performance liquid chromatography, three compounds were detected which induced platelet shape change at low micromolar concentrations. Platelet activation by these compounds was distinct from the pathways stimulated by platelet-activating factor, lyso-phosphatidic acid, lyso-PC and thromboxane A2, as evidenced by the use of specific receptor antagonists. Further analyses of the oxidized phospholipids by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry structurally identified them as 1-stearoyl-2-azelaoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (m/z 694; SAzPC), 1-stearoyl-2-glutaroyl-sn- glycero-3-phosphocholine (m/z 638; SGPC), and 1-stearoyl-2-(5-oxovaleroyl)-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (m/z 622; SOVPC). These observations demonstrate that novel 1-acyl-PC which had previously been found to stimulate interaction of monocytes with endothelial cells also induce platelet activation, a central step in acute thrombogenic and atherogenic processes.
Delayed Diagnosis and Lower Resection Rate of Adenocarcinoma of the Distal Duodenum
Authors: Stell D. , Mayer D. , Mirza D. , Buckels J.
Published: January 2005

Background: Carcinoma of the duodenum is a rare disease that can present with varied symptoms and is often misdiagnosed. Prolonged survival following resection of the primary tumour is possible, whilst irresectable disease has a very poor prognosis. The factors determining resectability of the primary tumour have not been addressed. Aims: We reviewed 45 consecutive cases of duodenal carcinoma to investigate factors which influence the operative outcome of patients with this condition. Patients and Methods: Details of symptoms, diagnoses, surgical procedures and pathology were retrieved from patient records. There were 29 male and 16 female patients aged 24–79 years (median = 64 years). Results: The frequency of tumours in the proximal and distal duodenum was 27 and 18. Failure to diagnose the tumours at endoscopy occurred in 10 of 27 tumours of the proximal duodenum and 15 of 18 tumours of the distal duodenum. The duration of symptoms prior to diagnosis was correspondingly longer for tumours in the distal duodenum (20 weeks) than the proximal duodenum (12 weeks). Of 27 patients with tumours in the proximal duodenum, 18 underwent a potentially curative resection, whereas only 6 of the 18 tumours in the distal duodenum were resectable with curative intent. The reasons for irresectability of lesions in the distal duodenum included malignant lymphadenopathy affecting the small bowel mesentery in ten cases, which was not noted in any patient with adenocarcinoma of the proximal duodenum. Conclusions: Our results suggest that lesions of the distal duodenum are inadequately investigated by endoscopy, and that distal duodenal tumours are less curable by resectional surgery due to invasion of the small bowel mesentery.
Molecular mechanisms of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)
Authors: Groneberg David A , Hilgenfeld Rolf , Zabel Peter
Published: January 2005

Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is a new infectious disease caused by a novel coronavirus that leads to deleterious pulmonary pathological features. Due to its high morbidity and mortality and widespread occurrence, SARS has evolved as an important respiratory disease which may be encountered everywhere in the world. The virus was identified as the causative agent of SARS due to the efforts of a WHO-led laboratory network. The potential mutability of the SARS-CoV genome may lead to new SARS outbreaks and several regions of the viral genomes open reading frames have been identified which may contribute to the severe virulence of the virus. With regard to the pathogenesis of SARS, several mechanisms involving both direct effects on target cells and indirect effects via the immune system may exist. Vaccination would offer the most attractive approach to prevent new epidemics of SARS, but the development of vaccines is difficult due to missing data on the role of immune system-virus interactions and the potential mutability of the virus. Even in a situation of no new infections, SARS remains a major health hazard, as new epidemics may arise. Therefore, further experimental and clinical research is required to control the disease.
The effect of IL-13 and IL-13R130Q, a naturally occurring IL-13 polymorphism, on the gene expression of human airway smooth muscle cells
Authors: Syed Farhat , Panettieri Reynold A , Tliba Omar , Huang Chris , Li Katherine , Bracht Michelle , Amegadzie Bernard , Griswold Don , Li Li , Amrani Yassine
Published: January 2005

Background

Growing evidence shows that interleukin 13 (IL-13) may play an essential role in the development of airway inflammation and bronchial hyper-responsiveness (BHR), two defining features of asthma. Although the underlying mechanisms remain unknown, a number of reports have shown that IL-13 may exert its deleterious effects in asthma by directly acting on airway resident cells, including epithelial cells and airway smooth muscle cells. In this report, we hypothesize that IL-13 may participate in the pathogenesis of asthma by activating a set of "pro-asthmatic" genes in airway smooth muscle (ASM) cells.

Methods

Microarray technology was used to study the modulation of gene expression of airway smooth muscle by IL-13 and IL-13R130Q. TaqMan™ Real Time PCR and flow cytometry was used to validate the gene array data.

Results

IL-13 and the IL-13 polymorphism IL-13R130Q (Arg130Gln), recently associated with allergic asthma, seem to modulate the same set of genes, which encode many potentially interesting proteins including vascular cellular adhesion molecule (VCAM)-1, IL-13Rα2, Tenascin C and Histamine Receptor H1, that may be relevant for the pathogenesis of asthma.

Conclusions

The data supports the hypothesis that gene modulation by IL-13 in ASM may be essential for the events leading to the development of allergic asthma.
MILANO – custom annotation of microarray results using automatic literature searches
Authors: Rubinstein Ran , Simon Itamar
Published: January 2005

Background

High-throughput genomic research tools are becoming standard in the biologist's toolbox. After processing the genomic data with one of the many available statistical algorithms to identify statistically significant genes, these genes need to be further analyzed for biological significance in light of all the existing knowledge. Literature mining – the process of representing literature data in a fashion that is easy to relate to genomic data – is one solution to this problem.

Results

We present a web-based tool, MILANO (Microarray Literature-based Annotation), that allows annotation of lists of genes derived from microarray results by user defined terms. Our annotation strategy is based on counting the number of literature co-occurrences of each gene on the list with a user defined term. This strategy allows the customization of the annotation procedure and thus overcomes one of the major limitations of the functional annotations usually provided with microarray results. MILANO expands the gene names to include all their informative synonyms while filtering out gene symbols that are likely to be less informative as literature searching terms. MILANO supports searching two literature databases: GeneRIF and Medline (through PubMed), allowing retrieval of both quick and comprehensive results. We demonstrate MILANO's ability to improve microarray analysis by analyzing a list of 150 genes that were affected by p53 overproduction. This analysis reveals that MILANO enables immediate identification of known p53 target genes on this list and assists in sorting the list into genes known to be involved in p53 related pathways, apoptosis and cell cycle arrest.

Conclusions

MILANO provides a useful tool for the automatic custom annotation of microarray results which is based on all the available literature. MILANO has two major advances over similar tools: the ability to expand gene names to include all their informative synonyms while removing synonyms that are not informative and access to the GeneRIF database which provides short summaries of curated articles relevant to known genes. MILANO is available at http://milano.md.huji.ac.il.
A7DB: a relational database for mutational, physiological and pharmacological data related to the α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor
Authors: Buckingham Steven D , Pym Luanda , Jones Andrew K , Brown Laurence , Sansom Mark SP , Sattelle David B , Biggin Philip C
Published: January 2005

Background

Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) are pentameric proteins that are important drug targets for a variety of diseases including Alzheimer's, schizophrenia and various forms of epilepsy. One of the most intensively studied nAChR subunits in recent years has been α7. This subunit can form functional homomeric pentamers (α7)5, which can make interpretation of physiological and structural data much simpler. The growing amount of structural, pharmacological and physiological data for these receptors indicates the need for a dedicated and accurate database to provide a means to access this information in a coherent manner.

Description

A7DB http://www.lgics.org/a7db/ is a new relational database of manually curated experimental physiological data associated with the α7 nAChR. It aims to store as much of the pharmacology, physiology and structural data pertaining to the α7 nAChR. The data is accessed via web interface that allows a user to search the data in multiple ways: 1) a simple text query 2) an incremental query builder 3) an interactive query builder and 4) a file-based uploadable query. It currently holds more than 460 separately reported experiments on over 85 mutations.

Conclusions

A7DB will be a useful tool to molecular biologists and bioinformaticians not only working on the α7 receptor family of proteins but also in the more general context of nicotinic receptor modelling. Furthermore it sets a precedent for expansion with the inclusion of all nicotinic receptor families and eventually all cys-loop receptor families.
Public appraisal of government efforts and participation intent in medico-ethical policymaking in Japan: a large scale national survey concerning brain death and organ transplant
Authors: Sato Hajime , Akabayashi Akira , Kai Ichiro
Published: January 2005

Background

Public satisfaction with policy process influences the legitimacy and acceptance of policies, and conditions the future political process, especially when contending ethical value judgments are involved. On the other hand, public involvement is required if effective policy is to be developed and accepted.

Methods

Using the data from a large-scale national opinion survey, this study evaluates public appraisal of past government efforts to legalize organ transplant from brain-dead bodies in Japan, and examines the public's intent to participate in future policy.

Results

A relatively large percentage of people became aware of the issue when government actions were initiated, and many increasingly formed their own opinions on the policy in question. However, a significant number (43.3%) remained unaware of any legislative efforts, and only 26.3% of those who were aware provided positive appraisals of the policymaking process. Furthermore, a majority of respondents (61.8%) indicated unwillingness to participate in future policy discussions of bioethical issues. Multivariate analysis revealed the following factors are associated with positive appraisals of policy development: greater age; earlier opinion formation; and familiarity with donor cards. Factors associated with likelihood of future participation in policy discussion include younger age, earlier attention to the issue, and knowledge of past government efforts. Those unwilling to participate cited as their reasons that experts are more knowledgeable and that the issues are too complex.

Conclusions

Results of an opinion survey in Japan were presented, and a set of factors statistically associated with them were discussed. Further efforts to improve policy making process on bioethical issues are desirable.
Examination of Cholesterol oxidase attachment to magnetic nanoparticles
Authors: Kouassi Gilles K , Irudayaraj Joseph , McCarty Gregory
Published: January 2005

Magnetic nanoparticles (Fe3O4) were synthesized by thermal co-precipitation of ferric and ferrous chlorides. The sizes and structure of the particles were characterized using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The size of the particles was in the range between 9.7 and 56.4 nm. Cholesterol oxidase (CHO) was successfully bound to the particles via carbodiimide activation. FTIR spectroscopy was used to confirm the binding of CHO to the particles. The binding efficiency was between 98 and 100% irrespective of the amount of particles used. Kinetic studies of the free and bound CHO revealed that the stability and activity of the enzyme were significantly improved upon binding to the nanoparticles. Furthermore, the bound enzyme exhibited a better tolerance to pH, temperature and substrate concentration. The activation energy for free and bound CHO was 13.6 and 9.3 kJ/mol, respectively. This indicated that the energy barrier of CHO activity was reduced upon binding onto Fe3O4 nanoparticles. The improvements observed in activity, stability, and functionality of CHO resulted from structural and conformational changes of the bound enzyme. The study indicates that the stability and activity of CHO could be enhanced via attachment to magnetic nanoparticles and subsequently will contribute to better uses of this enzyme in various biological and clinical applications.
Developmentally programmed remodeling of theDrosophilaolfactory circuit
Authors: Marin Elizabeth C. , Watts Ryan J. , Tanaka Nobuaki K. , Ito Kei , Luo Liqun
Published: January 2005

Neural circuits are often remodeled after initial connections are established. The mechanisms by which remodeling occurs, in particular whether and how synaptically connected neurons coordinate their reorganization, are poorly understood. In Drosophila, olfactory projection neurons (PNs)receive input by synapsing with olfactory receptor neurons in the antennal lobe and relay information to the mushroom body (MB) calyx and lateral horn. Here we show that embryonic-born PNs participate in both the larval and adult olfactory circuits. In the larva, these neurons generally innervate a single glomerulus in the antennal lobe and one or two glomerulus-like substructures in the MB calyx. They persist in the adult olfactory circuit and are prespecified by birth order to innervate a subset of glomeruli distinct from larval-born PNs. Developmental studies indicate that these neurons undergo stereotyped pruning of their dendrites and axon terminal branches locally during early metamorphosis. Electron microscopy analysis reveals that these PNs synapse with MB γ neurons in the larval calyx and that these synaptic profiles are engulfed by glia during early metamorphosis. As with MBγ neurons, PN pruning requires cell-autonomous reception of the nuclear hormone ecdysone. Thus, these synaptic partners are independently programmed to prune their dendrites and axons.
Wnt1 regulates neurogenesis and mediates lateral inhibition of boundary cell specification in the zebrafish hindbrain
Authors: Amoyel Marc , Cheng Yi-Chuan , Jiang Yun-Jin , Wilkinson David G.
Published: January 2005

The formation of localised signalling centres is essential for patterning of a number of tissues during development. Previous work has revealed that a distinct population of boundary cells forms at the interface of segments in the vertebrate hindbrain, but the role of these cells is not known. We have investigated the function of the Wnt1 signalling molecule that is expressed by boundary and roof plate cells in the zebrafish hindbrain. Knockdown of wnt1 or of tcf3b, a mediator of Wnt signalling, leads to ectopic expression of boundary cell markers, rfng and foxb1.2, in non-boundary regions of the hindbrain. Ectopic boundary marker expression also occurs following knockdown of rfng, a modulator of Notch signalling required for wnt1 expression at hindbrain boundaries. We show that the boundary and roof plate expression of wnt1 each contribute to upregulation of proneural and deltagene expression and neurogenesis in non-boundary regions, which in turn blocks ectopic boundary marker expression. Boundary cells therefore play a key role in the regulation of cell differentiation in the zebrafish hindbrain. The network of genes underlying the regulation of neurogenesis and lateral inhibition of boundary cell formation by Wnt1 has a striking similarity to mechanisms at the dorsoventral boundary in the Drosophila wing imaginal disc.
Lineage analysis of the avian dermomyotome sheet reveals the existence of single cells with both dermal and muscle progenitor fates
Authors: Ben-Yair Raz , Kalcheim Chaya
Published: January 2005

The dermomyotome develops into myotome and dermis. We previously showed that overall growth of the dermomyotome and myotome in the mediolateral direction occurs in a uniform pattern. While myofibers arise from all four dermomyotome lips, the dermis derives from both medial and lateral halves of the dermomyotome sheet. Here we mapped the fate of this epithelial sheet by analyzing cell types that arise from its central region. We found that these precursors give rise not only to dermis, as expected, but also to a population of proliferating progenitors in the myotome that maintain expression of PAX7,PAX3 and FREK. Given this dual fate, we asked whether single dermomyotome precursors generate both dermal and mitotic myoblast precursors, or alternatively, whether these cell types derive from distinct epithelial founders. Inovo clonal analysis revealed that single dermomyotome progenitors give rise to both derivatives. This is associated with a sharp change in the plane of cell division from the young epithelium, in which symmetrical divisions occur parallel to the mediolateral plane of the dermomyotome, to the dissociating dermomyotome, in which cell divisions become mostly perpendicular. Taken together with clonal analysis of the dermomyotome sheet,this suggests that a first stage of progenitor self-renewal, accounting for dermomyotomal expansion, is followed by fate segregation, which correlates with the observed shift in mitotic spindle orientation.
Lysophosphatidic acid signaling controls cortical actin assembly and cytoarchitecture in Xenopus embryos
Authors: Lloyd Brett , Tao QingHua , Lang Stephanie , Wylie Chris
Published: January 2005

The mechanisms that control shape and rigidity of early embryos are not well understood, and yet are required for all embryonic processes to take place. In the Xenopus blastula, the cortical actin network in each blastomere is required for the maintenance of overall embryonic shape and rigidity. However, the mechanism whereby each cell assembles the appropriate pattern and number of actin filament bundles is not known. The existence of a similar network in each blastomere suggests two possibilities: cell-autonomous inheritance of instructions from the egg; or mutual intercellular signaling mediated by cell contact or diffusible signals. We show that intercellular signaling is required for the correct pattern of cortical actin assembly in Xenopus embryos, and that lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) and its receptors, corresponding to LPA1 and LPA2 in mammals,are both necessary and sufficient for this function.
Assessment of Large-Scale Action Plans to Reduce External Background Noise in School Buildings
Authors: Maffei Luigi , Dragonetti Raffaele , Lembo Paola , Romano Rosario
Published: January 2005

In this paper the authors report on a simplified procedure, developed in a Geographical Information System (GIS) environment, for the localization of school buildings characterized by high indoor background noise levels due to the outside noise sources. The noise sources include road, rail, and air traffic and other human activities (playgrounds, commercial activities, etc). Starting with the knowledge of noise pollution levels in the urban areas where the educational premises are sited, indoor background noise levels are obtained by adding two corrective terms; the first term takes into account for road configuration sound attenuation and the second one for façade sound insulation. For each educational building, a priority index is assigned on the basis of fixed objective parameters. The developed procedure has been applied to case studies of school buildings in Naples. The procedure promises a practical, low cost tool for municipal administrations to assess critical educational buildings and to plan noise reduction measures.
Anti‐Anti‐Multiculturalism
Authors: Eller Jack David
Published: January 2005

In the tradition of Geertz's "Anti Anti‐Relativism," this essay analyzes the clash between multiculturalists and anti‐multiculturalists as an exchange of worries and warnings about the dangers inherent in the other ism. It then contrasts the concept of culture as employed by anthropologists and by multiculturalists. Finally, it arrives at the conclusion that, while we as anthropologists should not fully embrace multiculturalism, we should reject anti‐multiculturalism.
Conklin, Joyce, and the Wannaknów
Authors: McDermott Ray
Published: January 2005

Verbal play among the Hanunóo of Mindoro is surprisingly similar to that practiced by the Dubliners of Ireland. The similarity invites a comparison of the work habits of their scribes: the ethnographer Harold Conklin and the novelist James Joyce. A Joycean version of an ethnography of the Wannaknow is presented as a textual focus for the comparison.
Conquests of the Imagination: Maya‐Mexican Polarity and the Story of Chichén Itzá
Authors: Jones Lindsay
Published: January 2005

For generations scholars have explained the marked difference in the ruins of Chichén Itzá by attributing the southern buildings to indigenous Yucatecan Maya and then telling of central Mexican Toltec invaders who built (or forced the Maya to build) the Tula‐like plaza to the north. But evidence now suggests that the infamous "Toltec conquest of the Maya" never happened. The story may actually be the manifestation of a Western tendency to express ambivalent attitudes toward Native Americans in terms of polar opposites, in this case, "gentle Maya priests" versus "brutal Mexican warriors." In the end, the story may reveal more about the Western politics of knowledge than about pre‐Columbian Mesoamerican history.
The Shifting Now: Aspect, Deixis, and Narrative in Classic Maya Texts
Authors: Houston Stephen D.
Published: January 2005

Abundant and complex, Maya hieroglyphic texts serve as a crucial resource for understanding pre‐Columbian narrative. This essay documents and discusses the discursive structure of Maya texts. New evidence on glyphic aspect and deixis show the presence of a "shifting now" or "alternating historical incompletive" in Classic narratives. There were two possible motivations for this pattern: to sequence events and establish textual boundaries between incompletive events and, more speculatively, to provide performance cues from hieroglyphic inscriptions.
Prophecy and the Performance of Metaphor
Authors: Csordas Thomas J.
Published: January 2005

In 1975 the movement known as the Catholic Charismatic Renewal held its annual conference in Rome for the first time. In this symbolically charged setting, "prophecy" was uttered by prophets from The Word of God, the largest and most highly organized of charismatic covenant communities. These Rome prophecies were deemed a direct message from God and revealed that the role of the Charismatic Renewal was to protect the church. The prominent metaphor in subsequent prophetic utterances was that of the alliance of covenant communities as a "bulwark" for the church against the apocalyptic onslaught of the forces of darkness.
Indexical Speech across Samoan Communities
Authors: Duranti Alessandro
Published: January 2005

By extending the work of linguistic anthropologists on indexicality to transnational communities, this article shows how a simple instruction to "sit down" can be a way of making physically distant worlds emotionally and ethically close. Comparison of the use and context of this expression among Samoan speakers in two communities, a Western Samoan village and a suburban neighborhood in southern California, illustrates the power of language to bridge the gap. "Talking space" is at the same time a socialization strategy to teach children proper ways of behaving in front of adults and an attempt to provide cultural and socioethical continuity despite the distance between the islands from which immigrant Samoans come and the new environment in which they live and raise their children.
"The City Is My Mother": Narratives of Schizophrenia and Homelessness
Authors: Lovell Anne M.
Published: January 2005

Recent narrative analysis in medical anthropology provides keys to both the personal meaning of illness and the historical, cultural, and institutional shaping of that experience. Yet Western psychiatric thinking and practice continue to view schizophrenic discourse as closed to interpretation. Caught in this "closed text," the self would seem obliterated. But using narratives of schizophrenia and homelessness, this essay proposes a different understanding of schizophrenic alterity. The openness of the text‐as‐experience is re‐created collectively, from outside the subject's narration: the subject's "self is construction through the added perspectives of his or her interlocutors in the role of storymakers.
Intersections of Local and Global Processes in African Communities: On Multivocality and Context
Authors: De Jorio Rosa
Published: January 2005

Taxi to Timbuktu. 1994. 50 minutes. Directed by Christopher Walker. Produced by Faction Films. First Run/Icarus Films, 153 Waverly Place, New York, NY 10014. (212) 727‐1711. Available in video.

Have. Problem, Madam. 1995. 59 minutes. Directed by Maarten Schmidt and Thomas Doebele. Produced by Bernard Neuhaus. First Run/Icarus Films, 153 Waverly Place, New York, NY 10014. (212) 727‐1711. Available in video and 16 mm.
Archaeology in the Soviet Bloc
Authors: Milisauskas Sarunas
Published: January 2005

Whither Archaeology? Papers in Honour of Evžen Neustupný. Martin Kuna and Natalie Venclová. eds. Prague: Institute of Archaeology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, 1995. 312 pp.