bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Novel 29 kDa heparin‐binding lectin from human foetal brain
Authors: Basu S. , Gupta G. , Chowdhury G. , Mahajan R.G. 
Published: July 2002

AbstractHeparin inhibitable lectins are physiologically important because of their interactions with extracellular matrix and with other cell surface glycoconjugates. However, due to the unstable nature of these animal lectins, it becomes necessary to purify them in the shortest possible time. In the present study, a chromatographic procedure was developed to separate heparin inhibitable lectin activity.Lectin activities from human foetal brain were separated on a Q‐Sepharose column employing different equilibration conditions. When proteins were loaded on to a phosphate‐buffered saline (PBS) equilibrated column and eluted with salt gradient, only one lectin peak was obtained. However, when proteins were loaded on to a hypotonic equilibrated column and eluted with a salt gradient, four lectin peaks were obtained.The lectin peak obtained from the PBS equilibrated column was characterized as heparin inhibitable lectin. On SDS–PAGE analysis, it gave a single band of 29 kDa. For optimum lectin activity, a pH of around 7.0 was required. Lectin activity was stimulated by Mn++; amino acid composition was different from other known lectins. The lectin was particularly rich in acidic amino acids.Regional distribution of 29 kDa lectin in different foetal brain regions gave the highest content in the cerebral cortex, showing a caudoroastral distribution. Determination of the subcellular distribution of the lectin in the foetal cerebral cortex gave the highest value with a mitochondrial fraction.
Developmentally regulated release of intraretinal neurotrophic factors in vitro
Authors: Arv‐Pires R. , Nakatani M. , Rehen S.K. , Linden R. 
Published: July 2002

AbstractThe effects of conditioned media either from aggregates or from explants of embryonic chick retinae and of recombinant neurotrophins were tested upon the survival in vitro of ganglion cells in dissociated cell cultures from the retina of newborn rats. Ganglion cells were identified by the detection of retrogradely transported horseradish peroxidase injected bilaterally into the superior colliculus. Conditioned media increased significantly the survival of ganglion cells after 2 days in culture, at a wide range of plating densities, and had no effect upon adhesion of rat retinal cells. Media conditioned by cell ensembles from chick retinae from embryonic day 8 (E8) to E16 had neurotrophic effects. Release of neurotrophic activity peaked at E10‐E12, irrespective of the numbers of cells or total concentration of protein in the conditioned media. The active molecules were non‐dialyzable and were released either in the presence or in the absence of fetal calf serum. The neurotrophic activity was abolished by trypsinization, and recovered by salting‐out with 25–75% ammonium sulfate. NT‐4, BDNF and, to a lesser extent, NT‐3, increased the survival of ganglion cells in our assay, while NGF had no effect. The data show that chick retinal cells release soluble trophic proteins according to a developmentally regulated pattern. These neurotrophic factors may be involved in local competitive interactions that help control naturally occurring neuron death among ganglion cells of the vertebrate retina.
Developmental regulation and effect of early undernutrition on phosphorylation of rat cortical synaptic membrane proteins
Authors: Singh Tryambak Deo , Shankar Raj 
Published: July 2002

AbstractUndernutrition during early postnatal life was employed in rats by restricting the feeding time. The synaptic membrane fraction from cerebral cortex of normal and undernourished rats of various ages was prepared and endogenous protein phosphorylation studied. Many of the synaptic membrane proteins were found to be phosphorylated in an age‐dependent manner. Early undernutrition affects the phosphorylation of various proteins in a complex way; most affected were 48‐, 52‐, 61‐ and 74‐kDa proteins. These proteins were found to have phosphorylations mainly at tyrosine residues. This finding indicates that tyrosine phosphorylations may be affected most by early undernutrition. Adequate nutrition after early undernutrition removes most of the effects of undernutrition on synaptic protein phosphorylation. To address the question of how undernutrition may affect protein phosphorylation, we studied the lipid content of synaptic membrane fraction as it can affect membrane properties, including the fluidity. We found that undernutrition affects phosphorylation of most of the synaptic membrane proteins in the same manner in which it affects the cholesterol–phospholipid ratio of synaptic membrane and, hence, the fluidity of the membrane. This indicates that lipid biosynthesis is one of the ways by which undernutrition can affect synaptic membrane protein phosphorylation.
Role of acetylcholinesterase in the development of axon tracts within the embryonic vertebrate brain
Authors: Anderson R.B. , Key B. 
Published: July 2002

AbstractIn the developing vertebrate brain, acetylcholinesterase (AChE) expression coincides temporally with axon tract formation. Although AChE promotes neurite outgrowth in vitro, the role of this molecule in the development of axon tracts in vivo is unknown. To address this question, we examined the effects of the AChE inhibitor, BW284C51, on the formation of the early scaffold of axon tracts in the embryonic Xenopus brain. In exposed Xenopus brain preparations, axons elongate and establish a normal topography of axon tracts. However, when brains were exposed to BW284C51, the thickness of the major longitudinal axon tract, the tract of the post‐optic commissure decreased in a dose‐dependent manner. When BW284C51 was removed from the culture media axon tract development returned to normal within 5 h. These findings provide the first evidence for a non‐classical role of AChE in the initial formation of axon tracts within the developing vertebrate brain.
Familial factors influencing the consumption of anxiolytics and hypnotics by children and adolescents
Authors: Pélissolo A. , Gourion D. , Notides C. , Bouvard M. , Lépine J.P. , Mouren-Siméoni M.C. 
Published: July 2002

Many hypotheses have been made to explain the high rate of benzodiazepine consumption in France, including a general cultural and/or familial tendency to use certain types of psychotropic drugs. This study explored the association between lifetime medication use by parents and their children. Two hundred and twenty-one young patients (158 boys and 63 girls) consulting at a child and adolescent psychiatry department, six to 16 years of age (mean = 9.7 years), were screened for lifetime use of psychotropic drugs using a structured interview. Parents were asked about their own consumption, as well as their children’s. Lifetime consumption rates (at least once) were 22.2% in boys and 20.6% in girls, and 19.6% in children less than 11 years old. Higher rates were found in patients with emotional disorders (anxiety disorders and depression). In parents, 45.1% of mothers and 24.1% of fathers reported using medications at least once. A significant association was found between child and parental medication use: 34.1% of children had positive lifetime consumption when their mothers also used medications at least once versus only 13.6% in other children (odds ratio = 3.31 [1.68–6.50]; P = 0.001). The most significant association was found between medication use by girls and their mothers (odds ratio = 12.1 [2.38–61.5];P = 0.003). These data point to the existence of a family pattern of psychotropic drug consumption, especially in females.
The ICD-10 and DSM-IV diagnostic criteria and the prevalence of schizophrenia
Authors: Lindström E , Widerlöv B , von Knorring L 
Published: July 2002

SummaryIn the present study, all patients who met the diagnostic criteria for a long-term functional psychosis (LFP) were identified within a defined uptake area in the northern part of the county of Uppsala, Sweden. LFP includes patients 1) with productive psychotic symptomatology, not caused by organic disease, for 1 week or more, at least once during the course of the illness; 2) having been affected by a psychosis for a continuous period of at least 6 months on the same occasion; 3) having shown psychotic features or residual symptoms during the index year; and 4) older than 18 years of age. Primarily, all diagnoses were made according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM)-III-R. The prevalence of schizophrenia was 4.2 per 1,000 inhabitants. The prevalence of schizoaffective disorder was 0.7 per 1,000 inhabitants and for delusional disorder, 0.1 per 1,000 inhabitants. When the patients were rediagnosed according to DSM-III, DSM-IV and International Statistical Classification of Disease (ICD)-10, it was found that the prevalence of schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder and delusional disorder was somewhat lower according to the DSM-III criteria, while the same number of patients fulfilled the criteria according to DSM-IV. If ICD-10 was used, it resulted in a broader concept of schizophrenia and a somewhat more narrow concept of schizoaffective disorder. Thus, the introduction of the new parallel diagnostic systems, ICD-10 and DSM-IV, will result in different, but comparable, prevalence estimates concerning schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder and delusional disorder.
A Rapid Access Heart Failure Clinic provides a prompt diagnosis and appropriate management of new heart failure presenting in the community
Authors: Fox Kevin F. , Cowie Martin R. , Wood David A. , Coats Andrew J.S. , Poole‐Wilson Philip A. , Sutton George C. 
Published: July 2002

AbstractBackground and aimsThe diagnosis of heart failure is an important clinical problem and yet reported diagnostic accuracy in primary care is less than 50%. We established a Rapid Access Heart Failure Clinic (RAHFC) in a district general hospital serving a population of 292000 in SE London, UK, to diagnose and manage new cases of heart failure presenting for the first time in the community.MethodsPatients with suspected new onset heart failure were referred by their Primary Care Physician without appointment for clinical assessment on the same or next working day. Assessment by a specialist registrar in cardiology included history, examination, chest X‐ray, electrocardiogram (ECG) and echocardiogram. When a diagnosis of heart failure was made appropriate treatment, including angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEI), was started.ResultsOver 15 months 383 patients were seen (0.4 cases/100000 population/weekday) 178/383 (46%) were considered to have definite or possible heart failure at the initial assessment in the RAHFC. A normal ECG (negative predictive value 94%) and chest X‐ray virtually excluded the diagnosis of heart failure. After subsequent specialist investigations and follow‐up, including a trial of therapy where appropriate, 101/383 (26%) were finally diagnosed as clinical heart failure. ACEI therapy was commenced in 56/57 (98%) of patients in whom it was considered appropriate.ConclusionThe RAHFC provided rapid assessment, prompt diagnosis and early introduction of life prolonging therapy for patients presenting with suspected heart failure in the community.
A new model of congestive heart failure in the mouse due to chronic volume overload
Authors: Scheuermann‐Freestone Michaela , Freestone Nicholas Simon , Langenickel Thomas , Höhnel Klaus , Dietz Rainer , Willenbrock Roland 
Published: July 2002

AbstractObjective:Recently, deletion of specific genes by so called knock‐out techniques has become important for investigating the pathogenesis of various diseases. This form of genetic engineering is widely performed in murine models. There are, however, only a limited number of mouse models available in cardiovascular pathology. The objective of this study, therefore, was to develop a new model of overt congestive heart failure associated with myocardial hypertrophy in the mouse.Methods:Female C57/BL6 mice weighing 19–20 g were anesthetized with ether. After abdominal incision, the aorta was temporarily clamped proximal to the renal arteries. The aorta was then punctured with a needle (outer diameter 0.6 mm) and the needle was further advanced into the adjacent vena cava. After withdrawal of the needle, the aortic puncture site was sealed with cyanoacrylate glue. The clamp was removed, and the patency of the shunt was visually verified as swelling and mixing of venous and arterial blood in the vena cava. Sham‐operated mice served as controls.Results:Perioperative mortality of mice with aortocaval shunt was 42%. Four weeks after shunt induction, mice showed a significant cardiac hypertrophy with a relative heart weight of 7.5 ± 0.2 mg/100 g body weight (vs. 5.1 ± 0.7 mg/100 g in control mice, P < 0.001). While no changes in blood pressure and heart rate occurred, left ventricular enddiastolic pressure was significantly increased in mice with shunt, and left ventricular contractility was impaired from 6331 ± 412 to 4170 ± 296 mmHg/s (P < 0.05). Plasma concentrations of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) and its second messenger cGMP as humoral markers of heart failure as well as ventricular expression of ANP ‐ and brain natriuretic peptide (BNP)‐mRNA were significantly increased in mice with shunt compared to control mice.Conclusions:The aortocaval shunt in the mouse constitutes a new model of overt congestive heart failure with impaired hemodynamic parameters and may be a useful tool to investigate the role of particular genes in the development of heart failure.
CLINICAL DECISION‐MAKING REGARDING INTRAVENOUS HYDRATION IN NORMAL LABOR IN A BIRTH CENTER SETTING
Authors: Sommer Phyllis A. , Norr Kathleen , Roberts Joyce 
Published: July 2002

ABSTRACTIntravenous hydration (IVH) in normal labor is used routinely in most hospital settings despite the lack of support from recent research. However, it is not used routinely at one in‐hospital, Alternative Birthing Center (ABC), in the Midwest. The purpose of this study was to explore and describe the criteria and perspectives of the certified nurse‐midwives (CNMs) and nurses (RNs) in their decision‐making process toward nonroutine use of IVH. In‐depth interviews with five CNMs and four RNs that work in the ABC provided insight into how they balanced patient preference, research‐based knowledge, and clinical judgments, in making decisions about IVH. The RNs were slightly more in favor of IVH than the CNMs, but not because of philosophic differences. Rather, the different roles and responsibilities of CNMs and RNs seemed to be most important. CNMs had a stronger commitment to client preferences, whereas RNs were more concerned about their responsibility for efficiently starting IVs prior to an emergency situation. Understanding professional differences in the decision‐making process for IVH can enhance clinical functioning of the caregiving team by helping CNMs anticipate and address potential conflicts.
Rapid Characterization and Quantification of Extracellular Vesicles by Fluorescence‐Based Microfluidic Diffusion Sizing
Authors: Paganini Carolina , Hettich Britta , Kopp Marie R.G. , Eördögh Adam , Capasso Palmiero Umberto , Adamo Giorgia , Touzet Nicolas , Manno Mauro , Bongiovanni Antonella , Rivera‐Fuentes Pablo , Leroux Jean‐Christophe , Arosio Paolo 
Published: June 2021

AbstractExtracellular vesicles (EVs) are emerging as promising diagnostic and therapeutic tools for a variety of diseases. The characterization of EVs requires a series of orthogonal techniques that are overall time‐ and material‐consuming. Here, a microfluidic device is presented that exploits the combination of diffusion sizing and multiwavelength fluorescence detection to simultaneously provide information on EV size, concentration, and composition. The latter is achieved with the nonspecific staining of lipids and proteins combined with the specific staining of EV markers such as EV‐associated tetraspanins via antibodies. The device can be operated as a single‐step immunoassay thanks to the integrated separation and quantification of free and EV‐bound fluorophores. This microfluidic technique is capable of detecting and quantifying components associated to EV subtypes and impurities and thus to measure EV purity in a time scale of minutes, requiring less than 5 µL of sample and minimal sample handling before the analysis. Moreover, the analysis is performed directly in solution without immobilization steps. Therefore, this method can accelerate screening of EV samples and aid the evaluation of sample reproducibility, representing an important complementary tool to the current array of biophysical methods for EV characterization, particularly valuable for instance for bioprocess development.
Neighborhood Cohesion, Perceptions of Disorder, and the Geography of Women’s Fear of Crime in Informal Settlements in Nairobi, Kenya
Authors: Winter Samantha C. , Johnson Laura , Obara Lena Moraa 
Published: June 2021

AbstractFear of crime is more pervasive and harder to address than crime itself and can cause physical and psychological health complications, particularly for women. Fear of crime is not always grounded in direct exposure to crime. Instead, it may be more directly linked to social cohesion and/or perceptions of neighborhood disorder, but little is known about these associations in informal settlements. This paper sought to explore these relationships in Mathare—a large informal settlement in Nairobi, Kenya. Using responses from surveys with 550 women in Mathare, we conducted regression, mediation, and moderated mediation analyses to investigate relationships between neighborhood disorder, fear of crime, and neighborhood cohesion and explore how these associations vary across geographic spaces (villages). Findings suggest that women’s perceptions of neighborhood disorder are associated with fear of crime; neighborhood cohesion partially mediates the relationship between perceptions of neighborhood disorder and fear of crime; women’s fear of crime varies by village; and the mediating role of neighborhood cohesion also varies by village. Efforts to build and strengthen social cohesion in informal settlements may help to reduce women’s fear of crime, but more research is needed to explore under what conditions and in what spaces interventions are the most effective.
Soldner, Einstein, Gravitational Light Deflection and Factors of Two
Authors: Sauer Tilman 
Published: June 2021

AbstractThe Newtonian value of for the gravitational deflection of a ray of light from a distant star, grazing the rim of the Sun, was derived already in 1801 by Johann Georg von Soldner. The same value was obtained by Albert Einstein in 1911 on the basis of the equivalence principle alone. Four years later, Einstein predicted twice that value on the basis of the full theory of general relativity, a value that was later confirmed by observation. A direct comparison of Soldner's and Einstein's works is obscured by a confluence of various factors of 2, arising both from different conventions and from printing errors.
Record Productivity and Unprecedented Molecular Weight for Ring‐Opening Copolymerization of Epoxides and Cyclic Anhydrides Enabled by Organoboron Catalysts
Authors: Xie Rui , Zhang Yao‐Yao , Yang Guan‐Wen , Zhu Xiao‐Feng , Li Bo , Wu Guang‐Peng 
Published: June 2021

AbstractProducing polyesters with high molecular weight (Mn) through ring‐opening copolymerization (ROCOP) of epoxides with cyclic anhydrides remains a major challenge. Herein, we communicate a metal‐free, highly active, and high thermoresistance system for the ROCOP of epoxides with cyclic anhydrides to prepare polyesters (13 examples). The organoboron catalysts can endure a reaction temperature as high as 180 °C for the ROCOP of cyclohexane oxide (CHO) with phthalic anhydride (PA) without the observation of any side reactions. The average Mn of the produced poly(CHO‐alt‐PA) climbed to 94.5 kDa with low polydispersity (Ð=1.19). Furthermore, an unprecedented turnover number of 9900, equivalent to an efficiency of 7.4 kg of polyester/g of catalyst, was achieved at a feed ratio of CHO/PA/catalyst=20000:10000:1 at 150 °C. Kinetic studies, crystal structure analysis, 11B NMR spectra, and DFT calculations provided mechanistic justification for the effectiveness of the catalyst system.
Electrochromic Polycationic Organoboronium Macrocycles with Multiple Redox States
Authors: Shimoyama Daisuke , Baser‐Kirazli Nurcan , Lalancette Roger A. , Jäkle Frieder 
Published: June 2021

AbstractPolycationic macrocycles are attractive as they display unique molecular switching capabilities arising from their redox properties. Although diverse polycationic macrocycles have been developed, those based on cationic boron systems remain very limited. We present herein the development of novel polycationic macrocycles by introducing organoboronium moieties into a conjugated organoboron macrocyclic framework. These macrocycles consist of four bipyridylboronium units that are connected by fluorene and either electron‐deficient arylborane or electron‐rich arylamine moieties. Electrochemical studies reveal that the macrocycles undergo reversible multi‐step redox processes with transfer of up to 10 electrons. Switchable electrochromic behavior is demonstrated via spectroelectrochemical studies and the observed color changes are rationalized by correlation with computed electronic transitions using DFT methods.
Crystalline Sponge Method: X‐ray Structure Analysis of Small Molecules by Post‐Orientation within Porous Crystals—Principle and Proof‐of‐Concept Studies
Authors: Zigon Nicolas , Duplan Vincent , Wada Naoki , Fujita Makoto 
Published: June 2021

AbstractThis Review discusses, along with the historical background, the principles as well as proof‐of‐concept studies of the crystalline sponge (CS) method, a new single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction (SCXRD) method for the analysis of the structures of small molecules without sample crystallization. The method uses single‐crystalline porous coordination networks (crystalline sponges) that can absorb small guest molecules within their pores. The absorbed guest molecules are ordered in the pores through molecular recognition and become observable by conventional SCXRD analysis. The complex {[(ZnI2)3(tpt)2]⋅x(solvent)}n (tpt=tris(4‐pyridyl)‐1,3,5‐triazine) was first proposed as a crystalline sponge and has been most generally used. Crystalline sponges developed later are also discussed here. The principle of the CS method can be described as “post‐crystallization” of the absorbed guest, whose ordering is templated by the pre‐latticed cavities. The method has been widely applied to synthetic chemistry as well as natural product studies, for which proof‐of‐concept examples will be shown here.
A Robust Photocatalytic Hybrid Material Composed of Metal‐Organic Cages and TiO2 for Efficient Visible‐Light‐Driven Hydrogen Evolution
Authors: Qin Su , Lei Yang , Huang Jian‐Feng , Xiao Li‐Min , Liu Jun‐Min 
Published: June 2021

AbstractThe design of photochemical molecular devices (PMDs) for photocatalytic H2 production from water is a meaningful but challenging subject currently. Herein, a Pd2L4 type metal‐organic cage (denoted as MOC‐Q2) is designed as a PMD, which consists of two catalytic centers (Pd2+) and four photosensitive ligands (L‐2) with four pyridine anchoring groups. Subsequently, the MOC‐Q2 is combined with TiO2 to form TiO2‐MOC‐Q2 hybrid materials with different MOC‐Q2 contents by a facile sol‐gel method, which have micro/mesoporous structures and large surface areas. The optimized TiO2‐MOC‐Q2 (6.5 wt%) exhibits high H2 production activity (7.9 mmol g−1 h−1 within 5 h) and excellent durability, giving a TON value of 23477 or 11739 (based on MOC‐Q2 or Pd moles) after recycling for 7 rounds. By contrast, the pure MOC‐Q2 only shows an ordinary photocatalytic H2 production rate (0.84 mmol g−1 h−1 within 5 h) in the homogeneous system. It can be deduced that TiO2 drives the photocatalysis and simultaneously acts as the structure promoter. This study presents a meaningful and distinctive attempt of a new approach for the design and development of MOC‐based heterogeneous photocatalysts.