bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
SAECG in exercise test for prediction of diabetic coronary artery disease
Authors: Bigi Mohammad , Aslani Amir , Aslani Arsalan 
Published: December 2009

Abstract
Signal averaged electrocardiogram (SAECG) is considered an important noninvasive indicator identifying patients at risk for ventricular arrhythmias. The aim of this study was to improve noninvasive prediction of CAD by integrating SAECG with the result of exercise tests in diabetic patients. Diabetic patients with stable angina pectoris underwent exercise testing and SAECG. Then a diagnostic score was derived that combined results of exercise testing and SAECG. A diagnostic score (0 to 2 points) was calculated by assigning 1 point for a positive exercise test result and 1 point for a positive SAECG. One hundred and seventy patients were included in the study. In patients with a score of 0, the likelihood of CAD is 18% whereas the likelihood of CAD is 95% in patients with a score of 2. Triple vessel CAD is present in 54%, 7% and only 1.5% of patients with score 2, 1 and 0 respectively. Therefore, patients with score 2 have a poor prognosis compared with score 1 or 0. A diagnostic score combining exercise testing and SAECG can distinguish patients with CAD from those without CAD with high accuracy in diabetic patients.
Effect of electrical cardioversion on stented coronary artery
Authors: Sharifkazemi Mohammad , Safai Akbar , Aslani Amir , Dehghan Seifollah , Rezakhani Ali , Rezaian Gholam 
Published: December 2009

Abstract
Direct current cardioversion, which produces electrical energy, is highly effective for the termination of cardiac arrhythmia and sometimes is indicated in patients with coronary artery stents due to arrhythmias. Only a few reports have been published describing the potential adverse interactions between foreign bodies and electrical cardioversion. The aim of this animal study was to investigate the acute effect of repeated external defibrillation on coronary artery tissue and adjacent myocardium at the implantation site of coronary stents. Custom-made stainless steel stents were implanted in the coronary arteries of 7 dogs. Rapid ventricular pacing was performed to induce ventricular fibrillation. Defibrillation was achieved [5 J/kg; n=2 and 8 J/kg; n=3]. In 2 animals, coronary stent was implanted but defibrillation was not performed [control group]. The animal’s heart were excised and sent for microscopic examination. The light and electron micrographs of heart muscles showed no histological and ultrastructural changes in defibrillated and control dogs. It is concluded that nickel coating provides good resistance to heat in coronary stents and repeated defibrillation does not cause histopathological changes typical of thermal injury at the implantation site of coronary stent.
Reconstructive options in severe cases of Hidradenitis suppurativa
Authors: Civelek Birol , Aksoy Kadir , Bilgen Esra , İnal Ibrahim , Sahin Unal. , Çelebioğlu Selim 
Published: December 2009

Abstract
Hidradenitis suppurativa is a chronic, debilitating inflammatory disease of apocrine glands characterized with abscesses and nodular lesions. The treatment of Hidradenitis suppurativa consists of topical antibacterial or antiseptic solutions, systemic antibiotics, steroids, hormonal therapy, anti-tumor necrosis factor, and various surgical procedures. In this report, we present a series of 14 cases with severe Hidradenitis suppurativa. Surgical options are reviewed to show the best outcomes in the long term. A total of 14 patients (9 female, 5 male) were treated for advanced cases of Hidradenitis suppurativa. They underwent excision of the affected regions followed by reconstruction. The reconstruction methods consisted of split-thickness skin grafting and various cutaneous and myocutaneous flaps. There was no flap necrosis or dehiscence. One patient developed contracture in the axilla, for which he underwent release surgery. There were recurrences in 4 cases. There was no limitation of the arm movements in cases with flap reconstruction. In the long-term, they were satisfied with the results. In conclusion, incision and drainage should be avoided because it is of limited value. Surgical removal of the involved tissue should be the first treatment of choice. Depending on the defect following excision, local flaps should be preferred over the grafts for recurrence prevention.
Peripheral Blood Expression Profiles of Bone Morphogenetic Proteins, Tumor Necrosis Factor-superfamily Molecules, and Transcription Factor Runx2 Could Be Used as Markers of the Form of Arthritis, Disease Activity, and Therapeutic Responsiveness
Authors: GRCEVIC DANKA , JAJIC ZRINKA , KOVACIC NATAŠA , LUKIC IVAN KREŠIMIR , VELAGIC VEDRAN , GRUBIŠIC FRANE , IVCEVIC SANJA , MARUŠIC ANA 
Published: December 2009

Objective.To assess whether different forms of arthritis and disease activity could be distinguished by peripheral blood expression profiles of bone-regulatory factors including tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-superfamily [TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL), the Fas ligand (FasL), and the ligand for herpesvirus entry mediator (LIGHT)] and bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)-family members (BMP-2, BMP-4, BMP-6) as well as osteoblast differentiation gene Runx2.Methods.Blood cells from healthy controls (n = 25) and patients at different disease stages with rheumatoid arthritis (RA; n = 49), osteoarthritis (OA; n = 17), or spondyloarthritis, including ankylosing spondylitis (AS; n = 27) or psoriatic arthritis (PsA; n = 23), were processed for quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Gene expression was assessed in comparison with control samples, correlated with clinical data of different forms of arthritis, and analyzed for discriminative efficacy between groups by receiver-operation characteristic (ROC) curves. Results were confirmed on diagnostic RA (n = 5) and AS (n = 8) samples.Results.BMP-4, BMP-6, and Runx2 expressions were significantly decreased in patients with RA and OA versus controls. Patients with RA also had decreased FasL and LIGHT expression, while patients with AS had increased Runx2 expression. Negative correlation with disease activity was found for BMP-4, FasL, and Runx2 in RA and for Runx2 in PsA, while positive correlation was found for BMP-4 in PsA. Gene expression was higher in the therapy-resistant form of AS (for BMP-4, LIGHT, and Runx2) and in methotrexate-treated patients in RA (for BMP-2 and LIGHT). ROC curve analysis confirmed discrimination between groups, particularly decreased LIGHT and Runx2 for RA and increased Runx2 for AS.Conclusion.Our study identified BMP and Runx2 as possible biomarkers of bone metabolism in several forms of arthritis, while lower FasL and LIGHT were associated with RA. Correlation between gene expression and disease activity may be clinically useful in assessing therapeutic effectiveness and disease monitoring.
Predictors of Damage and Survival in Patients with Wegener’s Granulomatosis: Analysis of 50 Patients
Authors: KAMALI SEVIL , ERER BURAK , ARTIM-ESEN BAHAR , GUL AHMET , OCAL LALE , KONICE MERAL , ARAL ORHAN , INANC MURAT 
Published: December 2009

Objective.To evaluate damage features and impact on survival by Vasculitis Damage Index (VDI) in a cohort of Turkish patients with Wegener’s granulomatosis (WG).Methods.We enrolled 50 (25 female) patients with WG according to ACR criteria. Birmingham Vasculitis Activity Score (BVAS) and VDI were used to analyze disease activity and damage.Results.Patients had kidney (82%), upper airway (72%), lung (70%), and nervous system (15%) involvement. Median age at diagnosis was 45 years, time to diagnosis was 3.5 months, and total followup time was 35.5 months. All but one patient was positive for antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA). Mean final dose and duration of corticosteroid and cyclophosphamide was 15 ± 14 g, 39 ± 33 months and 36 ± 34 g, 21 ± 2 months, respectively. Mean early (e) BVAS were 20.2 ± 7.1 (4–38) (median 21). Mean e-BVAS and e-VDI scores at presentation and final (f)-VDI scores at last visit were 20.2 ± 7.1 (4–38), 3.1 ± 1.7 (median 3) (0–7) and 4.4 ± 2.6 (0–12), consecutively. Disease related damage was prominent in kidneys (50%) and upper airways (27%). Amenorrhea (90%), cataract (28%), and diabetes (24%) were the most frequent treatment related damages. Rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis at presentation (42%) progressed to endstage renal failure in 20%. Relapses occurred in 25% with mean BVAS of 6.5 ± 2.3 (4–11). Survival rate was 77% at 37 months. Deaths occurred early (90% in the first year). f-VDI was high in patients who relapsed (6 ± 3 vs 3.8 ± 2.1, p = 0.03). Logistic regression analysis demonstrated that age at time of diagnosis and e-VDI were lower in survivors with OR = 0.9 (p = 0.06, 95% CI: 0.78–1) and OR = 0.5 (p = 0.04, 95%CI: 0.25–0.98), respectively. In this cohort, e-VDI score of 5 or more was related to death with 98% sensitivity and 56% specificity (p = 0.004) (CI: 0.66–0.95).Conclusion.Disease related damage outweighed treatment related damage in our cohort of predominantly generalized disease activity. Early damage and older age were found to be predictors of final damage and death.
Familial Mediterranean Fever in Ashkenazi Jews: The Mild End of the Clinical Spectrum
Authors: LIDAR MERAV , KEDEM RON , BERKUN YAACOV , LANGEVITZ PNINA , LIVNEH AVI 
Published: December 2009

Objective.To characterize familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) in Ashkenazi patients, a Jewish subgroup in which FMF has rarely been described before.Methods.A retrospective analysis, comparing demographic, clinical, and genetic measures of the cohort of Ashkenazi Jewish patients with FMF (n = 57), followed at the National Center for FMF in Israel, to age and sex matched patients of Iraqi Jewish (n = 62) and North African Jewish (NAJ; n = 61) origin.Results.Age at disease onset and diagnosis was earlier in NAJ than among Ashkenazi and Iraqi patients. Family history of FMF was described by only 30% of Ashkenazi patients as opposed to the majority of Iraqi and NAJ patients (p = 0.001). The frequency of abdominal and febrile attacks was similar among the 3 groups, while chest and joint attacks were far less common in Ashkenazi and Iraqi compared to NAJ patients. A good response to colchicine was noted in a similar proportion of Ashkenazi and Iraqi patients (82–84%) as opposed to only 56% of NAJ patients (p = 0.0001). Proteinuria, renal failure, and amyloidosis were most frequent among the NAJ patients (18, 6.6, and 9.8% compared to 5.3, 0, and 3.5% and 1.6, 0, and 0% in Ashkenazi and Iraqi patients, respectively).Conclusion.Ashkenazi patients with FMF stand at the mildest end of the clinical spectrum of FMF. This is notwithstanding the tendency for amyloidosis, the frequency of which is not trivial and which deserves particular awareness.
Pulmonary Manifestations in Sjögren’s Syndrome: Correlation Analysis Between Chest Computed Tomographic Findings and Clinical Subsets with Poor Prognosis in 80 Patients
Authors: WATANABE MAIKO , NANIWA TAIO , HARA MASAKI , ARAKAWA TOSHINAO , MAEDA TOMOYO 
Published: December 2009

Objective.Sjögren’s syndrome (SS) has a varied clinical spectrum and has been associated with various chest computed tomography (CT) findings. We sought to delineate the characteristic CT features in various subsets of SS, especially poor prognosis subsets.Methods.Retrospectively identified 80 never-smoker SS patients [56 primary SS (1-SS), 24 secondary SS (2-SS)] who underwent chest CT at our institution during a 3-year period from 2004 through 2007 were included in this study. Chest CT findings were qualitatively and semiquantitatively analyzed with comparison between 1-SS and 2-SS, and correlation with anti-SSB/La seropositivity and the presence of clonally derived lymphoproliferative disorder (cLPD), which are known to be pathognomonic and prognostic clinical features of SS patients.Results.All patients were women with median age of 60 years. Anti-SSB/La antibodies were found in 17 primary SS patients and 4 2-SS patients. Eleven patients with cLPD were identified and all of them had 1-SS. The most frequent CT finding in both types of patients was interlobular septal thickening. Secondary SS was associated with a significantly greater frequency and extent of honeycombing versus 1-SS. Univariate and multivariate analysis showed a significant association between honeycombing and 2-SS. In patients with 1-SS and in the SS group as a whole, we observed independent and significant associations between cysts and anti-SSB/La seropositivity or cLPD.Conclusion.Cysts are significantly associated with anti-SSB/La seropositivity and cLPD. The presence of lung cysts revealed by chest CT might be a prognostic clinical feature, a clue, or a predictor of cLPD in patients with SS.
Human FactorVIII
Authors: Ki Ngo Jacky Chi , Huang Mingdong , Roth David A. , Furie Barbara C. , Furie Bruce 
Published: December 2009

AbstractFactor VIII is a critical blood clotting factor, which forms a complex with the serine protease factor IXa upon activation to convert factor X to factor Xa, which in turn activates thrombin. Deficiency or dysfunction of the protein leads to hemophilia A, a common X‐linked disorder. Structures of two different constructs of factor VIII have been determined by X‐ray crystallography at intermediate resolutions. Both structures show that the protein is composed of five globular domains and contains binding sites for calcium and copper ions, which are important in the regulation of factor VIII structure and activity. The three A domains, each consists of two β‐barrel structures that resemble the cupredoxin fold, are structurally homologous with one other. The two homologous C domains are defined by a distorted β‐barrel and reveal membrane‐binding features. Comparison of the two crystal structures has revealed structural differences between the two constructs and provides new perspectives for understanding the activation of factor VIII and the role of metal ions in the regulation of factor VIII activity.
para‐AminobenzoateN‐Oxygenase
Authors: Zhao Huimin , Nair Satish K. 
Published: December 2009

AbstractThe monooxygenase AurF catalyzes the oxidation of a primary amine during the biosynthesis of the antibiotic aureothin. Biochemical reconstitution ofin vitroactivity demonstrates that AurF is a nonheme iron‐dependent enzyme. Crystallographic elucidation of the 3D structure reveals homology to the ribonucleotide reductase family of monooxygenases, despite a lack of appreciable similarity in the primary sequence.
4‐Hydroxybenzoyl‐CoenzymeAReductase
Authors: Boll Matthias 
Published: December 2009

AbstractThe dehydroxylating 4‐hydroxybenzoyl‐CoA reductase (HBCR) plays an important role in the degradation ofpara‐hydroxylated aromatic compounds in anaerobic bacteria. The enzyme catalyzes the removal of the phenolic hydroxyl group from 4‐hydroxybenzoyl‐CoA, yielding benzoyl‐CoA and water; a reduced ferredoxin serves as an electron donor. The enzyme belongs to the xanthine oxidase (XO) family of molybdenum cofactor containing enzymes and contains a molybdopterin‐cytosine dinucleotide cofactor, two [2Fe–2S] clusters, FAD and a [4Fe–4S] cluster per functional unit. HBCR is unique among XO family members in catalyzing the irreversible reduction of the substrate. A mechanism that differs from all other XO membersviahighly reactive radical intermediates has been suggested. The structural, electrochemical, spectroscopic, and kinetic properties of HBCR fromThauera aromaticaare highlighted and compared with other members of the xanthine oxidase family.
Hydroxyquinol 1,2‐Dioxygenase
Authors: Briganti Fabrizio , Ferraroni Marta 
Published: December 2009

AbstractHydroxyquinol 1,2‐dioxygenase (1,2‐HQD) is an intradiol dioxygenase that uses a nonheme ferric iron to activate the substrate for an electrophilic attack by molecular oxygen to cleave hydroxyquinol (1,2,4‐trihydroxybenzene) or chlorohydroxyquinols between the vicinal hydroxyls. This enzyme is involved in the aerobic metabolism of chloroaromatic compounds containing two or more chlorine substituents. The article focuses on the structure–function relationship of 1,2‐HQD and the comparison, at the molecular level, of the structural factors responsible for the differential substrate selectivity in known ring‐cleaving intradiol dioxygenases.
Novel Approaches in Low‐Cost, High‐Throughput Gene Sequencing
Authors: Wickramasinghe H. Kumar , Unal Kerem 
Published: December 2009

AbstractWhole‐genome DNA sequencing is evolving from a costly collective effort, requiring the work of several laboratories in parallel, to a single‐user, single‐device laboratory tool. This technological revolution will open the realm of personal medicine where treatment of diseases are adjusted to suit the genetic background of an individual. Such a breakthrough in genetics can only be achieved through the advent of high‐throughput and affordable sequencing methods — some of which are detailed in this article.Several particularly novel DNA sequencing concepts have been proposed to reach the $1000‐per‐genome goal. Cost reduction is envisioned by the use of massively parallel processes, where sequence information is obtained by detecting single DNA molecules or colonies of DNA strands amplified from single molecules. Other methods are based on the direct sequential readout of the genetic code on a single DNA strand, but the detection schemes currently lack the required single‐nucleotide resolution.The article concludes by describing a nanotechnology‐based method for DNA sequencing at high throughput that couples a novel scheme for electrophoresis together with near‐field optical detection of separated bands at a sensitivity level down to a few molecules. With further development, the technology can evolve into a low‐cost sequencing scheme similar to the reliable and accurate four‐color DNA Sanger sequencing method.
Chiral Environmental Contaminants
Authors: Wong Charles S. , Elmayergi Basil H. 
Published: December 2009

AbstractThis article highlights techniques by which the enantiomers of chiral environmental pollutants can be separated and quantified. A large number of organic chemicals are chiral and exist as pairs of mirror images calledenantiomers. These chemicals include legacy persistent organic pollutants (POPs) (e.g. polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)) and pesticides (e.g. dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT)), as well as current‐use pesticides (e.g. pyrethroids), flame retardants (e.g. hexabromocyclododecane), and pharmaceuticals (e.g. ibuprofen). Understanding the environmental behavior of chiral xenobiotic compounds is important because enantiomers of a chiral compound may have different biological and toxicological effects, which must be delineated for accurate risk assessment of hazards, if any, posed by such chemicals. In addition, chiral chemicals are markers of biochemical activity in the environment, as enantiomer compositions are unaffected by physical and chemical processes but can change from differential enantiomer interactions with other chiral molecules (e.g. enzymes). For these reasons, the chirality of environmental pollutant occurrence, fate, and effects has been studied since the 1990s, when analytical capacity to measure chiral chemicals became widely available. We discuss major techniques for separating pollutant enantiomers including gas chromatography (GC), high‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and capillary electrophoresis (CE). Enantioselective analytical separations are often coupled to mass spectrometry (MS) and tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) for quantification under environmentally relevant conditions (i.e. low concentrations to parts per trillion and below, in highly complex matrices such as wastewater and biological tissues). Issues involving sample preparation, data handling, and quality assurance/quality control are also described. Finally, we also illustrate applications of enantiomer‐specific measurements to gain insights into pollutants affecting environmental processes that could otherwise not be obtained, such as assessing pollutant biodegradation and delineating pollutant sources.
Chemometric Approach to Chiral Recognition Using Molecular Spectroscopy
Authors: Fakayode Sayo O. , Busch Kenneth W. , Busch Marianna A. 
Published: December 2009

AbstractDiscrimination of enantiomers by means of a chiral auxiliary can be combined with ordinary molecular spectroscopy and regression modeling to provide a rapid spectroscopic method for the determination of enantiomeric composition of unknown samples. This technique is known aschiral analysis by regression modeling of spectral data(CARMSD). This article describes the basic principles of regression modeling and how regression modeling can be used with ordinary spectroscopic data to produce robust regression models that can predict the enantiomeric composition of unknown samples solely on the basis of their spectral signatures. A major advantage of CARMSD is that prior separation of the enantiomers is not a requirement.
Electrochemical Detection of Proteins
Authors: Bartošík Martin , Doneux Thomas , Pechan Zdeněk , Ostatná Veronika , Paleček Emil 
Published: December 2009

AbstractThe advantages of electrochemical methods, such as low cost, rapidity, and sensitivity, make these methods very promising in the booming fields of proteomics and biomedicine. Electroanalysis of proteins relies on redox properties of nonprotein centers within conjugated proteins, application of various labels attached to the protein molecule, or label‐free detection of nonconjugated proteins based on their intrinsic electroactivity. Until recently, electrochemistry of proteins was mainly focused on a relatively small group of conjugated proteins, yielding reversible electrochemistry. This article discusses the new methods that were developed to detect and analyze practically all proteins. Different strategies for electrochemical detection of proteins are presented. Electrode modification by biomolecular receptors (antibodies, aptamers) and their potential use for detection of specific proteins, e.g. disease markers, can be utilized in the development of various sensors. Label‐free electrochemical study of nonconjugated proteins, involving impedance measurements at various electrodes, faradaic signals of tyrosine and tryptophan residues at carbon electrodes and cysteine residues, and electrocatalytic signals at mercury and solid amalgam electrodes have been used. Among them, well‐developed chronopotentiometric peak (peak H) due to catalytic hydrogen evolution shows remarkable sensitivity to local and global changes in protein structure. Recent developments in protein electrochemistry open the way for application of electrochemical analysis in proteomics and biomedicine.