bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Homodimerization of pokeweed antiviral protein as a mechanism to limit depurination of pokeweed ribosomes
Authors: TOURLAKIS MARINA E. , KARRAN RAJITA A. , DESOUZA LEROI , SIU K. W. MICHAEL , HUDAK KATALIN A. 
Published: June 2010

SUMMARYRibosome inactivating proteins are glycosidases synthesized by many plants and have been hypothesized to serve in defence against pathogens. These enzymes catalytically remove a conserved purine from the sarcin/ricin loop of the large ribosomal RNA, which has been shown in vitro to limit protein synthesis. The resulting toxicity suggests that plants may possess a mechanism to protect their ribosomes from depurination during the synthesis of these enzymes. For example, pokeweed antiviral protein (PAP) is cotranslationally inserted into the lumen of the endoplasmic reticulum and travels via the endomembrane system to be stored in the cell wall. However, some PAP may retrotranslocate across the endoplasmic reticulum membrane to be released back into the cytosol, thereby exposing ribosomes to depurination. In this work, we isolated and characterized a complexed form of the enzyme that exhibits substantially reduced activity. We showed that this complex is a homodimer of PAP and that dimerization involves a peptide that contains a conserved aromatic amino acid, tyrosine 123, located in the active site of the enzyme. Bimolecular fluorescence complementation demonstrated that the homodimer may form in vivo and that dimerization is prevented by the substitution of tyrosine 123 for alanine. The homodimer is a minor form of PAP, observed only in the cytosol of cells and not in the apoplast. Taken together, these data support a novel mechanism for the limitation of depurination of autologous ribosomes by molecules of the protein that escape transport to the cell wall by the endomembrane system.
Microarray‐based comparison of genetic differences between strains ofStreptomyces turgidiscabieswith focus on the pathogenicity island
Authors: AITTAMAA MARJA , SOMERVUO PANU , LAAKSO INTO , AUVINEN PETRI , VALKONEN JARI P. T. 
Published: June 2010

SUMMARYThe areas of the pathogenicity island (PAI) designated as ‘colonization region’ (CR) and ‘toxicogenic region’ (TR) [Leratet al. (2009)Mol. Plant Pathol.10, 579–585] contain genes required for virulence and phytoxin production, respectively, inStreptomycesspp. causing common scab on potatoes. The PAI was tested for genetic variability by microarray analysis in strains ofS. turgidiscabiesisolated from potatoes in Finland. The data revealed four types of PAI based on divergent CR and TR which occurred in different combinations. Only one PAI type was highly similar toS. scabies(strains 87.22 and ATTC49173). Using probes designed for the predicted genes ofS. scabies, two gene clusters inS. scabiesappeared to be similar to most strains ofS. turgidiscabiesand contained PAI genes corresponding to CR and TR. They were located approximately 5 Mb apart in theS. scabiesgenome, as compared with only 0.3 Mb inS. turgidiscabiesCar8. Data from comparative genomic hybridization with probes designed forS. scabiesgenes and for the PAI ofS. turgidiscabieswere compared by multilocus cluster analysis, which revealed two strains ofS. turgidiscabiesthat were very closely related at the whole‐genome level, but contained distinctly different PAIs. The type strain ofS. reticuliscabiei(DSM41804; synonymous toS. turgidiscabies) was clustered withS. turgidiscabies. Taken together, the data indicate wide genetic variability of PAIs among strains ofS. turgidiscabies, and demonstrate that PAI is made up of a mosaic of regions which may undergo independent evolution.
Desipramine, substrate for CYP2D6 activity: population pharmacokinetic model and design elements of drug–drug interaction trials
Authors: Gueorguieva Ivelina , Jackson Kimberley , Wrighton Steven A. , Sinha Vikram P. , Chien Jenny Y. 
Published: June 2010

WHAT IS ALREADY KNOWN ABOUT THIS SUBJECT• Desipramine is extensively metabolized by CYP2D6 to its main metabolite 2‐OH‐desipramine.• Alternative metabolic pathways are 10‐hydroxylation and further demethylation to didesipramine, but the concentration of these metabolites in plasma upon therapeutic oral doses are very low both in extensive and poor metabolizers of substrates of CYP2D6.• Desipramine has been used widely as a probe drug for CYP2D6 activity.WHAT THIS STUDY ADDS• The population pharmacokinetics of desipramine in healthy subjects were characterized.• The model allows performing simulations of trials which assess CYP2D6 interaction potential of novel compounds.• Study design elements, such as required sample size based on desipramine within and between‐subject variance and optimal sampling schedules for the three subgroups, intermediate, extensive and ultrarapid metabolizers of CYP2D6 are suggested.AIMSTo develop a population pharmacokinetic model to describe the pharmacokinetics of desipramine in healthy subjects, after oral administration of a 50 mg dose. Additional objectives were to develop a semi‐mechanistic population pharmacokinetic model for desipramine, which allowed simulation of CYP2D6‐mediated inhibition, when using desipramine as a probe substrate, and to evaluate certain study design elements, such as duration of desipramine pharmacokinetic sampling, required sample size and optimal pharmacokinetic sampling schedule for intermediate, extensive and ultrarapid metabolizers of CYP2D6 substrates.RESULTSThe mean population estimates of the first order absorption rate constant (ka), apparent clearance (CL/F) and apparent volume of distribution at steady state (Vss/F) were 0.15 h−1, 111 l h−1and 2950 l, respectively. Further, using the proposed semi‐mechanistic hepatic intrinsic clearance model with Bayesian inference, mean population desipramine hepatic intrinsic clearance was estimated to be 262 l h−1with between‐subject variability of 84%.d‐optimal PK sampling times for intermediate metabolizers were calculated to be approximately 0.25, 24, 75 and 200 h. Similar sampling times were found for ultrarapid and extensive metabolizers except that the secondd‐optimal sample was earlier at 14 and 19 h, respectively, compared with 24 h for intermediate metabolizers. This difference in sampling times between the three genotypes can be attributed to the different intrinsic clearances and elimination rates.CONCLUSIONSA two compartment population pharmacokinetic model best described desipramine disposition. The semi‐mechanistic population model developed is suitable to describe the pharmacokinetic behaviour of desipramine for the dose routinely used in drug–drug interaction (DDI) studies. Based on this meta‐analysis of seven trials, a sample size of 21 subjects in cross‐over design is appropriate for assessing CYP2D6 interaction with novel compounds.
Prognostic factors in adult acute lymphoblastic leukaemia
Authors: Rowe Jacob M. 
Published: June 2010

SummaryTreatment of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) in adults presents a formidable challenge. While overall results have improved over the past 3 decades, the long‐term survival for patients aged less than 60 years is only in the range of 30–40% and is 10–15% if between 60 and 70 years and <5% for those over 70 years. The historic lack of clear‐cut biological prognostic factors has led to over‐ or under‐treatment of some patients. Response to initial therapy is an important prognosticator of outcome based on disease biology, as well as pharmacogenetics, which include the patient’s response to drugs given. The more widespread availability of allogeneic transplantation and reduced‐intensity regimens for older patients have opened up this curative modality to a greater number of patients. Hopefully, those options, as well as novel cytogenetic and molecular markers, will enable a better selection of patients who undergo intensive therapies and finally break the 30–40% cure barrier for adults with ALL.
Two Tor genes in the silkworm Bombyx mori
Authors: Zhou S. , Zhou Q. , Liu Y. , Wang S. , Wen D. , He Q. , Wang W. , Bendena W. G. , Li S. 
Published: June 2010

AbstractTarget of rapamycin (TOR), a member of the phosphatidylinositol kinase‐related kinase family, plays a critical role in the regulation of growth, metabolism, development and survival, at both the cellular and the organismal levels. Two paralogous Tor genes, BmTor1 and BmTor2, were identified as a pair of inverted repeats in the genome of the silkworm Bombyx mori. The synteny of BmTor1 and CG8360 indicates that BmTor1 is the orthologue while BmTor2 is a duplicate. Analyses of the two BmTor genes at both the nucleotide and amino acid levels reveal that they are evolutionally and structurally conserved. The two BmTor genes had similar expression patterns of tissue distribution with highest levels in the nervous system, and nearly identical developmental change profiles with maximal levels during the 4th‐larval‐moulting and the larval–pupal transition stages. Furthermore, both BmTor genes were up‐regulated by either starvation or the moulting hormone 20‐hydroxyecdysone (20E), while BmTor2 was more sensitive to both treatments than BmTor1. For the first time, we have identified two copies of the Tor gene in a higher eukaryote, which are induced by starvation and 20E during the larval moulting and the larval–pupal transition stage.
Ytterbium trifluoride as a radiopaque agent for dental cements
Authors: Collares F. M. , Ogliari F. A. , Lima G. S. , Fontanella V. R. C. , Piva E. , Samuel S. M. W. 
Published: June 2010

Collares FM, Ogliari FA, Lima GS, Fontanella VRC, Piva E, Samuel SMW. Ytterbium trifluoride as a radiopaque agent for dental cements. International Endodontic Journal, 43, 792–797, 2010.AbstractAim  To evaluate the radiopacity, degree of conversion (DC) and flexural strength of an experimental dental cement, with several added radiopaque substances.Methodology  Titanium dioxide, quartz, zirconia, bismuth oxide, barium sulphate and ytterbium trifluoride were added to the experimental cement in five different concentrations. Radiopacity was evaluated with a phosphor plate system, and the radiodensity of specimens was compared with an aluminium step‐wedge. DC was evaluated with FT‐infrared spectroscopy following 20 s of photo‐activation. Specimens with dimensions of 12 × 2 × 2 mm were used for the flexural strength test. Data were analysed with two‐way anova and Tukey’s post hoc test.Results  Radiopacity of the experimental dental cements with barium sulphate and bismuth oxide at 40% and ytterbium fluoride at 30% and 40% showed no significant differences in comparison with 3 mm of Al (181, 96).Conclusions  The experimental dental cements with at least 30% added ytterbium trifluoride had satisfactory radiopacity without influencing other properties.
Critical care nurses’ experiences of follow‐up visits to an ICU
Authors: Engström Åsa , Söderberg Siv 
Published: June 2010

Aim.  The aim of this study was to describe critical care nurses’ experiences of follow‐up visits for formerly critically ill people discharged from an intensive care unit and their close relatives.Background.  The critical illness experience affects the ill person and their close relatives not only during the stay in an intensive care unit, but also for a long time afterwards. Follow‐up visits were introduced to offer people the opportunity to talk about their experiences. This activity has not been studied earlier from the perspective of critical care nurses.Design.  The design of this study was qualitative.Method.  Eight critical care nurses narrated their experiences of follow‐up visits by formerly critically ill people and their close relatives to an intensive care unit. Data were collected during 2007–2008. Qualitative thematic content analysis was applied to the interview texts.Results.  The findings show that to feel they were doing a good job it was vital for the critical care nurses to be well prepared for the follow‐up visits. It was difficult, in a positive way, to recognise formerly critically ill people when they returned looking healthy. The critical care nurses were disappointed that their former patients remembered so few real events. The follow‐up visits gave the critical care nurses a new picture of how the critically illness experience influenced the former patient’s everyday life during and after their stay in the intensive care unit and how it affected the lives of their close relatives.Conclusions.  Through sharing the experiences of formerly critically ill peoples’ and their close relatives’ critical care nurses receive valuable feedback about their work.Relevance to clinical practice.  Receiving feedback about one’s work from follow‐up visits gives critical care nurses the possibility for to evaluate given care. Follow‐up visits to intensive care units can provide them with valuable knowledge that might lead to improved nursing care.
Stress and stress‐related factors of patients after renal transplantation in Taiwan: a cross‐sectional study
Authors: Chen Kang‐Hua , Weng Li‐Chueh , Lee Sheuan 
Published: June 2010

Aims.  The aim of this study is to quantify the amount and causes of stress in renal transplant recipients.Background.  After renal transplantation, patients may encounter physical and psychosocial problems. Through patient collaboration with healthcare professionals, treatment after transplantation is aimed at restoring and maintaining a ‘normal’ life. To achieve quality of life, research needs to quantify the amount and causes of stress of renal transplant recipients, from a patient‐centred perspective.Design.  A cross‐sectional, descriptive study.Methods.  The study was conducted in the outpatient department of a medical centre in northern Taiwan from September 2005–February 2006. The recipients were a convenience sample of 153 participants who had undergone renal transplantation.Results.  The results showed that renal transplant recipients had low to moderate stress in four areas. Gender (male), self‐efficacy and hospitalisation for infection explained 17% of the variance found for the stress of uncertainty; hospitalisation for rejection and infection explained 22% of the variance for complications; and gender (male) and self‐efficacy explained 8% of the variance for the interactions with others. Post‐transplant time was not found to be a predictor of stress.Conclusion.  After renal transplantation, patients experience multi‐dimensional stresses that previous research has not explored. Self‐efficacy was shown to be a significant predictor of the stress of uncertainty and interactions with others. Enhancing recipients’ self‐efficacy of self‐care behaviour can lower the stress that found in three areas.Relevance to clinical practice.  Healthcare professionals should develop an evidence‐based programme for stress management for renal transplantation patients that incorporates strategies to enhance patient’s self‐efficacy of self‐care behaviour. Recipients’ beliefs in their ability to successfully perform self‐care behaviour can be promoted by a mastery experience, vicarious experience with other patients, social persuasion and re‐explanation of somatic and emotional states by discussing coping methods with healthcare professionals.
Altered neural response of the appetitive emotional system in cocaine addiction: an fMRI Study
Authors: Asensio Samuel , Romero Maria J. , Palau Carmina , Sanchez Amparo , Senabre Isabel , Morales Julia L. , Carcelen Raquel , Romero Francisco J. 
Published: June 2010

ABSTRACTResearch on addiction suggests that emotional alterations play an essential role in the development, maintenance, relapse and treatment outcome of substance abuse disorders. Although many neuroimaging studies focussed on the neural response to conditioned stimuli, much less is known about the neural response to natural affective stimuli in this pathological population. Previous research has demonstrated an altered emotional experience and autonomic response to emotional stimuli using the International Affective Picture System (IAPS) in drug abusers. Here we aimed, using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), to study the alterations in the neural responsitivity to pleasant (erotic), unpleasant and neutral IAPS stimuli in cocaine addiction. Thirty‐two cocaine‐dependent subjects and 26 matched controls completed an fMRI session during the presentation of a set of IAPS pictures as background, while performing a letter discrimination task. Consistent with previous studies, emotional pictures activated an emotional network including amygdala, medial prefrontal cortex, orbitofrontal cortex and occipito‐temporal areas in both groups. However, compared with controls, the cocaine group showed a significant hypoactivation of the dorsal and ventral striatum (including the nucleus accumbens), thalamus, parietal cortex and dorso‐medial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC) when processing pleasant pictures. The analysis of pleasant versus unpleasant stimuli suggested that between‐group differences in the dmPFC and striatal activation may be attributed to arousal processing rather than valence. These results could reflect the neural basis for the reduced ability of cocaine‐dependent subjects to experience pleasure by daily natural reinforcers, suggesting that these alterations in the emotion processing may play an important role in drug dependence, treatment and relapse.
Patient organizations in Finland: increasing numbers and great variation
Authors: Toiviainen Hanna K. , Vuorenkoski Lauri H. , Hemminki Elina K. 
Published: June 2010

AbstractObjective  There is very little research on patient organizations (POs), even though their numbers and influence seem to be increasing. The purpose of this study was to describe the establishment, membership, size, organization, decision making and basic funding of national POs in Finland.Setting and participants  National POs (n = 130) were identified from their umbrella organizations and by Internet searches. Data were collected from POs’ web pages (87% of POs had one), Finland’s Slot Machine Association (RAY, an important public financier of POs), a relevant survey done by a local TV‐company, and interviews and written materials of POs.Results and conclusions  Some current national POs were established around the turn of the 19th century. The rate of establishment of new POs increased from the 1970s and particularly in the 1990s when POs were characterized by increasing specialization. POs focused on different patient groups and diseases and were founded by philanthropists, physicians, patients, parents and the drug industry. Members could be patients, patient relatives, health‐care professionals and organizations. POs widely varied in memberships (20–145 000, in 2002) and in number of paid personnel (0–1395, in 2002), organizational structure and decision making. Interest groups and financiers were often represented in decision‐making organs. Activities included mutual support and service production, and, increasingly, informing and lobbying. POs had wide domestic and international co‐operation and networking. Drug industry marketing was visible on PO web pages. Budget sizes varied (4000–15 million euros, in 2001). The main public financier was RAY. The old national POs were large and part of national social and health care, but newer ones were often established for mutual support and lobbying. National POs are not uniform but characterized by great variation. The number of national POs is increasing suggesting tighter competition for financing and visibility in the future.
Shared decision making in oncology: assessing oncologist behaviour in consultations in which adjuvant therapy is considered after primary surgical treatment
Authors: Singh Simron , Butow Phyllis , Charles Margaret , Tattersall Martin H.N. 
Published: June 2010

AbstractIntroduction  Shared decision making (SDM) is now considered a desirable goal in health care, yet little is known about current practice in cancer care, and its impact on patient outcomes. This study aimed to develop an oncology‐specific coding system for SDM, explore variations in SDM according to patient and disease characteristics, determine the relationship between SDM and patient satisfaction with the consultation, and explore the impact of SDM on patient anxiety.Methods  Sixty‐three medical and radiation oncology consultations with patients with primary cancer involving consideration of adjuvant therapy after surgery were audio‐taped, transcribed and coded. Intra and inter‐rater reliability of the coding system was 95 and 90% respectively. Patients completed questionnaires before and after the consultation.Results  Construct validity of the SDM coding system was successfully conducted. Oncologists demonstrated on average under 11 of 18 SDM behaviours. Behaviours seeking patient preferences were particularly rare. SDM behaviours were more apparent in consultations involving female breast cancer patients. SDM behaviour scores in combination with patient involvement preference could predict achievement of patient involvement preference but not overall patient satisfaction. Although there was no overall relationship between patient anxiety and SDM scores, it did appear that physicians may change SDM behaviour according to patient factors including anxiety.Conclusion  Our findings reinforce the importance of the doctor in facilitating shared decision making in oncology consultations.
Is patient involvement during hospitalization for acute myocardial infarction associated with post‐discharge treatment outcome? An exploratory study
Authors: Arnetz Judith E. , Winblad Ulrika , Höglund Anna T. , Lindahl Bertil , Spångberg Kalle , Wallentin Lars , Wang Yun , Ager Joel , Arnetz Bengt B. 
Published: June 2010

AbstractObjective  To investigate whether patient involvement during hospitalization for acute myocardial infarction (MI) was associated with health and behavioural outcomes 6–10 weeks after hospital discharge.Background  Patient involvement has been associated with improved health outcomes in chronic disease, but less research has focused on the effects of patient involvement in acute conditions, such as MI.Design  Self‐administered questionnaire study. Questionnaire results were run against medical outcome data in a national database of cardiac patients.Setting and participants  Cardiac patients (n = 591) on their first follow‐up visit after hospitalization for MI at 11 Swedish hospitals.Main outcome measures  Patient ratings of three questionnaire scales related to involvement; cardiovascular symptoms, medication compliance, participation in cardiac rehabilitation, and achievement of secondary preventive goals.Results  More positive patient ratings of involvement were significantly associated with fewer cardiovascular symptoms 6–10 weeks after hospital discharge. In contrast, patients who attended cardiac rehabilitation and achieved the goals for smoking cessation and systolic blood pressure were significantly less satisfied with their involvement. No association was found between involvement ratings and medication compliance.Conclusion  This study represents a first attempt to examine associations between patient involvement in the acute phase of illness and short‐term health outcomes. Some significant associations between involvement and health and behavioural outcomes after acute MI were found. However, higher involvement ratings were not consistently associated with more desirable outcomes, and involvement during hospitalization was not associated with MI patient health and behaviour 6–10 weeks after hospital discharge to the extent hypothesized.