bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Metabolities of dietary triacylglycerol and diacylglycerol during the digestion process in rats
Authors: Osaki Noriko , Meguro Shinichi , Yajima Noriyuki , Matsuo Noboru , Tokimitsu Ichiro , Shimasaki Hiroyuki 
Published: March 2007

AbstractThe present study investigated the metabolic fate of dietary TAG and DAG and also their digestion products in the stomach and small intestine. A diet containing 10% TAG or DAG oil, enriched in 1,3‐DAG, was fed to Wistar rats ad libitum for 9 d. After 18 h of fasting, each diet was re‐fed ad libitum for 1 h. The weights of the contents of the stomach and small intestine were measured, and the acylglycerol and FFA levels were analyzed by GC at 0, 1, and 4 h after the 1‐h re‐feeding. The amounts of re‐fed diet ingested and the gastric and small intestinal content were not different between the two diet groups. In the TAG diet group, the main products were TAG and DAG, especially 1(3),2‐DAG. In addition, 1,3‐DAG and 1(3)‐MAG were present in the stomach, and the 1,3‐DAG levels increased over time after the re‐feeding period. In the DAG diet group, the main products in the stomach were DAG, MAG, FFA, and TAG. There were significantly greater amounts of 1,3‐DAG, 1(3)‐MAG, and FFA in the DAG diet group in the stomach compared with the TAG diet group. The amount of FFA in the stomach relative to the amount of ingested TAG plus DAG in the DAG diet group was higher than that in the TAG diet group. Acylglycerol and FFA levels were considerably lower in the small intestine than in the stomach. These results indicate that, in the stomach, where acyl migration might occur, the digestion products were already different between TAG and DAG oil ingestion, and that DAG might be more readily digested by lingual lipase compared with TAG. Furthermore, almost all of the dietary lipid was absorbed, irrespective of the structure of the acylglycerol present in the small intestine.
Identification of Δ7 phytosterols and phytosteryl glucosides in the wood and bark of several Acacia speciesphytosterols and phytosteryl glucosides in the wood and bark of several Acacia species
Authors: Freire Carmen S. R. , Coelho Dora S. C. , Santos Nuno M. , Silvestre Armando J. D. , Pascoal Neto Carlos 
Published: March 2007

AbstractThe wood and bark of four Acacia species growing in Portugal, namely, A. longifolia, A. dealbata, A. melanoxylon, and A. retinodes, were investigated for their sterol content. The lipids fractions of the different wood and bark samples were isolated, and the sterols were identified and quantified by GC‐MS. Two Δ7 sterols, specifically, spinasterol and dihydrospinasterol, were the main sterols found in considerable amounts, particularly in wood tissues (more than 0.5 g/kg of dry wood in the case of A. melanoxylon and A. retinodes). The corresponding unusual steryl glucosides were also identified in significant amounts in the wood and bark extracts.
Reconstruction of a tissue‐engineered skin containing melanocytes
Authors: Liu Yuan , Suwa Fumihiko , Wang Xinwen , Takemura Akimichi , Fang Yi Ru , Li Yuan , Zhao Yu , Jin Yan 
Published: March 2007

AbstractThe objective of this study was to establish a new method for reconstruction of a tissue‐engineered skin containing melanocytes by employing tissue engineering. The keratinocytes, melanocytes and dermal fibroblasts were isolated and purified from human foreskin biopsies. Then the cells were used to construct a tissue‐engineered skin containing melanocytes. The localization of melanocytes in the tissue‐engineered skin was detected by DOPA staining, S‐100 immunohistochemical staining and transmission electron microscope (TEM). The results showed that the melanocytes could be detected in the basal layer of the constructed skin and the melanocytes showed dendritic morphology. Moreover the constructed skins were used to repair the athymic mice skin defects. Animal experiment results indicated that the skin equivalents could successfully repair full thickness skin defects in athymic mice and generated black skins by 6 weeks after grafting. Melanocytes located in the basal layer of the athymic mice skin could also be detected by using the S‐100 immunohistochemical staining. Our established method is useful to repair the full‐thickness skin defects.
Suppression of matrix metalloproteinase‐9 by 4‐methylumbelliferone
Authors: Nakamura Rika , Kuwabara Hiroko , Yoneda Masahiko , Yoshihara Shuichi , Ishikawa Takashi , Miura Tomisato , Nozaka Hiroyuki , Nanashima Naoki , Sato Tatsusuke , Nakamura Toshiya 
Published: March 2007

AbstractOHK cells, a human lymphoma cell line, are known to produce large amounts of hyaluronan. We investigated the effect of 4‐methylumbelliferone, an inhibitor of hyaluronan synthesis, on the activity of matrix metalloproteinases in OHK cells. Matrix metalloproteinase‐9 was detected on gelatin zymography as the main metalloproteinase excreted into the medium of cultured OHK cells, and 4‐methylumbelliferone added to the medium decreased the activity of the enzyme in a dose‐dependent manner. Addition of Streptomyces hyaluronidase to the medium during cultivation did not decrease the enzyme activity. Reverse transcription‐polymerase chain reaction revealed that 4‐methylumbelliferone markedly decreased the level of mRNA for matrix metalloproteinase‐9 in cultured OHK cells. A similar decrease of the activity of matrix metalloproteinase‐9 by 4‐methylumbelliferone was also observed in cultured human breast and colon carcinoma cells. These results suggest that 4‐methylumbelliferone suppresses the expression of matrix metalloproteinase‐9 in cultured cancer cells.
Apoptosis induced by NO via phosphorylation of p38 MAPK that stimulates NF‐κB, p53 and caspase‐3 activation in rabbit articular chondrocytes
Authors: Wang Honglin , Wang Zhilun , Chen Jinghong , Wu Jin 
Published: March 2007

AbstractNitric oxide (NO), reported as an important inducer of apoptosis, plays a considerable role in the pathogenetic mechanisms of articular diseases. This research aimed at investigating the role of p38 MAPK signal transduction pathway on apoptosis induced by NO in rabbit articular chondrocytes. In the present study, NO was produced by a novel NO donor NOC‐18. Rabbit articular chondrocytes were cultured as monolayer, and the first passage cells were used for the experiments. We detected apoptosis induced by NO using Annexin V‐FITC/PI flow cytometry and TUNEL assay. Measurement of caspase‐3 has reflected its activity level. Western blotting was performed to show the protein expressions of p38, NF‐κB, p53 and caspase‐3. Furthermore, we examined the inhibitory effects in the NO pathway with p38‐specific inhibitor SB203580. Treatment with NOC‐18 caused accelerated apoptosis in a concentration dependent manner. This acceleration was able to be reduced when added to SB203580. Besides, the inhibitor could significantly decrease NO‐induced p38, NF‐κB, p53 and caspase‐3 protein expressions, as well as caspase‐3 intracellular activity (P< 0.05). These results suggest that p38 MAPK signal transduction pathway is critical to NO‐induced chondrocyte apoptosis, and p38 plays a role by way of stimulating NF‐κB, p53 and caspase‐3 activation.
P‐glycoprotein expression in extracellular matrix formation of chondrogenic differentiation of human adult stem cells
Authors: Kim Sang Gyung , Jeon Chang Ho , Suh Hun Suk , Choe Jung‐Yoon , Shin Im‐Hee 
Published: March 2007

AbstractMesenchymal stem cell (MSC) has been known as a good source of progenitor for multiple connective tissue including cartilage, muscle, adipocyte, and bone. P‐glycoproteins (P‐gps) also known as ABCB1 that exports diverse substrates are the product of the multidrug resistance‐1 (MDR‐1) gene. P‐gp expression has been reported in chondrosarcoma and hypertrophic chondrocyte in the human growth plate. This study was designed to investigate the expression of P‐gp during chondrogenic differentiation of adult human stem cells. Bone marrow samples were obtained from nine human donors after informed consent. The isolated mononuclear cells (MNCs) were incubated as one pellet/tube and 0.5 ml chondrogenic medium in the presence of 10 ng/ml of TGF‐beta 1 and TGF‐beta 3 for 28 days. The expression of surface P‐gps was analyzed by flow cytometry and quantitative RT‐PCR was performed for the detection of mRNA expression of MDR‐1 and type II collagen gene. Total collagen and glycosaminoglycan (GAG) contents of the pellets were measured. Surface P‐gp expression of the MSCs was decreased during chondrogenic differentiation. MDR‐1 gene was decreased 10‐fold after the 2‐week incubation whereas type II collagen gene was increased 491‐fold after the 4‐week incubation in chondrogenic medium. The total amount of collagen and GAG were increased during pellet culture. This study has demonstrated a decrease in expression of P‐gp and down regulation of MDR‐1 gene consistently by flow cytometry and quantitative RT‐PCR, but an increased expression of type II collagen on MSC during chondrogenesis.
Antenatal Corticosteroid Therapy for Fetal Maturation
Authors:   Committee on Obstetric Practice
Published: March 2007

AbstractThe National Institute of Child Health and Human Development and the Office of Medical Applications of Research of the National Institutes of Health convened consensus conferences in 1994 and 2000 that recommended giving a single course of corticosteroids to all pregnant women between 24 and 34 weeks of gestation who are at risk of preterm delivery within 7 days. Because of insufficient scientific evidence, the consensus panel also recommended that repeat corticosteroid courses, including so‐called “rescue therapy”, should not be routinely used but should be reserved for women enrolled in clinical trials. Betamethasone and dexamethasone have been most widely studied and have generally been the preferred corticosteroids for antenatal treatment to accelerate fetal organ maturation. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists' Committee on Obstetric Practice supports the conclusions of the consensus conferences.
Predicting the effects of body fatness on food intake and performance of sheep
Authors: Tolkamp Bert J. , Yearsley Jonathan M. , Gordon Iain J. , Illius Andrew W. , Speakman John R. , Kyriazakis Ilias 
Published: March 2007

Adipose tissue produces signals that can have a profound effect on many physiological functions, including energy expenditure and food intake. The hypothesis that variation in food intake of sheep resulting from differences in animal fatness can be predicted from effects of animal fatness on energetic efficiency was subjected to three tests. First, an existing food intake model was adapted to account for effects of animal fatness, as estimated by condition score, on food intake. Parameter values were derived from data obtained with two of five treatment groups of an experiment where ewe lambs were fed either chopped hay or pelleted concentrates. The model predicted the intake of the remaining three treatment groups satisfactorily. The energy intake model was subsequently extended with a protein module based upon a Gompertz curve to simulate changes in body weight and condition score. The model predicted these changes satisfactorily for most treatment groups during the experimental period of 50 weeks. In a last test, the final body weights and body lipid contents of animals fed either hay or concentrates for a period of 3 years were predicted. The predictions for final body weight (77 or 118 kg) and lipid content in the empty body (26 or 58 %) were within the range of expectations for sheep with access to hay or concentrates, respectively. The biological implications of the hypothesis that body fatness acts upon voluntary intake via its effects on energetic efficiency are discussed.
High Noon on the Western Range: A Property Rights Analysis of the Johnson County War
Authors: McFerrin Randy , Wills Douglas 
Published: March 2007

Wyoming's Johnson County War of 1892 is the historical basis of later popular depictions of the West as violent, and it influenced the development of Wyoming. Many see this era as the end of the open range system and the ascendancy of stock ranching and farming. Popular depiction argues that the event was an act of vigilantism of large foreign-owned firms against small individual settlers. We argue that the war was a conflict of property rights systems and use a model developed by Alston, Libecap, and Mueller to explain why violence broke out in Johnson County in 1892.Richer (the Rancher): We made this country. Found it and we made it … Made a safe range out of this. Some us died doin' it. We made it. Then people move in who never held a rawhide through the old days. Fenced off my range. Fenced me off from water. Some of them like you paw ditches, and take out irrigation water, and so the creek runs dry sometimes, and I got to move my stock because of it. And you say we have no rights to the range.Stark (the Homesteader): You talk about rights. You think you got the right to say that nobody else has got any. Well, that ain't the way the government looks at it. Shane [Paramount Pictures, 1953]
Retrovirus‐Polymer Complexes: Study of the Factors Affecting the Dose Response of Transduction
Authors: Landázuri Natalia , Krishna Delfi , Gupta Monique , Doux Joseph M. Le 
Published: March 2007

AbstractWe have previously shown that complexes of Polybrene (PB), chondroitin sulfate C (CSC), and retrovirus transduce cells more efficiently than uncomplexed virus because the complexes are large and sediment, reaching the cells more rapidly than by diffusion. Transduction reaches a peak at equal weight concentrations of CSC and PB and declines when the dose of PB is higher or lower than CSC. We hypothesized that the nonlinear dose response of transduction was a complex function of the molecular characteristics of the polymers, cell viability, and the number of viruses incorporated into the complexes. To test this hypothesis, we formed complexes using an amphotropic retrovirus and several pairs of oppositely charged polymers and used them to transduce murine fibroblasts. We examined the effect of the type and concentration of polymers used on cell viability, the size and charge of the complexes, the number of viruses incorporated into the complexes, and virus binding and transduction. Transduction was enhanced (2.5‐ to 5.5‐fold) regardless of which polymers were used and was maximized when the number of positive charge groups was in slight excess (15–28%) of the number of negative charge groups. Higher doses of cationic polymer were cytotoxic, whereas complexes formed with lower doses were smaller, contained fewer viruses, and sedimented more slowly. These results show that the dose response of transduction by virus‐polymer complexes is nonlinear because excess cationic polymer is cytotoxic, whereas excess anionic polymer reduces the number of active viruses that are delivered to the cells.
Inhibition of agmatine transport in liver mitochondria by new charge-deficient agmatine analogues
Authors: Grillo M.A. , Battaglia V. , Colombatto S. , Rossi C.A. , Simonian A.R. , Salvi M. , Khomutov A.R. , Toninello A. 
Published: March 2007

The charge of the agmatine analogues AO-Agm [N-(3-aminooxypropyl)guanidine], GAPA [N-(3-aminopropoxy)guanidine] and NGPG [N-(3-guanidinopropoxy)guanidine] is deficient as compared with that of agmatine and they are thus able to inhibit agmatine transport in liver mitochondria. The presence of the guanidine group is essential for an optimal effect, since AO-Agm and NGPG display competitive inhibition, whereas that of GAPA is non-competitive. NGPG is the most effective inhibitor (Ki=0.86 mM). The sequence in the inhibitory efficacy is not directly dependent on the degree of protonation of the molecules; in fact NGPG has almost the same charge as GAPA. When the importance of the guanidine group for agmatine uptake is taken into account, this observation suggests that the agmatine transporter is a single-binding, centre-gated pore rather than a channel.
Outbreak of Varicella-Zoster Virus Infection Among Thai Healthcare Workers
Authors: Apisarnthanarak Anucha , Kitphati Rungrueng , Tawatsupha Pranee , Thongphubeth Kanokporn , Apisarnthanarak Piyaporn , Mundy Linda M. 
Published: March 2007

Objective.To evaluate the correlation between self-report of a prior history of chickenpox and results of varicella-zoster virus (VZV) immunoglobulin (Ig) G serologic test results in an outbreak of VZV infection among Thai healthcare workers (HCWs) and to conduct a cost-benefit analysis of establishing routine VZV immunization as part of an occupational health program on the basis of the outbreak data.Methods.All exposed patients received prophylaxis and the HCWs in our 3 intensive care units (ICUs) were prospectively evaluated. HCWs were assessed for disease history and serologic evidence of VZV IgG. A cost-benefit analysis was performed.Results.After 140 HCWs and 18 ICU patients were exposed to VZV, 10 HCWs (7%) with active VZV infection were relieved from work until skin lesions were crusted. Acyclovir (ACV) was prescribed to all 10 HCWs with active disease, and all 18 exposed patients received prophylaxis with ACV. Of 140 HCWs, 100 consented to longitudinal follow-up. Twenty-three (100%) of the HCWs who reported a history of chickenpox also had serologic test results that were postive for VZV IgG, compared with 30 (39%) of 77 HCWs who reported no prior history of chickenpox, yet had test results that were positive for VZV IgG. Reported history of chickenpox had a sensitivity of 43%, a specificity of 100%, a positive predictive value of 100%, and a negative predictive value of 61% with respect to VZV infection immunity. The total cost estimate for this outbreak investigation was $23,087.Conclusions.An HCWs reported history of chickenpox was a reliable predictor of immunity; a report of no prior history of chickenpox was unreliable. Our cost-benefit analysis suggests that the costs of an occupational health program that included VZV surveillance and immunization for the next 323 HCWs would be approximately equal to the excess costs of $17,227 for the ACV therapy, HCW furloughs, and staff overtime associated with this outbreak.
Predictive Factors for Pneumonia Onset After Cardiac Surgery in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Authors: Santos Marisa , Braga José Ueleres , Gomes Renato Vieira , Werneck Guilherme L. 
Published: March 2007

Objective.To develop a predictive system for the occurrence of nosocomial pneumonia in patients who had cardiac surgery performed.Design.Retrospective cohort study.Setting.Two cardiologic tertiary care hospitals in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.Patients.Between June 2000 and August 2002, there were 1,158 consecutive patients who had complex heart surgery performed. Patients older than 18 years who survived the first 48 postoperative hours were included in the study. The occurrence of pneumonia was diagnosed through active surveillance by an infectious diseases specialist according to the following criteria: the presence of new infiltrate on a radiograph in association with purulent sputum and either fever or leukocytosis until day 10 after cardiac surgery. Predictive models were built on the basis of logistic regression analysis and classification and regression tree (CART) analysis. The original data set was divided randomly into 2 parts, one used to construct the models (ie, “test sample”) and the other used for validation (ie, “validation sample”).Results.The area under the receiver–operating characteristic (ROC) curve was 69% for the logistic regression model and 76% for the CART model. Considering a probability greater than 7% to be predictive of pneumonia for both models, sensitivity was higher for the logistic regression models, compared with the CART models (64% vs 56%). However, the CART models had a higher specificity (92% vs 70%) and global accuracy (90% vs 70%) than the logistic regression models. Both models showed good performance, based on the 2-graph ROC, considering that 84.6% and 84.3% of the predictions obtained by regression and CART analyses were regarded as valid.Conclusion.Although our findings are preliminary, the predictive models we created showed fairly good specificity and fair sensitivity.
Control of an Outbreak of Pandrug-Resistant Acinetobacter baumannii Colonization and Infection in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
Authors: Chan Pei-Chun , Huang Li-Min , Lin Hui-Chi , Chang Luan-Yin , Chen Mei-Ling , Lu Chun-Yi , Lee Ping-Ing , Chen Jung-Min , Lee Chin-Yun , Pan Hui-Jui , Wang Jann-Tay , Chang Shan-Chwen , Chen Yee-Chun 
Published: March 2007

Objective.To investigate the potential reservoir and mode of transmission of pandrug-resistant (PDR) Acinetobacter baumannii in a 7-day-old neonate who developed PDR A. baumannii bacteremia that was presumed to be the iceberg of a potential outbreak.Design.Outbreak investigation based on a program of prospective hospital-wide surveillance for nosocomial infection.Setting.A 24-bed neonatal intensive care unit in a 2,200-bed major teaching hospital in Taiwan that provides care for critically ill neonates born in this hospital and those transferred from other hospitals.Interventions.Samples from 33 healthcare workers' hands and 40 samples from the environment were cultured. Surveillance cultures of anal swab specimens and sputum samples were performed for neonates on admission to the neonatal intensive care unit and every 2 weeks until discharge. The PDR A. baumannii isolates, defined as isolates resistant to all currently available systemic antimicrobials except polymyxin B, were analyzed by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. Control measures consisted of implementing contact isolation, reinforcing hand hygiene adherence, cohorting of nurses, and environmental cleaning.Results.One culture of an environmental sample and no cultures of samples from healthcare workers' hands grew PDR A. baumannii. The positive culture result involved a sample obtained from a ventilation tube used by the index patient. During the following 2 months, active surveillance identified PDR A. baumannii in 8 additional neonates, and isolates from 7 had the same electrokaryotype. Of the 9 neonates colonized or infected with PDR A. baumannii, 1 died from an unrelated condition. Reinforcement of infection control measures resulted in 100% adherence to proper hand hygiene protocol. The outbreak was stopped without compromising patient care.Conclusions.In the absence of environmental contamination, transient hand carriage by personnel who cared for neonates colonized or infected with PDR A. baumannii was suspected to be the mode of transmission. Vigilance, prompt intervention and strict adherence to hand hygiene protocol were the key factors that led to the successful control of this outbreak. Active surveillance appears to be an effective measure to identify potential transmitters and reservoirs of PDR A. baumannii.