bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Subclinical hypothyroidism and deep venous thrombosis
Authors: Romualdi Erica , Piantanida Eliana , Gerdes Victor , Büller Harry , Tanda Maria , Bartalena Luigi , Venco Achille , Ageno Walter , Squizzato Alessandro 
Published: March 2007

SummarySeveral in-vivo studies have shown a procoagulant state in both overt and subclinical hyperthyroidism and in subclinical hypothyroidism. Insofar, no clinical studies have ever evaluated the relationship between thyroid dysfunction and clinically deep venous thrombosis (DVT). A pilot cross-sectional study aimed at assessing the frequency of overt and subclinical thyroid dysfunction patients with DVT was carried out. Fifty consecutive adult outpatients with a previous diagnosis of provoked DVT (pDVT), and 50 consecutive adult outpatients with a previous diagnosis unprovoked DVT (unDVT),both of the lower legs,who were followed at the Thrombosis Unit of the University Hospital of Varese, Italy, were enrolled after written informed consent. Fifty subjects, in whom such a diagnosis could be ruled out, served as controls. In each patient serum free thyroxine (FT4), free triiodothyronine (FT3), thyrotropin (TSH), anti-thyroid peroxidase (AbTPO), and anti-thyroglobulin (AbTg) antibodies were assayed. Previously unrecognised subclinical hypothyroidism was diagnosed in seven (14.0%) unDVT patients, one (2%) pDVT patient, and one (2%) control (odds ratio at multivariate analysis, 5.54; 95% confidence interval, 0.6–52.6); one new case of subclinical hyperthyroidism was diagnosed in each group; only one case (in the control group) of clinical overt hyperthyroidism was observed. The prevalence of thyroid autoantibodies, including both euthyroid and subclinical hypothyroid patients, did not differ in the three groups.The results of this pilot study suggest an increased prevalence of subclinical hypothyroidism in patients with unDVT.The clinical relevance of these preliminary findings needs to be addressed in larger prospective studies.
The Participation of Mental Health Service Users in Ontario, Canada: A Canadian Application of the Consumer Participation Questionnaire
Authors: Grant Jill 
Published: March 2007

Background: Ontario mental health policy calls for the participation of service users in mental health organizations, but no studies have examined the extent to which this is occurring. Aims: This study measures the extent to which service users participate in Ontario, Canada community mental health organizations and measures the attitudes toward service user participation in planning and in employment. Methods: Members of the Ontario Federation of Community Mental Health and Addictions Programs were invited to participate in a modified form of the Consumer Participation Questionnaire, created by Kent and Read (1998) for New Zealand. Results: Participation in Ontario community mental health organizations was present in this order: planning, membership on boards of directors, attendance at staff training, policy, staff hiring, and teaching at staff training. Compared with New Zealand, the prevalence of participation was higher in Ontario, but attitudes toward participation were similar. The role with the highest prevalence of participation, planning, was the same for both locations. Conclusions: An updated New Zealand study is called for, as is a more continuous method that includes various voices for measuring participation.
Mental Health Outcome Of Unilateral Lower Limb Amputee Soldiers In Two Districts Of Sri Lanka
Authors: Gunawardena Nalika , De A Senevirathne Rohini , Athauda Thamara 
Published: March 2007

Background: Thousands of armed forces personnel in Sri Lanka have undergone lower limb amputations due to war injuries. Aims: The aims were to describe the mental health outcome of unilateral lower limb amputee male soldiers of the Sri Lanka Army in comparison with nonamputee males and to identify factors affecting the mental health outcome. Methodology: Selected amputee soldiers ( n = 461) and controls ( n = 461) were evaluated for psychological distress using self-administered versions of GHQ-30 and BSI. Alcohol and drug consumption patterns were compared. Probable addiction to alcohol and drugs were assessed using the CAGE questionnaire. Results: A majority were below-knee amputees (413, 89.6%). Among amputee soldiers 36% were found to be psychologically distressed according to GHQ-30 while 13.4% were found to be psychologically distressed using BSI. Psychological distress was greater among amputee soldiers compared to controls (p < 0.001). Alcohol consumption and substance abuse were more common among amputees (p < 0.05), as was probable addiction to alcohol (p < 0.001). Being less than 30 years of age (OR =1.6, 95%CI(1.12–2.26)) was a factor influencing presence of psychological distress, characterized by psychological symptoms. Employment in the army adversely influenced psychological distress, characterized by psychological symptoms (OR = 2.35, 95%CI(2.0–3.64)) and by somatic symptoms (OR = 1.8, 95%CI(1.23–3.14)). Conclusions: The study concluded that amputees have a comparatively poor mental health outcome, which could be improved by modifying some associated factors.
A CD99-related antigen on endothelial cells mediates neutrophil but not lymphocyte extravasation in vivo
Authors: Bixel M. Gabriele , Petri Björn , Khandoga Alexander G. , Khandoga Andrej , Wolburg-Buchholz Karen , Wolburg Hartwig , März Sigrid , Krombach Fritz , Vestweber Dietmar 
Published: March 2007

AbstractCD99 is a long-known leukocyte antigen that does not belong to any of the known protein families. It was recently found on endothelial cells, where it mediates transendothelial migration of human monocytes and lymphocyte recruitment into inflamed skin in the mouse. Here, we show that CD99L2, a recently cloned, widely expressed antigen of unknown function with moderate sequence homology to CD99, is expressed on mouse leukocytes and endothelial cells. Using antibodies, we found that CD99L2 and CD99 are involved in transendothelial migration of neutrophils in vitro and in the recruitment of neutrophils into inflamed peritoneum. Intravital and electron microscopy of cremaster venules revealed that blocking CD99L2 inhibited leukocyte transmigration through the vessel wall (diapedesis) at the level of the perivascular basement membrane. We were surprised to find that, in contrast to CD99, CD99L2 was not relevant for the extravasation of lymphocytes into inflamed tissue. Although each protein promoted cell aggregation of transfected cells, endothelial CD99 and CD99L2 participated in neutrophil extravasation independent of these proteins on neutrophils. Our results establish CD99L2 as a new endothelial surface protein involved in neutrophil extravasation. In addition, this is the first evidence for a role of CD99 and CD99L2 in the process of leukocyte diapedesis in vivo.
Studies of c-Mpl function distinguish the replication of hematopoietic stem cells from the expansion of differentiating clones
Authors: Abkowitz Janis L. , Chen Jing 
Published: March 2007

Abstract
Three properties define hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs): their capacity for quiescence and long survival, their ability to self-renew, and their ability to give rise to a multilineage clone of differentiating and maturing blood cells. Although it is likely that different signals regulate these events, this has been difficult to dissect on a molecular level, since HSC division, their fate decisions, and the earliest differentiation events cannot be directly visualized. Our studies of c-Mpl, the cellular receptor for the cytokine thrombopoietin, suggest that c-Mpl does not control HSC numbers, as had been previously argued, but rather facilitates the early expansion of differentiating clones. These experiments provide a strategy to distinguish the actions of HSCs from earliest progenitor cells in vivo and demonstrate that a selective growth advantage at a level distal to HSC can result in a profound effect on multilineage hematopoiesis.
Significance analysis of microarray transcript levels in time series experiments
Authors: Di Camillo Barbara , Toffolo Gianna , Nair Sreekumaran K , Greenlund Laura J , Cobelli Claudio 
Published: March 2007

AbstractBackgroundMicroarray time series studies are essential to understand the dynamics of molecular events. In order to limit the analysis to those genes that change expression over time, a first necessary step is to select differentially expressed transcripts. A variety of methods have been proposed to this purpose; however, these methods are seldom applicable in practice since they require a large number of replicates, often available only for a limited number of samples. In this data-poor context, we evaluate the performance of three selection methods, using synthetic data, over a range of experimental conditions. Application to real data is also discussed.ResultsThree methods are considered, to assess differentially expressed genes in data-poor conditions. Method 1 uses a threshold on individual samples based on a model of the experimental error. Method 2 calculates the area of the region bounded by the time series expression profiles, and considers the gene differentially expressed if the area exceeds a threshold based on a model of the experimental error. These two methods are compared to Method 3, recently proposed in the literature, which exploits splines fit to compare time series profiles. Application of the three methods to synthetic data indicates that Method 2 outperforms the other two both in Precision and Recall when short time series are analyzed, while Method 3 outperforms the other two for long time series.ConclusionThese results help to address the choice of the algorithm to be used in data-poor time series expression study, depending on the length of the time series.
Correlation analysis reveals the emergence of coherence in the gene expression dynamics following system perturbation
Authors: Neretti Nicola , Remondini Daniel , Tatar Marc , Sedivy John M , Pierini Michela , Mazzatti Dawn , Powell Jonathan , Franceschi Claudio , Castellani Gastrone C 
Published: March 2007

AbstractTime course gene expression experiments are a popular means to infer co-expression. Many methods have been proposed to cluster genes or to build networks based on similarity measures of their expression dynamics. In this paper we apply a correlation based approach to network reconstruction to three datasets of time series gene expression following system perturbation: 1) Conditional, Tamoxifen dependent, activation of the cMyc proto-oncogene in rat fibroblast; 2) Genomic response to nutrition changes inD. melanogaster; 3) Patterns of gene activity as a consequence of ageing occurring over a life-span time series (25y–90y) sampled from T-cells of human donors.We show that the three datasets undergo similar transitions from an "uncorrelated" regime to a positively or negatively correlated one that is symptomatic of a shift from a "ground" or "basal" state to a "polarized" state.In addition, we show that a similar transition is conserved at the pathway level, and that this information can be used for the construction of "meta-networks" where it is possible to assess new relations among functionally distant sets of molecular functions.
Developmental expression of the receptor for advanced glycation end-products (RAGE) and its response to hyperoxia in the neonatal rat lung
Authors: Lizotte Pierre-Paul , Hanford Lana E , Enghild Jan J , Nozik-Grayck Eva , Giles Brenda-Louise , Oury Tim D 
Published: March 2007

Abstract

Background
The receptor for advanced glycation end products (mRAGE) is associated with pathology in most tissues, while its soluble form (sRAGE) acts as a decoy receptor. The adult lung is unique in that it expresses high amounts of RAGE under normal conditions while other tissues express low amounts normally and up-regulate RAGE during pathologic processes. We sought to determine the regulation of the soluble and membrane isoforms of RAGE in the developing lung, and its expression under hyperoxic conditions in the neonatal lung.

Results
Fetal (E19), term, 4 day, 8 day and adult rat lung protein and mRNA were analyzed, as well as lungs from neonatal (0–24 hrs) 2 day and 8 day hyperoxic (95% O2) exposed animals. mRAGE transcripts in the adult rat lung were 23% greater than in neonatal (0–24 hrs) lungs. On the protein level, rat adult mRAGE expression was 2.2-fold higher relative to neonatal mRAGE expression, and adult sRAGE protein expression was 2-fold higher compared to neonatal sRAGE. Fetal, term, 4 day and 8 day old rats had a steady increase in both membrane and sRAGE protein expression evaluated by Western Blot and immunohistochemistry. Newborn rats exposed to chronic hyperoxia showed significantly decreased total RAGE expression compared to room air controls.

Conclusion
Taken together, these data show that rat pulmonary RAGE expression increases with age beginning from birth, and interestingly, this increase is counteracted under hyperoxic conditions. These results support the emerging concept that RAGE plays a novel and homeostatic role in lung physiology.
Radiation of the Tnt1 retrotransposon superfamily in three Solanaceae genera
Authors: Manetti Maria E , Rossi Magdalena , Costa Ana PP , Clausen Andrea M , Van Sluys Marie-Anne 
Published: March 2007

Abstract

Background
Tnt1 was the first active plant retrotransposon identified in tobacco after nitrate reductase gene disruption. The Tnt1 superfamily comprises elements from Nicotiana (Tnt1 and Tto1) and Lycopersicon (Retrolyc1 and Tlc1) species. The study presented here was conducted to characterise Tnt1-related sequences in 20 wild species of Solanum and five cultivars of Solanum tuberosum.

Results
Tnt1-related sequences were amplified from total genomic DNA using a PCR-based approach. Purified fragments were cloned and sequenced, and clustering analysis revealed three groups that differ in their U3 region. Using a network approach with a total of 453 non-redundant sequences isolated from Solanum (197), Nicotiana (140) and Lycopersicon (116) species, it is demonstrated that the Tnt1 superfamily can be treated as a population to resolve previous phylogenetic multifurcations. The resulting RNAseH network revealed that sequences group according to the Solanaceae genus, supporting a strong association with the host genome, whereas tracing the U3 region sequence association characterises the modular evolutionary pattern within the Tnt1 superfamily. Within each genus, and irrespective of species, nearly 20% of Tnt1 sequences analysed are identical, indicative of being part of an active copy. The network approach enabled the identification of putative "master" sequences and provided evidence that within a genus these master sequences are associated with distinct U3 regions.

Conclusion
The results presented here support the hypothesis that the Tnt1 superfamily was present early in the evolution of Solanaceae. The evidence also suggests that the RNAseH region of Tnt1 became fixed at the host genus level whereas, within each genus, propagation was ensured by the diversification of the U3 region. Different selection pressures seemed to have acted on the U3 and RNAseH modules of ancestral Tnt1 elements, probably due to the distinct functions of these regions in the retrotransposon life cycle, resulting in both co evolution and adaptation of the element population with its host.
Characterization of Escherichia coli MG1655 grown in a low-shear modeled microgravity environment
Authors: Tucker Don L , Ott C Mark , Huff Stephen , Fofanov Yuriy , Pierson Duane L , Willson Richard C , Fox George E 
Published: March 2007

Abstract

Background
Extra-cellular shear force is an important environmental parameter that is significant both medically and in the space environment. Escherichia coli cells grown in a low-shear modeled microgravity (LSMMG) environment produced in a high aspect rotating vessel (HARV) were subjected to transcriptional and physiological analysis.

Results
Aerobic LSMMG cultures were grown in rich (LB) and minimal (MOPS + glucose) medium with a normal gravity vector HARV control. Reproducible changes in transcription were seen, but no specific LSMMG responsive genes were identified. Instead, absence of shear and a randomized gravity vector appears to cause local extra-cellular environmental changes, which elicit reproducible cellular responses. In minimal media, the majority of the significantly up- or down-regulated genes of known function were associated with the cell envelope. In rich medium, most LSMMG down-regulated genes were involved in translation. No observable changes in post-culture stress responses and antibiotic sensitivity were seen in cells immediately after exposure to LSMMG. Comparison with earlier studies of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium conducted under similar growth conditions, revealed essentially no similarity in the genes that were significantly up- or down-regulated.

Conclusion
Comparison of these results to previous studies suggests that different organisms may dramatically differ in their responses to medically significant low-shear and space environments. Depending on their specific response, some organisms, such as Salmonella, may become preadapted in a manner that predisposes them to increased virulence.
Importance of c-Type cytochromes for U(VI) reduction by Geobacter sulfurreducens
Authors: Shelobolina Evgenya S , Coppi Maddalena V , Korenevsky Anton A , DiDonato Laurie N , Sullivan Sara A , Konishi Hiromi , Xu Huifang , Leang Ching , Butler Jessica E , Kim Byoung-Chan , Lovley Derek R 
Published: March 2007

AbstractBackgroundIn order to study the mechanism of U(VI) reduction, the effect of deletingc-type cytochrome genes on the capacity ofGeobacter sulfurreducensto reduce U(VI) with acetate serving as the electron donor was investigated.ResultsThe ability of severalc-type cytochrome deficient mutants to reduce U(VI) was lower than that of the wild type strain. Elimination of two confirmed outer membrane cytochromes and two putative outer membrane cytochromes significantly decreased (ca. 50–60%) the ability ofG. sulfurreducensto reduce U(VI). Involvement in U(VI) reduction did not appear to be a general property of outer membrane cytochromes, as elimination of two other confirmed outer membrane cytochromes, OmcB and OmcC, had very little impact on U(VI) reduction. Among the periplasmic cytochromes, only MacA, proposed to transfer electrons from the inner membrane to the periplasm, appeared to play a significant role in U(VI) reduction. A subpopulation of both wild type and U(VI) reduction-impaired cells, 24–30%, accumulated amorphous uranium in the periplasm. Comparison of uranium-accumulating cells demonstrated a similar amount of periplasmic uranium accumulation in U(VI) reduction-impaired and wild typeG. sulfurreducens. Assessment of the ability of the various suspensions to reduce Fe(III) revealed no correlation between the impact of cytochrome deletion on U(VI) reduction and reduction of Fe(III) hydroxide and chelated Fe(III).ConclusionThis study indicates thatc-type cytochromes are involved in U(VI) reduction byGeobacter sulfurreducens. The data provide new evidence for extracellular uranium reduction byG. sulfurreducensbut do not rule out the possibility of periplasmic uranium reduction. Occurrence of U(VI) reduction at the cell surface is supported by the significant impact of elimination of outer membrane cytochromes on U(VI) reduction and the lack of correlation between periplasmic uranium accumulation and the capacity for uranium reduction. Periplasmic uranium accumulation may reflect the ability of uranium to penetrate the outer membrane rather than the occurrence of enzymatic U(VI) reduction. Elimination of cytochromes rarely had a similar impact on both Fe(III) and U(VI) reduction, suggesting that there are differences in the routes of electron transfer to U(VI) and Fe(III). Further studies are required to clarify the pathways leading to U(VI) reduction inG. sulfurreducens.
Microsatellite analysis of Damask rose (Rosa damascena Mill.) accessions from various regions in Iran reveals multiple genotypes
Authors: Babaei Alireza , Tabaei-Aghdaei Seyed Reza , Khosh-Khui Morteza , Omidbaigi Reza , Naghavi Mohammad Reza , Esselink Gerhard D , Smulders Marinus JM 
Published: March 2007

Abstract

Background
Damask roses (Rosa damascena Mill.) are mainly used for essential oil production. Previous studies have indicated that all production material in Bulgaria and Turkey consists of only one genotype. Nine polymorphic microsatellite markers were used to analyze the genetic diversity of 40 accessions of R. damascena collected across major and minor rose oil production areas in Iran.

Results
All microsatellite markers showed a high level of polymorphism (5–15 alleles per microsatellite marker, with an average of 9.11 alleles per locus). Cluster analysis of genetic similarities revealed that these microsatellites identified a total of nine different genotypes. The genotype from Isfahan province, which is the major production area, was by far the most common genotype (27/40 accessions). It was identical to the Bulgarian genotype. Other genotypes (each represented by 1–4 accessions) were collected from minor production areas in several provinces, notably in the mountainous Northwest of Iran.

Conclusion
This is the first study that uncovered genetic diversity within Damask rose. Our results will guide new collection activities to establish larger collections and manage the Iranian Damask rose genetic resources. The genotypes identified here may be directly useful for breeding.
Lack of Influence of GTP Cyclohydrolase Gene (GCH1) Variations on Pain Sensitivity in Humans
Authors: Kim Hyungsuk , Dionne Raymond A 
Published: March 2007

Objectives: To assess the effect of variations in GTP cyclohydrolase gene ( GCH1) on pain sensitivity in humans. Methods: Thermal and cold pain sensitivity were evaluated in a cohort of 735 healthy volunteers. Among this cohort, the clinical pain responses of 221 subjects after the surgical removal of impacted third molars were evaluated. Genotyping was done for 38 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) whose heterozygosity > 0.2 in GCH1. Influence of the genetic variations including SNPs and haplotypes on pain sensitivity were analyzed. Results: Minor allele frequencies and linkage disequilibrium show significant differences in European Americans, African Americans, Hispanic Americans and Asian Americans. Association analyses in European Americans do not replicate the previously reported important influence of GCH1 variations on pain sensitivity. Conclusion: Considering population stratification, previously reported associations between GCH1 genetic variations and pain sensitivity appear weak or negligible in this well characterized model of pain.