bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Synthesis of acute phase proteins in rats with cirrhosis exposed to lipopolysaccharide
Authors: Nielsen Susanne Schouw , Grøfte Thorbjørn , Tygstrup Niels , Vilstrup Hendrik 
Published: September 2006

Abstract

Background
In patients with cirrhosis, infection is frequent and a leading cause of death. This is secondary to various immunologic abnormalities in both the innate and the adaptive immune system. However, it remains unclear whether cirrhosis affects the inflammatory systemic component of the innate immunity, 'the acute phase response', mostly effectuated by the liver itself. We hypothesized that rats with cirrhosis raise a reduced acute phase response induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS).

Results
We examined the acute phase response induced by intraperitoneal injection of a low dose of LPS, in sham operated control animals and in rats with liver cirrhosis induced by bile duct ligation (BDL). We measured the serum concentrations of the most important acute phase proteins and their liver tissue gene expressions, assessed by mRNA levels. The BDL-model itself increased the serum concentration of α1-acid glycoprotein (α1AGP) and haptoglobin. LPS was lethal to 25% of the cirrhotic animals and to none of the controls. Twenty-four hours after LPS, the serum concentration of α1AGP and haptoglobin, the mRNA level of these acute phase proteins and of α2-macroglobulin and thiostatin rose to the same level in the animals with cirrhosis and in controls.

Conclusion
In rats with experimental cirrhosis LPS caused high mortality. In the survivors, the cirrhotic liver still synthesized acute phase proteins as the normal liver, indicating a normal hepatic contribution to this part of the acute phase response.
Development of an in vitro model to study clot lysis activity of thrombolytic drugs
Authors: Prasad Sweta , Kashyap Rajpal S , Deopujari Jayant Y , Purohit Hemant J , Taori Girdhar M , Daginawala Hatim F 
Published: September 2006

Abstract

Background
Thrombolytic drugs are widely used for the management of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis patients. Several in vitro models have been developed to study clot lytic activity of thrombolytic drugs, but all of these have certain limitations. There is need of an appropriate model to check the clot lytic efficacy of thrombolytic drugs. In the present study, an attempt has been made to design and develop a new model system to study clot lysis in a simplified and easy way using a thrombolytic drug, streptokinase.

Methods
Whole blood from healthy individuals (n = 20) was allowed to form clots in a pre-weighed sterile microcentrifuge tubes; serum was removed and clot was weighed. After lysis by streptokinase fluid was removed and remnants of clot were again weighed along with the tube. Percentage of Clot lysis was calculated on the basis of the weight difference of microcentrifuge tubes obtained before and after clot lysis.

Results
There was a significant percentage of clot lysis observed when streptokinase was used. On the other hand with water (negative control), minimal (2.5%) clot lysis was observed. There was a significant difference between clot lysis done by streptokinase and water.

Conclusion
Our study could be a rapid and effective methodology to study clot-lytic effect of newly developed drugs as well as known drugs.
Sex, bugs and Haldane's rule: the nematode genus Pristionchus in the United States
Authors: Herrmann Matthias , Mayer Werner E , Sommer Ralf J 
Published: September 2006

AbstractBackgroundThe nematodePristionchus pacificushas been developed as a satellite organism in evolutionary developmental biology for comparison toCaenorhabditis elegans. Comparative studies have revealed major differences in the regulation of developmental processes betweenP. pacificusandC. elegans. To place evolutionary developmental biology and the observed developmental differences between species in a comprehensive evolutionary context, such studies have to be complemented with ecological aspects. Knowledge about the ecology of the organism in question might indicate specific environmental conditions that can result in developmental adaptations and could account for species differences in development. To this end, we have started to investigate the ecology ofPristionchusnematodes. In recent field studies in Western Europe we found sixPristionchusspecies that are closely associated with scarab beetles and the Colorado potato beetle. ThisPristionchus– beetle association provides the unique opportunity to combine research in evolutionary developmental biology with ecology. However, it remains unknown how general these findings from Europe are on a global scale.ResultsHere, we describe thePristionchusspecies associated with scarab and Colorado potato beetles in the Eastern United States and show striking transatlantic differences and unexpected evolutionary and ecological patterns. Twohundredeighty of 285 (98%) isolates from American scarab beetles belong to fivePristionchusspecies, all of which are different from the European species. We describe four of them as novelPristionchusspecies. The five AmericanPristionchusspecies fall into a single phylogenetic clade and have a male-female (gonochoristic) mode of reproduction, whereas the majority of European isolates are hermaphroditic. Crosses between the two most closely related species,P. aerivorusandP. pseudaerivorusn. sp., follow Haldane's rule in that heterogametic F1 males are inviable. We observedP. aerivorusandP. pseudaerivorusn. sp. coexisting on the same scarab beetle and obtained two cases of F1 hybrids from wild beetles. Finally, the Colorado potato beetle is associated with the same nematode,P. uniformisin the United States and Europe. Given the introduction of the Colorado potato beetle to Europe in 1877, our results suggest thatP. uniformiswas introduced together with its beetle vector.ConclusionTaken together, thePristionchus– beetle association provides a powerful tool for studying biodiversity, biogeography, speciation and species invasion on a global scale.
Risk factors for post-ICU red blood cell transfusion: a prospective study
Authors: Marque Sophie , Cariou Alain , Chiche Jean-Daniel , Mallet Vincent Olivier , Pene Frédéric , Mira Jean-Paul , Dhainaut Jean-François , Claessens Yann-Erick 
Published: September 2006

Abstract
Introduction
Factors predictive of the need for red blood cell (RBC) transfusion in the intensive care unit (ICU) have been identified, but risk factors for transfusion after ICU discharge are unknown. This study aims identifies risk factors for RBC transfusion after discharge from the ICU.

Methods
A prospective, monocentric observational study was conducted over a 6-month period in a 24-bed medical ICU in a French university hospital. Between June and December 2003, 550 critically ill patients were consecutively enrolled in the study.

Results
A total of 428 patients survived after treatment in the ICU; 47 (11% of the survivors, 8.5% of the whole population) required RBC transfusion within 7 days after ICU discharge. Admission for sepsis (odds ratio [OR] 341.60, 95% confidence interval [CI] 20.35–5734.51), presence of an underlying malignancy (OR 32.6, 95%CI 3.8–280.1), female sex (OR 5.4, 95% CI 1.2–24.9), Logistic Organ Dysfunction score at ICU discharge (OR 1.45, 95% CI 1.1–1.9) and age (OR 1.06, 95% CI 1.02–1.12) were independently associated with RBC transfusion after ICU stay. Haemoglobin level at discharge predicted the need for delayed RBC transfusion. Use of vasopressors (OR 0.01, 95%CI 0.001–0.17) and haemoglobin level at discharge from the ICU (OR 0.02, 95% CI 0.007–0.09; P < 0.001) were strong independent predictors of transfusion of RBC 1 week after ICU discharge.

Conclusion
Sepsis, underlying conditions, unresolved organ failures and haemoglobin level at discharge were related to an increased risk for RBC transfusion after ICU stay. We suggest that strategies to prevent transfusion should focus on homogeneous subgroups of patients and take into account post-ICU needs for RBC transfusion.
Gene and protein characteristics reflect functional diversity of CD56dim and CD56bright NK cells
Authors: Wendt Katy , Wilk Esther , Buyny Sabine , Buer Jan , Schmidt Reinhold E , Jacobs Roland 
Published: September 2006

Abstract
Recent findings underline the role of NK cell subsets in regulating adaptive immunity. To define characteristics of NK cell subpopulations, purified CD56dim and CD56bright NK cells were analyzed by using gene chip arrays covering more than 39,000 transcripts. Gene profiling revealed resting NK cells to differ in respect to 473 transcripts with 176 exclusively expressed in CD56dim and 130 solely in CD56bright NK cells. Results were compared with array analyses using mRNA obtained from activated CD56dim and CD56bright NK cells. In this approach, NK cell receptors, cytolytic molecules, adhesion structures, and chemokine ligands showed differential expression patterns in the two subpopulations. These data were validated using FACS, RT-qPCR, or cytokine bead array (CBA) techniques. Cytokines produced by CD56dim and CD56bright NK cells were determined using a protein array covering 79 different bioactive mediators. GDNF, IGFBP-1, EGF, and TIMP-2 were detected in both subsets. In contrast, IGFBP-3 and IGF-1 were mainly produced by CD56dim, while GM-CSF, TARC, and TGFβ3 were expressed by CD56bright NK cells. In summary, we report new characteristic features of CD56dim and CD56bright NK cells, further underscoring that they represent independent populations with functionally diverse capabilities. The information on NK cells generated in this study will help to define corresponding NK cell populations in other species that lack CD56 expression on NK cells, such as mice. This will subsequently lead to the establishment of suitable animal models for detailed analysis of NK cell populations in vivo.
Effect of nicotine on IL-18-initiated immune response in human monocytes
Authors: Takahashi Hideo Kohka , Iwagaki Hiromi , Hamano Ryosuke , Yoshino Tadashi , Tanaka Noriaki , Nishibori Masahiro 
Published: September 2006

Abstract
Nicotine is thought to inhibit the production of proinflammatory cytokines from macrophages through an anti-inflammatory pathway that is dependent on nicotinic acetylcholine receptor α7 subunit (α7-nAChR). IL-18, an important proinflammatory cytokine, is reported to induce the expression of adhesion molecules on monocytes, thus enhancing cell-to-cell interactions with T-cells and contributing to IL-18-initiated cytokine production. Accordingly, inhibition of IL-18 suppresses systemic inflammatory responses. In the present study, we found that nicotine inhibited the IL-18-enhanced expression of ICAM-1, B7.2, and CD40 on monocytes, and the production of IL-12, IFN-γ, and TNF-α by PBMC. A nonselective and a selective α7-nAChR antagonist, mecamylamine, and α-bungarotoxin abolished the effects of nicotine, suggesting that this depends on α7-nAChR stimulation. It is reported that nicotine induces prostaglandinE2 (PGE2) production in PBMC through the up-regulation of cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 expression. PGE2 is known to activate the EP2/EP4-receptor, leading to an increase in cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) levels and protein kinase A (PKA) activity. Consistent with this, we found that COX-2 and PKA inhibitors prevented the effects of nicotine on adhesion molecule expression and cytokine production, indicating that the mechanism of action of nicotine may be via endogenous PGE2 production.
Stage II Colon Cancer Prognosis Prediction by Tumor Gene Expression Profiling
Authors: Barrier Alain , Boelle Pierre-Yves , Roser François , Gregg Jennifer , Tse Chantal , Brault Didier , Lacaine François , Houry Sidney , Huguier Michel , Franc Brigitte , Flahault Antoine , Lemoine Antoinette , Dudoit Sandrine 
Published: September 2006

Purpose This study mainly aimed to identify and assess the performance of a microarray-based prognosis predictor (PP) for stage II colon cancer. A previously suggested 23-gene prognosis signature (PS) was also evaluated. Patients and Methods Tumor mRNA samples from 50 patients were profiled using oligonucleotide microarrays. PPs were built and assessed by random divisions of patients into training and validation sets (TSs and VSs, respectively). For each TS/VS split, a 30-gene PP, identified on the TS by selecting the 30 most differentially expressed genes and applying diagonal linear discriminant analysis, was used to predict the prognoses of VS patients. Two schemes were considered: single-split validation, based on a single random split of patients into two groups of equal size (group 1 and group 2), and Monte Carlo cross validation (MCCV), whereby patients were repeatedly and randomly divided into TS and VS of various sizes. Results The 30-gene PP, identified from group 1 patients, yielded an 80% prognosis prediction accuracy on group 2 patients. MCCV yielded the following average prognosis prediction performance measures: 76.3% accuracy, 85.1% sensitivity, and 67.5% specificity. Improvements in prognosis prediction were observed with increasing TS size. The 30-gene PS were found to be highly-variable across TS/VS splits. Assessed on the same random splits of patients, the previously suggested 23-gene PS yielded a 67.7% mean prognosis prediction accuracy. Conclusion Microarray gene expression profiling is able to predict the prognosis of stage II colon cancer patients. The present study also illustrates the usefulness of resampling techniques for honest performance assessment of microarray-based PPs.
Metabolic Imaging Predicts Response, Survival, and Recurrence in Adenocarcinomas of the Esophagogastric Junction
Authors: Ott Katja , Weber Wolfgang A. , Lordick Florian , Becker Karen , Busch Raymonde , Herrmann Ken , Wieder Hinrich , Fink Ulrich , Schwaiger Markus , Siewert Jörg-Rüdiger 
Published: September 2006

Purpose A previous study suggested that measurement of therapy-induced changes in tumor glucose metabolism by positron emission tomography (PET) with the glucose analog [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) allows to select patients most likely to benefit from preoperative chemotherapy in adenocarcinomas of the esophagogastric junction (AEG). The aim of this study was to prospectively validate these findings by using an a priori definition of metabolic response. Patients and Methods Sixty-five patients with locally advanced AEGs were included. Tumor glucose utilization was quantitatively assessed by FDG-PET before chemotherapy and 14 days after initiation of therapy. Patients were classified as metabolic responders when the metabolic activity of the primary tumor had decreased by more than 35% at the time of the second PET. Results Metabolic responders showed a high histopathologic response rate (44%) with a 3-year survival rate of 70%. In contrast, prognosis was poor for metabolic nonresponders with a histopathologic response rate of 5% (P = .001) and a 3-year survival rate of 35% (P = .01). A multivariate analysis (covariates: ypT-, ypN-category, histopathologic response) demonstrated that metabolic response was the only factor predicting recurrence (P = .018) in the subgroup of completely resected (R0) patients. Conclusion This study prospectively demonstrates that changes in tumor metabolic activity during chemotherapy predict response, prognosis, and recurrence. These data provide the basis for clinical trials in which preoperative treatment is changed for patients without a metabolic response early in the course of therapy. PET-guided induction therapy may even be applicable to earlier tumor stages because surgery is only minimally delayed in nonresponding patients.
Relations, Objects, and the Composition of Analogies
Authors: Gentner Dedre , Kurtz Kenneth J. 
Published: September 2006

AbstractThis research addresses the kinds of matching elements that determine analogical relatedness and literal similarity. Despite theoretical agreement on the importance of relational match, the empirical evidence is neither systematic nor definitive. In 3 studies, participants performed online evaluations of relatedness of sentence pairs that varied in either the object or relational match. Results show a consistent focus on relational matches as the main determinant of analogical acceptance. In addition, analogy does not require strict overall identity of relational concepts. Semantically overlapping but nonsynonymous relations were commonly accepted, but required more processing time. Finally, performance in a similarity rating task partly paralleled analogical acceptance; however, relatively more weight was given to object matches. Implications for psychological theories of analogy and similarity are addressed.
Uncertainty About the Rest of the Sentence
Authors: Hale John 
Published: September 2006

AbstractA word‐by‐word human sentence processing complexity metric is presented. This metric formalizes the intuition that comprehenders have more trouble on words contributing larger amounts of information about the syntactic structure of the sentence as a whole. The formalization is in terms of the conditional entropy of grammatical continuations, given the words that have been heard so far. To calculate the predictions of this metric, Wilson and Carroll's (1954) original entropy reduction idea is extended to infinite languages. This is demonstrated with a mildly context‐sensitive language that includes relative clauses formed on a variety of grammatical relations across the Accessibility Hierarchy of Keenan and Comrie (1977). Predictions are derived that correlate significantly with repetition accuracy results obtained in a sentence‐memory experiment (Keenan & Hawkins, 1987).
Unsupervised Discovery of Nonlinear Structure Using Contrastive Backpropagation
Authors: Hinton Geoffrey , Osindero Simon , Welling Max , Teh Yee‐Whye 
Published: September 2006

AbstractWe describe a way of modeling high‐dimensional data vectors by using an unsupervised, nonlinear, multilayer neural network in which the activity of each neuron‐like unit makes an additive contribution to a global energy score that indicates how surprised the network is by the data vector. The connection weights that determine how the activity of each unit depends on the activities in earlier layers are learned by minimizing the energy assigned to data vectors that are actually observed and maximizing the energy assigned to “confabulations” that are generated by perturbing an observed data vector in a direction that decreases its energy under the current model.
Swelling Characteristics of Hydroxy-Aluminum Interlayered Clays
Authors: Kidder Gerald , Reed Lester W. 
Published: September 2006

AbstractThe hypothesis tested was that macroscopic swelling of montmorillonitic clays is reduced by the presence of interlayer minerals. Fine and coarse clay fractions of Camargo and Panther Greek bentonite samples were artificially interlayered by reaction of Al2(SO4)3 and NaOH in 0∙5% suspensions of the clays. All four clay fractions reacted similarly to artificial interlayering. At an Al:clay ratio of 16 meq Al/g clay the CEC was completely lost, surface area was reduced and X-ray basal spacings were altered. No macroscopic swelling occurred in samples treated with 16 meq of Al/g of clay. At smaller concentrations of hydroxy-aluminum 8 and 2 meq Al/g clay, the clay properties were less drastically altered. Extraction of interlayered clays with Na citrate restored the original C.E.C., surface area, and basal spacings of all samples and resulted in some slight enhancement of C.E.C. and surface areas of the coarse fractions. Treatment with hot Na citrate resulted in an increase in swelling ability but only slight increases in C.E.C. and surface area. Evidence presented supports the hypothesis that macroscopic swelling of montmorillonitic clays is greatly reduced by interlayer materials. Reduced swelling due to interlayering occurs even when other clay properties may be slightly different from those of nontreated samples. Indications are that interlayer material occurs naturally in the clays studied and this may apply to other bentonite deposits.
Calcium-Magnesium Exchange in Montmorillonite and Vermiculite
Authors: Levy Rachel , Shainberg I. 
Published: September 2006

AbstractAn experimentally determined Ca-Mg exchange isotherm of montmorillonite is reported. The selectivity coefficient of this exchange over a wide range of Mg saturation was calculated and found constant.Standard free energies of exchange, thermodynamic equilibrium constants and activity coefficients of the exchangeable Ca and Mg ions in vermiculite and montmorillonite, were predicted from knowledge of the microstructure of these two clays, assuming that coulombic forces are the main ones playing a role in the interaction between the counterions and the charged clay surface. The standard free energies of exchange (ΔGCa°Mg = 238 cal/mole) predicted a preference for Ca in montmorillonite and a preference for Mg in vermiculite (ΔGCa°Mg = - 1665 cal/mole). The predicted thermodynamic equilibrium constants were compatible with the experimentally determined selectivity coefficients KsCaMg = 0·67 as compared with KsCaMg = 0·68 in montmorillonite, which remains constant over all the range of Mg saturation, and KCaMg = 16·7 as compared with KsCaMg = 13·9 in vermiculite at 95% Mg saturation. The activity coefficients of Ca and Mg counterions in montmorillonite were found to be and , respectively, and to remain constant. The activity coefficients of exchangeable Ca and Mg in vermiculite were found to be and , respectively, at an equivalent fraction of unity. The activity coefficient of exchangeable Mg increased as the saturation with Mg decreased, and was found to be 1·7 × 10-3 in the range of the low Mg saturation.The microstructure, the isomorphic substitution and the surface charge density provided an understanding of the changes taking place in the activity coefficients of the counterions.
The I.R. Spectrum of Structural Hydroxyls of K-Depleted Biotites
Authors: Chaussidon J. 
Published: September 2006

AbstractThe i.r. spectrum of K depleted biotites (structural OH stretching range) has been studied with monocrystals equilibrated at various water contents. Prior to spectroscopic measurements, the samples were submitted to deuteration treatments which displaced the hydration water spectrum to the OD region and made it possible to observe the behaviour of the structural hydroxyls without interference from hydration water.In these conditions it was shown that the high frequency absorption of K depleted biotites (N + I bands) is the sum of two absorptions: the first corresponds to the initial mica spectrum, the second corresponds to the hydrated phase in which component bands (according to Vedder and Wilkins) are shifted by 36 cm-1 towards low frequencies.Simultaneously it was shown that low frequency bands (V bands) decreased in intensity. This unexpected observation has been explained by a partial deuteration of structural OH, which takes place during the preliminary contacts of the samples with D2O vapour.