bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Metformin Improves Endothelial Vascular Reactivity in First-Degree Relatives of Type 2 Diabetic Patients With Metabolic Syndrome and Normal Glucose Tolerance
Authors: de Aguiar Luiz Guilherme Kraemer , Bahia Luciana R. , Villela Nivaldo , Laflor Camila , Sicuro Fernando , Wiernsperger Nicolas , Bottino Daniel , Bouskela Eliete 
Published: May 2006

OBJECTIVE—Endothelial dysfunction is an early marker of atherosclerosis seen in type 2 diabetic subjects. Metformin is commonly used in the treatment of type 2 diabetes and has known vasculoprotective effects beyond its hypoglycemic ones. We aimed to investigate the vascular effects of metformin in first-degree relatives with metabolic syndrome of type 2 diabetic patients.
RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS—The study included 31 subjects (age 38.3 ± 7.6 years and BMI 36.3 ± 5.2 kg/m2), who were first-degree relatives of type 2 diabetic patients and who had metabolic syndrome and normal glucose tolerance. The subjects were randomly assigned 1:1 in a double-blind fashion to receive placebo (n = 15) or metformin (n = 16). Endothelial function was assessed by venous occlusion plethysmography, measuring forearm blood flow (FBF) and vascular resistance responses to three intra-arterial infusions of endothelium-dependent (acetylcholine 7.5, 15, and 30 μg/min) and independent (sodium nitroprusside 2, 4, and 8 μg/min) vasodilators. Weight, BMI, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, waist, and laboratory parameters (lipid profile and fasting plasma glucose [FPG]) were assessed at baseline and after treatment.
RESULTS—The metformin and placebo groups did not differ in anthropometric, clinical, laboratory, and vascular measurements at baseline. The metformin group had decreased weight, BMI, systolic blood pressure, and FPG and improved lipid profile. Endothelium-dependent FBF responses were also improved, without any effect on endothelium-independent responses. There was no correlation between the improvement on FBF responses and the observed changes on anthropometric, clinical, and laboratory parameters.
CONCLUSIONS—We concluded that metformin improved vascular endothelial reactivity in first-degree relatives with metabolic syndrome of type 2 diabetic patients, independently of its known antihyperglycemic effects.
Effect of Rosiglitazone on Endothelial Function and Inflammatory Markers in Patients With the Metabolic Syndrome
Authors: Esposito Katherine , Ciotola Miryam , Carleo Diego , Schisano Bruno , Saccomanno Franco , Sasso Ferdinando Carlo , Cozzolino Domenico , Assaloni Roberta , Merante Domenico , Ceriello Antonio , Giugliano Dario 
Published: May 2006

OBJECTIVE—The aim of this study was to assess the effect of rosiglitazone on endothelial function and inflammatory markers in patients with the metabolic syndrome.
RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS—This was a randomized, double-blind, controlled clinical trial. One hundred subjects (54 men and 46 women) with the metabolic syndrome, as defined by the Adult Treatment Panel III, were followed for 12 months after random assignment to rosiglitazone (4 mg/day) or placebo. Primary end points were flow-mediated dilation and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels; secondary end points were lipid and glucose parameters, homeostasis model assessment (HOMA) of insulin sensitivity, endothelial function score, and circulating levels of interleukin (IL)-6, IL-18, and adiponectin.
RESULTS—Compared with 60 control subjects matched for age and sex, patients with the metabolic syndrome had decreased endothelial function, raised concentrations of inflammatory markers, and reduced insulin sensitivity. After 12 months, subjects with the metabolic syndrome receiving rosiglitazone showed improved flow-mediated vasodilation (4.2%, P &lt; 0.001) and reduced hs-CRP levels (−0.7 mg/dl, P = 0.04), compared with the placebo group. Moreover, HOMA (−0.8, P = 0.01) and serum concentrations of IL-6 (−0.5 pg/ml, P = 0.045) and IL-18 (−31 pg/ml, P = 0.036) were significantly reduced in subjects receiving rosiglitazone, whereas adiponectin levels showed a significant increment (2.3 μg/ml, P = 0.02). High-density lipoprotein-cholesterol levels increased more and triglyceride levels decreased more in the rosiglitazone group compared with the placebo group. At 1 year of follow-up, 30 subjects receiving rosiglitazone still had features of the metabolic syndrome, compared with 45 subjects receiving placebo (P &lt; 0.001).
CONCLUSIONS—Rosiglitazone might be effective in reducing the prevalence of the metabolic syndrome.
Proinflammatory Cytokines, Insulin Resistance, and Insulin Secretion in Chronic Hepatitis C patients
Authors: Lecube Albert , Hernández Cristina , Genescà Joan , Simó Rafael 
Published: May 2006

OBJECTIVE—The purpose of this study was to explore the initial pathogenic mechanisms of diabetes associated with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection.
RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS—Insulin resistance, proinflammatory cytokines, and β-cell function were evaluated in a case-control study. A total of 28 consecutive nondiabetic patients with chronic hepatitis C were included in the study (anti-HCV+). Fourteen patients with chronic hepatitis other than HCV infection served as the control group (anti-HCV−). Both groups were closely matched by the main clinical variables associated with insulin resistance and the degree of liver fibrosis. In addition, there were no differences between groups regarding hepatic insulin extraction measured by calculating the ratio between C-peptide and insulin. Serum levels of proinflammatory cytokines (tumor necrosis factor [TNF]-α, soluble TNF receptor [sTNFR] 1, soluble TNFR2, and interleukin-6) were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Insulin resistance (homeostasis model assessment [HOMA] of insulin resistance [HOMA-IR]) and insulin secretion at baseline (HOMA-β) and after various stimulus (oral glucose tolerance test, standard food intake, and intravenous glucagon) were determined by previously validated mathematic indexes.
RESULTS—HOMA-IR was higher in anti-HCV+ than in anti-HCV− patients (4.35 ± 2.27 vs. 2.58 ± 1.74; P = 0.01). All the proinflammatory cytokines analyzed were significantly higher in anti-HCV+ patients than in anti-HCV− patients. In addition, sTNFR1 and sTNFR2 were directly correlated to HOMA-IR. HOMA-β as well as insulin and C-peptide responses after the intravenous glucagon test were significantly higher in anti-HCV+ patients than in anti-HC− patients.
CONCLUSIONS—Insulin resistance mediated by proinflammatory cytokines, but not a deficit in insulin secretion, could be the primary pathogenic mechanism involved in the development of diabetes associated with HCV infection.
Prevalence of Diabetes and Impaired Fasting Glucose in Korea
Authors: Kim S.M. , Lee J.S. , Lee J. , Na J.K. , Han J.H. , Yoon D.K. , Baik S.H. , Choi D.S. , Choi K.M. 
Published: May 2006

OBJECTIVE—The purpose of this study was to estimate the prevalence of diabetes and impaired fasting glucose (IFG) and their association with risk factors in the Korean population.
RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS—The Korean National Health and Nutrition Survey 2001 was a nationally representative survey with a stratified multistage sampling design. Data from a comprehensive questionnaire, a physical examination, and blood tests were obtained from 5,844 Korean adults (2,513 men and 3,331 women) aged &gt;20 years.
RESULTS—The age-adjusted prevalence of diabetes in this Korean population was 7.6%, and the age-adjusted prevalences of previously diagnosed diabetes and newly diagnosed diabetes were 4.4 and 3.3%, respectively (fasting plasma glucose ≥7.0 mmol/l). Overall, these results indicate that 8.1% or 1.4 million Korean men and 7.5% or 1.3 million Korean women have diabetes. The age-adjusted prevalence of IFG was 23.9%, using the new American Diabetes Association criteria (fasting plasma glucose 5.6–6.9 mmol/l). Diabetes prevalence increased with age and peaked in the oldest age-group; however, IFG prevalence did not show the same trend. Diabetes was found to be associated with age, BMI, blood pressure, triglyceride, HDL cholesterol, education levels, alcohol consumption, exercise, and a family history of diabetes.
CONCLUSIONS—This study shows that diabetes and IFG are common in Korea, and about one-half of diabetes cases remain undiagnosed. These results emphasize the need to develop an urgent public program to improve the detection, prevention, and treatment of diabetes.
Presence of Diabetes Risk Factors in a Large U.S. Eighth-Grade Cohort
Authors:   The STOPP-T2D Prevention Study Group
Published: May 2006

OBJECTIVE—The study was conducted in 12 middle schools to determine the prevalence of diabetes, pre-diabetes, and diabetes risk factors in eighth-grade students who were predominantly minority and evaluate the feasibility of collecting physical and laboratory data in schools.
RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS—Anthropometric measurements and fasting and 2-h post-glucose load blood draws were obtained from ∼1,740 eighth-grade students.
RESULTS—Mean recruitment rate was 50% per school, 49% had BMI ≥85th percentile, 40.5% had fasting glucose ≥100 mg/dl, 0.4% had fasting glucose ≥126 mg/dl, and 2.0% had 2-h glucose ≥140 mg/dl and 0.1% ≥200 mg/dl. Mean fasting insulin value was 30.1 μU/ml, 36.2% had fasting insulin ≥30 μU/ml, and 2-h mean insulin was 102.1 μU/ml. Fasting and 2-h glucose and insulin values increased across BMI percentiles, and fasting glucose was highest in Hispanic and Native American students.
CONCLUSIONS—There was a high prevalence of risk factors for diabetes, including impaired fasting glucose (≥100 mg/dl), hyperinsulinism suggestive of insulin resistance (fasting insulin ≥30 μU/ml), and BMI ≥85th percentile. These data suggest that middle schools are appropriate targets for population-based efforts to decrease overweight and diabetes risk.
Geographic Variations of the International Diabetes Federation and the National Cholesterol Education Program–Adult Treatment Panel III Definitions of the Metabolic Syndrome in Nondiabetic Subjects
Authors: Lorenzo Carlos , Serrano-Ríos Manuel , Martínez-Larrad María T. , González-Sánchez José L. , Seclén Segundo , Villena Arturo , Gonzalez-Villalpando Clicerio , Williams Ken , Haffner Steven M. 
Published: May 2006

OBJECTIVE—We have carried out international comparisons of the metabolic syndrome using the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) and National Cholesterol Education Program–Adult Treatment Panel III (ATP III) definitions. This analysis could help to discern the applicability of these definitions across populations.
RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS—Nondiabetic subjects aged 35–64 years were eligible for analysis in population-based studies from San Antonio (Mexican Americans and non-Hispanic whites, n = 2,473), Mexico City (n = 1,990), Spain (n = 2,540), and Peru (n = 346). κ Statistics examined the agreement between metabolic syndrome definitions.
RESULTS—Because of the lower cutoff points for elevated waist circumference, the IDF definition of the metabolic syndrome generated greater prevalence estimates than the ATP III definition. Prevalence difference between definitions was more significant in Mexican-origin and Peruvian men than in Europid men from San Antonio and Spain because the IDF definition required ethnic group–specific cutoff points for elevated waist circumference. ATP III and IDF definitions disagreed in the classification of 13–29% of men and 3–7% of women. In men, agreement between these definitions was 0.54 in Peru, 0.43 in Mexico City, 0.62 in San Antonio Mexican Americans, 0.69 in San Antonio non-Hispanic whites, and 0.64 in Spain. In women, agreement between definitions was 0.87, 0.89, 0.86, 0.87, and 0.93, respectively.
CONCLUSIONS—The IDF definition of the metabolic syndrome generates greater prevalence estimates than the ATP III definition. Agreement between ATP III and IDF definitions was lower for men than for women in all populations and was relatively poor in men from Mexico City.
Antihypertensive Medication Prescribing in 27,822 Elderly Canadians With Diabetes Over the Past Decade
Authors: McAlister Finlay A. , Campbell Norman R.C. , Duong-Hua Minh , Chen Zhongliang , Tu Karen 
Published: May 2006

OBJECTIVE—The purpose of this study was to examine whether prescribing practices for elderly individuals with diabetes and hypertension changed over the past decade.
RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS—We linked the Ontario Diabetes Database and four administrative databases in Ontario, Canada, to identify 27,822 patients &gt;65 years of age who had diabetes and were newly treated for hypertension between 1 January 1995 and 31 December 2001. All patients were followed for 2 years after their initial antihypertensive medication prescription.
RESULTS—The 27,822 patients in this study (mean age 72 years, 51% men) were treated with oral hypoglycemic agents alone (n = 17,128 patients, 62%), insulin alone (n = 2,346, 8%), both oral hypoglycemic agents and insulin (n = 2,205, 8%), or diet alone (n = 6,143, 22%). Management within the first 2 years of hypertension diagnosis consisted of antihypertensive monotherapy in 20,183 patients (73%), two antihypertensive drugs in 6,207 (22%), and three or more drugs in 1,432 (5%); the most frequently chosen antihypertensive drugs were ACE inhibitors (68%), thiazides (15%), and calcium channel blockers (9%). Between 1995 and 2001, physician prescribing practices changed: the population-adjusted rates of antihypertensive drug prescribing increased by 46% (95% CI 33–55%), the proportion of initial antihypertensive prescriptions for ACE inhibitors increased from 54 to 76% (P &lt; 0.0001), and the use of multiple antihypertensive agents within the first 2 years of diagnosis increased from 21 to 32% (P &lt; 0.0001).
CONCLUSIONS—Antihypertensive prescribing patterns in elderly individuals with diabetes changed over the past decade in Ontario in directions consistent with the evolving evidence base.
Cover Picture: Assembly of Wiseana Iridovirus: Viruses for Colloidal Photonic Crystals (Adv. Funct. Mater. 8/2006)
Authors: Juhl S. B. , Chan E. P. , Ha Y.‐H. , Maldovan M. , Brunton J. , Ward V. , Dokland T. , Kalmakoff J. , Farmer B. , Thomas E. L. , Vaia R. A. 
Published: May 2006

AbstractAssembly of colloids is a versatile tool for micro‐ and nanofabrication. Natural and artificially engineered viruses offer the opportunity to expand the functionality and versatility of such assemblies. The cover shows optically iridescent, thin polycrystalline arrays (background) as well as bulk pellets (inset right) that exhibit reversible hydration‐dependent reflection spectra, as reported by Vaia and co‐workers on p. 1086. The films and pellets were created in vitro with classical colloid‐assembly techniques from Wiseana iridescent virus (inset, center) harvested from infected Wiseana spp larvae (inset, left).In vitro assembly of Wiseana iridescent virus (WIV) yields iridescent pellets and films with structural color more vivid than in the native insect. WIV is icosahedral in shape, 140 nm in diameter, with 30 nm long fibrils attached to the outer surface, and exhibits a surface charge ca. 1/6th that of a comparable polymer colloid. The low surface charge and tethered chains on the virus surface allow the facile modification of the interparticle distance. Directed sedimentation yields predominantly an amorphous liquid‐like packing of the virus. Such samples exhibit a broad reflection band that is angle independent and for which the broad maximum can be reversibly shifted from blue towards red with increased hydration. Slow sedimentation and flow‐assisted assembly methods produce thin films with a polycrystalline morphology that exhibit narrower, more intense reflectivity peaks, which are hydration and angle dependent. This study points toward the potential of viral particles for photonic crystals where their unique structural features (icosahedral symmetry, extreme monodispersity, precise surface functionalization, and tethered surface chains of low surface‐charge density) may lead to superior control of optical properties of their assembled arrays.
Determination of Absolute Structure of (+)‐Davidiol A
Authors: He Yue‐Hua , Takaya Yoshiaki , Terashima Kenji , Niwa Masatake 
Published: May 2006

AbstractChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 200 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract, please click on HTML or PDF.
Joining‐chain (J‐chain) negative mice are B cell memory deficient
Authors: Källberg Eva , Leanderson Tomas 
Published: May 2006

AbstractThe systemic immune response of joining‐chain (J‐chain)‐deficient mice (J–/– mice) on a C57BL/6 background against the hapten 4‐hydroxy‐3‐nitrophenyl (NP) was analysed. While primary IgG responses to the hapten were similar to those observed in WT control animals, secondary immune responses were compromised both at the level of serum IgG and the number of responding B cells. The repertoire switch from λ to κ in secondary immune responses was diminished in J–/– mice. The number of somatic mutations introduced in the VH 186.2 gene during the primary immune response was reduced, while the frequency of affinity‐increasing mutations in position 33 was similar. By adoptive transfer experiments it could be shown that the compromised secondary immune response was transferred with T cells from J–/– mice. Thus, J‐chain‐deficient mice have a selective defect in T helper cell function during B cell immune responses, resulting in a deficiency in the formation of B cell memory.
Rearrangement of Electron‐Rich N‐Allyldibenzotetraazafulvalenes –An Experimental and Theoretical Study
Authors: Holtgrewe Christian , Diedrich Christian , Pape Tania , Grimme Stefan , Hahn F. Ekkehardt 
Published: May 2006

AbstractThe deprotonation of N‐allylbenzimidazolium halides 9a–d initially results in the formation of the N‐allyldibenzotetraazafulvalenes 10. These electron‐rich olefins rearrange to give 1,1′,2′,3′‐tetraalkyl‐1′,2′‐dihydro‐2,2′‐bibenzimidazoles 13, either by a 3‐aza‐Cope rearrangement or by a homolytic N‐alkyl bond cleavage and addition of the radical at the 2′‐position of the bibenzimidazole. Alternatively, double N‐alkyl bond cleavage gives rise to 1,1′‐dialkyl‐2,2′‐bibenzimidazoles 14. All reaction pathways were studied by use of quantum chemical calculations at the DFT/B3‐LYP/TZVP//DFT/BP86/SV(P) level, by comparison of the activation parameters for the radical and the concerted rearrangement mechanisms with the experimentally obtained products.(© Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2006)
Chiral capillary electrophoretic separation of amino acids derivatized with 9‐fluorenylmethylchloroformate using mixed chiral selectors of β‐cyclodextrin and sodium taurodeoxycholate
Authors: Chen Fang , Zhang Shufeng , Qi Li , Chen Yi 
Published: May 2006

AbstractChiral separation of 19 pairs of amino acid (AA) enantiomers derivatized with 9‐fluorenylmethylchloroformate (FMOC) was successfully conducted by capillary electrophoresis using the mixture of β‐CD and sodium taurodeoxycholate (STDC) as selectors. Resolution was considerably superior to that obtained by using either β‐CD or STDC alone. After a systematic inspection, a buffer composed of 150 mM borate and 18% v/v isopropanol at pH 8.0, dissolved with 30 mM β‐CD and 30 mM STDC, was adopted and able to generate baseline resolution (>1.50) for 17 pairs of FMOC‐AA enantiomers and somewhat lower resolution for arginine (1.36) and alanine (1.18), respectively. Experimental data revealed that the addition of the second selector did not increase the mobility difference between a pair of enantiomers (Δμ = μD – μL and the number of theoretical plates (N), but decreased the summed apparent mobility of a pair of enantiomers (Σμ = μD − μL), which was mainly due to the decrease of the electroosmotic flow. The variation of Σμ was thus the major reason responsible for the improvement of chiral resolution in this study. The result demonstrated that not only the intrinsic selectivity of the selectors was the basis of the chiral separation, but also the non‐chiral effect of the selectors, the change of the electroosmotic flow, was an important factor in enhancing the enantioseparation resolution. This study could probably help to explain the reasons for resolution improvement in some dual selectors systems, which are not very clear at present.
MLL chimeric protein activation renders cells vulnerable to chromosomal damage: An explanation for the very short latency of infant leukemia
Authors: Eguchi Mariko , Eguchi‐Ishimae Minenori , Knight Deborah , Kearney Lyndal , Slany Robert , Greaves Mel 
Published: May 2006

AbstractMLL fusion genes are a predominant feature of acute leukemias in infants and in secondary acute myeloid leukemia (AML) associated with prior chemotherapy with topo‐II poisons. The former is considered to possibly arise in utero via transplacental chemical exposure. A striking feature of these leukemias is their malignancy and remarkably brief latencies implying the rapid acquisition of any necessary additional mutations. We have suggested that these coupled features might be explained if MLL fusion gene encoded proteins rendered cells more vulnerable to further DNA damage and mutation in the presence of chronic exposure to the agent(s) that induced the MLL fusion itself. We have tested this idea by exploiting a hormone regulated MLL‐ENL (MLLT1) activation system and show that MLL‐ENL function in normal murine progenitor cells substantially increases the incidence of chromosomal abnormalities in proliferating cells that survive exposure to etoposide VP‐16. This phenotype is associated with an altered pattern of cell cycle arrest and/or apoptosis. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
The association between recreational physical activity and mammographic density
Authors: Siozon Conchitina Chato , Ma Huiyan , Hilsen Marit , Bernstein Leslie , Ursin Giske 
Published: May 2006

AbstractPhysical activity has been associated with a reduced risk of breast cancer. However, little is known about the association between recreational physical activity and mammographic density. We examined the association between recreational physical activity and mammographic density using mammograms from 375 white and African American women without breast cancer who served as controls in the Los Angeles component of the Women's Contraceptive and Reproductive Experiences Study. We used data from 5 time periods of activity in the statistical analysis: from menarche to mammogram screening, the first 3 and 10 years after menarche, the most recent 10 years and the 3 years prior to mammogram screening. Lifetime history of recreational physical activity was obtained through interviews using a structured questionnaire. We used multiple linear regression to estimate least‐squared mean values of absolute and percent mammographic density within categories of physical activity. Overall, we found no statistically significant evidence that physical activity reduced absolute or percent mammographic density. We observed a modest positive association between lifetime physical activity and percent mammographic density (p for trend = 0.04) among younger women, and between recent physical activity and percent density among both younger (<50years, p for trend = 0.09) and older (≥50 years, p for trend = 0.06) women, but these associations diminished after additionally adjusting for body mass index (BMI) (all p ≥ 0.10). However, among women younger than 50 years, we found some evidence for a protective effect of “strenuous” physical activity in the first 3 years after menarche, with a nonstatistically significant inverse association with both absolute (p for trend = 0.07) and percent (p for trend = 0.08) mammographic density after adjustment for BMI. Our results suggest that physical activity is not a strong predictor of mammographic density. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.