bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Regulation of the ovarian follicular vasculature
Authors: Fraser Hamish M 
Published: April 2006

Abstract
Angiogenesis is associated with follicular development and is regulated independently within each follicle potentially making the functioning of its vasculature critically important in determining its fate. This review examines the various ways in which follicular angiogenesis may be monitored, describes the follicular localisation and changes in pro- and anti-angiogenic factors that may regulate the process and how antagonists may be used to elucidate their physiological role in vivo. Thus, inhibition of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), VEGF receptor-2, vascular endothelial cell cadherin or interference with the angiopoietin system can inhibit follicular development or prevent ovulation.
The training and development needs of midwives in Indonesia: paper 2 of 3
Authors: Hennessy Deborah , Hicks Carolyn , Koesno Harni 
Published: April 2006

Abstract

Background
There is a shortfall in midwives in Indonesia (an estimated 26 per 100 000 people), which means that the quality of antenatal, perinatal and postnatal care varies widely. One consequence of this is the high rate of maternal and perinatal mortality, which has prompted a number of health initiatives. The current study was part of a review of the existing complex system of midwifery training and the development of a coherent programme of continuing professional development, tighter accreditation regulations and clearer professional roles. Its aims were to identify the occupational profiles and development needs of the participating midwives, and to establish whether any differences existed between grades, geographical location and hospital/community midwives.

Methods
A psychometrically valid training-needs instrument was administered to 332 midwives from three provinces, covering both hospital and community staff and a range of midwifery grades. The instrument had the capacity to identify occupational roles and education/training needs of the respondents.

Results
The occupational roles of the midwives varied significantly by province, indicating regional service delivery distinctions, but very little difference in the roles of hospital and community midwives. The most educated midwives attributed more importance to 35 out of the 40 tasks, suggesting an implicit role distinction in terms of level of activity. All midwives reported significant training needs for all 40 tasks. The most-educated midwives recorded training needs for 24 tasks, while the less-educated had training requirements for all tasks, which suggests that new training programmes are effective. Few differences in training needs were revealed between hospital and community midwives

Conclusion
The results from this survey suggest important regional differences in how the midwife's role is discharged and underline the importance of this sort of research, in order to ensure the suitability of basic and postbasic educational provision. The study also highlights the need for further development and training of midwives in a wide range of tasks. These results provide a systematic and reliable overview of current midwifery roles and development needs and could serve to inform future training.
Cytokines, GM-CSF and IFNγ administered by priming and post-chemotherapy cycling in recurrent ovarian cancer patients receiving carboplatin
Authors: Apte Sachin M , Vadhan-Raj Saroj , Cohen Lorenzo , Bassett Roland L , Gordon Ilyssa O , Levenback Charles F , Ramirez Pedro T , Gallardo Stacie T , Patenia Rebecca S , Garcia Michael E , Iyer Revathy B , Freedman Ralph S 
Published: April 2006

AbstractBackgroundMonocyte/macrophages (MO/MA), a polymorphic population of innate immune cells, have the potential to mediate antitumor effects, and may also contribute to protumor effects. A priming and post-chemotherapy schedule of the myeloid cell mobilizing and immune stimulatory growth factor, granulocyte monocyte stimulating factor (GM-CSF, Leukine®) and the MO/MA activating cytokine recombinant interferon gamma 1b (rIFN-γ1b, Actimmune®) has been developed. The pre- and post-chemotherapy design is based upon knownin vivokinetics and immune modulatory effects of these molecules. Carboplatin (Paraplatin®) was selected as the cornerstone of treatment of epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC).MethodsWe studied hematopoietic and immunologic effects of GM-CSF and rIFN-γ1b before and after carboplatin in patients with recurrent EOC. Potentially chemotherapy-sensitive patients with recurrent measurable tumors received subcutaneous GM-CSF (starting at 400 μg/day) for 7 days plus subcutaneous rIFN-γ1b (100 μg) on days 5 and 7, before and after intravenous carboplatin (area under the curve of 5). We performed standard hematologic assessment and monitored monocyte (MO), dendritic cell, major cell subset counts, and antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) against a Her2neu+tumor cell line, as well as selected plasma inflammatory cytokine, chemokine and growth factor levels.ResultsOur analysis comprised only the first 3 months of treatment in the initial 25 patients. Relative to pretreatment baseline values, white blood cell, neutrophil, MO, and eosinophil counts increased (P≤ .001 for each); the proportion of platelets increased 9 days after the second (P≤ .002) and third (P≤ .04) carboplatin treatments; and the number of cells in the activated MO subsets CD14+HLA-DR+, CD14+CD64+, and CD14+CXCR3+increased (P≤ .04 for each); plasma levels of the proangiogenic interleukins 1α, 6, and 8 were lower (P≤ .03 for each); M-CSF, a product of activated MO/MA, was increased on day 9 (P= .007); and GM-CSF was increased in plasma after GM-CSF administration (P≤ .04). Quality of life measurements were reduced during the GM-CSF/IFN-γ1b cycle while recovering at pre-chemotherapy baseline for FACT-G scores only.ConclusionA novel regimen of GM-CSF plus IFN-γ1b administered to 25 EOC patients receiving carboplatin increased myeloid cells, platelets and total activated MO populations during the initial 3 months; however, ADCC responses were not consistently enhanced during this period.
Molecular characterization of the HIV-1 gagnucleocapsid gene associated with vertical transmission
Authors: Wellensiek Brian P , Sundaravaradan Vasudha , Ramakrishnan Rajesh , Ahmad Nafees 
Published: April 2006

Abstract

Background
The human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) nucleocapsid (NC) plays a pivotal role in the viral lifecycle: including encapsulating the viral genome, aiding in strand transfer during reverse transcription, and packaging two copies of the viral genome into progeny virions. Another gag gene product, p6, plays an integral role in successful viral budding from the plasma membrane and inclusion of the accessory protein Vpr within newly budding virions. In this study, we have characterized the gag NC and p6 genes from six mother-infant pairs following vertical transmission by performing phylogenetic analysis and by analyzing the degree of genetic diversity, evolutionary dynamics, and conservation of functional domains.

Results
Phylogenetic analysis of 168 gag NC and p6 genes sequences revealed six separate subtrees that corresponded to each mother-infant pair, suggesting that epidemiologically linked individuals were closer to each other than epidemiologically unlinked individuals. A high frequency (92.8%) of intact open reading frames of NC and p6 with patient and pair specific sequence motifs were conserved in mother-infant pairs' sequences. Nucleotide and amino acid distances showed a lower degree of viral heterogeneity, and a low degree of estimates of genetic diversity was also found in NC and p6 sequences. The NC and p6 sequences from both mothers and infants were found to be under positive selection pressure. The two important functional motifs within NC, the zinc-finger motifs, were highly conserved in most of the sequences, as were the gag p6 Vpr binding, AIP1 and late binding domains. Several CTL recognition epitopes identified within the NC and p6 genes were found to be mostly conserved in 6 mother-infant pairs' sequences.

Conclusion
These data suggest that the gag NC and p6 open reading frames and functional domains were conserved in mother-infant pairs' sequences following vertical transmission, which confirms the critical role of these gene products in the viral lifecycle.
Derivation of normal macrophages from human embryonic stem (hES) cells for applications in HIV gene therapy
Authors: Anderson Joseph S , Bandi Sriram , Kaufman Dan S , Akkina Ramesh 
Published: April 2006

Abstract

Background
Many novel studies and therapies are possible with the use of human embryonic stem cells (hES cells) and their differentiated cell progeny. The hES cell derived CD34 hematopoietic stem cells can be potentially used for many gene therapy applications. Here we evaluated the capacity of hES cell derived CD34 cells to give rise to normal macrophages as a first step towards using these cells in viral infection studies and in developing novel stem cell based gene therapy strategies for AIDS.

Results
Undifferentiated normal and lentiviral vector transduced hES cells were cultured on S17 mouse bone marrow stromal cell layers to derive CD34 hematopoietic progenitor cells. The differentiated CD34 cells isolated from cystic bodies were further cultured in cytokine media to derive macrophages. Phenotypic and functional analyses were carried out to compare these with that of fetal liver CD34 cell derived macrophages. As assessed by FACS analysis, the hES-CD34 cell derived macrophages displayed characteristic cell surface markers CD14, CD4, CCR5, CXCR4, and HLA-DR suggesting a normal phenotype. Tests evaluating phagocytosis, upregulation of the costimulatory molecule B7.1, and cytokine secretion in response to LPS stimulation showed that these macrophages are also functionally normal. When infected with HIV-1, the differentiated macrophages supported productive viral infection. Lentiviral vector transduced hES cells expressing the transgene GFP were evaluated similarly like above. The transgenic hES cells also gave rise to macrophages with normal phenotypic and functional characteristics indicating no vector mediated adverse effects during differentiation.

Conclusion
Phenotypically normal and functionally competent macrophages could be derived from hES-CD34 cells. Since these cells are susceptible to HIV-1 infection, they provide a uniform source of macrophages for viral infection studies. Based on these results, it is also now feasible to transduce hES-CD34 cells with anti-HIV genes such as inhibitory siRNAs and test their antiviral efficacy in down stream differentiated cells such as macrophages which are among the primary cells that need to be protected against HIV-1 infection. Thus, the potential utility of hES derived CD34 hematopoietic cells for HIV-1 gene therapy can be evaluated.
Measuring additive interaction using odds ratios
Authors: Kalilani Linda , Atashili Julius 
Published: April 2006

AbstractInteraction measured on the additive scale has been argued to be better correlated with biologic interaction than when measured on the multiplicative scale. Measures of interaction on the additive scale have been developed using risk ratios. However, in studies that use odds ratios as the sole measure of effect, the calculation of these measures of additive interaction is usually performed by directly substituting odds ratios for risk ratios. Yet assessing additive interaction based on replacing risk ratios by odds ratios in formulas that were derived using the former may be erroneous. In this paper, we evaluate the extent to which three measures of additive interaction – the interaction contrast ratio (ICR), the attributable proportion due to interaction (AP), and the synergy index (S), estimated using odds ratios versus using risk ratios differ as the incidence of the outcome of interest increases in the source population and/or as the magnitude of interaction increases. Our analysis shows that the difference between the two depends on the measure of interaction used, the type of interaction present, and the baseline incidence of the outcome. Substituting odds ratios for risk ratios, when calculating measures of additive interaction, may result in misleading conclusions. Of the three measures, AP appears to be the most robust to this direct substitution. Formulas that use stratum specific odds and odds ratios to accurately calculate measures of additive interaction are presented.
Conceptual biology, hypothesis discovery, and text mining: Swanson's legacy
Authors: Bekhuis Tanja 
Published: April 2006

Abstract
Innovative biomedical librarians and information specialists who want to expand their roles as expert searchers need to know about profound changes in biology and parallel trends in text mining. In recent years, conceptual biology has emerged as a complement to empirical biology. This is partly in response to the availability of massive digital resources such as the network of databases for molecular biologists at the National Center for Biotechnology Information. Developments in text mining and hypothesis discovery systems based on the early work of Swanson, a mathematician and information scientist, are coincident with the emergence of conceptual biology. Very little has been written to introduce biomedical digital librarians to these new trends. In this paper, background for data and text mining, as well as for knowledge discovery in databases (KDD) and in text (KDT) is presented, then a brief review of Swanson's ideas, followed by a discussion of recent approaches to hypothesis discovery and testing. 'Testing' in the context of text mining involves partially automated methods for finding evidence in the literature to support hypothetical relationships. Concluding remarks follow regarding (a) the limits of current strategies for evaluation of hypothesis discovery systems and (b) the role of literature-based discovery in concert with empirical research. Report of an informatics-driven literature review for biomarkers of systemic lupus erythematosus is mentioned. Swanson's vision of the hidden value in the literature of science and, by extension, in biomedical digital databases, is still remarkably generative for information scientists, biologists, and physicians.
Modulation of IgE-dependent COX-2 gene expression by reactive oxygen species in human neutrophils
Authors: Vega Antonio , Chacón Pedro , Alba Gonzalo , El Bekay Rajaa , Monteseirín Javier , Martín-Nieto José , Sobrino Francisco 
Published: April 2006

Abstract
Cyclooxygenase (COX) is a key enzyme in prostaglandin (PG) synthesis. Up-regulation of its COX-2 isoform is responsible for the increased PG release, taking place under inflammatory conditions, and also, is thought to be involved in allergic and inflammatory diseases. In the present work, we demonstrate that COX-2 expression becomes highly induced by anti-immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies and by antigens in human neutrophils from allergic patients. This induction was detected at mRNA and protein levels and was accompanied by a concomitant PGE2 and thromboxane A2 release. We also show evidence that inhibitors of reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase, such as 4-(2-aminoethyl)benzenesulphonyl fluoride and 4-hydroxy-3-methoxyaceto-phenone, completely cancelled anti-IgE-induced COX-2 protein up-regulation, suggesting that this process is mediated by reactive oxygen species (ROS) derived from NADPH oxidase activity. Moreover, the mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), p38 and extracellular signal-regulated kinase, and also, the transcription factor, nuclear factor (NF)-κB, are involved in the up-regulation of COX-2 expression, as specific chemical inhibitors of these two kinases, such as SB203580 and PD098059, and of the NF-κB pathway, such as N(α)-benzyloxycarbonyl-l-leucyl-l-leucyl-l-leucinal, abolished IgE-dependent COX-2 induction. Evidence is also presented, using Fe2+/Cu2+ ions, that hydroxyl radicals generated from hydrogen peroxide through Fenton reactions could constitute candidate modulators able to directly trigger anti-IgE-elicited COX-2 expression through MAPK and NF-κB pathways. Present results underscore a new role for ROS as second messengers in the modulation of COX-2 expression by human neutrophils in allergic conditions.
Deleterious Epistatic Interactions Between Electron Transport System Protein-Coding Loci in the Copepod Tigriopus californicus
Authors: Willett Christopher S 
Published: April 2006

Abstract
The nature of epistatic interactions between genes encoding interacting proteins in hybrid organisms can have important implications for the evolution of postzygotic reproductive isolation and speciation. At this point very little is known about the fitness differences caused by specific closely interacting but evolutionarily divergent proteins in hybrids between populations or species. The intertidal copepod Tigriopus californicus provides an excellent model in which to study such interactions because the species range includes numerous genetically divergent populations that are still capable of being crossed in the laboratory. Here, the effect on fitness due to the interactions of three complex III proteins of the electron transport system in F2 hybrid copepods resulting from crosses of a pair of divergent populations is examined. Significant deviations from Mendelian inheritance are observed for each of the three genes in F2 hybrid adults but not in nauplii (larvae). The two-way interactions between these genes also have a significant impact upon the viability of these hybrid copepods. Dominance appears to play an important role in mediating the interactions between these loci as deviations are caused by heterozygote/homozygote deleterious interactions. These results suggest that the fitness consequences of the interactions of these three complex III-associated genes could influence reproductive isolation in this system.
The Praise of Folly in Context: The Commentary of Girardus Listrius
Authors: Austin Gavin J. , Walsh Thomas M. 
Published: April 2006

While contemporary scholarship on Erasmus’ Praise of Folly has been unusually productive, it has dealt primarily with structure and theme. It appears, however, that not nearly enough attention has been paid by scholars to the Listrius commentary which, after the 1515 Basel edition, became a standard appendage to the work. A close analysis of the commentary demonstrates that while at times it is ostentatious and irrelevant, its critical and interpretative remarks are often quite valuable. It can be seen not only as an objective statement of Erasmus' satiric method, but also as a kind of humanist courtesy book.Almost from its inception, printers and translators made use of the commentary.
An Early Record of Marsilio Ficino
Authors: Hough Samuel Jones 
Published: April 2006

The importance of Marsilio Ficino, and the paucity of documentation regarding his early life and intellectual influences, gives special value to a brief but suggestive reference to him, made in October 1451. The reference is in the Libro creditori e debitori of Maestro Giovanni Chellini now owned by the Istituto di Storia Economica of the Università Commerciale Luigi Bocconi in Milan. During a search of the volume for indications of Chellini's ownership and use of books I came upon this entry:I record that on the 28th of October 1451 I lent to Maestro Marsilio, son of Maestro Fecino, who is tutoring Piero de’ Pazzi, a Logic of Maestro Paul of Venice on rag paper, bound in boards covered with leather, in the presence of Maestro Piero di Antonio Dini, elected to read logic in the University of Florence. Returned.
Querre-Muhau: Sir Philip Sidney and the New World
Authors: Kuin Roger 
Published: April 2006

AbstractThis article argues that, so far from being occasional or gold-greedy, Sidney's involvement with the New World was lifelong and more concerned with geopolitical strategy than with personal advantage. It traces his involvement through people such as Hakluyt, Eden, Willes, Gilbert, and Duplessis-Mornay, whose Vérité de la religion chrestienne (which Sidney had begun to translate when he died) contains a major theoretical defense of colonization as a means of saving the Reformation. It also offers a new explanation of Sidney's aborted voyage to the Americas with Drake.
The analysis of the onset of Soret‐driven convection in nanoparticles suspension
Authors: Kim Min Chan , Hong Joung Sook , Choi Chang Kyun 
Published: April 2006

AbstractThe onset of buoyancy‐driven convection in an initially quiescent, horizontal nanoparticles suspension layer heated from above is analyzed theoretically. In this thermally‐stable stratified fluid layer, the Soret diffusion can induce buoyancy‐driven motion for the case of the negative separation ratio. For the high solutal Rayleigh number, the convective motion sets in during the transient diffusion stage and the onset time of this motion is analyzed by employing the propagation theory. Here the stability criteria are obtained and the predicted critical time to mark the onset of convective motion, τc, is compared with available experimental data. It is shown that convective motion can be detected starting from a certain time τm ≅ 4τc. © 2006 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2006
Torsades de pointes upon fluconazole administration in a patient with acute myeloblastic leukemia
Authors: Tatetsu Hiro , Asou Norio , Nakamura Miki , Hanaoka Nobuyoshi , Matsuno Fumihiko , Horikawa Kentaro , Mitsuya Hiroaki 
Published: April 2006

AbstractProlonged QT syndrome often causes torsades de pointes (Tdp), a potentially lethal arrhythmia. A 55‐year‐old woman with M4Eo who was receiving consolidation chemotherapy had an episode of prolonged QT and Tdp following fluconazole (FCZ) administration. Intravenous supplementation of magnesium sulfate and multiple attempts at electrocardioversion led to recovery from the arrhythmia. FCZ appears to contribute to the development of QT prolongation, in particular with low concentrations of serum potassium or magnesium. Although mechanisms of Tdp development in patients with QT prolongation remain to be determined, it is possible that FCZ administration leads to manifestation of Tdp. Special cautions should be exercised upon the emergence of QT prolongation following FCZ administration. Am. J. Hematol. 81:366–369, 2006. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Hb Florida: A novel elongated C‐terminal β‐globin variant causing dominant β‐thalassemia phenotype
Authors: Weinstein B.I. , Erramouspe B. , Albuquerque D.M. , Oliveira D.M. , Kimura E.M. , Costa F.F. , Sonati M.F. 
Published: April 2006

AbstractWe report here a new frameshift mutation in exon 3 of the β‐globin gene, a single nucleotide deletion (‐C) in between codons 140/141 (GCC/CTG→GCC/TG), found in an 8‐year‐old Argentinean girl with clinical picture of thalassemia intermedia. It leads to a β‐chain that is elongated to 156 amino acids [(141)Trp‐Pro‐Thr‐Ser‐Ile‐Thr‐Lys‐Leu‐Ala‐Phe‐Leu‐Leu‐Ser‐Asn‐Phe‐(156)Tyr‐COOH]. The resulting hemoglobin, which we named Hb Florida, was not detected in peripheral blood; however, erythroid hyperplasia and dyserythropoiesis with large inclusion bodies on methyl violet staining were observed in bone marrow, suggesting that this is a hyperunstable variant producing a dominant β‐thalassemia phenotype, since the other β‐allele was completely normal. Am. J. Hematol. 81:358–360, 2006. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.