bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Diagnostic value of a rapid test for B‐type natriuretic peptide in patients presenting with acute dyspnoe: effect of age and gender
Authors: Knudsen Cathrine Wold , Riis Jon Sigurd , Finsen Alexandra V. , Eikvar Lars , Müller Carl , Westheim Arne , Omland Torbjørn 
Published: December 2003

AbstractBackground:B‐type natriuretic peptide (BNP) measurements are useful for diagnosing congestive heart failure (CHF) in patients presenting to the Emergency Department with acute dyspnoe. Whether the diagnostic accuracy of BNP is affected by the age and gender of the patients remains unknown.Aims:To evaluate the accuracy of BNP testing for diagnosing CHF in an unselected group of patients admitted to the emergency department of a Norwegian teaching hospital with a principal complaint of shortness of breath and to assess whether the diagnostic accuracy of the test differs according to age and gender.Methods:BNP levels in plasma were determined by a point‐of‐care device upon arrival in 155 patients presenting with acute dyspnoe. The diagnostic ‘gold’ standard for CHF was adjudicated by two independent cardiologists who were blinded to the BNP data.Results:By univariate logistic regression analysis, BNP was strongly related to a diagnosis of CHF. In a multivariate model BNP provided additional prognostic information to patient age and gender, radiographic evidence of pulmonary congestion and cardiomegaly, and the presence of pulmonary rales and jugular vein distention by physical examination. There was no significant interaction between age and BNP or between gender and BNP with regard to the accuracy of diagnosing CHF. The area under the receiver–operating characteristics‐curve was 0.86 (95% confidence interval 0.78–0.93) in women and 0.90 (0.82–0.97) in men. The area under the curves were 0.82 (0.73–0.92) and 0.88 (0.80–0.97) for patients (both genders) aged ≥76 and <76 years, respectively.Conclusion:Point‐of‐care BNP measurement in the emergency department discriminates well between patients with dyspnoe of cardiac and non‐cardiac origin regardless of age and gender.
Screening for left ventricular dysfunction using a hand‐carried cardiac ultrasound device
Authors: Vourvouri Eleni C. , Schinkel Arend F.L. , Roelandt Jos R.T.C. , Boomsma Frans , Sianos Georgios , Bountioukos Manolis , Sozzi Fabiola B. , Rizzello Vittoria , Bax Jeroen J. , Karvounis Haralambos I. , Poldermans Don 
Published: December 2003

AbstractBackground:The hand‐carried cardiac ultrasound (HCU) device is a recently introduced imaging device, which may be potentially useful in the primary care setting.Aim:To test the screening potential of a HCU for the detection of left ventricular (LV) dysfunction by evaluating LV ejection fraction (LVEF) and inferior vena cava (IVC) collapse. Standard echocardiographic system (SE) and plasma brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) measurements were used as a reference.Methods:Eighty‐eight consecutive patients (56 male, aged 59±12 years) with suspected LV dysfunction were enrolled in the study. The HCU‐LVEF was visually estimated and the SE‐LVEF was derived by the Simpson's biplane method. A LVEF <40% represented LV dysfunction. An IVC collapse of <50% and BNP levels ≥15 pmol/l were considered abnormal. The correlation of HCU‐LVEF, HCU‐IVC and BNP to the SE‐LVEF and SE‐IVC was analysed independently using 2×2 tables.Results:Six patients were excluded because of poor echo images. 19/82 patients had LV dysfunction. The HCU and BNP could identify 17 and 18 out of these 19 patients, respectively. The agreement for LVEF and IVC collapse between SE and HCU was 96% for both parameters. The sensitivity of IVC collapse, HCU‐LVEF and BNP in identifying patients with LV dysfunction was 26, 89 and 94%, respectively.Conclusion:A HCU device can reliably be used as a screening tool for LV dysfunction.
ON THE OSCILLATION OF SELF-ADJOINT MATRIX HAMILTONIAN SYSTEMS
Authors: Yang Qigui , Cheng Sui Sun 
Published: December 2003

AbstractBy means of monotone functionals and positive linear functionals defined on suitable matrix spaces as well as new generalized Riccati transformations, oscillation criteria for self-adjoint linear Hamiltonian matrix systems are obtained. Our results are generalizations and improvements of many existing results.AMS 2000 Mathematics subject classification: Primary 34A30; 34C10
THE MAXIMAL ORDER PROPERTY FOR QUANTUM DETERMINANTAL RINGS
Authors: Lenagan T. H. , Rigal L. 
Published: December 2003

AbstractWe develop a method of reducing the size of quantum minors in the algebra of quantum matrices $\mathcal{O}_q(M_n)$. We use the method to show that the quantum determinantal factor rings of $\mathcal{O}_q(M_n)c$ are maximal orders, for $q$ an element of $\mathbb{C}$ transcendental over $\mathbb{Q}$.AMS 2000 Mathematics subject classification: Primary 16P40; 16W35; 20G42
$B$-CONVEX OPERATOR SPACES
Authors: Parcet Javier 
Published: December 2003

AbstractThe notion of $B$-convexity for operator spaces, which a priori depends on a set of parameters indexed by $\sSi$, is defined. Some of the classical characterizations of this geometric notion for Banach spaces are studied in this new context. For instance, an operator space is $B_{\sSi}$-convex if and only if it has $\sSi$-subtype. The class of uniformly non-$\mathcal{L}^1(\sSi)$ operator spaces, which is also the class of $B_{\sSi}$-convex operator spaces, is introduced. Moreover, an operator space having non-trivial $\sSi$-type is $B_{\sSi}$-convex. However, the converse is false. The row and column operator spaces are nice counterexamples of this fact, since both are Hilbertian. In particular, this result shows that a version of the Maurey–Pisier Theorem does not hold in our context. Some other examples of Hilbertian operator spaces will be considered. In the last part of this paper, the independence of $B_{\sSi}$-convexity with respect to $\sSi$ is studied. This provides some interesting problems, which will be posed.AMS 2000 Mathematics subject classification: Primary 46L07. Secondary 42C15
Focus: History and memory Introduction
Authors: DE KEIZER MADELON 
Published: December 2003

The story goes that in the 1980s and 1990s no publisher in Paris was prepared
to issue a historical study that did not have the word ‘memory’ in the title.
Identity, a congener of memory, was equally popular in the same period. One of the experts
in the field, John Gillis, claimed that identity has become no more than a cliché and
that memory has lost a lot of its precision, but both terms have remained key concepts. ‘The
core meaning of any individual or group identity, namely, a sense of sameness over time and
space, is sustained by remembering; and what is remembered is defined by the assumed
identity’. Memories and identities are anything but certain facts; they are
`representations or constructions of reality, subjective rather than objective
phenomena. […] “Memory work” is, like any kind of physical or mental labor,
embedded in complex class, gender and power relations that determine what is remembered
(or forgotten), by whom, and for what end”.It has been suggested that the demise of the vainglorious future-orientated ideologies in
the late 1980s brought about a shift in focus towards the past. However that may be, the wave of
interest in memory did receive an enormous impulse from one of the most controversial studies in
this field, the seven-volume series Les Lieux de Mémoire (1984–1992), published
under the direction of the French historian Pierre Nora. In the last volume he argued that France
had gradually disappeared as a ‘memory nation’; the national memory had been
supplanted by a series of lieux de mémoire and the conflicting social identities
that this entailed. La France, according to Nora, had entered the ‘era of
commemoration’ as Les Frances as a result of what he called a
‘democratization of the commemorative spirit’.The relation between national identity and collective memory is highlighted by the many commemorative events organised in the 1980s and 1990s. In 1980, the French, British and Brazilian governments had a Year of National Heritage, while in Israel a ‘memory industry’ specially devoted to the Holocaust got under way.
Anandamide initiates Ca2+ signaling via CB2 receptor linked to phospholipase C in calf pulmonary endothelial cells
Authors: Zoratti Cristina , Kipmen‐Korgun Dijle , Osibow Karin , Malli Roland , Graier Wolfgang F 
Published: December 2003

The endocannabinoid anandamide has been reported to affect neuronal cells, immune cells and smooth muscle cells via either CB1 or CB2 receptors. In endothelial cells, the receptors involved in activating signal transduction are still unclear, despite the fact that anandamide is produced in this cell type.
The present study was designed to explore in detail the effect of this endocannabinoid on Ca2+ signaling in single cells of a calf pulmonary endothelial cell line.
Anandamide initiated a transient Ca2+ elevation that was prevented by the CB2 receptor antagonist SR144528, but not by the CB1 antagonist SR141716A. These data were confirmed by molecular identification of the bovine CB2 receptor in these endothelial cells by partial sequencing.
The phospholipase C inhibitor 1‐[6‐[[(17β)‐3‐methoxyestra‐1,3,5(10)‐trien‐17‐yl]amino]hexyl]‐1H‐pyrrole‐2,5dione and the inositol 1,4,5‐trisphosphate receptor antagonist 2‐aminoethoxydiphenylborate prevented Ca2+ signaling in response to anandamide.
Using an improved cameleon probe targeted to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), fura‐2 and ratiometric‐pericam, which is targeted to the mitochondria, anandamide was found to induce Ca2+ depletion of the ER accompanied by the activation of capacitative Ca2+ entry (CCE) and a transient elevation of mitochondrial Ca2+.
These data demonstrate that anandamide stimulates the endothelial cells used in this study via CB2 receptor‐mediated activation of phospholipase C, formation of inositol 1,4,5‐trisphosphate, Ca2+ release from the ER and subsequent activation of CCE. Moreover, the cytosolic Ca2+ elevation was accompanied by a transient Ca2+ increase in the mitochondria. Thus, in addition to its actions on smooth muscle cells, anandamide also acts as a powerful stimulus for endothelial cells.

British Journal of Pharmacology (2003) 140, 1351–1362. doi:10.1038/sj.bjp.0705529
Allergen‐induced inflammation and airway epithelial and smooth muscle cell proliferation: role of Jun N‐terminal kinase
Authors: Eynott Paul R , Nath Puneeta , Leung Sum‐Yee , Adcock Ian M , Bennett Brydon L , Chung K Fan 
Published: December 2003

Chronic cellular inflammation and airway wall remodelling with subepithelial fibrosis and airway smooth muscle (ASM) cell hyperplasia are features of chronic asthma. Jun N‐terminal kinase (JNK) may be implicated in these processes by regulating the transcriptional activity of activator protein (AP)‐1.
We examined the effects of an inhibitor of JNK, SP600125 (anthra [1,9‐cd] pyrazole‐6 (2 H)‐one), in a model of chronic allergic inflammation in the rat.
Rats sensitised to ovalbumin (OA) were exposed to OA‐aerosol every third day on six occasions and were treated with SP600125 (30 mg kg−1 b.i.d; 360 mg in total) for 12 days, starting after the second through to the sixth OA exposure. We measured eosinophilic and T‐cell inflammation in the airways, proliferation of ASM cells and epithelial cells by incorporation of bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU), and bronchial responsiveness to acetylcholine.
SP600125 significantly reduced the number of eosinophils (P<0.05) and lymphocytes (P<0.05) in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, suppressed eosinophilic (P<0.05) and CD2+ T‐cell (P<0.05) infiltration within the bronchial submucosa, and the increased DNA incorporation in ASM (P<0.05) and epithelial cell incorporation (P<0.05).
SP600125 did not alter bronchial hyper‐responsiveness observed after chronic allergen exposure.
Pathways regulated by JNK positively regulate ASM cell proliferation and allergic cellular inflammation following chronic allergen exposure.

British Journal of Pharmacology (2003) 140, 1373–1380. doi:10.1038/sj.bjp.0705569
ET‐1‐associated vasomotion and vasospasm in lymphatic vessels of the guinea‐pig mesentery
Authors: Zhao Jun , Van Helden Dirk F 
Published: December 2003

In vitro experiments were performed to investigate the actions of endothelin‐1 (ET‐1) on vasomotion and vasospasm in guinea‐pig mesenteric lymphatics.
ET‐1 modulated lymphatic vasomotion independent of the endothelium, with lower concentrations (10 nM) increasing lymphatic vasomotion and higher concentrations (100 nM) causing vasospasm.
ET‐1‐induced increases in vasomotion were accompanied by an increase in tonic [Ca2+]i.
These actions were inhibited by the ETA receptor antagonist BQ‐123 (1 μM), the phospholipase C (PLC) inhibitor U73122 (5 μM), removal of extracellular Ca2+, chelation of intracellular Ca2+ with BAPTA/AM (10 μM), the store Ca2+‐ATPase inhibitor thapsigargin (1 μM), caffeine (10 mM) and the inositol 1,4,5‐trisphosphate (IP3) receptor blocker heparin and 2‐APB (30 μM). In contrast, the ETB receptor antagonist BQ‐788 (1 μM), ryanodine (1 & 20 μM), pertussis toxin (PTx) or Cs+ had no significant actions on vasomotion or the magnitude of increase in tonic [Ca2+]i.
ET‐1‐induced vasospasm was accompanied by a transient increase in smooth muscle [Ca2+]i followed by a sustained plateau, an action that was abolished by removal of extracellular Ca2+, but only marginally inhibited by nifedipine (1 μM).
Caffeine (10 mM), SKF 96165 (30 μM) or U73122 (5 μM) together with nifedipine (1 μM) abolished ET‐1‐induced vasospasm and increase in [Ca2+]i.
These results indicate that ET‐1 increases lymphatic vasomotion by acting on smooth muscle ETA receptors and activation of G‐protein‐PLC‐IP3 cascade, which is known to cause pacemaker Ca2+ release and resultant pacemaker potentials. High concentrations of ET‐1 cause a failure in Ca2+ homeostasis causing vasospasm, triggered by excessive Ca2+ influx primarily through store‐operated channels (SOCs) with L‐Ca2+ voltage‐operated channels (VOCs) also contributing, but to a much lesser extent.

British Journal of Pharmacology (2003) 140, 1399–1413. doi:10.1038/sj.bjp.0705573
Linkage and QTL mapping for Sus scrofa chromosome 2
Authors: Lee S. S. , Chen Y. , Moran C. , Cepica S. , Reiner G. , Bartenschlager H. , Moser G. , Geldermann H. 
Published: December 2003

Summary Sus scrofa chromosome 2 (SSC2) linkage maps were generated from three F2 families involving Meishan (M), Pietrain (P) and Wild Boar (W) crosses and the same 10 marker loci. SSC2 linkage maps were similar between families and correspond to published maps. Quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for carcass traits, daily gain and heart weight were identified on SSC2, especially in the intervals 0–20 and 80–90 cM in the M × P family, the intervals 20–50 and 125–140 cM in the W × P family, and the interval 15–70 cM in the W × M family. QTL presence and position varied among families. QTL effects explained up to 10% of F2 phenotypic variance. Pietrain QTL alleles were associated with high muscle and heart mass, high daily gain and low fat deposition and Meishan alleles with high carcass fat content. Wild Boar alleles were associated with leaner carcass but lower daily gain than Meishan alleles.
Linkage and QTL mapping forSus scrofachromosome 6
Authors: Yue G. , Stratil A. , Kopecny M. , Schröffelova D. , Schröffel J. , Hojny J. , Cepica S. , Davoli R. , Zambonelli P. , Brunsch C. , Sternstein I. , Moser G. , Bartenschlager H. , Reiner G. , Geldermann H. 
Published: December 2003

SummaryLinkage maps have been constructed forSus scrofachromosome 6 (SSC6) based on 17 markers, of which 10 were used in all three F2families of Wild Boar (W), Meishan (M) and Pietrain (P) crosses. The coverage of the linkage maps of SSC6 was almost complete. All loci were ordered identically in the families, but two intervals (RYR1‐A1BG‐EAH,S0146‐S0003‐SW824) differed from published maps. Major quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for meat quality, stress resistance and carcass composition explaining up to 59% of F2phenotypic variance have been mapped in the M × P and W × P families centred on the segregatingRYR1T and C alleles. In the W × M family, which was homozygous for theRYR1 Callele, no QTL effects for meat quality and stress‐resistance, but moderate effects for carcass composition have been observed in this region. These findings indicate further loci closely linked with theRYR1or/and further alleles at theRYR1locus, involved in the variation of carcass and growth traits.
Linkage and QTL mapping for Sus scrofa chromosome 8
Authors: Beeckmann P. , Moser G. , Bartenschlager H. , Reiner G. , Geldermann H. 
Published: December 2003

SummaryLinkage maps of Sus scrofa chromosome 8 (SSC8) were constructed using seven markers in three F2 families based on Meishan (M), Pietrain (P) and Wild Boar (W) crosses. The maps were similar for the pedigrees and in agreement with published maps. Most quantitative trait loci (QTLs) were found for the W × P family, while only minor QTLs were detected in the M × P and W × M families. SSC8 harbours QTLs mapped in the interval SW905 to SW933 explaining up to 6% of the F2 phenotypic variance for body conformation, carcass and growth traits. Pietrain alleles positively influenced carcass traits, with additive effects often larger than dominance effects. For food conversion ratio a large dominance QTL effect was observed in the M × P family.
Linkage and QTL mapping for Sus scrofa chromosome 10
Authors: Dragos‐Wendrich M. , Moser G. , Bartenschlager H. , Reiner G. , Geldermann H. 
Published: December 2003

SummaryLinkage and QTL maps of Sus scrofa chromosome 10 (SSC10) were constructed by genotyping six microsatellite markers in three F2 families based on Wild Boar (W), Meishan (M) and Pietrain (P) crosses. The linkage maps were similar for the families and in agreement with the published maps. Quantitative Trait Loci (QTLs) were found in the M × P and W × M families, but not in the W × P family. In both these families, QTLs for the number of teats were mapped on distal SSC10. Further, QTLs in the W × M family affect the weight of head, live weight and carcass weight traits and were mapped proximally on SSC10 near SW830. The QTLs on SSC10 explained up to 6.5% of F2 phenotypic variance. QTL effects for some traits were overdominant. Except for the weight of head, Wild Boar alleles slightly increased weight traits and, unexpectedly, markedly increased teat numbers in comparison with Meishan alleles. In the M × P family, however, teat number was increased by Meishan alleles.
Linkage and QTL mapping for Sus scrofa chromosome 18
Authors: Dragos‐Wendrich M. , Stratil A. , Hojny J. , Moser G. , Bartenschlager H. , Reiner G. , Geldermann H. 
Published: December 2003

SummaryLinkage and QTL maps of Sus scrofa chromosome 18 (SSC18) were generated using five markers in three F2 families based on Wild Boar (W), Pietrain (P) and Meishan (P) crosses. The linkage maps were similar for the three families and confirm the published map. Quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for meat content, fat‐to‐meat ratio, weight of liver and food conversion ratio were mapped in the W × M family. A QTL for pH value 24 h after slaughter in Musculus semimembranosus was found in the M × P family. The QTL for carcass meat content and fat‐to‐meat ratio in the W × M family were localized near the leptin gene (LEP).
Therapeutic Effects of Fig Tree Latex on Bovine Papillomatosis
Authors: Hemmatzadeh F. , Fatemi A. , Amini F. 
Published: December 2003

SummaryThe effects of fig tree latex in treating teat papillomatosis in cow in comparison with salicylic acid were evaluated. For this purpose, 12 cows of 1–3 years of age (average 2.25) affected by teat papillomatosis were divided into three groups. In group A, four cows were treated by fig tree (Ficus carica) latex; in group B, four cows were treated with 10% salicylic acid solution and in group C, four cows were kept as control animals receiving no treatment. Animals in each treatment group received their treatment once every 5 days.In groups A and B, de‐epithelialization and shrinking of the warts began from the fifth day of treatment and all the warts disappeared within 30 days. However, in the control group no changes in the number of warts were observed until day 15 but thereafter a number of warts disappeared spontaneously in some of the animals. Both salicylic acid and fig tree latex were evaluated as having similar therapeutic effects in treating teat papillomatosis in cow.
Genetic Diversity at alkB Locus in Brucella abortus
Authors: Marianelli C. , La Rosa G. , Ciuchini F. , Muscillo M. , Pasquali P. , Adone R. 
Published: December 2003

SummaryDNA polymorphism of the alkB gene, a DNA repair gene, was assessed by PCR on Brucella abortus biovars 1 (strains 99, S19, 45/20, RB51 and 2308), 3 (Tulya strain), 5 (B3196 strain) and 6 (870 strain). A DNA repetitive element, named IS711, was detected in all studied biovars 1 and its complete nucleotide sequence was determined. We found that the element in alkB gene, bounded by 14 bp imperfect inverted repeats (IRs), is 840 bp long and appears to duplicate a consensus target site, CTAG. Analysing its nucleotide sequence of both forward and reverse strands, more than 10 open reading frames (ORFs) were found. Two potential transposase coding regions were chosen comparing all possible ORFs with the database. Comparing IS711 elements isolated from Brucella species, including both those characterized in our work and the published ones, differences in length and in nucleotide composition were observed among Brucella species, members of the same species and within the same strain. Our results confirm the heterogeneity of IS711 elements in Brucella genus and suggest the possibility to use this element to assess gene and genome diversity and to identify new molecular markers for Brucella species.
Investigations into an Outbreak of Tuberculosis in a Flock of Sheep in Contact with Tuberculous Cattle
Authors: Malone F. E. , Wilson E. C. , Pollock J. M. , Skuce R. A. 
Published: December 2003

SummaryTuberculosis, associated with Mycobacterium bovis infection, occurs infrequently in sheep. A sheep flock, which was potentially exposed to a high level of infection from in‐contact tuberculous cattle, was examined for evidence of infection. Six sheep that had given a positive reaction to the comparative intradermal tuberculin test were examined post mortem. Tuberculous lesions were present in four of these sheep. Lesion morphology and distribution in the sheep was similar to that in cattle. M. bovis was cultured from the lesions and the isolates were strain typed by spoligotyping and variable number of tandem repeats (VNTR) typing. Tuberculin‐reacting sheep also reacted positively to an assay for in vitro release of interferon‐γ. This paper describes the first report of an outbreak of tuberculosis in sheep in either Britain or Ireland. The report describes immunology and pathology findings and, using molecular typing techniques, suggests that the sheep had been infected from in‐contact cattle.