bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Cognitive–behavioral couple's treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder: Initial findings
Authors: Monson Candice M. , Schnurr Paula P. , Stevens Susan P. , Guthrie Karen A. 
Published: August 2004

AbstractThis pilot study was an initial investigation of Cognitive–Behavioral Couple's Treatment (CBCT) for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Seven couples in which the husband was diagnosed with PTSD secondary to Vietnam combat experiences completed the treatment. According to independent clinician assessment and partner report, the veterans had substantial improvements in their PTSD symptoms. The veterans reported less dramatic improvements in their PTSD symptoms, but endorsed significant improvements in their depression and anxiety. The partners reported improved relationship satisfaction, whereas the veterans' relationship satisfaction was unchanged across treatment. The current findings are compared with findings on other forms of empirically validated treatment for PTSD and previous studies of CBCT for various individual problems. Theoretical implications and future directions are offered.
Social acknowledgment as a victim or survivor: A scale to measure a recovery factor of PTSD
Authors: Maercker Andreas , Müller Julia 
Published: August 2004

AbstractThe development and validation of a new measure of social acknowledgment as a victim or survivor is presented, whose items were derived from previous research on social recovery factors of post‐traumatic stress disorder. The Social Acknowledgment Questionnaire (SAQ) was administered to nontreatment seeking traumatized persons—178 former political prisoners in East Germany and 151 recently traumatized interpersonal crime victims. Principal components analysis yielded three factors—Recognition as victim, General disapproval, and Family disapproval. The factors showed high internal consistency and good test‐retest reliability; correlated moderately to strong with measures of PTSD severity, social support, and reluctance to talk about the trauma. In comparison to a conventional measure of social support, the SAQ predicted comparably better between persons with high‐ and low‐PTSD severity.
Are reports of posttraumatic growth positively biased?
Authors: Smith Sharon G. , Cook Sarah L. 
Published: August 2004

AbstractThis study examines positivity bias in reports of growth following exposure to traumatic events. Participants (N = 276) from an urban university and a superior court jury pool were randomly assigned to one of two methodological groups. In one, participants responded to the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI) in relation to a specific stressful event. In the other, PTGI questions were not linked to specific events. Findings indicate that current methods for assessing posttraumatic growth (PTG) may actually underestimate growth. That is, linking questions about growth to specific stressors may have led participants to be cautious about attributing their growth experiences to a traumatic event. These findings contradict notions that current methods of measuring PTG create a positivity bias. Suggestions for future research include the use of prospective designs and corroborating reports of growth.
Calcium‐Independent Release of Endothelial Nitric Oxide in the Arteriolar Network: Onset During Rapid Juvenile Growth
Authors: NURKIEWICZ TIMOTHY R. , BOEGEHOLD MATTHEW A. 
Published: August 2004

ABSTRACTObjective: In young rats, skeletal muscle arterioles respond to acetylcholine, which elicits Ca2+‐dependent endothelial nitric oxide (NO) release, but not to shear stress, which does not require increased intracellular Ca2+ for endothelial NO release. The aim of this study was to determine if, in general, signaling pathways for endothelial NO release that differ in their reliance on Ca2+ may be developing at different times during normal arteriolar network growth in skeletal muscle.Methods: Arteriolar responses to intraluminal infusion of the Ca2+ ionophore A23187, and the Ca2+‐independent agonists vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and simvastatin, were studied before and during NO synthase (NOS) inhibition with NG‐monomethyl‐L‐arginine (L‐NMMA) in the exteriorized spinotrapezius muscle of weanling (age 4–5 wks) and juvenile (7–8 wks) rats.Results: There were no age‐dependent differences in arteriolar responses to A23187 applied over a concentration range that dilated arterioles from 9 ± 2 to 74 ± 8% of maximum, and L‐NMMA attenuated these responses by the same amount in both age groups. In juveniles, arterioles dilated up to 39± 5% of maximum in response to VEGF, and up to 83 ± 6% of maximum in response to simvastatin, with L‐NMMA greatly reducing the responses to both agonists. In contrast, arterioles in weanlings did not dilate in response to either agonist.Conclusions: These findings suggest that some Ca2+‐independent signaling pathways for endothelial NO release may not initially be operational in the arteriolar network, but quickly become established during juvenile growth. This is consistent with the idea that microvascular control mechanisms are not fixed at birth, but rather undergo progressive changes in concert with microvascular network growth and changes in tissue metabolic requirements.
Effects of Arg‐Gly‐Asp Sequence Peptide and Hyperosmolarity on the Permeability of Interstitial Matrix and Fenestrated Endothelium in Joints
Authors: POLI A. , MASON R. M. , LEVICK J. R. 
Published: August 2004

ABSTRACTObjectives: The aims were to assess the contribution of arg‐gly‐asp (RGD) mediated cell integrin–matrix bonds to interstitial hydraulic resistance and to fenestrated endothelial permeability in joints. Joint fluid is generated by filtration from fenestrated capillaries and drains through a fibronectin‐rich synovial intercellular matrix. The role of parenchymal cell–matrix bonding in determining tissue hydraulic resistance is unknown.Methods: The knee cavity of anesthetized rabbits was infused with saline or the competitive hexapeptide blocker GRGDTP, with or without added osmotic stress (600 mosm saline). Intra‐articular pressure Pj, net trans‐synovial drainage rate s, and the permeation of Evans blue‐labeled albumin (EVA) from plasma into the joint cavity were measured.Results: GRGDTP increased the hydraulic conductance of the synovial drainage pathway, ds/dPj, by 71% (p = .02, paired t test, n = 6 animals). Synovial plasma EVA clearance (control 7.1 ± 0.8 μL h−1, mean ± SEM, n = 15) was unaffected by GRGDTP (7.0 ± 2.3 μL h−1, n = 6) or hyperosmolarity (4.9 ± 1.5 μL h−1, n = 8) but was increased by GRGDTP and hyperosmolarity together (15.9 ± 4.8 μL h−1, n = 5) (p = .01, ANOVA). Changes in dPj/dt evoked by GRGDTP plus hyperosmolarity, but neither alone, demonstrated increased microvascular filtration into the joint cavity (p < .001, ANOVA), as did changes in fluid absorption from the infusion system at fixed Pj.Conclusions: RGD‐mediated bonds between the parenchymal cells and interstitial polymers reduce the interstitial hydraulic conductance by 42%. This helps to retain the lubricating fluid inside a joint cavity. RGD‐mediated bonds also support the macromolecular barrier function of fenestrated endothelium, but in vivo this is evident only in stressed endothelium (cf. in vitro).
Regulation of T‐Lymphocyte Trafficking by ICAM‐1, MAdCAM‐1, and CCR7 in Microcirculation of Appendicular and Intestinal Lymphoid Tissues
Authors: NAGAMATSU HIDEYASU , TSUZUKI YOSHIKAZU , MATSUZAKI KOJI , MIYAZAKI JUNICHI , OKADA YOSHIKIYO , HOKARI RYOTA , KAWAGUCHI ATSUSHI , NAGAO SHIGEAKI , ITOH KAZURO , MIURA SOICHIRO 
Published: August 2004

ABSTRACTObjective: Although the appendix is recognized as an inductive site of intestinal inflammation, lymphocyte migration to lymphoid tissues of the appendix has not been characterized. The authors investigated if there are specific features in T‐lymphocyte adhesion to microvessels of the appendix compared to mouse Peyer's patches (PPs).Methods: T‐lymphocyte interaction with postcapillary venules (PCVs) of lymph follicles of the appendix and PPs was observed using an intravital microscope. Antibodies against ICAM‐1, MAdCAM‐1, or anti‐L‐selectin were administered prior to lymphocyte administration, and in some experiments CCR7 on T‐lymphocytes was desensitized by excess CCL21.Results: The number of adhered T‐lymphocytes reached the maximum value earlier in PCVs of PPs than in those of the appendix. T‐lymphocyte adherence was significantly inhibited by anti‐MAdCAM‐1 at either the appendix or PPs, but adherence in the appendix was also significantly inhibited by anti‐ICAM‐1, suggesting a dependency on ICAM‐1 in the appendix. Histologically, there was a significant ICAM‐1 expression in the appendix. Desensitization of CCR7 suppressed T‐cell adhesion in PCVs of the appendix and PPs to the same extent.Conclusion: ICAM‐1 appeared to be more important in T‐lymphocyte sticking in PCVs of the appendix compared with intestinal PPs, while MAdCAM‐1 and CCR7 were shown to play important roles in T‐lymphocyte adherence in all sites.
Expression of Inducible Nitric Oxide Synthase in Cultured Smooth Muscle Cells from Rat Mesenteric Lymphatic Vessels
Authors: ROBERTSON DEBORAH A. F. , HUGHES GWEN A. , LYLES GEOFFREY A. 
Published: August 2004

Objective: The objective was to devise a method for establishing cultures of rat mesenteric lymphatic vessel smooth muscle cells (LSMC) and to investigate if inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression could be activated in LSMC treated with bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS).Methods: LSMC were successfully grown from explanted rat lymphatic microvessels and maintained by subculture. Treatment of LSMC for 24 h with LPS (1–100 μg/mL) activated iNOS protein induction, associated with (1) assay of increased nitrite concentrations in the medium representing cellular nitric oxide synthesis, and (2) demonstration of iNOS in cell extracts by Western blotting.Results: The protein synthesis inhibitor cycloheximide (10 μM) blocked both LPS‐induced nitrite formation and iNOS protein expression in LSMC. 1400 W (1 μM), a selective iNOS inhibitor, prevented LPS‐induced nitrite formation but not iNOS expression. As well as induction of iNOS by LPS, “constitutive” iNOS was present in some cultures, producing nitrite in amounts that were also subsequently reduced after cell treatment with 1400 W.Conclusion: Rat mesenteric LSMC produce nitrite and express iNOS in response to bacterial LPS. Cultured LSMC may provide a useful model for studying mechanisms of iNOS induction in relation to possible influences of iNOS upon lymphatic vessel function.
Ca2+ Flux Through Voltage‐Gated Channels with Flow Cessation in Pulmonary Microvascular Endothelial Cells
Authors: WEI ZHIHUA , MANEVICH YEFIM , AL‐MEHDI ABU B. , CHATTERJEE SHAMPA , FISHER ARON B. 
Published: August 2004

Objective: To investigate the role of voltage‐gated Ca2+ channels in Ca2+ influx with flow cessation in flow‐adapted rat pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells.Methods: Cells were evaluated for mRNA and protein levels for major components of the voltage‐gated Ca2+ channels. Ca2+ influx with flow cessation and cell membrane potential were measured in real time with fluorescent dyes. Mibefradil and nifedipine were used as inhibitors of Ca2+ channel activity.Results: Voltage‐gated Ca2+ channel protein and mRNA for the T‐type channel were expressed at a relatively low level in endothelial cells cultured under static conditions and expression was induced significantly during flow adaptation. Flow‐adapted but not control cells showed Ca2+ influx during flow cessation that was blocked by mibefradil but not by nifedipine. Ca2+ influx also was blocked by cromakalim, a KATP channel agonist. Cell membrane depolarization with flow cessation was unaffected by mibefradil.Conclusions: Rat pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells express T‐type voltage‐gated Ca2+ channels that are induced during adaptation to flow and are responsible for Ca2+ influx that occurs as a result of flow cessation‐mediated membrane depolarization.
Supervised identification of allergen-representative peptides forin silicodetection of potentially allergenic proteins
Authors: Björklund Åsa K. , Soeria-Atmadja Daniel , Zorzet Anna , Hammerling Ulf , Gustafsson Mats G. 
Published: August 2004

AbstractMotivation: Identification of potentially allergenic proteins is needed for the safety assessment of genetically modified foods, certain pharmaceuticals and various other products on the consumer market. Current methods in bioinformatic allergology exploit common features among allergens for the detection of amino acid sequences of potentially allergenic proteins. Features for identification still unexplored include the motifs occurring commonly in allergens, but rarely in ordinary proteins. In this paper, we present an algorithm for the identification of such motifs with the purpose of biocomputational detection of amino acid sequences of potential allergens.Results: Identification of allergen-representative peptides (ARPs) with low or no occurrence in proteins lacking allergenic properties is the essential component of our new method, designated DASARP (Detection based on Automated Selection of Allergen-Representative Peptide). This approach consistently outperforms the criterion based on identical peptide match for predicting allergenicity recommended by ILSI/IFBC and FAO/WHO and shows results comparable to the alignment-based criterion as outlined by FAO/WHO.Availability: The detection software and the ARP set needed for the analysis of a query protein reported here are properties of the Swedish National Food Agency and are available upon request. The protein sequence sets used in this work are publicly available on http://www.slv.se/templatesSLV/SLV_Page____9343.asp. Allergenicity assessment for specific protein sequences of interest is also possible via ulfh@slv.seContact: ulfh@slv.se
Simulating genetic networks made easy: network construction with simple building blocks
Authors: Vercruysse Steven , Kuiper Martin 
Published: August 2004

Abstract
Summary: We present SIM-plex, a genetic network simulator with a very intuitive interface in which a user can easily specify interactions as simple ‘if-then’ statements. The simulator is based on the mathematical model of Piecewise Linear Differential Equations (PLDEs). With PLDEs, genetic interactions are approximated as acting in a switch-like manner.
Availability: The Java program, examples and a tutorial are available at http://www.psb.ugent.be/cbd/
Contact: {stcru,makui}@psb.ugent.be
Similarity of position frequency matrices for transcription factor binding sites
Authors: Schones Dustin E. , Sumazin Pavel , Zhang Michael Q. 
Published: August 2004

AbstractMotivation: Transcription-factor binding sites (TFBS) in promoter sequences of higher eukaryotes are commonly modeled using position frequency matrices (PFM). The ability to compare PFMs representing binding sites is especially important for de novo sequence motif discovery, where it is desirable to compare putative matrices to one another and to known matrices.Results: We describe a PFM similarity quantification method based on product multinomial distributions, demonstrate its ability to identify PFM similarity and show that it has a better false positive to false negative ratio compared to existing methods.We grouped TFBS frequency matrices from two libraries into matrix families and identified the matrices that are common and unique to these libraries. We identified similarities and differences between the skeletal-muscle-specific and non-muscle-specific frequency matrices for the binding sites of Mef-2, Myf, Sp-1, SRF and TEF of Wasserman and Fickett. We further identified known frequency matrices and matrix families that were strongly similar to the matrices given by Wasserman and Fickett. We provide methodology and tools to compare and query libraries of frequency matrices for TFBSs.Availability: Software is available to use over the Web at http://rulai.cshl.edu/MatCompareContact: dschones@cshl.eduSupplementary information: Database and clustering statistics, matrix families and representatives are available at http://rulai.cshl.edu/MatCompare/Supplementary
MCQTL: multi-allelic QTL mapping in multi-cross design
Authors: Jourjon Marie-Françoise , Jasson Sylvain , Marcel Jacques , Ngom Baba , Mangin Brigitte 
Published: August 2004

AbstractSummary: The aim of the MCQTL software package is to perform QTL mapping in multi-cross designs. It allows the analysis of the usual populations derived from inbred lines and can link the families by assuming that the QTL locations are the same in all of them. Moreover, a diallel modelling of the QTL genotypic effects is allowed in multiple related families.The implemented model is a linear regression model. A composite interval mapping and an iterative QTL mapping are implemented to deal with multiple QTL models. Marker cofactor selections by forward or backward stepwise methods are implemented as well as computation of threshold test value by permutation.Availability: The program is available on request after signing a licence agreement; free of charge for academic and non-profit organizations at http://www.genoplante.org(Bioinformatics products).Contact: contactbioinf@genoplante.com
Predicting protein–protein interactions using signature products
Authors: Martin Shawn , Roe Diana , Faulon Jean-Loup 
Published: August 2004

Abstract
Motivation: Proteome-wide prediction of protein–protein interaction is a difficult and important problem in biology. Although there have been recent advances in both experimental and computational methods for predicting protein–protein interactions, we are only beginning to see a confluence of these techniques. In this paper, we describe a very general, high-throughput method for predicting protein–protein interactions. Our method combines a sequence-based description of proteins with experimental information that can be gathered from any type of protein–protein interaction screen. The method uses a novel description of interacting proteins by extending the signature descriptor, which has demonstrated success in predicting peptide/protein binding interactions for individual proteins. This descriptor is extended to protein pairs by taking signature products. The signature product is implemented within a support vector machine classifier as a kernel function.
Results: We have applied our method to publicly available yeast, Helicobacter pylori, human and mouse datasets. We used the yeast and H.pylori datasets to verify the predictive ability of our method, achieving from 70 to 80% accuracy rates using 10-fold cross-validation. We used the human and mouse datasets to demonstrate that our method is capable of cross-species prediction. Finally, we reused the yeast dataset to explore the ability of our algorithm to predict domains.
Contact: smartin@sandia.gov.
Effects of Short-term Fenoldopam Infusion on Gastric Mucosal Blood Flow in Septic Shock
Authors: Morelli Andrea , Rocco Monica , Conti Giorgio , Orecchioni Alessandra , De Gaetano Andrea , Coluzzi Flaminia , Vernaglione Enrico , Pelaia Paolo , Pietropaoli Paolo 
Published: August 2004

Background
Inadequate splanchnic perfusion in septic shock is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. As result of splanchnic ischemia, mucosal permeability increases. Considering the implication of improved mucosal perfusion in terms of maintenance of mucosal barrier integrity, dopamine-1 receptor stimulation could be helpful in septic shock. The goal of the current study was to determine the effects of fenoldopam on systemic hemodynamic parameters and gastric mucosal perfusion in patients with septic shock. Furthermore, the authors tested the hypothesis that the addition of fenoldopam (0.1 microg x kg(-1) x min(-1)) to a combination of norepinephrine and dobutamine (5 microg x kg(-1) x min(-1)) may improve gastric mucosal perfusion in septic shock.

Methods
Patients with septic shock were randomized to a double-blind 2-h infusion of fenoldopam (n = 20) or placebo (n = 20). Each group received dobutamine (5 microg x kg(-1) x min(-1)), and the dosage of norepinephrine was adjusted to achieve a mean arterial pressure between 70 and 80 mmHg. A laser-Doppler probe and tonometer were introduced into the gastric lumen.

Results
A significant increase in gastric mucosal perfusion, detected by laser-Doppler flowmetry, was observed in the group treated with fenoldopam (P < 0.05). In addition, this increase in microcirculatory flow occurred despite the fact that systemic flow remained unchanged. Differences in gastroarterial partial pressure of carbon dioxide values were not statistically significant in the fenoldopam and placebo groups.

Conclusions
The study showed that, for the same mean arterial pressure, short-term fenoldopam infusion increased gastric mucosal perfusion in patients with septic shock.
A New Closed-Loop Control System for Isoflurane Using Bispectral Index Outperforms Manual Control
Authors: Locher Stephan , Stadler Konrad S. , Boehlen Thomas , Bouillon Thomas , Leibundgut Daniel , Schumacher Peter M. , Wymann Rolf , Zbinden Alex M. 
Published: August 2004

Background
Automatic control of depth of hypnosis using the Bispectral Index (BIS) can help to reduce phases of inadequate control. Automated BIS control with propofol or isoflurane administration via an infusion system has recently been described, a comparable study with isoflurane administration via a vaporizer had not been conducted yet. Our hypothesis was that our new model based closed-loop control system can safely be applied clinically and maintains the BIS within a defined target range better than manual control.

Methods
Twenty-three patients, American Society of Anesthesiologists risk class I-III, scheduled for decompressive spinal surgery were randomized into groups with either closed-loop or manual control of BIS using isoflurane. An alfentanil target-controlled infusion was adjusted according to standard clinical practice. The BIS target was set to 50 during the operation. The necessity of human intervention in the control system and events of inadequate sedation (BIS <40 or BIS >60) were counted. The number of phases of inadequate control, defined as BIS >/=65 for more than 3 min, were recorded. The performance of the controller was assessed by several indicators (mean absolute deviation and median absolute performance error) and measured during the skin incision phase, the subsequent low flow phase, and the wound closure phase. Recovery profiles of both groups were compared.

Results
No human intervention was necessary in the closed-loop control group. The occurrence of inadequate BIS was quantified with the mean and median values of the area under the curve and amounted to 0.360 and 0.088 for the manual control group and 0.049 and 0.017 for the closed-loop control group, respectively. In the manual control group nine phases of inadequate control were recorded, compared with one in the closed-loop control group, 10.3% to 0.5% of all observed anesthesia time. During all phases the averages of the performance parameters (mean absolute deviation and median absolute performance error) were more than 30% smaller in closed-loop control than in manual control (P < 0.05 between groups).

Conclusions
Closed-loop control with BIS using isoflurane can safely be applied clinically and performs significantly better than manual control, even in phases with abrupt changes of stimulation that cannot be foreseen by the control system.