bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Bacterial components in the synovial tissue of patients with advanced rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis: Analysis with gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry and pan‐bacterial polymerase chain reaction
Authors: Chen Tong , Rimpiläinen Marja , Luukkainen Reijo , Möttönen Timö , Yli‐Jama Tuomas , Jalava Jari , Vainio Olli , Toivanen Paavo 
Published: June 2003

AbstractObjectiveTo study the presence of bacterial components in the synovial tissue (ST) of patients with advanced rheumatoid arthritis (RA).MethodsST was collected during joint surgery from 41 RA patients. Tissue from 39 patients with osteoarthritis (OA), 4 patients with undifferentiated inflammatory arthritis (UA), and 3 cases of accidental deaths served as controls. The pan‐bacterial polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with primers for the 23S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) and 16S rRNA genes was used to detect bacterial DNA. In addition, synovial fluid (SF) samples from patients with chlamydial reactive arthritis (ReA) were also examined by the same method. The positive controls, bacterial DNA or ST spiked with different living bacteria, were analyzed alongside clinical samples. Most of the ST samples were also analyzed by gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry (GC‐MS) for determining the presence of bacteria‐derived muramic acid. Strict precautions were followed in the clinics and the laboratory to prevent contamination.ResultsIn GC‐MS analysis, muramic acid was observed in the ST from 4 of 35 RA patients and from 2 of 14 OA patients, but not in ST from 2 patients with UA and 3 cadavers. Bacterial DNA was not detected by either one of the PCR primers used in ST from 42 patients with RA and 39 patients with OA. However, 5 of 15 SF samples from ReA patients were PCR positive. The sensitivity of GC‐MS to detect muramic acid was 2 pg/injected amount (227 pg muramic acid/mg ST), and that of the pan‐bacterial PCR was 2–20 bacteria colony forming units/reaction.ConclusionThese results indicate that a bacterial component, muramic acid, is detectable by GC‐MS in ST from a few patients with advanced RA or OA. However, no bacterial DNA was detectable by PCR.
Effects of disease management programs on functional status of patients with rheumatoid arthritis
Authors: Badamgarav Enkhe , Croft Joseph D. , Hohlbauch Andriana , Louie James S. , O'Dell James , Ofman Joshua J. , Suarez‐Almazor Maria E. , Weaver Arthur , White Patience , Katz Paul ,   on behalf of The Evidence‐Based Medicine Working Groups in Rheumatology
Published: June 2003

AbstractObjectiveTo perform a systematic review of the published literature on disease management of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and to use metaanalysis to estimate the magnitude of benefit these programs have on functional status in patients with RA.MethodsComputerized databases for English articles from 1966 to September 2001 were searched. Two reviewers evaluated 1,029 published titles, identified 11 studies meeting explicit inclusion criteria, and extracted data about study characteristics, interventions used, and outcomes measured. Pooled effect sizes for functional status were calculated using a random‐effects model.ResultsFour out of 8 disease management programs showed significant improvements in functional status; however, the pooled effect size (ES) was small and statistically non‐significant (ES 0.27; 95% confidence interval [95% CI] −0.01, 0.54). Studies with longer intervention durations (>5 weeks) had significantly improved patient functional status (ES 0.49; 95% CI 0.12, 0.86), compared with studies with shorter intervention durations (≤5 weeks, ES 0.13; 95% CI −0.25, 0.52).ConclusionsThere were limited data to support or refute the effectiveness of disease management programs in improving functional status in patients with RA. Additional studies are needed to confirm if a more intensive intervention may be of benefit to patients with RA, as suggested by our study.
Operant behavioral treatment of fibromyalgia: A controlled study
Authors: Thieme Kati , Gromnica‐Ihle Erika , Flor Herta 
Published: June 2003

AbstractObjectiveTo evaluate the efficacy of operant pain treatment for fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) in an inpatient setting.MethodsSixty‐one patients who fulfilled the American College of Rheumatology criteria for FMS were randomly assigned to the operant pain treatment group (OTG; n = 40) or a standardized medical program with an emphasis on physical therapy (PTG; n = 21). Pain assessments were performed before, immediately after, 6 months after, and 15 months after treatment.ResultsThe OTG patients reported a significant and stable reduction in pain intensity, interference, solicitous behavior of the spouse, medication, pain behaviors, number of doctor visits, and days at a hospital as well as an increase in sleeping time. Sixty‐five percent of the OTG compared with none of the patients in the PTG showed clinically significant improvement.ConclusionThese results suggest that operant pain treatment provided in an inpatient setting is an effective treatment for FMS, whereas a purely somatically oriented program may lead to a deterioration of the pain problem.
Etanercept added to background methotrexate therapy in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: Continued observations
Authors: Kremer Joel M. , Weinblatt Michael E. , Bankhurst Arthur D. , Bulpitt Ken J. , Fleischmann Roy M. , Jackson Christopher G. , Atkins Kelly M. , Feng Anyang , Burge Daniel J. 
Published: June 2003

AbstractObjectiveTo observe the long‐term safety and efficacy of combination therapy with etanercept and methotrexate in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and to determine whether the addition of etanercept allowed reductions in methotrexate or corticosteroid dosages while maintaining a clinical response.MethodsPatients with RA who received methotrexate plus etanercept in a previous randomized, placebo‐controlled trial were offered the opportunity to enroll in an open‐label extension study for further evaluation of treatment with etanercept and methotrexate.ResultsSeventy‐nine of the 89 patients in the original blinded study enrolled in the extension study, and 65 of these patients continue in the study. Patients have received etanercept therapy for up to 47 months (median 44 months). The types and rate of adverse events noted during the extension trial were similar to those observed in the controlled trial. At the 3‐year assessment, 77% of the 57 patients available for evaluation met American College of Rheumatology 20% (ACR20) criteria for improvement in RA, 47% met the ACR50 criteria, and 23% met the ACR70 criteria. Of the 36 patients assessed at 3 years in the extension study, 30 (83%) were able to decrease their dosages of corticosteroids, and 20 (56%) were able to discontinue corticosteroid therapy. At 3 years, the dosage of methotrexate was decreased in 41 of 66 patients (62%), and methotrexate therapy was discontinued in 19 patients (29%).ConclusionIn this observational continuation study, the addition of etanercept to background methotrexate provided sustained clinical benefit over a median period of 44 months. With etanercept therapy, there were trends toward dosage reduction or discontinuation of methotrexate and corticosteroids, without apparent worsening of ACR response rates. Compared with the controlled trial, no increases in the rate of adverse events were observed.
Confidence Intervals for Relative Risks in Disease Mapping
Authors: Ugarte M.D. , Militino A.F. , Ibáñez B. 
Published: June 2003

AbstractSeveral analysis of the geographic variation of mortality rates in space have been proposed in the literature. Poisson models allowing the incorporation of random effects to model extra‐variability are widely used. The typical modelling approach uses normal random effects to accommodate local spatial autocorrelation. When spatial autocorrelation is absent but overdispersion persists, a discrete mixture model is an alternative approach. However, a technique for identifying regions which have significant high or low risk in any given area has not been developed yet when using the discrete mixture model. Taking into account the importance that this information provides to the epidemiologists to formulate hypothesis related to the potential risk factors affecting the population, different procedures for obtaining confidence intervals for relative risks are derived in this paper. These methods are the standard information‐based method and other four, all based on bootstrap techniques, namely the asymptotic‐bootstrap, the percentile‐bootstrap, the BC‐bootstrap and the modified information‐based method. All of them are compared empirically by their application to mortality data due to cardiovascular diseases in women from Navarra, Spain, during the period 1988–1994. In the small area example considered here, we find that the information‐based method is sensible at estimating standard errors of the component means in the discrete mixture model but it is not appropriate for providing standard errors of the estimated relative risks and hence, for constructing confidence intervals for the relative risk associated to each region. Therefore, the bootstrap‐based methods are recommended for this matter. More specifically, the BC method seems to provide better coverage probabilities in the case studied, according to a small scale simulation study that has been carried out using a scenario as encountered in the analysis of the real data.
Unconditional Confidence Interval for the Difference between Two Proportions
Authors: Martín Andrés A. , Herranz Tejedor I. 
Published: June 2003

AbstractIn applied statistics it is customary to have to obtain a one‐ or two‐tail confidence interval for the difference d = p2 – p1 between two independent binomial proportions. Traditionally, one is looking for a classic and non‐symmetric interval (with respect to zero) of the type d ∈ [δL;δU], d ≤ δ0 or d ≥ δ0. However, in clinical trials, equivalence studies, vaccination efficacy studies, etc., and even after performing the classic homogeneity test, intervals of the type |d| ≤ Δ0 or |d| ≥ Δ0, where Δ0 > 0, may be necessary. In all these cases it is advisable to obtain the interval by inverting the appropriate test. The advantage of this procedure is that the conclusions obtained using the test are compatible with those obtained using the interval. The article shows how this is done using the new exact and asymptotic unconditional tests published. The programs for performing these tests may be obtained at URL http://www.ugr.es/~bioest/software.htm.
Statistical Methods for Ordered Categorical Data Based on a Constrained Odds Model
Authors: Dark Roberta , Bolland Kim , Whitehead John 
Published: June 2003

AbstractThe proportional odds model provides a powerful tool for analysing ordered categorical data and setting sample size, although for many clinical trials its validity is questionable. The purpose of this paper is to present a new class ofconstrained odds modelswhich includes the proportional odds model. The efficient score and Fisher's information are derived from the profile likelihood for the constrained odds model. These results are new even for the special case of proportional odds where the resulting statistics define the Mann‐Whitney test. A strategy is described involving selecting one of these models in advance, requiring assumptions as strong as those underlying proportional odds, but allowing a choice of such models. The accuracy of the new procedure and its power are evaluated.
Network algorithm for the Exact Test of Hardy‐Weinberg Proportion for Multiple Alleles
Authors: Aoki S. 
Published: June 2003

AbstractWe propose a new technique for the exact test of Hardy‐Weinberg proportion that considerably extends the bounds of computational feasibility. Our algorithm is constructed analogously to the network algorithm for Freeman‐Halton exact test in two‐way contingency tables. In this algorithm, the smallest and the largest values for the statistic are important and some interesting new theorems are proved for computing these values. Numerical examples are given to illustrate the practicality of our algorithm.
Profiling of dynamic changes in hypermetabolic livers
Authors: Lee Kyongbum , Berthiaume François , Stephanopoulos Gregory N. , Yarmush Martin L. 
Published: June 2003

AbstractThe liver plays an important role in the overall negative nitrogen balance leading to muscle wasting commonly observed in patients following many conditions, including severe injury, cancer, and diabetes. In order to study changes in liver metabolism during the establishment of such catabolic states, we used a rat skin burn injury model that induces hypermetabolism and muscle wasting. At various times during the first week following the injury, livers were isolated and perfused in a recirculating system under well‐defined conditions. We applied a steady‐state metabolic flux analysis model of liver metabolism and then used k‐means clustering to objectively group together reaction flux time profiles. We identified six distinct groups of reactions that were differentially responsive: (1) pentose phosphate pathway (PPP); (2) amino acid oxidation reactions leading to the formation of tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle intermediates; (3) gluconeogenesis; (4) TCA‐cycle and mitochondrial oxidation; (5) lipolysis, β‐oxidation, and ketone body formation; and (6) urea‐cycle. Burn injury sequentially upregulated the urea‐cycle, the PPP, and the TCA‐cycle, in order, while β‐oxidation and gluconeogenesis remained unchanged. The upregulation of the PPP was transient, whereas the rise in urea‐ and TCA‐cycle fluxes was sustained. An ATP balance predicted an increased production of ATP and energy expenditure starting on day 3 post‐burn, which correlated with the induction of the oxidative phosphorylation uncoupler uncoupling protein‐2. We conclude that metabolic profiling using flux analysis and clustering analysis is a useful methodology to characterize the differential activation of metabolic pathways in perfused organs and to identify specific key pathways that are sensitive to a stimulus or insult without making a priori assumptions. Biotechnol Bioeng 83: 400–415, 2003. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Critical evaluation of sampling techniques for residual glucose determination in carbon‐limited chemostat culture of Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Authors: Mashego M. R. , van Gulik W. M. , Vinke J. L. , Heijnen J. J. 
Published: June 2003

AbstractIn this paper, three sampling techniques for rapid quenching of cellular metabolism and subsequent separation of cells from fermentation broth are compared: (i) quick freezing of fermentation broth directly in liquid nitrogen; (ii) quenching metabolism by exposing the fermentation broth to stainless steel beads (4‐mm diameter) in a filter syringe precooled to −18°C; and (iii) withdrawal of the filtrate through a 0.45‐μm filter attached to a syringe and a needle inserted directly into the fermentor. It was concluded that use of liquid nitrogen as a quenching method to rapidly arrest cellular metabolism, for quantitative analysis of extracellular glucose, is not a very reliable method and that the filter syringe steel beads work very well. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biotechnol Bioeng 83: 395–399, 2003.
Interfacial versus homogeneous enzymatic cleavage of mandelonitrile by hydroxynitrile lyase in a biphasic system
Authors: Cascão‐Pereira Luis G. , Hickel Andrea , Radke Clayton J. , Blanch Harvey W. 
Published: June 2003

AbstractThe question of an interfacial versus ahomogeneous reaction is carefully addressed for the enzymatic biphasic cleavage of mandelonitrile to benzaldehyde by Prunus amygdalus hydroxynitrile lyase (pa‐Hnl) (Hickel et al. [1999] Biotechnol Bioeng 36:425–436). Experimental evidence, including 1) the reaction ceases when the interface is populated by previously adsorbed denatured pa‐Hnl, 2) the reaction continues even after washout of the bulk enzyme from the aqueous phase, 3) highly nonpolar organic solvents initially promote fast reaction kinetics that relatively quickly decay to zero product production, and 4) the reaction rate is nonlinear in the bulk enzyme concentration, provide robust grounds for an interfacial reaction. We also model enzymatic mandelonitrile cleavage assuming a homogeneous aqueous‐phase reaction. The homogeneous reaction scheme does not simultaneously account for the experimental observations of a linear dependence of the reaction rate on organic/water interfacial area, no dependence on the aqueous‐phase volume, and a nonlinear dependence on pa‐Hnl aqueous concentration. Further, simple calculations demonstrate that the homogeneous reaction rate is at least three orders of magnitude slower than those observed by Hickel et al. (1999). We again conclude that enzyme adsorbed at the organic solvent/water interface primarily catalyzes the biphasic mandelonitrile cleavage reaction. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biotechnol Bioeng 83: 498–501, 2003.
Role of water‐soluble polysaccharides in bacterial cellulose production
Authors: Ishida Takehiko , Mitarai Makoto , Sugano Yasushi , Shoda Makoto 
Published: June 2003

AbstractAcetobacter xylinum BPR2001 produces water‐insoluble bacterial cellulose (BC) and a water‐soluble polysaccharide called acetan in corn steep liquor‐fructose medium. Acetobacter xylinum EP1, which is incapable of acetan production was derived by disrupting the aceA gene of BPR2001. The BC production by EP1 (2.88 g/L) was lower than that by BPR2001 (4.6 g/L) in baffled‐flask culture. When purified acetan or agar was added to the medium from the start of cultivation, the BC production by EP1 was enhanced and the final BC yield of EP1 was almost the same as that of BPR2001. A similar improvement of BC production by EP1 by the addition of agar was also confirmed by cultivation in a 50‐L airlift reactor. From these results, the role of acetan in BC production is associated with the increase in the viscosity of the culture medium which may hinder coagulation of BC and cells in the culture, thereby accelerating the growth of BPR2001and BC production by BPR2001. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biotechnol Bioeng 83: 474–478, 2003.
Analyses of microbial desulfurization reaction of alkylated dibenzothiophenes dissolved in oil phase
Authors: Okada Hideki , Nomura Nobuhiko , Nakahara Tadaatsu , Saitoh Koichi , Uchiyama Hiroo , Maruhashi Kenji 
Published: June 2003

AbstractThe kinetics of the oil/water two‐phase reaction system was analyzed, and the reaction was carried out with the desulfurization of alkylated dibenzothiophenes (Cx‐DBTs) using the desulfurizing microorganism Mycobacterium sp. G3. In the water‐phase reaction system, the desulfurization activities were constant with respect to species of Cx‐DBTs as substrates. However, the desulfurization activities in the oil/water two‐phase reaction system against DBT, 4,6‐dimethyl DBT, 4,6‐diethyl DBT, 4,6‐dipropyl DBT, and 4,6‐dibutyl DBT were 49.0, 45.9, 11.5, 1.35, and 0.00 μmol g DCW−1 h−1, respectively. The kinetic parameters for the degradation of DBT, 4,6‐dimethyl DBT, and 4,6‐diethyl DBT were also obtained (Vmax values 90.0, 68.7, and 22.7 μmol g DCW−1 h−1 and Km values 0.21, 0.70, and 3.03 mM, respectively). The reason for the decrease in activity against Cx‐DBTs of high molecular weight was a decrease in the Vmax value and an increase in the Km value, the latter being a particularly serious problem. Furthermore, the hydrophobicity of the substrate was evaluated as the capacity factor measured by high‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The correlation between substrate hydrophobicity and desulfurization activity indicated that the desulfurization reaction in the oil/water two‐phase reaction system is greatly influenced by the hydrophobicity of the substrates. In addition, the influence of the solvent on desulfurization activity was examined, and it was found that not only the hydrophobicity of substrates, but also that of solvents, affected the desulfurization reaction. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biotechnol Bioeng 83: 489–497, 2003.
Ferrocenyl‐Functionalised Terpyridines and Their Transition‐Metal Complexes: Syntheses, Structures and Spectroscopic and Electrochemical Properties
Authors: Siemeling Ulrich , Vor der Brüggen Jens , Vorfeld Udo , Neumann Beate , Stammler Anja , Stammler Hans‐Georg , Brockhinke Andreas , Plessow Regina , Zanello Piero , Laschi Franco , Fabrizi de Biani Fabrizia , Fontani Marco , Steenken Steen , Stapper Marion , Gurzadyan Gagik 
Published: June 2003

AbstractTerpyridine ligands of the type Fc′‐X‐tpy′ (Fc′=ferrocenyl or octamethylferrocenyl, X=rigid spacer, tpy′=4′‐substituted 2,2′:6′,2″‐terpyridine) were prepared, crystallographically characterised and used for the synthesis of di‐ and trinuclear bis(terpyridine) complexes of RuII, FeII and ZnII. Donor–sensitiser dyads and triads based on RuII were thoroughly investigated by (spectro)electrochemistry, UV/Vis, transient absorption and luminescence spectroscopy, and an energy level scheme was derived on the basis of the data collected. Intramolecular quenching of the photoexcited RuII complexes by the redox‐active Fc′ groups can occur reductively and by energy transfer. Both the redox potential of the donor Fc′ and the nature of the spacer X have a decisive influence on excited‐state lifetimes and emission properties of the complexes. Some of the compounds show room‐temperature luminescence, which is unprecedented for ferrocenyl‐functionalised compounds of this kind.
Photoinduced Intramolecular Electron Transfer and Triplet Energy Transfer in a Steroid‐Linked Norbornadiene–Carbazole Dyad
Authors: Zhang Li‐Ping , Chen Bin , Wu Li‐Zhu , Tung Chen‐Ho , Cao Hong , Tanimoto Yoshifumi 
Published: June 2003

AbstractBichromophoric compound 3β‐((2‐(methoxycarbonyl)bicyclo[2.2.1]hepta‐2,5‐diene‐3‐yl)carboxy)androst‐5‐en‐17β‐yl‐[2‐(N‐carbazolyl)acetate] (NBD‐S‐CZ) was synthesized and its photochemistry was examined by fluorescence quenching, flash photolysis, and chemically induced dynamic nuclear polarization (CIDNP) methods. Fluorescence quenching measurements show that intramolecular electron transfer from the singlet excited state of the carbazole to the norbornadiene group in NBD‐S‐CZ occurs with an efficiency (ΦSET) of about 14 % and rate constant (kSET) of about 1.6×107 s−1. Phosphorescence and flash photolysis studies reveal that intramolecular triplet energy transfer and electron transfer from the triplet carbazole to the norbornadiene group proceed with an efficiency (ΦTET + ΦTT) of about 52 % and rate constant (kTET + kTT) of about 3.3×105 s−1. Upon selective excitation of the carbazole chromophore, nuclear polarization is detected for protons of the norbornadiene group (emission) and its quadricyclane isomer (enhanced absorption); this suggests that the isomerization of the norbornadiene group to the quadricyclane proceeds by a radical‐ion pair recombination mechanism in addition to intramolecular triplet sensitization. The long‐distance intramolecular triplet energy transfer and electron transfers starting both from the singlet and triplet excited states are proposed to proceed by a through‐bond mechanism.
Formation of MoS2 Inorganic Fullerenes (IFs) by the Reaction of MoO3 Nanobelts and S
Authors: Li Xiao Lin , Li Ya Dong 
Published: June 2003

AbstractThe reaction of MoO3 and S at temperatures higher than 300 °C in an argon atmosphere provides a convenient and effective method for the synthesis of MoS2 nanocrystalline substances. MoS2 nanotubes and fullerene‐like nanoparticles have been obtained by the reaction at 850 °C under well‐controlled conditions. The influences of reaction temperature and duration were carefully investigated in this paper. All of the nanostructures were characterized by Xray powder diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and high‐resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). A stepwise reaction model and rolling mechanism were proposed based on the experimental results.