bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Effect of acetylation and succinylation on solubility profile, water absorption capacity, oil absorption capacity and emulsifying properties of mucuna bean (Mucuna pruriens) protein concentrate
Authors: Lawal O. S. , Adebowale K. O. 
Published: April 2004

AbstractMucuna protein concentrate was acylated with succinic and acetic anhydride. The effects of acylation on solubility, water absorption capacity, oil absorption capacity and emulsifying properties were investigated. The pH‐dependent solubility profile of unmodified mucuna protein concentrate (U‐mpc) showed a decrease in solubility with decrease in pH and resolubilisation at pH values acidic to isoelectric pH (pH 4). Apart from pH 2, both acetylated mucuna protein concentrates (A‐mpc) and succinylated mucuna protein concentrate (S‐mpc) had improved solubility over the unmodified derivative. Acylation increased the water absorption capacity (WAC) at all levels of ionic strength (0.1–1.0 M). WAC of the protein samples increased with increase in ionic strength up to 0.2 M after which a decline occurred with increase in ionic strength from 0.4–1.0 M. When protein solutions were prepared in salts of various ions, increase in WAC followed the Hofmeister series in the order: NaSCN < NaClO4 < NaI < NaBr < NaCl < Na2SO. Acetylation improved the oil absorption capacity while the lipophilic tendency reduced the following succinylation. Emulsifying capacity increased with increase in concentration up to 2, 4 and 5% w/v for U‐mpc, A‐mpc and S‐mpc, respectively, after which an increase in concentration reduced the emulsifying capacity. Both acetylation and succinylation significantly (P < 0.05) improved the emulsifying capacity at pH 4–10. Initial increase in ionic strength up to 0.4 M for U‐mpc and 0.4 M for A‐mpc and S‐mpc increased the emulsion capacity progressively. Further increase in ionic strength reduced emulsion capacity (EC). Contrary to the effect of various salts on WAC, increase in EC generally follows the series Na2SO4 < NaCl < NaBr < NaI < NaClO4 < NaSCN. At all levels of ionic strength studied, S‐mpc had a better emulsifying activity (EA) than both A‐mpc and U‐mpc. EA and emulsifying stability (ES) were pH‐dependent. Maximum EA and ES were recorded at pH 10. ES of protein derivatives were higher than those of U‐mpc in the range of pH 4–10 but lower at pH 2. Studies revealed that both A‐mpc and S‐mpc had better ES and EA than the unmodified derivative when protein solutions were prepared in salts of various anions.
Mode of action of lactococcin R produced by Lactococcus lactis R
Authors: Yıldırım Zeliha , Yıldırım Metin , Johnson Michael G. 
Published: April 2004

AbstractWe investigated the mode of action and factors affecting adsorption of lactoccocin R produced by Lactococcus lactis R. It was found that lactococcin R adsorbed to all Gram‐positive but not to the Gram‐negative bacteria tested and its adsorption was dependent on pH. It was observed that the binding of lactococcin R was prevented by anions of several salts (Cl–, PO4–3) and lipoteichoic acid. Pretreatments of sensitive cells and cell walls with detergents, organic solvents or enzymes did not reduce subsequent binding of lactococcin R. However, treatment of cell wall preparations with methanol:chloroform and hot 20% trichloroacetic acid (TCA) caused such walls to lose their ability to adsorb lactococcin R. Sensitive cells treated with lactococcin R lost high amounts of intracellular K+ ions, UV‐absorbing materials and became more permeable to o‐nitrophenol‐β‐D‐glactopyranoside (ONPG). In addition, different lactococcin R concentrations (0–2560 AU/mL) decreased the colony counts of Listeria monocytogenes by 99% and also a reduction in the absorbance values. These results show that the mode of action of lactococcin R is bactericidal rather than bacteriostatic.
Usage of enzymes in a novel baking process
Authors: Keskin Semin Özge , Sumnu Gülüm , Sahin Serpil 
Published: April 2004

AbstractIn this study, the effects of different enzymes (α‐amylase, xylanase, lipase, protease) on quality of breads baked in different ovens (microwave, halogen lamp‐microwave combination and conventional oven) were investigated. It was also aimed to reduce the quality problems of breads baked in microwave ovens with the usage of enzymes. As a control, bread dough containing no enzyme was used. Specific volume, firmness and color of the breads were measured as quality parameters. All of the enzymes were found to be effective in reducing the initial firmness and increasing the specific volume of breads baked in microwave and halogen lamp‐microwave combination ovens. However, in conventional baking, the effects of enzymes on crumb firmness were seen mostly during storage. The color of protease enzyme added breads were found to be significantly different from that of the no enzyme and the other enzyme added breads in the case of all type of ovens.
Ageing and health‐care expenditure: the red herring argument revisited
Authors: Seshamani Meena , Gray Alastair 
Published: April 2004

AbstractZweifel and colleagues have previously proposed that proximity to death is a more important influence on health‐care costs than age, suggesting that demographic change per se will not have a large impact on future aggregate health expenditure. However, issues of econometric methodology have led to challenges of the robustness of these findings. This paper revisits the analysis. Using a longitudinal hospital data set from Oxfordshire, England, the two‐step Heckman model from the Zweifel study is first replicated, to find that neither age nor proximity to death have a significant effect on hospital costs. Econometric problems with the model are demonstrated, and instead a two‐part model shows both age and proximity to death to have significant effects on quarterly hospital costs. Cost predictions, calculated with bootstrapped 95% confidence intervals, further demonstrate that while age may significantly affect quarterly costs, these cost changes are small compared to the tripling of quarterly costs that occurs with approaching death in the last year of life. The analyses show the importance of model selection to properly assess the determinants of health‐care expenditures. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Quality safeguards and regulation of online pharmacies
Authors: Arruñada Benito 
Published: April 2004

AbstractUsing econometric evidence, this article confirms that distribution of medicines online is split into two market segments of very diverse quality, and identifies the factors that drive quality and quality assurance in this activity. Unlike fraudulent, ‘rogue,’ websites, which offer scant guarantees and usually sell just a few medicines without prescription, online pharmacies offering insurance coverage and linked to conventional pharmacies typically sell a whole range of drugs, require third‐party medical prescriptions and provide abundant information to patients. It is shown that, where online pharmacies are allowed to act legally, market forces enhance quality, as private insurers require professional standards, and specialized third parties make a business of certifying them. Furthermore, older online pharmacies and those running conventional operations offer higher quality, probably because of reputational investments. Overall, this evidence supports licensing online pharmacies, especially considering that prohibiting them is ineffective against fraudulent sites. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Time to include time to death? The future of health care expenditure predictions
Authors: Stearns Sally C. , Norton Edward C. 
Published: April 2004

AbstractGovernment projections of future health care expenditures – a great concern given the aging baby‐boom generation – are based on econometric regressions that control explicitly for age but do not control for end‐of‐life expenditures. Because expenditures increase dramatically on average at the end of life, predictions of future cost distributions based on regressions that omit time to death as an explanatory variable will be biased upward (or, more explicitly, the coefficients on age will be biased upward) if technology or other social factors continue to prolong life. Although health care expenditure predictions for a current sample will not be biased, predictions for future cohorts with greater longevity will be biased upwards, and the magnitude of the bias will increase as the expected longevity increases. We explore the empirical implications of incorporating time to death in
longitudinal models of health expenditures for the purpose of predicting future expenditures. Predictions from a simple model that excludes time to death and uses current life tables are 9% higher than from an expanded model controlling for time to death. The bias increases to 15% when using projected life tables for 2020. The predicted differences between the models are sufficient to justify reassessment of the value of inclusion of time to death in models for predicting health care expenditures. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A comparison of the grade of membership measure with alternative health indicators in explaining costs for older people
Authors: McNamee Paul 
Published: April 2004

AbstractAn important focus in empirical econometric studies of health care concerns estimation of the relationship with health. This paper describes a non‐parametric technique, the grade of membership (GoM) procedure, which is used to construct summary indicators of health. Health status is also assessed using three alternative measures commonly employed in the literature: an index of problems of activities of daily living (ADL), an index of health conditions and overall self‐rated health. Using data from a sample of frail older people, the relationship between costs and different measures of health are estimated using ordinary least squares (OLS) and instrumental variables (IV) methods. The results show that health influences costs more strongly than other variables, an effect which persists after controlling for potential endogeneity. It is shown that health can be usefully classified using GoM techniques. An alternative measure, based on an index of ADL, also performs well. Measures based on overall self‐assessed health and the number of health conditions present were less satisfactory. Although health indicators derived from GoM techniques may be more theoretically attractive, in terms of capturing more fully the multidimensional nature of health, simpler alternatives such as those based on ADL indices may offer practical computational advantages. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Predictors of elderly mortality:health status, socioeconomic characteristics and social determinants of health
Authors: Mete Cem 
Published: April 2004

AbstractThis paper uses longitudinal survey data from Taiwan to investigate the predictors of elderly mortality. The empirical analysis confirms a relationship between socioeconomic characteristics and mortality, but this relationship weakens considerably when estimates are conditional on the health status at the time of the first wave survey. In terms of predictive power, the models with an activities of daily living index fare better (as opposed to models with self‐evaluated health or self‐reported illnesses). Having said that there is a payoff to the consideration of self‐evaluated health jointly with other ‘objective’ health indicators. Other findings include a strong association between life satisfaction and survival, which prevails even after controlling for other explanatory variables. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Cost‐effectiveness with multiple outcomes
Authors: Bjørner Jakob , Keiding Hans 
Published: April 2004

AbstractIn a large number of situations, activities in health care have to be measured in terms of outcome and cost. However, the cases where outcome is fully captured by a single measure are rather few, so that one uses some index for outcome, computed by weighing together several outcome measures using subjective and somewhat arbitrary weights. In the paper we propose an approach to cost‐effectiveness analysis where such artificial aggregation is avoided. This is achieved by assigning to each activity the weights which are the most favourable in a comparison with the other options available, so that activities which have a poor score in this method are guaranteed to be inferior. The method corresponds to applying Data envelopment analysis, known from the theory of productivity, to the context of health economic evaluations.The method is applied to an analysis of the cost‐effectiveness of alternative health plans using data from the Medical Outcome Study (JAMA 1996; 276: 1039–1047), where outcome is measured as improvement in mental and physical health. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Change in longitudinal profile on three North Cascades glaciers during the last 100 years
Authors: Pelto Mauri S. , Hartzell Paula 
Published: April 2004

AbstractCentreline surface elevation longitudinal profiles have been completed for three different points in time from historic photographs (∼1900), US Geological Survey maps (1964 and 1985), and field measurements (annually between 1984 and the present) for three North Cascade glaciers. Comparison of thinning and terminus behaviour over this time period indicates substantial overall volume loss during this century for each glacier.Mean thickness changes along the longitudinal profile of Easton Glacier are losses of 46 m (0·68 m year−1) of ice thickness between 1916 and 1984 and 13 m (0·72 m year−1) between 1984 and 2002. Its terminus has retreated a net distance of 2123 m. Lower Curtis Glacier lost an average of 45 m (0·60 m year−1) thickness from 1908 to 1984 and 6 m (0·33 m year−1) from 1984 to 2002, with a net terminus retreat of 522 m. On Columbia Glacier, ice thickness loss was 57 m (0·78 m year−1) from 1911 to 1984 and 8 m (0·44 m year−1) from 1984 to 2002. The net terminus retreat for Columbia was 640 m. Thickness changes are approximately equal in the accumulation zone of the Columbia and Lower Curtis Glacier during the 20th century and from 1984 to 2002. This suggests that there is no position to which the glacier can retreat and achieve equilibrium.The changes on each glacier, which today average less than 75 m in thickness, represent the loss of 35–50% in their volume since the turn of the century, and 10–15% of this volume since 1984. Their ongoing thinning indicates that these three glaciers will continue to retreat in the foreseeable future, the Columbia Glacier likely disappearing. Long‐term monitoring of these glaciers should continue in order to assess the impact on downstream flow, which is utilized for hydropower on Easton and Lower Curtis Glaciers and a salmon hatchery on Columbia Glacier. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Evaluation of the snow cover variation in the Canadian Regional Climate Model over eastern Canada using passive microwave satellite data
Authors: Langlois A. , Royer A. , Fillol E. , Frigon A. , Laprise R. 
Published: April 2004

AbstractSnow cover from a 3 year (1992/93–1994/95) simulation of the Canadian Regional Climate Model (CRCM; operational version 3·5·3) driven by National Centers for Environmental Prediction analysis data over eastern Canada was evaluated using passive‐microwave‐derived snow cover information from the daily Special Sensor Microwave/Imager (SSM/I) data. The presence of snow on the ground was derived from 19 and 37 GHz normalized difference brightness temperature series to which a low‐pass filter was applied to remove day‐to‐day noise, and thresholding was also applied at different levels for taking into account the variation in vegetation density. The thresholds calibrated for four density classes with surface observations show a mean residual underestimation in the SSM/I number of days with snow cover during seasonal transition of −7 days. Compared with the SSM/I‐derived information, the CRCM was found to delay systematically the onset of the snow cover (typically 50 days late) and to ablate snow too quickly during the spring melt period (typically 30 days early). These systematic errors were attributed to the single‐layer force–restore representation of the soil–snow layer and contributed to snow cover extent underestimations in the order of 9% relative to the total area. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Amino‐terminal processing of MIP‐1β/CCL4 by CD26/dipeptidyl‐peptidase IV
Authors: Guan Ennan , Wang Jinhai , Norcross Michael A. 
Published: April 2004

AbstractCD26 is a membrane‐bound ectopeptidase with dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPPIV) activity that has diverse functional properties in T cell physiology and in regulation of bioactive peptides. We have previously reported that activated human peripheral lymphocytes (PBL) secrete an amino‐terminal truncated form of macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP)‐1β/(3–69) with novel functional specificity for CCR1, 2, and 5. In this report, we show that the full length MIP‐1β is processed by CD26/DPPIV to the truncated form and that cleavage can be blocked by DPPIV inhibitory peptides derived from HIV Tat(1–9) or the thromboxane A2 receptor, TAX2‐R(1–9). Addition of Tat(1–9) or TAX2‐R(1–9) peptides to PBL cultures partially blocks endogenous MIP‐1β processing. The kinetics of conversion of MIP‐1β from intact to MIP‐1β(3–69) in activated PBLs correlates with cell surface expression of CD26. Our results suggest that NH2‐terminal processing of MIP‐1β and possibly other chemokines may depend on the balance between CD26/DPPIV enzymatic activity and cellular and viral proteins that modulate enzyme function. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Effect of cell passage and density on protein kinase G expression and activation in vascular smooth muscle cells
Authors: Lin Guiting , Chow Sylvia , Lin Jackie , Wang Guifang , Lue Tom F. , Lin Ching‐Shwun 
Published: April 2004

AbstractIt has been shown that rat aortic smooth muscle cells (AoSMCs) lost PKG‐I expression when propagated repetitively or grown at low densities. Conversely, AoSMCs isolated from PKG‐I deficient mice are indistinguishable from those isolated from normal mice in morphology and growth characteristics. In this study, human AoSMCs were grown from passage 9 (p9) to passage 15 (p15) and rat AoSMCs were isolated and cultured from p1 through p15. Western blotting and immunofluorescence microscopy showed little difference in PKG‐I expression among different passages. Next, rat AoSMCs of p4 were grown and harvested at different cell densities. Western blotting again showed little difference among cells seeded or harvested at different densities. To test the effect of cell passage on PKG‐I activation, rat AoSMCs of p4 and p11 were treated with cGMP and analyzed by Western blotting for phosphorylated vasodilator‐stimulated phosphoprotein (P‐VASP). The results showed that p4 had higher level of PKG‐I activation than p11. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
IGF‐1 receptor contributes to the malignant phenotype in human and canine osteosarcoma
Authors: MacEwen E. Gregory , Pastor Josep , Kutzke Jonathan , Tsan Rachel , Kurzman Ilene D. , Thamm Douglas H. , Wilson Mike , Radinsky Robert 
Published: April 2004

AbstractTo further define the role of insulin‐like growth factor‐1 (IGF‐1) and its receptor (IGF‐1R) in osteosarcoma (OS), human OS cell lines with low (SAOS‐2) and high (SAOS‐LM2) metastatic potential and three canine OS‐derived cell lines were studied. Cell lines were evaluated for: IGF‐1R expression; expression of IGF binding proteins (IGFBPs); effect of IGF‐1 on tumor cell growth, invasion, expression of urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA), and soluble uPA receptor (suPAR), and; ectopic and orthotopic tumorigenicity of the canine OS cells in athymic mice. All cell lines exhibited steady‐state mRNA expression of IGF‐1R. The SAOS‐2 and SAOS‐LM2 cells expressed 9,138 and 10,234 cell‐associated binding sites, respectively. Canine OS cells expressed from 1,728 to 3,883 binding sites. Two IGF‐1‐treated cell lines displayed enhanced proliferation. Two cell lines formed colonies in semisolid media, and IGF‐1 increased colony number. Matrigel invasion was enhanced in one cell line following IGF‐1 treatment. uPA and suPAR were unchanged in SAOS‐2 and SAOS‐LM2 cells following IGF‐1 treatment, but the highly metastatic OS line SAOS‐LM2 expressed five times more suPAR and displayed enhanced invasion compared to the parental, low metastatic SAOS‐2. IGFBP‐5 was detected in four of five cell lines, and IGFBP‐3 was detected in two canine OS cell lines. Two canine OS lines were tumorigenic, and one metastasized spontaneously. In conclusion, OS cells express IGF‐1R, which can contribute to their growth and invasion. There is suggestive evidence that increasing receptor number may contribute to in vivo tumorigenesis. Additional studies are needed to determine how IGF‐1/IGF‐1R interactions contribute to the malignant phenotype of OS. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Cloning and characterization of angiocidin, a tumor cell binding protein for thrombospondin‐1
Authors: Zhou Jing , Rothman Vicki L. , Sargiannidou Irene , Dimitrov Svetoslav , Qiu Cuie , Smith Elana , Sheffield Joel , Sharma Mahesh , Tuszynski George P. 
Published: April 2004

AbstractThrombospondin‐1 (TSP‐1) is a matrix protein that has been implicated in mechanisms of tumor progression. Our laboratory previously showed that the CSVTCG (cys‐ser‐val‐thr‐cys‐gly) sequence of TSP‐1 functioned as a tumor cell adhesion domain and CSVTCG peptides as well as an anti‐peptide antibody possessed anti‐metastatic activity in a murine model of lung metastasis. In a subsequent study, a putative TSP‐1 binding protein from lung carcinoma was isolated by CSVTCG‐peptide affinity chromatography. In this study, we present the full‐length cDNA of this binding protein isolated from a prostate cancer cell (PC3‐NI) cDNA library. The purified recombinant protein, termed angiocidin, is a potent inhibitor of tumor growth of Lewis Lung carcinoma in vivo and tumor invasion and angiogenesis in vitro. In addition, the recombinant protein inhibits tumor and endothelial cell proliferation and induces apoptosis. The activity of angiocidin both in vivo and in vitro is partially dependent on its TSP‐1 binding activity, since an angiocidin deletion mutant missing a high affinity‐binding site for TSP‐1 failed to inhibit tumor growth in vivo and was less active in its anti‐tumor and anti‐angiogenic activities in vitro. These results suggest that the anti‐tumor activity of TSP‐1 reported in many studies may be mediated in part by binding proteins such as angiocidin. Such proteins may function as tumor‐suppressor proteins, which limit the growth of tumors by inhibiting angiogenesis and cell matrix interaction. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.