bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Pharmacodynamics of H1‐antihistamines: from concept to reality
Authors: Frossard N. 
Published: November 2003

SummaryPharmacodynamics are designed to give objective criteria to the understanding and assessment of the potency and consistency of activity of antihistamines. They allow a determination of the onset of action in the skin, and of their duration of action, which is particularly important for defining a once‐ or twice‐a‐day dosing, for instance. They also predict the antihistaminic potency in the skin, studying the cutaneous reactivity to histamine at specific time‐points, or over a 24‐h period. These pre‐clinical studies assess drug characteristics, which is helpful in understanding their clinical efficacy. Pharmacodynamics are thus a necessary step in clinical studies, and important in the assessment of the clinical efficacy of a drug in the allergic patient.
Negative representations of the self/spouse and marital distress
Authors: Kurdek Lawrence A. 
Published: November 2003

AbstractThe link between marital distress and negative representations of both the self and the spouse was examined with data from an initial sample of 538 married couples studied over the first four years of marriage (Study 1) and 98 of these couples studied in their tenth year of marriage (Study 2). Findings from Study 1 indicated that, for both husbands and wives, representations of the self and representations of the spouse accounted for unique variability in distress. Across spouses, representations of the spouse accounted for more of the variability in distress than did representations of the self. Cross–spouse effects were especially pronounced for husbands such that their distress was linked to wives’ representations. Findings from Study 2 with self/spouse measures anchored to the marital context replicated this pattern. Findings support the view that marital distress is uniquely influenced by models of both the self and the spouse, that representations of the self and the spouse are dynamic relationship schemas, that models of the self and the spouse can be meaningfully assessed within the marital context, and that negative representations of the spouse—particularly those of wives—are especially diagnostic of marital distress.
Epidemiology of Helicobacter pylori infection
Authors: Malaty Hoda M. , Nyren Olof 
Published: November 2003

ABSTRACTTransmission of the infection revealed in many articles an important role of the mothers in transmitting the infection to their children. The epidemiology and risk factors of Helicobacter pylori infection were examined. The seroprevalence of the infection in different populations as well as colonization of the infection in childhood was reported. Moreover, this year attention was aimed at examining the associations between Helicobacter pylori with gastrointestinal and nongastrointestinal diseases.
Beta Receptor Blockade Potentiates the Antiarrhythmic Actions of d‐Sotalol on Reentrant Ventricular Tachycardia in a Canine Model of Myocardial Infarction
Authors: KASSOTIS JOHN , SAUBERMAN ROY B. , CABO CANDIDO , WIT ANDREW L. , COROMILAS JAMES 
Published: November 2003

Introduction: The importance of beta receptor blockade for the antiarrhythmic action of sotalol has not been completely elucidated. We determined how beta receptor blockade interacts with the effects of potassium channel blockade on reentrant circuits. Methods and Results: Sustained ventricular tachycardia was induced by programmed stimulation in dogs 4 days after left anterior coronary artery occlusion and reentrant circuits in the epicardial border zone (EBZ) mapped. The effects of the beta receptor‐blocking drug, esmolol, the potassium channel‐blocking drug d‐sotalol, which lacks beta receptor‐blocking effects, and the combination of the two drugs on the reentrant circuits that cause tachycardia were determined. Esmolol did not alter the ability to induce tachycardia. Small changes in the location or extent of lines of block in reentrant circuits accounted for small decreases or increases in tachycardia cycle lengths. d‐Sotalol prolonged the lines of block in reentrant circuits, slowed propagation around the circuits, and prolonged tachycardia cycle length, but it did not stop tachycardia or prevent the induction of tachycardia. The combination of esmolol and d‐sotalol prevented the initiation of sustained tachycardia. The stimulated premature impulse either blocked before reentering or traversed the circuit several times prior to blocking in a region of fractionated electrograms. The addition of esmolol to d‐sotalol abolished the reverse use‐dependent effects of d‐sotalol alone on effective refractory period (ERP) and significantly prolonged ERP in the area of the reentrant circuit. Conclusion: Beta receptor blockade is important for the antiarrhythmic effects of d,l‐sotalol on reentrant ventricular tachycardia in this model. The mechanism is speculative but may involve potentiation of d‐sotalol actions to prolong ERP or effects on gap junctions. (J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol, Vol. 14, pp. 1233‐1244, November 2003)
Incidence and Characteristics of Type‐2 Breaks in Response to Antitachycardia Pacing Therapy in Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator Patients
Authors: SHARMA VINOD , DeGROOT PAUL J. , WATHEN MARK S. 
Published: November 2003

Introduction: Antitachycardia pacing (ATP) effectively treats monomorphic ventricular tachycardia (VT). The VT may cease immediately upon ATP completion (type‐1 break), or it may persist or change to another tachyarrhythmia for one or more beats before termination (type‐2 break). We investigated the prevalence and characteristics of type‐2 breaks in ICD patients. Methods and Results: We analyzed VT episodes with stored electrograms that had at least one ATP therapy delivered in PainFREE Rx trial, a multicenter trial with 220 coronary artery disease patients. Further subanalysis was performed by classifying the VT as slow or fast based on the cycle length (CL); slow VT: CL >320 ms, fast VT: 240 ≤CL ≤320 ms. To assess the effect of ATP on VT, comparison was performed of pre‐ATP and post‐ATP CL variability, average CL, and morphology. A total of 514 episodes (264 slow VT and 250 fast VT) were analyzed. The burst ATP terminated 457 (89%; 239 slow VT and 218 fast VT) of 514 episodes. Forty five (10%) episodes in 18 (32%) patients had type‐2 breaks. The mean number of beats during type‐2 breaks was 5.4 ± 3.1 (median 4). The mean time for episode termination measured from the end of ATP to return of first sinus/paced beat was 2.9 ± 1.2 seconds (median 2.6). The VT CL variability increased by 150% after ATP delivery. The ATP affected either VT CL or morphology, or both of 36 (80%) type‐2 breaks (9% accelerated, 47% decelerated, 22% changed in morphology only). Among the 9 (20%) episodes that remained unchanged in morphology and CL, four episodes (9%) were unaffected by ATP. Conclusion: Approximately 10% of VT episodes that were successfully terminated with burst ATP therapy had type‐2 breaks. Type‐2 breaks are associated with an increase in CL variability. Approximately 9% of all type‐2 episodes may be spontaneously terminating nonsustained VT given that ATP did not affect these episodes in any way. (J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol, Vol. 14, pp. 1156‐1162, November 2003)
Randomized Controlled Trial of Fixed Rate Versus Rate Responsive Pacing After Radiofrequency Atrioventricular Junction Ablation:
Authors: DUFF HENRY J. , RAJ SATISH R. , EXNER DEREK V. , SHELDON ROBERT S. , ROACH DAN , MITCHELL L. BRENT , WYSE D. GEORGE , MORCK MARGARET , GILLIS ANNE M. 
Published: November 2003

Introduction: Ablation of the AV junction is a widely accepted treatment of drug‐refractory atrial fibrillation. Long‐term pacing of the right ventricular (RV) apex following AV junction ablation can result in adverse cardiac remodeling. However, anecdotal studies report that pacing too slowly following AV junction ablation was associated with propensity to sudden cardiac death. The aim of this study was to provide information about the balance between measures of quality of life versus measures of electrical remodeling achieved by pacing with different rate modalities in a randomized pilot clinical trial. Methods and Results: Patients with permanent atrial fibrillation were randomized to VVI (80 beats/min) versus VVIR (minimum rate 80 beats/min), whereas patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation were randomized to DDI versus DDDR pacing at discharge from hospital. Serially, measurements of exercise capacity, quality of life, cycle length dependence of QT dispersion (QTdisp), RV refractoriness, and the incidence of nonsustained ventricular tachycardia were made in 28 patients over a 6‐month follow‐up period. Time‐dependent increases in QTdisp were observed in patients randomized to the rate responsive mode (RR‐ON) but only when paced at 40 beats/min. This was paralleled by time‐dependent increases in RV refractoriness (270 ± 11 ms at baseline to 302 ± 5 ms at 6 months) in patients with RR‐ON. RR‐ON also was associated with trends to an increasing incidence of episodes of nonsustained ventricular tachycardia and worsening of some measures of quality of life. Exercise capacity was not substantially different in the randomized groups. Conclusion: Rate responsive pacing results in electrical remodeling of the ventricle following AV junction ablation, but exercise capacity was similar in groups with RR‐ON or RR‐OFF. (J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol, Vol. 14, pp. 1163‐1170, November 2003)
Optical Mapping of Transmural Activation Induced by Electrical Shocks in Isolated Left Ventricular Wall Wedge Preparations
Authors: SHARIFOV OLEG F. , FAST VLADIMIR G. 
Published: November 2003

Introduction: It is believed that electrical shocks interrupt fibrillation by directly stimulating the bulk of ventricular myocardium in excitable states, but how shocks activate intramural tissue layers is not known. In this study, Vm responses and transmural activation patterns induced by shocks during diastole were measured in isolated coronary perfused preparations of porcine left ventricle. Methods and Results: Rectangular shocks (duration = 10 ms; field strength, E = 1–44 V/cm) were applied across preparations (thickness = 14.9 ± 2.5 mm, n = 9) via large mesh electrodes during diastole or action potential (AP) plateau. Vm responses at the transmural surface were measured using optical mapping technique (resolution = 1.2 mm). Depending on shock strength, three types of Vm responses were observed. (1) Weak shocks (E ∼ 1–4 V/cm) applied in diastole induced APs with simple monophasic upstrokes. The latency and time of transmural activation (TTA) rapidly decreased with increasing shock strength. Earliest activation occurred predominantly at the cathodal side of preparations in the areas that exhibited maximal ΔVm during AP plateau. (2) Intermediate shocks (E ∼ 4–23 V/cm) induced monophasic and biphasic upstrokes that were paralleled with predominantly negative plateau ΔVm. Activation was initiated at multiple transmural sites and rapidly spread across the myocardial wall (TTA = 0.6 ± 0.2 ms). (3) Very strong shocks (E ∼ 23–44 V/cm) could cause triphasic upstrokes, likely reflecting occurrence of membrane electroporation, and delayed activation (TTA = 6.7 ± 3.8 ms) at sites of largest negative plateau ΔVm. Conclusion: Shocks applied during diastole cause direct and rapid (within 1 ms) activation of ventricular bulk over a wide range of shock strengths, supporting the excitatory hypothesis of defibrillation. Very strong shocks can cause multiphasic Vm responses and delayed activation. (J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol, Vol. 14, pp. 1215‐1222, November 2003)
Up‐Regulation of Connexin45 in Heart Failure
Authors: YAMADA KATHRYN A. , ROGERS JOSEPH G. , SUNDSET RUNE , STEINBERG THOMAS H. , SAFFITZ JEFFREY E. 
Published: November 2003

Introduction: Heart failure is associated with reduced expression of the major gap junction protein connexin43 (Cx43), which may contribute to arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death in this patient population. Other cardiac connexins may be altered as well. Because connexin45 (Cx45) has been shown to colocalize with Cx43, we determined whether the number, size, or distribution of Cx45 gap junctions is altered in the failing heart. Methods and Results: Cx45 expression levels were measured by immunoblotting and quantitative immunostaining in failing and control human left ventricles. Total Cx45 protein was significantly (P = 0.021) up‐regulated 1.8‐fold in failing hearts. Cx45 immunohistochemical signal was increased by 80% (P = 0.005) due to a 3.5‐fold increase in the number of gap junctions containing Cx45. Cx45 mRNA was not altered in failing hearts, suggesting reduced degradation of Cx45 protein in the failing heart. Cx43 signal, on the other hand, was reduced by 49% in failing hearts. Double‐label experiments demonstrated colocalization of Cx45 and Cx43 in the same gap junctions. Conclusion: Cx45 is markedly enhanced in the failing heart. Up‐regulation of Cx45 in conjunction with down‐regulation of Cx43 could result in abnormal impulse propagation and generation of ventricular arrhythmias, thereby predisposing patients in heart failure to sudden cardiac death. (J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol, Vol. 14, pp. 1205‐1212, November 2003)
ThepqrABOperon Is Responsible for Paraquat Resistance inStreptomyces coelicolor
Authors: Cho You-Hee , Kim Eun-Ja , Chung Hye-Jung , Choi Jae-Hyun , Chater Keith F. , Ahn Bo-Eun , Shin Jung-Ho , Roe Jung-Hye 
Published: November 2003

ABSTRACTParaquat (methyl viologen)-resistant mutants ofStreptomyces coelicolorA3(2) that grew and sporulated normally in the presence of paraquat were isolated. Based on the positions of the mutant loci in the genetic map, we isolated thepqr(paraquat resistance) gene whose mutation (pqr501) caused a dominant paraquat-resistant phenotype. Thepqrlocus consists of two genes (pqrAandpqrB) that form a transcription unit. ThepqrAgene encodes a protein with a TetR-like DNA-binding motif, and thepqrBgene encodes a putative efflux pump of the major facilitator superfamily. Thepqr501mutation was a base substitution changing arginine-18 to glutamine (R18Q) near the helix-turn-helix motif in PqrA. ApqrAnull mutant exhibited similar paraquat resistance, and an increase in the amount ofpqrApromoter-driven transcripts of about eightfold was observed for thepqrA501mutant. These results suggest that PqrA is a negative regulator of its own operon. Deletion of thepqrABoperon caused cells to be very sensitive to paraquat, consistent with the prediction that PqrB may function as a paraquat-efflux pump. Purified PqrA protein specifically bound to thepqrApromoter region, whereas mutant R18Q protein did not, indicating that PqrA is a direct autoregulator of its own operon.
Identification and Characterization of a Peptidoglycan Hydrolase, MurA, ofListeria monocytogenes, a Muramidase Needed for Cell Separation
Authors: Carroll Shannon A. , Hain Torsten , Technow Ulrike , Darji Ayub , Pashalidis Philippos , Joseph Sam W. , Chakraborty Trinad 
Published: November 2003

ABSTRACTA novel cell wall hydrolase encoded by themurAgene ofListeria monocytogenesis reported here. Mature MurA is a 66-kDa cell surface protein that is recognized by the well-characterizedL. monocytogenes-specific monoclonal antibody EM-7G1. MurA displays two characteristic features: (i) an N-terminal domain with homology to muramidases from several gram-positive bacterial species and (ii) four copies of a cell wall-anchoring LysM repeat motif present within its C-terminal domain. Purified recombinant MurA produced inEscherichia coliwas confirmed to be an authentic cell wall hydrolase with lytic properties toward cell wall preparations ofMicrococcus lysodeikticus. An isogenic mutant with a deletion ofmurAthat lacked the 66-kDa cell wall hydrolase grew as long chains during exponential growth. Complementation of the mutant strain by chromosomal reintegration of the wild-type gene restored expression of this murein hydrolase activity and cell separation levels to those of the wild-type strain. Studies reported herein suggest that the MurA protein is involved in generalized autolysis ofL. monocytogenes.
Limited Access Trial Using Amifostine for Protection Against Cisplatin- and Three-Hour Paclitaxel–Induced Neurotoxicity: A Phase II Study of the Gynecologic Oncology Group
Authors: Moore David H. , Donnelly James , McGuire William P. , Almadrones Lois , Cella David F. , Herzog Thomas J. , Waggoner Steven E. 
Published: November 2003

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine whether amifostine (WR-2721) prevents or ameliorates clinically significant (grade 2 to 4) neurotoxicity associated with cisplatin and 3-hour paclitaxel chemotherapy. Materials and Methods: The chemotherapy program consisted of intravenous paclitaxel 175 mg/m2 over 3 hours followed by amifostine 740 mg/m2 and cisplatin 75 mg/m2 administered over 90 minutes beginning 15 minutes after amifostine administration. At baseline, before each treatment cycle, and for 3 months after completing chemotherapy, patients were evaluated for evidence of neurotoxicity and other treatment-related adverse effects using three methods: standard clinical evaluation (National Cancer Institute common toxicity criteria [CTC] grading), a neurotoxicity questionnaire to assess symptoms and limitations imposed by peripheral neuropathy, and vibration perception threshold (VPT) testing. Results: Four of 27 assessable patients developed grade 2 to 4 neurotoxicity based on clinical assessments and CTC grading. This number of neuropathic events exceeded the predetermined threshold level for a second stage of accrual and the study was closed. Conclusion: Amifostine’s level of activity in this trial was insufficient to warrant further study in a phase III trial. Based on the receiver operating characteristic analysis, it would appear that VPT measurements are less sensitive to the development of peripheral neuropathy than the neurotoxicity questionnaire. The questionnaire, referred to as the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy/Gynecologic Oncology Group–Neurotoxicity, may be used instead of VPT measurements in future studies of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy.
Changing strategic management practice within the UK construction industry
Authors: Price A.D.F. , Ganiev B.V. , Newson E. 
Published: November 2003

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to review the current use of strategic management within UK construction organizations. Assessments are made on such aspects as its degree of formality, the tools and techniques used, the role of individuals, the strengths and weaknesses of current processes, the time frames adopted and the attitude of management to the strategic management process. This assessment has been used to identify how the strategic management process could be improved within construction organizations.
Data were obtained through a literature analysis, detailed postal questionnaire survey, follow‐up telephone interviews and case studies. This paper mainly deals with the information obtained through a questionnaire survey and included the following topics: the structure of the strategic management process; the tools and techniques adopted; the perceived strengths and weaknesses and contextual questions relating to the background of strategic leaders, size of the organizations and type of work.
Many large construction organizations were found to be rapidly developing their strategic management capabilities and allocating substantial resources to the task. However, strategic management was found to be a low‐profile activity within many small and medium‐size construction organizations.

Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Kinetic investigation on the oxidation of nitrite by oxochromium(V) ion in aqueous and micellar systems
Authors: Kanthimathi Mookandi , Nair Balachandran Unni 
Published: November 2003

AbstractThe kinetics of oxidation of nitrite by [O = CrV (5‐chlorosalen)]+ complex has been studied spectrophotometrically at [CrV] = 0.5 × 10−3 M, [NO2−] = 0.01–0.1 M, [H+] = 0.0001–0.05 M, I = 0.15 M, and T = 25°C in the presence of cationic surfactant, cetyl pyridium chloride (CPC), and anionic surfactant, sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS),in aqueous acidic medium. The oxygen atom transfer reaction from O = CrV to nitrite ion is influenced by the ionic nature of the micelle. The redox reaction is accelerated in presence of CPC and slowed down by 40 times in presence of SDS. The mechanism of the reaction involves an inner‐sphere process involving the formation of an intermediate followed by oxo transfer process. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 36: 79–86 2004
Application of laser capture microdissection combined with two‐dimensional electrophoresis for the discovery of differentially regulated proteins in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma
Authors: Shekouh Ali R. , Thompson Christopher C. , Prime Wendy , Campbell Fiona , Hamlett Jane , Herrington C. Simon , Lemoine Nicholas R. , Crnogorac‐Jurcevic Tatjana , Buechler Markus W. , Friess Helmut , Neoptolemos John P. , Pennington Stephen R. , Costello Eithne 
Published: November 2003

AbstractPancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is the most lethal of all the common malignancies and markers for early detection or targets for treatment of this disease are urgently required. The disease is characterised by a strong stromal response, with cancer cells usually representing a relatively small proportion of the cells in the tumor mass. We therefore performed laser capture microdissection (LCM) to enrich for both normal and malignant pancreatic ductal epithelial cells. Proteins extracted from these cells were then separated by two‐dimensional gel electrophoresis (2‐DE). The limited amounts of protein in the LCM procured samples necessitated the detection of 2‐DE resolved proteins by silver staining. Consequently, loading equivalent amounts of protein onto gels was essential. However, we found that conventional means of measuring total protein in the samples were not sufficiently accurate. We therefore adopted a strategy in which the samples were first separated by one‐dimensional sodium dodecyl sulphate‐polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, stained with silver stain and subjected to densitometry. Evaluation of the staining intensity was then used to normalise the samples. We found that the protein profiles from undissected normal pancreas and LCM‐acquired non‐malignant ductal epithelial cells from the same tissue block were different, underpinning the value of LCM in our analysis. The comparisons of protein profiles from nonmalignant and malignant ductal epithelial cells revealed nine protein spots that were consistently differentially regulated. Five of these proteins showed increased expression in tumor cells while four showed diminished expression in these cells. One of the proteins displaying enhanced expression in tumor cells was identified as the calcium‐binding protein, S100A6. To determine the incidence of S100A6 overexpression in pancreatic cancer, we carried out immunohistochemical analysis on sections from a pancreas cancer tissue array containing 174 duplicate normal and malignant pancreatic tissue samples, from 46 pancreas cancer patients. Normal pancreatic ductal epithelia were either devoid of detectable S100A6 or showed weak expression only. Moderately or poorly differentiated tumors, by contrast, showed a higher incidence and a higher level of S100A6 expression. These observations indicate that the combination of LCM with 2‐DE provides an effective strategy to discover proteins that are differentially expressed in PDAC.