bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The role of diet, exercise and smoking in dyslipidaemia in HIV‐infected patients with lipodystrophy
Authors: Shah M , Tierney K , Adams‐Huet B , Boonyavarakul A , Jacob K , Quittner C , Dinges WL , Peterson D , Garg A 
Published: July 2005

BackgroundLipodystrophy in HIV‐infected (LDHIV) patients receiving protease inhibitors (PIs) is associated with dyslipidaemia. Whether lifestyle factors play a role in dyslipidaemia in LDHIV subjects on PIs is not well characterized.MethodsA total of 45 LDHIV male and six LDHIV female patients on PIs were recruited, and data were collected on smoking, exercise, diet (by 3‐day food record), and fasting levels of serum lipids and lipoproteins. The relationships between lifestyle factors and metabolic variables were analysed in male patients by Spearman's correlation test and the significant relationships were further analysed by adjusting for age, PI duration, and waist circumference by Spearman's partial correlation test.ResultsIn men, mean (±standard deviation) serum concentrations of total cholesterol (TC), high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL‐C), triglycerides (TG), and non‐HDL‐C were 212±70, 35±7.3, 325±230 and 169±44 mg/dL, respectively. Sixty‐seven percent of the men exercised regularly and 31.1% smoked. The reported diet was high in cholesterol (390±212 mg) and percentage energy from saturated (12.2±3.3%) and trans (2.4±1.2%) fats, and low in soluble fibre (6.9±2.3 g) compared with recent dietary guidelines. Following adjustments for the confounding variables, percentage energy intake from total protein and animal protein was positively related to TC (r=0.44, P<0.01 and r=0.37, P<0.05, respectively), TG (r=0.40, P<0.01 and r=0.46, P<0.01, respectively) and non‐HDL‐C (r=0.56, P<0.001 and r=0.49, P<0.01, respectively), that from trans fat was positively related to TG (r=0.34, P<0.05), and soluble fibre was negatively related to non‐HDL‐C (r=−0.41, P<0.01). Moderate to heavy aerobic exercise tended to be associated with higher HDL‐C (r=0.30, P=0.07) whereas smoking was not associated with any of the metabolic variables.ConclusionsIncreased intake of total protein, animal protein and trans fat, and reduced soluble fibre consumption contribute to dyslipidaemia in LDHIV subjects on PIs.
The efficiency of potassium removal during bicarbonate hemodialysis
Authors: Capdevila M. , Martinez Ruiz I. , Ferrer C. , Monllor F. , Ludjvick C. , García N. H. , Juncos L. I. 
Published: July 2005

AbstractPatients on chronic hemodialysis often portray high serum [K+]. Although dietary excesses are evident in many cases, in others, the cause of hyperkalemia cannot be identified. In such cases, hyperkalemia could result from decreased potassium removal during dialysis. This situation could occur if alkalinization of body fluids during dialysis would drive potassium into the cell, thus decreasing the potassium gradient across the dialysis membrane. In 35 chronic hemodialysis patients, we compared two dialysis sessions performed 7 days apart. Bicarbonate or acetate as dialysate buffers were randomly assigned for the first dialysis. The buffer was switched for the second dialysis. Serum [K+], [HCO3–], and pH were measured in samples drawn before dialysis; 60, 120, 180, and 240 min into dialysis; and 60 and 90 min after dialysis. The potassium removed was measured in the dialysate. During the first 2 hr, serum [K+] decreased equally with both types of dialysates but declined more during the last 2 hr with bicarbonate dialysis. After dialysis, the serum [K+] rebounded higher with bicarbonate bringing the serum [K+] up to par with acetate. The lower serum [K+] through the second half of bicarbonate dialysis did not impair potassium removal (295.9 ± 9.6 mmol with bicarbonate and 299.0 ± 14.4 mmol with acetate). The measured serum K+ concentrations correlated with serum [HCO3–] and blood pH during bicarbonate dialysis but not during acetate dialysis. Alkalinization induced by bicarbonate administration may cause redistribution of K during bicarbonate dialysis but this does not impair its removal. The more marked lowering of potassium during bicarbonate dialysis occurs late in dialysis, when exchange is negligible because of a low gradient.
Permanent Transfemoral Pacemaker: A Single‐Center Series Performed with an Easier and Safer Surgical Technique
Authors: GARCÍA GUERRERO JUAN J. , DE LA CONCHA CASTAÑEDA JOAQUÍN FERNÁNDEZ , FERNÁNDEZ MORA GINÉS , LÓPEZ QUERO DOMINGO , REDONDO MÉNDEZ ÁNGEL , DÁVILA DÁVILA EUGENIO , MERCHÁN HERRERA ANTONIO 
Published: July 2005

Introduction: When venous access via the upper venous tree is not possible, the usual approach is to proceed to epicardial lead placement.
Material and Methods: This report presents a consecutive series of 12 permanent pacemaker systems utilizing the right femoral vein for venous access implanted between May 2001 and October 2004.
Results: A modification of the previously reported surgical technique was used with a mean implant time of 52 minutes. Five were dual‐chamber systems and seven were VVIR. All the leads implanted were active fixation. There was a 0% dislodgment rate and a mean follow‐up of 18 months. During this time, three patients required revision or treatment of a pocket complication. All systems remained in the pacing mode as originally programmed with stable low sensing and pacing thresholds. There was no clinical evidence for acute or chronic venous thrombosis and no evidence of asymptomatic venous obstruction in eight patients who underwent echo‐duplex studies.
Conclusion: We believe that the permanent femoral implant utilizing the technical modifications described in this article, offers an alternative to epicardial lead placement when the usual upper venous tree access is not available.
A Technique of Lead Insertion for Low Atrial Septal Pacing
Authors: DE VOOGT WILLEM G. , VAN MECHELEN ROB , VAN DEN BOS ARJAN , SCHEFFER MIKE , VAN HEMEL NORBERT M. , KOISTINEN JUHANI 
Published: July 2005

Background: Pacing in the low right atrial septum (LAS) appears superior to right atrial appendage or free wall stimulation for the prevention of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation. However, insertion of active fixation lead in the low right atrial septal position is difficult and time consuming, inhibiting application of this pacing method in daily practice.
Methods: The technique of handling and positioning of a new “over the wire” lead system is presented with emphasis on electrocardiographic P wave pattern and fluoroscopic landmarks.
Results: The initial results demonstrate an acute implantation and short‐term success of LAS pacing of >90% in the first 100 patients without major complications. Pacing thresholds at 3 and 6 months were fully comparable with that of the conventional atrial pacing, whereas impedance and atrial sensing signals were significantly higher at 3 and 6 months follow‐up.
Conclusion: These favorable initial results justify recommanding chronic LAS pacing with the active fixation atrial lead and providinge guidelines and fluoroscopic landmarks for the implantation. Insertion of the atrial active fixation lead positioned with the Locator™ tool strongly supports the implantation procedure.
Anodal Right Ventricular Capture During Left Ventricular Stimulation in CRT‐Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillators
Authors: THIBAULT BERNARD , ROY DENIS , GUERRA PETER G. , MACLE LAURENT , DUBUC MARC , GAGNÉ PIERRE , GREISS ISABELLE , NOVAK PAUL , FURLANI ALDO , TALAJIC MARIO 
Published: July 2005

Background: Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) has been shown to improve symptoms of patients with moderate to severe heart failure. Optimal CRT involves biventricular or left ventricular (LV) stimulation alone, atrio‐ventricular (AV) delay optimization, and possibly interventricular timing adjustment. Recently, anodal capture of the right ventricle (RV) has been described for patients with CRT‐pacemakers. It is unknown whether the same phenomenon exists in CRT systems associated with defibrillators (CRT‐ICD). The RV leads used in these systems are different from pacemaker leads: they have a larger diameter and shocking coils, which may affect the occurrence of anodal capture.
Methods: We looked for anodal RV capture during LV stimulation in 11 consecutive patients who received a CRT‐ICD system with RV leads with a true bipolar design. Fifteen patients who had RV leads with an integrated design were used as controls. Anodal RV and LV thresholds were determined at pulse width (pw) durations of 0.2, 0.5, and 1.0 ms.
Results: RV anodal capture during LV pacing was found in 11/11 patients at some output with true bipolar RV leads versus 0/15 patients with RV leads with an integrated bipolar design. Anodal RV capture threshold was more affected by changes in pw duration than LV capture threshold. In CRT‐ICD systems, RV leads with a true bipolar design with the proximal ring also used as the anode for LV pacing are associated with a high incidence of anodal RV capture during LV pacing. This may affect the clinical response to alternative resynchronization methods using single LV stimulation or interventricular delay programming.
Prognostic impact of psychoactive substances use during hospitalization for intentional drug overdose
Authors: Tournier M. , Molimard M. , Abouelfath A. , Cougnard A. , Begaud B. , Gbikpi‐Benissan G. , Verdoux H. 
Published: July 2005

Objective:  To assess whether current use of psychoactive substance(s) is a prognostic factor during hospitalization for intentional drug overdose (IDO).Method:  Current intoxication with psychoactive substance(s) [cannabis, opiate, buprenorphine, amphetamine/ecstasy, cocaine, lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD)] was identified using toxicological urinalysis in 671 patients with IDO. An IDO was a priori defined as serious if associated with one of the following events: death, hospitalization in intensive care unit longer than 48 h, respiratory support, use of vasopressive drugs, cardiac massage or dialysis.Results:  Subjects positive for toxicological assays were twice as likely to present with serious IDO (OR = 1.9, 95% CI: 1.3–2.8, P = 0.001), independently from a large range of confounding factors. The risk of serious IDO was especially marked in subjects using LSD, buprenorphine or opiates.Conclusion:  Systematic investigation of substance use could be important to adapt medical management of subjects with IDO in general hospital, but also in primary care and psychiatric settings.
Improving lip wrinkles: lipstick‐related image analysis
Authors: Ryu Jong‐Seong , Park Sun‐Gyoo , Kwak Taek‐Jong , Chang Min‐Youl , Park Moon‐Eok , Choi Khee‐Hwan , Sung Kyung‐Hye , Shin Hyun‐Jong , Lee Cheon‐Koo , Kang Yun‐Seok , Yoon Moung‐Seok , Rang Moon‐Jeong , Kim Seong‐Jin 
Published: July 2005

Background/purpose: The appearance of lip wrinkles is problematic if it is adversely influenced by lipstick make‐up causing incomplete color tone, spread phenomenon and pigment remnants. It is mandatory to develop an objective assessment method for lip wrinkle status by which the potential of wrinkle‐improving products to lips can be screened. The present study is aimed at finding out the useful parameters from the image analysis of lip wrinkles that is affected by lipstick application.Methods: The digital photograph image of lips before and after lipstick application was assessed from 20 female volunteers. Color tone was measured by Hue, Saturation and Intensity parameters, and time‐related pigment spread was calculated by the area over vermilion border by image‐analysis software (Image‐Pro®). The efficacy of wrinkle‐improving lipstick containing asiaticoside was evaluated from 50 women by using subjective and objective methods including image analysis in a double‐blind placebo‐controlled fashion.Results: The color tone and spread phenomenon after lipstick make‐up were remarkably affected by lip wrinkles. The level of standard deviation by saturation value of image‐analysis software was revealed as a good parameter for lip wrinkles. By using the lipstick containing asiaticoside for 8 weeks, the change of visual grading scores and replica analysis indicated the wrinkle‐improving effect. As the depth and number of wrinkles were reduced, the lipstick make‐up appearance by image analysis also improved significantly.Conclusion: The lip wrinkle pattern together with lipstick make‐up can be evaluated by the image‐analysis system in addition to traditional assessment methods. Thus, this evaluation system is expected to test the efficacy of wrinkle‐reducing lipstick that was not described in previous dermatologic clinical studies.
Addition of Poly(A) and Heteropolymeric 3′ Ends inBacillus subtilisWild-Type and Polynucleotide Phosphorylase-Deficient Strains
Authors: Campos-Guillén Juan , Bralley Patricia , Jones George H. , Bechhofer David H. , Olmedo-Alvarez Gabriela 
Published: July 2005

ABSTRACTPolyadenylation plays a role in decay of some bacterial mRNAs, as well as in the quality control of stable RNA. InEscherichia coli, poly(A) polymerase I (PAP I) is the main polyadenylating enzyme, but the addition of 3′ tails also occurs in the absence of PAP I via the synthetic activity of polynucleotide phosphorylase (PNPase). The nature of 3′-tail addition inBacillus subtilis, which lacks an identifiable PAP I homologue, was studied. Sizing of poly(A) sequences revealed a similar pattern in wild-type and PNPase-deficient strains. Sequencing of 152 cloned cDNAs, representing 3′-end sequences of nontranslated and translated RNAs, revealed modified ends mostly on incomplete transcripts, which are likely to be decay intermediates. The 3′-end additions consisted of either short poly(A) sequences or longer heteropolymeric ends with a mean size of about 40 nucleotides. Interestingly, multiple independent clones exhibited complex heteropolymeric ends of very similar but not identical nucleotide sequences. Similar polyadenylated and heteropolymeric ends were observed at 3′ ends of RNA isolated from wild-type andpnpAmutant strains. These data demonstrated that, unlike the case of some other bacterial species and chloroplasts, PNPase ofBacillus subtilisis not the major enzyme responsible for the addition of nucleotides to RNA 3′ ends.
The IncP-6 Plasmid Rms149 Consists of a Small Mobilizable Backbone with Multiple Large Insertions
Authors: Haines Anthony S. , Jones Karen , Cheung Martin , Thomas Christopher M. 
Published: July 2005

ABSTRACTPlasmid Rms149, the archetype ofPseudomonasplasmid incompatibility group IncP-6, was identified inPseudomonas aeruginosaas an agent conferring resistance to streptomycin, sulfanilamide, gentamicin, and carbenicillin in 1975. It has been classed as a broad-host-range plasmid due to its ability to replicate in bothEscherichia coli(where it is designated IncG) andPseudomonasspecies, although both species are γ-proteobacteria. To provide reference information on this Inc group, we have determined the complete sequence of Rms149 and found that, although the genome comprises 57,121 bp, it is essentially a small mobilizable plasmid carrying multiple mobile elements, which make up 79% (>45 kb) of its genome. A replicon has been identified which encodes a single polypeptide with moderate identity to other replication proteins. The region encoding this protein can replicate inPseudomonas putidaandE. coli. This sequence is directly downstream of a putative partitioning region highly similar to that of pRA2. A functional IncQ-type mobilization region is also present. Thus, the backbone appears to be a novel combination of modules already identified in other plasmid systems. Analysis of the segments that fall outside this core of stable inheritance and transfer functions show that this plasmid has been subject to multiple insertion events and that the plasmid appears to carry a considerable load of DNA that no longer should be phenotypically advantageous. The plasmid therefore functions not just as a vehicle for spread of selective traits but also as a store for DNA that is not currently under selection.
Chill Activation of Compatible Solute Transporters in
Corynebacterium glutamicum
at the Level of Transport Activity
Authors: Özcan Nuran , Krämer Reinhard , Morbach Susanne 
Published: July 2005

ABSTRACT

The gram-positive soil bacterium
Corynebacterium glutamicum
harbors four osmoregulated secondary uptake systems for compatible solutes, BetP, EctP, LcoP, and ProP. When reconstituted in proteoliposomes, BetP was shown to sense hyperosmotic conditions via the increase in luminal K
+
and to respond by instant activation. To study further putative ways of stimulus perception and signal transduction, we have investigated the responses of EctP, LcoP, and BetP, all belonging to the betaine-carnitine-choline transporter family, to chill stress at the level of activity. When fully activated by hyperosmotic stress, they showed the expected increase of activity at increasing temperature. In the absence of osmotic stress, EctP was not activated by chill and LcoP to only a very low extent, whereas BetP was significantly stimulated at low temperature. BetP was maximally activated at 10°C, reaching the same transport rate as that observed under hyperosmotic conditions at this temperature. A role of cytoplasmic K
+
in chill-dependent activation of BetP was ruled out, since (i) the cytoplasmic K
+
concentration did not change significantly at lower temperatures and (ii) a mutant BetP lacking the C-terminal 25 amino acids, which was previously shown to have lost the ability to be activated by luminal K
+
, was fully competent in chill sensing. When heterologously expressed in
Escherichia coli
, BetP did not respond to chill stress. This may indicate that the membrane in which BetP is inserted plays an important role in chill activation and thus in signal transduction by BetP, different from the previously established K
+
-mediated process.
Mutations in the C-Terminal Region of TraM Provide Evidence for In Vivo TraM-TraD Interactions during F-Plasmid Conjugation
Authors: Lu Jun , Frost Laura S. 
Published: July 2005

ABSTRACTConjugation is a major mechanism for disseminating genetic information in bacterial populations, but the signal that triggers it is poorly understood in gram-negative bacteria. F-plasmid-mediated conjugation requires TraM, a homotetramer, which binds cooperatively to three binding sites within the origin of transfer. Using in vitro assays, TraM has previously been shown to interact with the coupling protein TraD. Here we present evidence that F conjugation also requires TraM-TraD interactions in vivo. A three-plasmid system was used to select mutations in TraM that are defective for F conjugation but competent for tetramerization and cooperative DNA binding to thetraMpromoter region. One mutation, K99E, was particularly defective in conjugation and was further characterized by affinity chromatography and coimmunoprecipitation assays that suggested it was defective in interacting with TraD. A C-terminal deletion (S79*, where the asterisk represents a stop codon) and a missense mutation (F121S), which affects tetramerization, also reduced the affinity of TraM for TraD. We propose that the C-terminal region of TraM interacts with TraD, whereas its N-terminal domain is involved in DNA binding. This arrangement of functional domains could in part allow TraM to receive the mating signal generated by donor-recipient contact and transfer it to the relaxosome, thereby triggering DNA transfer.
Transcription Analysis of the Major Antigenic Protein 1 Multigene Family of Three In Vitro-Cultured
Ehrlichia ruminantium
Isolates
Authors: Bekker Cornelis P. J. , Postigo Milagros , Taoufik Amar , Bell-Sakyi Lesley , Ferraz Conchita , Martinez Dominique , Jongejan Frans 
Published: July 2005

ABSTRACT

Ehrlichia ruminantium
, an obligate intracellular bacterium transmitted by ticks of the genus
Amblyomma
, causes heartwater disease in ruminants. The gene coding for the major antigenic protein MAP1 is part of a multigene family consisting of a cluster containing 16 paralogs. In the search for differentially regulated genes between
E. ruminantium
grown in endothelial and tick cell lines that could be used in vaccine development and to determine if differences in the
map1
gene cluster exist between different isolates of
E. ruminantium
, we analyzed the
map1
gene cluster of the Senegal and Gardel isolates of
E. ruminantium
. Both isolates contained the same number of genes, and the same organization as found in the genome sequence of the Welgevonden isolate (H. Van Heerden, N. E. Collins, K. A. Brayton, C. Rademeyer, and B. A. Allsopp, Gene
330:
159-168, 2004). However, comparison of two subpopulations of the Gardel isolate maintained in different laboratories demonstrated that recombination between
map1
-
3
and
map1
-
2
had occurred in one subpopulation with deletion of one entire gene. Reverse transcription-PCR on
E. ruminantium
derived mRNA from infected cells using gene-specific primers revealed that all 16
map1
paralogs were transcribed in endothelial cells. In one vector (
Amblyomma variegatum
) and several nonvector tick cell lines infected with
E. ruminantium
, transcripts were found for between 4 and 11 paralogs. In all these cases the transcript for the
map1
-
1
gene was detected and was predominant. Our results indicate that the
map1
gene cluster is relatively conserved but can be subject to recombination, and differences in the transcription of
map1
multigenes in host and vector cell environments exist.
Enhancement of Glutamine Utilization in
Bacillus subtilis
through the GlnK-GlnL Two-Component Regulatory System
Authors: Satomura Takenori , Shimura Daisuke , Asai Kei , Sadaie Yoshito , Hirooka Kazutake , Fujita Yasutaro 
Published: July 2005

ABSTRACT

During DNA microarray analysis, we discovered that the GlnK-GlnL (formerly YcbA-YcbB) two-component system positively regulates the expression of the
glsA-glnT
(formerly
ybgJ-ybgH
) operon in response to glutamine in the culture medium on Northern analysis. As a result of gel retardation and DNase I footprinting analyses, we found that the GlnL protein interacts with a region (bases −13 to −56; +1 is the transcription initiation base determined on primer extension analysis of
glsA
-
glnT
) in which a direct repeat, TTTTGTN4TTTTGT, is present. Furthermore, the
glsA
and
glnT
genes were biochemically verified to encode glutaminase and glutamine transporter, respectively.
Low-Molecular-Weight Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases ofBacillus subtilis
Authors: Musumeci Lucia , Bongiorni Cristina , Tautz Lutz , Edwards Robert A. , Osterman Andrei , Perego Marta , Mustelin Tomas , Bottini Nunzio 
Published: July 2005

ABSTRACTIn gram-negative organisms, enzymes belonging to the low-molecular-weight protein tyrosine phosphatase (LMPTP) family are involved in the regulation of important physiological functions, including stress resistance and synthesis of the polysaccharide capsule. LMPTPs have been identified also in gram-positive bacteria, but their functions in these organisms are presently unknown. We cloned two putative LMPTPs fromBacillus subtilis, YfkJ and YwlE, which are highly similar to each other in primary structure as well as to LMPTPs from gram-negative bacteria. When purified from overexpressingEscherichia colistrains, both enzymes were able to dephosphorylatep-nitrophenyl-phosphate and phosphotyrosine-containing substrates in vitro but showed significant differences in kinetic parameters and sensitivity to inhibitors. Transcriptional analyses showed thatyfkJwas transcribed at a low level throughout the growth cycle and underwent a σB-dependent transcriptional upregulation in response to ethanol stress. The transcription ofywlEwas growth dependent but stress insensitive. Genomic deletion of each phosphatase-encoding gene led to a phenotype of reduced bacterial resistance to ethanol stress, which was more marked in theywlEdeletion strain. Our study suggests that YfkJ and YwlE play roles inB. subtilisstress resistance.