bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Effects of Ischemia on Epicardial Deformation in the Passive Rabbit Heart
Authors: Gaudette Glenn R. , Krukenkamp Irvin B. , Azeloglu Evren U. , Saltman Adam E. , Lense Miriam , Todaro Joseph , Chiang Fu-Pen 
Published: March 2004

AbstractBackground Surgically induced ischemia in the arrested heart can result in changes in the mechanical properties of the myocardium. Regions of ischemia may be characterized based on the amount of epicardial deformation for a given load. Computer aided speckle interferometry (CASI), which tracks the movement of clusters of particles, is developed as a technique for measuring epicardial deformation, thereby determining the perfusion status of the passive heart. Materials and Methods Silicone carbide particles and retroreflective beads were dispersed randomly onto the epicardial surface of 11 isolated rabbit hearts to form speckle images. The hearts were arrested with hyperkalemic Krebs-Henseleit buffered solution. Each heart was then exposed to a series of intracavitary pressures, and at each pressure speckle images were acquired with a charge-coupled device (CCD) camera. Nine hearts were exposed to global ischemia, and two hearts were exposed to regional ischemia by occluding the second diagonal branch of the left anterior descending artery (LAD). The hearts were again loaded and the speckle images were acquired. CASI was used to determine the distribution of deformation field. Results CASI was able to determine displacements with a spatial resolution of about 50 microns. Global ischemia resulted in a significant increase in the maximum principle strain and the first invariant of the 2-D strain tensor. In the regionally ischemic heart, a large difference in deformation between the ischemic and perfused regions was clearly observed. Conclusion Based on epicardial deformation, CASI is able to distinguish between perfused and ischemic myocardium, with a spatial resolution of 50 μm.
Randomised controlled trial of tetanus treatment with antitetanus immunoglobulin by the intrathecal or intramuscular route
Authors: Miranda-Filho Demócrito de Barros , Ximenes Ricardo Arraes de Alencar , Barone Antônio Alci , Vaz Vicente Luiz , Vieira Aderbal Gomes , Albuquerque Valéria Maria Gonçalves 
Published: March 2004

AbstractObjective To evaluate the effect of intrathecal therapy with human antitetanus immunoglobulin on clinical progression of and mortality from tetanus.Design Randomised controlled trial.Setting Intensive care unit of a university hospital, Pernambuco, Brazil.Participants 120 patients with tetanus allocated to antitetanus immunoglobulin by either the intrathecal and intramuscular route (n = 58) or the intramuscular route (n = 62; control group).Main outcome measures Clinical progression of disease, duration of hospital stay, duration of occurrence of spasms, complications, respiratory infection, respiratory failure or mechanical ventilation, duration of respiratory assistance, and mortality.Results Patients in the treatment group showed a better clinical progression than those in the control group (χ2 for trend 7.752, P = 0.005; difference in proportion of patients with improvement 20%, 95% confidence interval 4% to 35%). The duration of occurrence of spasms, hospital stay, and respiratory assistance were all shorter in patients the treatment group: respectively, 14.96, 0.0001 (difference in proportion of patients with spasms lasting ≤ 10 days 36%, 18% to 55%); 4.56, 0.03; and 6.56, 0.01 (proportion of patients who needed assistance for ≤ 10 days 69.2% in the treatment group and 30.8% in the control group (difference 38%, 12% to 65%)).Conclusion Patients treated with antitetanus immunoglobulin by the intrathecal route show better clinical progression than those treated by the intramuscular route.
CRACK GROWTH IN SOLID WITH MANY INITIAL DEFECTS
Authors: NISHIUMA SABUROU , MIYAZIMA SASUKE 
Published: March 2004

Hydrogen-induced fracture of steel is characterized by the formation of internal voids caused by hydrogen precipitation at an inclusion-matrix interface, followed by the formation of microcrack array under the superposed action of internal hydrogen pressure and external forces. The propagation of the hydrogen-induced fracture is considerably random and the fracture develops by stepwise linking of the microcracks. We present a new fracture model describing the patterns of crack growth by hydrogen embrittlement to find a generic feature of delayed fracture. Crack growth in solid with many initial defects is studied by Monte Carlo simulation on a square lattice. By analyzing time-dependent cluster size distribution of crack and its dynamic scaling, it is found that the crack growth process has a fractal structure. “Percolation of cracks” which corresponds to macroscopic breakdown of materials is also investigated.
THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FRACTIONAL CALCULUS AND FRACTALS
Authors: TATOM FRANK B. 
Published: March 2004

The general relationship between fractional calculus and fractals is explored. Based on prior investigations dealing with random fractal processes, the fractal dimension of the function is shown to be a linear function of the order of fractional integro-differentiation. Emphasis is placed on the proper application of fractional calculus to the function of the random fractal, as opposed to the trail. For fractional Brownian motion, the basic relations between the spectral decay exponent, Hurst exponent, fractal dimension of the function and the trail, and the order of the fractional integro-differentiation are developed. Based on an understanding of fractional calculus applied to random fractal functions, consideration is given to an analogous application to deterministic or nonrandom fractals. The concept of expressing each coordinate of a deterministic fractal curve as a “pseudo-time” series is investigated. Fractional integro-differentiation of such series is numerically carried out for the case of quadric Koch curves. The resulting time series produces self-similar patterns with fractal dimensions which are linear functions of the order of the fractional integro-differentiation. These curves are assigned the name, fractional Koch curves. The general conclusion is reached that fractional calculus can be used to precisely change or control the fractal dimension of any random or deterministic fractal with coordinates which can be expressed as functions of one independent variable, which is typically time (or pseudo-time).
DYNAMIC INTEGRATION OF GENE ANNOTATION AND ITS APPLICATION TO MICROARRAY ANALYSIS
Authors: DAI HENG , TIAN BIN , ZHAO WEI D. , LEUNG ALBERT , SMITH SIMON R. , WAN JACKSON S. , YAO XIANG 
Published: March 2004

Comprehensive and structured annotations for all genes on a microarray chip are essential for the interpretation of its expression data. Currently, most chip gene annotations are one-line free text descriptions that are often partial, outdated and unsuitable for large-scale data analysis. Therefore the interpretation of microarray gene expression clusters is often limited. Although researchers can manually navigate a collection of databases for better annotations, it is only practical for limited number of genes. Existing meta-databases fail to provide comprehensive categorized annotations for hundreds of genes simultaneously. We have developed an automatic system to address this issue. GeneView system monitors various data sources, extracts gene information from a source whenever it is updated, comprehensively matches genes, and integrates them into a central database by categories, such as pathway, genetic mapping, phenotype, expression profile, domain structure, protein interaction, disease association, and references. The system consists of four major components: (1) relational database; (2) data processing; (3) user curation; (4) data query. We evaluated it by analyzing genes on cDNA and Affymetrix Oligo chips. In both cases, the system provided more accurate and comprehensive information than those provided by the vendors or the chip users, and helped identify new common functions among genes in the same expression clusters.
Modified High-Performance Liquid Chromatography Technique for Detection of Vancomycin in Human Vitreous
Authors: Raju Biju , Thiagarajan Geetha , Das Taraprasad 
Published: March 2004

<i>Purpose:</i> To standardize the technique and methodology for estimating the level of vancomycin in human vitreous using a modified high-performance liquid chromatographic method. <i>Methods:</i> Sample preparation involved spiking the vitreous with known quantities of the drug followed by a brief treatment with 30% trichloroacetic acid. Samples were analyzed on a C18 reverse-phase column using a mobile phase of 50 m<i>M</i> phosphate buffer (pH 4.0) and 10% acetonitrile. <i>Results:</i> Vancomycin was detected at 198 nm. It showed a retention time of 2.2 min in the vitreous. A linear increase in the area under the peak corresponding to the drug was observed with increase in concentration of vancomycin in the vitreous. The method was applied to detect the vancomycin levels in vitreous of 5 patients with exogenous endophthalmitis, 24–48 h after intravitreal injection of vancomycin 1 mg/0.1 ml. The mean concentration of vancomycin in these samples was 120.022 ± 59.87 µg/ml (43.859–179.09 µg/ml). The present technique allowed a quantification limit of 1 µg/ml. <i>Conclusion:</i> This technique is suitable to estimate vancomycin levels in human vitreous in a variety of clinical and experimental studies. It has the added advantages of being less expensive, simple and rapid.
Quantitative Determination of Histamine in Tears during Conjunctivitis by a Novel HPLC Method
Authors: Venza Isabella , Visalli Maria , Ceci Guglielmo , Teti Diana 
Published: March 2004

The histamine content of tears of healthy sex- and age-matched subjects and patients affected by allergic or nonallergic inflammatory ocular diseases was determined through a new competitive reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method. Tear samples from 50 healthy subjects, 30 patients affected by seasonal allergic conjunctivitis, 12 patients with bacterial conjunctivitis associated with <i>Haemophilus influenzae </i>and 8 patients with bacterial conjunctivitis associated with <i>Streptococcus pneumoniae </i>were analyzed for histamine concentration by <i>o</i>-phthaldialdehyde precolumn derivatization-based HPLC. In physiological conditions, the tear histamine content was low (2.26 ng/ml) and did not vary in relation to age and sex. Histamine levels were significantly higher in all the patients studied, to a greater extent in those affected by allergic (23.61 ng/ml) or <i>Haemophilus influenzae</i>-associated (21.53 ng/ml) conjunctivitis.
Cues for Perceived Pitch Register
Authors: Rietveld Toni , Vermillion Patricia 
Published: March 2004

AbstractThe aim of this experiment was to assess empirically listeners’ behaviour in characterising pitch contours with the label pitch register. The motivation for this assessment was initiated by the conflicting use of the term register in speech science and intonology. The findings reported here indicate that pitch register would more appropriately be associated with the position of the low pitch targets and the mean value of the tonal contour. In addition, the importance of the reference frequency (the lowest F₀ of a speaker) and the distance between H and L targets have been found to be weaker than previously assumed.
Speech Characteristics of Monozygotic Twins and a Same-Sex Sibling: An Acoustic Case Study of Coarticulation Patterns in Read Speech
Authors: Whiteside S.P. , Rixon E. 
Published: March 2004

AbstractThis case study reports on an acoustic investigation of the motor speech characteristics of a set of young adult male monozygotic (MZ) twins and compares them to those of an age- and sex-matched sibling who participated in the study 2 years later to match for demographic factors. Coarticulation patterns were investigated from read samples of consonant-vowel sequences in monosyllabic words containing a variety of consonants and vowels. This was done by examining F<sub>2</sub> vowel onsets and F<sub>2</sub> vowel targets, plotted as F<sub>2</sub> locus equations. Data were processed for between-sibling differences using a number of statistical tests. Results indicated that the MZ twins displayed F<sub>2</sub> parameters and coarticulation patterns which were more similar than those of their age- and sex-matched sibling. The results of this case study therefore suggest that acoustic phonetic parameters used to index coarticulation patterns have the potential to profile some of the similarities and differences in the speech characteristics of genetically related individuals.
Orexigenic Actions of Ghrelin in Goldfish: Feeding-Induced Changes in Brain and Gut mRNA Expression and Serum Levels, and Responses to Central and Peripheral Injections
Authors: Unniappan Suraj , Canosa Luis Fabián , Peter Richard E. 
Published: March 2004

In this study, we examined (i) the preprandial, postprandial and starvation-induced changes in the preproghrelin mRNA expression and serum ghrelin levels, and (ii) the effects of intracerebroventricular and intraperitoneal administration of ghrelin on food intake in goldfish. Slot blot analysis revealed a significant postprandial decrease in preproghrelin mRNA expression in the hypothalamus (1 and 3 h after feeding) and gut (3 h after feeding). A similar postprandial decrease (1 and 3 h after feeding) in serum ghrelin levels was also detected. In the fish that were unfed at the regular feeding time, the hypothalamic preproghrelin mRNA expression and the serum ghrelin levels remained unchanged, while the preproghrelin mRNA expression in the gut decreased 3 h after the regular feeding time. Starvation increased preproghrelin mRNA expression in the hypothalamus and gut on the 7th day. Serum ghrelin levels were significantly elevated on days 3 and 5 of starvation. Intracerebroventricular injections of n-octanoylated ghrelin-like peptides (gGRL<sub>[1–12]</sub>) (10 ng/g body weight) and human ghrelin (1 and 10 ng/g body weight) and intraperitoneal injections of n-octanoylated gGRL<sub>[1–12]</sub> (10 ng/g body weight), gGRL<sub>[1–19]</sub> (100 ng/g body weight) and human ghrelin (10 and 100 ng/g body weight) stimulated food intake in goldfish. The patterns of synthesis, secretion and actions indicate that ghrelin is an orexigen in goldfish.
Inward Remodeling of the Rabbit Aorta Is Blocked by the Matrix Metalloproteinase Inhibitor Doxycycline
Authors: Courtman David W. , Franco Christopher D. , Meng Qinghe , Bendeck Michelle P. 
Published: March 2004

Constrictive arterial remodeling accounts for a significant proportion of lumen loss in atherosclerotic progression and postangioplasty stenosis. Recent research suggests that constrictive remodeling is mediated by turnover of the extracellular matrix. We hypothesized that remodeling could be attenuated by treatment with the safe, effective matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) inhibitor doxycycline. Female rabbit abdominal aortas were denuded using a 4-Fr balloon embolectomy catheter, and reinjured 3 weeks later. Treatment with 30 mg/kg/day doxycycline was begun the day before the second injury. At 6 weeks after injury, lumen area measured 13.1 ± 1.2 mm<sup>2</sup> in controls compared to 17.5 ± 1.6 mm<sup>2</sup> in doxycycline-treated rabbits (p = 0.05). At 4 days after injury, MMP-2 activity was increased compared to uninjured controls, but doxycycline treatment reduced MMP-2 activity. Doxycycline treatment also inhibited fibrillar collagen deposition in the intima by 87% as detected by polarized light microscopy. Doxycycline was an effective inhibitor of constrictive arterial remodeling in the rabbit aorta. Treatment reduced MMP activity and attenuated the deposition of extracellular matrix particularly in the intima.
Early and Repetitive Stimulation of the Arm Can Substantially Improve the Long-Term Outcome After Stroke: A 5-Year Follow-up Study of a Randomized Trial
Authors: Feys Hilde , De Weerdt Willy , Verbeke Geert , Steck Gail Cox , Capiau Chris , Kiekens Carlotte , Dejaeger Eddy , Van Hoydonck Gustaaf , Vermeersch Guido , Cras Patrick 
Published: March 2004

Background and Purpose—Several studies have investigated the effect of therapeutic interventions for the arm in the acute phase after stroke, with follow-ups at a maximum of 12 months. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of repetitive sensorimotor training of the arm at 5 years after stroke.Subjects and Methods—One hundred consecutive stroke patients were randomly allocated either to an experimental group that received daily additional sensorimotor stimulation of the arm or to a control group. The intervention period was 6 weeks. Assessments of the patients were made before, midway, and after intervention, and at 6 and 12 months after stroke. In this study, 62 patients were reassessed at 5 years after stroke. The Brunnström-Fugl-Meyer (BFM) test, Action Research Arm (ARA) test, and Barthel index (BI) were used as the primary outcome measures.Results—At the 5-year follow-up, there was a statistically significant difference for both the BFM and ARA tests in favor of the experimental group. The mean differences in improvement between the groups from the initial evaluation to the 5-year assessment corresponded to 17 points on the BFM and 17.4 on the ARA. No effect was found for the BI. The treatment was most effective in patients with a severe initial motor deficit.Conclusions—Adding a specific intervention for the arm during the acute phase after a stroke resulted in a clinically meaningful and long-lasting effect on motor function. The effect can be attributed to early, repetitive, and targeted stimulation.
Lipopolysaccharide initiates a TRAF6-mediated endothelial survival signal
Authors: Wong Fred , Hull Christopher , Zhande Rachel , Law Jennifer , Karsan Aly 
Published: March 2004

AbstractSimilar to tumor necrosis factor (TNF), bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) elicits parallel apoptotic and antiapoptotic pathways in endothelial cells. The overall result is that there is minimal endothelial cell death in response to LPS without inhibition of the cytoprotective pathway. While the TNF-induced death and survival pathways have been relatively well elucidated, much remains to be learned about LPS signaling events in this regard. It is known that the transcription factor nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) provides a critical cell survival signal in response to TNF, but is not an essential component of the LPS-induced survival pathway. The TNF receptor-associated factor 6 (TRAF6) is a major effector of multiple LPS-induced signals, including a c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK)-mediated apoptotic response. In this report we demonstrate that following LPS stimulation, TRAF6 also transmits an important endothelial cell survival signal in a situation of complete NF-κB blockade. In response to LPS, TRAF6 activates the phosphatidylinositol 3′-kinase (PI3K)/Akt pathway, but not ERK1/2 mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) in endothelial cells. Activation of PI3K signals a critical antiapoptotic pathway in response to LPS in endothelial cells, whereas ERK1/2 does not. Thus TRAF6 acts as a bifurcation point of the LPS-initiated death and survival signals in endothelial cells. (Blood. 2004;103:4520-4526)
Preventing restimulation of memory B cells in hemophilia A: a potential new strategy for the treatment of antibody-dependent immune disorders
Authors: Hausl Christina , Ahmad Rafi U. , Schwarz Hans Peter , Muchitsch Eva M. , Turecek Peter L. , Dorner Friedrich , Reipert Birgit M. 
Published: March 2004

AbstractMemory B cells are responsible for the rapidly emerging antibody response after antigen reexposure. The signals required for the restimulation of memory B cells have not been fully explained. We used a murine model of anti–factor VIII (FVIII) antibody responses in hemophilia A to study the requirements for the restimulation of FVIII-specific memory B cells and their differentiation into anti-FVIII antibody-producing cells. We were particularly interested in the significance of activated T cells and costimulatory interactions. Our results indicate that the restimulation of FVIII-specific memory B cells is strictly dependent on interactions with activated T cells. These activated T cells can be specific for either FVIII or third-party antigens. Restimulation by T cells specific for third-party antigens requires the presence of FVIII, indicating that signals induced by B-cell receptor (BCR) triggering and by interactions with activated T cells are important. The blockade of B7-1 or B7-2 as well as the blockade of CD40L inhibits the restimulation and differentiation of FVIII-specific memory B cells in vitro and in vivo. The interference with inducible costimulator–inducible costimulator ligand (ICOS-ICOSL) interactions, however, does not cause any modulation. As expected, the production of anti-FVIII antibodies by plasma cells is not dependent on any of the costimulatory interactions tested.
Recombinant prolylcarboxypeptidase activates plasma prekallikrein
Authors: Shariat-Madar Zia , Mahdi Fakhri , Schmaier Alvin H. 
Published: March 2004

AbstractThe serine protease prolylcarboxypeptidase (PRCP), isolated from human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), is a plasma prekallikrein (PK) activator. PRCP cDNA was cloned in pMT/BIP/V5-HIS-C, transfected into Schneider insect (S2) cells, and purified from serum-free media. Full-length recombinant PRCP (rPRCP) activates PK when bound to high-molecular-weight kininogen (HK). Recombinant PRCP is inhibited by leupeptin, angiotensin II, bradykinin, anti-PRCP, diisopropyl-fluorophosphonate (DFP), phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride (PMSF), and Z-Pro-Proaldehyde-dimethyl acetate, but not by 1 mM EDTA (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid), bradykinin 1-5, or angiotensin 1-7. Corn trypsin inhibitor binds to prekallikrein to prevent rPRCP activation, but it does not directly inhibit the active site of either enzyme. Unlike factor XIIa, the ability of rPRCP to activate PK is blocked by angiotensin II, not by neutralizing antibody to factor XIIa. PRCP antigen is detected on HUVEC membranes using flow cytometry and laser scanning confocal microscopy. PRCP antigen does not colocalize with LAMP1 on nonpermeabilized HUVECs, but it partially colocalizes in permeabilized cells. PRCP colocalizes with all the HK receptors, gC1qR, uPAR, and cytokeratin 1 antigen, on nonpermeabilized HUVECs. PRCP activity and antigen expression on cultured HUVECs are blocked by a morpholino antisense oligonucleotide. These investigations indicate that rPRCP is functionally identical to isolated HUVEC PRCP and is a major HUVEC membrane-expressed, PK-activating enzyme detected in the intravascular compartment. (Blood. 2004;103:4554-4561)