bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Potential treatment effects of donepezil not detected in Alzheimer's disease clinical trials: a physician survey
Authors: Rockwood Kenneth , Black Sandra E. , Robillard Alain , Lussier Isabelle 
Published: September 2004

AbstractObjectivesClinical trials of the cholinesterase inhibitor donepezil have used standard psychometric tools to evaluate treatment efficacy. These trials, however, appear not to capture clinically demonstrable, but otherwise unmeasured, beneficial treatment effects. We sought to identify and categorize clinically recognizable effects of donepezil treatment in Alzheimer's disease.MethodsA list of potential effects was developed using clinical trials data and the experience of an expert panel. These were incorporated in a questionnaire, which was tested with a focus group, revised and then used in a postal survey of physicians. Data were classified by cognitive domain, and reviewed by a second panel.ResultsItems that were most often rated as being improved were related to frontal systems function, including attentional capacity and initiative. Behavioral symptoms that were among the highest rated items were apathy, mood, and agitation. The top two other items were social interactions and involvement in domestic activities. Of the top ten symptomatic treatment effects, only four appeared to be readily identified by current standard measures.ConclusionsPhysicians recognize as important several treatment effects that are not well captured by current standard measures. New methods are needed to capture such effects, which also have the potential to offer insight into the neurobiology of the human cholinergic system. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Vulnerability to post‐traumatic stress disorder and psychological morbidity in aged holocaust survivors
Authors: Brodaty Henry , Joffe Charmaine , Luscombe Georgina , Thompson Claire 
Published: September 2004

AbstractObjectiveAlthough high rates of post‐traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and psychological morbidity have been consistently reported in Holocaust survivors (HS), reports are inconsistent about which factors are associated with psychological morbidity. In a study of the oldest HS cohort yet reported, we aim to clarify why this variability exists by examining factors associated with PTSD and psychological morbidity, including for the first time measures of personality and defense mechanisms.MethodsOne hundred HS randomly selected from a convenience sample of 309 respondents to a survey of Jewish persons aged 60 years and older living in the community in Sydney were assessed using the following instruments: demographics, severity of trauma experienced, General Health Questionnaire (GHQ‐28), PTSD diagnosis (DSM‐IV), Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale, Impact of Events Scale, Defense Style Questionnaire, modified Eysenck Personality Inventory.ResultsOlder age, experience of more severe trauma, use of immature defense mechanisms and higher neuroticism were associated with significant PTSD and psychological morbidity; severity of trauma was associated with PTSD and with more severe psychological morbidity.ConclusionsA profile of survivors at‐risk can be identified that may have application to survivors of more recent holocausts. Late life may be a period of vulnerability in the aftermath of severe trauma. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Use of constraints and their correlates in Norwegian nursing homes
Authors: Kirkevold Øyvind , Sandvik Leiv , Engedal Knut 
Published: September 2004

AbstractObjectiveTo analyse the effect of patient and ward characteristics on the use of constraints in nursing homes.MethodPrimary carers in 222 wards in Norwegian nursing homes were asked about use of constraints towards 1926 patients during seven days. Constraints were grouped as mechanical restraints, non‐mechanical restraints, electronic surveillance, force or pressure in medical examination or treatment, and force or pressure in ADL. The patients' mental capacity (CDR score), activity in daily living (ADL) and behaviour (BARS score) were rated. Type and size of ward, staffing level and educational level of the staff was recorded.ResultsIn all 758 of the patients were subjected to any constraint. Degree of dementia, aggressive behaviour and loss of function in ADL had significant impact on all types of constraint except for electronical surveillance. The strongest associations were found between degree of dementia and mechanical restraint (OR 5.14), impaired ADL and mechanical restraint (OR 9.23) and aggression and force or pressure in ADL (OR 3.75). Mechanical restraint was less used towards patients in special care units for persons with dementia (SCU) (OR 0.38) compared to patients in regular units (RU), whereas non‐mechanical restraint was more frequent used in SCUs (OR 2.28). Type of ward had no significant impact on use of other types of constraints. Staff level and education level of the staff had no significant impact on the use of constraint.ConclusionConstraint is frequently used in nursing homes, and most frequent toward patients with severe dementia, aggressive behaviour or low ADL function. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Microarrays in biology and medicine
Authors: Choudhuri Supratim 
Published: September 2004

AbstractThe remarkable speed with which biotechnology has become critical to the practice of life sciences owes much to a series of technological revolutions. Microarray is the latest invention in this ongoing technological revolution. This technology holds the promise to revolutionize the future of biology and medicine unlike any other technology that preceded it. Development of microarray technology has significantly changed the way questions about diseases and/or biological phenomena are addressed. This is because microarrays facilitate monitoring the expression of thousands of genes or proteins in a single experiment. This enormous power of microarrays has enabled scientists to monitor thousands of genes and their products in a given living organism in one experiment, and to understand how these genes function in an orchestrated manner. Obtaining such a global view of life at the molecular level was impossible using conventional molecular biological techniques. However, despite all the progress made in developing this technology, microarray is yet to reach a point where all data are obtained, analyzed, and shared in a standardized fashion. The present article is a brief overview of microarray technologies and their applications with an emphasis on DNA microarray. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biochem Mol Toxicol 18:171–179, 2004; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/jbt.20023
Quantitative analysis of total mitochondrial DNA: Competitive polymerase chain reaction versus real‐time polymerase chain reaction
Authors: Bhat Hari K. , Epelboym Irina 
Published: September 2004

AbstractAn efficient and effective method for quantification of small amounts of nucleic acids contained within a sample specimen would be an important diagnostic tool for determining the content of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) in situations where the depletion thereof may be a contributing factor to the exhibited pathology phenotype. This study compares two quantification assays for calculating the total mtDNA molecule number per nanogram of total genomic DNA isolated from human blood, through the amplification of a 613‐bp region on the mtDNA molecule. In one case, the mtDNA copy number was calculated by standard competitive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique that involves co‐amplification of target DNA with various dilutions of a nonhomologous internal competitor that has the same primer binding sites as the target sequence, and subsequent determination of an equivalence point of target and competitor concentrations. In the second method, the calculation of copy number involved extrapolation from the fluorescence versus copy number standard curve generated by real‐time PCR using various dilutions of the target amplicon sequence. While the mtDNA copy number was comparable using the two methods (4.92 ± 1.01 × 104 molecules/ng total genomic DNA using competitive PCR vs 4.90 ± 0.84 × 104 molecules/ng total genomic DNA using real‐time PCR), both inter‐ and intraexperimental variance were significantly lower using the real‐time PCR analysis. On the basis of reproducibility, assay complexity, and overall efficiency, including the time requirement and number of PCR reactions necessary for the analysis of a single sample, we recommend the real‐time PCR quantification method described here, as its versatility and effectiveness will undoubtedly be of great use in various kinds of research related to mitochondrial DNA damage‐ and depletion‐associated disorders. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biochem Mol Toxicol 18:180–186, 2004 Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/jbt.20024
A cyclic peptide, L1AD3, induces early signs of apoptosis in human leukemic T‐cell lines
Authors: Smith Charles A. , Hinman Channing L. 
Published: September 2004

AbstractL1AD3 is a small cyclic synthetic peptide designed to resemble the first loop of a cobra venom cytotoxin. Instead of inducing membrane disruption similar to that caused by the parent toxin, L1AD3 promotes extensive and unusually rapid apoptosis in leukemic T‐cells without making the plasma membrane permeable to small fluorescent dyes. Within 4 h, micromolar concentrations of L1AD3 almost totally inhibit thymidine incorporation, and ATP levels decrease significantly. By contrast, normal human white blood cells are not affected by L1AD3, nor is heart cell function affected by it. If L1AD3 kills by interacting with targets that are different from those of currently applied agents, this peptide, or a derivative of it, could become a useful adjunct for cancer chemotherapy. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biochem Mol Toxicol 18:204–220, 2004; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/jbt.20025
Molecular cloning, genomic organization and functional characterization of a new short‐chain potassium channel toxin‐like peptide BmTxKS4 from Buthus martensii Karsch(BmK)
Authors: Jiqun Sheng , Xiuling Xu , Zhijian Cao , Wanhong Liu , Yingliang Wu , Shunyi Zhu , Xianchun Zeng , Dahe Jiang , Xin Mao , Hui Liu , Wenxin Li , Teng Wang 
Published: September 2004

AbstractScorpion venom contains many small polypeptide toxins, which can modulate Na+, K+, Cl−, and Ca2+ ion–channel conductance in the cell membrane. A full‐length cDNA sequence encoding a novel type of K+‐channel toxin (named BmTxKS4) was first isolated and identified from a venom gland cDNA library of Buthus martensii Karsch (BmK). The encoded precursor contains 78 amino acid residues including a putative signal peptide of 21 residues, propeptide of 11 residues, and a mature peptide of 43 residues with three disulfide bridges. BmTxKS4 shares the identical organization of disulfide bridges with all the other short‐chain K+‐channel scorpion toxins. By PCR amplification of the genomic region encoding BmTxKS4, it was shown that BmTxKS4 composed of two exons is disrupted by an intron of 87 bp inserted between the first and the second codes of Phe (F) in the encoding signal peptide region, which is completely identical with that of the characterized scorpion K+‐channel ligands in the size, position, consensus junctions, putative branch point, and A+T content. The GST‐BmTxKS4 fusion protein was successfully expressed in BL21 (DE3) and purified with affinity chromatography. About 2.5 mg purified recombinant BmTxKS4 (rBmTxKS4) protein was obtained by treating GST‐BmTxKS4 with enterokinase and sephadex chromatography from 1 L bacterial culture. The electrophysiological activity of 1.0μM rBmTxKS4 was measured and compared by whole cell patch‐clamp technique. The results indicated that rBmTxKS4 reversibly inhibited the transient outward K+ current (Ito), delayed inward rectifier K+ current (Ik1), and prolonged the action potential duration of ventricular myocyte, but it has no effect on the action potential amplitude. Taken together, BmTxKS4 is a novel subfamily member of short‐strain K+‐channel scorpion toxin. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biochem Mol Toxicol 18:187–195, 2004; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/jbt.20026
Lead‐induced oxidative stress and hematological alterations and their response to combined administration of calcium disodium EDTA with a thiol chelator in rats
Authors: Saxena Geetu , Flora S. J. S. 
Published: September 2004

AbstractThe therapeutic efficacy of calcium disodium ethylenediaminetetracetic acid (CaNa2EDTA) and the two thiol chelators, 2,3‐dimercaptopropane 1‐sulfonate (DMPS) and monoisoamyl dimercaptosuccinic acid (MiADMSA) was studied, both individually and in combination, in reducing lead concentration in blood and soft tissues and in restoring lead induced altered biochemical variables in rats. Exposure to subacute dose of lead implicated a critical role of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and oxidative stress in altering the normal values of these variables. Exposure to lead caused a significant inhibition of blood δ‐aminolevulinic acid dehydratase (ALAD), an important enzyme in the haem synthesis pathway and glutathione (GSH) level. These changes were also accompanied by inhibition of ALAD activity in kidney, δ‐aminolevulinic acid synthase (ALAS) activities in liver and changes in platelet counts in whole blood suggesting disturbed haem synthesis pathway. Lead exposure also led to a pronounced depletion of brain GSH contents, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, an increase in thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), and activity of glutathione S‐transferase (GST). Specific activities of membrane‐bound enzymes, acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and monoamine oxidase (MAO), were significantly inhibited on lead exposure. These biochemical changes were correlated with increased uptake of lead in blood and soft tissues. Post lead exposure treatment with MiADMSA in particular provided significant recovery in altered biochemical variables besides significant depletion of tissue lead burden. Treatment with CaNa2EDTA and DMPS individually had only moderate beneficial effects on tissue oxidative stress, although they were equally effective in the removal of tissue lead burden. Tissue zinc and copper levels did not depict any significant depletion, although changes like marked depletion of zinc following CaNa2EDTA and copper after MiADMSA administration were of some concern. Combined administration of CaNa2EDTA, particularly with MiADMSA, was the most effective treatment protocol compared to all other treatments. It can be concluded from our present results that combined therapy with CaNa2EDTA and MiADMSA proved significantly better in restoring biochemical and clinical variables over monotherapy with these chelating agents against subacute lead exposure in adult rats. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biochem Mol Toxicol 18:221–233, 2004; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/jbt.20027
Protective effect of caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) on lipid peroxidation and antioxidant enzymes in diabetic rat liver
Authors: Yilmaz H. Ramazan , Uz Efkan , Yucel Nezahat , Altuntas Irfan , Ozcelik Nurten 
Published: September 2004

AbstractThe aim of this study was to examine the effect of caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) on lipid peroxidation (LPO) and the activities of antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH‐Px) in the liver of streptozotocin (STZ)‐induced diabetic rats. Twenty‐seven rats were randomly divided into three groups: group I, control non‐diabetic rats (n = 9); group II, STZ‐induced, untreated diabetic rats (n = 8); group III, STZ‐induced, CAPE‐treated diabetic rats (n = 10), which were intraperitoneally injected with CAPE (10 μM kg−1 day−1) after 3 days followed by STZ treatment. The liver was excised after 8 weeks of CAPE treatment, the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and the activities of SOD, CAT, and GSH‐Px in the hepatic tissues of all groups were analyzed. In the untreated diabetic rats, MDA markedly increased in the hepatic tissue compared with the control rats (p < 0.0001). However, MDA levels were reduced to the control level by CAPE. The activities of SOD, CAT, and GSH‐Px in the untreated diabetic group were higher than that in the control group (p < 0.0001). The activities of SOD and GSH‐Px in the CAPE‐treated diabetic group were higher than that in the control group (respectively, p < 0.0001, p < 0.035). There were no significant differences in the activity of CAT between the rats of CAPE‐treated diabetic and control groups. Rats in the CAPE‐treated diabetic group had reduced activities of SOD and CAT in comparison with the rats of untreated diabetic group (p < 0.0001). There were no significant differences in the activity of GSH‐Px between the rats of untreated diabetic and CAPE‐treated groups. It is likely that STZ‐induced diabetes caused liver damage. In addition, LPO may be one of the molecular mechanisms involved in STZ‐induced diabetic damage. CAPE can reduce LPO caused by STZ‐induced diabetes. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biochem Mol Toxicol 18:234–238, 2004; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/jbt.20028
The modulatory effects of ellagic acid and vitamin E succinate on TCDD‐induced oxidative stress in different brain regions of rats after subchronic exposure
Authors: Hassoun Ezdihar A. , Vodhanel Jennifer , Abushaban Ahmed 
Published: September 2004

AbstractThe effects of ellagic acid (EA) and vitamin E succinate (VES) on 2,3,7,8‐tetrachlorodibenzo‐p‐dioxin (TCDD)‐induced oxidative stress in different brain regions of rats have been studied after subchronic exposure to the compounds. TCDD was administered to groups of rats at a dose of 46 ng/kg/day for 90 days. EA and VES were administered to groups of rats, either separately or simultaneously with TCDD, every other day for 90 days. At the end of the treatment period, animals were sacrificed and brains were dissected to cerebral cortex (Cc), hippocampus (H), cerebellum (C), and brain stem (Bs), and were assayed for production of superoxide anion (SA), lipid peroxidation (LP), and DNA single‐strand breaks (SSBs). While TCDD administration to rats resulted in significant production of SA, LP, and DNA SSBs in Cc and H, simultaneous administration of VES or EA with the xenobiotics resulted in significant protection against those effects. The results also indicate that VES provided a better protyection against TCDD‐induced effects in brains when compared with EA. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biochem Mol Toxicol 18:196–203, 2003; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/jbt.20030
Differential localization and expression of the Cdk9 42k and 55k isoforms
Authors: Liu Hongbing , Herrmann Christine H. 
Published: September 2004

AbstractCdk9, a member of the cyclin‐dependent kinase family, is the catalytic subunit of P‐TEFb, a protein kinase complex that stimulates transcriptional elongation. Cdk9, complexed with its regulatory partner cyclin T1, serves as the cellular mediator of the transactivation function of the HIV Tat protein. There are two known isoforms of Cdk9: a 42 kDa protein (42k, originally identified as PITALRE) and a more recently identified 55 kDa form (55k). To investigate possible functional differences between the two isoforms, we examined their kinase activities, their subcellular distributions, and their expression levels in primary cells relevant to HIV infection. Both isoforms were found to hyper‐phosphorylate the carboxyl‐terminal domain of the largest subunit of RNA polymerase II and displayed identical phosphorylation patterns with 144 peptide substrates. Epitope‐tagged transiently‐expressed Cdk9 42k localized diffusely in the nucleoplasm, while Cdk9 55k accumulated in the nucleolus. In primary undifferentiated monocytes, Cdk9 55k expression was not detected although 42k was present at high levels; however, 55k expression was induced upon macrophage differentiation. In primary lymphocytes, the levels of 55k decreased or remained steady following activation, while the levels of 42k increased. The promoter for 42k was significantly stronger than that of 55k in HeLa cells, and only the 42k promoter was responsive to activation signals in primary lymphocytes. These results indicate that expression of the 42k and 55k isoforms is differentially regulated and suggest that functional differences between the 42k and 55k isoforms of Cdk9 are likely to depend on access to substrates based on their differential subcellular localization and expression patterns. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Removal of water‐soluble azo dye by the magnetic material MnFe2O4
Authors: Wu Rongcheng , Qu Jiuhui 
Published: September 2004

AbstractMagnetic ferrite material, MnFe2O4, as a novel adsorbent was prepared and characterized. Adsorption tests indicated that it is an excellent adsorbent for the removal of the azo dye Acid Red B (ARB) from water. After adsorbing ARB and recovery by the magnetic separation method, it can be regenerated by Fenton's reagent. The pseudo‐first‐order and second‐order kinetic models were used to describe the kinetic data and the rate constants were evaluated. The adsorption capacity was highly affected by the pH of the solution, and pH 3.8 was optimal. After regeneration, the adsorption capacity of MnFe2O4 increased significantly, which was the result of a decrease in average pore diameter, an increase in surface area of the adsorbent and the adsorption of ferric hydroxide produced in the regeneration reaction. The adsorption can be described with the Langmuir model and the maximum adsorption capacity for ARB was 53.8 mg g−1 adsorbent. FTIR study for ARB on MnFe2O4 indicated that the adsorption of ARB occurred via the azo group and the sulfonic group of the dye through the formation of a complex with the adsorbent surface. Copyright © 2004 Society of Chemical Industry
Analysis of batch submerged cultivations of Geotrichum candidum growing in lactate with either glutamate or lysine
Authors: Aziza M , Adour L , Couriol C , Amrane A 
Published: September 2004

AbstractAmino acid and lactate assimilation by Geotrichum candidum were examined in submerged culture. G candidum growth on lysine and lactate clearly showed that lactate can be assimilated as a carbon source, in addition to an energy source. Lysine was chosen since G candidum did not grow on lysine as the sole carbon and nitrogen source. On the contrary, when a convenient carbon source amino acid (glutamate) was used, lactate appeared to have no effect on G candidum growth; it was only assimilated at a low rate during the stationary state for energy supply, in agreement with previous observations recorded during growth on peptones. The assimilation of glutamate, the more convenient substrate for G candidum growth, required less energy than lysine assimilation, indicated by the lower level of CO2 released. Copyright © 2004 Society of Chemical Industry
Correlating gas–liquid co‐current flow hydrodynamics in packed beds using the F‐function concept
Authors: Radilla Giovanni , Fourar Mostafa , Larachi Faiçal 
Published: September 2004

AbstractA phenomenological model based on the generalization of the single‐phase Forchheimer equation was recently proposed for predicting pressure drop and phase saturations in gas–liquid co‐current horizontal and downward high‐pressure packed beds. Here, we extend the model to packed‐bubble (co‐current upflow) and trickle‐bed operation using phase saturation power laws similar to Corey relative permeabilities. The power‐law exponents were fitted using a wide pressure gradient and liquid saturation databank in co‐current up/downward packed‐bed flows. It was found that this approach, as well as other in the literature developed for down‐flow reactors apply also to upward flows; the prediction accuracy was comparable for both flow directions to existing literature approaches. Copyright © 2004 Society of Chemical Industry