bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
How do drug users define their progress in harm reduction programs? Qualitative research to develop user-generated outcomes
Authors: Ruefli Terry , Rogers Susan J 
Published: August 2004

Abstract
Background
Harm reduction is a relatively new and controversial model for treating drug users, with little formal research on its operation and effectiveness. In order to advance the study of harm reduction programs and our understanding of how drug users define their progress, qualitative research was conducted to develop outcomes of harm reduction programming that are culturally relevant, incremental, (i.e., capable of measuring change), and hierarchical (i.e., capable of showing how clients improve over time).

Methods
The study used nominal group technique (NGT) to develop the outcomes (phase 1) and focus group interviews to help validate the findings (phase 2). Study participants were recruited from a large harm-reduction program in New York City and involved approximately 120 clients in 10 groups in phase 1 and 120 clients in 10 focus groups in phase 2.

Results
Outcomes of 10 life areas important to drug users were developed that included between 10 to 15 incremental measures per outcome. The outcomes included ways of 1) making money; 2) getting something good to eat; 3) being housed/homeless; 4) relating to families; 5) getting needed programs/benefits/services; 6) handling health problems; 7) handling negative emotions; 8) handling legal problems; 9) improving oneself; and 10) handling drug-use problems. Findings also provided insights into drug users' lives and values, as well as a window into understanding how this population envisions a better quality of life. Results challenged traditional ways of measuring drug users based solely on quantity used and frequency of use. They suggest that more appropriate measures are based on the extent to which drug users organize their lives around drug use and how much drug use is integrated into their lives and negatively impacts other aspects of their lives.

Conclusions
Harm reduction and other programs serving active drug users and other marginalized people should not rely on institutionalized, provider-defined solutions to problems in living faced by their clients.
Intensive language training enhances brain plasticity in chronic aphasia
Authors: Meinzer Marcus , Elbert Thomas , Wienbruch Christian , Djundja Daniela , Barthel Gabriela , Rockstroh Brigitte 
Published: August 2004

Abstract

Background

Focal clusters of slow wave activity in the delta frequency range (1–4 Hz), as measured by magnetencephalography (MEG), are usually located in the vicinity of structural damage in the brain. Such oscillations are usually considered pathological and indicative of areas incapable of normal functioning owing to deafferentation from relevant input sources. In the present study we investigated the change in Delta Dipole Density in 28 patients with chronic aphasia (>12 months post onset) following cerebrovascular stroke of the left hemisphere before and after intensive speech and language therapy (3 hours/day over 2 weeks).

Results

Neuropsychologically assessed language functions improved significantly after training. Perilesional delta activity decreased after therapy in 16 of the 28 patients, while an increase was evident in 12 patients. The magnitude of change of delta activity in these areas correlated with the amount of change in language functions as measured by standardized language tests.

Conclusions

These results emphasize the significance of perilesional areas in the rehabilitation of aphasia even years after the stroke, and might reflect reorganisation of the language network that provides the basis for improved language functions after intensive training.
Paraoxonase and Superoxide Dismutase Gene Polymorphisms and Noise-Induced Hearing Loss
Authors: Fortunato Giuliana , Marciano Elio , Zarrilli Federica , Mazzaccara Cristina , Intrieri Mariano , Calcagno Giuseppe , Vitale Dino F , La Manna Paolo , Saulino Claudio , Marcelli Vincenzo , Sacchetti Lucia 
Published: September 2004

Abstract
Background: Noise-induced cochlear epithelium damage can cause hearing loss in industrial workers. In experimental systems, noise induces the release of free radicals and may damage the cochlear sensorial epithelium. Therefore, genes involved in regulating the reactive oxygen species manganese-superoxide dismutase (SOD2) and the antioxidant paraoxonase (PON) could influence cochlea vulnerability to noise. We evaluated whether susceptibility to noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) is associated with SOD2, PON1, and PON2 polymorphisms in workers exposed to prolonged loud noise.
Methods: We enrolled 94 male workers from an aircraft factory in the study. The SOD2 gene was screened by denaturing reversed-phase HPLC, and the PON1 (Q192R and M55L) and PON2 (S311C) polymorphisms were analyzed by PCR amplification followed by digestion with restriction endonucleases.
Results: Three known (A16V, IVS3-23T/G, and IVS3-60T/G) and two new SOD2 polymorphisms (IVS1+ 8A/G and IVS3+107T/A) were identified. Regression analysis showed that PON2 (SC+CC) [odds ratio (OR) = 5.01; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.11–22.54], SOD2 IVS3-23T/G and IVS3-60T/G (OR = 5.09; 95% CI, 1.27–20.47), age (OR = 1.22; 95% CI, 1.09–1.36), and smoking (OR = 49.49; 95% CI, 5.09–480.66) were associated with NIHL. No association was detected for PON1 (QQ+RR) and PON1 (LL) genotypes.
Conclusions: Our data suggest that SOD2 and PON2 polymorphisms, by exerting variable local tissue antioxidant roles, could predispose to NIHL. However, caution should be exercised in interpreting these data given the small sample size and the difficulty in matching cases to controls regarding the overwhelming risk factor, i.e., smoking at least 10 cigarettes/day.
Fifty years of non‐Newtonian fluid dynamics
Authors: Denn Morton M. 
Published: August 2004

AbstractNon‐Newtonian fluid dynamics, which was developed during the second half of the twentieth century, has become a part of the core research and teaching portfolio of chemical engineers. This overview reflects on classes of flows in which inherent nonlinearity causes non‐Newtonian fluids to exhibit qualitatively different behavior from Newtonian fluids. © 2004 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 50: 2335–2345, 2004
Saccade velocity is controlled by polyglutamine size in spinocerebellar ataxia 2
Authors: Velázquez‐Pérez Luis , Seifried Carola , Santos‐Falcón Nieves , Abele Michael , Ziemann Ulf , Almaguer Luis Enrique , Martínez‐Góngora Edilberto , Sánchez‐Cruz Gilberto , Canales Nalia , Pérez‐González Ruth , Velázquez‐Manresa Mercedes , Viebahn Bettina , Von Stuckrad‐Barre Sebastian , Fetter Michael , Klockgether Thomas , Auburger Georg 
Published: August 2004

AbstractWe assessed maximal saccade velocity (MSV) in 82 spinocerebellar ataxia type 2 (SCA2) patients and 80 controls, correlating it to disease duration, polyglutamine expansion size, age at onset, ataxia score, age, and sex. Little overlap with normal values was found even at earliest stages. Stepwise linear regression analysis showed that 60‐degree MSV was strongly influenced by polyglutamine size and less by disease duration, whereas the reverse was found for ataxia score. Saccade velocity thus is a sensitive, quite specific, and objective endophenotype, useful to search polyglutamine modifier genes. Ann Neurol 2004;56:444–447
Kinetics of copolymerization of acrylonitrile with ammonium itaconate in a H2O/dimethyl formamide mixture
Authors: Chen Hou , Liang Ying , Wang Cheng‐Guo 
Published: August 2004

AbstractKinetics of copolymerization of acrylonitrile (AN) with ammonium itaconate (AI) initiated by azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN) were investigated in a H2O/dimethyl formamide (DMF) mixture between 50 and 70°C under a N2 atmosphere. The rate of copolymerization and particle size were measured. The kinetic equation of copolymerization system is obtained and the overall activation energy for the copolymerization system was computed. Values of monomer apparent reactivity ratios were calculated by the Kelen–Tudos method. It was found that in DMF‐rich reaction medium (DMF/H2O > 80/20), monomer apparent reactivity ratios are similar to those in the solution polymerization system. Effect of hydroquinone and dioxane additives on copolymerization was discussed. The polymerization is retarded by hydroquinone and accelerated by dioxane, which confirms the free‐radical copolymerization of AN with AI. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 94: 1151–1155, 2004
Synthesis of montmorillonite/polystyrene nanocomposites in supercritical carbon dioxide
Authors: Dong Zexuan , Liu Zhimin , Zhang Jianling , Han Buxing , Sun Donghai , Wang Yong , Huang Ying 
Published: August 2004

AbstractMonomer styrene and initiator N,N′‐azobis(isobutyronitrile) were impregnated into montmorillonite (MMT) galleries using supercritical CO2 at 35°C and 12.0 MPa, after thermal polymerization of monomer at 65°C, resulting in MMT/polystyrene nanocomposites. The morphology and structure of the products were characterized by FTIR, powder X‐ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, and thermogravimetric analysis. The results indicate that MMT is dispersed in the composite with intercalated and exfoliated structures, enhancing the thermal stability of nanocomposites. Changing the soaking time and the content of MMT in the supercritical solution during the impregnating process can control the exfoliated extent of MMT. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 94: 1194–1197, 2004
Crosslinking polymerization leading to interpenetrating polymer network formation. 3. Polyaddition crosslinking reaction of poly(methyl methacrylate‐co‐2‐methacryloyloxyethyl isocyanate) with poly(oxytetramethylene) glycol in the presence of linear polymethacrylate resulting in semi‐interpenetrating polymer network
Authors: Kiguchi Tadahiro , Aota Hiroyuki , Matsumoto Akira 
Published: August 2004

AbstractAs part of a series of our works concerned with the elucidation of the crosslinking polymerization mechanism leading to the interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) formation, in which IPN consists of both polyurethane (PU) and polymethacrylate (PM) networks, this article deals with the polyaddition crosslinking reactions of poly(methyl methacrylate‐co‐2‐methacryloyloxyethyl isocyanate) poly(MMA‐co‐MOI) [MMA/MOI = 99/1] as a novel multifunctional polyisocyanate with poly(oxytetramethylene) glycol [H‐(OCH2CH2CH2CH2)n‐OH (n = 28)] (POTMG‐28) in the presence of two types of linear PMs, differently miscible with the resulting PU networks, leading to semi‐IPN formation. Thus, poly(MMA‐co‐MOI) was prepared by the radical copolymerization of MOI with MMA in the presence of CBr4 as a chain‐transfer agent. No influence of the linear PM on the rate of polyaddition crosslinking reaction was observed. The actual gel points were compared with the theoretical ones calculated according to Macosko's equation: the deviation of the actual gel point from the theoretical one was rather small, close to the ideality, and the delayed gelation from theory tended to become a little smaller in the presence of PM. These are discussed mechanistically to deepen the understanding of the PU network formation in the presence of a linear PM resulting in semi‐IPN, along with the data of the intrinsic viscosities of resulting prepolymers. To collect a direct evidence of semi‐IPN formation, we attempted to pursue the incorporation of the linear PM into the resulting PU networks by 1H‐NMR and UV‐vis spectroscopy; in the latter case, the copolymers containing a small amount of pyrenyl methacrylate were used as linear PMs because the pyrenyl group was employed as the probe for UV‐vis spectroscopic determination of the amount of the incorporated PM. The swelling ratio of the gel became lower in the presence of a linear PM. All data for the polyaddition crosslinking reactions of poly(MMA‐co‐MOI) with POTMG‐28 in the presence of PM, along with the mechanistic discussion, demonstrate that the freely compatible molecular interaction would lead to a true semi‐IPN formation as a result of the good miscibility between PU networks and a linear PM. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 94: 1198–1208, 2004
Crystallization, melting, and rheology of reactive polyamide blends
Authors: Lake Wendell B. , Kalakkunnath Sumod , Kalika Douglass S. 
Published: August 2004

AbstractThe crystallization and melting characteristics of a series of polyamide blends based on PA 4,6 and PA 6I were investigated by calorimetric methods; preparation of the samples was conducted so as to control the extent of transamidation occurring in the melt before crystallization. Blend samples with minimal prior thermal history displayed a modest degree of melting point depression compared to the equilibrium melting temperature of PA 4,6 (T = 309.5°C). Application of the Nishi–Wang equation indicated a value of χ = −0.25 for the blends. PA 4,6 and the blends followed Avrami crystallization kinetics with exponents in the range 2.0 to 2.5; no systematic variation of n with blend composition was observed. The influence of transamidation was investigated for samples exposed to varying melt temperatures and melt times with the extent of transreaction quantified using 13C‐NMR. Increasing extents of transreaction led to a decrease in both the rate of crystallization and the overall bulk crystallinity of the blends owing to a reduction in the length and number of crystallizable blocks present along the polymer chains. Capillary rheometry studies indicated a strong sensitivity to time in the melt for the PA 4,6 homopolymer, and the mechanism responsible for the observed decrease in apparent viscosity was also operative in the blend samples. As such, it was not possible to independently assess the influence of transreaction on the rheology of the blends. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 94: 1245–1252, 2004
Surface degradation and hydrophobic recovery of polyolefins treated by air corona and nitrogen atmospheric pressure glow discharge
Authors: Guimond Sébastien , Wertheimer Michael R. 
Published: August 2004

AbstractThe surface degradation and production of low molecular weight oxidized materials (LMWOM) on biaxially oriented polypropylene (BOPP) and low‐density polyethylene (LDPE) films was investigated and compared for two different dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) treatment types, namely air corona and nitrogen atmospheric pressure glow discharge (N2 APGD). Contact angle measurements, X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and atomic force microscopy (AFM) analyses were performed in conjunction with rinsing the treated films in water. It is shown that N2 APGD treatments of both polyolefins result in much less surface degradation, therefore, allowing for a significantly higher degree of functionalization and better wettability. Hydrophobic recovery of the treated films has also been studied by monitoring their surface energy (γs) over a period of time extending up to several months after treatment. Following both surface modification techniques, the treated polyolefin films were both found to undergo hydrophobic recovery; however, for N2 APGD modified surfaces, γs ceases to decrease after a few days and attains a higher stable value than in the case of air corona treated films. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 94: 1291–1303, 2004
Synthesis and Antinociceptive Activity of (5‐Chloro‐2(3H)‐benzothiazolon‐3‐yl)propanamide Derivatives
Authors: Önkol Tijen , Yildirim Engin , Erol Kevser , Ito Shigero , Şahin M. Fethi 
Published: August 2004

AbstractTen new (5‐chloro‐2(3H)‐benzothiazolon‐3‐yl)propanamide derivatives have been synthesized. The compounds were tested for antinociceptive activity by tail clip, tail flick, hot plate and writhing test by using aspirin and dipyrone as standards. Among these compounds, 1‐[3‐(5‐chloro‐2(3H)‐benzothiazolon‐3‐yl)‐propanoyl]‐4‐(4‐chlorophenyl)piperazine (11e) has been found to be significantly more active than the other compounds synthesized as well as the standards in all tests.
Effects of small neutral osmolytes on the supercoiling free energy and intrinsic twist of p30δ DNA
Authors: Rangel David P. , Sucato Christopher A. , Spink Charles H. , Fujimoto Bryant S. , Schurr J. Michael 
Published: August 2004

AbstractBoth theory and experiments are employed to investigate the effects of small neutral osmolytes on the average intrinsic twist (l0), the torsion and bending elastic constants, and the twist energy parameter (ET) that governs the supercoiling free energy. The experimental data for ethylene glycol and acetamide at 37°C suggest, and are interpreted in terms of, a model wherein the DNA exhibits an equilibrium between two distinct conformational states that possess different numbers of bound water molecules and exhibit different intrinsic twists and torsion and bending elastic constants. Expressions are derived to relate the effective ET and l0 to the equilibrium constant, water activity (aw), and number (n) of bound water molecules released per cooperative domain undergoing the two‐state transition. The variations of l0 and ET with −ln(aw) are similar for acetamide and ethylene glycol at 37°C. Fitting the theory to those data yields the range n = 103–125 for ethylene glycol and n = 71–113 for acetamide, depending on the assumed value of ET for the dehydrated state. The cooperative domain size of the two‐state transition is estimated to exceed about 25–30 base pairs (bp). Between 0 and 19.4 w/v % ethylene glycol, the torsion elastic constant, measured by time‐resolved fluorescence polarization anisotropy (FPA), increases by 1.37‐fold, whereas the measured ET decreases by 1.15‐fold over that same range. The implied decrease in bending rigidity over that range is by a factor of about 0.7. The variations of l0 and ET with increasing −ln(aw) due to added ethylene glycol at 37°C are far smaller than the corresponding variations observed previously at 14 and 15°C. However, at 21°C, upon adding either ethylene glycol or acetamide, l0 and ET initially decline steeply with increasing −ln(aw), with slopes possibly comparable to those seen at 14 and 15°C, but then flatten out and follow curves similar to those at 37°C. Possible origins of such mixed behavior are discussed. The effects of betaine at both 37 and 21°C differ qualitatively and quantitatively in various respects from those of ethylene glycol and acetamide. Upon adding sucrose, l0 initially jumps to higher plateaus at both 37 and 21°C, but its effects on ET cannot be reliably assessed, due to the limited range of −ln(aw). © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biopolymers, 2004
TrkAexpression in peripheral neuroblastic tumors
Authors: Shimada Hiroyuki , Nakagawa Atsuko , Peters Julius , Wang Hong , Wakamatsu Peter K. , Lukens John N. , Matthay Katherine K. , Siegel Stuart E. , Seeger Robert C. 
Published: August 2004

AbstractBACKGROUNDThis study was conducted to investigate the prognostic significance and biologic relevance oftrkAexpression levels in peripheral neuroblastic tumors (pNTs) (i.e., neuroblastoma, ganglioneuroblastoma, and ganglioneuroma).METHODSLevels oftrkAexpression from a total of 265 pNTs were determined by quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis with Genescan software. The results were analyzed according to histopathology (favorable histology [FH] vs. unfavorable histology [UH] according to the International Neuroblastoma Pathology Classification) andMYCNtumor status (amplified vs. nonamplified) along with clinical stage and outcomes of the patients.RESULTSThe levels oftrkAexpression differed significantly between the group of patients who werealive and well(n= 170 patients) and the group that hadprogressed or died(n= 95 patients) and between the group that wasalive(n= 188 patients) and the group thatdied(n= 77 patients). However, thetrkAexpression levels were not independent predictors of clinical outcome when the proportional hazards model contained the known prognostic variables of clinical stage, histopathology, andMYCNstatus (all tests were done in 196 patients). In the neuroblastoma category (n= 173 tumors), tumors in the FH/nonamplifiedMYCNsubset (n= 112 tumors) expressed higher levels oftrkAand showed an age‐dependent neuroblastic differentiation: They were classified into either a poorly differentiated subtype (n= 91 tumors; all patients age < 1.5 years at diagnosis) or a differentiating subtype (n= 21 tumors; 57% of patients ages 1.5–5.0 years). Tumors in the UH/amplifiedMYCNsubset (n= 30 tumors) expressed significantly lower levels oftrkAand showed very limited neuroblastic differentiation. Tumors in the FH/amplifiedMYCNsubset were very rare (n= 3 tumors) and expressed higher levels oftrkA. Tumors in the UH/nonamplifiedMYCNsubset (n= 28 tumors) hadtrkAlevels in a wide range and showed limited neuroblastic differentiation.CONCLUSIONSFor patients with pNTs, levels oftrkAexpression did not add significant information to prognostic grouping, as defined by the combination of clinical stage, histopathology, andMYCNstatus. There was a biologically relevant correlation between molecular properties (trkAexpression andMYCNstatus) and histopathologic features of the tumors in the neuroblastoma category. Cancer 2004. © 2004 American Cancer Society.
Expression of Hsp27 in retinal ganglion cells of the rat during postnatal development
Authors: Hawkes Erin L. , Krueger‐Naug Anne Marie R. , Nickerson Philip E.B. , Myers Tanya L. , Currie R. William , Clarke David B. 
Published: August 2004

AbstractThe small heat shock protein Hsp27 has been shown to protect neurons from apoptosis. We have recently shown the expression of Hsp27 in a subset of injured adult retinal ganglion cells (RGCs), a response that is muted by the administration of brain‐derived neurotrophic factor. This work has suggested a role for Hsp27 in the long‐term survival of RGCs following injury. The purpose of this study was to investigate the expression of Hsp27 during postnatal retinal development, based on Hsp27's role as a neuronal survival factor and on its up‐regulation in the adult injured retina. Expression of Hsp27 in the developing retina was examined at various times postnatally (between P0 and P24) by using immunohistochemical techniques. We report that Hsp27 expression peaks in the ganglion cell layer between P6 and P12 and is not detected at earlier (P0–P3) or later (P15–P24) times. Double labeling of the Hsp27‐positive cells with Fluorogold applied to the superior colliculus confirmed that Hsp27‐positive cells in the ganglion cell layer are RGCs. We have shown developmentally regulated expression of Hsp27 in RGCs of the postnatal rat. The retinal expression of Hsp27 correlates temporally with innervation of the tectum by late‐born RGCs and with onset of spontaneous retinotectal activity. We propose that the expression of Hsp27 may play an important role in retinal development during a critical period of RGC functional connectivity with the superior colliculus. J. Comp. Neurol. 478:143–148, 2004. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.