bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Executive Function Correlates with Walking Speed in Older Persons: The InCHIANTI Study
Authors: Ble Alesandro , Volpato Stefano , Zuliani Giovanni , Guralnik Jack M. , Bandinelli Stefania , Lauretani Fulvio , Bartali Benedetta , Maraldi Cinzia , Fellin Renato , Ferrucci Luigi 
Published: February 2005

Objectives: To study the association between performance on psychological tests of executive function and performance on lower extremity tasks with different attentional demands in a large sample of nondemented, older adults.Design: Cross‐sectional study.Setting: Community‐based.Participants: Nine hundred twenty‐six persons aged 65 and older, without dementia, stroke, parkinsonism, visual impairment, or current treatment with neuroleptics, enrolled in a large epidemiological study.Measurements: Trail Making Test (TMT) parts A and B and two performance‐based measures of lower extremity function that require different executive/attentional‐demanding skills: walking speed on a 4‐m course at usual pace and walking speed on a 7‐m obstacle course at fast pace. A difference score (Delta TMT), obtained by subtracting time to perform part A from time to perform part B of the TMT, was used as an indicator of executive function. Based on Delta TMT, subjects were divided into poor performance, intermediate performance, and good performance.Results: After adjustment, no association between Delta TMT and 4‐m course usual‐pace walking speed was found. Participants with poor Delta TMT and with intermediate Delta TMT performance were more likely to be in the lowest tertile for 7‐m obstacle course walking speed.Conclusion: In nondemented older persons, executive function is independently associated with tasks of lower extremity function that require high attentional demand.
Exercise Leads to Faster Postural Reflexes, Improved Balance and Mobility, and Fewer Falls in Older Persons with Chronic Stroke
Authors: Marigold Daniel S. , Eng Janice J. , Dawson Andrew S. , Inglis J. Timothy , Harris Jocelyn E. , Gylfadóttir Sif 
Published: February 2005

Objectives: To determine the effect of two different community‐based group exercise programs on functional balance, mobility, postural reflexes, and falls in older adults with chronic stroke.Design: A randomized, clinical trial.Setting: Community center.Participants: Sixty‐one community‐dwelling older adults with chronic stroke.Intervention: Participants were randomly assigned to an agility (n=30) or stretching/weight‐shifting (n=31) exercise group. Both groups exercised three times a week for 10 weeks.Measurements: Participants were assessed before, immediately after, and 1 month after the intervention for Berg Balance, Timed Up and Go, step reaction time, Activities‐specific Balance Confidence, and Nottingham Health Profile. Testing of standing postural reflexes and induced falls evoked by a translating platform was also performed. In addition, falls in the community were tracked for 1 year from the start of the interventions.Results: Although exercise led to improvements in all clinical outcome measures for both groups, the agility group demonstrated greater improvement in step reaction time and paretic rectus femoris postural reflex onset latency than the stretching/weight‐shifting group. In addition, the agility group experienced fewer induced falls on the platform.Conclusion: Group exercise programs that include agility or stretching/weight shifting exercises improve postural reflexes, functional balance, and mobility and may lead to a reduction of falls in older adults with stroke.
Surgical Outcomes for Patients Aged 80 and Older: Morbidity and Mortality from Major Noncardiac Surgery
Authors: Hamel Mary Beth , Henderson William G. , Khuri Shukri F. , Daley Jennifer 
Published: February 2005

Objectives: To gather information about surgical outcomes for patients in their 80s and 90s.Design: Prospective cohort study.Setting: Veterans Affairs Medical Centers.Participants: Patients (26,648 aged ≥80; 568,263 aged <80) enrolled in the Veterans Affairs National Surgical Quality Improvement Project (NSQIP) who had noncardiac surgery between 1991 and 1999.Methods: Data were collected prospectively from medical records and healthcare providers. Detailed information was collected about patients' preoperative status, intraoperative experience, and postoperative outcomes. Postoperative outcomes were survival status at 30 days (deaths from any cause occurring during hospitalization and after hospital discharge were captured) and the occurrence of 21 selected surgical complications within 30 days postoperatively: wound complications (3 types), respiratory complications (4), urinary tract complications (3), nervous system complications (3), cardiac complications (3), and other complications (5).Measurements: Mortality and the occurrence of 21 surgical complications within 30 days of surgery.Results: Thirty‐day all‐cause mortality rates varied widely across operations and were higher for patients aged 80 and older than for younger patients (8% vs 3%, P<.001). Mortality rates for those aged 80 and older were less than 2% for many commonly performed operations (e.g., transurethral prostatectomy, hernia repair, knee replacement, carotid endarterectomy). Of patients aged 80 and older, 20% had one or more postoperative complications, and patients who suffered complications had higher 30‐day mortality than those who did not (26% vs 4%, P<.001). For 11 of the 21 complications, mortality for patients aged 80 and older was greater than 33%. The risk factors for poor outcomes were the same for older and younger patients, and the NSQIP Mortality Risk model performed well on patients aged 80 and older (C statistic=0.83).Conclusion: A substantial minority of patients aged 80 and older died or suffered a complication within 30 days of surgery, but for many operations mortality rates were extremely low. Postoperative complications were associated with high 30‐day mortality in patients aged 80 and older.
Cognitive Deficits 3 to 6 Years Before Dementia Onset in a Population Sample: The Honolulu‐Asia Aging Study
Authors: Jorm Anthony F. , Masaki Kamal H. , Petrovitch Helen , Ross G. Webster , White Lon R. 
Published: February 2005

Objective: To determine the type of cognitive deficits occurring 3 to 6 years before onset of dementia in a population sample.Design: A prospective study in which cognitive deficits in participants who had incident dementia at the 6‐year follow‐up were examined at baseline and 3 years.Setting: Honolulu, Hawaii.Participants: Three thousand seven hundred thirty‐four Japanese‐American men aged 71 to 93 at baseline. At the 6‐year follow‐up, there were 52 incident cases of dementia, and 1,559 controls.Measurements: The Cognitive Abilities Screening Instrument (CASI) and a questionnaire on subjective memory problems were administered at baseline. Dementia was assessed at baseline and at 3‐year and 6‐year follow‐ups.Results: Subjects who had incident dementia at 6‐year follow‐up, had showed deficits 3 to 6 years earlier in the CASI domain of episodic memory and in the questionnaire covering subjective memory problems. Up to 3 years before onset, there was worsening of the episodic memory deficit from baseline and new deficits in language, verbal fluency, and orientation.Conclusion: Cognitive deficits and awareness of memory problems are frequently present several years before dementia onset. The predictive value of these deficits is not large enough to allow earlier diagnosis of dementia, but information about such deficits may be useful as criteria for mild cognitive impairment.
Atherosclerosis Is Associated with Delirium After Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery
Authors: Rudolph James L. , Babikian Viken L. , Birjiniuk Vladimir , Crittenden Michael D. , Treanor Patrick R. , Pochay Val E. , Khuri Shukri F. , Marcantonio Edward R. 
Published: February 2005

Objectives: To investigate whether atherosclerosis of the ascending aorta, internal carotid arteries, and coronary arteries is predictive of postoperative delirium in subjects undergoing coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery.Design: Prospective cohort study.Setting: Boston Veterans Affairs Healthcare System.Participants: Thirty‐six male veterans undergoing primary CABG surgery.Measurements: Subjects underwent Duplex ultrasound to assess stenosis in the internal carotid arteries. Information on the ascending aortic plaque, as assessed by transesophageal echocardiogram, and the number of coronary vessels bypassed was collected. To create an atherosclerosis score, the number of atherosclerotic areas was added. A validated delirium battery was administered to the subjects preoperatively and on postoperative Days 2 and 5.Results: Fifteen subjects (41.7%) developed delirium postoperatively. In bivariate analysis, carotid stenosis of 50% or more (relative risk (RR)=3.5, 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.5–8.1) and moderate‐severe ascending aortic plaque (RR=2.9, 95% CI=1.0–8.5) were significantly associated with the development of delirium. There was a trend toward a significant association for three or more vessels bypassed (RR=9.6, 95% CI=0.6–145.3). After controlling for age, baseline cognition, and medical comorbidity, the atherosclerosis score was significantly associated with postoperative delirium (adjusted RR=2.7, 95% CI=1.1–6.8).Conclusion: In this preliminary report, atherosclerosis in the carotid arteries, aorta, and coronary circulation is associated with the development of delirium after CABG surgery. Further investigation into atherosclerosis as a risk factor for delirium is warranted.
Effect of Leg Muscle Contraction Velocity on Functional Performance in Older Men and Women
Authors: Sayers Stephen P. , Guralnik Jack M. , Thombs Lori A. , Fielding Roger A. 
Published: February 2005

Objectives: To explore the relationship between impairment (skeletal muscle strength and contraction velocity) and function in community‐dwelling older adults.Design: Cross‐sectional.Setting: University‐based human physiology laboratory.Participants: One hundred one men and women (aged 75–90).Measurements: Muscle strength and contraction velocity during bilateral leg press (LP) were calculated during one‐repetition maximum (1RM) and 40% 1RM. A short physical performance battery (SPPB) and gait speed (GS) from a 400‐m self‐paced walk assessed function. Sex differences in LP strength and contraction velocity (at 40% 1RM) were assessed. The relationship between these variables and function was also examined.Results: Lower extremity strength and contraction velocity were significantly associated with GS (P=.02 and P=.005, respectively) and SPPB (P<.001 and P=.009, respectively) in men only. Contraction velocity, but not muscle strength, was significantly associated with GS (P<.001) and SPPB (P=.02) in women.Conclusion: Sex differences exist in the relationship between impairment (muscle strength and contraction velocity) and function. Older men and women may employ different strategies to achieve success on different functional tasks. These findings may have important implications for clinicians practicing geriatric rehabilitation.
A New Paradigm for Clinical Investigation of Infectious Syndromes in Older Adults: Assessing Functional Status as a Risk Factor and Outcome Measure
Authors: High Kevin , Bradley Suzanne , Loeb Mark , Palmer Robert , Quagliarello Vincent , Yoshikawa Thomas 
Published: February 2005

AbstractAdults aged 65 and over comprise the fastest growing segment of the U.S. population, and older adults experience greater morbidity and mortality due to infection than young adults. While this factor is well established, most clinical investigation of infectious diseases in the aged focuses on microbiology, and crude endpoints of clinical success such as cure rates or mortality, but often fails to assess functional status, a critical variable in geriatric care. Functional status can be evaluated as a risk factor for infectious disease or an outcome of interest following specific interventions utilizing well‐validated instruments. This paper outlines the currently available data suggesting a link between infection, immunity and impaired functional status in the elderly, summarizes commonly employed instruments used to determine specific aspects of functional status, and provides recommendations for a new paradigm in which clinical trials of older adults include functional assessment.
What Probability should a Jury Address?
Authors: Gardner-Medwin Tony 
Published: February 2005

Abstract
Probability of guilt is not the criterion on which a verdict in a criminal trial should be based, says Tony Gardner-Medwin. The courts, quite sensibly, do not even allow access to some of the background evidence on which a proper assessment of this probability should be made. He argues that a more satisfactory criterion is the probability, or degree of belief, that the evidence could have arisen without guilt.
Reflections on the Cot Death Cases
Authors: Hill Ray 
Published: February 2005

Abstract
Sally Clark, Angela Cannings and Trupti Patel not only suffered the tragic sudden deaths of two or more babies. They were then accused, and in the first two cases convicted, of their murder. The misuse of statistics at Sally Clark's trial hadprofound consequences, especially for her, but also for the subsequent cases. Ray Hill reflects on the statistical issues involved.
EFFECTS OF ENDPOINT TEMPERATURE, pH, AND STORAGE TIME ON COOKED INTERNAL COLOR REVERSION OF PORK LONGISSIMUS CHOPS
Authors: MANCINI R.A. , KROPF D.H. , HUNT M.C. , JOHNSON D.E. 
Published: February 2005

ABSTRACT This project evaluated the internal cooked color changes that occurred during postcooking storage of pork loin chops (m. longissimus thoracis et lumborum, n = 120) from one of six combinations of three endpoint temperatures (71.1, 76.6 and 82.2C) and two pH groups (lower, 5.4–5.5 and higher, 5.6–5.7). Initial internal color (L*a*b*), and 24 and 48 h storage (4C) pink color development were evaluated after cooking. Although pH had no effect (P > 0.05) on initial cooked color, chops with higher pH were more red (P < 0.05) and had more pink color development during storage. Increased endpoint temperature decreased (P < 0.05) initial a* values. During storage, chops from all endpoint temperatures developed a pink color with chops cooked to 76.6C having the largest increase in a*. Of the three endpoint temperatures, cooking to 82.2C minimized pink color development in cooked, uncured pork loin chops.
Identification of Vaccine Candidate Peptides in the NcSRS2 Surface Protein ofNeospora caninumby Using CD4+Cytotoxic T Lymphocytes and Gamma Interferon-Secreting T Lymphocytes of Infected Holstein Cattle
Authors: Staska Lauren M. , Davies Christopher J. , Brown Wendy C. , McGuire Travis C. , Suarez Carlos E. , Park Joo Youn , Mathison Bruce A. , Abbott Jeffrey R. , Baszler Timothy V. 
Published: February 2005

ABSTRACTPreviously, our laboratory showed that Holstein cattle experimentally infected withNeospora caninumdevelop parasite-specific CD4+cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) that lyse infected, autologous target cells through a perforin-granzyme pathway. To identify specific parasite antigens inducing bovine CTL and helper T-lymphocyte responses for vaccine development against bovine neosporosis, the tachyzoite major surface proteins NcSAG1 and NcSRS2 were targeted. In whole tachyzoite antigen-expanded bovine T-lymphocyte lines, recombinant NcSRS2 induced potent memory CD4+- and CD8+-T-lymphocyte activation, as indicated by proliferation and gamma interferon (IFN-γ) secretion, while recombinant NcSAG1 induced a minimal memory response. Subsequently, T-lymphocyte epitope-bearing peptides of NcSRS2 were mapped by using overlapping peptides covering the entire NcSRS2 sequence. Four experimentally infected cattle with six different major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II haplotypes were the source of immune cells used to identify NcSRS2 peptides presented by Holstein MHC haplotypes. NcSRS2 peptides were mapped by using IFN-γ secretion by rNcSRS2-stimulated, short-term T-lymphocyte cell lines, IFN-γ enzyme-linked immunospot (ELISPOT) assay with peripheral blood mononuclear cells, and51Cr release cytotoxicity assay of rNcSRS2-stimulated effector cells. FourN. caninum-infected Holstein cattle developed NcSRS2 peptide-specific T lymphocytes detected ex vivo in peripheral blood by IFN-γ ELISPOT and in vitro by measuring T-lymphocyte IFN-γ production and cytotoxicity. An immunodominant region of NcSRS2 spanning amino acids 133 to 155 was recognized by CD4+T lymphocytes from the four cattle. These findings support investigation of subunitN. caninumvaccines incorporating NcSRS2 gene sequences or peptides for induction of NcSRS2 peptide-specific CTL and IFN-γ-secreting T lymphocytes in cattle with varied MHC genotypes.
Mucosal Adjuvant Properties of Mutant LT-IIa and LT-IIb Enterotoxins That Exhibit Altered Ganglioside-Binding Activities
Authors: Nawar Hesham F. , Arce Sergio , Russell Michael W. , Connell Terry D. 
Published: February 2005

ABSTRACTLT-IIa and LT-IIb, the type II heat-labile enterotoxins ofEscherichia coli, are closely related in structure and function to cholera toxin and LT-I, the type I heat-labile enterotoxins ofVibrio choleraeandE. coli, respectively. Recent studies from our group demonstrated that LT-IIa and LT-IIb are potent systemic and mucosal adjuvants. To determine whether binding of LT-IIa and LT-IIb to their specific ganglioside receptors is essential for adjuvant activity, LT-IIa and LT-IIb enterotoxins were compared with their respective single-point substitution mutants which have no detectable binding activity for their major ganglioside receptors [e.g., LT-IIa(T34I) and LT-IIb(T13I)]. Both mutant enterotoxins exhibited an extremely low capacity for intoxicating mouse Y1 adrenal cells and for inducing production of cyclic AMP in a macrophage cell line. BALB/c female mice were immunized by the intranasal route with the surface adhesin protein AgI/II ofStreptococcus mutansalone or in combination with LT-IIa, LT-IIa(T34I), LT-IIb, or LT-IIb(T13I). Both LT-IIa and LT-IIb potentiated strong mucosal and systemic immune responses against AgI/II. Of the two mutant enterotoxins, only LT-IIb(T13I) had the capacity to strongly potentiate mucosal anti-AgI/II and systemic anti-AgI/II antibody responses. Upon boosting with AgI/II, however, both LT-IIa(T34I) and LT-IIb(T13I) enhanced humoral memory responses to AgI/II. Flow cytometry demonstrated that LT-IIa(T34I) had no affinity for cervical lymph node lymphocytes. In contrast, LT-IIb(T13I) retained binding activity for T cells, B cells, and macrophages, indicating that this immunostimulatory mutant enterotoxin interacts with one or more unknown lymphoid cell receptors.
The
fimYZ
Genes Regulate
Salmonella enterica
Serovar Typhimurium Invasion in Addition to Type 1 Fimbrial Expression and Bacterial Motility
Authors: Baxter M. Aaron , Jones Bradley D. 
Published: February 2005

ABSTRACT

An important step in
Salmonella enterica
serovar Typhimurium virulence is the ability to invade the intestinal epithelium. The invasion process requires a large number of genes encoded on
Salmonella
pathogenicity island 1 (SPI-1) at centisome 63 as well as genes located in other positions throughout the chromosome. Expression of the invasive phenotype is tightly regulated by environmental cues that are processed by a complex regulatory scheme. A central player in the invasion regulatory pathway is the HilA protein, which is transcriptional activator belonging to the OmpR/ToxR family. A number of positive regulators (
hilC
,
hilD
,
fis
,
sirA
/
barA
,
csrAB
,
phoBR
,
fadD
,
envZ
/
ompR
, and
fliZ
) and negative regulators (
hha
,
hilE
,
lon
,
ams
,
phoP

c

and
pag
) have been identified that are able to alter expression of
hilA
transcription. Recent work has found that
hilA
transcription requires the HilD protein for activation. Other work has emphasized the importance of HilE as a negative regulator of
hilA
. Overexpression of
hilE
superrepresses
hilA
transcription, as well as the invasive phenotype. Two-hybrid experiments suggest that HilE exerts its regulatory influence on
hilA
through protein-protein interactions with HilD as the protein does not bind to the
hilA
promoter nor does it affect
hilD
transcription. As it seems likely that
hilE
plays an important role in translating environmental signals into invasion gene regulation, we have attempted to identify how the
hilE
gene itself is regulated. Our results indicate that the
fimYZ
genes, response regulatory proteins involved in type 1 fimbrial gene expression and recently implicated in motility gene regulation, are important activators of
hilE
expression. These findings indicate that invasion gene expression is coregulated with motility and adherence and provide experimental evidence that the expression of these virulence phenotypes is a subset of the overall regulation of bacterial physiology.
Functional Implication of the Hydrolysis of Platelet Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule 1 (CD31) by Gingipains ofPorphyromonas gingivalisfor the Pathology of Periodontal Disease
Authors: Yun Peter L. W. , Decarlo Arthur A. , Chapple Cheryl C. , Hunter Neil 
Published: February 2005

ABSTRACTPeriodontitis is a response of highly vascularized tissues to the adjacent microflora of dental plaque. Progressive disease has been related to consortia of anaerobic bacteria, with the gram-negative organismPorphyromonas gingivalisparticularly implicated. The gingipains, comprising a group of cysteine proteinases and associated hemagglutinin domains, are major virulence determinants of this organism. As vascular expression of leukocyte adhesion molecules is a critical determinant of tissue response to microbial challenge, the objective of this study was to determine the capacity of gingipains to modulate the expression and function of these receptors. Given the potential multifunctional role of platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule 1 (PECAM-1) in the vasculature, the effect of gingipains on PECAM-1 expression by endothelial cells was examined. Activated gingipains preferentially down-regulated PECAM-1 expression on endothelial cells compared with vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 and endothelial-leukocyte adhesion molecule 1, but the reduction in PECAM-1 expression was completely inhibited in the presence of the cysteine proteinase inhibitor TLCK (Nα-p-tosyl-l-lysine chloromethyl ketone). Endothelial monolayers treated with activated gingipains demonstrated progressive intercellular gap formation that correlated with reduced intercellular junctional PECAM-1 expression as determined by Western blotting and immunofluorescence microscopy. This was accompanied by enhanced transfer of both albumin and neutrophils across the monolayer. The results suggest that degradation of PECAM-1 by gingipains contributes to increased vascular permeability and neutrophil flux at disease sites.