bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Exploring the effect of transient exposure on the risk of acute events by means of time‐window designs: an application to fluoroquinolone antibacterials and arrhythmia
Authors: Corrao Giovanni , Botteri Edoardo , Bertù Lorenza , Zambon Antonella , Favilli Sergio 
Published: June 2005

AbstractPurposeTo compare different strategies in allocating time‐window at risk and in choosing optimal comparator in the setting of proarrhythmic effects of antibacterial fluoroquinolones.DesignA population‐based cohort study.SettingResident population of a Northern Italian Province.ParticipantsThe study cohort comprised 75 226 patients who received at least one prescription for fluoroquinolone from 1997 to 1999. Cohort members who experienced at least an antiarrhythmic drug prescription and/or hospitalisation with diagnosis of arrhythmia during the follow‐up were identified.AnalysisTrends in incidence rates of arrhythmia according to different strategies in allocating time‐windows at risk were calculated. Standardised incidence ratios were obtained by comparing arrhythmic events experienced by the study cohort during the time‐windows at risk with those expected from both external (unexposed target population) and internal (study cohort during reference time‐windows) comparators.ResultsThe rate of arrhythmia was 21.0 per 100 000 person‐weeks during the in‐treatment period, remained stable during the following week, and progressively decreased until to converge to 7.7 per 100 000 person‐weeks from 16th weeks after stop of exposure. Standardised incidence ratios were 2.35 (95%CI: 1.82, 2.99) and 1.86 (1.44, 2.37) according to external and internal comparators respectively. Evidence of linear increasing of proarrhythmic effect with the length of the antibacterial therapy appeared from every approaches, but it was stronger by using internal comparator.ConclusionsTime‐windows designs should be performed by allocating the time‐windows at risk and comparing outcome events observed in the cohort during these periods with those experienced by the same cohort during an adequate reference period. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Delay of coupling caused by excess additives
Authors: Nozaki Sukekatsu 
Published: June 2005

AbstractUse of excess quantity of additives such as 1‐hydroxybenzotriazole, 1‐hydroxy‐7‐azabenzotriazole, or 3,4‐dihydro‐3‐hydroxy‐4‐oxo‐1,2,3‐benzotriazine could retard carbodiimide‐mediated peptide coupling or aminolysis of the active esters in organic solvents generally employed in peptide chemistry. Solubility test and infrared spectroscopic data suggested that the amine components interacted with the additives to form some aggregates, which were less reactive toward acylation. The use of 0.1 equimolar additives against carboxyl components or carbodiimides was advantageous for rapid and efficient coupling reaction, especially when the carboxyl components were amino acids carrying urethane type N‐protecting groups. Copyright © 2005 European Peptide Society and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A theoretical study of pentacyclo‐undecane cage peptides of the type [Ac‐X‐Y‐NHMe]
Authors: Bisetty Krishna , Corcho Francesc J. , Canto Josep , Kruger Hendrik G. , Perez Juan J. 
Published: June 2005

AbstractThe conformational preferences of peptides of the type, Ac‐X‐Y‐NHMe, where X and Y = Ala, cage and Pro, were studied by means of computational techniques within the framework of a molecular mechanics approach. For each of the eight peptide analogues, extensive conformational searches were carried out using molecular dynamics (MD) and simulated annealing (SA) protocols in an iterative fashion. Both results are in good agreement and complement each other. The conformational search indicates that the cage residue restricts the conformational freedom of the dipeptide considerably in comparison with the other model residues used. This study revealed that proline exhibits a greater tendency in promoting reverse‐turn characteristics in comparison to the cage peptides, which show promising β‐turn characteristics. It was also found that 300–500 K is not sufficient to overcome rotational barriers for cage peptides. In all cases, the low‐energy conformers have a tendency to form bent structures. Copyright © 2005 European Peptide Society and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A multi‐Debye relaxation model for relaxor ferroelectrics showing diffuse phase transition
Authors: Peláiz‐Barranco A. , García‐Zaldívar O. , Calderón‐Piñar F. , López‐Noda R. , Fuentes Betancourt J. 
Published: June 2005

AbstractThe relaxor ferroelectrics showing diffuse phase transition (DPT) are promising materials for multilayer ceramic capacitors because of their high dielectric permittivity in the vicinity of the so called DPT. This physical parameter is also important in the fine piezoelectric, pyroelectric and electro optic performance of relaxor ferroelectrics. The dielectric behavior of these materials shows that the ferroelectric–paraelectric transition is diffuse. Also, there is a frequency dispersion of the real and imaginary parts of the dielectric permittivity and a deviation from the Curie–Weiss law. Many models have been developed to explain this phenomenon, but the exact mechanism associated to this dielectric behavior has not been established yet. This paper presents an analysis of the dielectric behavior in PLZT ferroelectric ceramics by using a new multi‐Debye relaxation model, which does not make assumptions that involve the microstructure or possible correlation mechanisms. (© 2005 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Few particles correlation in a one‐dimensional quasiperiodic lattice
Authors: Suárez J. R. , Vallejo E. , Carvajal E. , Navarro O. 
Published: June 2005

AbstractDuring the last two decades, two of the most important discoveries in condensed matter physics have been the discovery of quasicrystals and the discovery of high‐Tc ceramic superconductors. These topics have generated a large number of experimental and theoretical studies in the physics of low dimension. They have also modified some of the concepts in solid state physics. For instance, it was believed that the five‐fold symmetry was incompatible with a long‐range order and it was not expected that ceramic materials with a high‐Tc and a short coherence length exhibit superconductivity. Therefore, it is important to revise both the spatial symmetry and the electronic correlation to identify how they affect the physical properties of materials. The study of these subjects is complex since we cannot use the reciprocal space to study quasicrystals and the electronic correlation in many‐body systems has not entirely been solved. Even in one‐dimensional quasiperiodic structures, the interactions between electrons have often been neglected and only few results have been obtained. In this work, we solved the cases of two and three interacting particles in a Fibonacci lattice using a real‐space method, the Green function technique, the renormalized perturbation expansion method and the Hubbard model. For the case of two interacting particles an analytical solution for the pairing phase diagram was obtained using the extended Hubbard Hamiltonian. For the case of three interacting particles the binding energy was numerically calculated. The results present here are compared with those obtained for the periodic and binary lattices. (© 2005 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Nanostructured Y0.5Pr0.5Co5 powders produced by high energy mechanical milling
Authors: Sánchez J. L. , Sánchez Valdés C. F. , Torres‐Moye E. , Villa C. A. 
Published: June 2005

AbstractHighly coercive isotropic nanostructured powders based on alloys with the starting composition Y0.5Pr0.5Co5 were obtained by high energy mechanical milling of as‐cast alloys during 4 hours followed by annealing in high vacuum at 1073 K for 1 minute. X‐ray diffraction analysis, transmission electron microscopy observations and magnetic measurements show that a single phase with CaCu5‐type structure (a = 0.4935 nm, c = 0.4038 nm), showing a fine very uniform microstructure with an average grain size of 9.2 nm, room temperature intrinsic coercivity of 1.09 MA/m and remanence ratio of 0.68, is obtained in annealed powders. (© 2005 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Ab‐initio study of excitonic effects in conventional and organic semiconductors
Authors: Hummer K. , Ambrosch‐Draxl C. , Bussi G. , Ruini A. , Caldas M. J. , Molinari E. , Laskowski R. , Christensen N. E. 
Published: June 2005

AbstractThe excitonic effects on the optical absorption properties of organic semiconductors as well as gallium nitride are studied from first‐principles. The Coulomb interaction between the electron and the hole is accounted for by solving the two‐particle Bethe–Salpeter Equation. In the organic semiconductors the exciton binding energies strongly depend on the molecular size, the crystalline packing, as well as the polarization direction of the incoming light. We show that the electron–hole interaction can lead to strongly bound excitons with binding energies of the order of 1 eV or to a mere redistribution of oscillator strength. In several cases, the screening is efficient enough such that free charge carriers govern the optical absorption process. In the inorganic counterparts the sensitivity of the exciton binding energy is tested against the structural parameters and the screening of the electron–hole Coulomb interaction. (© 2005 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Development of a useful technique for analyzing behavioral teratologic data
Authors: Jensh R. P. , Brent R. L. 
Published: June 2005

AbstractTwo measures of postnatal development are described in this paper: the PAC50 and AD50. These measures proved to be more sensitive than the use of means in the evaluation of three radiation studies involving postnatal developmental evaluation. PAC50 is the percent of achievement of a goal by litters or offspring in an experimental group at the age when 50% of the control litters or offspring in each group attain that goal. AD50 is the age (acquisition day) at which 50% of the litters or offspring in each group attain a specified developmental goal. This methodology is a useful technique for analyzing selected behavioral data following in utero X‐irradiation and may prove to be a sensitive means of determining postnatal alteration due to prenatal exposure to a variety of suspect agents.
Lack of lead effects on fetal development and offspring learning when combined with alcohol in the long‐evans rat
Authors: Zajac C. S. , Abel E. L. 
Published: June 2005

AbstractTwo studies were conducted to evaluate the interactive effects of alcohol and lead during pregnancy in rats. Our purpose was to see if lead, as lead acetate, would influence the alcohol effect already known to exist. In the first study, pregnant Long‐Evans rats received lead (as lead acetate), alcohol (20% w/v), or lead plus alcohol once a day on gestation days (GD) 10–20. On GD 20, when animals were sacrificed, mean blood alcohol levels were consistently higher for the lead‐plus‐alcohol‐dosed groups compared to alcohol alone, but these two groups did not differ in maternal weight gain, percent resorptions, litter size, or fetal weight. Mean blood lead levels were not consistently higher in the lead‐plus‐alcohol groups compared to lead only, but the lead‐plus‐alcohol groups differed significantly from the lead‐only groups at higher doses in the previously mentioned parameters. The lead‐only groups did not differ from vehicle controls in any parameter in spite of blood lead levels as high as 300 μg/dl.In the second experiment, animals given a combination of alcohol and lead did not differ in activity, passive avoidance, or active avoidance learning compared to animals given alcohol or lead alone: Animals given lead only or the combination of lead plus alcohol had longer first trial latencies in the passive avoidance test.The data indicate that neither lead nor alcohol attenuates or potentiates each other's effects on reproduction or learning behavior in the Long‐Evans rat even at high blood lead levels.
Inhibitory effects of cobalt chloride and cinnamaldehyde on 5‐azacytidine‐induced digital malformations in rats
Authors: Kurishita Akihiro , Ihara Toshio 
Published: June 2005

AbstractThe effect of two DNA repair inhibitors in bacteria, cobalt chloride and cinnamaldehyde, on 5‐azacytidine (5‐AC)‐induced digital malformations was studied. Both agents inhibited the induced digital malformations. The effect of cobalt chloride was significant 3 hr before to 1 hr after the 5‐AC treatment, and the effect of cinnamaldehyde was significant 3 hr before to 24 hr after the treatment. However, an increase in fetal mortality was observed with the latter agent. The mechanisms underlying the suppressive effects of both agents may be different, but their natures require elucidation.
Ectopia cordis in the chick embryo heart: An experimental study
Authors: Jaffee Oscar C. , Jaffee Andrew L. 
Published: June 2005

AbstractEctopia cordis was observed during a study on the effects of a calcium antagonist (verapamil) on chicken embryo heart development. Experimental procedures, carried out at 60 hours of incubation, included placement of windows in eggs, injection of verapamil or saline, and the removal of ovalbumen from eggs. Fluid removal caused a downward displacement of the embryo and helped separate the embryo and its membranes from the shell membranes. Ectopia cordis was only observed in experiments involving fluid removal. One exception, the appearance of one ectopic heart in a window‐only experiment (no fluid removed), remains unexplained. The movements of fluids, brought about by the withdrawal of ovalbumen from eggs, and the subsequent effects of such movements on the positioning of embryos seemed to be the most important factor in the genesis of ectopia cordis. Also observed in fluid removal experiments were asymmetric circulations, abnormal embryonic flexion, and several embryos whose positions were rotated. These abnormalities were probably related to fluid removal and/or ectopia cordis.
Protein alterations associated with N‐methyl‐N‐nitrosourea exposure of preimplantation mouse embryos transferred to surrogate mothers
Authors: Bossert Nancy L. , Hitselberger M. Helen , Iannaccone Philip M. 
Published: June 2005

AbstractMouse preimplantation embryo functions have been shown to be disrupted by in vitro exposure to N‐methyl‐N‐nitrosourea (MNU) with subsequent transfer to the uteri of pseudopregnant surrogate mothers. Increased gross malformations and decreased fetal body lengths in the midgestational period have been previously documented. Protein extracts were isolated from day 12 mouse fetuses developed from MNU‐ or solvent‐exposed blastocysts and analyzed by two‐dimensional electrophoresis. The electrophoretic patterns reveal six protein alterations in day 12 fetal tissue induced by MNU treatment at the blastocyst stage. Five of these alterations involve shifts in isoelectric point (pI) and the other alteration involves a quantitative increase in a protein. The possibility that two of the proteins which exhibit a shift in pI following MNU exposure represent the cell adhesion molecules, N‐CAM and L‐CAM (based on similar Mr values), was investigated by Western blot analysis. No pI alteration in L‐CAM or N‐CAM expression is seen after MNU exposure. These results demonstrate that in vitro MNU exposure of preimplantation embryos results in protein alterations in midgestational fetuses. Thus, the effects of MNU exposure on preimplantation embryos may be manifest long after exposure, and subtle, non‐lethal mutations may play a role in poor fetal outcome after early chemical exposure.
Facilitating Family Communication About Predictive Genetic Testing: Probands’ Perceptions
Authors: Gaff Clara L. , Collins Veronica , Symes Tiffany , Halliday Jane 
Published: June 2005

AbstractThe responsibility of informing relatives that predictive genetic testing is available often falls to the proband. Support is required during this process, however the perceived utility of genetic counseling and other strategies to facilitate communication have not been explored. We investigated the experiences of 12 individuals with hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC) in a semistructured telephone interview. Respondents informed their immediate family about the availability of genetic testing, however many more‐distant relatives were not directly informed. Respondents were mostly satisfied with the way they told family members about testing and had mixed views about the usefulness of genetic counseling. Gender differences were observed, with most men expressing a need for guidance or support in communicating to relatives. Letters and booklets were thought to enhance the quality of information but the provision of further aids is unlikely to increase the number of relatives made aware of predictive testing by the proband.
Experiences of Prenatal Diagnosis of Spina Bifida or Hydrocephalus in Parents Who Decide to Continue with Their Pregnancy
Authors: Chaplin Julie , Schweitzer Robert , Perkoulidis Shelley 
Published: June 2005

AbstractThe current study aimed to gain an understanding of the perspectives of those parents provided with a prenatal diagnosis of spina bifida or hydrocephalus and who decided to continue with their pregnancy. Qualitative interviews were conducted with 15 parents who learned of their unborn child's spina bifida and/or hydrocephalus in the prenatal period. The interviewer asked parents about their experiences of receiving a prenatal diagnosis and their experience of coping throughout the remainder of the antenatal period. Parents’ reactions and experiences fell into five domains: response to diagnosis, experience of medical systems, information gathering, decision‐making regarding continuation of the pregnancy following diagnosis and responses of significant others. Each of these domains is explicated. The findings derived from the current study have implications for professionals who provide support to parents during the prenatal period. Future research needs to further explore the common and unique issues for parents living in both urban and rural areas.
Therapeutic targeting of CCR1 attenuates established chronic fungal asthma in mice
Authors: Carpenter Kristin J , Ewing Jillian L , Schuh Jane M , Ness Traci L , Kunkel Steven L , Aparici Monica , Miralpeix Montserrat , Hogaboam Cory M 
Published: June 2005

CC chemokine receptor 1 (CCR1) represents a promising target in chronic airway inflammation and remodeling due to fungus‐associated allergic asthma.
The present study addressed the therapeutic effect of a nonpeptide CCR1 antagonist, BX‐471, in a model of chronic fungal asthma induced by Aspergillus fumigatus conidia.
BX‐471 treatment of isolated macrophages inhibited CCL22 and TNF‐α and promoted IL‐10 release. BX‐471 also increased toll like receptor‐9 (TLR9) and decreased TLR2 and TLR6 expression in these cells.
When administered daily by intraperitoneal injection, from days 15 to 30 after the initiation of chronic fungal asthma, BX‐471 (3, 10, or 30 mg kg−1) dose‐dependently reduced airway inflammation, hyper‐responsiveness, and remodeling at day 30 after conidia challenge. The maximal therapeutic effect was observed at the 10 mg kg−1 dose.
In summary, the therapeutic administration of BX‐471 significantly attenuated experimental fungal asthma via its effects on both innate and adaptive immune processes.

British Journal of Pharmacology (2005) 145, 1160–1172. doi:10.1038/sj.bjp.0706243
4‐Amino‐5‐benzoyl‐2‐(4‐methoxyphenylamino)thiazole (DAT1): a cytotoxic agent towards cancer cells and a probe for tubulin‐microtubule system
Authors: Sengupta Suparna , Smitha Sasidharan L , Thomas Nisha E , Santhoshkumar Thankaiyyan R , Devi Satyabhama K C , Sreejalekshmi Kumaran G , Rajasekharan Kallikat N 
Published: June 2005

Microtubule binding drugs are of special interest as they have important roles in the modulation of cellular functions and many of them act as anticancer agents. 4‐Amino‐5‐benzoyl‐2‐(4‐methoxyphenylamino)thiazole (DAT1) was identified as one of the active compounds from a series of diaminoketothiazoles in a cell‐based screening assay to discover cytotoxic compounds.
DAT1 shows cytotoxicity with GI50 values ranging from 0.05 to 1 μM in different malignant cell lines with an average value of 0.35 μM. It blocks mitosis in the prometaphase and metaphase stages. In HeLa cells, DAT1 blocks the spindle function by disturbing spindle microtubule and chromosome organization.
The drug also inhibits assembly of brain microtubules and binds tubulin specifically at a single site with induction of fluorescence. The dissociation constant of DAT1 binding to tubulin was determined as 2.9±1 μM at 24°C. The binding site of DAT1 on tubulin overlaps with that of the conventional colchicine‐binding site.
DAT1 can thus be considered as a lead compound of a new class of small molecules and this study can be used as a step to develop potent antimitotic agents for the control of cytoskeletal functions and cell proliferation. It would also be an interesting probe for the structure–function studies of tubulin–microtubule system.

British Journal of Pharmacology (2005) 145, 1076–1083. doi:10.1038/sj.bjp.0706276; published online 13 June 2005
APT070 (Mirococept), a membrane‐localised complement inhibitor, inhibits inflammatory responses that follow intestinal ischaemia and reperfusion injury
Authors: Souza Danielle G , Esser Dirk , Bradford Roberta , Vieira Angélica T , Teixeira Mauro M 
Published: June 2005

Activation of the complement system has been shown to play a major role in the mediation of reperfusion injury. Here, we assessed the effects of APT070 (Mirococept), a novel membrane‐localised complement inhibitor based on a recombinant fragment of soluble CR1, on the local, remote and systemic injuries following intestinal ischaemia and reperfusion (I/R) in the rat.
In a model of mild I/R injury (30 min of ischaemia and 30 min of reperfusion), APT070 dose‐dependently (1–10 mg kg−1) inhibited the increase in vascular permeability of and neutrophil influx into intestine and lungs. Maximal inhibition occurred at 10 mg kg−1.
Following severe I/R injury (120 min of ischaemia and 120 min of reperfusion), APT070 (10 mg kg−1) markedly prevented neutrophil influx and the increase in vascular permeability both in the intestine and the lungs.
APT070 also effectively suppressed the increase of tissue (intestine and lungs) and serum concentrations of TNF‐α and IL‐6, but not those of IL‐1β or IL‐10. There was no significant reduction of mortality in the APT070 group.
In conclusion, treatment with the membrane‐targeted complement inhibitor APT070 significantly reduced the hyperinflammatory response after mild and severe ischaemia and reperfusion injury (I/RI) in rats. APT070 may be effective in therapeutic indications involving gut I/RI.

British Journal of Pharmacology (2005) 145, 1027–1034. doi:10.1038/sj.bjp.0706286; published online 13 June 2005
Amiloride protects against pentylenetetrazole‐induced kindling in mice
Authors: Ali Atif , Ahmad Farhan Jalees , Pillai Krishna Kolappa , Vohora Divya 
Published: June 2005

This study was performed to investigate whether or not amiloride, a sodium–hydrogen exchanger (NHE) inhibitor, can protect against seizure development of pentylenetetrazole (PTZ)‐induced kindling in mice.
Kindling was induced by once every 2 days treatment with PTZ (25 mg kg−1 i.p.) for 5 weeks. Challenge experiments were carried out after 15 or 30 days of last treatment with PTZ.
Administration of amiloride (2 h before PTZ, in doses of 0.65 and 1.3 mg kg−1, p.o.) significantly prolonged the onset of kindling and reduced the incidence and severity of seizures in a dose‐dependent manner. The effect of amiloride on the incidence of PTZ‐induced seizures was evident even after 15 or 30 days of last treatment.
The results indicate a protective role for amiloride against PTZ‐induced kindling in mice. The possibility of mediation of such effects by NHE inhibition is discussed.

British Journal of Pharmacology (2005) 145, 880–884. doi:10.1038/sj.bjp.0706291