bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Punica granatum(Pomegranate) juice provides an HIV-1 entry inhibitor and candidate topical microbicide
Authors: Neurath A Robert , Strick Nathan , Li Yun-Yao , Debnath Asim K 
Published: October 2004

Abstract
Background
For ≈ 24 years the AIDS pandemic has claimed ≈ 30 million lives, causing ≈ 14,000 new HIV-1 infections daily worldwide in 2003. About 80% of infections occur by heterosexual transmission. In the absence of vaccines, topical microbicides, expected to block virus transmission, offer hope for controlling the pandemic. Antiretroviral chemotherapeutics have decreased AIDS mortality in industrialized countries, but only minimally in developing countries. To prevent an analogous dichotomy, microbicides should be: acceptable; accessible; affordable; and accelerative in transition from development to marketing. Already marketed pharmaceutical excipients or foods, with established safety records and adequate anti-HIV-1 activity, may provide this option.

Methods
Fruit juices were screened for inhibitory activity against HIV-1 IIIB using CD4 and CXCR4 as cell receptors. The best juice was tested for inhibition of: (1) infection by HIV-1 BaL, utilizing CCR5 as the cellular coreceptor; and (2) binding of gp120 IIIB and gp120 BaL, respectively, to CXCR4 and CCR5. To remove most colored juice components, the adsorption of the effective ingredient(s) to dispersible excipients and other foods was investigated. A selected complex was assayed for inhibition of infection by primary HIV-1 isolates.

Results
HIV-1 entry inhibitors from pomegranate juice adsorb onto corn starch. The resulting complex blocks virus binding to CD4 and CXCR4/CCR5 and inhibits infection by primary virus clades A to G and group O.

Conclusion
These results suggest the possibility of producing an anti-HIV-1 microbicide from inexpensive, widely available sources, whose safety has been established throughout centuries, provided that its quality is adequately standardized and monitored.
A high prevalence of cumulative trauma disorders in Iranian instrumentalists
Authors: Sadeghi Shahram , Kazemi Behrooz , Shooshtari Seyed Mostafa Jazayeri , Bidari Ali , Jafari Peyman 
Published: October 2004

Abstract
Background
Cumulative trauma disorders (CTDs) are common in musicians and their prevalence has been the subject of a number of studies in most western countries. Such studies are scarce in developing countries despite the possibility that CTDs may have a different prevalence in these countries, especially when considering traditional musical instruments and different methods of playing. Although not formally studied before, according to our experience the prevalence of CTDs seemed to be high among Iranian instrumentalists.
We proposed this study to determine the prevalence of CTDs in amateur music students playing one of the two traditional Iranian instruments: Daf and Setar.

Methods
In a prospective cross sectional study, we interviewed and examined the students of three music training centers in Iran. Seventy eight instrumentalists, who were playing Daf or Setar and twelve students who had not started playing yet were regarded as case and control groups respectively. Some of them also underwent electrodiagnostic studies.

Results
Forty-seven percent (17 of 36) of the Setar players and 57% (24 of 42) of the Daf players and fifty-three percent (41 of 78) of the instrumentalists as a whole had CTDs. None of them had carpal tunnel syndrome.

Conclusions
Our study revealed that the prevalence of CTDs in Iranian instrumentalists was unusually high. In addition to age, other variables may be contributory. This needs to be further studied.
Nutrition and cancer: A review of the evidence for an anti-cancer diet
Authors: Donaldson Michael S 
Published: October 2004

AbstractIt has been estimated that 30–40 percent of all cancers can be prevented by lifestyle and dietary measures alone. Obesity, nutrient sparse foods such as concentrated sugars and refined flour products that contribute to impaired glucose metabolism (which leads to diabetes), low fiber intake, consumption of red meat, and imbalance of omega 3 and omega 6 fats all contribute to excess cancer risk. Intake of flax seed, especially its lignan fraction, and abundant portions of fruits and vegetables will lower cancer risk. Allium and cruciferous vegetables are especially beneficial, with broccoli sprouts being the densest source of sulforophane. Protective elements in a cancer prevention diet include selenium, folic acid, vitamin B-12, vitamin D, chlorophyll, and antioxidants such as the carotenoids (α-carotene, β-carotene, lycopene, lutein, cryptoxanthin). Ascorbic acid has limited benefits orally, but could be very beneficial intravenously. Supplementary use of oral digestive enzymes and probiotics also has merit as anticancer dietary measures. When a diet is compiled according to the guidelines here it is likely that there would be at least a 60–70 percent decrease in breast, colorectal, and prostate cancers, and even a 40–50 percent decrease in lung cancer, along with similar reductions in cancers at other sites. Such a diet would be conducive to preventing cancer and would favor recovery from cancer as well.
Early detection of Pseudomonas aeruginosa – comparison of conventional versus molecular (PCR) detection directly from adult patients with cystic fibrosis (CF)
Authors: Xu Jiru , Moore John E , Murphy Philip G , Millar B Cherie , Elborn J Stuart 
Published: October 2004

Abstract
Background
Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) is the most important bacterial pathogen in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. Currently, routine bacteriological culture on selective/non- selective culture media is the cornerstone of microbiological detection. The aim of this study was to compare isolation rates of PA by conventional culture and molecular (PCR) detection directly from sputum.

Methods
Adult patients (n = 57) attending the regional adult CF centre in Northern Ireland, provided fresh sputum following airways clearance exercise. Following processing of the specimen with sputasol (1:1 vol), the specimen was examined for the presence of PA by plating onto a combination of culture media (Pseudomonas isolation agar, Blood agar & McConkey agar). In addition, from the same specimen, genomic bacterial DNA was extracted (1 ml) and was amplified employing two sequence-specific targets, namely (i) the outer membrane protein (opr L) gene locus and (ii) the exotoxin A (ETA) gene locus.

Results
By sputum culture, there were 30 patients positive for PA, whereas by molecular techniques, there were 35 positive patients. In 39 patients (22 PA +ve & 17 PA -ve), there was complete agreement between molecular and conventional detection and with both PCR gene loci. The opr L locus was more sensitive than the ETA locus, as the former was positive in 10 more patients and there were no patients where the ETA was positive and the opr L target negative. Where a PCR +ve/culture -ve result was recorded (10 patients), we followed these patients and recorded that 5 of these patients converted to being culture-positive at times ranging from 4–17 months later, with a mean lag time of 4.5 months.

Conclusions
This study indicates that molecular detection of PA in sputum employing the opr L gene target, is a useful technique in the early detection of PA, gaining on average 4.5 months over conventional culture. It now remains to be established whether aggressive antibiotic intervention at this earlier stage, based on PCR detection, has any significant benefits on clinical outcome.
Sparse graphical Gaussian modeling of the isoprenoid gene network in Arabidopsis thaliana
Authors: Wille Anja , Zimmermann Philip , Vranová Eva , Fürholz Andreas , Laule Oliver , Bleuler Stefan , Hennig Lars , Prelić Amela , von Rohr Peter , Thiele Lothar , Zitzler Eckart , Gruissem Wilhelm , Bühlmann Peter 
Published: October 2004

AbstractWe present a novel graphical Gaussian modeling approach for reverse engineering of genetic regulatory networks with many genes and few observations. When applying our approach to infer a gene network for isoprenoid biosynthesis in Arabidopsis thaliana, we detect modules of closely connected genes and candidate genes for possible cross-talk between the isoprenoid pathways. Genes of downstream pathways also fit well into the network. We evaluate our approach in a simulation study and using the yeast galactose network.
Human Vγ9/Vδ2 effector memory T cells express the killer cell lectin-like receptor G1 (KLRG1)
Authors: Eberl Matthias , Engel Rosel , Aberle Silke , Fisch Paul , Jomaa Hassan , Pircher Hanspeter 
Published: October 2004

AbstractThe killer cell lectin-like receptor G1 (KLRG1) is expressed in natural killer (NK) cells and effector memory αβ T cells. γδ T cells represent an unconventional lymphocyte population that shares characteristics of NK cells and T cells and links innate and adaptive immunity. Vγ9/Vδ2 T cells comprise the majority of peripheral human γδ T cells and respond to the microbial metabolite (E)-4-hydroxy-3-methyl-but-2-enyl pyrophosphate (HMB-PP). Here, we demonstrate that KLRG1 is expressed in a significant proportion of Vγ9/Vδ2 T cells in cord blood and in the majority of peripheral Vγ9/Vδ2 T cells from adult donors. KLRG1+ Vγ9/Vδ2 T cells displayed an effector memory phenotype, as KLRG1 was expressed mainly in Vγ9/Vδ2 T cells lacking CD27, CD45RA, CD62L, and CC chemokine receptor 7 (CCR7). Unlike αβ T cells, where possession of KLRG1 identified effector memory cells with impaired proliferative capacity, KLRG1+ Vγ9/Vδ2 T cells were able to proliferate vigorously upon stimulation with HMB-PP in the presence of interleukin-2. Moreover, KLRG1 ligation on Vγ9/Vδ2 T cells by antibodies did not inhibit HMB-PP-induced proliferation and cytokine production nor cytolysis of Daudi cells.
T cell contact-mediated activation of respiratory burst in human polymorphonuclear leukocytes is inhibited by high-density lipoproteins and involves CD18
Authors: Cettour-Rose Philippe , Nguyen Thi Xuan Khanh , Serrander Lena , Kaufmann Marie-Thérèse , Dayer Jean-Michel , Burger Danielle , Roux-Lombard Pascale 
Published: October 2004

AbstractPolymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN) are recruited to sites of inflammation, where they are in close vicinity with other immune cell types. The present study demonstrates that direct cell–cell contact with stimulated T cells activates PMN respiratory burst. To discard interferences with soluble products, membranes isolated from human T lymphocytes (msT) or the monocytic cell line HUT-78 (msHUT) were used to mimic cellular contact. msT and msHUT induced a dose-dependent production of radical oxygen species (ROS) in PMN, as detected by chemiluminescence. Similar results were obtained with fixed, stimulated T cells, confirming that ROS production was a result of cell-surface molecules and not to soluble products of T cells. ROS production was mainly intracellular, suggesting that ROS may take part in intracellular processes. High-density lipoproteins (HDL), which had previously been shown to inhibit T cell contact-induced cytokine production in monocyte-macrophages, potently reduced ROS production induced in PMN upon contact with stimulated T cells. This supports the emerging role of HDL as immunomodulators in inflammatory diseases. Furthermore, monoclonal antibodies to CD18 inhibited 60% of the PMN respiratory burst induced by msT, suggesting that CD18 contributed to PMN activation. The present results emphasize the importance of direct cell–cell contact with stimulated T cells in inflammatory processes.
Bisphenol-A, an Environmental Contaminant that Acts as a Thyroid Hormone Receptor Antagonist in Vitro, Increases Serum Thyroxine, and Alters RC3/Neurogranin Expression in the Developing Rat Brain
Authors: Zoeller R. Thomas , Bansal Ruby , Parris Colleen 
Published: October 2004

Abstract
Considering the importance of thyroid hormone (TH) in brain development, it is of potential concern that a wide variety of environmental chemicals can interfere with thyroid function or, perhaps of greater concern, with TH action at its receptor (TR). Recently bisphenol-A (BPA, 4,4′ isopropylidenediphenol) was reported to bind to the rat TR and act as an antagonist in vitro. BPA is a high production volume chemical, with more than 800 million kg of BPA produced annually in the United States alone. It is detectable in serum of pregnant women and cord serum taken at birth; is 5-fold higher in amniotic fluid at 15–18 wk gestation, compared with maternal serum; and was found in concentrations of up to 100 ng/g in placenta. Thus, the human population is widely exposed to BPA and it appears to accumulate in the fetus. We now report that dietary exposure to BPA of Sprague Dawley rats during pregnancy and lactation causes an increase in serum total T4 in pups on postnatal d 15, but serum TSH was not different from controls. The expression of the TH-responsive gene RC3/neurogranin, measured by in situ hybridization, was significantly up-regulated by BPA in the dentate gyrus. These findings suggest that BPA acts as a TH antagonist on the β-TR, which mediates the negative feedback effect of TH on the pituitary gland, but that BPA is less effective at antagonizing TH on the α-TR, leaving TRα-mediated events to respond to elevated T4.
An innovative methodology to improve the design and the performance of direct injection diesel engines
Authors: de Risi A , Donateo T , Laforgia D 
Published: October 2004

The present investigation aims at defining a new methodology to analyse the effect of combustion chamber shape and injection strategy on diesel engine emissions and to find an optimized configuration to reduce NOx, soot and HC without significantly decreasing engine performance. This was achieved by using a multistep optimization process based on genetic algorithms. The first step was related to the optimization of combustion chamber shape for a fixed injection strategy. The optimization was firstly performed with respect to a single-pulse injection strategy and a six-hole injector design. Then the process was repeated for an innovative injection strategy characterized by the injection of a relevant quantity of fuel far from top dead centre (large early injection) and a seven-hole injector. The combustion chamber shape was defined according to five geometric parameters, whose ranges of variation were very wide. For all the investigated configurations, the bowl volume and squish-bowl volume ratio were kept constant so that the compression ratio was the same for all the investigated chambers. The spray injection angle was also considered as a variable parameter. The optimization was simultaneously performed for different engine operating conditions, i.e. load and speed values, weighted according to their occurrence in the European Driving Test. From the results of this step, an optimized chamber configuration was selected and, at the same time, the effect of each geometric characteristic on NOx and soot emissions was underlined. In the second step, the combustion chamber shape was kept constant and the optimization process was aimed at identifying an optimized injection strategy for a fixed engine operating mode. Injection pressure, pilot and main advances and pilot energizing time were considered as input for the second step of the optimization process. The numerical tools used in the investigation include a modified version of the KIVA-3V code and a multiobjective genetic algorithm. The code capability to simulate engine performance was assessed by comparing numerical results with experimental data available for the baseline engine configuration. Three fitness functions were defined according to engine emission levels (soot, NOx and HC) and a penalty function was used to account for engine performance and fuel consumption.
Measuring Factors Underlying Intendedness Of Women's First and Later Pregnancies
Authors: Speizer Ilene S. , Santelli John S. , Afable‐Munsuz Aimee , Kendall Carl 
Published: October 2004

CONTEXT: Unintended pregnancy is associated with poor health outcomes for mothers and infants, and is indicative of gaps in family planning services. Conventional measures of pregnancy intendedness do not reflect the multiple factors affecting a woman's pregnancy‐related intentions and attitudesMETHODS: Data collected between March 2002 and February 2003 from 701 women in a public family planning clinic and 671 women in a public prenatal clinic in New Orleans were analyzed to examine factors underlying intendedness (including attitudes toward pregnancy and motivations to achieve or avoid pregnancy)RESULTS: In factor analyses, variables measuring pregnancy intendedness were represented by a single latent factor, pregnancy desirability. For first pregnancy, variables that best captured desirability were those measuring happiness, effort in achieving the pregnancy, extent of looking forward to telling friends, whether the pregnancy was intended (i.e., came at the right time or later), and whether the woman wanted to have a baby with her partner. For last or current pregnancies that were second or higher order ones, they were happiness, pregnancy wantedness, effort in achieving the pregnancy, whether the pregnancy was planned and whether the woman wanted to have a baby with her partner. Among women younger than 18 at first pregnancy, happiness and whether a woman wanted a baby with her partner were the only items that captured pregnancy desirabilityCONCLUSIONS Future surveys on pregnancy intendedness could reduce the number of questions used to capture pregnancy desirability. This should help standardize surveillance systems and permit better assessment of trends in pregnancy desirability over time
Operomics: Molecular Analysis of Tissues from DNA to RNA to Protein
Authors: Hanash Samir M. 
Published: October 2004

AbstractThe identification of coding sequences in a number of species, including human in the near future, has ushered in the post-genome era. In this era, technologies are becoming available that allow the profiling of tissues and cell populations at the genomic, transcriptomic and proteomic levels. The molecular analysis of tissues at all three levels has been referred to as operomics. This review covers some basic technologies for operomics and their application to some lymphoid disorders. It is proposed that no one type of analysis is fully informative and that information that can be derived from the different compartments encompassed in operomics is complementary. Prospects for introducing such profiling technologies into the clinical laboratory will depend on their robustness, their user friendliness and the clinical relevance of the added information they provide, which cannot be captured through other technologies in use in the clinical laboratory.
Idiosyncratic Reactions to Drugs: Can Medicine Response Profiles Provide a Dynamic Drug Surveillance System?
Authors: Roses Allen D. 
Published: October 2004

Abstract
Over the next few years it will be possible to use advances
in single nucleotide polymorphism map technology
to correlate information from patients' DNA
with their response to medicines. This provides significant
opportunities to enhance current drug surveillance
systems by collecting data that would enable
rare serious adverse events to be predicted in subsequent
patients before the medicine is prescribed. Reasonable
discussion regarding perceived or real barriers
to this surveillance concept is required to realize the
significant patient benefits which will accrue from this
system.
Familial Studies on the Genetics of Cardiovascular Diseases: the Stanislas Cohort
Authors: Visvikis Sophie , Sass Catherine , Pallaud Celine , Grow Michael A. , Zannad Faiez , Siest Gérard , Erlich Henry A. , Cheng Suzanne 
Published: October 2004

Abstract
In a given individual, the level of cardiovascular risk results
from the combination of and interactions between
genetic and environmental components. We
choose to investigate segregation analysis of intermediate
phenotypes in healthy nuclear families, belonging
to the Stanislas cohort, a large familial cohort
composed of 1006 families, which will be followed for
10 years. We developed a panel of 35 genetic markers
including genes involved in lipid metabolism, regulation
of blood pressure, thrombosis, platelet function,
and endothelial cell adhesion. The allele frequencies of
the studied polymorphisms were in agreement with
those reported in other Caucasian populations. As an
example of segregation analysis, we investigated
carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) variability in a
subset sample of the Stanislas cohort. We found that
about 30% of CIMT variability was attributable to genetic
factors. Associations between CIMT and polymorphisms
in apo CIII, cholesteryl ester transfer protein,
methylene tetrahydrofolate reductase, and
fibrinogen genes were observed and explained about
20% of CIMT variability in men. Furthermore, as another
example of association studies, we investigated
the relations between E-selectin polymorphisms and
blood pressure interindividual variability and longitudinal
changes in unrelated adults of this familial population.
The E-selectin Phe554 allele was found associated
with lower systolic blood pressure and diastolic
blood pressure.
Quantitative PCR
Authors: Jung Roman , Soondrum Krishna , Neumaier Michael 
Published: October 2004

Abstract
The classic molecular biology methods like Northern
or Southern blot analyse non-amplified DNA or RNA,
but need large amounts of nucleic acids, in many instances
from tissues or cells that are heterogeneous.
In contrast, polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based
techniques allow us to obtain genetic information
through the specific amplification of nucleic acid sequences
starting with a very low number of target
copies. These reactions are characterized by a logarithmic
amplification of the target sequences i.e. increase
of PCR copies followed by a plateau phase
showing a rapid decrease to zero of copy number increment
per cycle. Accordingly, the amount of specific
DNA product at the end of the PCR run bears no correlation
to the number of target copies present in the
original specimen. However, many applications in
medicine or research require quantification of the
number of specific targets in the specimen. This has
generated a rapidly increasing need for the development
of quantitative PCR techniques. Prominent examples
are the determination of viral load in blood
specimens for the diagnosis of HIV or HCV infections,
the determination of changes in gene dosage through
amplification or deletion e.g. of MDR-1, erb-B2, c-myc
or the loss of heterozygosity in general. Finally, the
analysis of gene expression on the mRNA level does
require quantitative approaches to reverse transcriptase
PCR, e.g. for studies in morphogenesis or the profiling
of cancer cells. Recent advances in technology allow
detection of the increment per cycle of a
specifically generated PCR product in “real-time
mode”. Together with the new powerful methods to
dissect heterogeneous tissues or fractionate bodily
fluids, this now sets the stage for a detailed analysis
not only of the genes and genetic changes within a single
cell, but also of the use such cell makes of its genes
e.g. in pharmacogenomics. Examples of recent developments
of the technology and their applications will
be given.