bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Predictions of soil water and crop growth dynamics using the agroecosystem models THESEUS and OPUS
Authors: Wegehenkel Martin , Mirschel Wilfried , Wenkel Karl‐Otto 
Published: November 2004

AbstractThe agroecosystem models THESEUS and OPUS were tested with data obtained from three agricultural experimental field plots on sandy soils without groundwater located at the moraine landscape in East Brandenburg, Germany. At each of these plots, a separate agricultural management practice was applied. Measurements of soil water contents, pressure heads, above‐ground crop biomass, and crop yield from these three plots were compared with the corresponding simulation results of both models. The comparisons of simulated with measured outputs were analyzed using the modeling‐efficiency index IA. According to these analyses, both models simulated adequately the time courses of volumetric soil water contents and above‐ground crop biomass, but the time courses of pressure heads were predicted with a lower quality by both models. As for the pressure heads, the yields simulated with both models showed greater discrepancies in comparison with the observed ones. This indicates the need of a site‐specific parameter calibration of the crop‐growth modules, especially for that included in OPUS.
A time domain FEM approach based on implicit Green's functions for non‐linear dynamic analysis
Authors: Soares D. , Mansur W. J. 
Published: November 2004

AbstractThe present paper describes an unconditionally stable algorithm to integrate the equations of motion in time. The standard FEM displacement model is employed to perform space discretization, and the time‐marching process is carried out through an algorithm based on the Green's function of the mechanical system in nodal co‐ordinates. In the present ‘implicit Green's function approach’ (ImGA), mechanical system Green's functions are not explicitly computed; rather they are implicitly considered through an iterative pseudo‐forces process. Under certain simplifying hypothesis, iterations are not necessary and the ImGA becomes cheaper than standard Newmark/Newton–Raphson algorithm. At the end of the paper numerical examples are presented in order to illustrate the accuracy of the present approach. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Flame retardancy of thermoplastic polyesters—a review of the recent literature
Authors: Levchik Sergei V , Weil Edward D 
Published: November 2004

AbstractAn overview is presented of the literature on the flame retardancy of thermoplastic polyesters, especially poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) and poly(butylene terephthalate) (PBT). The main focus is on publications of the last fifteen years; however, some earlier work of major importance is discussed as well. Because PET and PBT almost totally convert to volatile fragments upon exposure to heat, providing fuel to the flame, it is a challenging task to flame‐retard these polymers. Although many of the commercially available systems for flame retardancy of PET and PBT consist of a halogen‐containing additive and a synergist, more recent publications and patents emphasize halogen‐free, particularly phosphorus‐based systems. Several phosphorus‐based additive or reactive systems are well‐established for use in PET textiles, and phosphorus‐based additives have recently been introduced for PBT. Copyright © 2004 Society of Chemical Industry
Structural evidence for variable oligomerization of the N‐terminal domain of cyclase‐associated protein (CAP)
Authors: Yusof Adlina Mohd , Hu Nien‐Jen , Wlodawer Alexander , Hofmann Andreas 
Published: November 2004

AbstractCyclase‐associated protein (CAP) is a highly conserved and widely distributed protein that links the nutritional response signaling to cytoskeleton remodeling. In yeast, CAP is a component of the adenylyl cyclase complex and helps to activate the Ras‐mediated catalytic cycle of the cyclase. While the N‐terminal domain of CAP (N‐CAP) provides a binding site for adenylyl cyclase, the C‐terminal domain (C‐CAP) possesses actin binding activity. Our attempts to crystallize full‐length recombinant CAP from Dictyostelium discoideum resulted in growth of orthorhombic crystals containing only the N‐terminal domain (residues 42–227) due to auto‐proteolytic cleavage. The structure was solved by molecular replacement with data at 2.2 Å resolution. The present crystal structure allows the characterization of a head‐to‐tail N‐CAP dimer in the asymmetric unit and a crystallographic side‐to‐side dimer. Comparison with previously published structures of N‐CAP reveals variable modes of dimerization of this domain, but the presence of a common interface for the side‐to‐side dimer. Proteins 2005. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
The solution structure of BmTx3B, a member of the scorpion toxin subfamily α‐KTx 16
Authors: Wang Yuefeng , Chen Xiang , Zhang Naixia , Wu Gong , Wu Houming 
Published: November 2004

AbstractThis article reports the solution structure of BmTx3B (α‐KTx16.2), a potassium channel blocker belonging to the subfamily α‐KTx16, purified from the venom of the Chinese scorpion Buthus martensi Karsch. In solution, BmTx3B assumes a typical CSαβ motif, with an α‐helix connected to a triple‐stranded β‐sheet by 3 disulfide bridges, which belongs to the first structural group of short‐chain scorpion toxins. On the other hand, BmTx3B is quite different from other toxins (such as ChTx and AgTx2) of this group in terms of the electrostatic and hydrophobic surface distribution. The functional surface (β‐face) of the molecule is characterized by less basic residues (only 2: Lys28 and Arg35) and extra aromatic residues (Phe1, Phe9, Trp15, and Tyr37). The peptide shows a great preference for the Kca1.1 channel over the Kv channel (about a 103‐fold difference). The model of BmTx3B/Kca1.1 channel complex generated by docking and dynamic simulation reveals that the stable binding between the BmTx3B and Kca1.1 channel is favored by a number of aromatic π–π stacking interactions. The influences of these structural features on the kinetic behavior of the toxin binding to Kca1.1 channel are also discussed. Proteins 2005. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Anti‐Candida effects of estragole in combination with ketoconazole or amphotericin B
Authors: Shin Seungwon , Pyun Mi‐Sun 
Published: November 2004

AbstractThe anti‐Candida effects of estragole combined with amphotericin B or ketoconazole, commonly used antifungal drugs for treatment of candidasis, were evaluated in this study. The fractional inhibitory concentration (FIC) indices of both estragole combined with ketoconazole against C. albicans and C. utilis calculated from the checkerboard microtiter assay were 0.28 and 0.50 respectively, indicating signiﬁcant synergism. These drug combinations exhibited additive effects against C. tropicalis, with FIC index of 0.75. Consistent for the most part with the results from the checkerboard titer tests, the time‐kill curves of the tested samples also indicated signiﬁcant synergism or additive effect between ketoconazole and estragole against the Candida species evaluated. In contrast, amphotericin B showed antagonism in combination with estragole in most experiments of this study. Thus, we have shown the synergistic combination effects between estragole and ketoconazole, which may be effective combinations for the treatment of Candida infections. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Statistical methods for multivariate interval‐censored recurrent events
Authors: Chen Bingshu E. , Cook Richard J. , Lawless Jerald F. , Zhan Min 
Published: November 2004

AbstractMulti‐type recurrent event data arise when two or more different kinds of events may occur repeatedly over a period of observation. The scientific objectives in such settings are often to describe features of the marginal processes and to study the association between the different types of events. Interval‐censored multi‐type recurrent event data arise when the precise event times are unobserved, but intervals are available during which the events are known to have occurred. This type of data is common in studies of patients with advanced cancer, for example, where the events may represent the development of different types of metastatic lesions which are only detectable by conducting bone scans of the entire skeleton. In this setting it is of interest to characterize the incidence of the various types of bone lesions, to estimate the impact of treatment and other covariate effects on the development of new lesions, and to understand the relationship between the processes generating the bone lesions. We develop joint models for multi‐type interval‐censored recurrent events which accommodate dependencies between different types of events and enable one to examine the covariate effects via regression. However, since the marginal likelihood resulting from the multivariate random effect model is intractable, we describe a Gibbs sampling algorithm to facilitate model fitting and inference. We use generalized estimating equations for estimation and inference based on marginal models. The finite sample properties of the marginal approach are studied via simulation. The estimates of both the regression coefficients and the variance–covariance parameters are shown to have negligible bias and 95 per cent confidence intervals based on the asymptotic variance formula are shown to have excellent empirical coverage probabilities in all of the settings considered. The application of these methods to data from a trial of women with advanced breast cancer provides insight into the clinical course of bone metastases in this population. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Comparison of statistical methods for analysis of clustered binary observations
Authors: Heo Moonseong , Leon Andrew C. 
Published: November 2004

AbstractWhen correlated observations are obtained in a randomized controlled trial, the assumption of independence among observations within cluster likely will not hold because the observations share the same cluster (e.g. clinic, physician, or subject). Further, the outcome measurements of interest are often binary. The objective of this paper is to compare the performance of four statistical methods for analysis of clustered binary observations: namely (1) full likelihood method; (2) penalized quasi‐likelihood method; (3) generalized estimating equation method; (4) fixed‐effects logistic regression method. The first three methods take correlations into account in inferential processes whereas the last method does not. Type I error rate, power, bias, and standard error are compared across the four statistical methods through computer simulations under varying effect sizes, intraclass correlation coefficients, number of clusters, and number of observations per cluster, including large numbers 20 and 100 of observations per cluster. The results show that the performance of the full likelihood and the penalized quasi‐likelihood methods is superior for analysis of clustered binary observations, and is not necessarily inferior to that of the fixed‐effects logistic regression fit even when within‐cluster correlations are zero. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Changes in renal haemodynamics induced by indomethacin in the rat involve cytochrome P450 arachidonic acid‐dependent epoxygenases‡
Authors: Caron N , El Hajjam A , Declèves A‐E , Joly E , Falck JR , Kramp R 
Published: November 2004

Summary1. A significant renal vasodilation was observed previously after an acute cyclo‐oxygenase (COX) inhibition induced with indomethacin. Because this effect could be due to COX‐dependent intrarenal metabolization of arachidonic acid through cytochrome P450 (CYP450) pathways, the aim of the present study was to investigate, in vivo, possible interactions between COX and CYP450 mono‐oxygenases.2. Mean arterial pressure (MAP) and renal blood flow (RBF), using an electromagnetic flow transducer for RBF evaluation, were measured continuously in 71 anaesthetized euvolaemic rats. Appropriate solvents (vehicle), 3 mg/kg indomethacin, 17‐octadecynoic acid (17‐ODYA; 2 mmol/L), either miconazole (MI; 1.5 mmol/L) or N‐methylsulphonyl‐6‐(2‐propargyloxyphenyl)hexanamide (MS‐PPOH; 5 mg/kg) and N′‐hydroxyphenylformamidine (HET0016; 5 or 10 mg/kg) were administered to inhibit either COX, CYP450 mono‐oxygenases, epoxygenases or hydroxylase, respectively. The CYP450 and COX inhibitors were also combined as follows: 17‐ODYA/indomethacin, MI (or MS‐PPOH)/indomethacin, HET0016/indomethacin and indomethacin/HET0016.3. Mean arterial pressure and RBF were not modified by vehicle, 17‐ODYA or MI (or MS‐PPOH). However, MAP decreased slightly (P < 0.05; paired t‐test, 5 d.f.) and RBF increased transiently (P < 0.05; anova, 5 d.f.) after HET0016. In contrast, MAP decreased by 10 mmHg (P < 0.05) and RBF increased by 10% (P < 0.05) after indomethacin. This enhancement was prevented by 17‐ODYA or MI (or MS‐PPOH), but not by HET0016. Moreover, RBF increased step‐wise to 21% in the indomethacin/HET0016 experiment (P < 0.05). Consequently, changes from baseline in renal vascular resistance differed among treatments, averaging −2 ± 3 (vehicle), −13 ± 3 (indomethacin; P < 0.05 vs vehicle), −4 ± 3 (17‐ODYA/indomethacin), −3 ± 4 (MI or MS‐PPOH/indomethacin), −15 ± 3 (HET0016/indomethacin; P < 0.05) and −22 ± 4% (indomethacin/HET0016; P < 0.05).4. In conclusion, these results demonstrate that the renal vasodilation induced by indomethacin can be prevented by prior inhibition of CYP450 mono‐oxygenases and further suggest that the CYP450 epoxygenases pathway may prevail.
Neutrophils secrete MIP‐1β after adhesion to laminin contained in basement membrane of blood vessels
Authors: Chiba Kouji , Zhao Wenli , Chen Jiang , Wang Jingxin , Cui Hong Yan , Kawakami Hiroshi , Miseki Tetsuya , Satoshi Hashino , Tanaka Junji , Asaka Masahiro , Kobayashi Masanobu 
Published: November 2004

SummaryWe have recently demonstrated that granulocyte colony‐stimulating factor (G‐CSF) stimulated the production of epithelial‐cell‐derived‐neutrophil attractant‐78 (ENA‐78) by neutrophils and that ENA‐78 might promote the accumulation of neutrophils that had migrated from the intravascular space into inflammatory tissues. In this study, we examined whether other chemokines could be secreted by neutrophils that had accumulated after migrating from the intravascular space into the inflammatory tissues. We demonstrated that adhesion to laminin contained in the basement membrane and Matrigel, which is an artificial basement membrane model, induced macrophage inflammatory protein‐1β (MIP‐1β) in neutrophils and that MIP‐1β secreted by neutrophils induced the chemotaxis of dendritic cells. These findings suggest that neutrophils transmigrating through the basement membrane are stimulated to secrete MIP‐1β by the basement membrane, inducing the transmigration of dendritic cells from the intravascular space into inflammatory tissues. We propose that neutrophils intervene between innate immune response and specific immune response by secreting MIP‐1β during the transmigration through the basement membrane.
Biosynthesis of FVIII in megakaryocytic cells: improved production and biochemical characterization
Authors: Rodriguez Marie‐Hélène , Plantier Jean‐Luc , Enjolras Nathalie , Réa Muriel , Leboeuf Marylène , Uzan Georges , Négrier Claude 
Published: November 2004

SummaryHaemophilia A is an attractive target for gene therapy. We designed a haemophilia A gene therapy strategy involving the genetic modification of haematopoietic stem cells to achieve tissue‐specific expression of a factor VIII (FVIII) transgene in the megakaryocytic lineage. Platelets would then serve as vehicles to store the expressed FVIII and deliver the coagulation factor at the site of vascular injury. A local correction of the haemostasis defect could, therefore, be expected following platelet activation and secretion. In this study, we demonstrated that a model of haematopoietic cell lines (Dami cells) could produce a correctly processed FVIII. FVIII transgenes were placed under the control of the human platelet glycoprotein IIb (GPIIb) promoter and used for stable transfection of the Dami megakaryocytic cell line. The highest FVIII production was obtained when the FVIII transgene contained a factor IX intron 1 gene sequence inserted in the FVIII intron 1 and 13 sites. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction demonstrated that the splicing of these introns was complete. Recombinant FVIII (rFVIII) produced in Dami cells was a biologically active molecule (specific activity: 5664 IU/mg) that was correctly glycosylated and sulphated. This recombinant FVIII protein exhibited biochemical characteristics after deglycosylation or thrombin activation that were comparable to a commercially available B‐domainless rFVIII. These results demonstrate the advantages of a modified FVIII transgene and represent the first biochemical characterization of megakaryocyte‐produced FVIII.
The contribution of classical risk factors to cardiovascular disease in familial hypercholesterolaemia: data in 2400 patients
Authors: Jansen A. C. M. , van Aalst‐Cohen E. S. , Tanck M. W. , Trip M. D. , Lansberg P. J. , Liem A. H. , Roeters van Lennep H. W. O. , Sijbrands E. J. G. , Kastelein J. J. P. 
Published: November 2004

Abstract.Objective.  To determine the contribution of classical risk factors to the development of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in patients with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH).Design.  A retrospective, multi‐centre, cohort study. Extensive data were collected by scrutinizing medical records and the use of questionnaires. Multivariate Cox regression was used to study the relationship between potential risk factors and the occurrence of CVD.Setting and subjects.  We included 2400 FH patients from 27 Dutch lipid clinics. The diagnosis of FH was based upon the presence of a low‐density lipoprotein receptor mutation or upon strict clinical criteria.Main outcome measures.  Cardiovascular mortality and CVD.Results.  During 112.943 person‐years, 782 (32.6%) patients had had at least one cardiovascular event. Male gender (RR 2.82, 95% CI 2.37–3.36), smoking (RR 1.67, 95% CI 1.40–1.99), hypertension (RR 1.36, 95% CI 1.06–1.75), diabetes mellitus (RR 2.19, 95% CI 1.36–3.54), low HDL‐C (RR 1.37, 95% CI 1.15–1.63) and elevated lipoprotein(a) levels (RR 1.50, 95% CI 1.20–1.79) proved to be independent CVD risk factors. These six risk factors explained 18.7% of the variation in the occurrence of CVD.Conclusions.  Male gender, smoking, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, HDL cholesterol and lipoprotein(a) levels proved to be important risk factors for CVD in FH patients. In addition to the routine instiQJ;tution of statin therapy, controlling these factors needs special attention in the management of this disorder.
Protein–protein interactions within the Fatty Acid Synthase‐II system of Mycobacterium tuberculosis are essential for mycobacterial viability
Authors: Veyron‐Churlet Romain , Guerrini Olivier , Mourey Lionel , Daffé Mamadou , Zerbib Didier 
Published: November 2004

SummaryDespite the existence of efficient chemotherapy, tuberculosis remains a leading cause of mortality worldwide. New drugs are urgently needed to reduce the potential impact of the emergence of multidrug‐resistant strains of the causative agent Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb). The front‐line antibiotic isoniazid (INH), and several other drugs, target the biosynthesis of mycolic acids and especially the Fatty Acid Synthase‐II (FAS‐II) elongation system. This biosynthetic pathway is essential and specific for mycobacteria and still represents a valuable system for the search of new anti‐tuberculous agents. Several data, in the literature, suggest the existence of protein–protein interactions within the FAS‐II system. These interactions themselves might serve as targets for a new generation of drugs directed against Mtb. By using an extensive in vivo yeast two‐hybrid approach and in vitro co‐immunoprecipitation, we have demonstrated the existence of both homotypic and heterotypic interactions between the known components of FAS‐II. The condensing enzymes KasA, KasB and mtFabH interact with each other and with the reductases MabA and InhA. Furthermore, we have designed and constructed point mutations of the FAS‐II reductase MabA, able to disrupt its homotypic interactions and perturb the interaction pattern of this protein within FAS‐II. Finally, we showed by a transdominant genetic approach that these mutants are dominant negative in both non‐pathogenic and pathogenic mycobacteria. These data allowed us to draw a dynamic model of the organization of FAS‐II. They also represent an important step towards the design of a new generation of anti‐tuberculous agents, as being inhibitors of essential protein–protein interactions.
An alternative pathway for reduced folate biosynthesis in bacteria and halophilic archaea
Authors: Levin Itay , Giladi Moshe , Altman‐Price Neta , Ortenberg Ron , Mevarech Moshe 
Published: November 2004

SummaryWhereas tetrahydrofolate is an essential cofactor in all bacteria, the gene that encodes the enzyme dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) could not be identified in many of the bacteria whose genomes have been entirely sequenced. In this communication we show that the halophilic archaea Halobacterium salinarum and Haloarcula  marismortui  contain  genes  coding for proteins with an N‐terminal domain homologous to dihydrofolate synthase (FolC) and a C‐terminal domain homologous to dihydropteroate synthase (FolP). These genes are able to complement a Haloferax volcanii mutant that lacks DHFR. We also show that the Helicobacter pylori dihydropteroate synthase can complement an Escherichia coli mutant that lacks DHFR. Activity resides in an N‐terminal segment that is homologous to the polypeptide linker that connects the dihydrofolate synthase and dihydropteroate synthase domains in the haloarchaeal enzymes. The purified recombinant H. pylori dihydropteroate synthase was found to be a flavoprotein.
Mitochondrial β‐oxidation in Aspergillus nidulans
Authors: Maggio‐Hall Lori A. , Keller Nancy P. 
Published: November 2004

Summaryβ‐Oxidation (β‐ox) occurs exclusively in the peroxisomes of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and other yeasts, leading to the supposition that fungi lack mitochondrial β‐ox. Here we present unequivocal evidence that the filamentous fungus Aspergillus nidulans houses both peroxisomal and mitochondrial β‐ox. While growth of a peroxisomal β‐ox disruption mutant (ΔfoxA) was eliminated on a very long‐chain fatty acid (C22:1), growth was only partially impeded on a long‐chain fatty acid (C18:1) and was not affected at all on short chain (C4–C6) fatty acids. In contrast, growth of a putative enoyl‐CoA hydratase mutant (ΔechA) was abolished on short‐chain and severely restricted on long‐ and very long‐chain fatty acids. Furthermore fatty acids inhibited growth of the ΔechA mutant but not the ΔfoxA mutant in the presence of an alternate carbon source (lactose). Disruption of echA led to a 28‐fold reduction in 2‐butenoyl‐CoA hydratase activity in a preparation of organelles. EchA was also required for growth on isoleucine and valine. The subcellular localization of the FoxA and EchA proteins was confirmed through the use of red and green fluorescent protein fusions.