bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Stay Well and Healthy! Pilot Study Findings from an Inhome Preventive Healthcare Programme for Persons Ageing with Intellectual and/or Developmental Disabilities
Authors: Aronow Harriet Udin , Hahn Joan Earle 
Published: May 2005

Background  While disparities in the health status for persons ageing with intellectual and developmental disabilities have been well documented, interventions that address individual risks in physical, emotional, social and environmental health among this population are lacking. This pilot study evaluated the feasibility of two inhome interventions designed to reduce health risks and improve health outcomes among persons ageing with intellectual and developmental disabilities.Method  Interventions and assessment tools were developed. Adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, aged 32 and over (n = 201) living in non‐institutional settings were recruited and assigned to either an advance practice nurse (APN) intervention of inhome multidimensional assessment, targeted recommendations and follow‐up visits (n = 101) or an inhome health risk appraisal (HRA) with printed feedback only (n = 100).Results  The development and pilot testing of the interventions, assessment tools and methods demonstrated feasibility in the population from mild to moderate intellectual and developmental disabilities. In addition, high levels of health risks were identified (mean = 5.0; range 0–16) in the sample suggesting the need for effective interventions. Both pilot groups showed significant reduction in health risks between baseline and follow‐up. Further rigorous randomized field trials are required to test the effectiveness of each intervention.Conclusions  Community‐based preventive interventions are feasible for randomized trials in this population.
Abstract no.: 2  The influence of clozapine on tone of isolated bovine retinal arteries
Authors: Boussery Koen , Lambrecht Stijn , Delaey Christophe , Van de Voorde Johan 
Published: May 2005

Aims:  It has been suggested that the atypical antipsychotic drug clozapine might be helpful in the development of new antiglaucoma agents, since it combines lowering of the intra‐ocular pressure after topical instillation with vasodilation. However, the vasoactive influence of clozapine on ocular blood vessels has never been analysed. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate whether clozapine has direct vasodilatory effects in isolated bovine retinal arteries (BRA) and to characterise pharmacologically the mechanisms involved.Methods:  Retinal arteries were isolated from bovine eyes and mounted in a wire‐myograph for isometric tension recording. Concentration‐response curves were generated by cumulative addition of clozapine (1 nM to 10 μM) to the organ bath.Results:  Clozapine elicited a concentration‐dependent relaxation of the BRA. Removal of the endothelium of the BRA, inhibition of nitric oxide synthase with Nϖ‐nitro‐L‐arginine and inhibition of soluble guanylyl cyclase with ODQ (1H‐[1,2,4]oxadiazolo[4,3‐a]quinoxalin‐1‐one) significantly attenuated the clozapine‐response, whereas cyclo‐oxygenase inhibition with indomethacin had no influence. The Ca2+ channel activator Bay k8644, the nonselective 5‐hydroxytryptamine receptor antagonist methiothepin and the adenosine receptor antagonist 8‐(p‐sulfophenyl) theophylline also failed in affecting the clozapine‐induced relaxations.Conclusion:  Clozapine clearly relaxes bovine retinal arteries in a direct way. Endothelium‐derived NO is involved in this response. However, prostanoids, calcium entry blockade, 5‐HT7 receptor stimulation and adenosine receptor stimulation all seem to be not involved.
Sensitivity analysis in the single‐machine scheduling problem with max–min criterion
Authors: Chanas Stefan , Kasperski Adam 
Published: May 2005

AbstractIn this paper, the single‐machine scheduling problem 1∣prec∣fmax is considered. It is one of the most general scheduling problems for which an efficient, polynomial algorithm has been developed. It is always possible to calculate quickly one optimal solution (a sequence of jobs) in that problem. However, the set of all optimal solutions may contain a lot of other sequences, so it is important to give a full characterization of that set. This paper consists of two parts. In the first part, some sufficient and necessary conditions of optimality of a given solution to the problem 1∣prec∣fmax are proved. In the second part, an application of these conditions to the sensitivity analysis is presented.
Metaheuristics for computing the forwarding index of a graph*
Authors: Arráiz Emely , Martínez Amadís , Meza Oscar , Ortega Maruja 
Published: May 2005

AbstractIn this paper we present two algorithms, based on Greedy Randomized Adaptive Search Procedure and Tabu Search, for computing upper bounds for the forwarding index of a graph. A typical problem in the design of communication networks is determining how to interconnect each pair of nodes, without overloading any one of them. The forwarding index of a graph is a parameter that measures the load or congestion of the network seen as the number of interconnecting paths that pass through each node. The proposed algorithms have been tested on different sets of graphs for which theoretical values are known and also on randomly generated graphs of variable size and density. Experiments show that the algorithms find the optimal solution or a solution very close to the optimum in all cases. Our results are furthermore compared with the other heuristics for which computational results are available in the literature, showing that our algorithms behave as well as or better than these.
Maximum diversity/similarity models with extension to part grouping
Authors: Adil Gajendra K. , Ghosh Jay B. 
Published: May 2005

AbstractMaximum diversity/similarity models involve selecting a subset of desired size from a given pool of objects such that some measure of diversity or similarity among the selected objects is maximized. Such models have found application, among other places, in the formation of various groups, the location of obnoxious facilities and the identification of dense subgraphs. We present a mild generalization, which yields a stronger and more practical formulation and is seen to be solved effectively. As an extension, we consider the part‐grouping problem as encountered in manufacturing cell formation. We show how the enhanced diversity/similarity model can be used to form part families in a way that is both flexible and competitive with existing approaches. We provide an illustrative example and limited computational results.
A GRASP/VND heuristic for the phylogeny problem using a new neighborhood structure
Authors: Ribeiro Celso C. , Vianna Dalessandro S. 
Published: May 2005

AbstractA phylogeny is a tree that relates taxonomic units, based on their similarity over a set of characters. The phylogeny problem consists in finding a phylogeny with the minimum number of evolutionary steps. We propose a new neighborhood structure for the phylogeny problem. A greedy randomized adaptive search procedure heuristic based on this neighborhood structure and using variable neighborhood descent for local search is described. Computational results on randomly generated and benchmark instances are reported, showing that the new heuristic is quite robust and outperforms the other algorithms in the literature in terms of solution quality and time‐to‐target value.
Systematic Review and Meta‐analysis: Proton Pump Inhibitor vs. Ranitidine Bismuth Citrate Plus Two Antibiotics in Helicobacter pylori Eradication
Authors: Gisbert Javier P. , Gonzalez Leticia , Calvet Xavier 
Published: May 2005

ABSTRACTObjective.  To systematically review the Helicobacter pylori eradication efficacy with ranitidine bismuth citrate (RBC) and two antibiotics, and to conduct a meta‐analysis of randomized clinical trials comparing the efficacy of proton pump inhibitor (PPI) vs. RBC with two antibiotics for 1 week.Methods.  Selection of studies: Studies evaluating RBC plus two antibiotics were considered. For the meta‐analysis, randomized controlled trials comparing PPI vs. RBC plus two antibiotics for 1 week were included. Search strategy: Electronic and manual bibliographical searches. Assessment of study quality and data extraction: Independently done by two reviewers. Data synthesis: ‘Intention‐to‐treat’ eradication rate. Meta‐analysis was performed, combining the odds ratios (OR) of the individual studies. Subanalysis: Depending on the type of antibiotics and the quality of the studies.Results.  Mean H. pylori eradication with 7‐day RBC–clarithromycin‐amoxicillin, RBC–clarithromycin‐nitroimidazole, and RBC–amoxicillin‐nitroimidazole was 83%, 86%, and 71%, respectively. The meta‐analysis showed comparable efficacy with RBC and PPI when they were combined with clarithromycin and amoxicillin (OR = 1.11; 95% CI = 0.88–1.40), or with amoxicillin and metronidazole (OR = 0.92; 95%CI = 0.60–1.41). However, when comparing PPI vs. RBC plus clarithromycin and a nitroimidazole, higher cure rates with RBC than with PPI were demonstrated (OR = 1.65; 95% CI = 1.15–2.37).Conclusion.  The efficacy of RBC and PPI‐based triple regimens were comparable when using the clarithromycin‐amoxicillin or the amoxicillin‐metronidazole combination. However, RBC seems to have a higher efficacy than PPI when clarithromycin and a nitroimidazole are the antibiotics prescribed. Therefore, if one prefers to use the clarithromycin‐nitroimidazole regimen, RBC should be used instead of a PPI.
Interleukin‐2 Gene Polymorphisms Associated with Increased Risk of Gastric Atrophy from Helicobacter pylori Infection
Authors: Togawa Shozo , Joh Takashi , Itoh Makoto , Katsuda Nobuyuki , Ito Hidemi , Matsuo Keitaro , Tajima Kazuo , Hamajima Nobuyuki 
Published: May 2005

ABSTRACTBackground.  Gastric atrophy induced by Helicobacter pylori is thought to predispose patients to noncardiac gastric cancer development. However, the host genetic factors that influence the progression of gastric atrophy have not been elucidated. In this study, we examined the effects of cytokine polymorphisms on H. pylori‐induced gastric atrophy.Methods.  Blood samples were taken from 454 Japanese subjects. The interleukin‐2 (IL‐2; T‐330G), IL‐4 (C‐33T), and IL‐13 (C‐1111T) polymorphisms were genotyped by polymerase chain reaction with confronting two‐pair primers (PCR‐CTPP). Anti‐H. pylori IgG antibody and pepsinogen I and II were measured to diagnose H. pylori infection and atrophic gastritis.Results.  The odds ratios (ORs) for the association between IL‐2 polymorphism [OR = 2.78, 95% CI (confidence interval) = 1.26–6.17 (T/T to G/G)] or IL‐4 polymorphism [OR = 2.22, 95% CI = 1.01–4.89 (T/C to C/C)] were increased significantly with gastric atrophy, whereas the corresponding OR of IL‐13 polymorphism was decreased with gastric atrophy [OR = 0.61, 95% CI = 0.39–0.96 (C/T and T/T to C/C)]. There were no significant H. pylori seropositivity‐related differences between these polymorphisms. We examined the relationship between these polymorphisms and gastric atrophy separately in H. pylori‐seropositive and ‐seronegative groups. In the H. pylori‐seropositive group, the IL‐2 T/T (OR = 2.78, 95% CI = 1.12–6.93) had a significant association with gastric atrophy.Conclusions.  These results reveal that the IL‐2 gene polymorphism is associated with an increased risk of gastric atrophy induced by H. pylori infection and might predispose to gastric cancer.
Effect of Helicobacter pylori Infection on the Expression of DNA Mismatch Repair Protein
Authors: Park Dong Il , Park Seung Ha , Kim Sang Hoon , Kim Jeong Wook , Cho Yong Kyun , Kim Hong Joo , Sohn Chong Il , Jeon Woo Kyu , Kim Byung Ik , Cho Eun Yoon , Kim Eo‐Jin , Chae Seoung Wan , Sohn Jin Hee , Sung In Kyung , Sepulveda Antonia R. , Kim Jae J. 
Published: May 2005

AbstractBackground.  Helicobacer pylori infection is a major gastric cancer risk factor. Deficient DNA mismatch repair (MMR) caused by H. pylori may underlie microsatellite instability (MSI) in the gastric epithelium and may represent a major mechanism of mutation accumulation in the gastric mucosa during the early stages of H. pylori‐associated gastric carcinogenesis. In this study, we examined the expression of DNA MMR protein (hMLH1 and hMSH2) in patients with chronic H. pylori infection before and after eradication of the infection.Materials and methods.  Gastric tissue samples were collected from 60 patients with H. pylori gastritis and peptic ulcer disease before and after eradication of the infection. The DNA MMR protein expression (hMLH1 and hMSH2) was determined by immunohistochemical staining in 60 patients before and after H. pylori eradication. The percentage of epithelial cell nuclei and intensity of staining were then compared in gastric biopsies before and after eradication.Results.  The percentage of hMLH1 (76.60 ± 20.27, 84.82 ± 12.73, p = .01) and hMSH2 (82.36 ± 12.86, 88.11 ± 9.27, p < .05) positive epithelial cells significantly increased in 53 patients who became H. pylori‐negative after eradication therapy. However, the intensity of hMLH1 and hMSH2 staining was not significantly different. In those 7 patients, who did not respond to the eradication therapy and were still H. pylori‐positive, the percent positivity and intensity of hMLH1 and hMSH2 staining did not change.Conclusions.  The expression of DNA MMR proteins increased in the gastric mucosa after H. pylori eradication, indicating that H. pylori gastritis may be associated with a reduced DNA MMR system during infection. The effect of H. pylori infection on MMR protein expression appears to be at least partially reversible after H. pylori eradication. These data suggest that H. pylori gastritis might lead to a deficiency of DNA MMR in gastric epithelium that may increase the risk of mutation accumulation in the gastric mucosa cells during chronic H. pylori infection.
Evaluation of the Homologous Recombination in Helicobacter pylori
Authors: Pyndiah Slovénie , Ménard Armelle , Zerbib Frank , Mégraud Francis 
Published: May 2005

AbstractBackground.  Most strategies for direct mutagenesis of Helicobacter pylori primarily involve genomic DNA cloning which is a time‐consuming and expensive technique.Methods.  To make a gene replacement, we propose a strategy using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplicons to allow a double homologous recombination in the genome of H. pylori. Different strains were used to validate this strategy and we describe how the amplicon insertion was made with accuracy. Moreover, we looked for the shortest homologous sequence needed to allow a specific gene replacement in H. pylori without any deletion, insertion or mutation at the recombination site. All of the experiments were performed at the flaA locus, whose gene encodes the major flagellin.Results.  Amplicons bearing 500 or 150 bp flanking regions of flaA on each side (depending on the strain) were sufficient to allow the specific insertion of a 1173 bp chloramphenicol cassette into the genome of H. pylori. The insertion was accurate with no substitutions at the insertion locus.Conclusions.  This information opens the door to other strategies for mutagenesis used for the identification of virulence factors without deleting genes, which would not be based on a negative screening system. For example, they could be useful in performing protein fusion for a better understanding of the virulence factor's mechanism.
Toll‐like Receptor 2‐Mediated Gene Expression in Epithelial Cells During Helicobacter pylori Infection
Authors: Ding Song‐Ze , Torok Anastasia M. , Smith Michael F. , Goldberg Joanna B. 
Published: May 2005

ABSTRACTBackground.  Helicobacter pylori is the major pathogen causing chronic gastritis and peptic ulcer disease and is closely linked to gastric malignancy. We have previously shown that H. pylori‐induced NF‐κB activation and interleukin (IL)‐8 secretion are mediated by Toll‐like receptor (TLR) 2 in epithelial cells. However, the TLR2‐mediated global gene expression profile of the epithelial cell during H. pylori infection is still unknown. The goal of this study was to identify TLR2‐regulated genes in epithelial cells induced by H. pylori.Materials and methods.  The HEK293 and HEK‐TLR2 cells were cocultured with H. pylori 26695 for 6 hours. Total RNA was extracted and hybridized to the Affymetrix human U133A microarray chipset, which contains 22,283 total probe sets including 14,285 genes. Data analyses were performed using affymetrix suite 5 software. The expression of selected genes in gastric epithelial cells AGS and MKN45 was monitored by quantitative reverse transcriptase‐polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR).Results.  Forty‐six genes, contained in 57 probe sets, were induced > 2‐fold and three genes (five probe sets) decreased > 2‐fold by H. pylori infection of HEK293 cells. Fifty‐four genes, contained in 69 probe sets, were induced > 2‐fold, whereas only 1 gene was repressed > 2‐fold in H. pylori‐infected HEK‐TLR2 cells. Comparisons of genes induced in HEK293 or HEK‐TLR2 cells identified 28 genes whose expression was dependent on the presence of TLR2. Seventeen genes were selected and their expression was assessed using the quantitative RT‐PCR in gastric epithelial cells during H. pylori infection. Eight of the 17 genes showed distinct expression patterns in AGS and MKN45 cells after H. pylori stimulation.Conclusions.  The current study investigated the TLR2‐mediated global gene changes after H. pylori stimulation in the epithelial cell system. This approach will be helpful in identifying genes whose expression is mediated by specific TLRs and in determining the cellular responses that are responsible for diverse signal pathways during H. pylori infection.
Polymerase Chain Reaction–Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism Analysis of Clarithromycin‐Resistant Helicobacter pylori Infection in Children Using Stool Sample
Authors: Booka Mina , Okuda Masumi , Shin Kouichirou , Miyashiro Eikichi , Hayashi Hiroko , Yamauchi Koji , Tamura Yoshitaka , Yoshikawa Norishige 
Published: May 2005

ABSTRACTBackground.  To analyze clarithromycin‐resistant Helicobacter pylori infection in children, we developed a method of polymerase chain reaction–restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR–RFLP) analysis using stool samples.Materials and methods.  Twenty‐three children without significant upper abdominal symptoms were included (mean age 7.0 years). Of these, 18 and five were diagnosed as H. pylori‐positive and ‐negative, respectively, by the H. pylori stool antigen test (HpSA). The DNA from the stool samples was purified using the QIAamp DNA Stool Minikit (QIAGEN). The PCR was performed on the purified DNA using oligonucleotide primers designed to amplify the 23S rRNA gene of H. pylori. The PCR products were reacted with restriction enzymes MboII, BceAI, and BsaI to detect mutations A2142G, A2142C, and A2143G, respectively.Results.  Sixteen of the 18 HpSA‐positive samples were PCR‐positive, and all five HpSA‐negative samples were PCR‐negative. Thus, the PCR had 89% sensitivity and 100% specificity, with 91% accuracy in reference to HpSA. Of the 16 PCR‐positive samples, one and four were digested with MboII and BsaI, respectively, indicating 31% prevalence of CAM‐resistance.Conclusions.  We conclude that the PCR–RFLP using stool samples is a rapid and reliable method to noninvasively detect clarithromycin‐resistant H. pylori infection in children. It may be useful before choosing regimens of H. pylori eradication.
Natural Colonization with Helicobacter species and the Development of Inflammatory Bowel Disease in Interleukin‐10‐deficient Mice
Authors: Zhang Li , Danon Stephen J. , Grehan Martin , Chan Vivian , Lee Adrian , Mitchell Hazel 
Published: May 2005

ABSTRACTBackground.  The interleukin‐10‐deficient (IL‐10−/–) mice maintained in specific‐pathogen‐free (SPF) conditions develop typhlocolitis when experimentally infected with Helicobacter species. However, there is limited information regarding the role of Helicobacter species that naturally colonize IL‐10−/– mice in typhlocolitis development. The aim of this study was to examine in SPF IL‐10−/– mice the association between natural colonization specific Helicobacter species and typhlocolitis development.Material and methods.  Cecum and proximal colon from 72 C57BL/6 × 129/Ola IL‐10−/– mice (8–20 weeks old) were removed for DNA extraction and histologic evaluation. Genus‐specific polymerase chain reaction– denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (PCR–DGGE) and species‐specific PCR were used to detect Helicobacter species. Mice were grouped by age, sex, and Helicobacter colonization status, and their histologic scores were compared. The development of clinical typhlocolitis was observed in a further 12 mice.Results.  Species‐specific PCR showed that mice were colonized with Helicobacter ganmani and/or Helicobacter hepaticus. The PCR–DGGE detected H. ganmani, H. hepaticus and an H. ganmani‐like organism. The histologic scores in mice colonized with H. hepaticus were significantly higher than that in mice colonized with H. ganmani. Male mice showed significantly higher histologic scores than female mice. Four of the 12 mice developed clinical typhlocolitis in 38 weeks.Conclusions.  Natural colonization with different Helicobacter species was found in IL‐10−/– mice within the same breeding colony. The severity of typhlocolitis differed according to the colonizing Helicobacter species. Furthermore, the rate of typhlocolitis development in IL‐10−/– mice naturally colonized with Helicobacter species was significantly slower than that reported in experimentally infected mice.
Inhibitory Effects of Polyphenols on Gastric Injury by Helicobacter pylori VacA Toxin
Authors: Yahiro Kinnosuke , Shirasaka Daisuke , Tagashira Motoyuki , Wada Akihiro , Morinaga Naoko , Kuroda Fuminobu , Choi Oksun , Inoue Masahito , Aoyama Nobuo , Ikeda Mitsuo , Hirayama Toshiya , Moss Joel , Noda Masatoshi 
Published: May 2005

AbstractBackground.  Helicobacter pylori induces gastric damage and may be involved in the pathogenesis of gastric cancer. H. pylori‐vacuolating cytotoxin, VacA, is one of the important virulence factors, and is responsible for H. pylori‐induced gastritis and ulceration. The aim of this study is to assess whether several naturally occurring polyphenols inhibit VacA activities in vitro and in vivo.Materials and Methods.  Effects of polyphenols on VacA were quantified by the inhibition of: 1, vacuolation; 2, VacA binding to AZ‐521 or G401 cells or its receptors; 3, VacA internalization. Effects of hop bract extract (HBT) containing high molecular weight polymerized catechin on VacA in vivo were investigated by quantifying gastric damage after oral administration of toxins to mice.Results.  HBT had the strongest inhibitory activity among the polyphenols investigated. HBT inhibited, in a concentration‐dependent manner: 1, VacA binding to its receptors, RPTPα and RPTPβ; 2, VacA uptake; 3, VacA‐induced vacuolation in susceptible cells. In addition, oral administration of HBT with VacA to mice reduced VacA‐induced gastric damage at 48 hours. In vitro, VacA formed a complex with HBT.Conclusions.  HBT may suppress the development of inflammation and ulceration caused by H. pylori VacA, suggesting that HBT may be useful as a new type of therapeutic agent for the prevention of gastric ulcer and inflammation caused by VacA.