bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Voice perception: Sex, pitch, and the right hemisphere
Authors: Lattner Sonja , Meyer Martin E. , Friederici Angela D. 
Published: September 2004

AbstractThe present functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study examined the neurophysiological processing of voice information. The impact of the major acoustic parameters as well as the role of the listener's and the speaker's gender were investigated. Male and female, natural, and manipulated voices were presented to 16 young adults who were asked to judge the naturalness of each voice. The hemodynamic responses were acquired by a 3T Bruker scanner utilizing an event‐related design. The activation was generally stronger in response to female voices as well as to manipulated voice signals, and there was no interaction with the listener's gender. Most importantly, the results suggest a functional segregation of the right superior temporal cortex for the processing of different voice parameters, whereby (1) voice pitch is processed in regions close and anterior to Heschl's Gyrus, (2) voice spectral information is processed in posterior parts of the superior temporal gyrus (STG) and areas surrounding the planum parietale (PP) bilaterally, and (3) information about prototypicality is predominately processed in anterior parts of the right STG. Generally, by identifying distinct functional regions in the right STG, our study supports the notion of a fundamental role of the right hemisphere in spoken language comprehension. Hum Brain Mapp 24:11–20, 2005. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Deriving welfare measures from discrete choice experiments: inconsistency between current methods and random utility and welfare theory
Authors: Lancsar Emily , Savage Elizabeth 
Published: September 2004

AbstractDiscrete choice experiments (DCEs) are being used increasingly in health economics to elicit preferences for products and programs. The results of such experiments have been used to calculate measures of welfare or more specifically, respondents' ‘willingness to pay’ (WTP) for products and programs and their ‘marginal willingness to pay’ (MWTP) for the attributes that make up such products and programs. In this note we show that the methods currently used to derive measures of welfare from DCEs in the health economics literature are not consistent with random utility theory (RUT), or with microeconomic welfare theory more generally. The inconsistency with welfare theory is an important limitation on the use of such WTP estimates in cost–benefit analyses. We describe an alternative method of deriving measures of welfare (compensating variation) from DCEs that is consistent with RUT and is derived using welfare theory. We demonstrate its use in an empirical application to derive the WTP for asthma medication and compare it to the results elicited from the method currently used in the health economics literature. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The effect of welfare reform on prenatal care and birth weight
Authors: Kaestner Robert , Chan Lee Won 
Published: September 2004

AbstractWelfare reform has resulted in a dramatic decline in welfare caseloads and some have claimed that a significant number of low‐income women may be without health insurance as a result. The loss of insurance may reduce low‐income, pregnant women's health care utilization, and this may adversely affect infant health. Welfare reform also may affect healthcare utilization and health of pregnant women and infants because of welfare‐induced changes in family disposable income, time available for health investments, and levels of stress. In this paper we examine the effect of welfare reform on prenatal care utilization and birth weight of low‐educated women and their infants. We find that a 50% reduction in the caseload, which is similar to that which occurred in the 1990s, is associated with a zero to seven percent decrease in first trimester prenatal care; a zero to five percent decrease in the number of prenatal care visits; and a zero to 10% increase in low birth weight. Since welfare reform was responsible for only part of the decline in the caseload, welfare reform per se had even smaller effects. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The effect of work on mental health: does occupation matter?
Authors: Llena‐Nozal Ana , Lindeboom Maarten , Portrait France 
Published: September 2004

AbstractThis paper considers the effect of work choices on mental health and looks at whether this differs across occupations. This requires a model that can deal with the endogeneity in the relationship between health, occupation and work choices. We specify such a model and estimate it on a unique UK panel survey. The survey, called the National Child development Survey (NCDS), follows a cohort since their birth in 1958 until age 42. The analyses show us that early childhood health and ability have long lasting consequences for the mental health at the later ages. Females have lower levels of mental health. Mental health deteriorates with age for males and females, but the rate of deterioration is substantially lower for females. We also find that the rate of depreciation is lower when individuals work. For females we find large effects of occupation, for males we do not find this. Employment status is important for males, but not for females. For both genders we find very large effects of the onset of a long‐standing illness. The probability of experiencing such an event depends on employment status, occupation and life style variables. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Warm glow, free‐riding and vehicle neutrality in a health‐related contingent valuation study
Authors: Hackl Franz , Pruckner Gerald J. 
Published: September 2004

AbstractCriticism of contingent valuation (CV) stresses warm glow and free‐riding as possible causes for biased willingness to pay figures. We present an empirical framework to study the existence of warm glow and free‐riding in hypothetical WTP answers based on a CV survey for the measurement of health‐related Red Cross services. Both in conventional double‐bounded and spike models we do not find indication of warm glow phenomena and free‐riding behaviour. The results are very robust and insensitive to the applied payment vehicles. Theoretical objections against CV do not find sufficient empirical support. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
What went where? Impaired object‐location learning in patients with right hippocampal lesions
Authors: Crane Joelle , Milner Brenda 
Published: September 2004

AbstractThe role of the right medial temporal‐lobe structures in memory for object location was investigated in three studies. In the first two studies, 118 patients with selective amygdalo‐hippocampectomy or with anterior temporal lobectomy (either invading or largely sparing the hippocampal region) and 33 healthy participants were tested on array learning. Groups with extensive right hippocampal lesions were impaired on immediate and delayed recall and on learning to criterion. In the third study, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was used in 75 of these patients to measure the extent of tissue remaining in the various medial temporal‐lobe structures. The extent of right hippocampus remaining was found to be the best predictor of array‐learning performance, underlining its critical role in building a representation of objects in space. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Inhibition of Ras oncogenic activity by Ras protooncogenes
Authors: Diaz Roberto , Lue Jeffrey , Mathews Jeremy , Yoon Andrew , Ahn Daniel , Garcia‐España Antonio , Leonardi Peter , Vargas Marcelo P. , Pellicer Angel 
Published: September 2004

AbstractPoint mutations in ras genes have been found in a large number and wide variety of human tumors. These oncogenic Ras mutants are locked in an active GTP‐bound state that leads to a constitutive and deregulated activation of Ras function. The dogma that ras oncogenes are dominant, whereby the mutation of a single allele in a cell will predispose the host cell to transformation regardless of the presence of the normal allele, is being challenged. We have seen that increasing amounts of Ras protooncogenes are able to inhibit the activity of the N‐Ras oncogene in the activation of Elk in NIH 3T3 cells and in the formation of foci. We have been able to determine that the inhibitory effect is by competition between Ras protooncogenes and the N‐Ras oncogene that occurs first at the effector level at the membranes, then at the processing level and lastly at the effector level in the cytosol. In addition, coexpression of the N‐Ras protooncogene in thymic lymphomas induced by the N‐Ras oncogene is associated with increased levels of p107, p130 and cyclin A and decreased levels of Rb. In the present report, we have shown that the N‐Ras oncogene is not truly dominant over Ras protooncogenes and their competing activities might be depending on cellular context.
Localization of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases 1 (TIMP‐1) in human colorectal adenoma and adenocarcinoma
Authors: Holten‐Andersen Mads N. , Hansen Ulla , Brünner Nils , Nielsen Hans Jørgen , Illemann Martin , Nielsen Boye Schnack 
Published: September 2004

AbstractTissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteases 1 (TIMP‐1) inhibits the proteolytic activity of matrix metalloproteases and hereby prevents cancer invasion. However, TIMP‐1 also possesses other functions such as inhibition of apoptosis, induction of malignant transformation and stimulation of cell‐growth. We have previously demonstrated that TIMP‐1 is elevated in blood from colorectal cancer patients and that high TIMP‐1 levels predict poor prognosis. To clarify the role of TIMP‐1 in colorectal tumorigenesis, the expression pattern of TIMP‐1 in benign and malignant colorectal tumors was studied. In all of 24 cases of colorectal adenocarcinoma TIMP‐1 mRNA was detected by in situ hybridization. In all cases TIMP‐1 expression was found in fibroblast‐like cells located at the invasive front but was seen only sporadically in normal mucosa. No TIMP‐1 mRNA was seen in any of the cases in benign or malignant epithelial cells, in vascular cells or smooth muscle cells. Comparison of sections processed for TIMP‐1 in situ hybridization with sections immunohistochemically stained with antibodies against TIMP‐1 showed good correlation between TIMP‐1 mRNA and immunoreactivity. Combining TIMP‐1 in situ hybridization with immunohistochemical staining for α‐smooth muscle actin or CD68 showed TIMP‐1 mRNA in myofibroblasts but not in macrophages. TIMP‐1 mRNA was detected in 2 of 7 adenomatous polyps in the adenoma area: in both cases associated with focal stromal inflammation at the epithelial‐stromal interface. In conclusion, TIMP‐1 expression is a rare event in benign human colon tissue but is highly expressed by myofibroblasts in association with invading colon cancer cells.
Fathers and families: Locating the ghost in the nursery
Authors: Barrows Paul 
Published: September 2004

AbstractInfant mental‐health clinicians and researchers have tended to focus particularly on the mother–infant dyad and, in Fraiberg's terms, on the “ghosts” that the mother brings to the nursery. This article begins by reiterating the case for paying as much attention to the “ghosts” that the father brings if we are to maximize our therapeutic impact. It is argued further, however, that over and above the father's individual role, what is more critical for the developing infant's future mental health is the nature of the parental couple that he/she encounters. That is, it is the relationship between the parents and their interactions that creates the emotional climate into which the infant is born and that determines the nature of the “internal” parental couple that they in turn will acquire. It is argued that the couple's relationship therefore needs to be the primary focus for our therapeutic interventions. Clinical material is presented to illustrate these points.
Effects of collagen type on the behavior of adult canine annulus fibrosus cells in collagen–glycosaminoglycan scaffolds
Authors: Saad L. , Spector M. 
Published: September 2004

AbstractThe healing of intervertebral disc defects may be improved by the implantation of cell‐seeded collagen‐based scaffolds. The present study evaluated in vitro the effects of the collagen type (type I vs type II) from which the scaffolds were fabricated on the behavior of adult canine annulus fibrosus cell‐seeded collagen–glycosaminoglycan (GAG) scaffolds. Protein and GAG biosynthesis continued through the 8‐week period of the experiment, demonstrating the viability of the cells in type I and type II collagen–GAG scaffolds. Statistical analysis revealed no significant effect of the type of collagen that makes up the scaffold on the biosynthetic activity. For both scaffold types, the amount of retained newly synthesized proteins increased from 1 to 2 weeks and from 6 to the 8 weeks. In contrast, the rate of GAG retention increased to a maximum at 4 weeks for both types of scaffolds, then decreased to about 50% of that level after 8 weeks. The number of cells generally increased the first week but then decreased in type I scaffolds while remaining constant in type II scaffolds. It could be assumed that most newly synthesized protein was lost to the medium, as the quantity of protein and collagen remained constant. Cell‐mediated contraction of the scaffolds contributed to folds that formed in the constructs and to create an oriented architecture tissue. These findings commend the use of a type II collagen–GAG scaffold for further study on the basis of its maintenance of cell number and the slightly higher accumulated GAG content. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res 71A: 233–241, 2004
To go or not to go: Migration of human mesenchymal progenitor cells stimulated by isoforms of PDGF
Authors: Fiedler Jörg , Etzel Nadine , Brenner Rolf E. 
Published: September 2004

AbstractThe recruitment of mesenchymal progenitor cells (MPCs) and their subsequent differentiation to osteoblasts is mandatory for bone development, remodeling, and repair. To study the possible involvement of platelet‐derived growth factor (PDGF) isoforms, primary human MPCs and osteogenic differentiated progenitor cells (dOB) were examined for chemotaxic response to homodimeric human platelet‐derived growth factor AA, ‐BB, and heterodimeric PDGF‐AB. The role of PDGF receptors was addressed by preincubation with PDGF receptor alpha and beta chain specific antibodies. Migration of MPCs, dOB, and primary osteoblasts (OB) was stimulated by the addition of rhPDGF‐AA, rhPDGF‐BB, and rhPDGF‐AB. The effect was highest in MPCs and for rhPDGF‐BB, and declining with osteogenic differentiation. Preincubation with the receptor alpha specific antibody decreased the CI to borderline values while pretreatment with the receptor beta specific antibody led to a complete loss of chemotactic response to PDGF isoforms. In control experiments, basal migration values and rhBMP‐2 as well as rxBMP‐4 induced chemotaxis of MPC were not influenced by the addition of receptor alpha or beta antibodies. Interestingly, without preincubation the parallel exposure of MPC to rhTGF‐β1 instantaneously leads to a selective loss of migratory stimulation by rhPDGF‐AA. The chemotactic effect of PDGF isoforms for primary human MPCs and the influence of osteogenic differentiation suggest a functional role for recruitment of MPCs during bone development and remodeling. Moreover, these observations may be useful for novel approaches towards guided tissue regeneration or tissue engineering of bone. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
CCAAT/enhancer binding protein δ (C/EBPδ) regulation and expression in human mammary epithelial cells: I. “Loss of function” alterations in the C/EBPδ growth inhibitory pathway in breast cancer cell lines
Authors: Sivko G.S. , DeWille J.W. 
Published: September 2004

Abstract“Loss of function” alterations in growth inhibitory signal transduction pathways are common in cancer cells. In this study, we show that growth arrest (GA) treatments—serum and growth factor withdrawal and growth inhibitory IL‐6 family cytokines (Interleukin‐6 and Oncostatin M (OSM))—increase STAT3 phosphorylation (pSTAT3), increase CCAAT enhancer binding protein δ (C/EBPδ) gene expression and induce GA of primary, finite‐lifespan human mammary epithelial cells (HMECs), and immortalized breast cell lines (MCF‐10A and MCF‐12A). In contrast, serum and growth factor withdrawal from human breast cancer cell lines (MCF‐7, SK‐BR‐3, T‐47D, and MDA‐MB‐231) for up to 48 h induced a relatively modest increase in pSTAT3 levels and C/EBPδ gene expression and resulted in varying levels of GA. In most breast cancer cell lines, IL‐6 family cytokine treatment increased pSTAT3 levels and C/EBPδ gene expression, however, growth inhibition was cell line dependent. In addition to “loss of function” alterations in growth inhibitory pathways, breast cancer cell lines also exhibit “gain of function” alterations in growth signaling pathways. The Akt growth/survival pathway is constitutively activated in T‐47D and MCF‐7 breast cancer cells. The Akt inhibitor LY 294,002 significantly enhanced T‐47D growth inhibition by serum and growth factor withdrawal or IL‐6 family cytokine treatment. Finally, we show that activation of the pSTAT3/C/EBPδ growth control pathway is independent of estrogen receptor status. These results demonstrate that “loss of function” alterations in the pSTAT3/C/EBPδ growth inhibitory signal transduction pathway are relatively common in human breast cancer cell lines. Defective activation of the pSTAT3/ C/EBPδ growth inhibitory signal transduction pathway, in conjunction with constitutive activation of the Akt growth stimulatory pathway, may play a synergistic role in the etiology or progression of breast cancer. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Comparison of conventional tube test technique and gel microcolumn assay for direct antiglobulin test: A large study
Authors: Novaretti M.C.Z. , Jens E. , Pagliarini T. , Bonifacio S.L. , Dorlhiac‐Llacer P.E. , Chamone D.A.F. 
Published: September 2004

AbstractGel microcolumn assay (GMA) is a modified serological technique that has been used for ABO and Rh typing, direct antiglobulin test (DAT), detecting alloantibodies, red cell phenotyping, and other applications. However, for DAT, the role of GMA is controversial. The purpose of this large study was to compare the performance of the conventional tube test (CTT) to GMA for detecting potentially significant antibodies coating red blood cells in vivo. From January 1996 to May 2002, we performed DATs by GMA and CTT on 9,862 blood samples submitted to our reference laboratory, using LISS/Coombs cards (DiaMed‐Latino America, Lagoa Santa‐MG, Brazil) for GMA and polyspecific and monospecific anti‐IgG reagents for CTT. Acid eluates were prepared from all positive DAT samples. The specificity of eluates was determined by GMA. We detected nonconcordant results in 2,079 out of 3,163 positive DATs (65.7%). All of these tests were only positive in GMA. Sensitivity and specificity for DATs was 100% and 83.0% for gel, and 50.7% and 97.8% for tube, respectively. Based on this study GMA showed to be more sensitive than CTT for detecting potentially significant antibodies coating red blood cells in vivo. J. Clin. Lab. Anal. 18:255–258, 2004. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Pronto® ThromboRisk™—A novel primer‐extension ELISA based assay for the detection of mutations associated with increased risk for thrombophilia
Authors: Carmi Noga , Cohen Dana , Zvang Eti , Naparstek Elizabeth , Deutsch Varda 
Published: September 2004

AbstractThe role of inherited thrombophilias in the pathogenesis of thrombosis, and their relation to thromboembolic events and pregnancy complications, has escalated the demand for molecular testing. We employed the new Pronto® ThromboRisk™ kit (Pronto Diagnostics Ltd., Rehovot, Israel), which is based on a novel primer‐extension ELISA assay, for the simultaneous detection of three genetic mutations. These are Factor V Leiden G1691A (R506Q), prothrombin G20210A, and methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) C677T, which are known to have increased incidence in patients with thromboembolic events and pregnancy complications. We examined 284 randomly selected patient samples from the special coagulation hospital laboratory. The results using the new assay were compared to those obtained by routinely employed conventional molecular techniques. The ThromboRisk™ kit provided identical results with no false–negative results and with a high specificity of over 99% for all three mutations. We conclude that the Pronto® ThromboRisk™ kit allows fast, precise, and reliable testing for the three genetic mutations. The assay is easy to perform and provides a useful tool for screening high risk populations, such as patients with a personal or family history of venous thromboembolism, women with pregnancy complications, or users of oral contraceptives. J. Clin. Lab. Anal. 18:259–264, 2004. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Rapid detection of bordetella pertussis by real‐time PCR using SYBR green I and a LightCycler instrument
Authors: Poddar S. K. 
Published: September 2004

AbstractA polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay in real‐time for detection of B. pertussis using SYBR green I as the reporter fluorophore and LightCycler instrument (a thermocycler coupled to a fluorescence detection device) was established and evaluated. The amplified amplicon using series diluted control prototype strain (ATCC strain #9797) of B. pertussis was analyzed for the fluorescent melting profile, and melting temperature (Tm) was determined. When examined, amplicons using a representative set of clinical isolates of B. pertussis were found to have the same Tm value (86 ± 0.5°C, the specificity parameter of detection) as the control prototype strain as expected. Amplified product was also analyzed and detected by agarose gel electrophoresis. The detection limit by fluorescent profile and Tm analysis was 10‐fold better than that detected by agarose gel analysis. J. Clin. Lab. Anal. 18:265–270, 2004. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Expression of signal transduction proteins during the differentiation of primary human erythroblasts
Authors: di Giacomo Viviana , Matteucci Alessandro , Stellacci Emilia , Battistini Angela , Di Baldassarre Angela , Capitani Silvano , Alfani Elena , Migliaccio Anna Rita , Cocco Lucio , Migliaccio Giovanni 
Published: September 2004

AbstractThe high number (>108–10) of primary human pro‐erythroblasts (CD36high/CD235alow) obtainable in HEMA culture (Migliaccio et al., ) is exploited here to analyse the expression of proteins implicated in erythropoietin (EPO)‐signalling (STATs, PI‐3K, and PLCs) during the process of erythroid maturation. Human pro‐erythroblasts progressed in 4 days of culture with EPO into basophilic‐ (CD36high/CD235amedium, 24 h), polychromatic‐(CD36high/CD235ahigh, 48 h), and, finally, orthochromatic‐(CD36low/CD235ahigh, 72–96 h) erythroblasts. During this maturation, STAT‐1 was expressed up to the orthochromatic stage, expression of STAT‐5, as well as of its target proteins BclxL and IRF1, remained constant up to 48 h (polychromatic‐erythroblasts) but decreased by 96 h (orthochromatic‐erythroblasts), while that of STAT‐3 decreased constantly from 24 h on and became undetectable by 96 h. Expression of PI‐3K rapidly decreased with differentiation since only 50% of original protein levels were detected by 48 h. On the other hand, among the members of PLC families investigated, PLC β4 was not expressed, PLC β2, δ1, and γ2 were expressed at constant levels throughout the maturation process, while expression of PLC β3 and of PLC γ1 decreased, as PI‐3K, by 24 h and that of PLC β1 was induced by 6 h and became undetectable by 24 h. In conclusion, these data depict the dynamic signalling scenario associated with the maturation of erythroid cells and provide the first indication that members of PLC families (PLC β1, β3, and γ1) might be involved in the control of erythroid differentiation in humans. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.