bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Molecular Determinants within the Surface Proteins Involved in the Pathogenicity of H5N1 Influenza Viruses in Chickens
Authors: Hulse Diane J. , Webster Robert G. , Russell Rupert J. , Perez Daniel R. 
Published: August 2004

ABSTRACTAlthough it is established that the cleavage site and glycosylation patterns in the hemagglutinin (HA) play important roles in determining the pathogenicity of H5 avian influenza viruses, some viruses exist that are not highly pathogenic despite possessing the known characteristics of high pathogenicity (i.e., their HA contains multiple basic amino acids at the cleavage site and has glycosylation patterns similar to that of the highly pathogenic H5 viruses). Currently little is known about the H5N1 viruses that fall into this intermediate category of pathogenicity. We have identified strains of H5N1 avian influenza viruses that have markers typical of high pathogenicity but distinctly differ in their ability to cause disease and death in chickens. By analyzing viruses constructed by reverse-genetic methods and containing recombinant HAs, we established that amino acids 97, 108, 126, 138, 212, and 217 of HA, in addition to those within the cleavage site, affect pathogenicity. Further investigation revealed that an additional glycosylation site within the neuraminidase (NA) protein globular head contributed to the high virulence of the H5N1 virus. Our findings are in agreement with previous observations that suggest that the activities of the HA and NA proteins are functionally linked.
Effects of the Δ67 Complex of Mutations in Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Reverse Transcriptase on Nucleoside Analog Excision
Authors: Boyer Paul L. , Imamichi Tomozumi , Sarafianos Stefan G. , Arnold Edward , Hughes Stephen H. 
Published: August 2004

ABSTRACTLong-term use of combination therapy against human immunodeficiency virus type (HIV-1) provides strong selective pressure on the virus, and HIV-1 variants that are resistant to multiple inhibitors have been isolated. HIV-1 variants containing amino acid substitutions within the coding region of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase (RT), such as the 3′-azido-3′-deoxythymidine (AZT)-resistant variant AZT-R (M41L/D67N/K70R/T215Y/K219Q) and a variant containing an insertion in the fingers domain (S69SGR70/T215Y), are resistant to the nucleoside RT inhibitor (NRTI) AZT because of an increase in the level of excision of AZT monophosphate (AZTMP) from the primer. While rare, variants have also been isolated which contain deletions in the RT coding region. One such virus, described by Imamichi et al. (J. Virol74:10958-10964, 2000; J. Virol.74:1023-1028, 2000; J. Virol.75:3988-3992, 2001), contains numerous amino acid substitutions and a deletion of codon 67, which we have designated the Δ67 complex of mutations. We have expressed and purified HIV-1 RT containing these mutations. We compared the polymerase and pyrophosphorolysis (excision) activity of an RT with the Δ67 complex of mutations to wild-type RT and the two other AZT-resistant variants described above. All of the AZT-resistant variants we tested excise AZTMP and 9-[2-(R)-(phosphonomethoxy)propyl]adenine (PMPA [tenofovir]) from the end of a primer more efficiently than wild-type RT. Although the variant RTs excised d4TMP less efficiently than AZTMP and PMPA, they were able to excise d4TMP more efficiently than wild-type RT. HIV-1 RT containing the Δ67 complex of mutations was not able to excise as broad a range of NRTIs as the fingers insertion variant SSGR/T215Y, but it was able to polymerize efficiently with low concentrations of deoxynucleoside triphosphates and seems to be able to excise AZTMP and PMPA at lower ATP concentrations than AZT-R or SSGR/T215Y, suggesting that a virus containing the Δ67 complex of mutations would replicate reasonably well in quiescent cells, even in the presence of AZT.
Out of the Smokescreen: does an anti-smoking advertisement affect young women’s perception of smoking in movies and their intention to smoke?
Authors: Edwards C A , Harris W C , Cook D R , Bedford K F , Zuo Y 
Published: August 2004

Objective:To evaluate the effect of an anti-smoking advertisement on young women’s perceptions of smoking in movies and their intention to smoke.Subjects/setting:2038 females aged 12–17 years attending cinemas in New South Wales, Australia.Design/intervention:Quasi-experimental study of patrons, who were surveyed after having viewed a movie at their local cinema. The control group was surveyed during week 1 and the intervention group, during week 2. Before seeing the movie in week 2, a 30 second anti-smoking advertisement was shown, which featured a well known female actor drawing attention to the prevalence of smoking in movies.Outcomes:Attitude of current smokers and non-smokers to smoking in the movies; intention of current smokers and non-smokers to be smoking in 12 months time.Results:Among non-smokers, 48.2% of the intervention subjects thought that the smoking in the movie they viewed was “not OK” compared with 28.3% of the control subjects (p < 0.0001). However, there was no difference among smokers in the intervention (26.4%) and control (16.9%) groups (p  =  0.28). A higher percentage of current smokers in the intervention group indicated they were unlikely to smoke in 12 months time (47.8%) than smokers in the control condition (31.9%) (p  =  0.03). For non-smokers, there was no difference in smoking intentions between conditions, with 95% saying they would be unlikely to be smoking in 12 months time.Conclusions:This “real world” study suggests that placing an anti-smoking advertisement before movies containing smoking scenes can help to “immunise” young women against the influences of film stars smoking.
Particulate matter from tobacco versus diesel car exhaust: an educational perspective: Figure 1
Authors: Invernizzi G , Ruprecht A , Mazza R , Rossetti E , Sasco A , Nardini S , Boffi R 
Published: August 2004

Background:Air pollution is a common alibi used by adolescents taking up smoking and by smokers uncertain about quitting. However, environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) causes fine particulate matter (PM) indoor pollution exceeding outdoor limits, while new engines and fuels have reduced particulate emissions by cars. Data comparing PM emission from ETS and a recently released diesel car are presented.Methods:A 60 m3garage was chosen to assess PM emission from three smouldering cigarettes (lit sequentially for 30 minutes) and from a TDCi 2000cc, idling for 30 minutes.Results:Particulate was measured with a portable analyser with readings every two minutes. Background PM10, PM2.5, and PM1levels (mean (SD)) were 15 (1), 13 (0.7), and 7 (0.6) μg/m3in the car experiment and 36 (2), 28 (1), and 14 (0.8) μg/m3in the ETS experiment, respectively. Mean (SD) PM recorded in the first hour after starting the engine were 44 (9), 31 (5), and 13 (1) μg/m3, while mean PM in the first hour after lighting cigarettes were 343 (192), 319 (178), and 168 (92) μg/m3for PM10, PM2.5, and PM1, respectively (p < 0.001, background corrected).Conclusions:ETS is a major source of PM pollution, contributing to indoor PM concentrations up to 10-fold those emitted from an idling ecodiesel engine. Besides its educational usefulness, this knowledge should also be considered from an ecological perspective.
The economic burden of smoking in California
Authors: Max W , Rice D P , Sung H-Y , Zhang X , Miller L 
Published: August 2004

Objective:To develop estimates of the direct and indirect costs of smoking for California in 1999.Methods:A prevalence based approach was used to estimate the annual costs of smoking. Econometric models were used to estimate the smoking attributable fraction (SAF) for direct costs (hospitalisations, ambulatory care, prescription drugs, home health care, and nursing home services) and indirect costs due to lost productivity from smoking related illness. The models controlled for socioeconomic factors and other risk behaviours. Epidemiological methods were used to estimate the SAF for indirect costs due to lost productivity from premature deaths. The SAFs were applied to total health care expenditures, days lost, and deaths to obtain smoking attributable total costs.Results:In 1999, the total costs of smoking in California were $15.9 billion, $475 per resident, and $3331 per smoker. Direct costs were $8.6 billion (54% of the total), indirect costs due to lost productivity from illness were $1.5 billion (10%), and indirect costs due to premature deaths were $5.7 billion (36%). The cost of smoking was $9.4 billion for men and $6.3 billion for women. There were 43 137 deaths attributed to smoking, representing a total of 535 000 years of life lost. The value of life lost per death averaged $132 000, or 12.4 years.Conclusions:California smoking related costs are high. The cost methodology presented is useful for other states and nations interested in estimating their costs of smoking. Cost estimates can be used to evaluate the level of cigarette taxes and other policies related to smoking.
Reaching youth at the point of sale: cigarette marketing is more prevalent in stores where adolescents shop frequently
Authors: Henriksen L , Feighery E C , Schleicher N C , Haladjian H H , Fortmann S P 
Published: August 2004

Objective:Although numerous studies describe the quantity and nature of tobacco marketing in stores, fewer studies examine the industry’s attempts to reach youth at the point of sale. This study examines whether cigarette marketing is more prevalent in stores where adolescents shop frequently.Design, setting, and participants:Trained coders counted cigarette ads, products, and other marketing materials in a census of stores that sell tobacco in Tracy, California (n  =  50). A combination of data from focus groups and in-class surveys of middle school students (n  =  2125) determined which of the stores adolescents visited most frequently.Main outcome measures:Amount of marketing materials and shelf space measured separately for the three cigarette brands most popular with adolescent smokers and for other brands combined.Results:Compared to other stores in the same community, stores where adolescents shopped frequently contained almost three times more marketing materials for Marlboro, Camel, and Newport, and significantly more shelf space devoted to these brands.Conclusions:Regardless of whether tobacco companies intentionally target youth at the point of sale, these findings underscore the importance of strategies to reduce the quantity and impact of cigarette marketing materials in this venue.
The tobacco industry’s use of Wall Street analysts in shaping policy
Authors: Alamar B C , Glantz S A 
Published: August 2004

Objective:To document how the tobacco industry has used Wall Street analysts to further its public policy objectives.Methods:Searching tobacco documents available on the internet, newspaper articles, and transcripts of public hearings.Results:The tobacco industry used nominally independent Wall Street analysts as third parties to support the tobacco industry’s legislative agenda at both national and state levels in the USA. The tobacco industry has, for example, edited the testimony of at least one analyst before he testified to the US Senate Judiciary Committee, while representing himself as independent of the industry.Conclusion:The tobacco industry has used undisclosed collaboration with Wall Street analysts, as they have used undisclosed relationships with research scientists and academics, to advance the interests of the tobacco industry in public policy.
Stereotyping the smoker: adolescents’ appraisals of smokers in film
Authors: McCool J P , Cameron L , Petrie K 
Published: August 2004

Objective:To assess the relation between demographic factors and film smoking stereotypes in adolescents and the potential influence of smoker stereotypes on smoking susceptibility.Design:A cross sectional questionnaire survey of school students (n  =  3041) aged 12–13 and 16–17 years who were asked to describe the personal characteristics of female and male smokers in films.Setting:15 primary or intermediate schools and 10 secondary schools in Auckland, New Zealand.Results:Appraisals of smokers in film were strongly influenced by age and sex with younger adolescents and males more likely to see female smokers as sexy, intelligent and healthy whereas older students and females more often appraised female smokers as stressed bored and depressed. Overall, image stereotypes (sexy, stylish) were more likely to be significantly associated with smoking susceptibility than emotional sensitivity stereotypes (stressed, depressed etc).Conclusions:Adolescents differ significantly in their appraisal of smokers in films; however, image based stereotypes, rather than emotional sensitivity stereotypes, are significantly associated with smoking susceptibility.
Psychosocial work conditions, social capital, and daily smoking: a population based study
Authors: Lindström M 
Published: August 2004

Objective:To investigate the associations between psychosocial conditions at work, social capital/social participation, and daily smoking.Design/setting/participants/measurements:The 2000 public health survey in Scania is a cross sectional postal questionnaire study with a 59% participation rate. A total of 5180 persons aged 18–64 years that belonged to the work force and the unemployed were included in this study. Logistic regression models were used to investigate the associations between psychosocial factors at work/unemployment, social participation, and daily smoking. Psychosocial conditions at work were defined according to the Karasek-Theorell demand–control/decision latitudes into relaxed, active, passive, and jobstrain categories. The multivariate analyses included age, country of origin, education and economic stress.Results:17.2% proportion of all men and 21.9% of all women were daily smokers. The jobstrain (high demands/low control) and unemployed categories had significantly higher odds ratios of daily smoking among both men and women compared to the relaxed (low demands/high control) reference category. The passive (low demands/low control), jobstrain, and unemployed categories were also significantly associated with low social participation. Low social participation was significantly and positively associated with daily smokingwithineach of the psychosocial work conditions and unemployed categories.Conclusions:The positive association between low social capital/low social participation and daily smoking is well known. However, both social participation and daily smoking are associated with psychosocial work conditions and unemployment. Psychosocial work conditions and unemployment may affect daily smoking both directly and through a pathway including social participation.
ANALYSIS OF THE DOPPLER ULTRASOUND SIGNAL BY WAVELET PACKET TRANSFORM
Authors: MEGHNEFI F. , REGUIG F. BEREKSI , BRAHAMI M. 
Published: August 2004

The study presented in this paper is concerned with the analysis of the ultrasound Doppler signal of the arteries in the spectro-temporal domain using the wavelet packet transform. The spectro-temporal representation is obtained by the decomposition of the Doppler signal in frequency sub-band, using filter banks associated with a well chosen wavelet. It is shown that the decomposition level depends on the stationarity of the Doppler signal, and the best profile of blood flow velocity in arteries is obtained according to an appropriate choice of wavelet type. Three types of wavelets have been tested on two Doppler signals previously recorded from the carotid and femoral arteries. The best representation is obtained when the frequency sub-bands of the filter bank associated with chosen wavelet are regularly distributed in the frequency domain and the level of decomposition is 7.
STUDY OF BLAST DNA MATCHING TOOLKITS
Authors: NG E. Y.-K. , TAY L. L. 
Published: August 2004

The beginning of bioinformatics saw the development of algorithms that enabled the storage of nucleic acid and protein sequences in the form of annotated databases in a manner that would allow researchers to exchange information about gene and protein sequences easily and quickly. Databases are growing extremely fast, hence it is essential to use the current databases, which are easily available on the Web.This tutorial deals with the concept of DNA matching by using BLAST programs such as BLASTN and MEGABLAST to perform similarity sequence search and to evaluate their relative effectiveness. Interpretation of the BLAST results is done. Comparisons between the two algorithms are included based on varying parameters such as word sizes, query sequences length and gap X drop-off values, etc. It is found that as the word size increases, the computation time for both BLASTN and MEGABLAST algorithms decreases. BLASTN is more sensitive than MEGABLAST since it uses a shorter default word size of 11 as compared to MEGABLAST, which uses a default word size of 28. The search strategy offers a tradeoff between speed and sensitivity. As for BLAST 2 Sequences, MEGABLAST could perform better than BLASTN only for large word sizes greater than or equal to 16 and for longer sequences.
INTELLECTUAL CAPITAL AND PERFORMANCE OF NEW VENTURE HIGH-TECH FIRMS
Authors: JUMA NORMA , PAYNE G. TYGE 
Published: August 2004

Intellectual capital (IC) has been proposed as an essential factor for organizational survival and maintenance of competitive strength. However, there has been very limited consensus on what encompasses IC and how it can best be conceptualized and measured. Further, very little empirical work has specifically examined the relationship between IC and financial performance. Given these shortcomings, this paper focuses first on the impact IC has on performance and secondly on the role strategic alliances may have on this relationship.While we argue that IC will impact performance, we anticipate this relationship will be moderated by strategic alliances and other inter-firm collaborations. Findings reveal interesting relationships that suggest further effort should be placed on the conceptualization and measurement of IC, specifically regarding its relationship to firm performance.
Cell interactions and planar polarity in the abdominal epidermis ofDrosophila
Authors: Lawrence Peter A. , Casal José , Struhl Gary 
Published: August 2004

The integument of the Drosophila adult abdomen bears oriented hairs and bristles that indicate the planar polarity of the epidermal cells. We study four polarity genes, frizzled (fz), prickle (pk), Van gogh/strabismus(Vang/stbm) and starry night/flamingo (stan/fmi),and note what happens when these genes are either removed or overexpressed in clones of cells. The edges of the clones are interfaces between cells that carry different amounts of gene products, interfaces that can cause reversals of planar polarity in the clone and wild-type cells outside them. To explain,we present a model that builds on our earlier picture of a gradient of X, the vector of which specifies planar polarity and depends on two cadherin proteins, Dachsous and Fat. We conjecture that the X gradient is read out,cell by cell, as a scalar value of Fz activity, and that Pk acts in this process, possibly to determine the sign of the Fz activity gradient.We discuss evidence that cells can compare their scalar readout of the level of X with that of their neighbours and can set their own readout towards an average of those. This averaging, when it occurs near the edges of clones,changes the scalar response of cells inside and outside the clones, leading to new vectors that change polarity. The results argue that Stan must be present in both cells being compared and acts as a conduit between them for the transfer of information. And also that Vang assists in the receipt of this information. The comparison between neighbours is crucial, because it gives the vector that orients hairs – these point towards the neighbour cell that has the lowest level of Fz activity.Recently, it has been shown that, for a limited period shortly before hair outgrowth in the wing, the four proteins we study, as well as others, become asymmetrically localised in the cell membrane, and this process is thought to be instrumental in the acquisition of cell polarity. However, some results do not fit with this view – we suggest that these localisations may be more a consequence than a cause of planar polarity.
Thrombophiliediagnostik bei Empfängern von Organtransplantaten / Thrombophilia diagnostics in recipients of organ transplants
Authors: Orth M. , Müller M. , Petros S. , Thiery J. 
Published: August 2004

AbstractPatients with the highest risk of recurrent thromboses due to inherited or acquired plasmatic factors can be identified by laboratory testing, the so-called "thrombophilia diagnostics". This review summarizes the advantages of thrombophilia diagnostics in organ transplant recipients for the primary prevention of vessel occlusion and transplant dysfunction. On the basis of published studies, the primary prevention of the transplant dysfunction of the kidney is a useful indication for thrombophilia diagnostics while this testing is only of limited use in heart transplant recipients. In patients with a proven hypercoagulable state, appropiate immunosuppressive agents should be chosen with respect to prothrombotic effects and prophylactic anticoagulation should be considered.
Maternal thrombophilia and obstetric complications / Mütterliche Thrombophilie und geburtshilfliche Komplikationen
Authors: Lindhoff-Last E. 
Published: August 2004

Abstract
Women with thrombophilic defects have been shown to
be at increased risk, not only of pregnancy associated
thromboembolism but also of other vascular complications
of pregnancy, including preeclampsia and fetal loss.
First trimester fetal loss is associated with factor V Leiden
mutation, activated protein C resistance without factor V
Leiden mutation and prothrombin G20210A mutation.
Late nonrecurrent fetal loss is associated with factor V
Leiden mutation, prothrombin mutation and protein S
deficiency. Concerning acquired thrombophilia, recurrent
fetal loss is a well-documented finding in patients with
antiphospholipid antibodies. Associations between
thrombophilia polymorphisms and an increased risk of
intrauterine growth restriction have been discussed in
small series of cases but could not be confirmed in large
scale studies. Frequencies for anticardiolipin antibodies
or lupus anticoagulants and antinuclear antibodies were
significantly higher in women with infants small for gestational
age compared to controls. Concerning preeclampsia,
gestational hypertension and thrombophilia, a
number of studies have examined these relationships
with conflicting results. For factor V Leiden, MTHFR
C677T and prothrombin mutation, no association with
preeclampsia was observed, when severe cases were
excluded. If studies were restricted to those of severe
preeclampsia, an association with the factor V Leiden
mutation was apparent and, to a lesser extent, with the
MTHFR-mutation.
For antithrombotic therapy, it was shown that in women
with antiphospholipid syndrome and recurrent pregnancy
loss, unfractionated heparin plus lowdose aspirin
results in significantly better gestational outcome than
lowdose aspirin alone. Concerning therapy of women
with inherited thrombophilia and pregnancy loss, only small, uncontrolled studies are available, demonstrating
improved pregnancy outcome when low molecular
weight heparin (LMWH) is used for treatment.
In conclusion, heritable thrombophilia and the antiphospholipid-syndrome are major causes of fetal loss
after exclusion of other underlying pathologies like chromosomal abnormalities, and screening should be recommended. LMWH with or without aspirin may be used for treatment. There is little value in antenatal screening for prothrombotic polymorphisms to predict the development of small for gestational age infants, preeclampsia or gestational hypertension.