bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Causal attributions in delusional thinking: An investigation using qualitative methods
Authors: Beese A. G. , Stratton P. 
Published: August 2004

Objectives: To investigate the attributions offered spontaneously during interview by patients who have delusional beliefs. Specifically, to assess whether people with delusional beliefs reason in a way that is analysable. If so, to extend the findings from previous research to provide a detailed picture of the patients' accounts that could inform cognitive therapies for psychosis.Method: A group of 31 patients with delusional beliefs were interviewed using a semi‐structured open‐ended interview. Their causal attributions were identified and analysed in terms of standard definitions of attributional theory using the Leeds Attributional Coding System.Results: Patients made an average of 96 attributions each. These showed a high degree of recognizable coherence in reasoning, including when directly discussing delusional beliefs. The patterns of attributing were partly consistent with previous research findings, with external attributions being offered for negative events. Several other aspects emerged, indicating a pervasive negativity, with non‐delusional aspects of the illness being a major concern. When delusions were described as a cause of events, the dominant pattern of attributing was stable, internal, personal and uncontrollable, with negative outcomes. When delusions were reported as an outcome, the patient was more in control.Conclusions: The reasoning processes of patients with delusional beliefs are in many aspects normal and include patterns not identified by the ASQ. Attributing in relation to delusions differs from talk about other subjects. The qualitative attributional approach provided a detailed and rich picture of the world of these patients. Interpretable tendencies are described that should provide information useful to those practising and evaluating cognitive therapies.
Life events, depression and social support in dementia
Authors: Waite Allyson , Bebbington Paul , Skelton‐Robinson Martin , Orrell Martin 
Published: August 2004

Objectives: Recent research has highlighted the influence of psychosocial factors on the course of dementia, and previous studies have demonstrated an association between the experience of life events and depression. This study aimed to investigate the interrelationships between life events, depression and social support in people with dementia.Design: Participants were 72 people with dementia and their carers. Data were collected on severity of dementia, cognitive impairment, depression, life events and social support.Results: The results showed that 62% of people with dementia who had experienced a severely threatening and independent life event in the preceding 3 months were depressed, compared with only 28% of those people with dementia without such events (p = .005). No relationships were found between social support and depression in people with dementia.Conclusions: This study builds on previous research indicating that people with dementia who experience stressful life events have a higher risk of depression.
Measurement of exhaled hydrogen peroxide from rabbit lungs
Authors: Weissmann N. , Vogels H. , Schermuly R. T. , A. Ghofrani H. , Hänze J. , Fink L. , Rose F. , Seeger W. , Grimminger F. 
Published: August 2004

AbstractExhaled H2O2 is considered an indicator of lung inflammatory and oxidative stress. Moreover, H2O2 may be involved in signal transduction processes. It is not fully elucidated to what extent (i) H2O2 escapes from the intravascular compartment, and (ii) pulmonary H2O2 generation and nasopharyngeal H2O2 generation contribute to exhaled H2O2. We investigated H2O2 concentrations in breath condensate from isolated bufferperfused and ventilated rabbit lungs, and from both intubated and spontaneously breathing rabbits with a horseradish peroxidase/ 2,7dichlorofluorescin assay. For the perfused lungs, a H2O2 concentration of 58±19 nM was found. Addition of H2O2 to the buffer fluid resulted in only minute appearance in the exhaled air (<0.001%). Levels of exhaled H2O2 in intubated rabbits and perfused lungs were virtually identical. Nearly tenfold higher levels were detected in spontaneously breathing rabbits. Decreasing the inspired oxygen concentration from 21% to 1% resulted in a tendency toward decreased H2O2 exhalation in perfused lungs. In contrast, phorbol-12-myristate-13- acetate (PMA) prompted a ~4-fold increase in H2O2 exhalation. We conclude that the horseradish peroxidase/ 2',7'dichlorofluorescin assay is a feasible technique to measure H2O2 in exhaled breath condensate in rabbits. When collecting exhaled air via the tracheal tube, the signal represents pulmonary H2O2 generation with the contribution of the remaining body being negligible.
Simultaneous exposure of rats to dioxin and carbon monoxide reduces the xenobiotic but not the hypoxic response
Authors: Hofer T. , Pohjanvirta R. , Spielmann P. , Viluksela M. , Buchmann D. P. , Wenger R. H. , Gassmann M. 
Published: August 2004

AbstractAryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) and hypoxiainducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) are conditionally regulated transcription factor subunits that form heterodimeric complexes with their common partner, AhR nuclear translocator (ARNT/HIF-1β). Whereas the environmentally toxic compound 2,3,7,8-tetra-chlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) initiates the trans-activation activity of AhR:ARNT/HIF-1β, hypoxic exposure stabilizes HIF-1α and functionally activates the HIF-1α:ARNT/HIF-1β complex. To analyze a possible crosstalk between these two pathwaysin vivo, rats were given dioxin orally and/or were exposed to carbon monoxide (CO), causing functional anemia. We found that exposure to CO inhibited the xenobiotic response while dioxin application had no significant negative impact on hypoxia-mediated gene transcription.
Structure and expression of two kininogen genes in mice
Authors: Cardoso C. C. , Garrett T. , Cayla C. , Meneton P. , Pesquero J. B. , Bader M. 
Published: August 2004

AbstractKininogens serve dual functions by forming a scaffold for the assembly of the protein complex initiating the surface-activated blood coagulation cascade and as precursors for the kinin hormones. While rats have three kininogen genes, for mice, cattle, and humans only one gene has been described. Here, we present sequence and expression data of a second mouse kininogen gene. The two genes, kininogen-I and kininogen-II, are located in close proximity on chromosome 16 in a headtohead arrangement. In liver and kidney, both genes are expressed and for each gene three alternative splice variants are synthesized. Two of them are the expected high and low molecular weight isoforms known from all mammalian kininogens. However, for both genes also a third, hitherto unknown splice variant was detected which lacks part of the high molecular weight mRNA due to splicing from the low molecular weight donor site to alternative splice acceptor sites in exon 10. The physiological functions of the six kininogen isoforms predicted by these findings need to be determined.
Structure of the Q237W mutant of HhaI DNA methyltransferase: an insight into protein-protein interactions
Authors: Dong A. , Zhou L. , Zhang X. , Stickel S. , Roberts R.J. , Cheng X. 
Published: August 2004

AbstractWe have determined the structure of a mutant (Q237W) of HhaIDNA methyltransferase, complexed with the methyl-donor product AdoHcy. The Q237W mutant proteins were crystallized in the monoclinic space group C2 with two molecules in the crystallographic asymmetric unit. Protein-protein interface calculations in the crystal lattices suggest that the dimer interface has the specific characteristics for homodimer protein-protein interactions, while the two active sites are spatially independent on the outer surface of the dimer. The solution behavior suggests the formation of HhaIdimers as well. The same HhaIdimer interface is also observed in the previously characterized binary (M.HhaIAdoMet) and ternary (M.HhaIDNAAdoHcy) complex structures, crystallized in different space groups. The dimer is characterized either by a noncrystallographic two-fold symmetry or a crystallographic symmetry. The dimer interface involves three segments: the aminoterminal residues 28, the carboxyterminal residues 313327, and the linker (amino acids 179184) between the two functional domains the catalytic methylation domain and the DNA target recognition domain. Both the amino- and carboxy-terminal segments are part of the methylation domain. We also examined proteinprotein interactions of other structurally characterized DNA MTases, which are often found as a 2-fold related dimer with the largest dimer interface area for the group-β MTases. A possible evolutionary link between the Type I and Type II restriction-modification systems is discussed.
Activation of NF-κB/Rel transcription factors in human primary peripheral blood mononuclear cells by interleukin 7
Authors: Lamberti A. , Petrella A. , Pascale M. , Romano M.F. , Bisogni R. , Vita N. , Venuta S. , Turco M.C. 
Published: August 2004

AbstractPathways that regulate the activation of NF-κB/Rel transcription factors are known to include signaling through a number of cytokine receptors. Interleukin 7 (IL-7), produced by bone marrow and other stromal cells, is a key factor for differentiation and survival in the lymphoid and other compartments. We found that human recombinant IL-7 induced NF-κB/Rel activation, analyzed by electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA), in human peripheral blood T lymphocytes from healthy donors. Induced complexes included p65 and p50 NF-κB/Rel subunits. These results demonstrate for the first time that IL-7 can participate in signaling leading to NF-κB/Rel activation.
Searching for the most effective screening system to identify cell-active inhibitors of β-secretase
Authors: Middendorp O. , Lüthi U. , Hausch F. , Barberis A. 
Published: August 2004

Abstract
The β-secretase BACE1 is an attractive drug target for reducing the level of the Alzheimers disease-promoting Aβ peptide in the brain. Whereas potent peptidomimetic in vitro inhibitors of BACE1 have been designed, screening approaches to identify cell-permeable small molecule inhibitors have had limited success so far. In the present minireview we summarize existing screening methods, discuss their scope of application in the drug discovery process and compare them to a novel cell-based screening system to identify BACE1 inhibitors by a positive yeast growth selection.
Nutrient-gene interactions: a single nutrient and hundreds of target genes
Authors: Daniel H. , Dieck H. tom 
Published: August 2004

AbstractBased on the effects of a selective experimental zinc deficiency in a rodent model we explore the use of transcriptome profiling for assessing nutrient-gene interactions in the liver at the molecular and cellular levels. Zinc deficiency caused pleiotropic alterations in mRNA/protein levels of hundreds of genes. In the context of observed metabolic alterations in hepatic metabolism, possible mechanisms are discussed for how a low zinc status may be sensed and transmitted into changes in various metabolic pathways. However, it also becomes obvious that analysis of such complex nutrient-gene interactions beyond the descriptional level is a real challenge for systems biology.
Linking nutrition to genomics
Authors: Bauer M. , Hamm A. , Pankratz M.J. 
Published: August 2004

AbstractThe new scientific field of nutrigenomics utilizes genomic tools, like microarrays, to analyze metabolic adaptations induced by variations in nutritional status. Here we describe how transcriptional regulation patterns caused by nutritional changes can be identified using gene expression profiling. This includes technical remarks on microarray analysis and data processing, as well as giving biological meaning to statistically solid data. We highlight our recent findings of transcriptional regulation of genes representing specific signaling and metabolic pathways in mouse liver under starvation. The results show strong correlations to previously identified responses to caloric restriction, which can be linked to lifespan extension.
Metal-responsive transcription factor (MTF-1) and heavy metal stress response in Drosophila and mammalian cells: a functional comparison
Authors: Balamurugan K. , Egli D. , Selvaraj A. , Zhang B. , Georgiev O. , Schaffner W. 
Published: August 2004

AbstractThe zinc finger transcription factor MTF-1 (metalresponsive transcription factor-1) is conserved from insects to vertebrates. Its major role in both organisms is to control the transcription of genes involved in the homeostasis and detoxification of heavy metal ions such as Cu[2+], Zn[2+] and Cd [2+]. In mammals, MTF-1 serves at least two additional roles. First, targeted disruption of the MTF-1 gene results in death at embryonic day 14 due to liver degeneration, revealing a stagespecific developmental role. Second, under hypoxicanoxic stress, MTF-1 helps to activate the transcription of the gene placental growth factor (PlGF), an angiogenic protein. Recently we characterized dMTF-1, theDrosophilahomolog of mammalian MTF-1. Here we present a series of studies to compare the metal response in mammals and insects, which reveal common features but also differences. A human MTF-1 transgene can restore to a large extent metal tolerance to flies lacking their own MTF-1 gene, both at low and high copper concentrations. Likewise,DrosophilaMTF-1 can substitute for human MTF-1 in mammalian cell culture, although both the basal and the metalinduced transcript levels are lower. Finally, a clear difference was revealed in the response to mercury, a highly toxic heavy metal: metallothioneintype promoters respond poorly, if at all, to Hg[2+] in mammalian cells but strongly inDrosophila, and this response is completely dependent on dMTF-1.
All-trans retinoic acid-responsive genes identified in the human SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cell line and their regulated expression in the nervous system of early embryos
Authors: Merrill R.A. , Ahrens J.M. , Kaiser M.E. , Federhart K.S. , Poon V.Y. , Clagett-Dame M. 
Published: August 2004

AbstractThe vitamin A metabolite, all-trans retinoic acid (atRA), is required for embryonic development. atRA binds to the nuclear retinoic acid receptors and regulates the transcription of specific target genes. In order to identify atRA-induced genes that play a role in neural development, a subtractive library was created from SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells, a human cell line that exhibits changes in cell adhesion and neurite outgrowth after exposure to the vitamin A acid. We report here the identification of 14 genes that are rapidly induced by atRA (retinoic acid induced in neurobIlastoma or RAINB), eight of which were previously not known to be atRA responsive (BTBD11, calmin, cyclin M2, ephrin B2, HOXD10, NEDD9, RAINB6 and tenascin R). mRNA regulation by atRA was confirmed in SHSY5Y cells by Northern blotting, and gene regulation was studied in additional human cell lines using the quantitative polymerase chain reaction. The majority of the atRA-responsive clones revealed in this screen are highly expressed in the nervous system of developing rat embryos. Further, the expression of several of these genes is perturbed in developing rat embryos exposed to excess atRA or conversely, deprived of sufficient retinoid during early development. We propose that a subset of these genes lie downstream of atRA and its receptors in the regulation of neurite outgrowth and cell adhesion in both neural and nonneural tissues within the developing embryo.
Metal-responsive transcription factor-1 (MTF-1) selects different types of metal response elements at low vs. high zinc concentration
Authors: Wang Y. , Lorenzi I. , Georgiev O. , Schaffner W. 
Published: August 2004

AbstractMetalresponsive transcription factor-1 (MTF-1) is a zinc finger protein with a central role in heavy metal homeostasis/ detoxification. MTF-1 binds to DNA sequence motifs known as metal response elements (MREs) with a core consensus TGCRCNC. Since MTF-1 is also involved in other stress responses, we tested whether it is able to recognize different types of DNA sequence motifs. To this end we selected MTF-1-binding oligonucleotides from a collection of random sequences. Since MTF-1 binds to known target sequences at relatively high zinc concentrations, oligonucleotide selection was performed in a mammalian cell nuclear extract both at high and low zinc concentrations. Irrespective of zinc concentration, we find a robust representation of MRE consensus sequences, however with specific features. Selection was most efficient at 100 M zinc, yielding many oligonucleotides with two MRE motifs in divergent orientation of the sequence
Inactivation of protein disulfide isomerase by alkylators including α,β-unsaturated aldehydes at low physiological pHs
Authors: Liu X.-W. , Sok D.-E. 
Published: August 2004

AbstractProtein disulfide isomerase (PDI) is known to contain the thioredoxin box motif with a low pKa cysteine residue. To investigate the reactivity of PDI with thiol modifiers at low physiological pHs, either the reduced (PDI[red]) or oxidized form (PDI[oxid]) of PDI was exposed to various alkylating ragents. When PDI was incubated with iodoacetamide at pH 6.3 for 30 min at 38C, a remarkable inactivation (>90%) of PDI[red] was caused by iodoacetamide (IC[50]=8 M). However, PDI[oxid] was only slightly inactivated (approximately 18%) by iodoacetamide. Similarly, PDI[red] was significantly inactivated by Nethylmaleimide (NEM), but PDI[oxid] was not. When the inactivation by these alkylators was analyzed by pseudofirst order kinetics, NEM (k[3]=1.7510[-2] s[-1]; K[i]=124 M) was observed to be more potent than iodoacetamide (k[3]=9.110[-3] s[-1]; K=311 M). Interestingly, the inactivation of PDI[red] by iodoacetamide was greater at pH 6.3 than pH 7.0, in contrast to a similar inactivation potency of NEM at both pHs. Moreover, the maximal inactivation of PDI[red] or PDI[oxid] by iodoacetamide was mainly observed around pH 6.0. In addition, PDI[red] was found to be inactivated by acrolein (IC[50]=10 M) at pH 6.3, and this inactivation was also greater at pH 6.3 than at pH 7. Based on these results, we suggest that PDI[red] is susceptible to inactivation by alkylators including endogenous α,β-unsaturated aldehydes at low physiological pHs.
SMAD-signaling in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: transcriptional down-regulation of inhibitory SMAD 6 and 7 by cigarette smoke
Authors: Springer J. , Scholz F.R. , Peiser C. , Groneberg D.A. , Fischer A. 
Published: August 2004

AbstractTransforming growth factor-β1 is a potent mediator of fibrosis stimulating the secretion of extracellular matrix proteins and is involved in airway remodeling in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Signals from the TGF superfamily are mediated by the SMAD group of transcription factors. Here, the expression of the regulatory SMAD2, 3, the co-SMAD4 and the inhibitory SMAD6 and 7 was assessed in bronchial biopsies of COPD patients and controls by quantitative RTPCR. While SMAD2 was not expressed and SMAD3 and 4 displayed no change, the inhibitory SMAD6 and 7 were significantly downregulated in COPD. To reveal the molecular basis of tobacco smoke-induced airway remodeling and to test whether it may interfere with intracellular SMAD signaling, the airway epithelial cell line A549 was incubated with cigarette smoke extract (1% and 10%) for 48 hours, which led to down-regulation of SMAD6 and 7 at both concentrations tested. It can be concluded that TGF-β-mediated effects in COPD are influenced by a disturbed intracellular feedback mechanism of inhibitory SMADs. Also, the effects of non-volatile components in tobacco smoke may partly be regulated via a smoke-induced down-regulation of inhibitory SMADs.
Exogenously added GPI-anchored tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1) displays enhanced and novel biological activities
Authors: Djafarzadeh R. , Mojaat A. , Vicente A. Belen , Lüttichau I. von , Nelson P.J. 
Published: August 2004

AbstractThe family of tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs) exhibits diverse physiological/biological functions including the inhibition of active matrix metalloproteinases, regulation of proMMP activation, cell growth, and the modulation of angiogenesis. TIMP-1 is a secreted protein that can be detected on the cell surface through its interaction with surface proteins. The diverse biological functions of TIMP-1 are thought to lie, in part, in the kinetics of TIMP-1/MMP/surface protein interactions. Proteins anchored by glycoinositol phospholipids (GPIs), when purified and added to cells
Collagen, ageing and nutrition
Authors: Frey Jacques 
Published: August 2004

AbstractThe relationship between ageing and nutrition is considered with collagen as the intermediate target. Some data showed that diet restriction resulted in decreased collagen accumulation and collagen ageing. Conversely, being overweight reduced the lifespan and increased collagen ageing.Collagen ageing, which includes low turnover and glycoxidation, involves an increase in both stiffness and weakness. Their consequences concern all tissues including those with vital importance such as cartilage, heart ventricle or arterial wall.
Evaluation of a new efficient procedure for single-nucleotide polymorphism genotyping: tetra-primer amplification refractory mutation system-polymerase chain reaction
Authors: Okayama Naoko , Fujimura Kozue , Nakamura Junji , Suehiro Yutaka , Hamanaka Yuichiro , Hinoda Yuji 
Published: August 2004

AbstractTetra-primer amplification refractory mutation system-polymerase chain reaction (ARMS-PCR) is a new efficient method for single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotyping. To determine the optimal conditions for ARMS-PCR we attempted to genotype ten SNPs. DNA was extracted from the peripheral blood of 168 unrelated healthy Japanese volunteers. Two problems inhibited uniform efficiency of the amplification of three bands. The first problem was the lower amplification efficiency of the shorter and allele-specific products compared with the largest product. This phenomenon was overcome by increasing the relative concentration of the inner primers. The second problem was non-specific amplification of the shorter products. To reduce the amplification of these nonspecific bands, adjusting any one of the following PCR conditions was effective: i) reducing the ratio of the inner primer concentration relative to that of the outer primers; ii) increasing the annealing temperature for the initial 5–10 cycles; iii) hot start PCR. With these procedures all ten of the SNPs were successfully genotyped. Our present data may be useful in the further application of tetra-primer ARMS-PCR to SNP genotyping.
Limited usefulness of the PFA-100™ for the monitoring of ADP receptor antagonists–in vitro experience
Authors: Golanski Jacek , Pluta Justyna , Baraniak Janina , Watala Cezary 
Published: August 2004

AbstractWe have evaluated the usefulness of the PFA-100™ system (collagen/ADP and collagen/epinephrine cartridges) to assess the in vitro effects of a few platelet function inhibitors: Aspisol
Isolation of plasma small-dense low-density lipoprotein using a simple air-driven ultracentrifuge and quantification using immunassay of apolipoprotein B
Authors: Menys Valentine C. , Liu Yifen , Mackness Michael I. , Kwok See , Caslake Muriel J. , Stewart Grace , Durrington Paul N. 
Published: August 2004

AbstractSmall-dense low-density lipoprotein (SD-LDL) is associated with coronary heart disease risk. Current methods for its quantification are expensive, complex and time-consuming. Plasma was adjusted to a density (D) of 1.044 g/ml in a volume of 0.18 ml and centrifuged in a Beckman Airfuge at 160 000×