bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Serotonergic Activity Contributes to Analgesic Overuse in Chronic Tension‐Type Headache
Authors: Park Jeong Wook , Kim Joong Seok , Kim Young In , Lee Kwang Soo 
Published: September 2005

Objective.—To evaluate the possible existence of a genetically determined innate factor that could exert a profound influence on the development of analgesic overuse in chronic tension‐type headache (CTTH).Background.—Many patients with CTTHs report the regular use of analgesics. Continuous use of analgesics results in the ultimate worsening of headaches. The factors related to development of analgesic overuse, however, remain poorly understood. The genetic factors for serotonin metabolism and the harm avoidance (HA) personality dimension are known to be associated with various substance abuse patterns.Design.—We performed serotonin transporter protein (5‐HTT) gene‐linked polymorphic region (5‐HTTLPR) genotype polymorphism analyses, and investigated serotonin‐related personality traits by assessing the HA dimension using tridimensional personality questionnaire, given to 48 patients with CTTHs and reported analgesic overuse (CTTH‐AO), in 50 patients with CTTHs without analgesic overuse (CTTH‐NO), and in 100 healthy controls. We compared their headache characteristics using standardized questionnaires.Results.—We discovered an excess frequency of 5‐HTTLPR short allele and a different genotypic distribution in patients with CTTH‐AO. The S/S genotype frequency was significantly higher in patients with CTTH‐AO (83%) than in CTTH‐NO (72%) and control (59%; P= .010) groups. Patients with CTTH‐AO exhibited the highest HA scores (23.3 ± 5.4), as compared to CTTH‐NO (19.9 ± 6.7) and control (16.3 ± 6.1) groups. Individuals with the S/S genotype showed a greater tendency toward analgesic overuse (13.3 ± 11.3 days per month) than did those with the non‐S/S genotype (7.0 ± 8.6 days per month: P= .02).Conclusions.—Our data suggest that serotonergic activity may be involved in the development of analgesic overuse in CTTH and that 5‐HTTLPR might be one of the genetically contributing factors.
An Evaluation of an Intervention to Assist Primary Care Physicians in Screening and Educating Older Patients Who Use Alcohol
Authors: Fink Arlene , Elliott Marc N. , Tsai Mark , Beck John C. 
Published: September 2005

Objectives:To evaluate whether providing physicians and older patients with personalized reports of drinking risks and benefits and patient education reduces alcohol‐related risks and problems.Design:Prospective comparison study.Setting:Community primary care.Participants:Twenty‐three physicians and 665 patients aged 65 and older.Intervention:Combined report, in which six physicians and 212 patients received reports of patients' drinking classifications and patients also received education; patient report, in which 245 patients received reports and education, but their five physicians did not receive reports; and usual care.Measurements:Assessments at baseline and 12 months later to determine patients' nonhazardous (no known risks), hazardous (risks for problems), or harmful (presence of problems) classifications using the Computerized Alcohol‐Related Problems Survey (CARPS). The CARPS contains a scanned screening measure and scoring algorithms and automatically produces patient and physician reports and patient education.Results:At baseline, 21% were harmful drinkers, and 26% were hazardous drinkers. The patient report and combined report interventions were each associated with greater odds of lower‐risk drinking at follow‐up than usual care (odds ratio=1.59 and 1.23, respectively,P<.05 for each). The patient report intervention significantly reduced harmful drinking at follow‐up from an expected 21% in usual care to 16% and increased nonhazardous drinking from 52% expected in usual care to 58%. Patients in the combined report intervention experienced a significantly greater average decrease in quantity and frequency.Conclusion:Older primary care patients can effectively reduce their alcohol consumption and other drinking risks when given personalized information about their drinking and health.
Clinical Performance of a Ventricular Automatic Capture Verification Algorithm
Authors: SPERZEL JOHANNES , KENNERGREN CHARLES , BIFFI MAURO , SMITH MITCHELL , KNOPS MARIE , GILL JASWINDER , BOLAND JEAN ,   European Insignia® I Ultra Investigational Group
Published: September 2005

Background: This study was conducted to evaluate the clinical performance of the ventricular automatic capture feature as implemented in the Insignia I Ultra pacemaker system (Guidant) utilizing a variety of ventricular leads Currently, the optimal programming of the pacemaker output considers both pacemaker efficiency (prolonging battery longevity) and patient safety (adequate safety margin). The ability of a pacemaker to automatically adjust the ventricular output above the pacing threshold while maintaining the appropriate safety margin has been explored since the early 1970s and is only available today in conjunction with a specific low polarization lead system.
Methods: One hundred and five patients were enrolled from 17 European centers utilizing 31 different types of ventricular leads were followed through their 3‐month follow‐up visit. There were no restrictions on the type of ventricular leads used.
Results: The average mean difference between the commanded autothreshold test (0.652 + 0.335 V) and the manual threshold test (0.651 + 0.335 V) was 0.001 + 0.49 (P < 0.0001). The average mean difference between the ambulatory autothreshold test (0.696 + 0.322 V) and the commanded autothreshold test (0.682 + 0.315 V) was 0.002 + 0.74 (P < 0.0001). Holter recordings confirmed that there were no loss of capture incidences without a backup pulse being delivered. In addition, the mean number of backup pulses delivered in a 24‐hour period was less than 0.1% of the total number of paced beats.
Conclusions: This study provided that the automatic capture feature while using a variety of leads accurately determines the ventricular stimulation threshold and safely delivers a backup pulse when required.
Rapid Decline in Acute Stimulation Thresholds with Steroid‐Eluting Active‐Fixation Pacing Leads
Authors: KISTLER PETER M. , KALMAN JONATHAN M. , FYNN SIMON P. , SINGARAYAR SURESH , ROBERTS‐THOMSON KURT C. , LINDSAY CATHERINE B. , KHONG UYEN , SPARKS PAUL B. , STRATHMORE NEIL , MOND HARRY G. 
Published: September 2005

Background and Aim: There is an increasing use of active‐fixation leads for cardiac pacing, yet concerns remain regarding initial high stimulation thresholds. The aim was to perform a detailed analysis of pacing parameters at the time of implantation to determine when lead repositioning should be considered.
Methods: We performed a prospective observational study of consecutive new pacemaker implants. Detailed analysis of pacing parameters was collected at 2‐minute intervals for 10 minutes, and at day 1 and week 8 following implant.
Results: Ninety‐four patients underwent implantation of 79 dual‐chamber and 15 single‐chamber pacemakers using active‐fixation leads in both chambers. An initial threshold of >1 V was demonstrated in 45/94 (48%) ventricular leads (mean threshold 1.5 ± 0.3 V). This declined rapidly to 0.9 ± 0.3 V at 4 minutes (P < 0.01), 0.7 ± 0.3 V at 10 minutes (P < 0.01), and 0.6 ± 0.3 V at day 1 (P < 0.01). At day 1, 43/45 leads were <1 V. There were 79 atrial leads. An initial threshold of >1 V (mean 1.7 ± 0.6 V) was demonstrated in 41/79 (52%) leads falling significantly to 1.1 ± 0.5 V at 4 minutes (P < 0.01), 0.9 ± 0.4 V at 10 minutes (P < 0.01), and 0.6 ± 0.2 V at day 1 (P < 0.01). At 10 minutes, 32 of 41 leads demonstrated a threshold of <1 V with all leads <1 V at day 1. Thresholds were maintained medium term.
Conclusions: Active‐fixation leads are commonly associated with initially high thresholds that fall rapidly. An initial threshold of 2 V should be provisionally accepted and retested at 4 minutes. The majority will have a threshold of <1 V the following day. A failure of a high threshold to decline at 4 minutes requires lead repositioning.
Data Gold Mining: MIDAS and Journey Time Predictors
Authors: Gibbens Richard , Werft Wiebke 
Published: September 2005

AbstractThe Motorway Incident Detection and Automatic Signalling (MIDAS) system data are summaries of traffic volumes, speeds and vehicle types, derived from loop detectors that sense traffic passing over them. These sensors are being rolled out across the UK's strategic highway network (motorways and major A-roads) and data from portions of one of the busiest motorways, the M25, now go back 10 years. Richard Gibbens and Wiebke Werft describe a journey time predictor based on MIDAS and explain how the data can shed light on topical issues such as road pricing.
A Rich Opportunity: Data Analysis in Personal Financial Services
Authors: Hand David J. 
Published: September 2005

Abstract
Certain sectors are well known for employing large numbers of statisticians, points out David Hand. These include the pharmaceutical sector, medical research and government. Less well known, however, is that the personal financial services sector also requires large numbers of numerate people, and that statisticians, with their understanding of risk and uncertainty and their ability to extract information from large quantities of data, are in particular demand.
In Vino Veritas
Authors: Hin Lin Y. 
Published: September 2005

Abstract
Wine consumption, once predominantly in Europe and the USA, is rapidly evolving into a global trend, with lucrative markets opening up in the Far East, notably Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong and mainland China. The demand for fine wines, in these regions in particular, sends prices rising through the stratosphere. Lin Y. Hin looks at the professional tasters' ratings and considers issues of score consignment and lifetime estimation.
Life and Death Decisions: A Statistician on a Data Monitoring and Ethics Committee
Authors: Campbell Mike 
Published: September 2005

Abstract
It has recently been suggested that many clinical trials should have a data monitoring and ethics committee, and that on this committee should be a statistician. Such committees are attached to individual trials and are distinct from local ethics committees, which are not required to have a statistician and are not concerned solely with trials. Given the plethora of trials, there will be increasing demand for statisticians to sit on these committees. Although it is both an honour and a privilege, Mike Campbell warns that membership should not be undertaken lightly.
TolC Is Involved in Enterobactin Efflux across the Outer Membrane of
Escherichia coli
Authors: Bleuel Corinna , Große Cornelia , Taudte Nadine , Scherer Judith , Wesenberg Dirk , Krauß Gerd J. , Nies Dietrich H. , Grass Gregor 
Published: September 2005

ABSTRACT

Escherichia coli
excretes the catecholate siderophore enterobactin in response to iron deprivation. While the mechanisms underlying enterobactin biosynthesis and ferric enterobactin uptake and utilization are widely understood, nearly nothing is known about how enterobactin is exported from the cell. Mutant and high-performance liquid chromatography analyses demonstrated that the outer membrane channel tunnel protein TolC but none of the respective seven resistance nodulation cell division (RND) proteins CusA, AcrB, AcrD, AcrF, MdtF (YhiV), or the twin RND MdtBC (YegNO) was essential for enterobactin export across the outer membrane. Mutant
E. coli
strains with additional deletion of
tolC
or the major facilitator
entS
were growth deficient in iron-depleted medium. Strains with deletion of
tolC
or
entS
, but not with deletion of genes encoding RND transporters, excreted very little enterobactin into the growth medium. Enterobactin excretion in
E. coli
is thus probably a two-step process involving the major facilitator EntS and the outer membrane channel tunnel protein TolC. Quantitative reverse transcription-PCR analysis of gene-specific transcripts showed no significant changes in
tolC
expression upon iron depletion. However, iron starvation led to increased expression of the RND gene
mdtF
and a decrease in
acrD
.
d
-Alanylation of Teichoic Acids Promotes Group A
Streptococcus
Antimicrobial Peptide Resistance, Neutrophil Survival, and Epithelial Cell Invasion
Authors: Kristian Sascha A. , Datta Vivekanand , Weidenmaier Christopher , Kansal Rita , Fedtke Iris , Peschel Andreas , Gallo Richard L. , Nizet Victor 
Published: September 2005

ABSTRACT

Group A streptococcus (GAS) is a leading cause of severe, invasive human infections, including necrotizing fasciitis and toxic shock syndrome. An important element of the mammalian innate defense system against invasive bacterial infections such as GAS is the production of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) such as cathelicidins. In this study, we identify a specific GAS phenotype that confers resistance to host AMPs. Allelic replacement of the
dltA
gene encoding
d
-alanine-
d
-alanyl carrier protein ligase in an invasive serotype M1 GAS isolate led to loss of teichoic acid
d
-alanylation and an increase in net negative charge on the bacterial surface. Compared to the wild-type (WT) parent strain, the GAS Δ
dltA
mutant exhibited increased susceptibility to AMP and lysozyme killing and to acidic pH. While phagocytic uptake of WT and Δ
dltA
mutants by human neutrophils was equivalent, neutrophil-mediated killing of the Δ
dltA
strain was greatly accelerated. Furthermore, we observed the Δ
dltA
mutant to be diminished in its ability to adhere to and invade cultured human pharyngeal epithelial cells, a likely proximal step in the pathogenesis of invasive infection. Thus, teichoic acid
d
-alanylation may contribute in multiple ways to the propensity of invasive GAS to bypass mucosal defenses and produce systemic infection.
Natural Transposon Mutagenesis of Clinical Isolates of
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
: How Many Genes Does a Pathogen Need?
Authors: Yesilkaya Hasan , Dale Jeremy W. , Strachan Norval J. C. , Forbes Ken J. 
Published: September 2005

ABSTRACT

Transposable elements can affect an organism's fitness through the insertional inactivation of genes and can therefore be used to identify genes that are nonessential for growth in vitro or in animal models. However, these models may not adequately represent the genetic requirements during chains of human infection. We have therefore conducted a genome-wide survey of transposon mutations in
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
isolates from cases of human infection, identifying the precise, base-specific insertion sites of the naturally occurring transposable element IS
6110
. Of 294 distinct insertions mapped to the strain H37Rv genome, 180 were intragenic, affecting 100 open reading frames. The number of genes carrying IS
6110
in clinical isolates, and hence apparently not essential for infection and transmission, is very much lower than the estimates of nonessential genes derived from in vitro studies. This suggests that most genes in
M. tuberculosis
play a significant role in human infection chains. IS
6110
insertions were underrepresented in genes associated with virulence, information pathways, lipid metabolism, and membrane proteins but overrepresented in multicopy genes of the PPE family, genes of unknown function, and intergenic sequences. Population genomic analysis of isolates recovered from an organism's natural habitat is an important tool for determining the significance of genes or classes of genes in the natural biology of an organism.
Control of the Expression and Compartmentalization of σ
G
Activity during Sporulation of
Bacillus subtilis
by Regulators of σ
F
and σ
E
Authors: Chary Vasant K. , Meloni Mauro , Hilbert David W. , Piggot Patrick J. 
Published: September 2005

ABSTRACT

During formation of spores by
Bacillus subtilis
the RNA polymerase factor σ
G
ordinarily becomes active during spore formation exclusively in the prespore upon completion of engulfment of the prespore by the mother cell. Formation and activation of σ
G
ordinarily requires prior activity of σ
F
in the prespore and σ
E
in the mother cell. Here we report that in
spoIIA
mutants lacking both σ
F
and the anti-sigma factor SpoIIAB and in which σ
E
is not active, σ
G
nevertheless becomes active. Further, its activity is largely confined to the mother cell. Thus, there is a switch in the location of σ
G
activity from prespore to mother cell. Factors contributing to the mother cell location are inferred to be read-through of
spoIIIG
, the structural gene for σ
G
, from the upstream
spoIIG
locus and the absence of SpoIIAB, which can act in the mother cell as an anti-sigma factor to σ
G
. When the
spoIIIG
locus was moved away from
spoIIG
to the distal
amyE
locus, σ
G
became active earlier in sporulation in
spoIIA
deletion mutants, and the sporulation septum was not formed, suggesting that premature σ
G
activation can block septum formation. We report a previously unrecognized control in which SpoIIGA can prevent the appearance of σ
G
activity, and pro-σ
E
(but not σ
E
) can counteract this effect of SpoIIGA. We find that in strains lacking σ
F
and SpoIIAB and engineered to produce active σ
E
in the mother cell without the need for SpoIIGA, σ
G
also becomes active in the mother cell.
CUMULANTS IN NONCOMMUTATIVE PROBABILITY THEORY III: CREATION AND ANNIHILATION OPERATORS ON FOCK SPACES
Authors: LEHNER FRANZ 
Published: September 2005

Exchangeability systems arising from Fock space constructions are considered and the corresponding cumulants are computed for generalized Toeplitz operators and similar noncommutative random variables. In particular, simplified calculations are given for the two known examples of q-cumulants.In the second half of the paper we consider in detail the Fock states associated to characters of the infinite symmetric group recently constructed by Bożejko and Guta. We express moments of multidimensional Dyck words in terms of the so-called cycle indicator polynomials of certain digraphs.
Expression of Kinase Suppressor of Ras1 Enhances Cisplatin-Induced Extracellular Signal–Regulated Kinase Activation and Cisplatin Sensitivity
Authors: Kim Min , Yan Ying , Kortum Robert L. , Stoeger Scott M. , Sgagias Magdalene K. , Lee Kwangmoon , Lewis Robert E. , Cowan Kenneth H. 
Published: September 2005

Abstract
Kinase suppressor of Ras1 (KSR1) interacts with several mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase pathway components, including Raf, MAP/extracellular signal–regulated kinase (ERK) kinase (MEK), and ERK, and acts as a positive regulator of the Ras signaling cascade. Previous studies have shown that exposure of cells to the anticancer agent cisplatin (cis-diamminedichloroplatinum, CDDP) is associated with changes in multiple signal transduction pathways, including c-Jun-NH2-kinase, ERK, and p38 pathways. Moreover, ERK activation has been linked to changes in cell survival following CDDP treatment. In this report, we have examined the effects of KSR1 expression on the sensitivity of cells to CDDP-induced apoptosis. Loss of KSR1 expression in mouse embryo fibroblasts (MEFs) derived from KSR1 knockout mice (KSR−/− MEF) is associated with decreased CDDP-induced ERK activation and increased resistance to CDDP-induced apoptosis compared with wild-type MEFs (KSR+/+ MEF). Furthermore, transduction of KSR−/− MEFs and MCF-7 breast cancer cells with wild-type KSR1 resulted in enhanced ERK activation following CDDP exposure and increased sensitivity to CDDP. In addition, inhibition of ERK activation by exposing MEFs to the MEK1/2-specific inhibitors PD98059 and U0126 protected both KSR+/+ and KSR−/− MEFs cells from CDDP-induced apoptosis. These results indicate that KSR1-mediated regulation of ERK activity represents a novel determinant of CDDP sensitivity of cancer cells.
Signaling Pathways Associated with Colonic Mucosa Hyperproliferation in Mice Overexpressing Gastrin Precursors
Authors: Ferrand Audrey , Bertrand Claudine , Portolan Ghislaine , Cui Guanglin , Carlson Jane , Pradayrol Lucien , Fourmy Daniel , Dufresne Marlene , Wang Timothy C. , Seva Catherine 
Published: September 2005

Abstract
MTI/G-Gly mice and hGAS mice, overexpressing glycine-extended gastrin (G-Gly) and progastrin, respectively, display colonic mucosa hyperplasia, hyperproliferation, and an increased susceptibility to intestinal neoplasia. Here, we have used these transgenic mice to analyze in vivo the modulation of intracellular signaling pathways that may be responsible for the proliferative effects of gastrin precursors. The expression, activation, and localization of signaling and cell-to-cell adhesion molecules were studied using immunofluorescence and Western blot techniques on colonic tissues derived from MTI/G-Gly, hGAS, or wild-type FVB/N mice. These analyses revealed an up-regulation of Src tyrosine kinase and related signaling pathways [phosphatidyl inositol 3′-kinase (PI3K)/Akt, Janus-activated kinase (JAK) 2, signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) 3, and extracellular-signal regulated kinases (ERK)] in both MTI/G-Gly and hGAS mice compared with the wild-type control animals as well as an overexpression of transforming growth factor-α (TGF-α). In contrast, overexpression of the gastrin precursors did not affect the activation status of STAT1 nor the expression and the distribution of adhesion proteins (focal adhesion kinase, cadherins, and catenins). We report for the first time that the transition from a normal colonic epithelium to a hyperproliferative epithelium in MTI/G-Gly and hGAS mice may be a consequence of the up-regulation of Src, PI3K/Akt, JAK2, STAT3, ERKs, and TGF-α. Deregulation of cell adhesion, a late event in tumor progression, does not occur in these transgenic models.
Secreted Protein Acidic and Rich in Cysteine Produced by Human Melanoma Cells Modulates Polymorphonuclear Leukocyte Recruitment and Antitumor Cytotoxic Capacity
Authors: Alvarez Mariano J. , Prada Federico , Salvatierra Edgardo , Bravo Alicia I. , Lutzky Viviana P. , Carbone Cecilia , Pitossi Fernando J. , Chuluyan H. Eduardo , Podhajcer Osvaldo L. 
Published: September 2005

AbstractThe expression of secreted protein acidic and rich in cysteine (SPARC) has been associated with the malignant progression of different types of human cancer. SPARC was associated with tumor cell capacity to migrate and invade, although its precise role in tumor progression is still elusive. In the present study, we show that SPARC produced by melanoma cells modulates the antitumor activity of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN). Administration to nude mice of human melanoma cells in which SPARC expression was transiently or stably knocked down by antisense RNA (SPARC-sup cells) promoted PMN recruitment and obliterated tumor growth even when SPARC-sup cells accounted for only 10% of injected malignant cells. In addition, SPARC-sup cells stimulated the in vitro migration and triggered the antimelanoma cytotoxic capacity of human PMN, an effect that was reverted in the presence of SPARC purified from melanoma cells or by reexpressing SPARC in SPARC-sup cells. Leukotrienes, interleukin 8, and growth-related oncogene, in combination with Fas ligand and interleukin 1, mediated SPARC effects. These data indicate that SPARC plays an essential role in tumor evasion from immune surveillance through the inhibition of the antitumor PMN activity.