bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Olfactory ensheathing cells: Historical perspective and therapeutic potential
Authors: Boyd J.G. , Skihar V. , Kawaja M. , Doucette R. 
Published: March 2003

AbstractOlfactory ensheathing cells (OECs) are the glial cells that ensheath the axons of the first cranial nerve. They are attracting increasing attention from neuroscientists as potential therapeutic agents for use in the repair of spinal cord injury and as a source of myelinating glia for use in remyelinating axons in demyelinating diseases such as multiple sclerosis. This review mainly addresses the cell biological aspects of OECs pertinent to addressing two questions. Namely, where do OECs fit into the groupings of central nervous system (CNS)/peripheral nervous system (PNS) glial cells and should OECs be viewed as a clinically relevant alternative to Schwann cells in the treatment of spinal cord injury? The evidence indicates that OECs are indeed a clinically relevant alternative to Schwann cells. However, much more work needs to be done before we can even come close to answering the first question as to the lineage and functional relationship of OECs to the other types of CNS and PNS glial cells. Anat Rec (Part B: New Anat) 271B:49–60, 2003. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Ethnic and sex differences in serum levels of cartilage oligomeric matrix protein: The Johnston county osteoarthritis project
Authors: Jordan Joanne M. , Luta Gheorghe , Stabler Thomas , Renner Jordan B. , Dragomir Anca D. , Vilim Vladimir , Hochberg Marc C. , Helmick Charles G. , Kraus Virginia B. 
Published: March 2003

AbstractObjectivePrevious descriptions of potential biomarkers of osteoarthritis (OA) have been limited to Caucasians. In the present study, we examined associations between serum levels of cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP) and ethnicity (African American or Caucasian) and sex in the Johnston County Osteoarthritis Project, a population‐based study of OA in rural North Carolina.MethodsAll African Americans and a randomly selected sample of Caucasians who had available sera and either no radiographic evidence of knee or hip OA according to the Kellgren/Lawrence (K/L) system (K/L grade 0) or radiographic evidence of knee OA (K/L grade 2 or higher) were included. Serum COMP levels were quantified by sandwich enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay, using monoclonal antibodies 16‐F12 and 17‐C10. Linear regression models were used to assess relationships between serum levels of natural log–transformed COMP (ln COMP) and ethnicity and sex, controlling for age, height, body mass index (BMI), radiographic OA, and the presence of other symptomatic joints. Radiographic OA was defined in separate models as the presence, severity, and laterality of radiographic knee OA, the co‐occurrence of radiographic knee and hip OA, and the number of knees and hips with radiographic OA.ResultsThe 769 subjects in the study sample had a mean ± SD age of 62 ± 10.3 years. Levels of ln COMP were associated with age, BMI, and all definitions of radiographic OA (P = 0.0001), and varied by ethnicity and sex. In adjusted models, ln COMP was higher in African American women than in Caucasian women (P = 0.003) and higher in Caucasian men than Caucasian women (P = 0.0001). There were no statistically significant differences in serum ln COMP levels between African American men and women.ConclusionSerum COMP levels vary by ethnicity and sex. These factors should be considered in the derivation of standards using this, and possibly other, potential biomarkers of OA.
Are environmental factors important in primary systemic vasculitis?: A case–control study
Authors: Lane Suzanne E. , Watts Richard A. , Bentham Graham , Innes Nicholas J. , Scott David G. I. 
Published: March 2003

AbstractObjectiveTo investigate the association between primary systemic vasculitis (PSV) and environmental risk factors.MethodsSeventy‐five PSV cases and 273 controls (220 nonvasculitis, 19 secondary vasculitis, and 34 asthma controls) were interviewed using a structured questionnaire. Factors investigated were social class, occupational and residential history, smoking, pets, allergies, vaccinations, medications, hepatitis, tuberculosis, and farm exposure in the year before symptom onset (index year). The Standard Occupational Classification 2000 and job‐exposure matrices were used to assess occupational silica, solvent, and metal exposure. Stepwise multiple logistic regression was used to calculate the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (95% CI) adjusted for potential confounders. Total PSV, subgroups (47 Wegener's granulomatosis [WG], 12 microscopic polyangiitis, 16 Churg‐Strauss syndrome [CSS]), and antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)–positive cases were compared with control groups.ResultsFarming in the index year was significantly associated with PSV (OR 2.3 [95% CI 1.2–4.6]), with WG (2.7 [1.2–5.8]), with MPA (6.3 [1.9–21.6]), and with perinuclear ANCA (pANCA) (4.3 [1.5–12.7]). Farming during working lifetime was associated with PSV (2.2 [1.2–3.8]) and with WG (2.7 [1.3–5.7]). Significant associations were found for high occupational silica exposure in the index year (with PSV 3.0 [1.0–8.4], with CSS 5.6 [1.3–23.5], and with ANCA 4.9 [1.3–18.6]), high occupational solvent exposure in the index year (with PSV 3.4 [0.9–12.5], with WG 4.8 [1.2–19.8], and with classic ANCA [cANCA] 3.9 [1.6–9.5]), high occupational solvent exposure during working lifetime (with PSV 2.7 [1.1–6.6], with WG 3.4 [1.3–8.9], and with cANCA 3.3 [1.0–10.8]), drug allergy (with PSV 3.6 [1.8–7.0], with WG 4.0 [1.8–8.7], and with cANCA 4.7 [1.9–11.7]), and allergy overall (with PSV 2.2 [1.2–3.9], with WG 2.7 [1.4–5.7]). No other significant associations were found.ConclusionA significant association between farming and PSV has been identified for the first time. Results also support previously reported associations with silica, solvents, and allergy.
Mitochondrial respiratory activity is altered in osteoarthritic human articular chondrocytes
Authors: Maneiro Emilia , Martín Miguel A. , de Andres María C. , López‐Armada Maria J. , Fernández‐Sueiro José L. , del Hoyo Pilar , Galdo Fausto , Arenas Joaquin , Blanco Francisco J. 
Published: March 2003

AbstractObjectiveOsteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative rheumatic disease that is associated with extracellular matrix degradation and chondrocyte apoptosis in the articular cartilage. The role of mitochondria in degenerative diseases is widely recognized. We undertook this study to evaluate mitochondrial function in normal and OA chondrocytes and to examine age‐related changes in mitochondria.MethodsMitochondrial function was evaluated by analyzing respiratory chain enzyme complexes and citrate synthase (CS) activities as well as changes in mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm). The activities of mitochondrial respiratory chain complexes (complex I: rotenone‐sensitive NADH–coenzyme Q1 reductase; complex II: succinate dehydrogenase; complex III: antimycin‐sensitive ubiquinol cytochrome c reductase; and complex IV: cytochrome c oxidase) and CS were measured in human articular chondrocytes isolated from OA and normal cartilage. ΔΨm was measured by JC‐1 using flow cytometry. Statistical analysis was performed using the Mann‐Whitney U test and Student's t‐test as well as several models of multiple linear regression.ResultsOA articular chondrocytes had reduced activities of complexes II and III compared with cells from normal cartilage. However, the mitochondrial mass was increased in OA. Cultures of OA chondrocytes contained a higher proportion of cells with de‐energized mitochondria. We found no relationship between mitochondrial function and donor age either in normal or in OA chondrocytes.ConclusionThese findings suggest the involvement of mitochondrial function in the pathophysiology of OA. Cartilage degradation by OA and cartilage aging may be two different processes.
A short course of BG9588 (anti–CD40 ligand antibody) improves serologic activity and decreases hematuria in patients with proliferative lupus glomerulonephritis
Authors: Boumpas Dimitrios T. , Furie Richard , Manzi Susan , Illei Gabor G. , Wallace Daniel J. , Balow James E. , Vaishnaw Akshay ,   on behalf of the BG9588 Lupus Nephritis Trial Group
Published: March 2003

AbstractObjectiveCD40–CD40 ligand (CD40L) interactions play a significant role in the production of autoantibodies and tissue injury in lupus nephritis. We performed an open‐label, multiple‐dose study to evaluate the safety, efficacy, and pharmacokinetics of BG9588, a humanized anti‐CD40L antibody, in patients with proliferative lupus nephritis. The primary outcome measure was 50% reduction in proteinuria without worsening of renal function.MethodsTwenty‐eight patients with active proliferative lupus nephritis were scheduled to receive 20 mg/kg of BG9588 at biweekly intervals for the first 3 doses and at monthly intervals for 4 additional doses. Safety evaluations were performed on all patients. Eighteen patients receiving at least 3 doses were evaluated for efficacy.ResultsThe study was terminated prematurely because of thromboembolic events occurring in patients in this and other BG9588 protocols (2 myocardial infarctions in this study). Of the 18 patients for whom efficacy could be evaluated, 2 had a 50% reduction in proteinuria without worsening of renal function. Mean reductions of 38.9% (P < 0.005), 50.1% (P < 0.005), and 25.3% (P < 0.05) in anti–double‐stranded DNA (anti‐dsDNA) antibody titers were observed at 1, 2, and 3 months, respectively, after the last treatment. There was a significant increase in serum C3 concentrations at 1 month after the last dose (P < 0.005), and hematuria disappeared in all 5 patients with significant hematuria at baseline. There were no statistically significant reductions in lymphocyte count or serum immunoglobulin, anticardiolipin antibody, or rubella IgG antibody concentrations after therapy.ConclusionA short course of BG9588 treatment in patients with proliferative lupus nephritis reduces anti‐dsDNA antibodies, increases C3 concentrations, and decreases hematuria, suggesting that the drug has immunomodulatory action. Additional studies will be needed to evaluate its long‐term effects.
Randomized study of subcutaneous low molecular weight heparin plus aspirin versus intravenous immunoglobulin in the treatment of recurrent fetal loss associated with antiphospholipid antibodies
Authors: Triolo Giovanni , Ferrante Angelo , Ciccia Francesco , Accardo‐Palumbo Antonina , Perino Antonino , Castelli Antonio , Giarratano Antonio , Licata Giuseppe 
Published: March 2003

AbstractObjectiveTo compare the 2 most efficacious therapeutic regimens, intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) and anticoagulation with low molecular weight (LMW) heparin plus low‐dose aspirin, in women with recurrent pregnancy loss associated with antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL).MethodsWe examined 40 women with recurrent abortion (at least 3 occurrences) and repeatedly positive test results for anticardiolipin or lupus anticoagulant. The subjects were randomly assigned to treatment with IVIG or LMW heparin plus low‐dose aspirin. Both therapies were started when the women were pregnant as documented by a positive urine test. IVIG was stopped at the thirty‐first week of gestation, aspirin at the thirty‐fourth week, and heparin at the thirty‐seventh week. The primary outcome of interest was the rate of live births with the 2 treatments.ResultsThe characteristics of the 2 groups were similar at the time of randomization. The women treated with LMW heparin plus low‐dose aspirin had a higher rate of live births (84%) than those treated with IVIG (57%).ConclusionTreatment with LMW heparin plus low‐dose aspirin should be considered as the standard therapy for recurrent pregnancy loss due to aPL.
Predicting future citation behavior
Authors: Burrell Quentin L. 
Published: March 2003

AbstractIn this article we further develop the theory for a stochastic model for the citation process in the presence of obsolescence to predict the future citation pattern of individual papers in a collection. More precisely, we investigate the conditional distribution—and its mean—of the number of citations to a paper after time t, given the number of citations it has received up to time t. In an important parametric case it is shown that the expected number of future citations is a linear function of the current number, this being interpretable as an example of a success‐breeds‐success phenomenon.
Paradigms, citations, and maps of science: A personal history
Authors: Small Henry 
Published: March 2003

AbstractCan maps of science tell us anything about paradigms? The author reviews his earlier work on this question, including Kuhn's reaction to it. Kuhn's view of the role of bibliometrics differs substantially from the kinds of reinterpretations of paradigms that information scientists are currently advocating. But these reinterpretations are necessary if his theory will ever be empirically tested, and further progress is to be made in understanding the growth of scientific knowledge. A new Web tool is discussed that highlights rapidly changing specialties that may lead to new ways of monitoring revolutionary change in real time. It is suggested that revolutionary and normal science be seen as extremes on a continuum of rates of change rather than, as Kuhn originally asserted, as an all or none proposition.
Pathfinder networks and author cocitation analysis: A remapping of paradigmatic information scientists
Authors: White Howard D. 
Published: March 2003

AbstractIn their 1998 article “Visualizing a discipline: An author cocitation analysis of information science, 1972–1995,” White and McCain used multidimensional scaling, hierarchical clustering, and factor analysis to display the specialty groupings of 120 highly‐cited (“paradigmatic”) information scientists. These statistical techniques are traditional in author cocitation analysis (ACA). It is shown here that a newer technique, Pathfinder Networks (PFNETs), has considerable advantages for ACA. In PFNETs, nodes represent authors, and explicit links represent weighted paths between nodes, the weights in this case being cocitation counts. The links can be drawn to exclude all but the single highest counts for author pairs, which reduces a network of authors to only the most salient relationships. When these are mapped, dominant authors can be defined as those with relatively many links to other authors (i.e., high degree centrality). Links between authors and dominant authors define specialties, and links between dominant authors connect specialties into a discipline. Maps are made with one rather than several computer routines and in one rather than many computer passes. Also, PFNETs can, and should, be generated from matrices of raw counts rather than Pearson correlations, which removes a computational step associated with traditional ACA. White and McCain's raw data from 1998 are remapped as a PFNET. It is shown that the specialty groupings correspond closely to those seen in the factor analysis of the 1998 article. Because PFNETs are fast to compute, they are used in AuthorLink, a new Web‐based system that creates live interfaces for cocited author retrieval on the fly.
Simultaneous mapping of interactions between scientific and technological knowledge bases: The case of space communications
Authors: Hassan E. 
Published: March 2003

AbstractThis article examines the knowledge structure of the field of space communications using bibliometric mapping techniques based on textual analysis. A new approach with the aim of visualizing simultaneously the configuration of its scientific and technological knowledge bases is presented. This approach enabled us to overcome various limits of existing bibliometric methods dealing with science and technology relationships. The bibliometric map revealed weak cognitive interactions between science and technology at the worldwide level, although it brought out the systemic nature of the process of knowledge production at either side. We extended the mapping approach to the R&D activities of the Triad countries in order to characterize their specialization profiles and cognitive links on both sides in comparison with the structure of the field at the worldwide level. Results showed different patterns in the way the Triad countries organized their scientific and technological activities within the field.
Characterisation of the human liver in vitro metabolic pattern of artemisinin and auto‐induction in the rat by use of nonlinear mixed effects modelling
Authors: Svensson Ulrika S.H. , Mäki‐Jouppila Mika , Hoffmann Kurt‐Jürgen , Ashton Michael 
Published: March 2003

AbstractAims: The aims of the study were to characterise the metabolic pattern of artemisinin in human and rat liver microsomes and to assess the magnitude of auto‐induction in the rat.Methods: 14C‐artemisinin was incubated with human liver microsomes and with liver microsomes from rats pretreated with oral artemisinin or placebo. The metabolic fate of 14C‐artemisinin in microsomes from human B‐lymphoblastoid cell lines transformed with CYP2A6, CYP2B6 and CYP3A4 was also investigated. The human liver microsome data and the rat liver microsomes data were analysed by nonlinear mixed effects modelling and naïve pooling using NONMEM, respectively.Results: Four metabolites were radiometrically detected in experiments with rat liver microsomes. The model that best described the data involved three primary metabolites of which one metabolite was further metabolised to a secondary metabolite. The formation of the four metabolites was induced 2.8, 7.2, 4.8 and 2.5‐fold, respectively, in liver microsomes from rats pre‐treated with artemisinin. Three metabolites were formed in human liver microsomes; having the same retention times as three of the metabolites formed in the rat. The final model consisted of two primary metabolites and a secondary metabolite with CYP2B6 and CYP2A6 influencing the formation rates of the major and minor primary metabolites, respectively.Conclusions: CYP2B6 and CYP2A6 activities described variability in the formation of the major and minor primary metabolites, respectively, in human liver microsomes. All artemisinin metabolic pathways in rat liver microsomes were induced in artemisinin pretreated animals. We suggest modelling as a method for the discrimination and detection of more complex metabolic patterns from in vitro metabolism rate data. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Microfiltration and ultrafiltration of polysaccharides produced by fermentation using a rotating disk dynamic filtration system
Authors: Brou A. , Jaffrin M. Y. , Ding L. H. , Courtois J. 
Published: March 2003

AbstractThe recovery of exopolysaccharides (EPS) produced by Sinorhizobium meliloti bacteria by dynamic microfiltration was investigated using a rotating disk device designed in our laboratory, equipped with a 0.2 μm nylon membrane. This system differs from commercially available systems by the presence of vanes on the disk which produce a very important increase in permeate flux while yielding excellent EPS transmission. For polymers produced under standard fermentation conditions (70 h at 30°C), the mass flux rose to 650 g h−1 m−2 using a disk equipped with 2 mm vanes rotating at 2000 rpm against 380 g h−1 m−2 with a smooth disk at the same speed. The maximum flux observed was 1560 g h−1 m−2 with a 6‐mm vanes disk rotating at 3000 rpm and a 36°C broth. An interesting finding was that the permeate flux Jf for various disks can be correlated by the same function of the mean shear stress at the membrane τwm according to Jf = 4.6 τwm0.717 for a 30°C broth, showing that the effect of vanes is merely to increase the shear stress by raising the fluid core velocity between the membrane and the disk. With 6‐mm vanes the core angular velocity was found to be 84% of disk velocity vs. 45% for a smooth disk. When the fermentation temperature was increased to 36°C to produce a lower molecular weight polymer, the permeate flux rose by about 250%, much more than what could be expected from the reduction in permeate viscosity and followed the same power law with membrane shear stress as for 30°C. The same device was equipped with a PES 50 kDa membrane to concentrate EPS by ultrafiltration. Permeate fluxes were of the order of 160 L h−1 m−2 at 2000 rpm and 30°C with nearly complete EPS rejection. Finally, the net electrical power consumed by the disk was measured by subtracting the power consumed without fluid from the power during filtration at the same speed. This power increases with speed and with the presence of vanes, but since the gain provided by the vanes is very high, the specific energy per m3 of permeate is minimal with the highest vanes tested (6 mm) and maximal for smooth disks. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biotechnol Bioeng 82: 429–437, 2003.
Laser impact assessment in a biofilm‐forming bacterium Pseudoalteromonas carrageenovora using a flow cytometric system
Authors: Nandakumar Kanavillil , Obika Hideki , Shinozaki Tatsuya , Ooie Toshihiko , Utsumi Akihiro , Yano Tetsuo 
Published: March 2003

AbstractImpact by pulsed laser irradiations from an Nd:YAG laser on the marine biofilm‐forming bacterium Pseudoalteromonas carrageenovora has been studied using a flow cytometric system. The biofilm‐forming bacteria in the planktonic state have been irradiated while flowing, and the mortality and bacterial attachment have been determined by exposing TiN coupons in the system. Coupons suspended in the non‐irradiated bacterial flow were treated as the control. The fluence used in the study was 0.1 J/cm2. Three flow rates (14, 28, and 42 cm/min) and two exposure durations (15 and 30 min) were tested. The results showed the increase in bacterial mortality with the decrease in flow rate. The maximum mortality of 27.5% was observed when the flow rate was 14 cm/min. The bacterial attachment increased with the increase in flow rate and exposure duration. The area of bacterial attachment on the experimental coupons exposed to the irradiated sample was significantly lesser than that for the nonirradiated sample. The results thus show in a flowing system, low power pulsed laser irradiations could reduce the bacterial attachment even though it did not cause significant mortality. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biotechnol Bioeng 82: 399–402, 2003.