bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Preventing Abusive Head Trauma Among Infants and Young Children: A Hospital-Based, Parent Education Program
Authors: Dias Mark S. , Smith Kim , deGuehery Kathy , Mazur Paula , Li Veetai , Shaffer Michele L. 
Published: April 2005

Objective. Abusive head injuries among infants (shaken infant or shaken impact syndrome) represent a devastating form of child abuse; an effective prevention program that reduces the incidence of abusive head injuries could save both lives and the costs of caring for victims. We wished to determine whether a comprehensive, regional, hospital-based, parent education program, administered at the time of the child's birth, could be successfully implemented and to examine its impact on the incidence of abusive head injuries among infants &lt;36 months of age.Methods. All hospitals that provide maternity care in an 8-county region of western New York State participated in a comprehensive regional program of parent education about violent infant shaking. The program was administered to parents of all newborn infants before the infant's discharge from the hospital. The hospitals were asked to provide both parents (mothers and, whenever possible, fathers or father figures) with information describing the dangers of violent infant shaking and providing alternative responses to persistent infant crying and to have both parents sign voluntarily a commitment statement (CS) affirming their receipt and understanding of the materials. Program compliance was assessed by documenting the number of CSs signed by parents and returned by participating hospitals. Follow-up telephone interviews were conducted with a randomized 10% subset of parents, 7 months after the child's birth, to assess parents' recall of the information. Finally, the regional incidence of abusive head injuries among infants and children &lt;36 months of age during the program (study group) was contrasted with the incidence during the 6 preceding years (historical control group) and with statewide incidence rates for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania during the control and study periods, using Poisson regression analyses with a type I error rate of 0.05.Results. During the first 5.5 years of the program, 65 205 CSs were documented, representing 69% of the 94 409 live births in the region during that time; 96% of CSs were signed by mothers and 76% by fathers/father figures. Follow-up telephone surveys 7 months later suggested that &gt;95% of parents remembered having received the information. The incidence of abusive head injuries decreased by 47%, from 41.5 cases per 100 000 live births during the 6-year control period to 22.2 cases per 100000 live births during the 5.5-year study period. No comparable decrease was seen in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania during the years 1996–2002, which bracketed the control and study periods in western New York State.Conclusions. A coordinated, hospital-based, parent education program, targeting parents of all newborn infants, can reduce significantly the incidence of abusive head injuries among infants and children &lt;36 months of age.
Infection Control Policies and Hospital-Associated Infections Among Surgical Patients: Variability and Associations in a Multicenter Pediatric Setting
Authors: Zerr Danielle M. , Garrison Michelle M. , Allpress Amanda L. , Heath Joan , Christakis Dimitri A. 
Published: April 2005

Background. Hospital-associated infections are an important cause of patient morbidity and death. Little is known about the variability of infection rates and infection control practices among pediatric hospitals.Methods. This cross-sectional study was performed with the Pediatric Health Information System database, which includes demographic and diagnostic data for 35 freestanding, noncompeting, children's hospitals, and with data from a survey of the hospitals, which yielded additional information on infection control policies and practices. Patients undergoing elective surgical procedures were included in this study.Results. Of the 35 eligible hospitals, 31 (89%) chose to participate in the survey component of this study. A total of 48278 patients met the inclusion criteria for the study; 2.3% of these patients had respiratory infections and 0.8% had gastrointestinal infections. The frequency of patients diagnosed with respiratory or gastrointestinal infections varied considerably among the hospitals and ranged from &lt;1% to 6%. Certain infection control processes also varied among the hospitals during the study period. For instance, of the 31 hospitals, 12 monitored hand hygiene, 19 had administrative support of hand hygiene, and 16 had alcohol hand gel present for the entire study period. The presence of alcohol hand gel for the entire study was strongly and independently associated with lower odds of gastrointestinal infections (adjusted odds ratio: 0.64; 95% confidence interval: 0.49-0.85).Conclusions. Hospitals should support the use of alcohol hand gel, with the aim of decreasing hospital-associated infection rates.
Short- and Long-Term Beneficial Effects of a Combined Dietary–Behavioral–Physical Activity Intervention for the Treatment of Childhood Obesity
Authors: Nemet Dan , Barkan Sivan , Epstein Yoram , Friedland Orit , Kowen Galit , Eliakim Alon 
Published: April 2005

Background. Obesity has become the most common pediatric chronic disease in the modern era. Early prevention and treatment of childhood and adolescent obesity is mandated. Surprisingly, however, only a minor fraction of obese children participate in weight reduction interventions, and the longer-term effects of these weight-reduction interventions among children have not been elucidated.
Objective. To examine prospectively the short- and long-term effects of a 3-month, combined dietary-behavioral-physical activity intervention on anthropometric measures, body composition, dietary and leisure-time habits, fitness, and lipid profiles among obese children.
Methods. In this randomized prospective study, 24 obese subjects completed the 3-month intervention and were compared with 22 obese, age- and gender-matched, control subjects.
Results. At 3 months, there were significant differences in changes in body weight (−2.8 ± 2.3 kg vs 1.2 ± 2.2 kg), BMI (−1.7 ± 1.1 kg/m2 vs −0.2 ± 1.0 kg/m2), body fat percentage (from skinfold tests; −3.3 ± 2.6% vs 1.4 ± 4.7%), serum total cholesterol level (−24.6 ± 15.1 mg/dL vs 0.8 ± 18.7 mg/dL), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol level (−23.3 ± 15.2 mg/dL vs −3.7 ± 17.3 mg/dL), and fitness (215 ± 107 seconds vs 50 ± 116 seconds) in the intervention group versus the control group. After a 1-year follow-up period, there were significant differences between the intervention group (n = 20) and the control group (n = 20) in body weight (0.6 ± 6.0 kg vs 5.3 ± 2.7 kg), BMI (−1.7 ± 2.3 kg/m2 vs 0.6 ± 0.9 kg/m2), and body fat percentage. There was a significant increase in leisure-time physical activity among the intervention participants, compared with a decrease among the control subjects.
Conclusions. Our data demonstrate the short- and longer-term beneficial effects of a combined dietary-behavioral-physical activity intervention among obese children. These results highlight the importance of multidisciplinary programs for the treatment of childhood obesity and emphasize their encouraging long-term effects.
Association of the serotonin transporter promoter polymorphism with smoking behavior among adolescents
Authors: Gerra G. , Garofano L. , Zaimovic A. , Moi G. , Branchi B. , Bussandri M. , Brambilla F. , Donnini C. 
Published: April 2005

AbstractSerotonin transporter promoter polymorphism (5‐HTTLPR) genotype was previously found associated with smoking behavior, difficulty in quitting smoking, and nicotine addiction; with non‐replicated findings and contrasting results. Aim of the present study was to evaluate the possible association between 5‐HTTLPR genotype and smoking behavior among adolescents, in relationship with psychological characteristics. Two hundred and ten Caucasian high school students (aged 14–19 years); 103 non‐smokers, who have never smoked nicotine; and 107 tobacco smokers have been genotyped. Aggressiveness levels and temperamental traits were measured in both smokers and non‐smokers, respectively, utilizing Buss–Durkee Hostility Inventory (BDHI) and Cloninger Three‐Dimensional Personality Questionnaire (TPQ). Data about school performance have been also collected. The short–short (SS) genotype frequency was significantly higher among smokers compared with non‐smokers (P = 0.023). The odds ratio for the SS genotype versus the long–long (LL) genotype frequency was 1.17 [95% CL (0.30–2.05)], when smokers were compared with non‐smokers. The SS genotype frequency was significantly higher among heavy smokers with early onset, compared with moderate smokers with late onset (P = 0.042). BDHI irritability scores, NS scores at TPQ, and school failure frequency were significantly higher in smokers than in non‐smokers. Multivariate model‐fitting analysis evidenced a significantly greater relationship of genotype with irritability levels (BDHI scores) (0.34, P < 0.001) and temperament traits (NS scores) (0.36, P < 0.001), than with school performance (rate of school under‐achievements) (0.18, P < 0.05) and nicotine smoking (number of cigarettes) (0.24, P < 0.01). Accordingly, factor‐analysis showed that gene polymorphism contributes more directly to BDHI scores and NS scores (0.73; 0.71) than to smoking behavior and school under‐achievement (0.54; 0.51). Our data suggest that a decreased expression of the gene encoding the 5‐HTT transporter, due to “S” promoter polymorphism, may be associated with smoking behavior among adolescents and increased risk to develop nicotine dependence, possibly in relationship to personality traits, temperamental characteristics, and school under‐achievements.© 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Neural tube closure and neural tube defects: Studies in animal models reveal known knowns and known unknowns
Authors: Wallingford John B. 
Published: April 2005

AbstractThe vertebrate central nervous system is a hollow structure that develops first as a flat sheet of cells and subsequently rolls into a tube during embryogenesis. Failure of this rolling process, called neural tube closure, results in a class of common human birth defects called neural tube defects. The cellular and molecular mechanisms governing neural tube closure have been studied extensively in animal models, but much remains to be elucidated. In this review, I will highlight recent progress in understanding neural tube closure mechanisms and how these studies can inform our search for the genes that underlie human neural tube defects. Supplementary material for this article can be found on the American Journal of Medical Genetics (Part C) website (http://www.mrw.interscience.wiley.com/suppmat/1552‐4868/suppmat/2005/135/v135.1.wallingford.html) © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Ventral abdominal wall dysmorphogenesis of Msx1/Msx2 double‐mutant mice
Authors: Ogi Hidenao , Suzuki Kentaro , Ogino Yukiko , Kamimura Mika , Miyado Mami , Ying Xu , Zhang Zunyi , Shinohara Masanori , Chen Yiping , Yamada Gen 
Published: April 2005

AbstractMsx1 and Msx2 genes encode the homeodomain transcription factors. Several gene knockout mice and expression studies suggest that they possess functionally redundant roles in embryogenesis. In this study, we revealed that Msx1 and Msx2 were expressed during ventral body wall formation in an overlapping manner. Msx1/Msx2 double‐mutant mice displayed embryonic abdominal wall defects with disorganized muscle layers and connective tissues. These findings indicate that Msx1 and Msx2 play roles in concert during embryonic ventral abdominal wall formation. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Immunolocalization of chick periostin protein in the developing heart
Authors: Kern Christine B. , Hoffman Stanley , Moreno Ricardo , Damon Brook J. , Norris Russell A. , Krug Edward L. , Markwald Roger R. , Mjaatvedt Corey H. 
Published: April 2005

AbstractThe process that cardiac cushions undergo to form the mature septa and valves of the adult heart is poorly understood. Periostin is an extracellular molecule that is expressed during cushion mesenchyme formation and throughout valvulogenesis. Once thought to be an osteoblast‐specific factor, studies have shown this molecule is antiosteogenic. We have produced an antibody to chicken periostin and examined periostin's localization in the developing avian heart. This antibody recognized proteins from chick heart lysates around 90 kD molecular weight as predicted from the chick periostin mRNA and other periostin orthologs. Periostin immunolocalization was first evident as fibrous strands in the cushion mesenchyme. At HH25, periostin was detected on the basal surface of the trabecular endothelium and also on the endocardial epithelium of the atrioventricular cushion. We hypothesize that periostin may function in the organization of extracellular matrix molecules, providing cues necessary for attachment and spreading during the epithelial‐to‐mesenchymal transitions of the endocardial epithelium. Enhanced secretion of periostin in the region of delamination may directly or indirectly promote change in the myocardium that precedes or mediates delamination of the leaflet. At later stages of development (HH34‐38), periostin was seen predominantly in the fibrous regions of the heart, such as the left atrioventricular valve (LAV), annulus, cardiac skeleton, and adventitia. We propose that periostin is induced by sheer stress and may be an essential molecular component for structures of the heart that undergo mechanical stress or tension during the cardiac cycle. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Fractionation of bovine serum albumin and monoclonal antibody alemtuzumab using carrier phase ultrafiltration
Authors: Wan Yinhua , Ghosh Raja , Hale Geoff , Cui Zhanfeng 
Published: April 2005

AbstractProtein transmission and hence selectivity of separation can be significantly affected by solution pH and ionic strength in protein fractionation using ultrafiltration. Using parameter scanning ultrafiltration, the transmission of bovine serum albumin (BSA) and monoclonal antibody alemtuzumab (Campath‐1H) through 300 kDa polyethersulfone (PES) ultrafiltration membranes were studied over a range of pH and salt concentrations, with focus on the likely conditions for achieving “reverse selectivity,” i.e., obtaining purified alemtuzumab (∼155 kDa) in the permeate. Experimental results demonstrate that the reverse selectivity could be obtained by manipulating the operating conditions such as the solution pH, ionic strength, permeate flux, and system hydrodynamics. With a two‐stage batch ultrafiltration process under suitable conditions, the monoclonal antibody alemtuzumab with a purity of >98% was obtained in the permeate from a feed solution initially containing 0.50 g/l each of BSA and alemtuzumab. Further purity can be expected by selecting more suitable membranes and optimizing operating conditions. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Transient gene expression in HEK293 cells: Peptone addition posttransfection improves recombinant protein synthesis
Authors: Pham P.L. , Perret S. , Cass B. , Carpentier E. , St‐Laurent G. , Bisson L. , Kamen A. , Durocher Y. 
Published: April 2005

AbstractGene expression by large‐scale transfection of mammalian cells is becoming an established technology for the fast production of milligram and even gram amounts of recombinant proteins (r‐proteins). However, efforts are still needed to optimize production parameters in order to maximize volumetric productivities while maintaining product quality. In this study, transfection efficiency and volumetric productivity following transient gene expression in HEK293 cells were evaluated using green fluorescent protein (GFP) and human placental secreted alkaline phosphatase (SEAP) as reporter genes. We show that a single pulse of peptones (protein hydrolysates) to the cultures performed in a low serum (1%, v/v) and in serum‐free medium results in a significant increase in volumetric protein productivity. Sixteen peptones from different sources were tested and almost all of them showed a positive effect on r‐protein production. This effect, however, is time‐ and concentration‐dependent. By using Tryptone N1 (a casein peptone, TN1) to feed the cultures at 24 h posttransfection (hpt), a 2‐fold increase in volumetric SEAP productivity was obtained 5 days posttransfection. This effect was shown to be equal to that obtained when the culture was fed with a supplementary 4% (v/v) of serum. The positive effect of TN1 on protein production was also demonstrated with Tie2 protein ectodomain produced in serum‐free medium. HPLC analysis of amino acids consumption/production during control batch and TN1 pulse culture showed some major differences in amino acid metabolism when using TN1 pulse. Asparagine, glycine, histidine, threonine, leucine, and valine show accumulation in the medium over the cultivation period instead of being consumed as observed in unfed sample (except for asparagine, which remained unchanged). Isoleucine, tyrosine, methionine, and phenylalanine all remained unchanged or slightly fluctuated in TN1‐fed culture after the feeding pulse, while they were all steadily consumed in the control run. The relative abundance of SEAP's mRNA suggests that the improvement in protein yield results both from an increase of the translational activity and transcription efficiency. Further understanding of mechanisms by which amino acids/peptides regulate transcriptional and translational machinery in mammalian cells should facilitate the design of new strategies for the improvement of r‐protein production by large‐scale transfection. © 2005 Government of Canada.
High‐yield retroviral production using a temperature‐modulated two‐stage operation
Authors: Kwon Young Jik , Peng Ching‐An 
Published: April 2005

AbstractFor clinical trials, large amounts of high‐titer retroviral supernatants are required. However, retroviral concentration is relatively low compared with other viral vectors. Moreover, less than half of retroviral vectors suspended in a collected supernatant are infectious because of their short half‐lives. In this study, a culture medium of ecotropic retrovirus‐producing GP+E86/LNCX cells in tissue culture dishes was circulated through a reservoir, which was arranged with an incubator or ice‐bath stage. Titers determined from the retroviral supernatant circulated through an ice‐cold reservoir increased for a week from the beginning of retroviral production, while the titers from static production with circulation through the 37°C reservoir reached a plateau after 3 days of retroviral production. After 5 days, 10 times more infectious retroviruses were obtained by circulating and keeping the majority of supernatant longer in the cold reservoir than in the production vessel at 37°C in comparison with the number collected from the static tissue culture dish without circulating the culture medium. Furthermore, the concentration of transduction inhibitors in the supernatant was decreased along with the retardation of retroviral decay at low temperature. The two‐stage operation developed in this study should be easily applied to large‐scale bioreactors for mass production of high‐titer retroviral supernatants. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Localization of receptors in lipid rafts can inhibit signal transduction
Authors: Lim Kwang‐il , Yin John 
Published: April 2005

AbstractProcesses of cell survival, division, differentiation, and death are guided by the binding of signal molecules to receptors, which activates intracellular signaling networks and ultimately elicits genetic, biochemical, or biomechanical responses within the cell. While intracellular mechanisms for these processes have been well studied, little attention has been given to the role extracellular ligand transport and binding may play in signal initiation. Recent studies have found that the localization of receptors in lipid rafts is critical for the functions of many signaling pathways. By concentrating membrane components, rafts may promote essential interactions for signaling. Lipid rafts can also have negative effects on signaling, but mechanisms remain elusive. We propose that raft‐mediated receptor clustering can reduce signaling by prolonging the diffusion of ligands to their receptors. We quantify this effect using a simple diffusion‐limited binding model that accounts for the spatial distribution of lipid rafts and receptors on the cell surface. We find that receptor clustering can reduce the apparent rate of receptor binding by up to 80%, consistent with observed increases in epidermal growth factor (EGF) binding by up to 100% following disruption of lipid rafts (Pike and Casey 2002 Biochemistry 41:10315–10322; Roepstorff et al. 2002 J Biol Chem 277:18954–18960). Failure to account for the effects of receptor clustering on rates of ligand binding can skew the interpretation of current methods of cancer diagnosis and treatment. Finally, we discuss how the activation of particular signaling pathways can change over time, depending, in part, on the overall level and spatial distribution of the receptors. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Template‐directed self‐assembly and growth of insulin amyloid fibrils
Authors: Ha Chanki , Park Chan Beum 
Published: April 2005

AbstractThe formation of amyloid aggregates in tissue is a pathological feature of many neurodegenerative diseases and type II diabetes. Amyloid deposition, the process of amyloid growth by the association of individual soluble amyloid molecules with a pre‐existing amyloid template (i.e., plaque), is known to be critical for amyloid formation in vivo. The requirement for a natural amyloid template, however, has made amyloid deposition study difficult and cumbersome. In the present work, we developed a novel, synthetic amyloid template by attaching amyloid seeds covalently onto an N‐hydroxysuccinimide‐activated surface, where insulin was chosen as a model amyloidogenic protein. According to ex situ atomic force microscopy observations, insulin monomers in solution were deposited onto the synthetic amyloid template to form fibrils, like hair growth. The fibril formation on the template occurred without lag time, and its rate was highly accelerated than in the solution. The fibrils were long, over 2 μm, and much thinner than those in the solution, which was caused by limited nucleation sites on the template surface and lack of lateral twisting between fibrils. According to our investigations using thioflavin T‐induced fluorescence, birefringent Congo red binding, and circular dichroism, fibrils grown on the template were identified to be amyloids that formed through a conformational rearrangement of insulin monomers upon interaction with the template. The amyloid deposition rate followed saturation kinetics with respect to insulin concentration in the solution. The characteristics of amyloid deposition on the synthetic template were in agreement with previous studies performed with human amyloid plaques. It is demonstrated that the synthetic amyloid template can be used for the screening of inhibitors on amyloid deposition in vitro. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.