bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
In vitro evaluation of platelet reactivity toward annuloplasty devices treated with heparin coating: Studies under flow conditions
Authors: Tonda R. , Galán A. M. , Pino M. , Hernández M. R. , Ayats C. , Pomar J. L. , Ordinas A. , Escolar G. 
Published: July 2005

AbstractWe have applied an in vitro perfusion model to explore the potential thrombogenicity of polyester annulolasty fabric used in valve repair and to investigate the possible thromboresistance characteristics conferred by a special heparin coating (Duraflo™ treatment). Samples of human blood from i) untreated or ii) heparin‐coated extracorporeal circuits were recirculated through annular perfusion chambers containing a) untreated or b) treated annuloplasty cloth material. Perfusion experiments were performed at a shear rate of 600 s−1 for 20 min. Platelet interaction with the material was morphometrically evaluated. In experiments performed with blood from untreated circuits and cloth material, the average cross‐sectional area of platelet mass was 615 ± 135 μm2. Treatment of cloth material with Duraflo™ statistically decreased the area of interacting platelets to 319 ± 101 μm2 (*p < 0.05, n = 10). Blood samples from heparin‐coated extracorporeal circuits showed a decrease of total area of platelets (308 ± 58 μm2 vs 138 ± 30 μm2, *p < 0.05, n = 9). The combined treatment of Duraflo™ in extracorporeal circuits and cloth material caused a more consistent reduction (p < 0.05). The in vitro perfusion experimental model was sensitive to evaluate the thrombogenic potential of Duraflo™ treatment. Our results indicate that the heparin coating of cloth material and extracorporeal circuits improves the biocompatibility of the original material and reduces the thrombogenic profile. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res, 2005
Selective inhibition of type X collagen expression in human mesenchymal stem cell differentiation on polymer substrates surface‐modified by glow discharge plasma
Authors: Nelea Valentin , Luo Li , Demers Caroline N. , Antoniou John , Petit Alain , Lerouge Sophie , R. Wertheimer Michael , Mwale Fackson 
Published: July 2005

AbstractRecent evidence indicates that a major drawback of current cartilage‐ and disc‐tissue engineering is that human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) rapidly express type X collagen—a marker of chondrocyte hypertrophy associated with endochondral ossification. Some studies have attempted to use growth factors to inhibit type X collagen expression, but none to date has addressed the possible effect of the substratum on chondrocyte hypertrophy. Here, we sought to examine the growth and differentiation potential of human MSCs cultured on two polymer types, polypropylene and nylon‐6, both of which have been surface‐modified by glow discharge plasma treatment in ammonia gas. Cultures were performed for up to 14 days in Dulbecco's modified Eagle medium + 10% fetal bovine serum. Commercial polystyrene culture dishes were used as control. Reverse transcriptase‐polymerase chain reaction was used to assess the expression of types I, II, and X collagens and aggrecan using gene‐specific primers. Glyceraldehyde‐3‐phosphate dehydrogenase was used as a housekeeping gene. Types I and X collagens, as well as aggrecan, were found to be constitutively expressed by human MSCs on polystyrene culture dishes. Whereas both untreated and treated nylon‐6 partially inhibited type X collagen expression, treated polypropylene almost completely inhibited its expression. These results indicate that plasma‐treated polypropylene or nylon‐6 may be a suitable surface for inducing MSCs to a disc‐like phenotype for tissue engineering of intervertebral discs in which hypertrophy is suppressed. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res, 2005
Deterministic global optimization of molecular structures using interval analysis
Authors: Lin Youdong , Stadtherr Mark A. 
Published: July 2005

AbstractThe search for the global minimum of a molecular potential energy surface is a challenging problem. The molecular structure corresponding to the global minimum is of particular importance because it usually dictates both the physical and chemical properties of the molecule. The existence of an extremely large number of local minima, the number of which may increase exponentially with the size of the molecule, makes this global minimization problem extremely difficult. A new strategy is described here for solving such global minimization problems deterministically. The methodology is based on interval analysis, and provides a mathematical and computational guarantee that the molecular structure with the global minimum potential energy will be found. The technique is demonstrated using two sets of example problems. The first set involves a relatively simple potential model, and problems with up to 40 atoms. The second set involves a more realistic potential energy function, representative of those in current use, and problems with up to 11 atoms. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Comput Chem 26: 1413–1420, 2005
Biological and chemical inhibitors of NF‐κB sensitize SiHa cells to cisplatin‐induced apoptosis
Authors: Venkatraman Manickam , Anto Ruby John , Nair Asha , Varghese Merina , Karunagaran Devarajan 
Published: July 2005

AbstractCisplatin, a chemotherapeutic agent, is known to induce apoptosis of cancer cells. We examined the role of NF‐κB during cisplatin‐induced apoptosis in two human cervical cancer cell lines, HeLa and SiHa, known to differ in their response to cisplatin treatment. We found that SiHa cells were relatively more resistant than HeLa cells to the cytotoxic effects induced by cisplatin as measured by MTT assays. HeLa cells were more sensitive to the apoptotic effects induced by cisplatin as shown by increases in annexin staining, DNA fragmentation, and loss of mitochondrial membrane potential. Similarly the activities of caspases 3, 8, and 9 and cleavage of PARP induced by cisplatin were more in HeLa than SiHa cells. Cisplatin induced NF‐κB DNA binding activity in HeLa and SiHa cells but not in primary cervical cells and the active DNA binding complex in SiHa cells consists of p50 and RelA heterodimers. However, when NF‐κB DNA binding activity was blocked by chemical (curcumin, PDTC, or salicylic acid) or biological inhibitors (NIK‐KM or IKK‐β DN), the cell viability was less in SiHa cells with cisplatin treatment, but these effects were not observed in HeLa cells. Similarly upon treatment with cisplatin SiHa cells had more activation of caspases compared to that seen in HeLa cells under conditions of NF‐κB inhibition by biological or chemical inhibitors. These results suggest that NF‐κB may contribute to the resistance of human cervical cancer cells to cisplatin and highlight the potential use of combination therapy involving cisplatin and NF‐κB inhibitors. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Current trends in the structure—activity relationship studies of the endogenous agouti‐related protein (AGRP) melanocortin receptor antagonist
Authors: Wilczynski Andrzej M. , Joseph Christine G. , Haskell‐Luevano Carrie 
Published: July 2005

AbstractAgouti‐related protein (AGRP) is an endogenous antagonist of the melanocortin‐3 and ‐4 (MC3R and MC4) G‐protein coupled receptors. The 87–132 amino acid C‐terminal domain of hAGRP possesses five disulfide bridges and a well‐defined three‐dimensional structure that displays full biological activity as compared to the full‐length protein. Based on the NMR structure of the C‐terminal AGRP(87–132), a novel mini‐protein, referred to as “Mini‐AGRP” was designed that exhibited receptor binding affinity and antagonism similar to that of the parent hAGRP(87–132) protein. It was demonstrated that this new‐engineered protein autonomously folds to the inhibitor cystine knot (ICK) motif. As this AGRP is a novel mammalian protein involved in energy homeostasis and possibly other physiological functions remaining to be identified, structure‐function studies are starting to emerge toward the understanding of how this unique protein putatively interacts with the melanocortin receptors with the objective of designing potential therapeutic agents for in vivo physiological studies. This article summarizes the progress to date of AGRP‐based structure–activity relationships and putative ligand–receptor interactions. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The folding landscape of an α‐lytic protease variant reveals the role of a conserved β‐hairpin in the development of kinetic stability
Authors: Truhlar Stephanie M. E. , Agard David A. 
Published: July 2005

AbstractMost secreted bacterial proteases, including α‐lytic protease (αLP), are synthesized with covalently attached pro regions necessary for their folding. The αLP folding landscape revealed that its pro region, a potent folding catalyst, is required to circumvent an extremely large folding free energy of activation that appears to be a consequence of its unique unfolding transition. Remarkably, the αLP native state is thermodynamically unstable; a large unfolding free energy barrier is solely responsible for the persistence of its native state. Although αLP folding is well characterized, the structural origins of its remarkable folding mechanism remain unclear. A conserved β‐hairpin in the C‐terminal domain was identified as a structural element whose formation and positioning may contribute to the large folding free energy barrier. In this article, we characterize the folding of an αLP variant with a more favorable β‐hairpin turn conformation (αLPβ‐turn). Indeed, αLPβ‐turn pro region‐catalyzed folding is faster than that for αLP. However, instead of accelerating spontaneous folding, αLPβ‐turn actually unfolds more slowly than αLP. Our data support a model where the β‐hairpin is formed early, but its packing with a loop in the N‐terminal domain happens late in the folding reaction. This tight packing at the domain interface enhances the kinetic stability of αLPβ‐turn, to nearly the same degree as the change between αLP and a faster folding homolog. However, αLPβ‐turn has impaired proteolytic activity that negates the beneficial folding properties of this variant. This study demonstrates the evolutionary limitations imposed by the simultaneous optimization of folding and functional properties. Proteins 2005. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Contribution of three‐dimensional volume contrast imaging to the sonographic assessment of the fetal uterus
Authors: Jouannic J.‐M. , Rosenblatt J. , Demaria F. , Jacobs R. , Aubry M.‐C. , Benifla J.‐L. 
Published: July 2005

AbstractObjectiveTo investigate the contribution of volume contrast imaging (VCI) in assessing the fetal uterus in normally developed female fetuses.MethodsThe pelvis of 38 normal female fetuses was examined at 20–22 and 32–34 weeks' gestation using both conventional two‐dimensional (2D) ultrasound and VCI on the same transverse or oblique longitudinal view of the fetal pelvis. Two experienced sonographers evaluated the ability of both techniques to image the fetal uterus. Results were compared by kappa index to evaluate the interobserver variability.ResultsA clear picture of the fetal uterus was obtained in 50% and 82–87% of the cases at 20–22 weeks' gestation and in 80–85% and 95–100% of the cases at 32–34 weeks' gestation using conventional 2D ultrasound and VCI, respectively. There was moderate to good agreement of uterus visualization between the two observers, with kappa values ranging from 0.43 to 0.65. The lower level of agreement was obtained for conventional 2D ultrasound during the second trimester.ConclusionsOur results suggest that VCI may be successfully applied to prenatal ultrasonography of the fetal pelvis anatomy. By enhancing the contrast between the intrapelvic organs, VCI provides a clearer picture of the fetal uterus. Copyright © 2005 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Factors influencing the success of conservative treatment of interstitial pregnancy
Authors: Cassik P. , Ofili‐Yebovi D. , Yazbek J. , Lee C. , Elson J. , Jurkovic D. 
Published: July 2005

AbstractObjectiveTo identify demographic, morphological and biochemical characteristics of interstitial pregnancies that are associated with a successful outcome of conservative treatment (expectant management or medical treatment with methotrexate).MethodsOver a period of 6 years all clinically stable women with a certain ultrasound diagnosis of interstitial ectopic pregnancy were managed either expectantly (no interventions) or medically (systemic or local methotrexate injection). The outcome of conservative treatment was compared to a number of diagnostic parameters, which were recorded at the initial visit. The treatment was classified as successful if serum human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) level declined below 20 IU/L without the need for any additional interventions, such as the administration of methotrexate or surgery.ResultsA total of 42 interstitial pregnancies were diagnosed during the study period. Out of 35 women included in the final analysis 7 (20%) were managed expectantly and 28 (80%) received either local (n = 23) or systemic methotrexate (n = 5). There were no significant differences in the success rates of expectant treatment and treatment with either systemic or local methotrexate. The initial median serum hCG was significantly lower in women with successful conservative management (3216 IU/L vs. 15 900 IU/L; P < 0.05) but there were no other significant differences between cases with successful and failed treatment.ConclusionThe measurement of serum hCG at the initial visit may be used to predict the likelihood of successful conservative treatment of interstitial pregnancy. Copyright © 2005 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Late Quaternary glacial and climate history of the Pamir Mountains derived from cosmogenic 10Be exposure ages
Authors: Zech Roland , Abramowski Uwe , Glaser Bruno , Sosin Pjotr , Kubik Peter W. , Zech Wolfgang 
Published: July 2005

AbstractMoraines southwest of Lake Yashilkul, Pamir, Tajikistan, were dated using 10Be exposure ages of boulder surfaces. We found evidence for (1) an extensive glaciation ∼60,000 yr ago; (2) a less extensive glacial advance, which deposited a characteristic hummocky moraine lobe with exposure ages ranging from ∼11,000 to 47,000 yr, probably deposited at or before 47,000 yr ago; and (3) lateral moraines with exposure ages of ∼40,000 yr, 27,000 yr and 19,000 yr, respectively. Increasing aridity in the Pamir is most likely responsible for the progressively limited extent of the glaciers during the Late Pleistocene.
Novel polyisoprenyl phosphates block phospholipase D and human neutrophil activation in vitro and murine peritoneal inflammation in vivo
Authors: Levy Bruce D , Hickey Lorraine , Morris Andrew J , Larvie Mykol , Keledjian Raquel , Petasis Nicos A , Bannenberg Gerard , Serhan Charles N 
Published: July 2005

Leukocyte production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) is an essential component of the antimicrobial armament mounted during host defense, but when released to the extracellular milieu ROS can also injure host tissues and provoke inflammation. Polyisoprenyl phosphates (PIPPs) are constituents of human leukocyte membranes that regulate pivotal intracellular enzymes, such as phospholipase D (PLD). We prepared new PIPP mimetics and studied their impact in vivo on leukocyte activation, including ROS generation, in acute inflammation.
In a stereospecific and concentration‐dependent manner, the PIPP mimetics directly regulated Streptomyces chromofuscus phospholipase D (sPLD) action. The IC50 for a (Z)‐isomer of endogenous presqualene diphosphate (PSDP) was 100 nM.
Structure–activity relationships were also determined for PIPP mimetic inhibition of recombinant human PLD1b, a prominent isoform in human leukocytes. The PIPP mimetic rank order for PLD1b inhibition differed from sPLD, although the (Z)‐PSDP isomer remained the most potent PIPP mimetic for inhibition of both enzymes. Truncation of PLD1b to its catalytic core uncovered potential regulatory roles for both PSDP's isoprenoid and diphosphate moieties.
The (Z)‐PSDP isomer reduced ROS production by activated human leukocytes and decreased murine neutrophil accumulation (65.6%) and ROS production (38.5%) in vivo during zymosan A‐initiated peritonitis. When administered intraperitoneally 2 h after zymosan A, the (Z)‐PSDP isomer decreased in vivo neutrophil accumulation (72.5%) and ROS generation (74.4%) 6 h later in peritoneal exudates.
Together, these results provide new means to protect and control unchecked inflammatory responses that characterize many human diseases.

British Journal of Pharmacology (2005) 146, 344–351. doi:10.1038/sj.bjp.0706338
Evaluation of Corpus Callosum Anisotropy in Young Adults With Fetal Alcohol Syndrome According to Diffusion Tensor Imaging
Authors: Ma Xiangyang , Coles Claire D. , Lynch Mary Ellen , LaConte Stephen M. , Zurkiya Omar , Wang Danli , Hu Xiaoping 
Published: July 2005

Background:Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) and associated disorders resulting from maternal alcohol use during gestation are among the most common developmental disorders. However, they are rarely diagnosed and not fully understood in terms of their behavioral and neurocognitive phenotype. Prenatal exposure leads to alterations in facial morphology, growth, and neurocognition. The nature and extent of teratogenic effects on the brain and the relationship between such effects and observed behaviors remain in debate because there are no established markers for the neurological effects of exposure. In this study, we examined the impact of prenatal alcohol exposure on white‐matter integrity in the corpus callosum by using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and herein describe the relationship between such effects and observed physical and behavioral outcomes.Methods:DTI was used to evaluate diffusion anisotropy in the genu and splenium of corpus callosum in 16 low‐income, primarily African‐American volunteers. Volunteers were recruited from a cohort of young adults who had received neuropsychological evaluations during adolescence. Nine had been prenatally exposed to alcohol and had characteristics of FAS, and seven were nonexposed controls.Results:Significant difference in the means for diffusion fractional anisotropy (t= 2.26, df= 9, p <0.002) and apparent diffusion coefficient (t= 2.14, df= 14, p < 0.008) were observed in the corpus callosum of alcohol‐exposed youth compared with nonexposed youth. No significant differences were found in intracranial volume between these groups.Conclusions:Our results illustrate that DTI can be used in evaluating the integrity of corpus callosum in alcohol‐exposed individuals. If future studies support these findings, diffusion anisotropy, represented by fractional anisotropy, has the potential to be used as a clinical marker in the diagnosis of FAS.
Temporal Differences in the Ability of Ethanol to Modulate Endotoxin‐Induced Increases in Inflammatory Cytokines in Muscle Under In Vivo Conditions
Authors: Frost Robert A. , Nystrom Gerald , Burrows Patricia V. , Lang Charles H. 
Published: July 2005

Background:Acute alcohol (EtOH) intoxication may both antagonize and potentiate the ability of monocytes/macrophages to respond to endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide LPS). The suppressive effects of EtOH predominate when the duration between EtOH and LPS administration is relatively short, whereas sensitization is observed under conditions when there is a relatively longer delay between EtOH and LPS exposure. Striated muscle is now recognized to possess components of both the afferent and efferent limbs of the innate immune system. The aim of the present study was to determine whether the interval between EtOH and LPS administration differentially affects the mRNA content for selected elements of the innate immune response in skeletal and cardiac muscle and to compare such changes with those occurring in liver and spleen.Methods:The content of mRNA for interleukin (IL)‐6, IL‐1β, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)‐α, and high‐mobility group box (HMGB)‐1, as well as toll‐like receptors (TLRs)‐2 and ‐4, were measured in gastrocnemius, heart, liver and spleen from rats orally gavaged with EtOH and then injected with LPS either two or 24 hr thereafter.Results:EtOH intoxication two hr before LPS acutely suppressed the increased IL‐6 mRNA in all tissues and antagonized the increase in plasma and tissue IL‐6 protein concentration. Similarly, EtOH blunted the LPS‐induced increase in tissue mRNA expression of TNF‐α and IL‐1β. In contrast, when LPS was given 24 hr after EtOH, the increased IL‐6 in striated muscle, but not in liver or spleen, was selectively potentiated. An enhanced LPS responsiveness was also observed for the late‐phase cytokine HMGB1 in all tissues; however, the increased tissue expression of TNF‐α and IL‐1β induced by LPS was not augmented. TLR4 mRNA was decreased in both heart and spleen (but unaltered in skeletal muscle and liver) of rats injected with LPS, and this change was prevented by pretreatment with EtOH. In contrast, EtOH alone increased TLR‐2 mRNA content of heart, liver, and spleen but not muscle. LPS also markedly increased TLR2 mRNA in the same three tissues under control conditions, but this increase was attenuated by EtOH administered either two or 24 hr before LPS.Conclusions:Under in vivo conditions, the interval between EtOH exposure and LPS differentially affected the synthesis of various cytokines. In this regard, EtOH administered within two hr of LPS generally suppressed IL‐6, IL‐1β, and TNF‐α mRNAs in muscle, heart, liver, and spleen. Delaying the exposure of animals to LPS for 24 hr after EtOH, however, accentuated the increase in IL‐6 and HMGB1, and for IL‐6, this increased sensitivity appeared localized to striated muscle.
Toward Efficient and Comprehensive Measurement of the Alcohol Problems Continuum in College Students: The Brief Young Adult Alcohol Consequences Questionnaire
Authors: Kahler Christopher W. , Strong David R. , Read Jennifer P. 
Published: July 2005

Background:Although a number of measures of alcohol problems in college students have been studied, the psychometric development and validation of these scales have been limited, for the most part, to methods based on classical test theory. In this study, we conducted analyses based on item response theory to select a set of items for measuring the alcohol problem severity continuum in college students that balances comprehensiveness and efficiency and is free from significant gender bias.Method:We conducted Rasch model analyses of responses to the 48‐item Young Adult Alcohol Consequences Questionnaire by 164 male and 176 female college students who drank on at least a weekly basis. An iterative process using item fit statistics, item severities, item discrimination parameters, model residuals, and analysis of differential item functioning by gender was used to pare the items down to those that best fit a Rasch model and that were most efficient in discriminating among levels of alcohol problems in the sample.Results:The process of iterative Rasch model analyses resulted in a final 24‐item scale with the data fitting the unidimensional Rasch model very well. The scale showed excellent distributional properties, had items adequately matched to the severity of alcohol problems in the sample, covered a full range of problem severity, and appeared highly efficient in retaining all of the meaningful variance captured by the original set of 48 items.Conclusions:The use of Rasch model analyses to inform item selection produced a final scale that, in both its comprehensiveness and its efficiency, should be a useful tool for researchers studying alcohol problems in college students. To aid interpretation of raw scores, examples of the types of alcohol problems that are likely to be experienced across a range of selected scores are provided.