bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Self‐rating of quality of life provides additional prognostic information in heart failure. Insights into the EPICAL study
Authors: Alla François , Briançon Serge , Guillemin Francis , Juillière Yves , Mertès Paul‐Michel , Villemot Jean‐Pierre , Zannad Faiez ,   for the EPICAL Investigators
Published: October 2002

AbstractBackground:The relationship between quality of life (QoL) and survival have been poorly investigated. The aim of this study was to determine the value of QoL score as a prognostic factor in a prospective cohort of patients with advanced chronic heart failure (CHF).Methods:QoL assessment was performed with a generic questionnaire: the Duke Health Profile (DHP) and a disease‐specific instrument: the Minnesota Living With Heart Failure Questionnaire (LIhFE), in a sample of 108 patients registered in the EPICAL program (hospitalised patients with severe CHF defined by a NYHA grade III/IV, oedema or hypotension, and LVEF <30%). Prognostic value of general, physical, mental and social dimensions on survival and hospital‐free survival were tested in a Cox model.Results:One‐year survival rate was 76%, 1‐year hospital‐free survival 38%. QoL was significantly associated with outcomes: for both questionnaires, a 10‐point decrement in baseline score was associated with a 23–36% increase in the risk of death or hospitalisation for heart failure. For hospital‐free survival, this relationship remained significant after adjustment for others prognostic factors.Conclusion:QoL score is a predictive factor of survival and an independent predictive factor of hospital‐free survival in patients with advanced CHF. This assessment may provide additional information for clinical management and therapeutic decisions.
Hypertrophic responsiveness of cardiomyocytes to α‐ or β‐adrenoceptor stimulation requires sodium‐proton‐exchanger‐1 (NHE‐1) activation but not cellular alkalization
Authors: Schäfer Matthias , Schäfer Claudia , Piper Hans Michael , Schlüter Klaus‐Dieter 
Published: October 2002

AbstractThe influence of the sodium‐proton‐exchanger‐1 (NHE‐1) inhibitor HOE694 on α‐ or β‐adrenoceptor mediated stimulation of protein synthesis was investigated in cultured ventricular cardiomyocytes from adult rat pre‐treated with fetal calf serum to induce hypertrophic responsiveness to β‐adrenoceptor stimulation. Stimulation of α‐adrenoceptors with phenylephrine (10 μM) in bicarbonate‐free medium caused cellular alkalization (ΔpHi: +0.17±0.02, n‐5, P<0.05). HOE694, an NHE‐1 inhibitor, completely abolished this effect. [14C]phenylalanine incorporation into cellular protein mass increased in the presence of phenylephrine by 23±8%, and this effect was also abolished in the presence of HOE694. HOE694 (1 μM) neither influenced basal protein synthesis nor interfered with α‐adrenoceptor mediated activation of ERK2. Phorbol myristate acetate, a direct stimulator of protein kinase C, mimicked the effect of α‐adrenoceptor stimulation in regard to protein synthesis, but did not lead to cellular alkalization. Protein synthesis increased in the presence of isoprenaline, a β‐adrenoceptor agonist also. Again, HOE694 attenuated the stimulation of protein synthesis although isoprenaline did not cause cellular alkalization. In conclusion, the growth response to different hypertrophic stimuli, namely α‐ or β‐adrenoceptor stimulation, is attenuated in the presence of the NHE‐1 inhibitor HOE694 and this inhibition is independent from cellular alkalization.
Katanin‐mediated microtubule severing can be regulated by multiple mechanisms
Authors: McNally Karen Perry , Buster Dan , McNally Francis J. 
Published: October 2002

AbstractMicrotubules are essential for a wide range of cellular processes that vary between cell types. Katanin is a microtubule‐severing protein that carries out an essential role in meiotic spindles in Caenorhabditis elegans and a non‐essential role in mitotic spindles of vertebrates. In contrast to these M‐phase associated roles, katanin is also essential for post‐mitotic differentiation events in vertebrate neurons and in Arabidopsis. This diversity of function suggests that katanin's activity might be regulated by multiple mechanisms. Because katanin is active in M‐phase Xenopus extracts but not in interphase extracts, we assayed for regulators of katanin's activity in these extracts. The microtubule‐severing activity of purified katanin was inhibited by interphase Xenopus extracts. Fractionation revealed that this inhibition was due to at least 4 separable components, one of which contains the MAP4 homolog, XMAP230. Inhibition of katanin‐mediated microtubule‐disassembly activity by the XMAP230‐containing fraction was reversible by cyclinB/cdk1, suggesting one possible mechanism for the increased severing activity observed in M‐phase Xenopus extracts. In a previous study, spindle pole association by katanin was essential for its activity during mitosis suggesting that katanin's activity might also be regulated by co‐localization with an activator. The polo‐like kinase, Plx1, co‐localized with katanin at spindle poles in vivo and purified Plx1 increased the microtubule‐severing activity of katanin in vitro. These in vitro experiments illustrate the potential complexity of the regulation of katanin's activity in vivo and may explain how katanin can carry out widely different functions in different cell types. Cell Motil. Cytoskeleton 53:337–349, 2002. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Mind the gap! Comparingex anteandex postassessments of the costs of complying with environmental regulation
Authors: Bailey Peter D. , Haq Gary , Gouldson Andy 
Published: October 2002

AbstractThis paper considers the question of howex antepredictions of the costs of complying with environmental regulations compare withex postevaluations of actual compliance costs. This is an important issue given the emergence of requirements for regulatory impact assessment (RIA) in many policy arenas (see OECD, 1997) and the conclusion of previous research that the predicted costs of compliance with environmental regulations often exceed actual costs (see Haqet al., 2001). Based upon a review of the different stages of the regulatory decision‐making process, this paper suggests that the reasons for these differences relate to strategic behaviour by affected parties in the policy formulation stage, problems in anticipating the influence of the implementation process, difficulties in forecasting the availability of new technological solutions and incentives for firms to reduce the costs of compliance once environmental regulations have been adopted. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. and ERP Environment.
Current National Health Insurance Policies for Thyroid Cancer Prophylactic Surgery in the United States
Authors: Dackiw Alan P.B. , Kuerer Henry M. , Clark Orlo H. 
Published: October 2002

The efficacy of prophylactic thyroidectomy in patients with positive RET mutational analysis,
familial thyroid cancer, or both has been reported. As cost has become critical to medical decision‐making, this study was designed to evaluate currently existing coverage policies for prophylactic thyroidectomy. A confidential detailed cross‐sectional nationwide survey of 481 medical directors from the American Association of Health Plans, Medicare, and Medicaid was conducted. Of the 150 respondents, 65% (n = 97) had 100,000 or more enrolled members, and 35% (n = 53) had fewer than 100,000 enrolled members. Only 9% of private plans have specific policies for coverage of prophylactic thyroidectomy for patients with a strong family history of thyroid cancer, 19% provided no coverage, and 72% had no policy.
Only 9% of private plans have specific policies for patients with a known thyroid cancer genetic mutation, 12% provided no coverage, and 79% had no policy. Governmental carriers were less likely to provide coverage for prophylactic surgery: 4% for a strong family history and 6% for a genetic mutation. Altogether, 52% of government carriers provided no coverage for patients with a strong family history, and 50% provided no coverage in patients with a known genetic mutation; 44% of governmental carriers had no policy for either clinical scenario. Limited health insurance coverage for prophylactic thyroidectomy is offered in both private and governmental plans, with variations in coverage. As genetic testing becomes more widespread and with the potential identification of a gene predisposing to familial nonmedullary thyroid cancer, more uniform policies should be established to enable appropriate high risk candidates broader, equal coverage and access to these procedures.
Stability for semilinear parabolic equations with decaying potentials in \( ℝ^{N} \) and dynamical approach to the existence of ground states
Authors: Souplet Philippe , Zhang Qi S. 
Published: October 2002

Consider the elliptic problem

\tag{1}
\Delta u - V\left(x\right) + u^{p} = 0 \quad \text{in }ℝ^{n}

with

1 < p < \frac{n + 2}{n - 2}

,

n \geq 2

, and

0⩽V(x)\in L^∞

, which may decay to 0 at infinity. We prove that if

V

is radial and satisfies

\frac{a_{1}}{1 + \left|x\right|^{b}} \leq V\left(x\right)a_{2}
\quad \text{and} \quad
0 \leq \text{b} < \frac{\text{2}\left(\text{n} - \text{1}\right)\left(p - 1\right)}{p + 3},

then (1) admits a (ground state) positive solution. We do not use traditional variational methods and the result relies on the study of global solutions of the parabolic problem

\tag{2}
\Delta u - V\left(x\right)u + u^{p} - \partial _{t}u = 0 \quad \text{in }ℝ^{n} \times \left(0,\infty \right), \quad u\left(x,0\right) = u_{0}\left(x\right).

Indeed, we will show that, under suitable conditions on

V

(not necessarily radial), (2) admits global positive solutions and that when

V

and

u_0

are radial some global solutions have

ω

-limit sets containing a positive equilibrium. The method also covers nonlinearities more general than

u^p

, in which case the standard variational method may be hard to apply.

Résumé
Nous considérons le problème elliptique

\tag{1}
\Delta u - V\left(x\right)u + u^{p} = 0 \quad \text{dans }ℝ^{n}

avec

1 < p < \frac{n + 2}{n - 2},n \geq 2

, et

0⩽V(x)\in L^∞

,

V(x)

pouvant tendre vers 0 à l'infini. Nous prouvons que si

V

est radial et satisfait

\frac{a_{1}}{1 + \left|x\right|^{b}} \leq \left(x\right) \leq a_{2}
\quad \text{et} \quad
0 \leq \text{b} < \frac{\text{2}\left(\text{n} - \text{1}\right)\left(p - 1\right)}{p + 3},

alors (1) admet une solution positive (état fondamental). Nous n'utilisons pas les méthodes variationnelles traditionnelles : le résultat repose sur l'étude des solutions globales du problème parabolique

\tag{2}
\Delta u - V\left(x\right) + u^{p} - \partial _{t}u = 0
\quad \text{dans}\quad
ℝ^{n} \times \left(0,\infty \right), \quad u\left(x,0\right) = u_{0}\left(x\right).

En effet, nous montrons que, sous des conditions appropriées sur

V

(non nécessairement radial), (2) admet des solutions globales positives et que, lorsque

V

et

u_0

sont radiales, l'ensemble

ω

-limite de certaines solutions globales contient un état d'équilibre positif. La méthode s'applique également à des non-linéarités plus générales que

u^p

, pour lesquelles la méthode variationnelle classique pourrait être difficilement applicable.
Immature osteoblastic cells express the pro‐α2(XI) collagen gene during bone formation in vitro and in vivo
Authors: Urabe Ken , Jingushi Seiya , Ikenoue Takashi , Okazaki Ken , Sakai Hiroaki , Li Changyou , Iwamoto Yukihide 
Published: October 2002

AbstractType XI collagen is predominantly found in cartilage. However, expression of the pro‐α2(XI) collagen gene (COL11A2) has recently been detected in various non‐cartilaginous tissues. We identified the differentiation stage at which COL11A2 was expressed in cultured fetal rat calvarial (FRC) cells and in rat femoral fracture calluses in order to investigate the involvement of COL11A2 during bone formation in vitro and in vivo. We also studied the alternative splicing of exons 6–8 in FRC cells and fracture calluses. In FRC cells, mineralized nodules stained with von Kossa stain were observed from day 9 after confluence. COL11A2 was highly expressed on days 0 and 5, but the expression levels were rapidly decreased on day 9 by Northern blot analysis. During rat femoral fracture repair, intramembranous ossification proceeded and newly formed woven bone was observed on the cortex on day 7 after fracture. In situ hybridization showed that COL11A2 signals were detected in osteoblastic cells in the newly formed woven bone. According to the maturation and remodeling of the woven bone into the trabecular bone, the distribution of the signal for COL11A2 mRNA was limited to the superficial osteoblastic cells of the newly formed trabecular bone. These results demonstrated that COL11A2 was expressed in relatively immature osteoblastic cells during bone formation in vitro and in vivo. RT‐PCR showed that the shortest band corresponding to mRNA lacking exons 6–8 was clearly detected when using RNA from soft calluses. In contrast, the largest band corresponding to mRNA with exons 6–8 was predominant when using RNA from FRC cells or from hard calluses on days 7 and 14. These results indicate that the splicing pattern of exons 6–8 in osteoblastic cells is different from the pattern in chondrocytes. © 2001 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
Deformation and rupture of the articular surface under dynamic and static compression
Authors: Flachsmann R. , Broom N. D. , Hardy A. E. 
Published: October 2002

AbstractCartilage‐on‐bone samples were dynamically and statically compressed at various stress levels to determine the deformation and rupture behaviour of the articular surface (AS). Instantaneous deformations were captured photographically by using a transparent indenter in combination with a ultra high speed flash. Principal strains (PS) were evaluated using large deformation theory. The tensile strains induced indirectly in the AS were a function of the rate at which the direct compressive force was applied. At the same compressive stress the tensile strains induced statically were approximately twice those induced dynamically. Rupture of the AS occurred in about 60% of those specimens tested statically at 15 MPa and followed approximately the split‐line direction. By contrast, no rupture was observed dynamically even at stresses as high as 28 MPa. In terms of joint function the research demonstrates that the AS is considerably more resistant to rupture under dynamic than under static loading. The biomechanical parameter governing rupture appears to be the level of indirectly induced surface strain rather than the directly applied compressive stress. The very different mechanisms controlling the compressive deformation of articular cartilage (AC) at high vs low rates of loading clearly influence the levels of in‐plane strain induced in the AS. © 2001 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
COX‐1 and COX‐2 expression in osteoid osteomas
Authors: Mungo David V. , Zhang Xinping , O'Keefe Regis J. , Rosier Randy N. , Puzas J. Edward , Schwarz Edward M. 
Published: October 2002

AbstractOsteoid osteoma is a benign bone forming neoplasm that is characterized by its small size (less than 2 cm), self‐limited growth, and the tendency to cause extensive reactive changes in the adjacent tissue. The lesion classically presents with severe pain at night that is dramatically relieved by NSAIDs. The tumor has been shown to express very high levels of prostaglandins, particularly PGE2 and PG12. The high local levels of these prostaglandins are presumed to be the cause of the intense pain seen in patients with this lesion. One generally accepted form of treatment is the prolonged use of NSAIDs. Since the cyclooxygenases are thought to be the source of these prostaglandins, and the central target of NSAIDs, we evaluated the expression of cyclooxygenase‐1 (COX‐1) and cyclooxygenase‐2 (COX‐2) in osteoid osteoma tissues from patients following surgery. In the 12 specimens examined we found that the tumor osteoblasts had strong immunohistochemical staining for COX‐2, while the staining in the surrounding host osteoblasts in the reactive bone was scant. Significant COX‐1 staining was also detected in both tumor and host osteoblasts. For comparison we examined the COX expression in human fracture callus, fibrous dysplasia, osteoblastoma, osteofibrous dysplasia, and myositis ossificans. With the exception of fracture callus, very limited amounts of COX‐2 could be detected in these tissues. Taken together, we conclude that the increased production of prostaglandins by osteoid osteomas implicates that COX‐2 is one of the mediators of this condition. These findings suggest that the newly selective COX‐2 inhibitors could be used to more safely treat osteoid osteomas. © 2002 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
Calcium signaling is required for ultrasound‐stimulated aggrecan synthesis by rat chondrocytes
Authors: Parvizi Javad , Parpura Vladimir , Greenleaf James F. , Bolander Mark E. 
Published: October 2002

AbstractLow‐intensity ultrasound accelerates fracture healing in humans. In rat femur fracture models, ultrasound advanced healing is associated with increased proteoglycan expression. Here we report that ultrasound stimulation of primary rat chondrocytes elevated the intracellular concentration of calciums [Ca2+]i. The [Ca2+]i increase was rapid and transient at lower pressures (175–320 kPa), but rapid and sustained at higher ultrasound exposures (350–500 kPa). Chelating internal [Ca2+]i with 1,2‐bis(2‐aminophenoxy) ethane‐N‐N‐N′‐N′‐tetraacetic acid (BAPTA‐AM), stopping the Ca2+/ATP‐ase induced mitochondrial release of [Ca2+]i with Thapsigargin, or removing [Ca2+]i from the medium with EGTA inhibited the stimulatory effects of ultrasound on proteoglycan synthesis. These results imply that ultrasound‐stimulated synthesis of cell matrix proteoglycan, associated with accelerated fracture healing, is mediated by intracellular calcium signaling. © 2002 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
Active range of motion of the head and cervical spine: a three‐dimensional investigation in healthy young adults
Authors: Ferrario Virgilio F. , Sforza Chiarella , Serrao Graziano , Grassi Gianpiero , Mossi Erio 
Published: October 2002

AbstractPurpose. To define reference values for head–cervical range of motion (ROM) in healthy young adults, to assess the effect of sex, and to quantify the separate contribution of other body districts.Methods. Thirty women and 30 men performed maximal head and cervical spine flexion–extension, lateral bending, and axial rotation. Movements were detected using a digital optoelectronic instrument. Maximum head–cervical spine and thoracic motions were separated.Results. Flexion and extension were performed mainly in the sagittal plane. The movement was larger in women (136°) than in men (130°). During flexion, both sexes moved the head–neck and the thorax in the same direction. During extension, men moved only the head–cervical spine, while women moved the two analyzed districts in the opposite directions. Lateral bending was nearly symmetric, associated with head–cervical rotation and extension, and larger in women (91°) than in men (77°). Adjunctive thoracic motion was limited in the sagittal and frontal planes, but larger in the horizontal plane (opposite motions of about 20°). Head–neck rotation was symmetric, and associated with concomitant movements in both the sagittal and frontal planes. It was larger in women (162°) than in men (155°), and performed with limited adjunctive thoracic motions.Conclusions. The present values can be used as a first group of normative data for head–cervical ROM in young men and women. © 2002 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
Stiff and strong compressive properties are associated with brittle post‐yield behavior in equine compact bone material
Authors: Les C. M. , Stover S. M. , Keyak J. H. , Taylor K. T. , Kaneps A. J. 
Published: October 2002

AbstractOur hypothesis was that post‐yield mechanical behavior of compact bone material in compression, defined as the stress, strain, or energy absorbed between 0.2% strain‐offset and the point of maximum stress, is correlated with material density, modulus, strength, histomorphometric evidence of remodeling, and post‐failure gross specimen morphology. Post‐yield behavior of compact bone material from the third metacarpal bone of 10 horses, ages 5 months to 20 years, was investigated using single‐load compression‐to‐failure. The post‐yield stress, strain, and absorbed energy were compared with the compressive elastic modulus, yield stress, ash density, post‐failure macroscopic appearance of the specimen, and histologic evidence of remodeling. High values of elastic modulus, yield stress, and ash density were associated with low values of post‐yield mechanical properties (stress, strain, and absorbed energy).Macroscopic post‐failure morphology was associated with post‐yield mechanical behavior, in that specimens displaying fractures were associated with lower post‐yield mechanical properties, and that those without evidence of frank fracture were associated with higher post‐yield mechanical properties. Microscopic evidence of remodeling activity was associated with high post‐yield mechanical properties, but not with gross post‐failure morphology. There was an abrupt change from relatively high values to extremely low values of post‐yield mechanical properties at intermediate levels of ash density. This feature may serve as a functional upper limit to the maximization of bone material stiffness and strength. © 2002 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
Macrophage exposure to particulate titanium induces phosphorylation of the protein tyrosine kinase lyn and the phospholipases Cγ‐1 and Cγ‐2
Authors: Palmbos Phillip L. , Sytsma Mark J. , Deheer David H. , Bonnema Joy D. 
Published: October 2002

AbstractA frequent long‐term complication of total joint arthroplasty is aseptic loosening, the end result of wear debris production, synovial macrophage activation, inflammatory mediator release, and osteolysis about the implant–bone or cement–bone interface. To elucidate the mechanisms of particle‐induced macrophage activation and mediator production, we studied early signal transduction events using J774A.1 macrophages and 3 μm titanium particles. Treating macrophages with herbimycin A or genistein, two inhibitors of protein tyrosine kinases (PTKs), inhibited titanium phagocytosis as well as secretion of tumor necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α) and prostaglandin‐E2 (PGE2) in a dose‐dependent manner. Both processes therefore depend on a PTK signaling cascade. Specifically, macrophage exposure to titanium‐induced phosphorylation of multiple proteins including the Src kinase Lyn and phospholipase Cγ‐1 and Cγ‐2. Phosphorylation peaked within 2 min and returned to baseline within 45 min. Similar but not identical phosphorylation patterns were obtained when cells were stimulated with titanium preincubated with serum or albumin, suggesting distinct signal transduction pathways dependent on particle coating. © 2002 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.