bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Kinematics in Newly Walking Toddlers Does Not Depend Upon Postural Stability
Authors: Ivanenko Yuri P. , Dominici Nadia , Cappellini Germana , Lacquaniti Francesco
Published: February 2005

When a toddler starts to walk without support, gait kinematics and electromyographic (EMG) activity differ from those of older children and the body displays considerable oscillations due to poor equilibrium. Postural instability clearly affects motor patterns in adults, but does instability explain why toddlers walk with a different gait? Here we addressed this question by comparing kinematics and EMGs in toddlers performing their first independent steps with or without hand or trunk support. Hand support significantly improved postural stability and some general gait parameters, reducing percent of falls, step width, lateral hip deviations and trunk oscillations. However, the kinematic and EMG patterns were unaffected by increased postural stability. In particular, the co-variance of the angular motion of the lower limb segments, the pattern of bilateral coordination of the vertical movement of the two hip joints, high variability of the foot path, the elliptic or single peak trajectory of the foot in the swing phase, and characteristic EMG bursts at foot contact remained idiosyncratic of toddler locomotion. Instead the toddler pattern shared fundamental features with adult stepping in place, suggesting that toddlers implement a mixed locomotor strategy, combining forward progression with elements of stepping in place. Furthermore, gait kinematics remained basically unchanged until the occurrence of the first unsupported steps and rapidly matured thereafter. We conclude that idiosyncratic features in newly walking toddlers do not simply result from undeveloped balance control but may represent an innate kinematic template of stepping.
Neural Processes Associated With Antisaccade Task Performance Investigated With Event-Related fMRI
Authors: Ford Kristen A. , Goltz Herbert C. , Brown Matthew R. G. , Everling Stefan
Published: February 2005

One of the hallmarks of cognitive control is the suppression of prepotent but inappropriate responses. Here we used event-related functional MRI to measure functional brain activation during a stimulus-response incompatibility task. Subjects were instructed before a stimulus appeared either to look at the stimulus (prosaccade) or to look away from the stimulus (antisaccade). Eye movements were recorded so that functional brain activation could be grouped into prosaccades, correct antisaccades, and errors (saccades toward the stimulus on antisaccade trials). Correct antisaccade trials were associated with significantly more activation in frontal and parietal cortical areas compared with prosaccade trials during the late preparatory period before stimulus appearance. Correct antisaccades evoked more activation than errors in the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), and presupplementary eye fields during this period. No significant differences were found for any comparisons early in the preparatory period. Our data suggest that the preparation of an antisaccade activates a large frontal and parietal network that may be involved in presetting the oculomotor system for the antisaccade task. These findings indicate that a large network of frontal and posterior areas is modulated during the latter component of the preparatory period on antisaccade compared with prosaccade trials. The results further suggest that the activation level of frontal cortical areas before stimulus presentation is associated with subjects' performance in the antisaccade task. In contrast, we found no areas that were more active for correct antisaccades than prosaccades or for correct antisaccades than error antisaccades during the stimulus-response period. In fact, a number of posterior cortical areas and a few areas in the superior frontal lobe were more active during the stimulus-response period on prosaccade trials than on antisaccade trials. Error antisaccades showed a larger activation in the ACC during the stimulus-response period compared with correct antisaccades.
Encoding and Retrieval in the CA3 Region of the Hippocampus: A Model of Theta-Phase Separation
Authors: Kunec Steve , Hasselmo Michael E. , Kopell Nancy
Published: February 2005

Past research conducted by Hasselmo et al. in 2002 suggests that some fundamental tasks are better accomplished if memories are encoded and recovered during different parts of the theta cycle. A model of the CA3 subfield of the hippocampus is presented, using biophysical representations of the major cell types including pyramidal cells and two types of interneurons. Inputs to the network come from the septum and the entorhinal cortex (directly and by the dentate gyrus). A mechanism for parsing the theta rhythm into two epochs is proposed and simulated: in the first half, the strong, proximal input from the dentate to a subset of CA3 pyramidal cells and coincident, direct input from the entorhinal cortex to other pyramidal cells creates an environment for strengthening synapses between cells, thus encoding information. During the second half of theta, cueing signals from the entorhinal cortex, by the dentate, activate previously strengthened synapses, retrieving memories. Slow inhibitory neurons (O-LM cells) play a role in the disambiguation during retrieval. We compare and contrast our computational results with existing experimental data and other contemporary models.
Activation of Nucleus Basalis Facilitates Cortical Control of a Brain Stem Motor Program
Authors: Berg Rune W. , Friedman Beth , Schroeder Lee F. , Kleinfeld David
Published: February 2005

We tested the hypothesis that activation of nucleus basalis magnocellularis (NBM), which provides cholinergic input to cortex, facilitates motor control. Our measures of facilitation were changes in the direction and time-course of vibrissa movements that are elicited by microstimulation of vibrissa motor (M1) cortex. In particular, microstimulation led solely to a transient retraction of the vibrissae in the sessile animal but to a full motion sequence of protraction followed by retraction in the aroused animal. We observed that activation of NBM, as assayed by cortical desynchronization, induced a transition from microstimulation-evoked retraction to full sweep sequences. This dramatic change in the vibrissa response to microstimulation was blocked by systemic delivery of atropine and, in anesthetized animals, an analogous change was blocked by the topical administration of atropine to M1 cortex. We conclude that NBM significantly facilitates the ability of M1 cortex to control movements. Our results bear on the importance of cholinergic activation in schemes for neuroprosthetic control of movement.
Dynamic genetic architecture of metabolic syndrome attributes in the rat
Authors: Seda Ondrej , Liska Frantisek , Krenova Drahomira , Kazdova Ludmila , Sedova Lucie , Zima Tomas , Peng Junzheng , Pelinkova Kveta , Tremblay Johanne , Hamet Pavel , Kren Vladimir
Published: February 2005

The polydactylous rat strain (PD/Cub) is a highly inbred (F > 90) genetic model of metabolic syndrome. The aim of this study was to analyze the genetic architecture of the metabolic derangements found in the PD/Cub strain and to assess its dynamics in time and in response to diet and medication. We derived a PD/Cub × BN/Cub (Brown Norway) F2 intercross population of 149 male rats and performed metabolic profiling and genotyping and multiple levels of genetic linkage and statistical analyses at five different stages of ontogenesis and after high-sucrose diet feeding and dexamethasone administration challenges. The interval mapping analysis of 83 metabolic and morphometric traits revealed over 50 regions genomewide with significant or suggestive linkage to one or more of the traits in the segregating PD/Cub × BN/Cub population. The multiple interval mapping showed that, in addition to “single” quantitative train loci, there are more than 30 pairs of loci across the whole genome significantly influencing the variation of particular traits in an epistatic fashion. This study represents the first whole genome analysis of metabolic syndrome in the PD/Cub model and reveals several new loci previously not connected to the genetics of insulin resistance and dyslipidemia. In addition, it attempts to present the concept of “dynamic genetic architecture” of metabolic syndrome attributes, evidenced by shifts in the genetic determination of syndrome features during ontogenesis and during adaptation to the dietary and pharmacological influences.
A Quantitative Review of Structured, Group-Oriented, Cognitive-Behavioral Programs for Offenders
Authors: Wilson David B. , Bouffard Leana Allen , Mackenzie Doris L.
Published: February 2005

Prior reviews and meta-analyses have supported the hypothesis that offender rehabilitation programs based on cognitive-behavioral principles reduce recidivism. This article quantitatively synthesizes the extant empirical evidence on the effectiveness of structured cognitive-behavioral programs delivered to groups of offenders. The evidence summarized supports the claim that these treatments are effective at reducing criminal behavior among convicted offenders. All higher quality studies reported positive effects favoring the cognitive-behavioral treatment program. Specifically, positive reductions in recidivism were observed for moral reconation therapy, reasoning and rehabilitation, and various cognitive-restructuring programs. The evidence suggests the effectiveness of cognitive skills and cognitive restructuring approaches as well as programs that emphasize moral teachings and reasoning.
Public Response to Prison Siting
Authors: Martin Randy , Myers David L.
Published: February 2005

In recent decades, prison populations and prison construction both have increased dramatically bringing issues related to prison siting to the forefront. Although the Not in My Backyard (NIMBY) syndrome often is discussed in prison literature, relatively little empirical research has been devoted to this topic. Based on a survey of residents in a county in which construction of a new prison was just beginning, this article focuses on the perceived impact of the new prison on future crime and personal and community safety. Consistent with the literature, proximity to the prison and several demographic variables were significant predictors of perceptions of prison impact. However, concerns about prison visitors coming into the community had the strongest impact on these perceptions.
An Empirical Modeling Approach to Recidivism Classification
Authors: Dow Edward , Jones Charles , Mott Jack
Published: February 2005

A nonlinear, exemplar-based empirical modeling methodology was applied to the problem of classifying relative levels of recidivism risk in a population of released offenders from the Wisconsin Department of Corrections. Issues related to extracting relatively pure classes of exemplars from relatively ambiguous data are detailed. Risk was defined as the associative match to one of two exemplar groups; higher or lower risk offenders. The area under the Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve for 620 offenders examined in the initial subgroup was .94. Comparable results were found with a smaller validation sample of 408 offenders known to be higher risk. Implications of controlling for risk factor patterns are discussed.
The Job Costs of Family Demands
Authors: Keene Jennifer Reid , Reynolds John R.
Published: February 2005

This article uses the 1992 National Study of the Changing Workforce to examine family and workplace factors contributing to gender differences in negative family-to-work spillover. We focus on spillover as manifested when family demands negatively affect job performance. Among married workers, women were twice as likely as men to report that family demands negatively affect their job performance. This finding is due, in part, to the fact that women made more adjustments to their workloads—such as refusing overtime or turning down assignments—for the sake of family. Ordered probit analysis suggests that job characteristics are more salient than family factors for predicting the likelihood that family demands will detract from job performance and for explaining the gender gap in negative family-to-work spillover. Working in a demanding job or having little job autonomy was associated with more negative family-to-work spillover regardless of gender, while greater scheduling flexibility mitigated the gender gap.
The Differential Effects of Intimate Terrorism and Situational Couple Violence
Authors: Johnson Michael P. , Leone Janel M.
Published: February 2005

Data from the National Violence Against Women Survey show that the two major forms of husband violence toward their wives (intimate terrorism and situational couple violence) have different effects on their victims. Victims of intimate terrorism are attacked more frequently and experience violence that is less likely to stop. They are more likely to be injured, to exhibit more of the symptoms of posttraumatic stress syndrome, to use painkillers (perhaps also tranquilizers), and to miss work. They have left their husbands more often, and when they do leave, they are more likely to acquire their own residence. If we want to understand the true impact of wife abuse from survey data (rather than from agency data), we must make distinctions among types of violence so that the data used to describe battering are not diluted by data regarding other types of partner violence.
Using Cluster Analysis in Program Evaluation
Authors: Peck Laura R.
Published: February 2005

The conventional way to measure program impacts is to compute the average treatment effect; that is, the difference between a treatment group that received some intervention and a control group that did not. Recently, scholars have recognized that looking only at the average treatment effect may obscure impacts that accrue to subgroups. In an effort to inform subgroup analysis research, this article explains the challenge of treatment group heterogeneity. It then proposes using cluster analysis to identify otherwise difficult-to-identify subgroups within evaluation data. The approach maintains the integrity of the experimental evaluation design, thereby producing unbiased estimates of program impacts by subgroup. This method is applied to data from the evaluation of New York State’s Child Assistance Program, a reform that intended to increase work and earnings among welfare recipients. The article interprets the substantive findings and then addresses the advantages and disadvantages of the proposed method.
A classification system for cross-reactive material-negative factor XI deficiency
Authors: Kravtsov Dmitri V. , Monahan Paul E. , Gailani David
Published: February 2005

The bleeding disorder associated with factor XI (fXI) deficiency is typically inherited as an autosomal recessive trait. However, some fXI mutations may be associated with dominant disease transmission. FXI is a homodimer, a feature that could allow certain mutations to exert a dominant-negative effect on wild-type fXI secretion through heterodimer formation. We describe 2 novel fXI mutations (Ser225Phe and Cys398Tyr) that form intracellular dimers, are secreted poorly, and exhibit dominant-negative effects on wild-type fXI secretion in cotransfection experiments. Available data now suggest that mutations associated with crossreactive material-negative fXI deficiency fall into 1 of 3 mechanistic categories: (1) mutations that reduce or prevent polypeptide synthesis, (2) polypeptides that fail to form intracellular dimers and are retained in cells as monomers, and (3) polypeptides that form dimers that are not secreted. The latter category likely accounts for many cases of dominant disease transmission. (Blood. 2005;105: 4671-4673)
Derivation of 2 categories of plasmacytoid dendritic cells in murine bone marrow
Authors: Pelayo Rosana , Hirose Jun , Huang Jiaxue , Garrett Karla P. , Delogu Alessio , Busslinger Meinrad , Kincade Paul W.
Published: February 2005

Plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) competent to make type I interferon were rigorously defined as a Ly-6C+ and CD11cLo subset of the B220+CD19- CD43+CD24Lo bone marrow (BM) Fraction A. Otherwise similar Ly6C- cells expressed the natural killer (NK) markers DX5 and NK1.1. pDCs represented a stable, discrete, and long-lived population. Stem cells and early lymphoid progenitors (ELPs), but not prolymphocytes, were effective precursors of pDCs, and their differentiation was blocked by ligation of Notch receptors. Furthermore, pDCs were present in the BM of RAG1-/-, CD127/IL-7Ra-/-, and Pax5-/- mice. pDCs in RAG1/GFP knock-in mice could be subdivided, and immunoglobulin DH-JH rearrangements, as well as transcripts for the B-lineage–related genes Pax5, mb1/CD79a, ebf, and Bcl11a, were identified only in the green fluorescent protein–positive (GFP+) pDC1 subset. All pDCs expressed terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT), the ETS transcription factor Spi-B, the nuclear factor-κB transcription factor RelB, toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9), and interferon consensus sequence binding protein (ICSBP)/interferon regulatory factor 8 (IRF-8) transcripts; lacked CD16 and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor receptor (G-CSFR); and were uniformly interleukin-7 receptor α (IL-7Rα-) AA4.1Lo, CD27-, Flk-2Lo, c-Kit-, DX-5-, and CD11b-, while CD4 and CD8α were variable. GFP+ pDC1 subset was less potent than GFP- pDC2s in T allostimulation and production of tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα), interferon α (IFNα), and interleukin-6 (IL-6), while only pDC2s made IFNγ and IL-12 p70. Thus, 2 functionally specialized subsets of pDCs arise in bone marrow from progenitors that diverge from B, T, and NK lineages at an early stage.
From Hodgkin disease to Hodgkin lymphoma: biologic insights and therapeutic potential
Authors: Re Daniel , Thomas Roman K. , Behringer Karolin , Diehl Volker
Published: February 2005

Reclassification of Hodgkin disease as Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) represents a milestone in the lymphoma field, awarding recent insights in the molecular biology of Hodgkin and Reed-Sternberg (H-RS) cells and their environment. This review summarizes antiapoptotic and proproliferative pathways involved in the pathogenesis of this disease with the ultimate goal of translating laboratory knowledge into clinical decision making. The focus is on potential targets and novel drugs, which are discussed in the context of the complex biology of HL. Considering that HL patients are more likely to die from acute and late treatment-related toxicities than from HL itself, the introduction of targeted, biologically based therapies for HL patients with palliative and eventually curative intention might be justified. (Blood. 2005;105:4553-4560)
Accumulation of an intron-retained mRNA for granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor receptor common β chain in neutrophils of myelodysplastic syndromes
Authors: Shikama Yayoi , Shichishima Tsutomu , Matsuoka Isao , Jubinsky Paul T , Sieff Colin A , Maruyama Yukio
Published: February 2005

We recently identified a reduction in the neutrophil surface expression of common β chain (βc) of the receptor for granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) in the patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). To determine the etiology of the impaired βc expression, βc mRNA from neutrophilic granulocytes of MDS patients and healthy controls was analyzed by a combination of direct reverse transcriptiase-polymerase chain reaction-based single-strand conformational polymorphism and sequencing. Nine different βc transcripts were detected, but none was specific for MDS. However, one of the transcripts (βc79) containing a 79-base intron insertion between exons V and VI was significantly increased in MDS. This 27-kd isoform consisted of the βc N-terminal 182 amino acids followed by a new 84-amino-acid sequence. βc79 was overexpressed in all MDS subtypes. No genomic mutations were detected within the intron or at the intron/exon boundaries. The isoform is predominantly located in the cytoplasm by Western blot analysis and was unable to generate high-affinity binding sites or transduce a signal for proliferation when coexpressed with the receptor for human GM-CSF α chain. Our study suggests that the accumulation of the abnormal βc transcripts with intron V retention results in the reduction in cell-surface expression of βc observed in MDS.
PI design based on DMC strategy
Authors: Haeri Mohammad
Published: February 2005

Proportional and integral (PI) control parameters are determined by approximating a dynamic matrix control (DMC). Since accuracy of the approximation depends on DMC parameters in a complicated manner, a combination of direct and indirect optimization methods are employed in this paper. Quadratic programming (QP) is used to determine PI parameters, and a simple grid method is used to find optimal DMC parameters. A tuning formula for the PI controller based on a curve-fitting technique, is suggested. Computer simulations are performed to compare performance of the new PI design method with those achievable using some existing PI controllers.
Anticoagulation during extracorporeal circulation under conditions of an ongoing systemic inflammatory response syndrome: effects of heparin
Authors: Feindt Peter , Litmathe Jens , Boeken Udo , Gams Emmeran
Published: February 2005

Objective: Open-heart surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) causes changes in haemostasis. Artificial surfaces are bioincompatible and, thus, may initiate a reaction similar to an acute inflammation. In some patients, this ‘postperfusion syndrome’ (PPS), which includes changes in haemostasis, is the beginning of a systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS). However, it is not clear whether the changes in coagulation represent a consequence or a main cause of the inflammatory reaction. Thus, the aim of our study was to investigate the cascade of coagulation and the effects of heparin under special circumstances of an ongoing SIRS.

Methods: In a prospective evaluation using standardized operative procedures with CPB, we compared Group A (control group with normal postoperative course, n=20) with Group B (patients with postoperative SIRS, n=12). At six time points beginning before and ending two days after surgery, we measured platelet counts, leucocyte counts and plasma levels of fibrinogen, factor XII and antithrombin III (ATIII), in addition to standard coagulation tests (PTT, TT and ACT). Furthermore, we determined parameters of inflammation, such as C-reactive protein, PCT, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10 and TNF-alpha.

Results: In Group B (SIRS), we found a reduced anticoagulation during CPB with significantly lower values for PTT (60±versus 160±11 s), ACT (270±33 versus 532±44 s) TT (40±3 versus 150±15 s) compared to the control Group A. Simultaneously, we found a significant increase of factor XII in the SIRS group (191±16 versus 10±2%). There were no significant differences concerning the preoperative ATIII levels and the intraoperative dosage of heparin; the intraoperative decrease of fibrinogen, ATIII and platelets was comparable in both groups. Furthermore, we could see that significant changes of inflammatory parameters in the SIRS group (increasing levels of TNF-α, Il-6, IL-8 and IL-10) occurred at least 30 min after the observed reduction of anticoagulatory effect.

Conclusions: With our results, it could be demonstrated that the development of inflammatory complications after CPB is correlated to a significantly reduced intraoperative effect of heparin. As this reduction of anticoagulation significantly preceded the changes of inflammatory parameters in SIRS patients, we think that a hypercoagulatory state, especially in cases of ongoing inflammation, is an additional trigger of SIRS.
The intraoperative effect of pentoxifylline on the inflammatory process and leukocytes in cardiac surgery patients undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass
Authors: Çağlı Kerim , Ulaş Mahmut Mustafa , Özişik Kanat , Kale Arzum , Bakuy Vedat , Emir Mustafa , Balcı Mustafa , Topbaş Murat , Şener Erol , Taşdemir Og'uz
Published: February 2005

Background: Inflammation plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of organ dysfunction after cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). The aim of this study was to investigate whether pentoxifylline (PTX) has effects on the inflammatory process and leukocytes in cardiac surgery patients undergoing CPB.

Material and methods: A double-blind, prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled study was undertaken to assess the effect of PTX on leukocyte counts, tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels in 60 patients undergoing CPB for elective coronary artery bypass grafting. In 30 patients, 200 mg of PTX was added to 500 mL NaCl and perfused for 180 min after induction of anaesthesia and also 100 mg of PTX was added to the warm cardioplegic solution; another 30 patients received saline solution as placebo.

Results: All measurements were performed before PTX infusion (T0), after induction of anaesthesia (T1), 30 min after weaning from CPB (T2), and 6 hours (T3) and 24 hours postoperatively (T4). PTX did not change the percentage of eosinophils, basophils, neutrophils, monocytes, or lymphocytes, or CRP levels. In the control group, however, total leukocyte count and IL-6 level at T3 and T4 period were significantly higher than the study group. The progressive increment in TNF-α level observed at each period was also significantly prominent in the control group.

Conclusion: CPB-related whole body inflammatory response could be partially inhibited by intraoperative PTX administration. This effect of PTX would be helpful in preventing the well-known complications of CPB-induced systemic inflammation.
Clinical benefits of continuous leukocyte filtration during cardiopulmonary bypass in patients undergoing valvular repair or replacement
Authors: Sutton S W , Patel A N , Chase V A , Schmidt L A , Hunley E K , Yancey L W , Hebeler R F , Cheung E H , Henry A C , Meyers T P , Wood R E
Published: February 2005

Valve operations in the form of repair or replacement make up a significant population of patients undergoing surgical procedures in the USA annually with the use of cardiopulmonary bypass. These patients experience a wide range of complications that are considered to be mediated by activation of complement and leukocytes. The extracorporeal perfusion circuit consists of multiple synthetic artificial surfaces. The biocompatibility of the blood contact surfaces is a variable that predisposes patients to an increased risk of complement mediation and activation. This can result in an inflammatory process, causing leukocytes to proliferate and sequester in the major organ systems. The purpose of this study was to determine whether filtration of activated leukocytes improved clinical outcomes following surgical intervention for valve repair or replacement. In this paper, we report a retrospective matched cohort study of 700 patients who underwent valve procedures from June 1999 to December 2002. The control group (CG) consisted of patients who had a conventional arterial line filter. In the study group (SG), patients had a conventional arterial line filter and a leukocyte arterial line filter (Pall Medical, NY). In the SG, blood diverted to the cardioplegia system was also leukocyte depleted to enhance myocardial preservation by adapting this device to the outflow port on the filter. Patient characteristics were similar for the SG and the CG, including 228 males and 122 females, mean age (62.4 versus 64.2 years), cardiopulmonary bypass time (1279/64 versus 1169/53 min), and aortic crossclamp time (849/23 versus 819/23 min). Our results demonstrate that the SG achieved statistically significant reduction in the time to extubation ( p=0.03) and the number of patients with prolonged intubation in excess of 24 hours ( p=0.04), in addition to improved postoperative oxygenation ( p=0.01), and decreased length of hospital stay ( p=0.03). We believe that leukocyte filters are clinically beneficial, as demonstrated by the results presented in this study.
Documentation of Individualized Patient Care: a qualitative metasynthesis
Authors: Kärkkäinen Oili , Bondas Terese , Eriksson Katie
Published: February 2005

The aim of this study was to increase understanding of how individual patient care and the ethical principles prescribed for nursing care are implemented in nursing documentation. The method used was a metasynthesis of the results of 14 qualitative research reports. The results indicate that individualized patient care is not visible in nurses’ documentation of care. It seems that nurses describe their tasks more frequently than patients’ experiences of their care. The results also show that the structure of nursing documentation and the forms or manner of recording presupposed by the organization may prevent individual recording of patient care. In order to obtain visibility for good patient-centred and ethical nursing care, an effort should be made to influence how the content of nursing care is documented and made an essential part of individual patient care. If the content of this documentation does not give an accurate picture of care, patients’ right to receive good nursing care may not be realized.
Ethics, Government and Sexual Health: insights from Foucault
Authors: Winch Sarah
Published: February 2005

The work of Michel Foucault, the French philosopher who was interested in power relationships, has resonated with many nurses who seek a radically analytical view of nursing practice. The purpose of this article is to explore ‘ethics’ through a Foucauldian lens, in a conceptual and methodological sense. The intention is to provide a useful framework that will help researchers critically to explore aspects of nursing practice that relate to the construction of the self, morality and identity, be that nurse or patient related. The fundamentals of the research method of genealogy and the methods of ethics are reviewed. Using an example taken from the sexual health practice area, advice is given on how to structure data collection, incorporate interview data, avoid discourse determinism and measure resistance.
Endocrine‐Immune Interactions in Human Endometrium
Authors: KAYISLI U A , GUZELOGLU‐KAYISLI O , ARICI A
Published: February 2005

Abstract: The immune system is a complex entity designed to eliminate foreign intruding antigens and is influenced by and, in turn, influences the function of the reproductive system. Despite the widespread associations between immunology and reproductive medicine, the study of system interactions remains in its infancy. Many diverse facts are accumulating, and pieces of the puzzle are becoming available to provide a clearer picture. In this review article, we focus on the interactions between endocrine and immune systems in the human endometrium. Understanding the molecular pathways in endocrine‐immune interactions in the human endometrium is crucial to understand events such as menstrual bleeding, tissue repair and regeneration, inflammation, angiogenesis, blastocyst implantation, and progression of pregnancy. These events require a balanced regulation of endometrial differentiation, proliferation, cell survival, leukocyte recruitment, apoptosis, and angiogenesis by sex steroids. In this review, we first outline the role of survival factors such as phosphoinositol 3‐kinase/protein kinase B, PTEN, NFκB, and apoptotic molecules (Fas‐FasL, Bcl‐2). We then discuss their regulation by estrogen and progesterone in the endometrium. We present evidence for direct and/or indirect roles of steroid hormones on the expression of chemotactic cytokines (interleukin‐8 and monocyte chemotactic protein‐1) and on the survival versus apoptosis of resident endometrial cells (stromal, epithelial, and endothelial cells) and nonresident cells (leukocytes).
The Patterns of Uterine Contractility in Normal Menstruating Women: From Physiology to Pathology
Authors: BULLETTI CARLO , DE ZIEGLER DOMINIQUE , SETTI PAOLO LEVI , CICINELLI ETTORE , POLLI VALERIA , FLAMIGNI CARLO
Published: February 2005

Abstract: The nonpregnant uterus shows uterine activity throughout the menstrual cycle. This uterine activity was detected both by single strep tissue and by using intrauterine pressure recordings in vitro and in vivo. Today, ultrasound has made it possible to study this activity with a noninvasive approach and to assess uterine contractions (UCs) in real‐time movements of the uterus. Throughout the menstrual cycle, wavelike activity patterns of the reproductive organ were established. These patterns are under control of steroid hormones. Adequate UCs may provide for gamete/embryo transportation throughout the uterotubal cavities and successful embryo implantation in spontaneous and/or assisted reproduction. Inadequate UCs may produce ectopic pregnancy, miscarriages, retrograde bleeding with dysmenorrhea, and endometriosis.
Hatching: How to Select the Clinical Indications
Authors: GERMOND MARC , PRIMI MARIE‐PIERRE , SENN ALFRED
Published: February 2005

Abstract: Currently, most fertility centers around the world use assisted hatching (AH) techniques to help embryo release out of the zona pellucida (ZP) and thus increase the implantation rate. For the last 13 years, several retrospective and prospective studies, assessing AH in different clinical indications, have given disparate results, making the selection of patients or embryos in need of this treatment complex. The most relevant conclusion obtained so far is that AH has a beneficial effect in women with repeated failures of embryo implantation. The place of AH in clinical practice in comparison with other approaches has to be reevaluated based on the selection of viable embryos using strict morphometric criteria and/or prolonged culture up to the blastocyst stage. Finally, the potential value of AH for indications other than repeated failure has to be weighed carefully to make sure that AH does not reduce the chances of implantation.
Determinants of Endometrial Receptivity
Authors: HORCAJADAS JOSÉ A. , RIESEWIJK ANNE , DOMÍNGUEZ FRANCISCO , CERVERO ANA , PELLICER ANTONIO , SIMÓN CARLOS
Published: February 2005

Abstract: Understanding the molecular changes that occur during the window of implantation is fundamental to our knowledge of human reproduction. Lately, the development of microarray technology has allowed this process to be studied from a global molecular perspective. In the last 2 years, researchers have focused their efforts on throwing light on the gene expression profile of the receptive endometrium. The genes hold the key to the development of the endometrium at any stage, and we have focused our work on the window of implantation. The four most recently published works in this field have revealed a long list of genes that are up‐ or downregulated at the time of implantation. Although these studies have been conducted using varying approaches, collectively these studies identify new candidate markers that can be used to accurately diagnose the receptive state of the endometrium. The next step is to perform functional analysis for confirming the importance of these genes. In this article, we gather together these recent findings to provide an overview of the current knowledge regarding the genetic functioning of human endometrial receptivity and related processes.
Artificial Reproductive Technology Achievements for Optimizing Embryo Quality
Authors: BORINI ANDREA , LAGALLA CRISTINA , SCIAJNO RAFFAELLA , DISTRATIS VINCENZO , BONU MARIA ANTONIETTA , CATTOLI MONICA , COTICCHIO GIOVANNI
Published: February 2005

Abstract: Evaluation of morphological characteristics, to date, has been the most widely accepted method for the selection of embryos with higher developmental ability and optimization of the outcome of in vitro fertilization (IVF). Improvement in clinical results has also been pursued through attempts to generate embryos of high quality or to identify more reliable selection criteria. This work evaluates the possibility of improving embryo quality and subsequent IVF outcome in situations in which creation of supernumerary embryos is not allowed. Optimization of gamete selection and conditions of insemination, such as hormonal therapy to improve sperm quality of patients undergoing intracytoplasmic sperm injection treatment, use of power Doppler image for follicle selection, short coincubation of gametes during insemination, and use of a polscope for spindle detection, is described.
New Tools for Optimizing Endometrial Receptivity in Controlled Ovarian Hyperstimulation: Aromatase Inhibitors and LH/minihCG
Authors: DE ZIEGLER DOMINIQUE , MATTENBERGER CHRISTOPHE , SCHWARZ CARINE , IBECHEOLE VICTORIA , FOURNET NICOLE , BIANCHI‐DEMICHELI FRANCESCO
Published: February 2005

Abstract: In the long history of controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH), two steps stand out as being the most important ones for providing the high efficacy of current treatments: the introduction of GnRH agonists for the prevention of premature ovulation and the widespread use of pretreatment with oral contraceptives before COH for in vitro fertilization. Interestingly, the benefits of both measures resulted largely from pure serendipity, as the discovery of these advantages was mostly fortuitous and/or unintended. Today, we believe that two areas of research have the highest potential for further improving the efficacy of COH: (1) switching the follicle‐stimulating hormone stimulus to that of luteinizing hormone (or small amounts of hCG) in the last stages of COH; and (2) using the benefit of the new third‐generation aromatase inhibitors that have recently become available. The effects of the latter products are to enhance the endogenous production of gonadotropins (mostly FSH). This article reviews the background data and rationale that justifies each of these two new developments and summarizes data currently available.
Obesity Reduces the Expression of GLUT4 in the Endometrium of Normoinsulinemic Women Affected by the Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
Authors: MOZZANEGA BRUNO , MIONI ROBERTO , GRANZOTTO MARNIE , CHIARELLI SILVIA , XAMIN NADIA , ZULIANI LAURA , SICOLO NICOLA , MARCHESONI DIEGO , VETTOR ROBERTO
Published: February 2005

Abstract: GLUT4 is the most important glucose transporter in insulin‐dependent tissues. A decrease of its expression by the adipocytes was reported in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), regardless of obesity and glucose tolerance. In PCOS, abnormal menstrual cycles, abnormal insulin secretory patterns, and obesity, which are risk factors for endometrial diseases, frequently coexist. The endometrial effects of insulin are direct through specific insulin receptors. However, it is unknown whether the endometrium expresses GLUT4 and can be considered an insulin‐regulated tissue. In this study, we investigated this question, and we investigated whether obesity modulates this expression in PCOS normoinsulinemic patients. We assayed GLUT4 in the endometrial samples from 18 normoinsulinemic PCOS patients and 9 controls in the advanced follicular phase of the cycle; 10 patients were lean and 8 obese, and all were aged between 23 and 32 years. Most tissue was immediately frozen for RT‐PCR; some tissue was saved for histology and immunohistochemistry. GLUT4 mRNA expression was measured in three samples for every patient and expressed as mean ± SE of an arbitrary unit. In obese PCOS subjects, endometrial GLUT4 expression was significantly lower than in the lean ones (24.0 ± 6.8 vs. 65.2 ± 24.4; P < 0.005) and the controls (53.2 ± 10.7). Lean PCOS and control subjects showed similar values. GLUT4 immunostaining was strong in the epithelial and absent in the stromal cells. We demonstrated endometrial GLUT4 expression. The similar results in lean PCOS and control subjects suggest that endometrial GLUT4 expression is not affected by PCOS itself, whereas it is reduced by obesity in PCOS patients.
Inhibition of neurogenesis by SRp38, a neuroD-regulated RNA-binding protein
Authors: Liu Karen J. , Harland Richard M.
Published: February 2005

Although serine-arginine rich (SR) proteins have often been implicated in the positive regulation of splicing, recent studies have shown that one unusual SR protein, SRp38, serves, contrastingly, as a splicing repressor during mitosis and stress response. We have identified a novel developmental role for SRp38 in the regulation of neural differentiation. SRp38 is expressed in the neural plate during embryogenesis and is transcriptionally induced by the neurogenic bHLH protein neuroD. Overexpression of SRp38 inhibits primary neuronal differentiation at a step between neurogenin and neuroD activity. This repression of neuronal differentiation requires activation of the Notch pathway. Conversely, depletion of SRp38 activity results in a dysregulation of neurogenesis. Finally, SRp38 can interact with the peptidyltransferase center of 28S rRNA, suggesting that SRp38 activity may act, in part, via regulation of ribosome biogenesis or function. Strikingly,recent studies of several cell cycle regulators during primary neurogenesis have also revealed a crucial control step between neurogenin and neuroD. SRp38 may mediate one component of this control by maintaining splicing and translational silencing in undifferentiated neural cells.
Functional diversification ofMYB23andGL1genes in trichome morphogenesis and initiation
Authors: Kirik Victor , Lee Myeong Min , Wester Katja , Herrmann Ullrich , Zheng Zhengui , Oppenheimer David , Schiefelbein John , Hulskamp Martin
Published: February 2005

The functional diversification of duplicated genes is one of the driving forces in evolution. To understand the molecular mechanisms of gene diversification, we studied the functional relationship of the two Arabidopsis paralogous MYB-related genes GL1 and MYB23. We show that MYB23 controls trichome branching and trichome initiation at leaf edges. The latter is controlled redundantly together with GL1. We show that the two proteins are functionally equivalent during trichome initiation but not during trichome branching. RT-PCR and reporter construct analysis revealed spatial, temporal and genetic differences in transcriptional regulation of the GL1 and MYB23 genes. Presented data indicate that the diversification of GL1 and MYB23 gene functions occurred at the level of cis-regulatory sequences with respect to trichome initiation, and that, in parallel, the diversification with respect to regulation of trichome branching also involved changes in respective proteins.
Peak levels of BMP in theDrosophilaembryo control target genes by a feed-forward mechanism
Authors: Xu Mu , Kirov Nikolai , Rushlow Christine
Published: February 2005

Gradients of morphogens determine cell fates by specifying discrete thresholds of gene activities. In the Drosophila embryo, a BMP gradient subdivides the dorsal ectoderm into amnioserosa and dorsal epidermis,and also inhibits neuroectoderm formation. A number of genes are differentially expressed in response to the gradient, but how their borders of expression are established is not well understood. We present evidence that the BMP gradient, via the Smads, provides a two-fold input in regulating the amnioserosa-specific target genes such as Race. Peak levels of Smads in the presumptive amnioserosa set the expression domain of zen, and then Smads act in combination with Zen to directly activate Race. This situation resembles a feed-forward mechanism of transcriptional regulation. In addition, we demonstrate that ectopically expressed Zen can activate targets like Race in the presence of low level Smads,indicating that the role of the highest activity of the BMP gradient is to activate zen.
Keratinocytes display normal proliferation, survival and differentiation in conditional β4-integrin knockout mice
Authors: Raymond Karine , Kreft Maaike , Janssen Hans , Calafat Jero , Sonnenberg Arnoud
Published: February 2005

The α6β4 integrin is located at the basal surface of keratinocytes, in hemidesmosomal structures that mediate stable adhesion of epidermal cells to the underlying basement membrane component laminin-5. The absence of α6β4 integrin causes junctional epidermolysis bullosa, a severe blistering disease of the skin leading to perinatal death, confirming its essential role in mediating strong keratinocyte adhesion. Several studies have suggested that α6β4 integrin can also regulate signaling cascades that control cell proliferation, survival and migration through a mechanism independent of its adhesive function. We have generated a conditional knockout mouse strain, in which the gene encoding the β4 integrin subunit (Itgb4) was inactivated only in small stretches of the skin. These mice were viable and permitted an accurate analysis of the consequences of the loss of β4 on various biological processes by comparing β4-positive and -negative parts of the skin in the same animal. Despite the complete loss of hemidesmosomes in regions lacking α6β4 integrin, the distribution of a range of adhesion receptors and basement membrane proteins was unaltered. Moreover, loss of α6β4 did not affect squamous differentiation, proliferation or survival, except for areas in which keratinocytes had detached from the basement membrane. These in vivo observations were confirmed in vitro by using immortalized keratinocytes – derived from β4-subunit conditional knockout mice – from which the gene encoding β4 had been deleted by Cre-mediated recombination. Consistent with the established role of α6β4 in adhesion strengthening, its loss from cells was found to increase their motility. Our findings clearly demonstrate that, after birth, epidermal differentiation, proliferation and survival all proceed normally in the absence of α6β4, provided that cell adhesion is not compromised.
The translational regulator CPEB1 provides a link between dcp1 bodies and stress granules
Authors: Wilczynska A. , Aigueperse C. , Kress M. , Dautry F. , Weil D.
Published: February 2005

The cytoplasmic polyadenylation element-binding protein (CPEB) has been characterized in Xenopus laevis as a translational regulator. During the early development, it behaves first as an inhibitor and later as an activator of translation. In mammals, its closest homologue is CPEB1 for which two isoforms, short and long, have been described. Here we describe an additional isoform with a different RNA recognition motif, which is differentially expressed in the brain and ovary. We show that all CPEB1 isoforms are found associated with two previously described cytoplasmic structures, stress granules and dcp1 bodies. This association requires the RNA binding ability of the protein, whereas the Aurora A phosphorylation site is dispensable. Interestingly, the rck/p54 DEAD box protein, which is known as a CPEB partner in Xenopus and clam, and as a component of dcp1 bodies in mammals, is also present in stress granules. Both stress granules and dcp1 bodies are involved in mRNA storage and/or degradation, although so far no link has been made between the two, in terms of neither morphology nor protein content. Here we show that transient CPEB1 expression induces the assembly of stress granules, which in turn recruit dcp1 bodies. This dynamic connection between the two structures sheds new light on the compartmentalization of mRNA metabolism in the cytoplasm.