bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
LKB1 and AMPK: central regulators of lymphocyte metabolism and function
Authors: Blagih Julianna , Krawczyk Connie M. , Jones Russell G.
Published: August 2012

When T cells encounter foreign antigen and appropriate costimulatory signals from professional antigen‐presenting cells (APCs), they initiate a coordinated program of rapid proliferation and differentiation, leading to the development of activated T cells with specific effector functions tailored toward pathogen clearance or control. One of the fundamental programs that underpin T‐cell proliferation and function is the regulation of cellular metabolism. Recent efforts to identify the signal transduction pathways that regulate T‐cell metabolism have led to the identification of liver kinase B1 (LKB1) and AMP‐activated protein kinase (AMPK) as key regulators of T‐cell metabolism. LKB1 and AMPK are part of an evolutionarily conserved signal transduction pathway that monitors cellular energy status. AMPK senses bioenergetic fluctuations in cells and works in concert with LKB1 to maintain cellular energy homeostasis by promoting catabolic pathways of ATP production and limiting processes that consume ATP. Recent data indicate that LKB1 and AMPK can influence diverse aspects of T‐cell biology beyond metabolism, including T‐cell development, peripheral T‐cell homeostasis, and T‐cell effector function. In this review, we focus on the regulation of lymphocyte metabolism by this energy‐sensing pathway and discuss its influence on T‐cell function.
Effect of different running modes on the morphological, biochemical, and mechanical properties of articular cartilage
Authors: Hamann N. , Zaucke F. , Heilig J. , Oberländer K. D. , Brüggemann G.‐P. , Niehoff A.
Published: August 2012

Mechanical loading plays an important role not solely in cartilage development, but also in cartilage degeneration. Its adaptation behavior to mechanical loading has not been clearly delineated. The aim of the study was to examine the effect of different running modes (with different muscle contraction types) on morphological, biochemical, and mechanical properties of articular cartilage in the knee of growing rats. Thirty‐six female Sprague–Dawley rats were randomly assigned into a nonactive age‐matched control (AMC), level (LEVEL), and 20° downhill (DOWN) running group (n = 12 each). Running groups were trained on a treadmill for 30 min/day, 5 days/week for 6 weeks. Immunohistochemical staining and analysis of expression for collagen II, collagen IX, cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP), and matrilin‐3, histomorphometry of femoral cartilage height and femoral COMP staining height, and indentation testing of tibial articular cartilage were performed. Rats subjected to downhill running showed a significantly (P = 0.015) higher COMP staining height and a tendentially (P = 0.084) higher cartilage height in the high‐weight bearing area of femoral articular cartilage. Cartilage thickness, mechanical properties, and expression of cartilage network proteins in tibial cartilage remained unaffected by different running modes. Our data suggest that joint loading induced by eccentric muscle contractions during downhill running may lead to a site‐specific adaptation.
Fission Yeast Sec3 Bridges the Exocyst Complex to the Actin Cytoskeleton
Authors: Jourdain Isabelle , Dooley Hannah C. , Toda Takashi
Published: August 2012

The exocyst complex tethers post‐Golgi secretory vesicles to the plasma membrane prior to docking and fusion. In this study, we identify Sec3, the missing component of the Schizosaccharomyces pombe exocyst complex (SpSec3). SpSec3 shares many properties with its orthologs, and its mutants are rescued by human Sec3/EXOC1. Although involved in exocytosis, SpSec3 does not appear to mark the site of exocyst complex assembly at the plasma membrane. It does, however, mark the sites of actin cytoskeleton recruitment and controls the organization of all three yeast actin structures: the actin cables, endocytic actin patches and actomyosin ring. Specifically, SpSec3 physically interacts with For3 and sec3 mutants have no actin cables as a result of a failure to polarize this nucleating formin. SpSec3 also interacts with actin patch components and sec3 mutants have depolarized actin patches of reduced endocytic capacity. Finally, the constriction and disassembly of the cytokinetic actomyosin ring is compromised in these sec3 mutant cells. We propose that a role of SpSec3 is to spatially couple actin machineries and their independently polarized regulators. As a consequence of its dual role in secretion and actin organization, Sec3 appears as a major co‐ordinator of cell morphology in fission yeast.
Analysis of the DISC1 translocation partner (11q14.3) in genetic risk of schizophrenia
Authors: Debono R. , Topless R. , Markie D. , Black M. A. , Merriman T. R.
Published: August 2012

The Disrupted‐in‐Schizophrenia 1 (DISC1) locus on human chromosome 1 was identified as a consequence of its involvement in a balanced translocation (1;11)(q42.1;q14.3) segregating with major psychiatric disorders in a Scottish family. Recently a comprehensive meta‐analysis of genome‐wide association scan data found no evidence that common variants of DISC1 (1q42.1) are associated with schizophrenia. Our aim was to test for association of variants in the 11q14.3 translocation region with schizophrenia. The 11q14.3 region was examined by meta‐analysis of genome‐wide scan data made available by the Genetic Association Information Network (GAIN) and other investigators (non‐GAIN) through dbGap. P‐values were adjusted for multiple testing using the false discovery rate (FDR) approach. There were no single‐nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) significant (P < 0.05) after correction for multiple testing in the combined schizophrenia dataset. However, one SNP (rs2509382) was significantly associated in the male‐only analysis with PFDR = 0.024. Whilst the relevance of the (1;11)(q42.1;q14.3) translocation to psychiatric disorders is currently specific to the Scottish family, genetic material in the chromosome 11 region may contain risk variants for psychiatric disorders in the wider population. The association found in this region does warrant follow‐up analysis in further sample sets.
Neurologic development of the newborn and young child in relation to maternal thyroid function
Authors: Smit BJ , Kok JH , Vulsma T , Briët JM , Boer K , Wiersinga WM
Published: August 2012

Smit BJ, Kok JH, Vulsma T, Briët JM, Boer K, Wiersinga WM. Neurologic development of the newborn and young child in relation to maternal thyroid function. Acta Paediatr 2000; 89: 291‐5. Stockholm. ISSN 0803–5253

A prospective observational study was performed in pregnant women with known thyroid disease. We studied the effect of maternal thyroid function in the first half of pregnancy on the neurologic development of the infant in the first 2 y of life. Clinical and thyroid function data were collected from 20 pregnant women with known thyroid disease and their newborn children. Infants were divided into three groups according to their maternal thyroid function within the first half of pregnancy: Group A (n= 7): maternal subclinical hypothyroidism, Group B (n= 6): maternal euthyroidism, and Group C (n= 7): maternal hyperthyroidism or subclinical hyperthyroidism. Neurophysiologic, i.e. motor nerve conduction velocity and somatosensory evoked potentials and neurologic and developmental (Bayley scales) assessments were done. One infant, born to a mother with Graves' disease, developed transient hyperthyroidism. At the age of 6 and 12 mo, the mean mental developmental index (MDI) score was 16 points lower for infants in Group A than for those in Group B (p= 0.03 and 0.02, respectively). At the age of 24 mo, the mean MDI score was 6 points lower, which was not statistically significant. Neurophysiologic and neurologic assessments and the mean Psychomotor Developmental scores did not differ among the three groups.

In conclusion, maternal subclinical hypothyroidism in the first half of pregnancy was associated with a lower mean MDI score in their infants during the first year of life.
Acute hydrocephalus in carbon monoxide poisoning
Authors: Antón M , Alcaraz A , Rey C , Concha A , Fernández J
Published: August 2012

Carbon monoxide (CO) intoxication continues to be one of the most common causes of morbidity due to poisoning. The toxicity is caused by a combination of tissue hypoxia and direct CO‐mediated damage at the cellular level (1). Neurologic consequences of CO poisoning have been most often reported. Loss of consciousness, intermittent convulsions and respiratory failure may appear when carboxyhaemoglobin (COHb) concentrations of 60–80% are reached (2). However, it is important to recognize that COHb levels do not correlate with the severity of symptoms in a substantial number of cases (1). Pathological findings include necrosis and degeneration of the globus pallidus (3) and destructive lesions of the cerebral white matter (4). Computer tomography (CT) commonly shows bilateral low‐density areas in the globus pallidus (2–6) and low‐density lesions in the white matter (4). Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is more sensitive in detecting these lesions which appear as hyperintense signals in basal ganglia on T2 weighted images (4, 5). Neuropathological and radiological findings are well correlated (3).
Ambulatory management of acute pyelonephritis in children
Authors: Sannier N , Masne A Le , Sayegh N , Gaillard JL , Chéron G
Published: August 2012

Early diagnosis and treatment of acute pyelonephritis (APN) are justified by the risk of recurrent infection and renal scarring in young children (1–3). Ambulatory treatment improves patients' comfort and provides significant cost savings to the health system. This work presents our experience in ambulatory management of APN in children. This retrospective study was carried out over a period of 18 mo, from 1 January 1995 to 30 June 1996.
Interactions between Ants and Non‐myrmecochorous Fruits in Miconia (Melastomataceae) in a Neotropical Savanna
Authors: Lima Mônica H. C. , Oliveira Evandro G. , Silveira Fernando A. O.
Published: August 2012

The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of ants as secondary seed dispersers of six primarily bird‐dispersed Miconia species in the cerrados of southeastern Brazil. Vertebrate exclosure and seed germination experiments were performed for M. albicans, M. alborufescens, M. corallina, M. ferruginata, M. ibaguensis, and M. irwinii. Excluding vertebrates did not significantly alter fruit removal rate for any of the Miconia species relative to open controls. Fruits on stalks and fallen fruits were removed and transported to nests mainly by species of Atta, Acromyrmex, and Ectatomma (dispersal distance ranging from 0.1 to 45.2 m), while Camponotus ants tended to be observed removing the fruit pulp (seed cleaning) where the fruits were found. Seed manipulation by Atta decreased germination of M. irwinii, but not M. ferruginata. Germination did not occur in intact fruits, and thus seed cleaning was an important service provided by the ants. Ant nest soils did not inhibit germination of any of the Miconia species, suggesting they are a good substrate for long‐lived Miconia seeds. We conclude that ant activity could have important effects on the fate of Miconia seeds adapted for bird dispersal.
Simulating the Effect of Climate Extremes on Groundwater Flow Through a Lakebed
Authors: Virdi Makhan L. , Lee Terrie M. , Swancar Amy , Niswonger Richard G.
Published: August 2012

Groundwater exchanges with lakes resulting from cyclical wet and dry climate extremes maintain lake levels in the environment in ways that are not well understood, in part because they remain difficult to simulate. To better understand the atypical groundwater interactions with lakes caused by climatic extremes, an original conceptual approach is introduced using MODFLOW‐2005 and a kinematic‐wave approximation to variably saturated flow that allows lake size and position in the basin to change while accurately representing the daily lake volume and three‐dimensional variably saturated groundwater flow responses in the basin. Daily groundwater interactions are simulated for a calibrated lake basin in Florida over a decade that included historic wet and dry departures from the average rainfall. The divergent climate extremes subjected nearly 70% of the maximum lakebed area and 75% of the maximum shoreline perimeter to both groundwater inflow and lake leakage. About half of the lakebed area subject to flow reversals also went dry. A flow‐through pattern present for 73% of the decade caused net leakage from the lake 80% of the time. Runoff from the saturated lake margin offset the groundwater deficit only about half of that time. A centripetal flow pattern present for 6% of the decade was important for maintaining the lake stage and generated 30% of all net groundwater inflow. Pumping effects superimposed on dry climate extremes induced the least frequent but most cautionary flow pattern with leakage from over 90% of the actual lakebed area.
Evidence‐based practice for the busy nurse practitioner: Part four: Putting it all together
Authors: Facchiano Lynda , Snyder Charlene Hoffman
Published: August 2012

Purpose

Understanding the critical appraisal process allows nurse practitioners (NPs) to determine a study's reliability, validity, and applicability to their client(s)/families, and to their clinical practice setting. The purpose of this final part of this four‐part evidence‐based practice (EBP) series is designed to utilize a clinical scenario that will walk the NP through EBP steps 1 through 3 while providing an example of how to critically appraise a randomized control trial.

Data sources

Scientific literature review, gray literature, PubMed and other online literature databases and resources, and online EBP websites.

Conclusions

As healthcare providers, our role is to provide the best possible care we can to our client(s) and their families. One way to do this is through the utilization of the EBP process. When EBP processes are integrated into our clinical practice settings it augments the existing provider–client relationship and shared decision‐making process.

Implications for practice

It is hoped that this four‐part series enhanced NPs’ understanding of the EBP processes of developing a clinical inquiry, searching for the best evidence, critically appraising the evidence, and integrating EBP into clinical practice.
Changes in the treatment of inpatient hyperglycemia: What every nurse practitioner should know about the 2012 Standards of Care
Authors: Talley Michele H. , Hill Alethea , Steadman Laura , Hess Mary Annette
Published: August 2012

Purpose: To provide nurse practitioners (NPs) with a review of the 2012 Standards of Care for the management of hospitalized patients who are hyperglycemic.

Data sources: The 2012 American Diabetes Association's (ADA) Standards of Care for the treatment of inpatient hyperglycemia and selected evidence‐based articles.

Conclusions: Because hyperglycemia occurs at alarming rates in the inpatient setting when hyperglycemia is not controlled, there is a great impact on acute and even chronic conditions. These complications will lead to increased healthcare costs.

Implications for practice: It is essential that NPs who care for hospitalized, hyperglycemic patients are aware of the 2012 ADA Standards of Care.

To obtain CE credit for this activity, go to http://www.aanp.org and click on the CE Center. Locate the listing for this article and complete the post‐test. Follow the instructions to print your CE certificate.

Disclosure The authors report no competing interests.
The enigma of heart disease in women: New insights may precipitate diagnosis and improve patient outcomes
Authors: Edwards Michelle L.
Published: August 2012

Purpose: To highlight the unique pathophysiology and clinical presentation of ischemic heart disease in women. The article will emphasize the atypical clinical manifestations, reinforce the pitfalls of standard testing, and provide new insights into novel risk factors as well as diagnostic tools to enable earlier detection of disease.

Data sources: An extensive review of the literature was conducted using Pub Med and CINAHL databases. The reference lists of applicable published reports were also reviewed.

Conclusions: Significant evidence now exists to support the presence of coronary ischemia even in the absence of obstructive epicardial coronary occlusions. Coronary microvascular disease and/or endothelial dysfunction account for roughly 50% of heart disease cases in women. Understanding the different pathophysiologic mechanisms of coronary disease, the uncommon expression of symptoms, and the avoidance of over‐reliance on standard testing to reveal disease is essential for early and accurate diagnosis.

Implications for practice: A lack of awareness persists regarding the phenomenon of ischemic heart disease in women. Healthcare providers must optimize their understanding of these variations and implement strategies for early recognition and treatment. Evaluation of novel risk factors, coronary calcium screening, evaluation of endothelial function, and estimation of functional capacity offers significant advantages over traditional evaluations.
Queer politics at home: Gay men's management of the public/private boundary
Authors: Gorman‐Murray Andrew
Published: August 2012

While idealised as a private space, the residential home is embedded in public relationships, and a critical aspect of homemaking is managing the public/private boundary. Geographers of sexualities show this is fraught for sexual minorities, with gay men having a heightened need to control the public/private boundary, fearing discrimination from neighbours. This paper re‐examines the ways in which gay men manage the public/private boundary and considers how these practices are entwined with social power and queer politics. Analysing data from research with gay men in Australia, I find diversity in their management of home as a site of both privacy and public connections. Some men do try to seal their homes from neighbours, fearing repercussions if their sexuality is publicised. But others engage with local communities and open their homes to neighbourly visits. This has important reparative effects for social change: by utilising the porosity of domestic borders, these men's homes become sites of queer politics that help reconcile the inequitable social power of the heterosexual/homosexual binary.
Effects of sex premises on neighbourhoods: Residents, local planning and the geographies of a controversial land use
Authors: Prior Jason , Crofts Penny
Published: August 2012

The paper examines 284 resident submissions to sex premises planning processes, and a survey of 401 residents living near sex premises in New South Wales, Australia, to investigate resident concerns about the effect of sex premises on local environs, and how these concerns inform resident views on the spatial ordering of sex premises. The investigation found that there was a discrepancy between the views of the broader residential population and the views of participants in planning processes. The investigation suggests that geographers need to consider more deeply the connections between residents, planning and the geographies of this controversial land use.
Queens Gardens, 1949: The anxious spaces of post‐war New Zealand masculinity
Authors: Brickell Chris
Published: August 2012

One evening in 1949, five met men on the steps of the Cenotaph in Queens Gardens in Dunedin, New Zealand. Two were under arrest by the end of the night, charged with indecently assaulting the others. This article explores these five men's sexual encounters, the space in which these took place, and the meanings given to both. These particular relationships take place in relation to wider global patterns of masculine spatiality and the post‐war emergence of new sexual categories. The article suggests that men's intimate and sexual lives have been highly contested within the sexualized spaces of the city.
Young people's evaluation of a nurse‐led bladder training service: working towards developing a patient reported experience and outcome measure
Authors: Sanders Caroline , Bray Lucy
Published: August 2012

The attainment of urinary continence is usually achieved in early childhood, however, many children and young people can experience challenges to their urinary continence during childhood and into adolescence. Urinary incontinence has been linked to physiological comorbidities such as constipation and urinary tract infections and can also affect the social confidence and quality of life for children and young people. The aim of this study was to develop an experience and outcome measure for children and young people who experience lower urinary tract symptoms. A questionnaire‐based evaluation to directly consult with young people attending a nurse‐led bladder training clinic was used, pre and post treatment session, to evaluate their experiences and reported outcomes. The findings demonstrated that many of the young people reported a good response to bladder training as a resolution or reduction in their urinary symptoms; however, some young people remained reluctant to discuss their continence problems in clinic. The questionnaires highlighted the value they placed on the psychosocial support from the nurses in the clinic and how this in turn influenced their reported self‐confidence and ability to manage their condition. Exploring reported experiences and outcomes can be helpful in determining what is important to young people attending a bladder training clinic. This has also highlighted the specific contribution nurses make in the assessment, intervention and management of this group.
Validation of Brief Questionnaire Measures of Sun Exposure and Skin Pigmentation Against Detailed and Objective Measures Including Vitamin D Status
Authors: Cargill Jessica , Lucas Robyn M. , Gies Peter , King Kerryn , Swaminathan Ashwin , Allen Martin W. , Banks Emily
Published: August 2012

Self‐reported sun exposure is commonly used in research, but how well this represents actual sun exposure is poorly understood. From February to July 2011, a volunteer sample (n = 47) of older adults (≥45 years) in Canberra, Australia, answered brief questions on time outdoors (weekdays and weekends) and natural skin color. They subsequently maintained a sun diary and wore an ultraviolet radiation (UVR) digital dosimeter for 7 days. Melanin density was estimated using reflectance spectrophotometry; lifetime sun damage was assessed using silicone casts of the back of the hand; and serum 25‐hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentration was assayed. Questionnaire‐reported time outdoors correlated significantly with diary‐recorded time outdoors (Spearman correlation rs = 0.66; 95% CI 0.46, 0.80; P < 0.001) and UVR dosimeter dose (rs = 0.46; 95% CI 0.18, 0.68; P = 0.003), but not 25(OH)D concentration (rs = 0.24; 95% CI −0.05, 0.50; P = 0.10). Questionnaire‐reported untanned skin color correlated significantly with measured melanin density at the inner upper arm (rs = 0.49; 95% CI 0.24, 0.68; P < 0.001). In a multiple linear regression model, statistically significant predictors of 25(OH)D concentration were self‐reported frequency of physical activity, skin color and recent osteoporosis treatment (R2 = 0.54). In this study, brief questionnaire items provided valid rankings of sun exposure and skin color, and enabled the development of a predictive model for 25(OH)D concentration.
Density Functional Theory Calculations on Rhodamine B and Pinacyanol Chloride. Optimized Ground State, Dipole Moment, Vertical Ionization Potential, Adiabatic Electron Affinity and Lowest Excited Triplet State
Authors: Delgado Juan C. , Selsby Ronald G.
Published: August 2012

The ground state configuration of the gas phase cationic dyes pinacyanol chloride and rhodamineBare optimized withHF/6–311 + G(2d,2p) method and basis set.B3PW91/6–311 + G(2df,2p) functional and basis set is used to calculate the Mulliken atom charge distribution, total molecular energy, the dipole moment, the vertical ionization potential, the adiabatic electron affinity and the lowest excited triplet state, the last three as an energy difference between separately calculated open shell and ground states. The triplet and extra electron states are optimized to find the relaxation energy. In the ground state optimization of both dyes the chloride anion migrates to a position nearthe centerof the chromophore. For rhodamine B the benzoidal group turns perpendicular to the chromophore plane. For both dyes, theLUMOis mostly of π character associated with the aromatic part of the molecule containing the chromophore. The highest occupiedMOsconsist of three almost degenerate eigenvectors involving the chloride anion coordinated with σ electrons in the molecular framework. The fourth highestMOis of π character. For both molecules in the gas phase ionization process the chloride anion loses the significant fraction of electric charge. In electron capture, the excess charge goes mainly on the dye cation.
Evaluation of a new rapid anti‐HbF FITC assay, Trillium QuikQuant, for detection and quantitation of foetomaternal haemorrhage
Authors: Fong E. A. , Finlayson J. , Robins F. , Davies J. , Joseph J. , Rossi E. , Grey D. E.
Published: August 2012

Introduction

This study evaluated a new product for flow cytometric foetomaternal haemorrhage (FMH) quantitation, Trillium QuikQuant anti‐HbF FITC kit (Trillium Diagnostics, USA), in comparison with the Millipore anti‐HbF FITC method.

Methods

Blood from 67 antenatal or postpartum RhD‐negative women together with 108 samples spiked with 0.2%, 0.4%, 0.6%, 2%, 4%, 5%, 6%, 8% and 10% of foetal red cells were analysed by both methods.

Results

Results for both methods were linear to 10% foetal red cells. Analysis using the Wilcoxon test found that there was no difference between the paired results of Trillium QuikQuant and the expected values of the spiked samples (P = 0.48). In contrast, Millipore anti‐HbF FITC gave statistically higher results compared with both the expected values and Trillium QuikQuant anti‐HbF FITC (P = 0.0003 and P < 0.0001, respectively). The Bland–Altman plot for Trillium QuikQuant showed a mean difference of only 0.06% below the expected values, whilst Millipore was 0.13% above. The analysis time with Trillium QuikQuant was approximately 40 min, requiring significantly less hands‐on time than the Millipore method that required an additional four wash steps.

Conclusion

Trillium QuikQuant is a new precise, accurate and rapid flow cytometric kit method for the quantitation of FMH in both the antenatal and postpartum period.
Post‐Acute Care: The Role of Natriuretic Peptides
Authors: Maisel Alan , Januzzi James , Xue Yang , Silver Marc A.
Published: August 2012

Heart failure is a chronic disease marked by variable acute exacerbations. Once hospitalized the decompensated patient may have signs and symptoms only partially reversed, medical therapy only partially optimized and deranged physiology only partially restored. Therefore, the post‐acute care period is one of unique vulnerability and merits efforts of careful and comprehensive assessment of patients at risk of recurrent decompensation and rehospitalization. Natriuretic peptide (NP) assessment which has the ability to monitor dynamic changes in a patient's physiology, may play an important role as part of a post‐acute care algorithm focused on early detection and prevention of further decompensation and rehospitalization. ©2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Scope of Heart Failure Hospitalization
Authors: Butler Javed , Marti Catherine , Pina Ileana , DeFilippi Christopher
Published: August 2012

The growing heart failure (HF) epidemic places an enormous clinical and economic burden on the health care system. The clinical and financial burden related to HF hospitalizations has led to great interest in both improving related outcomes and decreasing costs of care. Besides adhering to existing guidelines, newer approaches to managing these patients, both in terms of monitoring and developing novel therapeutic approaches, are needed. Significant opportunities exist to improve the outcomes for patients with HF, especially those who have been hospitalized. These efforts are even more important now that readmission rates for HF have quality and reimbursement implications. ©2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Natriuretic Peptide Testing for Predicting Adverse Events Following Heart Failure Hospitalization
Authors: Januzzi James L. , Maisel Alan S. , Silver Marc , Xue Yang , DeFilippi Christopher
Published: August 2012

Concentrations of both B‐type natriuretic peptide (BNP) and amino‐terminal pro‐BNP (NT‐proBNP) are useful for diagnostic evaluation of patients with acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF), providing important information regarding presence and severity of heart failure. In addition, levels of both BNP and NT‐proBNP are strongly prognostic for adverse outcomes in this setting. While values for BNP and NT‐proBNP at hospital admission predict impending risk for adverse outcome, their measurement following HF treatment provides incremental prognostic information, even more accurately identifying patients at highest risk for death or rehospitalization in the short term. Thus, changes in BNP or NT‐proBNP following treatment should be considered an important part of the pre‐discharge decision making for patients hospitalized with ADHF. ©2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Effects of Syzygium aromaticum‐derived oleanolic acid on glucose transport and glycogen synthesis in the rat small intestine (丁香衍生物齐墩果酸对大鼠小肠中的葡萄糖转运以及糖原合成的影响)
Authors: KHATHI Andile , MASOLA Bubuya , MUSABAYANE Cephas T.
Published: August 2012

Background:  In the present study, we investigated the effects of oleanolic acid (OA), which has hypoglycemic properties, on glucose transport and glycogen synthesis in the small intestine, an organ that secretes enzymes involved in carbohydrate metabolism.

Methods:  The OA was isolated from Syzygium aromaticum ethyl acetate‐soluble fractions followed by recrystallization with ethanol. It was diluted to required concentrations in freshly prepared dimethyl sulfoxide (2 mL) and normal saline (19 mL) before being administered to rats (p.o.). Glycogen concentrations were determined in isolated small intestines from fasted and non‐fasted non‐diabetic and streptozotocin‐diabetic rats after 18 h treatment with 80 mg/kg, p.o., OA or standard hypoglycemic drugs (i.e. 100 μg/kg, s.c., insulin; 500 mg/kg, p.o., metformin). In a separate series of experiments, the effects of 30‐min incubation with graded concentrations of OA (0.82–6.56 mmol/L) on d‐glucose were evaluated by monitoring changes in glucose concentrations inside and outside of intestinal sacs isolated from fasted, non‐diabetic rats and mounted in an organ bath containing Krebs–Henseleit bicarbonate buffer.

Results:  All in vivo treatments increased the glycogen concentration in rat small intestine, although the effects of metformin treatment in non‐fasted diabetic rats failed to reach statistical significance. In vitro, both OA (1.64–6.56 mmol/L) and phlorizin (10−5–10−3 mol/L) decreased glucose transport from the mucosa to the serosa.

Conclusion:  The data suggest that OA may be a potential alternative drug treatment for postprandial hyperglycemia because of its inhibition of glucose uptake across the small intestine and its concomitant conversion of glucose to glycogen in the intestinal wall.
Embodied Cognition for Autonomous Interactive Robots
Authors: Hoffman Guy
Published: August 2012

In the past, notions of embodiment have been applied to robotics mainly in the realm of very simple robots, and supporting low‐level mechanisms such as dynamics and navigation. In contrast, most human‐like, interactive, and socially adept robotic systems turn away from embodiment and use amodal, symbolic, and modular approaches to cognition and interaction. At the same time, recent research in Embodied Cognition (EC) is spanning an increasing number of complex cognitive processes, including language, nonverbal communication, learning, and social behavior.

This article suggests adopting a modern EC approach for autonomous robots interacting with humans. In particular, we present three core principles from EC that may be applicable to such robots: (a) modal perceptual representation, (b) action/perception and action/cognition integration, and (c) a simulation‐based model of top‐down perceptual biasing. We describe a computational framework based on these principles, and its implementation on two physical robots. This could provide a new paradigm for embodied human–robot interaction based on recent psychological and neurological findings.
Current Concepts in Subacromial Impingement and the Role of Acromioplasty
Authors: Moravek James E. , Budge Matthew D. , Wiater J. Michael
Published: August 2012

The treatment of subacromial impingement syndrome remains a controversial entity among both primary care physicians and orthopaedic surgeons. The initial management of this disorder is usually conservative with directed physiotherapy, subacromial corticosteroid injections and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories representing the mainstays of treatment. Surgery in the form of arthroscopic bursectomy or acromioplasty is reserved for those patients who fail at least 6 months of conservative management. Traditionally, there have been few high-level studies to guide the practitioner concerning when conservative treatment has failed, which patients are candidates for surgical intervention or which surgical intervention may be most appropriate for a particular patient. However, recent studies have improved our knowledge base of the pathophysiology underlying this disorder and they provide some useful guidance on the conservative and operative management of this complex problem.
Why ordinary people comply with environmental laws: A structural model on normative and attitudinal determinants of illegal anti‐ecological behaviour
Authors: Martín Ana M. , Hernández Bernardo , Frías‐Armenta Martha , Hess Stephany
Published: August 2012

Purpose. The aim of this study is to propose and test a comprehensive model of compliance with environmental law (EL). The legal and psychosocial peculiarities of environmental transgressions suggest that the nature and relative impact of the determinants of ordinary people's compliance with EL may differ from those involved in compliance with ordinary laws.

Method. A total of 439 university students of Law, Psychology, Pedagogy, and Speech Therapy majors, aged between 18 and 58, took part in the study. Participants answered a questionnaire assessing illegal anti‐ecological behaviour (IAEB), legal‐sanction‐related variables, injunctive and prescriptive social norms, personal norms, and sustainability attitudes. The data from all participants were processed using structural equation analysis to test the hypothesized model.

Results. The main antecedents of IAEB are personal norms and, to a lesser extent, sustainability attitudes and descriptive social norms. Personal norms on IAEB are influenced by injunctive social norms and also by sustainability attitudes. Legal‐sanction‐related variables affect personal norms and IAEB, but only by indirectly influencing social norms.

Conclusions. Although legal‐sanction‐related variables and norms have been traditionally used to explain illegal behaviour, the legal and psychosocial peculiarities of IAEB are reflected in the process of compliance with environmental protection laws. Results allow for a refinement of the relationship between personal and social norms, showing that the main determinants of IAEB is personal norm, but that descriptive social norms also directly affect behaviour, and that sustainability attitudes play an unquestionable role in compliance with ELs.
Chronic periodontitis and the subsequent risk of trigeminal neuralgia: a 5‐year follow‐up study
Authors: Keller Joseph J. , Sheu Jau‐Jiuan , Lin Herng‐Ching
Published: August 2012

Aim

This study set out to explore the possibility that chronic periodontitis (CP) may also be a condition that could potentially result in secondary or symptomatic trigeminal neuralgia (TN) by utilizing a population‐based dataset and cohort study design in Taiwan.

Materials and Methods

We included 110,104 subjects with CP in our study cohort, and randomly selected 110,104 subjects without a history of CP as a comparison cohort. We individually tracked each patient in this study for a 5‐year period to identify those who received a subsequent diagnosis of TN.

Results

The incidence rate of TN during the 5‐year follow‐up period was 4.40 (95% CI = 3.87–4.98) per 10,000 person‐years for subjects with CP, and 2.60 (95% CI = 2.20‐3.05) per 10,000 person‐years in comparison subjects. Cox proportional analysis revealed that the adjusted hazard ratio (HR) of TN during the 5‐year follow‐up period for subjects with CP was 1.65 (95% CI = 1.34–2.03) times higher than that of comparison subjects. However, the study subjects who had undergone a gingivectomy or periodontal flap operation did not have a higher adjusted risk of TN than comparison subjects (HR = 0.93, 95% CI = 0.54–1.61).

Conclusion

Our study detected a greater risk for TN among patients with CP than matched comparison subjects.
Urban legends series: oral candidosis
Authors: Manfredi M , Polonelli L , Aguirre‐Urizar JM , Carrozzo M , McCullough MJ
Published: August 2012

Candida species (spp) are commensal yeast that can only instigate oral infection (oral candidosis – OC) when there is an underlying predisposing condition in the host. We investigated four controversial topics on OC: (i) How can a microbiological determination of OC be made as Candida spp. are commensal yeasts and not all of them form hyphae or pseudohyphae during infection? (ii) Is median rhomboid glossitis (MRG) a manifestation of candidal infection? (iii) Can candidal infection cause palate papillary hyperplasia (PPH)? (iv) What is the best therapeutic treatment for denture‐associated erythematous stomatitis (DAES)? Results from extensive literature searches, including a systematic review, suggested the following: (i) the diagnosis of OC merely on the basis of the presence of yeasts is an oversimplification of a complex process. No convincing evidence of a single test or method better able to discriminate the transition from candidal saprophytism to pathogenicity has been reported in the literature; (ii–iii) conclusive evidence of a direct aetiopathogenic relationship between MRG and PPH and candidal infection has not been found; and (iv) only limited evidence is available for any DAES treatment, thus making it impossible to make strong therapeutic recommendations.
A new conceptual paradigm for the haemodynamics of salt‐sensitive hypertension: a mathematical modelling approach
Authors: Averina Viktoria A. , Othmer Hans G. , Fink Gregory D. , Osborn John W.
Published: August 2012

Key points

Causes of chronically‐elevated arterial blood pressure (hypertension) are highly debated and difficult to study experimentally. Mathematical models can help elucidate potential causes of hypertension that are experimentally inaccessible.

All current models are based on one key assumption that long‐term regulation of blood pressure depends on sodium excretion by the kidney. This assumption leads to the conclusion that hypertension must be caused by kidney dysfunction.

However, some experimental evidence suggests that kidney function can remain normal and that instead elevated neural activity to the vasculature causes hypertension.

We developed a mathematical model where sodium excretion is independent of blood pressure and neural activation to the vasculature triggers hypertension. Our model reproduces the solutions of earlier models, yet still shows the empirically well‐established correlation between changes in sodium excretion and blood pressure.

Thus the model provides a novel platform for studying non‐kidney based theories of hypertension aetiology.

Abstract  A conceptually novel mathematical model of neurogenic angiotensin II‐salt hypertension is developed and analysed. The model consists of a lumped parameter circulatory model with two parallel vascular beds; two distinct control mechanisms for both natriuresis and arterial resistances can be implemented, resulting in four versions of the model. In contrast with the classical Guyton–Coleman model (GC model) of hypertension, in the standard version of our new model natriuresis is assumed to be independent of arterial pressure and instead driven solely by sodium intake; arterial resistances are driven by increased sympathetic nervous system activity in response to the elevated plasma angiotensin II and increased salt intake (AngII‐salt). We compare the standard version of our new model against a simplified Guyton–Coleman model in which natriuresis is a function of arterial pressure via the pressure–natriuresis mechanism, and arterial resistances are controlled via the whole‐body autoregulation mechanism. We show that the simplified GC model and the new model correctly predict haemodynamic and renal excretory responses to induced changes in angiotensin II and sodium inputs. Importantly, the new model reproduces the pressure–natriuresis relationship – the correlation between arterial pressure and sodium excretion – despite the assumption of pressure‐independent natriuresis. These results show that our model provides a conceptually new alternative to Guyton's theory without contradicting observed haemodynamic changes or pressure–natriuresis relationships. Furthermore, the new model supports the view that hypertension need not necessarily have a renal aetiology and that long‐term arterial pressure could be determined by sympathetic nervous system activity without involving the renal sympathetic nerves.
The vesicular glutamate transporter VGLUT3 contributes to protection against neonatal hypoxic stress
Authors: Miot Stéphanie , Voituron Nicolas , Sterlin Adélaïde , Vigneault Erika , Morel Lydie , Matrot Boris , Ramanantsoa Nelina , Amilhon Bénédicte , Poirel Odile , Lepicard Ève , El Mestikawy Salah , Hilaire Gérard , Gallego Jorge
Published: August 2012

Key points

Hypoxic stress is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in neonates.

We examined the role of VGLUT3, an atypical transporter of glutamate present in serotonergic neurons involved in breathing and heat production, in the response to hypoxia.

The respiratory responses to chemical stimuli and the turnover of serotonin in the brainstem were impaired in newborn mice lacking VGLUT3.

Under cold conditions, metabolic rate, body temperature, baseline breathing and the ventilatory response to hypoxia were disrupted.

Thus, VGLUT3 expression is required for optimal response to hypoxic stress in neonates.

Abstract  Neonates respond to hypoxia initially by increasing ventilation, and then by markedly decreasing both ventilation (hypoxic ventilatory decline) and oxygen consumption (hypoxic hypometabolism). This latter process, which vanishes with age, reflects a tight coupling between ventilatory and thermogenic responses to hypoxia. The neurological substrate of hypoxic hypometabolism is unclear, but it is known to be centrally mediated, with a strong involvement of the 5‐hydroxytryptamine (5‐HT, serotonin) system. To clarify this issue, we investigated the possible role of VGLUT3, the third subtype of vesicular glutamate transporter. VGLUT3 contributes to glutamate signalling by 5‐HT neurons, facilitates 5‐HT transmission and is expressed in strategic regions for respiratory and thermogenic control. We therefore assumed that VGLUT3 might significantly contribute to the response to hypoxia. To test this possibility, we analysed this response in newborn mice lacking VGLUT3 using anatomical, biochemical, electrophysiological and integrative physiology approaches. We found that the lack of VGLUT3 did not affect the histological organization of brainstem respiratory networks or respiratory activity under basal conditions. However, it impaired respiratory responses to 5‐HT and anoxia, showing a marked alteration of central respiratory control. These impairments were associated with altered 5‐HT turnover at the brainstem level. Furthermore, under cold conditions, the lack of VGLUT3 disrupted the metabolic rate, body temperature, baseline breathing and the ventilatory response to hypoxia. We conclude that VGLUT3 expression is dispensable under basal conditions but is required for optimal response to hypoxic stress in neonates.
Acid‐sensing ion channels contribute to chemosensitivity of breathing‐related neurons of the nucleus of the solitary tract
Authors: Huda Rafiq , Pollema‐Mays Sarah L. , Chang Zheng , Alheid George F. , McCrimmon Donald R. , Martina Marco
Published: August 2012

Key point

A subset of neurons of the nucleus of the solitary tract (nucleus tractus solitarius, NTS) show a response to changes in pH within the physiological range (7.4 to 7.0) that is mediated by acid sensing ion channels (ASICs).

These ‘responder neurons’ appear to cluster dorsally in the NTS.

ASIC1 and ASIC2 transcripts are expressed in the NTS.

NTS neurons projecting to the ventral respiratory column show ASIC‐mediated responses to mild pH challenges and may modulate the respiratory response to .

Injection of the ASIC inhibitor amiloride into the NTS transiently depresses breathing frequency in hypercapnic anaesthetized rats.

Abstract  Cellular mechanisms of central pH chemosensitivity remain largely unknown. The nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS) integrates peripheral afferents with central pathways controlling breathing; NTS neurons function as central chemosensors, but only limited information exists concerning the ionic mechanisms involved. Acid‐sensing ion channels (ASICs) mediate chemosensitivity in nociceptive terminals, where pH values ∼6.5 are not uncommon in inflammation, but are also abundantly expressed throughout the brain where pH is tightly regulated and their role is less clear. Here we test the hypothesis that ASICs are expressed in NTS neurons and contribute to intrinsic chemosensitivity and control of breathing. In electrophysiological recordings from acute rat NTS slices, ∼40% of NTS neurons responded to physiological acidification (pH 7.0) with a transient depolarization. This response was also present in dissociated neurons suggesting an intrinsic mechanism. In voltage clamp recordings in slices, a pH drop from 7.4 to 7.0 induced ASIC‐like inward currents (blocked by 100 μm amiloride) in ∼40% of NTS neurons, while at pH ≤ 6.5 these currents were detected in all neurons tested; RT‐PCR revealed expression of ASIC1 and, less abundantly, ASIC2 in the NTS. Anatomical analysis of dye‐filled neurons showed that ASIC‐dependent chemosensitive cells (cells responding to pH 7.0) cluster dorsally in the NTS. Using in vivo retrograde labelling from the ventral respiratory column, 90% (9/10) of the labelled neurons showed an ASIC‐like response to pH 7.0, suggesting that ASIC currents contribute to control of breathing. Accordingly, amiloride injection into the NTS reduced phrenic nerve activity of anaesthetized rats with an elevated arterial .