bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Beneficial effect of Toona sinensis Roemor on improving cognitive performance and brain degeneration in senescence-accelerated mice
Authors: Liao Jiunn-Wang , Hsu Cheng-Kuang , Wang Ming-Fu , Hsu Wen-Min , Chan Yin-Ching
Published: August 2006

The purpose of the present study was to examine the effects of Toona sinensis Roemor extracts on antioxidative activities, brain morphological changes and cognitive ability. In an in vitro study, the antioxidant capacities of water extracts from Toona sinensis Roemor leaf (TSL), root (TSR) and bark (TSB) were evaluated by an α,α-diphenyl-β-pricryl-hydrazyl radical-scavenging test. The results showed that the scavenging activities of all Toona sinensis Roemor extracts were over 80% at a concentration of 0·625mg/ml. In an in vivo study, 3-month-old male senescence-accelerated-prone 8 mice were used as the tested subjects and fed four different diets: casein diet or casein diet supplemented with 1% TSL, TSR or TSB extract for 12 weeks. The results showed that the mice supplemented with Toona sinensis Roemor extracts demonstrated significantly less amyloid β-protein deposition and lower levels of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances than the control group. All Toona sinensis Roemor diet groups also showed better active shuttle avoidance responses, and higher superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase activities, than the control group. It can thus be concluded that supplementation with either TSL, TSR or TSB extract could not only reduce the incidence of ß-amyloid plaques, but also improve learning and memory ability in senescence-accelerated-prone 8 mice. This might be due to the beneficial effects of Toona sinensis Roemor extracts on promoting the antioxidative defence system.
The gastroprotective effect of the essential oil of Croton cajucara is different in normal rats than in malnourished rats
Authors: Paula A. C. B. , Toma W. , Gracioso J. S. , Hiruma-Lima C. A. , Carneiro E. M. , Souza Brito A. R. M.
Published: August 2006

It has been shown previously that malnourished rats are resistant to acute gastric lesions but not to subchronic gastric ulceration. It also has been demonstrated that the essential oil obtained from the bark of Croton cajucara (Sacaca) has antiulcer properties. In the present study, the ability of this essential oil to prevent the formation of gastric ulcers in rats fed a diet with 17% protein (normoproteic rats) or 6% protein (malnourished rats) was investigated. At a dose of 100mg/kg body weight, orally, the essential oil significantly reduced the gastric injury caused by indomethacin (25% after 2h and 70% after 4h) only in normoproteic rats. In the pylorus ligature model, the essential oil increased the pH and gastric volume, but decreased the total acid concentration in both groups when compared to the respective control group. The essential oil significantly increased prostaglandin E2 production in glandular cells by 50% compared to the controls in both groups of rats. In addition, the amount of gastric mucus was two-fold higher in malnourished rats than in normoproteic rats. The present results show that the enhanced protective effect of essential oil in malnourished rats involved an increase in prostaglandin E2 production and mucus secretion, which are both factors that protect the gastric mucosa against damage. In agreement with this, malnourished rats always had a lower number of acute gastric ulcers.
In situstudy of the relevance of bacterial adherence to feed particles for the contamination and accuracy of rumen degradability estimates for feeds of vegetable origin
Authors: Rodríguez C. A. , González J.
Published: August 2006

Anin situstudy was conducted on four rumen-cannulated wethers to determine (using15N infusion techniques) the microbial contamination (mg bacterial DM or crude protein (CP)/100mg DM or CP) and the associated error on the effective degradability of fourteen feeds: barley and maize grains, soyabean and sunflower meals, full-fat soyabean, maize gluten feed, soyabean hulls, brewers dried grains, sugarbeet pulp, wheat bran, lucerne and vetch-oat hays, and barley and lentil straws. The DM or CP contamination in residues (M) fitted to single exponential or sigmoid curves. A general model (M=m(1−e−ft)j) was proposed to match this fit. Asymptotic values (m) varied from 2·84% to 13·3% and from 2·85% to 80·9% for DM and CP, respectively. Uncorrected results underestimated the effective degradability of both DM (P<0·05) and CP (P<0·01). For CP, this underestimation varied from 0·59% to 13·1%, with a higher but unascertainable error for barley straw. Excluding maize grain, the microbial contamination of both DM and CP, and the associated underestimation of the effective degradability of CP, were positively related to the cellulose content of the feed. The error in the effective degradability of CP was also negatively related to the CP content and its apparent effective degradability (R20·867). This equation allows easier and more accurate estimates of effective degradability, needed to improve protein-rationing systems.
L-carnitine supplementation of sows during pregnancy improves the suckling behaviour of their offspring
Authors: Birkenfeld Carmen , Kluge Holger , Eder Klaus
Published: August 2006

It has been shown that l-carnitine supplementation of sows increases their milk production and the postnatal growth of the suckling piglets. To test the hypothesis that this effect is due to an improved suckling behaviour of the piglets, two experiments with sows were performed. Two groups of thirteen or ten sows each (in experiments 1 and 2, respectively) were fed diets with or without supplemental l-carnitine during pregnancy (125mg/d) and lactation (250mg/d). After birth, the litters of all sows were standardised to equal sizes of eleven and nine piglets per litter in experiments 1 and 2, respectively. In experiment 1, the piglets of l-carnitine-supplemented sows had a higher total suckling time per day on days 3, 6 and 9, and greater weight gains during the suckling period, than the piglets of control sows (P<0·05). In experiment 2, all litters were taken away from their mothers and switched to other sows. Half of the control sows and half of the l-carnitine-supplemented sows were given litters born to control sows, the other half of each group being given litters born to l-carnitine-supplemented sows. Piglets born to l-carnitine-supplemented sows had a higher total suckling time per day on day 3 and greater body weight gains during the first 14d compared with piglets born to control sows (P<0·05). This study shows that piglets born to sows supplemented with l-carnitine are able to suckle for longer, which enables them to obtain more milk and grow faster than piglets born to control sows.
Dietary soya protein concentrate enriched with isoflavones reduced fatty liver, increased hepatic fatty acid oxidation and decreased the hepatic mRNA level of VLDL receptor in obese Zucker rats
Authors: Gudbrandsen Oddrun A. , Wergedahl Hege , Mørk Sverre , Liaset Bjørn , Espe Marit , Berge Rolf K.
Published: August 2006

Casein-based diets containing a low (LDI) or high (HDI) dose of soya protein concentrate enriched with isoflavones were fed to obese Zucker rats for 6 weeks. HDI feeding, but not LDI feeding, reduced the fatty liver and decreased the plasma levels of alanine transaminase and aspartate transaminase. This was accompanied by increased activities of mitochondrial and peroxisomal β-oxidation, acetyl-CoA carboxylase, fatty acid synthase and glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase in liver and increased triacylglycerol level in plasma. The decreased fatty liver and the increased plasma triacylglycerol level appeared not to be caused by an increased secretion of VLDL, as HDI decreased the hepatic mRNA levels of apo B and arylacetamide deacetylase. However, the gene expression of VLDL receptor was markedly decreased in liver, but unchanged in epididymal white adipose tissue and skeletal muscle of rats fed HDI, indicating that the liver may be the key organ for the reduced clearance of triacylglycerol-rich lipoproteins from plasma after HDI feeding. Then−3/n−6, 20:4n-/8:2n−6 and (20:5n−3+22:6n−3)/18:3n−3 ratios were increased in liver triacylglycerol by HDI. The phospholipids in liver of rats fed HDI contained a low level of 20:4n−6 and a high level of 20:5n−3, favouring the production of anti-inflammatory eicosanoids. When obese Zucker rats were fed soya protein, this also resulted in reduced fatty liver, possibly through reduced clearance of VLDL by the liver. We conclude that the isoflavone-enriched soya concentrate as well as soya protein may be promising dietary supplements for treatment of non-alcoholic fatty liver.
Isolation and sequence analysis of the floral homeotic geneBAP2inBrassica rapa
Authors: Guang-Yuan Lu , Xiao-Ming Wu , Bi-Yun Chen , Gui-Zhen Gao , Kun Xu
Published: August 2006

TheArabidopsishomeotic geneAP2is essential for floral meristem development and organ specification. In this study, we report the isolation and sequence comparison of theAP2homologue ofBrassica rapa(BAP2). The results showed that theBAP2DNA sequence was 2138 bp in length and contained nine introns. It shared 90% identity withAP2in the coding region. The putative BAP2 polypeptide contained a nuclear localization signal (NLS) sequence and two copies of highly conserved AP2 domain, suggesting thatBAP2may function similarly toAP2. Two nucleotide variations were detected in DNA sequences from wild-type and apetalousB. rapaplants at theBAP2locus, while the putative polypeptides were identical. We propose thatBAP2is not likely to be responsible for the apetalous mutation inB. rapa.
Porcine oocyte maturation in vitro under different conditions
Authors: Jun-He Hu , Chun-Rong Yang , Zhong-Ying Dou
Published: August 2006

The effects of hormone additions at various stages and different basic media, with or without serum, on porcine oocyte maturation in vitro were studied. The results showed that the rate of maturation was not significantly different with three different stages of hormone supplement; the rate of maturation on modified TCM199 medium (54.01%) was higher than that on TCM199 (46.16%) and (47.14%), but these differences were not significant; and the rate of maturation on serum-free medium (67.10%) was significantly higher than that on medium plus serum (52.22%). Therefore, modifed tissue culture medium 199 (mTCM199)+10I U/ml pregnant mare serum gonadotrophin (PMSG)+10I U/ml human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG)+2.5 IU/ml follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) was a suitable medium for culture of porcine oocytes in vitro, and the rate of maturation was 67.10%.
Relationship between genetic variations of 5′-upstream and the second intron region ofH-FABPgene and IMF content in eight pig breeds and wild pig
Authors: Wei-Jun Pang , Gong-She Yang
Published: August 2006

The genetic variations of the 5′-upstream region and the second intron of the porcineH-FABPgene were investigated by polymerase chain reaction–restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) in 256 pigs, including Duroc, Large White, Landrace, Neijiang, Rongchang, Bamei pig, Hanjiang Black, Hanzhong White, and wild pigs. The effect of theH-FABPgene on intramuscular fat (IMF) content was analysed by the least square method. Results showed aHinfI-RFLP in these eight pig breeds and wild pigs, among which Large White, Bamei pig, Hanjiang Black, Hanzhong White and wild pigs presented low polymorphism, while the other breeds had intermediate polymorphism. There were noHaeIII orMspI-RFLPs in the four Chinese local pig breeds tested, but Duroc, Landrace, Large White, Hanzhong White and wild pig displayed polymorphism. Landrace, Large White and wild pigs had low levels ofHaeIII- andMspI-RFLP, while the others had intermediate polymorphism. H-FABP genotypes significantly affected IMF content (P<0.05). IMF content according to H-FABP genotypes wereHH>Hh>hh,DD<Dd<dd,AA<Aa<aa. The genetic effect values were 3.95 (HH), 3.48 (Hh), 3.23 (hh), 2.33 (DD), 2.55 (Dd), 2.97 (dd), 2.34 (AA), 2.76 (Aa) and 3.01 (aa). Results suggest that porcine meat quality may be improved by increasing the frequency of genotypeaa-dd-HHin pig breeds.
Two meanings of “if”? Individual differences in the interpretation of conditionals
Authors: Oberauer Klaus , Geiger Sonja M. , Fischer Katrin , Weidenfeld Andrea
Published: August 2006

This work investigates the nature of two distinct response patterns in a probabilistic truth table evaluation task, in which people estimate the probability of a conditional on the basis of frequencies of the truth table cases. The conditional-probability pattern reflects an interpretation of conditionals as expressing a conditional probability. The conjunctive pattern suggests that some people treat conditionals as conjunctions, in line with a prediction of the mental-model theory. Experiments 1 and 2 rule out two alternative explanations of the conjunctive pattern. It does not arise from people believing that at least one case matching the conjunction of antecedent and consequent must exist for a conditional to be true, and it does not arise from people adding the converse to the given conditional. Experiment 3 establishes that people's response patterns in the probabilistic truth table task are very consistent across different conditionals, and that the two response patterns generalize to conditionals with negated antecedents and consequents. Individual differences in rating the probability of a conditional were loosely correlated with corresponding response patterns in a classical truth table evaluation task, but there was little association with people's evaluation of deductive inferences from conditionals as premises. A theoretical framework is proposed that integrates elements from the conditional-probability view with the theory of mental models.
Preemptive control of attentional capture by colour: Evidence from trial-by-trial analyses and orderings of onsets of capture effects in reaction time distributions
Authors: Ansorge Ulrich , Horstmann Gernot
Published: August 2006

According to the preemptive-control hypothesis, participants can specify their control settings to attend to relevant target colours or to ignore the irrelevant distractor colours in advance of the displays. Two predictions of this hypothesis were tested. First, with the control settings being specified in advance, capture by a stimulus that better matches the settings was expected to temporally precede capture by a stimulus that matches the setting less well. Second, with the control settings being specified in advance, stronger capture by the better matching than by the less matching stimulus was predicted not to be a stimulus-driven consequence of the target colour in a preceding trial. Both predictions were shown to hold true under different conditions in three experiments.
Experiential simulations of negated text information
Authors: Kaup Barbara , Yaxley Richard H. , Madden Carol J. , Zwaan Rolf A. , Lüdtke Jana
Published: August 2006

We investigated the question of whether comprehenders mentally simulate a described situation even when this situation is explicitly negated in the sentence. In two experiments, participants read negative sentences such as There was no eagle in the sky, and subsequently responded to pictures of mentioned entities in the context of a recognition task. Participants’ responses following negative sentences were faster when the depicted entity matched rather than mismatched the negated situation. These results suggest that comprehenders simulate the negated situation when processing a negated sentence. The results thereby provide further support for the experiential-simulations view of language comprehension.
Mitochondrial mislocalization and altered assembly of a cluster of Barth syndrome mutant tafazzins
Authors: Claypool Steven M. , McCaffery J. Michael , Koehler Carla M.
Published: August 2006

None of the 28 identified point mutations in tafazzin (Taz1p), which is the mutant gene product associated with Barth syndrome (BTHS), has a biochemical explanation. In this study, endogenous Taz1p was localized to mitochondria in association with both the inner and outer mitochondrial membranes facing the intermembrane space (IMS). Unexpectedly, Taz1p does not contain transmembrane (TM) segments. Instead, Taz1p membrane association involves a segment that integrates into, but not through, the membrane bilayer. Residues 215–232, which were predicted to be a TM domain, were identified as the interfacial membrane anchor by modeling four distinct BTHS mutations that occur at conserved residues within this segment. Each Taz1p mutant exhibits altered membrane association and is nonfunctional. However, the basis for Taz1p dysfunction falls into the following two categories: (1) mistargeting to the mitochondrial matrix or (2) correct localization associated with aberrant complex assembly. Thus, BTHS can be caused by mutations that alter Taz1p sorting and assembly within the mitochondrion, indicating that the lipid target of Taz1p is resident to IMS-facing leaflets.
Surgical Site Infection Surveillance Analysis of Adherence to Recommendations for Routine Infection Control Practices
Authors: Castella Annalisa , Charrier Lorena , Legami Valeria Di , Pastorino Francesca , Farina Enzo Carlo , Argentero Pier Angelo , Zotti Carla Maria ,   Piemonte Nosocomial Infection Study Group
Published: August 2006

Objective.

To evaluate the application of surgical site infection control procedures in general surgery departments in hospitals in the Piemonte region of Italy.

Design.

The descriptive study entailed 1 week of observation in the general surgery departments and 1 week of observation in the operating rooms of 49 hospitals in Piemonte; the survey was conducted in 2003.

Methods.

Data collection forms were designed to record information about presurgical patient preparation (form 1) and infection control practices routinely used by surgical teams (form 2).

Results.

A total of 856 patients were observed; 88% of operations were surgical wound class I or II; 70.6% of patients had hair removed, 28.8% showered the day before the operation; antimicrobial prophylaxis was administered in 63.3% of cases (68.4% on induction of anesthesia and 26% on the day of the operation) and was continued into the postoperative period in 43% of cases. A total of 799 operations were observed; the mean number of healthcare personnel in the operating room was 6; doors were opened an average of 12 times during an operation; 88% of the surgical team members wore a cap/hood and mask correctly; 25% of surgeons and 41% of instrument nurses wore an eye shield; preoperative hand and forearm scrubbing technique was correct in 78% of cases (surgeons, 74.6%; instrument nurses, 86.6%; and anesthesiologists, 73%).

Conclusions.

A comparison between the survey data and the international recommendations for SSI prevention highlighted practices that could be improved with corrective interventions. The study provided an opportunity for sharing feedback on appropriate data with healthcare personnel and was an effective instrument to audit infection control practices.
The Postoperative Bacteriuria Score A New Way to Predict Nosocomial Infection After Prostate Surgery
Authors: Girou E. , Rioux C. , Brun-Buisson C. , Lobel B.
Published: August 2006

Objective.

Urinary tract infections are the leading nosocomial urologic infections and may be a cause of added morbidity and costs, and sometimes sepsis. The aim of this study was to design a predictive score for these complications after prostate surgery.

Design.

Multicenter prospective survey.

Setting.

Eleven French urology centers.

Patients.

All patients undergoing transurethral resection of prostate (TURP) during a 3-month period.

Results.

The overall incidence of postoperative bacteriuria was 25.0% (95% confidence interval, 17.7%-29.5%). Almost all patients (95.7%) received antibiotic prophylaxis. A predictive postoperative bacteriuria score (POBS), with a 6-point scale of 0 to 5, was constructed on the basis of independent risk factors identified in multivariate analysis of a test sample of patients (n = 135) and tested in a validation sample (n = 73). Significantly more infections occurred in patients with a POBS of 2 or higher (87 [8%] vs 48 [50%]; P<.0001). With the test sample, this yielded a sensitivity of 77%, a specificity of 77%, a positive predictive value of 50%, a negative predictive value of 92%, and a global accuracy of 77%.

Conclusions.

POBS could be used to distinguish patients at risk of developing infection after TURP. This information might be useful for implementing selective prevention measures or for adjustment for differences in nosocomial infection rates when comparing data between urology centers.
Microbiology of Surgical Site Infections and Associated Antimicrobial Use Among Vietnamese Orthopedic and Neurosurgical Patients
Authors: Thu Le Thi Anh , Sohn Annette H. , Tien Nguyen Phuc , Mai Vo Thi Chi , Nho Vo Van , Hanh Tran Nguyen Trinh , Ewald Ben , Dibley Michael
Published: August 2006

Objectives.

To determine the pathogens associated with surgical site infections (SSIs) and describe patterns of antimicrobial use and resistance in orthopedic and neurosurgical patients in a large university hospital in Vietnam.

Design.

Prospective cohort study.

Setting.

Cho Ray Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

Patients.

All patients who had operations during a 5-week study period.

Results.

Of 702 surgical patients, 80 (11.4%) developed an SSI. The incidence of SSI among orthopedic patients was 15.2% (48 of 315), and among neurosurgical patients it was 8.3% (32 of 387). Postoperative bacterial cultures of samples from the surgical sites were performed for 55 (68.8%) of the 80 patients with SSI; 68 wound swab specimens and 10 cerebrospinal fluid samples were cultured. Of these 78 cultures, 60 (76.9%) were positive for a pathogen, and 15 (25%) of those 60 cultures yielded multiple pathogens. The 3 most frequently isolated pathogens were Pseudomonas aeruginosa (29.5% of isolates), Staphylococcus aureus (11.5% of isolates), and Escherichia coli (10.3% of isolates). Ninety percent of S. aureus isolates were methicillin resistant, 91% of P. aeruginosa isolates were ceftazidime resistant, and 38% of E. coli isolates were cefotaxime resistant. All but 1 of the 702 patients received antimicrobial therapy after surgery, and the median duration of antimicrobial therapy was 11 days. Commonly used antimicrobials included aminopenicillins and second- and third-generation cephalosporins. Two or, more agents were given to 634 (90%) of the patients, and most combination drug regimens (86%) included an aminoglycoside.

Conclusions.

Our data indicate that the incidence of SSI is high in our study population, that the main pathogens causing SSI are gram-negative bacteria and are often resistant to commonly used antimicrobials, that the use of broad-spectrum antimicrobials after surgery is widespread, and that implementation of interventions aimed at promoting appropriate and evidence-based use of antimicrobials are needed in Vietnam.
Nose Picking and Nasal Carriage ofStaphylococcus aureus
Authors: Wertheim Heiman F. L. , Kleef Menno van , Vos Margreet C. , Ott Alewijn , Verbrugh Henri A. , Fokkens Wytske
Published: August 2006

Objective.

Nasal carriage ofStaphylococcus aureusis an important risk factor forS. aureusinfection and a reservoir for methicillin-resistantS. aureus. We investigated whether nose picking was among the determinants ofS. aureusnasal carriage.

Setting and Participants.

The study cohort comprised 238 patients who visited the ear, nose, and throat (ENT) disease outpatient clinic of a tertiary care hospital and did not have a nose-specific complaint (defined as ENT patients) and 86 healthy hospital employees (including medical students and laboratory personnel).

Measurements.

All participants completed a questionnaire on behavior regarding the nose and were screened forS. aureusnasal carriage; only ENT patients underwent nasal examination by an ear, nose, and throat physician for clinical signs of nose picking.

Results.

Among ENT patients, nose pickers were significantly more likely than non–nose pickers to carryS. aureus(37 [53.6%] of 69 vs 60 [35.5%] of 169 patients; relative risk, 1.51 [95% confidence interval, 1.03-2.19]). Among healthy volunteers, there was a statistically significant positive correlation between the self-perceived frequency of nose picking and both the frequency of positive culture results (R= 0.31;P= .004) and the load ofS. aureuspresent in the nose (R= 0.32;P= .003).

Conclusion.

Nose picking is associated withS. aureusnasal carriage. The role of nose picking in nasal carriage may well be causal in certain cases. Overcoming the habit of nose picking may aidS. aureusdecolonization strategies.
The Standardized Incidence Ratio as a Reliable Tool for Surgical Site Infection Surveillance
Authors: Rioux Christophe , Grandbastien Bruno , Astagneau Pascal
Published: August 2006

Objective.

To evaluate whether the standardized incidence ratio (SIR) is a more reliable tool for comparing rates and temporal trends of surgical site infection (SSI) in surgery wards than the incidence rate among patients with an National Nosocomial Infections Surveillance system (NNIS) risk index category of 0.

Design.

Observational, prospective cohort study in a sequential SSI surveillance system.

Setting.

Volunteer surgery wards in a surveillance network in northern France that annually conducted SSI surveillance for 3 months from 1998 to 2000.

Methods.

The incidence rate was the number of SSIs divided by the number of patients included, stratified by the NNIS risk index category. SIR was the observed number of SSIs divided by the expected number computed using a multiple regression model.

Results.

Overall, 26,904 patients in 67 surgery wards were enrolled. Between 1998 and 2000, the SSI incidence rate among patients with NNIS risk index category 0 decreased from 2.1% to 1.4%, which was a 33% reduction (P = .002). The SIR decreased from 1.2 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.1-1.3) to 0.8 (95% CI, 0.7-0.9), which was a 20% decrease per year and an overall 33% reduction. The number of SSIs was significantly higher than expected in 17 of 201 surveillance periods over the 3 years. The classification of the wards according to the 2 indicators over the 3 years showed that wards with a high SIR did not consistently have the highest SSI incidence rate among patients with NNIS risk index category 0, partly because the type of surgical procedure and the duration of follow-up are not taken into account in the NNIS risk index.

Conclusion.

SIR should be considered a reliable indicator to estimate the reduction in SSI incidence that results from implementation of infection control policies and for comparison of SSI rates between wards.
Immunocytochemical Detection of Cholecystokinin and Corticotrophin‐Releasing Hormone Neuropeptides in the Hypothalamic Paraventricular Nucleus of the Jerboa (Jaculus orientalis): Modulation by Immobilisation Stress
Authors: Barakat Y. , Pape J. R. , Boutahricht M. , El Ouezzani S. , Alaoui A. , Chaigniau M. , Tramu G. , Magoul R.
Published: August 2006

The hypothalamic response to an environmental stress implicates the corticotrophin‐releasing hormone (CRH) neuroendocrine system of the hypothalamic parvicellular paraventricular nucleus (PVN) in addition to other neuropeptides coexpressed within CRH neurones and controlling the hypothalamo‐pituitary‐adrenal (HPA) axis activity as well. Such neuropeptides are vasopressin, neurotensin and cholecystokinin (CCK). It has previously been demonstrated that the majority of the CRH neuronal population coexpresses CCK after a peripheral stress in rats. In the present study, we explored such neuroendocrine plasticity in the jerboa in captivity as another animal model. In particular, we studied CCK and CRH expression within the hypothalamic PVN by immunocytochemistry in control versus acute immobilisation stress‐submitted jerboas. The results show that CCK‐ and CRH‐immunoreactive neuronal systems are located in the hypothalamic parvicellular PVN. The number of CCK‐immunoreactive neurones within the PVN was significantly increased (138% increase) in stressed animals compared to controls. Similarly, the number of CRH‐containing neurones was higher in stressed jerboas (128%) compared to controls. These results suggest that the neurogenic stress caused by immobilisation stimulates CCK as well as CRH expression in jerboas, which correlates well with previous data obtained in rats using other stressors. The data obtained also suggest that, in addition to CRH, CCK is another neuropeptide involved in the response to stress in jerboa, acting by controlling HPA axis activity. Because CCK is involved in the phenotypical plasticity of CRH‐containing neurones in response to an environmental stress, we also explored their coexpression by double immunocytochemistry within the PVN and the median eminence (i.e. the site of CRH and CCK corelease in the rat) following jerboa immobilisation. The results show that CCK is not coexpressed within CRH neurones in either control or stressed jerboa, suggesting differences between jerboas and rats in the neuroendocrine regulatory mechanisms of the stress response involving CRH and CCK. The adaptative physiological mechanisms to environmental conditions might vary from one mammal species to another.
Zidovudine use but not weight‐based ribavirin dosing impacts anaemia during HCV treatment in HIV‐infected persons
Authors: Alvarez D. , Dieterich D. T. , Brau N. , Moorehead L. , Ball L. , Sulkowski M. S.
Published: August 2006

Summary.  Anaemia during peginterferon (PEG‐IFN) and ribavirin (RBV) therapy is common in human immunodeficiency virus/hepatitis C virus (HIV/HCV)‐coinfected patients despite the use of lower doses of RBV than are recommended for HIV‐seronegative persons. In addition, concurrent zidovudine (ZDV) may exacerbate the anaemia caused by PEG‐IFN and RBV. We retrospectively analysed the incidence of anaemia, RBV dose reduction and epoetin‐alpha (EPO) use among coinfected patients treated with PEG‐IFN and weight‐based RBV (800–1400 mg/day) who enrolled in two clinical trials and had haemoglobin (Hb) levels assessed at baseline and after 4 and/or 12 weeks of HCV treatment. Overall, 217 patients were included; pre‐treatment Hb levels (mean 14.7 g/dL) were similar in all patients, including ZDV users (29% of patients). After 4 weeks of therapy, the mean Hb decline was greater among ZDV recipients (3.13 g/dL) compared with those on other anti‐retroviral treatment (ART) (2.13 g/dL) or on no ART (1.47 g/dL) (P < 0.0001). RBV dose reduction and EPO use were more common in patients taking ZDV compared with those not taking ZDV (P < 0.0001). RBV dose was not associated with Hb reduction, RBV dose reduction or EPO use. Virologic response after 12 weeks of therapy and the treatment discontinuation rate did not differ by ZDV use. The use of ZDV but not weight‐based RBV dosing was associated with an increased risk of anaemia, RBV dose reduction or EPO use in coinfected patients treated with PEG‐IFN/RBV. However, ZDV use was not associated with higher rates of treatment discontinuation or lower early virologic response rates. HIV and hepatitis C care providers should be cognizant of these data.
Sulphate assimilation under Cd2+ stress in Physcomitrella patens – combined transcript, enzyme and metabolite profiling
Authors: ROTHER MICHAEL , KRAUSS GERD‐JOACHIM , GRASS GREGOR , WESENBERG DIRK
Published: August 2006

Cd2+ causes disturbance of metabolic pathways through severe damage on several levels. Here we present a comprehensive study of Cd2+‐mediated effects on transcript, enzyme and metabolite levels in a plant without phytochelatin (PC). The moss Physcomitrella patens (Hedw.) B.S.G. was stressed with up to 10 µm Cd2+ to investigate the regulation of gene transcription and activities of enzymes involved in the assimilatory sulphate reduction pathway and in glutathione biosynthesis. Real‐time PCR, specific enzyme assays as well as thiol peptide profiling techniques were applied. Upon supplementation of 10 µm Cd2+, the moss showed a more than fourfold increase in expression of genes encoding ATP sulphurylase (ATPS), adenosylphosphosulphate reductase, phosphoradenosylphosphorsulphate reductase, sulphite reductase (SiR) and γ‐glutamyl cysteine synthetase (γ‐ECS). Likewise, elevated enzyme activities of γ‐ECS and glutathione synthetase were observed. Contrarily, activity of O‐acetylserine (thiol) lyase (OAS‐TL), responsible for biosynthesis of cysteine, was diminished. At the metabolite level, nearly doubling of intracellular cysteine and glutathione content was noted, while the moss did not produce any detectable amounts of PCs. These results suggest a Cd2+‐induced activation of the assimilatory sulphate reduction pathway as well as of glutathione biosynthesis on different levels of regulation.
Cadmium affects tobacco cells by a series of three waves of reactive oxygen species that contribute to cytotoxicity
Authors: GARNIER LIONEL , SIMON‐PLAS FRANÇOISE , THULEAU PATRICE , AGNEL JEAN‐PIERRE , BLEIN JEAN‐PIERRE , RANJEVA RAOUL , MONTILLET JEAN‐LUC
Published: August 2006

Cadmium is suspected to exert its toxic action on cells through oxidative damage. However, the transition metal is unable to directly generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) via redox reactions with molecular oxygen in a biological environment. Here, we show that bright yellow‐2 (BY‐2) tobacco cells exposed to millimolar concentrations of CdCl2 developed cell death within 2–3 h. The death process was preceded by two successive waves of ROS differing in their nature and subcellular localization. Firstly, these consisted in the transient NADPH oxidase‐dependent accumulation of H2O2 followed by the accumulation of O2−. in mitochondria. A third wave of ROS consisting in fatty acid hydroperoxide accumulation was concomitant with cell death. Accumulation of H2O2 was preceded by an increase in cytosolic free calcium concentration originating from internal pools that was essential to activate the NADPH oxidase. The cell line gp3, impaired in NADPH oxidase activity, and that was unable to accumulate H2O2 in response to Cd2+, was nevertheless poisoned by the metal. Therefore, this first wave of ROS was not sufficient to trigger all the cadmium‐dependent deleterious effects. However, we show that the accumulation of O2−. of mitochondrial origin and membrane peroxidation are key players in Cd2+‐induced cell death.
An engineered sorbitol cycle alters sugar composition, not growth, in transformed tobacco
Authors: DEGUCHI MICHIHITO , BENNETT ALAN B. , YAMAKI SHOHEI , YAMADA KUNIO , KANAHAMA KOKI , KANAYAMA YOSHINORI
Published: August 2006

Many efforts have been made to engineer stress tolerance by accumulating polyols. Transformants that accumulate polyols often show growth inhibition, because polyols are synthesized as a dead‐end product in plants that do not naturally accumulate polyols. Here, we show a novel strategy in which a sorbitol cycle was engineered by introducing apple cDNA encoding NAD‐dependent sorbitol dehydrogenase (SDH) in addition to sorbitol‐6‐phosphate dehydrogenase (S6PDH). Tobacco plants transformed only with S6PDH showed growth inhibition, and very few transformants were obtained. In contrast, many transgenic plants with both S6PDH and SDH were easily obtained, and their growth was normal despite their accumulation of sorbitol. Interestingly, the engineered sorbitol cycle enhanced the accumulation of sucrose instead of fructose that was expected to be increased. Sucrose, rather than fructose, was also increased in the immature fruit of tomato plants transformed with an antisense fructokinase gene in which the phosphorylation of fructose was inhibited. A common phenomenon was observed in the metabolic engineering of two different pathways, showing the presence of homeostatic regulation of fructose levels.
Mast cells express IL‐13Rα1: IL‐13 promotes human lung mast cell proliferation and FcɛRI expression
Authors: Kaur D. , Hollins F. , Woodman L. , Yang W. , Monk P. , May R. , Bradding P. , Brightling C. E.
Published: August 2006

Background:  The Th2 cytokine interleukin (IL)‐13 is implicated in the development of various allergic diseases including asthma. The IL‐13 receptor, IL‐13Rα1, is expressed on most leukocytes, except T‐cells. Evidence to support IL‐13Rα1 expression on mast cells is limited.

Methods:  We investigated: (i) IL‐13Rα1 expression by human lung mast cells (HLMC); (ii) the number of IL‐13Rα1+ bronchial submucosal mast cells in subjects with asthma and normal controls and (iii) the effect of IL‐13 priming on HLMC expression of high‐affinity IgE receptor (FcɛRI), stem cell factor receptor (CD117), histamine release, proliferation, and survival.

Results:  Human lung mast cell expressed IL‐13Rα1 mRNA. IL‐13Rα1 was highly expressed on the surface HLMC (82 ± 9%). Bronchial submucosal mast cell IL‐13Rα1 expression was higher in asthmatics (86 ± 2%) than normal controls (78 ± 2%; P = 0.015). IL‐13 priming for 30 min did not increase HLMC histamine release, in the presence or absence of SCF or in response to IgE/anti‐IgE activation. IL‐13 priming for 5 days upregulated HLMC FcɛRI expression (22% increase in fluorescent intensity; P = 0.003), increased histamine release following IgE/anti‐IgE activation by 56% (P = 0.03) and increased proliferation by 50% (P = 0.003) without affecting cell survival or CD117 expression. The IL‐13 specific neutralizing antibody CAT‐354 inhibited all IL‐13 mediated effects.

Conclusion:  Human lung mast cell express IL‐13Rα1 and activation by IL‐13 for 5 days increased FcɛRI expression and proliferation. Histamine release was not affected by short‐term priming with IL‐13, but was upregulated by priming for 5 days suggesting that this effect was mediated by the increased FcɛRI expression. These data support the view that targeting IL‐13 may be beneficial in the treatment of asthma.
Giving and receiving of gifts between pharmaceutical companies and medical specialists in Australia
Authors: McNeill P. M. , Kerridge I. H. , Henry D. A. , Stokes B. , Hill S. R. , Newby D. , Macdonald G. J. , Day R. O. , Maguire J. , Henderson K. M.
Published: August 2006

Background: This study investigated the ‘gift‐relationship’ between pharmaceutical companies and doctors.

Methods: The study was based on a survey questionnaire of 823 medical specialists from across Australia. The aim of this study was to investigate gifts offered to medical specialists in Australia by pharmaceutical companies, financial support actively sought by medical specialists for activities other than research and to consider what is ethically appropriate.

Results: A high percentage of specialists received offers of food (96%), items for the office (94%), personal gifts (51%) and journals or textbooks (50%). Most specialists were invited to product launches, symposia or educational events (75–84%) and 52% received offers of travel to conferences. A high proportion of offers were accepted (66–79%) except invitations to product launches (49%), sponsored symposia (53%) and offers of travel that included partners (27%). Fifteen per cent of specialists requested financial support from pharmaceutical companies for activities and items, including conferences, travel, educational activities, salaries and donations to specific funds. The study outlined guidelines on gifts from pharmaceutical companies and differing standards applying to gifts and grants for travel. We found that, although most gifts and requests for support complied with professional and pharmaceutical industry guidelines, some – including personal gifts, tickets to sporting events, entertainment and travel expenses for specialists’ partners – did not.

Conclusion: To ensure that physicians’ judgements are free from real or perceived influence from industry and to maintain public trust, we support a shift towards more conservative standards on gifts and support for travel evident in recent guidelines.
The Political Economy of Xenophobia and Distribution: The Case of Denmark*
Authors: Roemer John E. , Van der Straeten Karine
Published: August 2006

For the first time in some years, a conservative government came to power in Denmark in 2001, due primarily to the citizenry's disaffection with social‐democratic policies on immigration. We represent political competition in Denmark as taking place over two issues—the size of the public sector and immigration—and model political equilibrium using the party unanimity Nash equilibrium (PUNE) concept, which generates equilibria on multi‐dimensional policy spaces where parties form endogenously. By fitting the model to Danish data, we argue that citizen xenophobia may be expected to decrease the size of the Danish public sector by an amount between 12% and 36% of one standard deviation of the probability distribution of citizens' ideal points of the size of the public sector.
Employment Protection and Product Market Competition
Authors: Kessing Sebastian G.
Published: August 2006

A firm facing employment protection will defend its market position more fiercely than a rival firm operating without such restrictions. However, ex ante such firms may be more reluctant to expand. For the benchmark case of contest competition, the defensive effect dominates. A firm facing employment protection has a stronger average market position.
D2‐class dopamine receptor inhibition of NMDA currents in prefrontal cortical neurons is platelet‐derived growth factor receptor‐dependent
Authors: Beazely Michael A. , Tong Andrew , Wei Wen‐Li , Van Tol Hubert , Sidhu Bikram , MacDonald John F.
Published: August 2006

NMDA receptor function is modulated by both G‐protein‐coupled receptors and receptor tyrosine kinases. In acutely isolated rat hippocampal neurons, direct activation of the platelet‐derived growth factor (PDGF) receptor or transactivation of the PDGF receptor by D4 dopamine receptors inhibits NMDA‐evoked currents in a phospholipase C (PLC)‐dependent manner. We have investigated further the ability of D2‐class dopamine receptors to modulate NMDA‐evoked currents in isolated rat prefrontal cortex (PFC). We have demonstrated that, similar to isolated hippocampal neurons, the application of PDGF‐BB or quinpirole to isolated PFC neurons induces a slow‐onset and long‐lasting inhibition of NMDA‐evoked currents. However, in contrast to hippocampal neurons, the inhibition of NMDA‐evoked currents by quinpirole in PFC neurons is dependent upon D2/3, rather than D4, dopamine receptors. In PFC slices, application of both PDGF‐BB and quinpirole induced a phosphorylation of the PDGF receptor at the PLCγ binding and activation site, Tyr1021. The PDGF receptor kinase inhibitor, tyrphostin A9, and the D2/3 dopamine receptor antagonist, raclopride, inhibited quinpirole‐induced Tyr1021 phosphorylation. These finding suggest that quinpirole treatment inhibits NMDAR signaling via PDGF receptor transactivation in both the hippocampus and the PFC, and that the effects of quinpirole in these regions are mediated by D4 and D2/3 dopamine receptors, respectively.
Activity‐dependent cleavage of brain glutamic acid decarboxylase 65 by calpain
Authors: Wei Jianning , Lin Chun‐Hua , Wu Heng , Jin Ying , Lee Yi‐Hsuan , Wu Jang‐Yen
Published: August 2006

Previously, we reported that l‐glutamic acid decarboxylase isoform 65 (GAD65) could be cleaved in vitro to release a stable truncated form which lacks amino acid 1–69 from the N‐terminus, GAD65(Δ1–69). However, whether such a truncated form is also present under certain physiological conditions remains elusive. In the present study, we showed that, upon sustained neuronal stimulation, GAD65 could be cleaved into a truncated form in a rat synaptosomal preparation. This truncated form had similar electrophoretic mobility to purified recombinant human GAD65(Δ1–69). Furthermore, we demonstrated that this conversion was calcium dependent. Calcium‐chelating reagents such as EDTA and 1,2‐bis‐(o‐aminphenoxy)‐ethane‐N,N,N′,N′‐tetra‐acetic acid tetra‐acetoxy‐methyl ester prevented the cleavage of GAD65. In addition, our data suggested that calpain, a calcium‐dependent cysteine protease, is activated upon neuronal stimulation and could be responsible for the conversion of full‐length GAD65 to truncated GAD65 in the brain. Moreover, calpain inhibitors such as calpain inhibitor I or calpastatin could block the cleavage. Results of our in vitro cleavage assay using purified calpain and immunopurified rat GAD65 also supported the idea that GAD65 could be directly cleaved by calpain.
Polymorphic microsatellite primers developed from DNA of the endangered Mekong giant catfish, Pangasianodon gigas (Chevey) and cross‐species amplification in three species of Pangasius
Authors: NA‐NAKORN UTHAIRAT , SRIPHAIROJ KEDNAPAT , SUKMANOMON SRIJANYA , POOMPUANG SUPAWADEE , KAMONRAT WONGPATHOM
Published: August 2006

The critically endangered Pangasianodon gigas is endemic to the Mekong River. Despite its importance, little is known about its genetic diversity and conservation efforts are hampered. Ten polymorphic dinucleotide microsatellite primer pairs were developed from DNA of P. gigas. The analysis of 20 individuals from hatchery stocks using these primers resulted in two to six alleles/locus; HO = 0.05–0.95; HE = 0.05–0.81. All but one locus (Pg‐3) conformed to Hardy–Weinberg expectation. Eight, six and seven primer pairs were amplified with the DNA from Pangasianodon hypophthalmus, Pangasius larnaudii and Pangasius sanitwongsei, respectively. These markers will be useful for genetic monitoring of wild and hatchery stocks of these pangasiids.
Development and characterization of microsatellite markers in the Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata
Authors: GRAPPUTO ALESSANDRO
Published: August 2006

The characterization of 11 Leptinotarsa decemlineata microsatellite loci isolated using the fast isolation by AFLP of sequences containing repeats (FIASCO) protocol is reported. Three to 15 alleles per locus were detected in 54 beetles collected from four populations of L. decemlineata. The mean number of alleles was 7.4 ± 3.2 and the level of expected heterozygosity ranged from 0.451 to 0.798. The total exclusionary probabilities using these loci for the first and the second parent were 0.982 and 0.999, respectively. These are the first microsatellite loci characterized from the Colorado potato beetles that can be used for estimating genetic diversity, population structure and parentage analysis.
Isolation and characterization of microsatellite markers in Koompassia malaccensis (Leguminosae), an important tropical timber species
Authors: LEE C. T. , LEE S. L. , FARIDAH Q. Z. , SIRAJ S. S. , NG K. K. S. , NORLIA B. , MAT‐ISA M. N.
Published: August 2006

This paper reports the isolation and characterization of 24 polymorphic microsatellite markers in an important tropical timber species, Koompassia malaccensis (Leguminosae). The primers were designed from a genomic library enriched for dinucleotide (CT) repeats and screened on 24 samples from a natural population. The number of alleles detected per locus ranged from two to 13 while the observed heterozygosity ranged from 0.042 to 1.000. Significant departure from Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium (P < 0.05) was detected in two loci. These microsatellite markers were tested across 13 timber species of the same family. The amplification success appeared to be associated with taxonomy classification at the genus but not subfamily levels.
Isolation and characterization of 18 polymorphic microsatellite markers in Chinese mandarin fish Siniperca chuatsi (Basilewsky)
Authors: ZHANG BIN , LI ZHONG‐JIE , TONG JIN‐GOU , LIAO XIAO‐LIN
Published: August 2006

Eighteen microsatellite markers were isolated and characterized using an enrichment protocol in the Chinese mandarin fish Siniperca chuatsi (Basilewsky), a commercially important piscivorous fish in China. Out of 48 pairs of primers designed, 18 loci exhibited polymorphism with three to six alleles (mean 4.4 alleles/locus) and average observed heterozygosity ranged from 0.633 to 0.833 (mean 0.748) in a test population from Dongting Lake of China. Except for two loci, all other 16 loci were in the Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium. These markers would be useful for such studies as population genetics, ecology and selective breeding of the Chinese mandarin fish in future.