bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cocaine and Amphetamine-Regulated Transcript May Regulate Bone Remodeling as a Circulating Molecule
Authors: Singh Manvendra K. , Elefteriou Florent , Karsenty Gerard
Published: May 2008

Cocaine- and amphetamine-regulated transcript (CART) is one of the two known mediators of the leptin regulation of bone mass. Cart is expressed in both the brain and peripheral tissues such as the pituitary gland and the pancreatic islets. Cart−/− mice present a low bone mass phenotype due to an isolated increase in osteoclast number. In an effort to rescue their bone phenotype, we delivered recombinant CART in the third ventricle of the mutant mice but never recorded any improvement of the low bone mass, although this procedure could affect fat pad mass. In contrast, transgenic mice harboring a 2-fold increase in CART circulating level display a high bone mass due to an isolated decrease in osteoclast number and could rescue the low bone mass phenotype of the Cart−/− mice. Thus, our results suggest that in its capacity of a regulator of bone remodeling, CART may act more as a circulating molecule than a neuropeptide.
An Increase in Kisspeptin-54 Release Occurs with the Pubertal Increase in Luteinizing Hormone-Releasing Hormone-1 Release in the Stalk-Median Eminence of Female Rhesus Monkeys in Vivo
Authors: Keen Kim L. , Wegner Frederick H. , Bloom Stephen R. , Ghatei Mohammad A. , Terasawa Ei
Published: May 2008

The G-protein coupled receptor GPR54 and its ligand, KiSS-1-derived peptide kisspeptin-54, appear to play an important role in the mechanism of puberty. This study measures the release of kisspeptin-54 in the stalk-median eminence (S-ME) during puberty and examines its potential role in the pubertal increase in LHRH-1 release in female rhesus monkeys. First, developmental changes in release of kisspeptin-54 and LHRH-1 were assessed in push-pull perfusate samples obtained from the S-ME of prepubertal, early pubertal, and midpubertal female rhesus monkeys. Whereas LHRH-1 levels in 10-min intervals had been measured previously for other experiments, kisspeptin-54 levels in 40-min pooled samples were newly measured by RIA. The results indicate that a significant increase in kisspeptin-54 release occurred in association with the pubertal increase in LHRH-1 release and that a nocturnal increase in kisspeptin-54 release was already observed in prepubertal monkeys and continued through the pubertal period. Second, we measured kisspeptin-54 release in the S-ME of midpubertal monkeys at 10-min intervals using a microdialysis method. Kisspeptin-54 release in the S-ME was clearly pulsatile with an interpulse interval of about 60 min, and approximately 75% of kisspeptin-54 pulses were correlated with LHRH-1 pulses. Finally, the effect of kisspeptin-10 on LHRH-1 release was examined with the microdialysis method. Kisspeptin-10 infusion through a microdialysis probe significantly stimulated LHRH-1 release in a dose-dependent manner. Collectively, the results are consistent with the hypothesis that kisspeptin plays a role in puberty.
Molecular Mechanisms of Ghrelin-Mediated Endothelial Nitric Oxide Synthase Activation
Authors: Xu Xiangbin , Sook Jhun Bong , Hoon Ha Chang , Jin Zheng-Gen
Published: May 2008

Metabolic syndrome accelerates the atherosclerotic process, and the earliest event of which is endothelial dysfunction. Ghrelin, a newly discovered gastric peptide, improves endothelial function and inhibits proatherogenic changes. In particular, low ghrelin concentration has been associated with several features of metabolic syndrome, including obesity, insulin resistance, and high blood pressure. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying ghrelin vascular actions remain largely unclear. Here, we showed that ghrelin activated endothelial nitric oxide (NO) synthase (eNOS) in cultured endothelial cells (ECs) and in intact vessels. Specifically, ghrelin rapidly induced phosphorylation of eNOS on an activation site and production of NO in human umbilical vein ECs and bovine aortic ECs. The eNOS phosphorylation was also observed in mouse aortas ex vivo perfused with ghrelin and in aortic tissues isolated from mice injected with ghrelin. Mechanistically, ghrelin stimulated AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and Akt activation in cultured ECs and intact vessels. Inhibiting AMPK and Akt with their pharmacological inhibitors, small interference RNA and adenoviruses carried dominant-negative mutants, markedly attenuated ghrelin-induced eNOS activation, and NO production. Furthermore, ghrelin receptor/Gq protein/calcium-dependent pathway mediates activation of AMPK, Akt, and eNOS, and calmodulin-dependent kinase kinase is a potential convergent point to regulate Akt and AMPK activation in ghrelin signaling. Importantly, eNOS activation is critical for ghrelin inhibition of vascular inflammation. Together, both in vitro and in vivo data demonstrate a new role of ghrelin signaling for eNOS activation, and highlight the therapeutic potential for ghrelin to correct endothelial dysfunction associated with atherosclerotic vascular diseases and metabolic syndrome.
Role and Regulation of Adipokines during Zymosan-Induced Peritoneal Inflammation in Mice
Authors: Pini Maria , Gove Melissa E. , Sennello Joseph A. , van Baal Jantine W. P. M. , Chan Lawrence , Fantuzzi Giamila
Published: May 2008

Adipokines, cytokines mainly produced by adipocytes, are active participants in the regulation of inflammation. Administration of zymosan (ZY) was used to investigate the regulation and role of adipokines during peritonitis in mice. Injection of ZY led to a significant increase in leptin levels in both serum and peritoneal lavage fluid, whereas a differential trend in local vs. systemic levels was observed for both resistin and adiponectin. The role of leptin in ZY-induced peritonitis was investigated using leptin-deficient ob/ob mice, with and without reconstitution with exogenous leptin. Leptin deficiency was associated with delayed resolution of peritoneal inflammation induced by ZY, because ob/ob mice had a more pronounced cellular infiltrate in the peritoneum as well as higher and prolonged local and systemic levels of IL-6, TNFα, IL-10, and chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 2 compared with wild-type mice. Reconstitution with exogenous leptin exacerbated the inflammatory infiltrate and systemic IL-6 levels in ob/ob mice while inhibiting production of TNFα, IL-10, and chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 2. In contrast with the important role of leptin in regulating each aspect of ZY-induced peritonitis, adiponectin deficiency was associated only with a decreased inflammatory infiltrate, without affecting cytokine levels. These findings point to a complex role for adipokines in ZY-induced peritonitis and further emphasize the interplay between obesity and inflammation.
A Human Estrogen Receptor (ER)α Mutation with Differential Responsiveness to Nonsteroidal Ligands: Novel Approaches for Studying Mechanism of ER Action
Authors: Paulmurugan Ramasamy , Tamrazi Anobel , Katzenellenbogen John A. , Katzenellenbogen Benita S. , Gambhir Sanjiv S.
Published: May 2008

Estrogens, acting through the estrogen receptors (ERs), play crucial roles in regulating the function of reproductive and other systems under physiological and pathological conditions. ER activity in regulating target genes is modulated by the binding of both steroidal and synthetic nonsteroidal ligands, with ligand binding inducing ERs to adopt various conformations that control their interactions with transcriptional coregulators. Previously, we developed an intramolecular folding sensor with a mutant form of ERα (ERG521T) that proved to be essentially unresponsive to the endogenous ligand 17β-estradiol, yet responded very well to certain synthetic ligands. In this study, we have characterized this G521T-ER mutation in terms of the potency and efficacy of receptor response toward several steroidal and nonsteroidal ligands in two different ways: directly, by ligand effects on mutant ER conformation (by the split-luciferase complementation system), and indirectly, by ligand effects on mutant ER transactivation. Full-length G521T-ER shows no affinity for estradiol and does not activate an estrogen-responsive reporter gene. The synthetic pyrazole agonist ligand propyl-pyrazole-triol is approximately 100-fold more potent than estradiol in inducing intramolecular folding and reporter gene transactivation with the mutant ER, whereas both ligands have high potency on wild-type ER. This estradiol-unresponsive mutant ER can also specifically highlight the agonistic property of the selective ER modulator, 4-hydroxytamoxifen, by reporter gene transactivation, even in the presence of estradiol, and it can exert a dominant-negative effect on estrogen-stimulated wild-type ER. This system provides a model for ER-mutants that show differential ligand responsiveness to gene activation to gain insight into the phenomenon of hormone resistance observed in endocrine therapies of ER-positive breast cancers.
Variability in the encoding of spatial information by dancing bees
Authors: De Marco Rodrigo J. , Gurevitz Juan M. , Menzel Randolf
Published: May 2008

A honeybee's waggle dance is an intriguing example of multisensory convergence, central processing and symbolic information transfer. It conveys to bees and human observers the position of a relatively small area at the endpoint of an average vector in a two-dimensional system of coordinates. This vector is often computed from a collection of waggle phases from the same or different dancers. The question remains, however, of how informative a small sample of waggle phases can be to the bees, and how the spatial information encoded in the dance is actually mapped to the followers' searches in the field. Certainly, it is the variability of a dancer's performance that initially defines the level of uncertainty that followers must cope with if they were to successfully decode information in the dance. Understanding how a dancer's behaviour is mapped to that of its followers initially relies on the analysis of both the accuracy and precision with which the dancer encodes spatial information in the dance. Here we describe within-individual variations in the encoding of the distance to and direction of a goal. We show that variations in the number of a dancer's wagging movements, a measure that correlates well with the distance to the goal, do not depend upon the dancer's travelled distance, meaning that there is a constant variance of wagging movements around the mean. We also show that the duration of the waggle phases and the angular dispersion and divergence of successive waggle phases co-vary with a dancer's orientation in space. Finally, using data from dances recorded through high-speed video techniques, we present the first analysis of the accuracy and precision with which an increasing number of waggle phases conveys spatial information to a human observer.
Electrocommunication signals in free swimming brown ghost knifefish, Apteronotus leptorhynchus
Authors: Hupé Ginette J. , Lewis John E.
Published: May 2008

Brown ghost knifefish, Apteronotus leptorhynchus, are a species of weakly electric fish that produce a continuous electric organ discharge (EOD)that is used in navigation, prey capture and communication. Stereotyped modulations of EOD frequency and amplitude are common in social situations and are thought to serve as communication signals. Of these modulations, the most commonly studied is the chirp. This study presents a quantitative analysis of chirp production in pairs of free-swimming, physically interacting male and female A. leptorhynchus. Under these conditions, we found that in addition to chirps, the fish commonly produce a second signal type, a type of frequency rise called abrupt frequency rises, AFRs. By quantifying the behaviours associated with signal production, we find that Type 2 chirps tend to be produced when the fish are apart, following periods of low aggression,whereas AFRs tend to be produced when the fish are aggressively attacking one another in close proximity. This study is the first to our knowledge that quantitatively describes both electrocommunication signalling and behavioural correlates on a subsecond time-scale in a wave-type weakly electric fish.
Synergy and specificity of two Na+–aromatic amino acid symporters in the model alimentary canal of mosquito larvae
Authors: Okech Bernard A. , Meleshkevitch Ella A. , Miller Melissa M. , Popova Lyudmila B. , Harvey William R. , Boudko Dmitri Y.
Published: May 2008

The nutrient amino acid transporter (NAT) subfamily is the largest subdivision of the sodium neurotransmitter symporter family (SNF; also known as SLC6; HUGO). There are seven members of the NAT population in the African malaria mosquito Anopheles gambiae, two of which, AgNAT6 and AgNAT8,preferably transport indole- and phenyl-branched substrates, respectively. The relative expression and distribution of these aromatic NATs were examined with transporter-specific antibodies in Xenopus oocytes and mosquito larval alimentary canal, representing heterologous and tissue expression systems, respectively. NAT-specific aromatic-substrate-induced currents strongly corresponded with specific accumulation of both transporters in the plasma membrane of oocytes. Immunolabeling revealed elevated expressions of both transporters in specific regions of the larval alimentary canal,including salivary glands, cardia, gastric caeca, posterior midgut and Malpighian tubules. Differences in relative expression densities and spatial distribution of the transporters were prominent in virtually all of these regions, suggesting unique profiles of the aromatic amino acid absorption. For the first time reversal of the location of a transporter between apical and basal membranes was identified in posterior and anterior epithelial domains corresponding with secretory and absorptive epithelial functions,respectively. Both aromatic NATs formed putative homodimers in the larval gut whereas functional monomers were over-expressed heterologously in Xenopus oocytes. The results unequivocally suggest functional synergy between substrate-specific AgNAT6 and AgNAT8 in intracellular absorption of aromatic amino acids. More broadly, they suggest that the specific selectivity, regional expression and polarized membrane docking of NATs represent key adaptive traits shaping functional patterns of essential amino acid absorption in the metazoan alimentary canal and other tissues.
Clinical Supervision in School Counselling and Career Counselling: Is It Time to Develop a New Story?
Authors: McMahon Mary
Published: May 2008

Supervision provides benefits for school counsellors and career counsellors such as support, an opportunity to gain new ideas and strategies, and personal and professional development. Despite this, studies have also shown that school counsellors perceive that the amount of time they participate in supervision is inadequate. In career counselling, there is little evidence that supervision has even been established as a mainstream professional practice. The reasons for this curious situation, whereby little time is spent on a potentially beneficial activity, are uncertain. The present study investigated the supervisory experiences of a group of school counsellors and career counsellors for a six month period following their completion of an intensive supervision training program. Participants recorded their supervisory experiences in a structured diary. Even though the participants were well informed about supervision, the findings of the present study are consistent with those of previous studies. This history of repeatedly similar findings suggests that it may be timely to ask some fundamental questions about supervision in these two professions. Such questions in turn suggest possible new research directions.
Activating glucokinase (GCK) mutations as a cause of medically responsive congenital hyperinsulinism: prevalence in children and characterisation of a novel GCK mutation.
Authors: Christesen Henrik B T , Tribble Nicholas D , Molven Anders , Siddiqui Juveria , Sandal Tone , Brusgaard Klaus , Ellard Sian , Njølstad Pål R , Alm Jan , Brock Jacobsen Bendt , Hussain Khalid , Gloyn Anna L
Published: May 2008

Objective

Activating glucokinase (GCK) mutations are a rarely reported cause of congenital hyperinsulinism (CHI), but the prevalence of GCK mutations is not known.

Methods

From a pooled cohort of 201 non-syndromic children with CHI from three European referral centres (Denmark, n=141; Norway, n=26; UK, n=34), 108 children had no KATP-channel (ABCC8/KCNJ11) gene abnormalities and were screened for GCK mutations. Novel GCK mutations were kinetically characterised.

Results

In five patients, four heterozygous GCK mutations (S64Y, T65I, W99R and A456V) were identified, out of which S64Y was novel. Two of the mutations arose de novo, three were dominantly inherited. All the five patients were medically responsive. In the combined Danish and Norwegian cohort, the prevalence of GCK-CHI was estimated to be 1.2% (2/167, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0–2.8%) of all the CHI patients. In the three centre combined cohort of 72 medically responsive children without KATP-channel mutations, the prevalence estimate was 6.9% (5/72, 95% CI 1.1–12.8%). All activating GCK mutations mapped to the allosteric activator site. The novel S64Y mutation resulted in an increased affinity for the substrate glucose (S0.5 1.49±0.08 and 7.39±0.05 mmol/l in mutant and wild-type proteins respectively), extrapolating to a relative activity index of ∼22 compared with the wild type.

Conclusion

In the largest study performed to date on GCK in children with CHI, GCK mutations were found only in medically responsive children who were negative for ABCC8 and KCNJ11 mutations. The estimated prevalence (∼7%) suggests that screening for activating GCK mutations is warranted in those patients.
Le Fort III Rigid External Distraction Complicated by Intracranial Movement of Halo Fixation Pins
Authors: Breugem Corstiaan C. , Bush Kevin , Fitzpatrick Donald F.
Published: May 2008

Midface hypoplasia in a 5-year-old boy with Crouzon syndrome was treated using a rigid external distraction device. Seven months prior to this surgery, a bone allograft was used during frontal-orbital bar advancement. Three weeks after the Le Fort III distraction a depression fracture was diagnosed, associated with an intracerebral screw penetration of 3.5 cm. This case report cautions against the use of distraction osteogenesis in patients when previous allografts were used for calvarial reconstruction. We suggest that a preoperative computed tomography scan is mandatory to accurately delineate the location for placement of the pins.
Metabolic recovery of adipose tissue is associated with improvement in insulin resistance in a model of experimental diabetes
Authors: Takada Julie , Fonseca-Alaniz Miriam Helena , de Campos Tarcila Beatriz Ferraz , Andreotti Sandra , Campana Amanda Baron , Okamoto Maristela , Borges-Silva Cristina das Neves , Machado Ubiratan Fabres , Lima Fabio Bessa
Published: May 2008

Obesity and insulin resistance are highly correlated with metabolic disturbances. Both the excess and lack of adipose tissue can lead to severe insulin resistance and diabetes. Adipose tissue plays an active role in energy homeostasis, hormone secretion, and other proteins that affect insulin sensitivity, appetite, energy balance, and lipid metabolism. Rats with streptozotocin-induced diabetes during the neonatal period develop the classic diabetic picture of hyperglycemia, hypoinsulinemia, and insulin resistance in adulthood. Low body weight and reduced epididymal (EP) fat mass were also seen in this model. The aim of this study was to investigate the glucose homeostasis and metabolic repercussions on the adipose tissue following chronic treatment with antidiabetic drugs in these animals. In the 4th week post birth, diabetic animals started an 8-week treatment with pioglitazone, metformin, or insulin. Animals were then killed, EP fat pads were excised, and blood samples were collected for biological and biochemical assays. Pioglitazone and insulin treatments, but not metformin, reduced hyperglycemia, polydipsia, and polyphagia. Although all antidiabetic therapies improved insulin sensitivity, this was particularly noteworthy in the pioglitazone-treated rats. Furthermore, a recovery of adipose mass and insulin levels were observed in pioglitazone- and insulin-, but not metformin-treated animals. Treatments with insulin or pioglitazone were able to correct significantly, but not completely, the metabolic abnormalities, parallel to full recovery of adipose mass, indicating that not only the low insulin levels but also the lack of adipose tissue might play a significant role on the pathophysiology of this particular diabetes model.
Bone Augmentation With Autologous Periosteal Cells and Two Different Calcium Phosphate Scaffolds Under an Occlusive Titanium Barrier: An Experimental Study in Rabbits
Authors: Maréchal Marina , Eyckmans Jeroen , Schrooten Jan , Schepers Evert , Luyten Frank P. , van Steenberghe Daniel
Published: May 2008

Background: This study used a tissue‐engineering approach, which combined autologous periosteal cells with a scaffold material, to promote bone augmentation under an occlusive titanium barrier that was placed on the skull of rabbits. Because the cell–matrix interaction is of key importance in tissue engineering, two different calcium phosphate–based scaffolds were seeded with autologous periosteal cells. One scaffold contained hydroxyapatite, tricalcium phosphate, and collagen; the other scaffold was a β‐tricalcium phosphate structure.

Methods: The experiment involved 38 rabbits divided into five groups: the two different scaffolds with and without cells and a blood clot only. Prior to implantation, autologous periosteal cells were harvested from the tibia by stripping the periosteum. Cells were cultured, and 1 day before the implantation ∼20 million cells were collected and seeded onto the scaffolds. Two preformed dome–shaped full titanium barriers were placed subperiosteally onto the frontal and parietal bones of each rabbit. Before placement of the barriers, the different scaffolds, seeded with or without cells, were put on top of the skull. As a negative control, autologous blood was injected into the barriers. Histologic evaluation and histomorphometric analysis were performed after 12 weeks of undisturbed bone growth. Measurements involved the amounts of newly formed tissue and of new bone distinguishing between trabecular bone and osteoid.

Results: No significant differences were found between the four treatment groups (scaffolds with or without cells). However, the amount of new bone tissue found underneath the titanium barriers with scaffolds was significantly higher (P <0.04) than with a blood clot only.

Conclusion: A better understanding of the mode of action is required to optimize tissue‐engineering procedures before entering clinical applications.
Kindler Syndrome and Periodontal Disease: Review of the Literature and a 12‐Year Follow‐Up Case
Authors: Wiebe Colin B. , Petricca Giorgio , Häkkinen Lari , Jiang Guoqiao , Wu Chuanyue , Larjava Hannu S.
Published: May 2008

Background: The association of aggressive periodontitis with Kindler syndrome was based on a single case in 1996 and later confirmed with a larger population. Since then, significant research has greatly increased our understanding of the molecular pathology of this disorder. We review recent advances in the molecular mechanisms of the syndrome and present a maintenance case report of a patient who has been followed in our clinic.

Methods: A female patient who was diagnosed with Kindler syndrome and aggressive periodontitis at the age of 16 years has been followed and treated in our clinic for 12 years. Her main treatment has been maintenance therapy following her initial treatment and restorative work previously documented. Gingival biopsies obtained during the recent extraction of hopeless maxillary molars were used for histologic assessment of gingival tissue attachment apparatus and to isolate gingival fibroblasts. Reverse transcription‐polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR) was performed using these cells to confirm the lack of expression of kindlin‐1.

Results: RT‐PCR showed the total loss of kindlin‐1 mRNA in cultured gingival fibroblasts, supporting the clinical diagnosis of Kindler syndrome. Tissue biopsies revealed atypical pocket epithelium. Maintenance therapy has been moderately successful. Teeth that were recently lost had a poor prognosis at the initial assessment. The patient's gingiva and oral mucosa continue to be fragile with episodes of sloughing and inflammation.

Conclusions: Periodontitis in Kindler syndrome responds to maintenance therapy, but the gingiva and oral mucosa continue to display an abnormal appearance with white patches. Histologic findings suggest that the junctional epithelium in Kindler syndrome may be abnormal and could explain why these patients have periodontal disease. Attachment loss progressed around teeth with an initial guarded or poor prognosis. Teeth that started with a good or fair prognosis continue to have a fair prognosis. Limited dental implant treatment is being considered.
Dense Hydroxyapatite Inserted Into Postextraction Sockets: A Histologic and Histomorphometric 20‐Year Case Report
Authors: Mangano Carlo , Piattelli Adriano , Perrotti Vittoria , Iezzi Giovanna
Published: May 2008

Background: The biologic behavior, i.e., the degradation of hydroxyapatite (HA) in the human body, is of relevance for clinicians. The present investigation is a long‐term (20‐year) histologic and histomorphometric evaluation of dense HA used in postextraction sockets.

Methods: Dense HA particles were used in a patient in postextraction alveolar sockets to maintain the alveolar ridge height. The patient returned after 20 years for implant treatment. A ridge remodeling was necessary during implant insertion surgery, and the HA/bone tissue was harvested with bone‐cutting forceps from the canine and premolar area. The specimen was processed for histology and histomorphometry at the Implant Retrieval Centre, Dental School, University of Chieti‐Pescara.

Results: Most of the particles (56%) were surrounded partially by bone, whereas some particles (39%) were surrounded completely. At higher magnification, bone was in close contact with the particles, and neither gaps nor fibrous tissues were present at the bone–biomaterial interface. Microscopically, the particles had a dense appearance. In only a few fields, it was possible to observe that the outer part of some particles had detached from the original particles' surface. Histomorphometry showed that bone represented 25.4% ± 3.2%, marrow spaces represented 41.3% ± 5.2%, and residual HA particles represented 38.1% ± 4.1%.

Conclusions: Intimate binding between bone and HA particles was present after a long‐term implantation period (20 years). The fact that HA particles were surrounded closely by bone is very promising for the long‐term stability of the augmentation.
Effects of Periodontal Therapy on Glycemic Control and Inflammatory Markers
Authors: O'Connell Patricia A.A. , Taba Mario , Nomizo Auro , Foss Freitas Maria C. , Suaid Flavia A. , Uyemura Sergio A. , Trevisan Glauce L. , Novaes Arthur B. , Souza Sergio L.S. , Palioto Daniela B. , Grisi Marcio F.M.
Published: May 2008

Background: Periodontitis, a complication of diabetes mellitus (DM), can induce or perpetuate systemic conditions. This double‐masked, placebo‐controlled study evaluated the effects of periodontal therapy (scaling and root planing [SRP]) on the serum levels of glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and on inflammatory biomarkers.

Methods: Thirty subjects with type 2 DM and periodontitis were treated with SRP + placebo (SRP; N = 15) or with SRP + doxycycline (SRP+Doxy; N = 15), 100 mg/day, for 14 days. Clinical and laboratory data were recorded at baseline and at 3 months after treatment.

Results: After 3 months, the reduction in probing depth was 0.8 mm for the SRP group (P <0.01) and 1.1 mm for the SRP+Doxy group (P <0.01) followed by a 0.9% (SRP; P = 0.17) and 1.5% (SRP+Doxy; P <0.01) reduction in HbA1c levels. A significant reduction in interleukin (IL)‐6; interferon‐inducible protein 10; soluble fas ligand; granulocyte colony‐stimulating factor; RANTES; and IL‐12 p70 serum levels were also verified (N = 30). To our knowledge, this is the first report on the effects of periodontal therapy on multiple systemic inflammatory markers in DM.

Conclusions: Periodontal therapy may influence the systemic conditions of patients with type 2 DM, but no statistical difference was observed with the adjunctive systemic doxycycline therapy. Moreover, it is possible that the observed improvement in glycemic control and in the reduction of inflammatory markers could also be due to diet, which was not controlled in our study. Therefore, a confirmatory study with a larger sample size and controlled diet is necessary.
Locally Delivered Doxycycline During Supportive Periodontal Therapy: A 3‐Year Study
Authors: Bogren Anna , Teles Ricardo P. , Torresyap Gay , Haffajee Anne D. , Socransky Sigmund S. , Wennström Jan L.
Published: May 2008

Background: Adjunctive locally delivered antibiotics during maintenance may favor the control of periodontal infections. This study evaluated the long‐term clinical and microbiologic effects of yearly locally delivered controlled‐release doxycycline as an adjunct to mechanical debridement.

Methods: A total of 128 periodontal maintenance patients having at least four teeth with probing depth (PD) ≥5 mm were randomly assigned to local application of doxycycline gel at baseline and 1 and 2 years as an adjunct to mechanical debridement (test) or mechanical debridement only (control). Supportive periodontal therapy (mechanical debridement, polishing, and oral hygiene reinforcement) was provided every 6 months. Plaque, bleeding on probing (BOP), PD, and relative attachment level (RAL) were scored at baseline; 3 months; and 1, 2, and 3 years. Subgingival plaque samples were taken at each examination and analyzed for their content of 40 bacterial species. Data analyses were performed on an intention‐to‐treat basis with the subject as the statistical unit.

Results: Significant reductions in BOP, PD, RAL, and the mean counts of a number of target species between baseline and 3 years were documented for both treatment groups, whereas plaque scores remained unchanged. A statistically significant difference in favor of the adjunctive doxycycline therapy was found between the two groups only at the 3‐month examination for BOP, PD, and RAL and for a minority of bacterial species at 2 years.

Conclusion: Although short‐term effects on clinical parameters were found with the adjunctive use of locally delivered doxycycline, repeated applications annually had no clinical or microbiologic effects beyond those observed with mechanical debridement alone in maintenance patients.
Analysis of the Activity to Induce Toll‐Like Receptor (TLR)2‐ and TLR4‐Mediated Stimulation of Supragingival Plaque
Authors: Yoshioka Hidenobu , Yoshimura Atsutoshi , Kaneko Takashi , Golenbock Douglas T. , Hara Yoshitaka
Published: May 2008

Background: The deleterious effects of the accumulation of supragingival plaque are well known, but the role of the proinflammatory property of supragingival plaque in periodontal diseases has not been completely elucidated. The aim of this study was to determine the relevance of Toll‐like receptor (TLR)2‐ and TLR4‐stimulating activity of supragingival plaque to periodontal parameters.

Methods: We isolated 144 supragingival plaque samples and analyzed TLR2‐ and TLR4‐stimulating activity using genetically engineered Chinese hamster ovary reporter cells that express a reporter molecule upon activation of nuclear factor‐kappa B through TLR2 or TLR4. The numbers of Porphyromonas gingivalis, Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans (previously Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans), and Streptococcus mutans cells in each plaque sample were determined by real‐time polymerase chain reaction.

Results: The activity to induce TLR4‐mediated stimulation, but not TLR2‐mediated stimulation, was positively associated with the plaque score and bleeding on probing score of the teeth from which the plaque samples were taken. The activity to induce TLR2‐mediated stimulation, but not TLR4‐mediated stimulation, was negatively associated with probing depth and clinical attachment level. The ratio of TLR4‐/TLR2‐mediated stimulation was positively associated with all of those parameters. The number of P. gingivalis cells in each plaque sample was associated with the plaque score and clinical attachment level, but no strong association was observed between the ratio of examined bacteria in each plaque sample and the activity to induce TLR2‐ or TLR4‐mediated stimulation, except for a weak correlation between the ratio of A. actinomycetemcomitans cells and the activity to induce TLR4‐mediated stimulation.

Conclusion: The TLR2‐ and TLR4‐stimulating activity of supragingival plaque is associated with clinical parameters for gingivitis and periodontitis.
In Vitro Characterization of the Cytokine Profile of the Epithelial Cell Rests of Malassez
Authors: Ohshima Mitsuhiro , Yamaguchi Yoko , Micke Patrick , Abiko Yoshimitsu , Otsuka Kichibee
Published: May 2008

Background: The epithelial cell rests of Malassez (ERM) are an integral part of the periodontal ligament and are considered to play an important role in dental pathology. Surprisingly, this cell type is poorly described and is often disregarded in the context of periodontal research. The aim of this study was to establish primary cell cultures of human ERM, characterize the cytokine profile, and compare it to other periodontal cell entities.

Methods: ERM‐derived epithelial cells were isolated from the periodontal ligament of three subjects. A cytokine antibody array, including 120 cytokines in two membranes, was used to determine the cytokine profile of conditioned medium from the ERM‐derived epithelial cells. The results were compared to those of gingival epithelial cells and periodontal ligament fibroblasts.

Results: ERM‐derived epithelial cells expressed 29 of 120 cytokines in significant amounts, including cytokines, chemokines, growth factors, and related proteins, such as interleukin (IL)‐1, −6, −8, and −10; granulocyte macrophage‐colony stimulating factor; monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP)‐1, −2, and −3; amphiregulin; glial‐derived neurotrophic factor; vascular endothelial growth factor; and insulin‐like growth factor binding protein‐2. The cytokine profile of ERM cells was similar to that of gingival epithelial cells but strikingly different from the profile of periodontal ligament fibroblasts.

Conclusions: The results indicated that, via paracrine secretion of a variety of soluble factors, the ERM cells actively take part in the homeostasis of the periodontium. Therefore, future research on the pathophysiology of periodontal tissue should include this often overlooked cell type.
Growth and Elemental Accumulation by Canola on Soil Amended with Coal Fly Ash
Authors: Yunusa I. A. M. , Manoharan V. , DeSilva D. L. , Eamus D. , Murray B. R. , Nissanka S. P.
Published: May 2008

To explore the agronomic potential of an Australian coal fly ash, we conducted two glasshouse experiments in which we measured chlorophyll fluorescence, CO2 assimilation (A), transpiration, stomatal conductance, biomass accumulation, seed yield, and elemental uptake for canola (Brassica napus) grown on soil amended with an alkaline fly ash. In Experiment 1, application of up to 25 Mg/ha of fly ash increased A and plant weight early in the season before flowering and seed yield by up to 21%. However, at larger rates of ash application A, plant growth, chlorophyll concentration, and yield were all reduced. Increases in early vigor and seed yield were associated with enhanced uptake of phosphorus (P) by the plants treated with fly ash. Fly ash application did not influence accumulation of B, Cu, Mo, or Zn in the stems at any stage of plant growth or in the seed at harvest, except Mo concentration, which was elevated in the seed. Accumulation of these elements was mostly in the leaves, where concentrations of Cu and Mo increased with any amount of ash applied while that of B occurred only with ash applied at 625 Mg/ha. In Experiment 2, fly ash applied at 500 Mg/ha and mixed into the whole 30 cm soil core was detrimental to growth and yield of canola, compared with restricting mixing to 5 or 15 cm depth. In contrast, application of ash at 250 Mg/ha with increasing depth of mixing increased A and seed yield. We concluded that fly ash applied at not more than 25 Mg/ha and mixed into the top 10 to 15 cm of soil is sufficient to obtain yield benefits.
Pesticide Fate and Transport throughout Unsaturated Zones in Five Agricultural Settings, USA
Authors: Hancock Tracy C. , Sandstrom Mark W. , Vogel Jason R. , Webb Richard M.T. , Bayless E. Randall , Barbash Jack E.
Published: May 2008

Pesticide transport through the unsaturated zone is a function of chemical and soil characteristics, application, and water recharge rate. The fate and transport of 82 pesticides and degradates were investigated at five different agricultural sites. Atrazine and metolachlor, as well as several of the degradates of atrazine, metolachlor, acetochlor, and alachlor, were frequently detected in soil water during the 2004 growing season, and degradates were generally more abundant than parent compounds. Metolachlor and atrazine were applied at a Nebraska site the same year as sampling, and focused recharge coupled with the short time since application resulted in their movement in the unsaturated zone 9 m below the surface. At other sites where the herbicides were applied 1 to 2 yr before sampling, only degradates were found in soil water. Transformations of herbicides were evident with depth and during the 4‐mo sampling time and reflected the faster degradation of metolachlor oxanilic acid and persistence of metolachor ethanesulfonic acid. The fraction of metolachlor ethanesulfonic acid relative to metolachlor and metolachlor oxanilic acid increased from 0.3 to >0.9 at a site in Maryland where the unsaturated zone was 5 m deep and from 0.3 to 0.5 at the shallowest depth. The flux of pesticide degradates from the deepest sites to the shallow ground water was greatest (3.0–4.9 μmol m−2 yr−1) where upland recharge or focused flow moved the most water through the unsaturated zone. Flux estimates based on estimated recharge rates and measured concentrations were in agreement with fluxes estimated using an unsaturated‐zone computer model (LEACHM).
Soil Sulfur Amendments Suppress Selenium Uptake by Alfalfa and Western Wheatgrass
Authors: Mackowiak C. L. , Amacher M. C.
Published: May 2008

Selenium (Se) is a potential soil contaminant in many parts of the world where it can pose a health risk to livestock and wildlife. Phosphate ore mining in Southeast Idaho has resulted in numerous waste rock dumps revegetated with forages to stabilize the dumps and support grazing. Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), smooth brome (Bromus inermis Leyss.), and western wheat grass [Pascopyrum smithii (Rydb.) A. Löve] are the dominant forage species on these lands. To demonstrate the feasibility of using sulfur (S) as a soil amendment to restrict plant Se uptake, 3 kg pots containing 50:50 w/w soil and waste shale were uniformly mixed with 0, 0.5, 1.0, or 2.0 Mg ha−1 S as either elemental S or gypsum. Pots were seeded with alfalfa or western wheat grass. Dry mass and tissue Se were monitored over several clippings. Soils were sampled at the conclusion of the study and analyzed for water‐soluble, oxalate‐extractable, and total Se. Sulfur amendments as either elemental S or gypsum at 1.0 Mg ha−1 or greater equally suppressed Se uptake over 60% in both forage species. Alfalfa accumulated more Se than western wheat grass. Plant removal via successive clippings resulted in lower tissue Se accumulation over time than the use of S soil amendments alone. Alfalfa‐planted soils contained lower water‐soluble and oxalate‐extractable Se than did the non‐planted controls while western wheat grass‐planted soils contained lower water‐soluble Se. Applying S to these shale‐based soils may be an economically viable option for treating Se‐impacted, revegetated lands.
Spray Deposition from Ground‐based Applications of Carbaryl to Protect Individual Trees from Bark Beetle Attack
Authors: Fettig Christopher J. , Munson A. Steven , McKelvey Stephen R. , Bush Parshall B. , Borys Robert R.
Published: May 2008

Bark beetles (Coleoptera: Curculionidae, Scolytinae) are recognized as the most important tree mortality agent in western coniferous forests. A common method of protecting trees from bark beetle attack is to saturate the tree bole with carbaryl (1‐naphthyl methylcarbamate) using a hydraulic sprayer. In this study, we evaluate the amount of carbaryl drift (ground deposition) occurring at four distances from the tree bole (7.6, 15.2, 22.9, and 38.1 m) during conventional spray applications for protecting individual lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta Dougl. ex Loud.) from mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae Hopkins) attack and Engelmann spruce (Picea engelmannii Parry ex Engelm.) from spruce beetle (D. rufipennis [Kirby]) attack. Mean deposition (carbaryl + α‐naphthol) did not differ significantly among treatments (nozzle orifices) at any distance from the tree bole. Values ranged from 0.04 ± 0.02 mg carbaryl m−2 at 38.1 m to 13.30 ± 2.54 mg carbaryl m−2 at 7.6 m. Overall, distance from the tree bole significantly affected the amount of deposition. Deposition was greatest 7.6 m from the tree bole and quickly declined as distance from the tree bole increased. Approximately 97% of total spray deposition occurred within 15.2 m of the tree bole. Application efficiency (i.e., percentage of insecticide applied that is retained on trees) ranged from 80.9 to 87.2%. Based on review of the literature, this amount of drift poses little threat to adjacent aquatic environments. No‐spray buffers of 7.6 m should be sufficient to protect freshwater fish, amphibians, crustaceans, bivalves, and most aquatic insects. Buffers >22.9 m appear sufficient to protect the most sensitive aquatic insects (Plecoptera).
Herbicide Incorporation by Irrigation and Tillage Impact on Runoff Loss
Authors: Potter Thomas L. , Truman Clint C. , Strickland Timothy C. , Bosch David D. , Webster Theodore M.
Published: May 2008

Runoff from farm fields is a common source of herbicide residues in surface waters. Incorporation by irrigation has the potential to reduce herbicide runoff risks. To assess impacts, rainfall was simulated on plots located in a peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) field in Georgia's Atlantic Coastal Plain region after pre‐emergence application of metolachlor (2‐chloro‐N‐(2‐ethyl‐6‐methylphenyl)‐N‐[(1S)‐2‐methoxy‐1‐methylethyl]‐acetamide) and pendimethalin (N‐(1‐ethylpropyl)‐3,4‐dimethyl‐2,6‐dinitro‐benzenamine). Runoff, sediment, and herbicide loss as function of strip tillage (ST) versus conventional tillage (CT) were compared with and without irrigation (12.5 mm) after application of an herbicide tank mixture. For the CT system, metolachlor runoff was reduced 2× and pendimethalin 1.2× when compared with the non‐irrigated treatment. The difference in irrigated and non‐irrigated metolachlor means was significant (P = 0.05). Irrigation reduced metolachlor runoff by 1.3× in the ST system, but there was a 1.4× increase for pendimethalin. Overall results indicated that irrigation incorporation reduces herbicide runoff with the greatest impact when CT is practiced and products like metolachlor, which have relatively low Koc and high water solubility, are used. The lower ST system response was likely due to a combination of spray interception and retention by the ST system cover crop mulch and higher ST soil organic carbon content and less total runoff. During the study, the measured Koc of both herbicides on runoff sediment was found to vary with tillage and irrigation after herbicide application. Generally, Koc was higher for ST sediment and when irrigation incorporation was used with the CT system. These results have significant implications for simulation model parametization.
Study of CuI catalyzed coupling reactions of aryl bromides with imidazole and aliphatic amines under microwave dielectric heating
Authors: Veverková Eva , Toma Štefan
Published: May 2008

Amination of a variety of functionalized aryl bromides with imidazole and primary and secondary amines was accomplished using a CuI/amino acid catalyst system under microwave heating. Application of microwave irradiation shortened the reaction time from 25–40 h to 6–20 min. Good to very good yields of the corresponding coupling products were obtained when imidazole and secondary amines were used as starting materials. In case of primary amines, the outcome of the reaction was dependent on the character of the substituent on aryl bromide.
Screening of Virginia-Type Peanut Breeding Lines for Resistance to Cylindrocladium Black Rot and Sclerotinia Blight in the Greenhouse
Authors: Hollowell J. E. , Isleib T. G. , Tallury S. P. , Copeland S. C. , Shew B. B.
Published: May 2008

Cylindrocladium black rot (CBR) caused by Cylindrocladium parasiticum and Sclerotinia blight caused by Sclerotinia minor are two economically important diseases of peanut (Arachis hypogaea) in the Virginia-Carolina production area. Developing cultivars with resistance to both diseases requires screening of new peanut breeding lines for resistance. Because field evaluations of resistance to these diseases often fail to produce usable results, greenhouse protocols were used to screen breeding lines and cultivars for resistance. For CBR, two seeds of a genotype were planted in a “cone-tainer” filled with a planting medium artificially infested with 25 microsclerotia of C. parasiticum per g of medium. After approximately 8 wk, the roots were washed and rated for degree of decay on a 0–5 proportional scale (0  =  no decay to 5  =  completely decayed). For Sclerotinia blight, plants were inoculated at 6 wk after planting by pushing a plug of potato dextrose agar (PDA) colonized by S. minor and protected from desiccation in a BEEM embedding capsule onto a freshly cut petiole on the main stem of the plant. Inoculated plants were placed in a mist chamber to maintain the high humidity necessary for infection. Lesion lengths were measured 4, 5, 6, and 7 days after inoculation, and areas under the disease progress curves (AUDPC) were calculated. All tests were conducted as incomplete block designs with six replications for CBR tests and four replications for Sclerotinia blight tests. Adjusted entry means were computed from each year's tests and used in summary analyses. Of the 125 breeding lines and checks tested at least once from 2003 through 2006, 51 were tested in at least two years, 34 in at least three years, and 15 lines were tested in all four years. Of the 15 lines tested in all four years, registered germplasm line N96076L had the lowest AUDPC for Sclerotinia blight (58 mm days), but had the greatest CBR root decay score (4.1 decay rating units). Several closely related breeding lines descended from a cross of N96076L and NC 12C were not significantly different from the most resistant line for either disease with scores ranging from 2.2–3.0 decay rating units for CBR and 63–99 mm days for Sclerotinia blight. Correlations of multiple-year greenhouse assay means with field disease incidence means were 0.83 for CBR and 0.35 for Sclerotinia blight. The greenhouse assay for CBR was a reasonably good predictor of field performance, but the assay for Sclerotinia blight was less reliable as a predictor.