bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Effect of Acupuncture on Oral Microcirculation in Healthy Volunteers: An Exploratory Study
Authors: Scardina Giuseppe Alessandro , Ruggieri A , Provenzano F , Messina P
Published: September 2009

Background

Acupuncture is a therapeutic technique currently used in the treatment of many pathologies. The aim of this study is to evaluate the potential effect of acupuncture on “in vivo” variations in oral microcirculation in healthy subjects.

Methods

An exploratory study was conducted on 40 healthy subjects: 20 cases (mean 55.90, SD 16.04) and 20 controls (mean 51, SD 11.91). Videocapillaroscopy was used to detect variations in oral microcirculation. This method permits an accurate and non-invasive in vivo study of the capillaries of the oral mucous. The site selected for this pilot study is the lower lip since it is the simplest to investigate and is more readily accessible. Assessments were carried out in three phases: t0 before the application of the needles; t1 one minute after the application; t2 five minutes after the application; similar time points were used for the control group. Data were compared using the Mann-Whitney test.

Results

The study showed characteristic changes in oral microcirculation induced by acupuncture. The tortuousness of capillary loops and in the diameter of the afferent loop changed significantly (p<0.05) over time in the acupuncture group but not in the controls.

Conclusions

The findings lend support to our expectation that acupuncture may generate significant variations in oral microcirculation in healthy adults. Further research is needed to confirm these findings and evaluate the therapeutic role of acupuncture in oral pathologies.
Developing and Validating a Sham Acupuncture Needle
Authors: Tough Elizabeth A , White Adrian R , Richards Suzanne H , Lord Brian , Campbell John L
Published: September 2009

Objectives

To develop a sham needle device and test its credibility as a control for acupuncture when used in a randomised controlled trial of myofascial trigger point needling in patients with whiplash associated pain.

Methods

Sham needles were developed by blunting true acupuncture needles. Whiplash injured patients (<16 weeks duration) were randomly allocated to receive either true acupuncture or the “placebo” sham needle control. The true and sham needling interventions were delivered using the same standardised procedure. Patients were informed that they would receive either real or placebo needles, and asked (i) to state which treatment they believed they had received (treatment belief); (ii) to complete the four item Borkovec and Nau self-assessment credibility scale. Results were compared between groups and the analysis explored whether a patient's previous experience of acupuncture was related to their treatment belief. Other outcomes of the study will be reported elsewhere.

Results

20 patients received the true acupuncture and 21 received the sham. There was no significant difference between the treatment beliefs of the two groups (χ 2 = 1.51; p>0.2) nor in the mean item scores on the Borkovec and Nau credibility scale (t test, p values ranged from 0.38 to 0.87). Of the patients in the sham acupuncture group who had previous experience of acupuncture, none recorded receiving the sham intervention.

Conclusion

Within the context of this pilot study, the sham acupuncture intervention was found to be a credible control for acupuncture. This supports its use in a planned, definitive, randomised controlled trial on a similar whiplash injured population.
Predicting mortality of psychogeriatric patients: a simple prognostic frailty risk score
Authors: Pijpers E , Ferreira I , van de Laar R J J , Stehouwer C D A , Nieuwenhuijzen Kruseman A C
Published: September 2009

Background and aims

Frailty and mortality in psychogeriatric patients are hard to predict but important in counselling and therapeutic decision making. We have therefore developed a simple frailty risk score to predict mortality this population.

Study design

Prospective observational study including 401 community dwelling psychogeriatric patients (249 women; mean (SD) age 78.0 (6.5) years), who had been referred to a multidisciplinary diagnostic observation centre. We used Cox proportional hazards regression models to identify and select baseline characteristics for the development and validation of a risk score for the prediction of 3 year mortality.

Results

A total of 116 subjects died during follow-up (median follow-up duration of 26 months). Baseline characteristics associated with mortality were: age (hazard ratio (HR) 1.44, 95% confidence interval (CI)1.02 to 2.04), male sex (HR 2.93, 95% CI 1.89 to 4.59), living alone (HR 1.53, 95% CI 0.99 to 2.38), body mass index (BMI) <18.5 kg/m2 (HR 4.09, 95% CI 2.06 to 8.14), cardiovascular disease (HR 1.42, 95% CI 0.94 to 2.15), elderly mobility score <20 (HR 1.92, 95% CI 1.24 to 2.98), number of medicines ⩾2 (HR 2.28, 95% CI 1.21 to 4.31), and impaired motor (HR 1.47, 95% CI 0.93 to 2.32) and process skills (HR 1.92, 95% CI 1.12 to 2.98) in activities of daily living. These predictors were translated into an easy-to-use frailty risk score and patients were stratified into very good (<45 points), good (45–50) moderate (51–55), poor (56–61) and very poor (>61) prognosis groups. Three year mortality rates across these groups were 8.0%, 15.9%, 25.9%, 41.5%, and 68.8%, respectively (p<0.001). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of the risk score was 0.78 (95% CI 0.73 to 0.82), indicating good discriminative performance.

Conclusions

We developed and validated a risk score for the prediction of 3 year mortality. This risk score can be used to stratify patients into different risk categories, thereby informing patient counselling and tailored diagnostic and therapeutic decisions in clinical practice.
Recent Developments in the Intertemporal Modeling of Uncertainty
Authors: Traeger Christian P.
Published: September 2009

Time and uncertainty constitute essential ingredients to many of the most challenging resource problems. With respect to the time dimension, agents are generally assumed to have a pure time preference as well as a preference for smoothing consumption over time. With respect to risk, agents are generally assumed to be Arrow-Pratt risk averse. The discounted expected utility model assumes that aversion to risk and aversion to intertemporal fluctuations coincide. This review discusses models and concepts that aim at disentangling time and risk attitude and briefly sketches a generalization of risk attitude to situations where uncertainty is not captured by unique probability measures. This paper reviews resource economic applications and relates the concepts to the debate on the social discount rate.
17β-Estradiol regulates the first steps of skeletal muscle cell differentiation via ER-α-mediated signals
Authors: Galluzzo Paola , Rastelli Chiara , Bulzomi Pamela , Acconcia Filippo , Pallottini Valentina , Marino Maria
Published: September 2009

17β-Estradiol (E2) mediates a wide variety of complex biological processes determining the growth and development of reproductive tract as well as nonreproductive tissues of male and female individuals. While E2 effects on the reproductive system, bone, and cardiovascular system are quite well established, less is known about how it affects the physiology of other tissues. Skeletal muscle is a tissue that is expected to be E2 responsive since both isoforms of estrogen receptor (ER-α and ER-β) are expressed. Significant sex-related differences have been described in skeletal muscle, although the role played by E2 and the mechanisms underlying it remain to be determined. Here, we demonstrate that E2 increases the glucose transporter type 4 translocation at membranes as well as the expression of well-known differentiation markers of myogenesis (i.e., myogenin and myosin heavy chain) in rat myoblast cells (L6). These E2-induced effects require rapid extranuclear signals and the presence of ER-α, whereas no contribution of IGF-I receptor has been observed. In particular, ER-α-dependent Akt activation participates in regulating the first step of myogenic differentiation. Moreover, both receptors mediate the E2-induced activation of p38, which, in turn, affects the expression of myogenin and myosin heavy chain. All together, these data indicate that E2 should be included in the list of skeletal muscle trophic factors.
T-cadherin is located in the nucleus and centrosomes in endothelial cells
Authors: Andreeva Alexandra V. , Kutuzov Mikhail A. , Tkachuk Vsevolod A. , Voyno-Yasenetskaya Tatyana A.
Published: September 2009

T-cadherin (H-cadherin, cadherin 13) is upregulated in vascular proliferative disorders and in tumor-associated neovascularization and is deregulated in many cancers. Unlike canonical cadherins, it lacks transmembrane and intracellular domains and is attached to the plasma membrane via a glycosylphosphatidylinositol anchor. T-cadherin is thought to function in signaling rather than as an adhesion molecule. Some interactive partners of T-cadherin at the plasma membrane have recently been identified. We examined T-cadherin location in human endothelial cells using confocal microscopy and subcellular fractionation. We found that a considerable proportion of T-cadherin is located in the nucleus and in the centrosomes. T-cadherin colocalized with a centrosomal marker γ-tubulin uniformly throughout the cell cycle at least in human umbilical vein endothelial cells. In the telophase, T-cadherin transiently concentrated in the midbody and was apparently degraded. Its overexpression resulted in an increase in the number of multinuclear cells, whereas its downregulation by small interfering RNA led to an increase in the number of cells with multiple centrosomes. These findings indicate that deregulation of T-cadherin in endothelial cells may lead to disturbances in cytokinesis or centrosomal replication.
Dissociation between reflex sympathetic and forearm vascular responses to lower body negative pressure in heart failure patients with coronary artery disease
Authors: Notarius Catherine F. , Morris Beverley L. , Floras John S.
Published: September 2009

Many heart failure (HF) patients exhibit paradoxical forearm vasodilation when central blood volume is reduced by lower body negative pressure (LBNP). We tested the hypothesis that this response results from reflex sympathetic withdrawal. We recorded simultaneously forearm blood flow, muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA), and plasma norepinephrine (PNE) during four random applications of LBNP, −5, −10, −20, and −40 mmHg, in 12 men with HF (mean left ventricular ejection fraction = 24 ± 2%) and 10 healthy, normal, age-matched men (N). Compared with N, MSNA burst frequency ( P = 0.001) and PNE ( P = 0.005) were significantly higher in the HF group, both at rest and during LBNP. As anticipated in N, LBNP −40 mmHg significantly increased MSNA (+14.2 ± 2.5 bursts/min; P < 0.05) and PNE (+0.83 ± 0.22 nmol/l; P < 0.05) and decreased forearm vascular conductance (FVC) (−11.7 ± 3.2 ml·min−1·mmHg−1; P < 0.05). In the HF group, LBNP elicited similar increases in MSNA (+11.5 ± 2.0; P < 0.05) and PNE (+0.85 ± 0.12; P < 0.05), without affecting FVC significantly (−4.1 ± 2.4; P = 0.01 vs. N, interaction P = 0.03). However, within the HF group, responses were bimodal: LBNP −40 mmHg increased MSNA in all subjects ( P < 0.001), yet the six patients with nonischemic or dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) exhibited significant vasoconstriction (decrease in FVC; P = 0.001), whereas the six patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy (ICM) exhibited significant vasodilation (increase in FVC; P < 0.02 vs. DCM and N; interaction P = 0.02). Cold pressor testing increased MSNA and decreased FVC in ICM ( n = 4). Thus paradoxical forearm vasodilator responses to LBNP in HF are not mediated by reflex sympathetic withdrawal. ICM and DCM patients differ qualitatively in their vascular responses to hypotensive LBNP.
Left ventricular function of isoproterenol-induced hypertrophied rat hearts perfused with blood: mechanical work and energetics
Authors: Nakajima-Takenaka Chikako , Zhang Guo-Xing , Obata Koji , Tohne Kiyoe , Matsuyoshi Hiroko , Nagai Yukiko , Nishiyama Akira , Takaki Miyako
Published: September 2009

We investigated left ventricular (LV) mechanical work and energetics in the cross-circulated (blood-perfused) isoproterenol [Iso 1.2 mg·kg−1·day−1 for 3 days (Iso3) or 7 days (Iso7)]-induced hypertrophied rat heart preparation under isovolumic contraction-relaxation. We evaluated pressure-time curves per beat, end-systolic pressure-volume and end-diastolic pressure-volume relations, and myocardial O2 consumption per beat (V̇o2)-systolic pressure-volume area (PVA; a total mechanical energy per beat) linear relations at 240 beats/min, because Iso-induced hypertrophied hearts failed to completely relax at 300 beats/min. The LV relaxation rate at 240 beats/min in Iso-induced hypertrophied hearts was significantly slower than that in control hearts [saline 24 μl/day for 3 and 7 days (Sa)] with unchanged contraction rate. The V̇o2-intercepts (composed of basal metabolism and Ca2+ cycling energy consumption in excitation-contraction coupling) of V̇o2-PVA linear relations were unchanged associated with their unchanged slopes in Sa, Iso3, and Iso7 groups. The oxygen costs of LV contractility were also unchanged in all three groups. The amounts of expression of sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase, phospholamban (PLB), phosphorylated-Ser16 PLB, phospholemman, and Na+-K+-ATPase are significantly decreased in Iso3 and Iso7 groups, although the amount of expression of NCX1 is unchanged in all three groups. Furthermore, the marked collagen production (types I and III) was observed in Iso3 and Iso7 groups. These results suggested the possibility that lowering the heart rate was beneficial to improve mechanical work and energetics in isoproterenol-induced hypertrophied rat hearts, although LV relaxation rate was slower than in normal hearts.
Role of hypoleptinemia during cold adaptation in Brandt's voles (Lasiopodomys brandtii)
Authors: Tang Gang-Bin , Cui Jian-Guo , Wang De-Hua
Published: September 2009

Brandt's voles Lasiopodomys brandtii exhibit large increases in nonshivering thermogenesis to cope with chronic cold exposure, resulting in compensatory hyperphagia and fat mobilization. These physiological events are accompanied by a remarkable reduction in serum leptin levels. However, the role of hypoleptinemia in cold adaptation in this species is still unknown. In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that hypoleptinemia contributes to increases in food intake and brown adipose tissue (BAT) thermogenesis by modifying hypothalamic neuropeptides in cold-exposed Brandt's voles. Adult male voles were transferred to 5°C for 28 days. Accompanied by a decrease in serum leptin levels, hypothalamic agouti-related protein (AgRP) mRNA levels were significantly increased, but there were no changes in the long form of leptin receptor (Ob-Rb), suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 (SOCS3), neuropeptide Y (NPY) mRNA, proopiomelanocortin (POMC), and cocaine- and amphetamine-regulated peptide (CART) mRNA levels in the hypothalamus. When cold-exposed voles were returned to warm (23°C) for 28 days, body mass, food intake, serum leptin, and AgRP mRNA were restored to control levels. Leptin administration in cold-exposed voles decreased food intake as well as hypothalamic AgRP mRNA levels. There were no significant effects of leptin administration on hypothalamic Ob-Rb, SOCS3, NPY, POMC, CART mRNA, and uncoupling protein 1 levels under cold conditions. These results suggest that hypoleptinemia partially contributes to cold-induced hyperphagia, which might involve the elevation of hypothalamic AgRP gene expression.
Insulin-like growth factor-I and genetic effects on indexes of protein degradation in response to feed deprivation in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)
Authors: Cleveland Beth M. , Weber Gregory M. , Blemings Kenneth P. , Silverstein Jeffrey T.
Published: September 2009

This study determined the effect of genetic variation, feed deprivation, and insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) on weight loss, plasma IGF-I and growth hormone, and indexes of protein degradation in eight full-sibling families of rainbow trout. After 2 wk of feed deprivation, fish treated with IGF-I lost 16% less ( P < 0.05) wet weight than untreated fish. Feed deprivation increased growth hormone ( P < 0.05) and decreased IGF-I ( P < 0.05), but hormone levels were not altered by IGF-I. Plasma 3-methylhistidine concentrations were not affected by IGF-I but were decreased after 2 wk ( P < 0.05) and increased after 4 wk ( P < 0.05) of feed deprivation. In white muscle, transcript abundance of genes in the ubiquitin-proteasome, lysosomal, and calpain- and caspase-dependent pathways were affected by feed deprivation ( P < 0.05). IGF-I prevented the feed deprivation-induced upregulation of MAFbx (F-box) and cathepsin transcripts and reduced abundance of proteasomal mRNAs ( P < 0.05), suggesting that reduction of protein degradation via these pathways may be partially responsible for the IGF-I-induced reduction of weight loss. Family variations in gene expression, IGF-I concentrations, and weight loss during fasting suggest genetic variation in the fasting response, with considerable impact on regulation of proteolytic pathways. These data indicate that nutrient availability, IGF-I, and genetic variation affect weight loss, in part through alterations of proteolytic pathways in rainbow trout, and that regulation of genes within these pathways is coordinated in a way that supports a similar physiological response.
Cadmium affects metabolic responses to prolonged anoxia and reoxygenation in eastern oysters (Crassostrea virginica)
Authors: Kurochkin I. O. , Ivanina A. V. , Eilers S. , Downs C. A. , May L. A. , Sokolova I. M.
Published: September 2009

Benthic marine organisms such as mollusks are often exposed to periodic oxygen deficiency (due to the tidal exposure and/or seasonal expansion of the oxygen-deficient dead zones) and pollution by metals [e.g., cadmium, (Cd)]. These stressors can strongly affect mollusks' survival; however, physiological mechanisms of their combined effects are not fully understood. We studied the effects of Cd exposure on metabolic responses to prolonged anoxia and subsequent recovery in anoxia-tolerant intertidal mollusks Crassostrea virginica (eastern oysters). Anoxia led to an onset of anaerobiosis indicated by accumulation of l-alanine, acetate, and succinate. Prolonged anoxia (for 6 days) caused a decline in the maximum activity of electron transport chain and ADP-stimulated ( state 3) oxygen uptake by mitochondria (MO2), but no change in the resting ( state 4) MO2of oyster mitochondria, along with a slight but significant reduction of mitochondrial respiratory control ratio. During reoxygenation, there was a significant overshoot of mitochondrial MO2(by up to 70% above the normoxic steady-state values) in control oysters. Mild mitochondrial uncoupling during prolonged shutdown in anoxic tissues and a subsequent strong stimulation of mitochondrial flux during recovery may help to rapidly restore redox status and protect against elevated reactive oxygen species formation in oysters. Exposure to Cd inhibits anaerobic metabolism, abolishes reoxygenation-induced stimulation of mitochondrial MO2, and leads to oxidative stress (indicated by accumulation of DNA lesions) and a loss of mitochondrial capacity during postanoxic recovery. This may result in increased sensitivity to intermittent hypoxia and anoxia in Cd-exposed mollusks and will have implications for their survival in polluted estuaries and coastal zones.
Central overexpression of leptin antagonist reduces wheel running and underscores importance of endogenous leptin receptor activity in energy homeostasis
Authors: Matheny Michael , Zhang Yi , Shapiro Alexandra , Tümer Nihal , Scarpace Philip J.
Published: September 2009

We used recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV)-mediated gene delivery to overexpress a mutant of rat leptin yielding a protein that acts as a neutral leptin receptor antagonist. The long-term consequences of this overexpression on body weight homeostasis and physical activity, as assessed by voluntary wheel running (WR), were determined in F344 × Brown Norway (BN) rats. Leptin antagonist overexpression was confirmed by examination of mRNA levels in the hypothalamus. Food consumption and body weight gain were exacerbated in the antagonist group during both chow and high-fat feeding periods over the 192-day experiment. In a second experiment, a lower dose of antagonist vector was used that resulted in no change in food consumption but still increased body weight. The degree of antagonist overexpression was sufficient to partially block signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) phosphorylation due to administration of an acute submaximal dose of leptin. Rats were provided free access to running wheels for 4 days during both the chow and high-fat feeding periods. With both antagonist doses and during both chow and high-fat feeding, WR was substantially less with antagonist overexpression. In contrast, when leptin was overexpressed in the hypothalamus, WR activity was increased by greater than twofold. At death, adiposity and serum leptin levels were greater in the antagonist group. These data indicate that submaximal central leptin receptor blockade promotes obesity and diminishes WR activity. These findings underscore the critical role of unrestrained leptin receptor activity in long-term energy homeostasis and suggest that even minor disruption of leptin receptor function can promote obesity.
Interplay between Akt and p38 MAPK pathways in the regulation of renal tubular cell apoptosis associated with diabetic nephropathy
Authors: Rane Madhavi J. , Song Ye , Jin Shunying , Barati Michelle T. , Wu Rui , Kausar Hina , Tan Yi , Wang Yuehui , Zhou Guihua , Klein Jon B. , Li Xiaokun , Cai Lu
Published: September 2009

Hyperglycemia induces p38 MAPK-mediated renal proximal tubular cell (RPTC) apoptosis. The current study hypothesized that alteration of the Akt signaling pathway by hyperglycemia may contribute to p38 MAPK activation and development of diabetic nephropathy. Immunoblot analysis demonstrated a hyperglycemia-induced increase in Akt phosphorylation in diabetic kidneys at 1 mo, peaking at 3 mo, and dropping back to baseline by 6 mo. Immunohistochemical staining with anti-pAkt antisera localized Akt phosphorylation to renal tubules. Maximal p38 MAPK phosphorylation was detected concomitant with increase in terminal uridine deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL)-positive cells and caspase-3 activity in 6-mo diabetic kidneys. Exposure of cultured RPTCs to high glucose (HG; 22.5 mM) significantly increased Akt phosphorylation at 3, 6, and 9 h, and decreased thereafter. In contrast, p38 MAPK phosphorylation was detected between 9 and 48 h of HG treatment. Increased p38 MAPK activation at 24 and 48 h coincided with increased apoptosis, demonstrated by increased caspase-3 activity at 24 h and increased TUNEL-positive cells at 48 h of HG exposure. Blockade of p38 cascade with SB203850 inhibited HG-induced caspase-3 activation and TUNEL-positive cells. Overexpression of constitutively active Akt abrogated HG-induced p38 MAPK phosphorylation and RPTC apoptosis. In addition, blockade of the phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase/Akt pathway with LY294002 and silencing of Akt expression with Akt small interfering RNA induced p38 MAPK phosphorylation in the absence of HG. These results collectively suggest that downregulation of Akt activation during long-term hyperglycemia contributes to enhanced p38 MAPK activation and RPTC apoptosis. Mechanism of downregulation of Akt activation in 6-mo streptozotocin diabetic kidneys was attributed to decreased Akt-heat shock protein (Hsp) 25, Akt-p38 interaction, and decreased PTEN activity. Thus PTEN or Hsp25 could serve as potential therapeutic targets to modulate Akt activation and control p38 MAPK-mediated diabetic complications.
Noninvasive quantification of heterogeneous lung growth following extensive lung resection by high-resolution computed tomography
Authors: Yilmaz Cuneyt , Ravikumar Priya , Dane D. Merrill , Bellotto Dennis J. , Johnson Robert L. , Hsia Connie C. W.
Published: September 2009

To quantify the in vivo magnitude and distribution of regional compensatory lung growth following extensive lung resection, we performed high-resolution computed tomography at 15- and 30-cmH2O transpulmonary pressures and measured air and tissue (including microvascular blood) volumes within and among lobes in six adult male foxhounds, before and after balanced 65% lung resection (∼32% removed from each side). Each lobe was identified from lobar fissures. Intralobar gradients in air and tissue volumes were expressed along standardized x, y, z-coordinate axes. Fractional tissue volume (FTV) was calculated as the volume ratio of tissue/(tissue + air). Following resection compared with before, lobar air and tissue volumes increased 1.8- to 3.5-fold, and whole lung air and tissue volumes were 67 and 90% of normal, respectively. Lobar-specific compliance doubled post-resection, and whole lung-specific compliance normalized. These results are consistent with vigorous compensatory growth in all remaining lobes. Compared with pre-resection, post-resection interlobar heterogeneity of FTV, assessed from the coefficient of variation, decreased at submaximal inflation, but was unchanged at maximal inflation. The coefficient of variation of intralobar FTV gradients changed variably due to the patchy development of thickened pleura and alveolar septa, with elevated alveolar septal density and connective tissue content in posterior-caudal and peripheral regions of the remaining lobes; these areas likely experienced disproportional mechanical stress. We conclude that HRCT can noninvasively and quantitatively assess the magnitude and spatial distribution of compensatory lung growth. Following extensive resection, heterogeneous regional mechanical lung strain may exceed the level that could be sustained solely by existing connective tissue elements.
Cerebral blood flow during exercise: mechanisms of regulation
Authors: Ogoh Shigehiko , Ainslie Philip N.
Published: September 2009

The response of cerebral vasculature to exercise is different from other peripheral vasculature; it has a small vascular bed and is strongly regulated by cerebral autoregulation and the partial pressure of arterial carbon dioxide (PaCO2). In contrast to other organs, the traditional thinking is that total cerebral blood flow (CBF) remains relatively constant and is largely unaffected by a variety of conditions, including those imposed during exercise. Recent research, however, indicates that cerebral neuronal activity and metabolism drive an increase in CBF during exercise. Increases in exercise intensity up to ∼60% of maximal oxygen uptake produce elevations in CBF, after which CBF decreases toward baseline values because of lower PaCO2 via hyperventilation-induced cerebral vasoconstriction. This finding indicates that, during heavy exercise, CBF decreases despite the cerebral metabolic demand. In contrast, this reduced CBF during heavy exercise lowers cerebral oxygenation and therefore may act as an independent influence on central fatigue. In this review, we highlight methodological considerations relevant for the assessment of CBF and then summarize the integrative mechanisms underlying the regulation of CBF at rest and during exercise. In addition, we examine how CBF regulation during exercise is altered by exercise training, hypoxia, and aging and suggest avenues for future research.
Influence of Vagotomy on Monosynaptic Transmission at Second-Order Nucleus Tractus Solitarius Synapses
Authors: Swartz Jessica B. , Weinreich Daniel
Published: September 2009

Manipulations of vagal activity are used to treat medical pathologies, but the underlying CNS changes caused by these treatments are not well understood. Furthermore, heart and lung transplant as well as treatments for many gastrointestinal disorders result in section of the vagus nerve (vagotomy). Following unilateral vagotomy under isoflurane anesthesia of Sprague-Dawley rats, electrophysiological properties were recorded with whole cell patch techniques in horizontal brain stem slices. Vagotomy significantly reduced the median amplitude of evoked excitatory postsynaptic currents (evEPSCs; –121; n = 43) in the nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS) when compared with controls (–157 pA; n = 66; P < 0.05) but had no significant effect on the passive properties or on the average amplitude or frequency of miniature EPSCs. The degree of synaptic failure exhibited during a 50-Hz train of stimuli was used to define two separate classes of synapses: “low failure” and “high failure” (HF); failure rates <5 and ≥5%, respectively. HF synapses had significantly smaller median evEPSCs (–88 vs. –184 pA; P < 0.05). After vagotomy, the percentage of HF synapses nearly doubled to 56% ( n = 24/43) when compared with controls (30%; n = 20/66). Additionally, the overall percentage of failures after the second to fifth stimuli significantly increased by at least twofold. These results suggest that vagotomy causes a decrease in synaptic efficacy by both increasing the overall percentage of synaptic failures and shifting the population of NTS synapses toward more HF transmission. In addition, the alterations due to vagotomy are likely to be presynaptic in nature.
Surround Motion Silences Signals From Same-Direction Motion
Authors: Neri Peter , Levi Dennis
Published: September 2009

The response of motion-sensitive neurons to stimuli presented within their receptive field is often affected by stimulation in the surrounding region. These effects have perceptually relevant consequences that can be measured using behavioral techniques. We used psychophysical reverse correlation to characterize directional selectivity in human observers while they processed a local motion stimulus and studied the effect of adding an additional motion signal in the surrounding region. The surround had no effect on response gain for signals of opposite direction but selectively reduced gain for those of same direction. Surprisingly this reduction was close to 100%, effectively amounting to a gating process whereby signals of same direction were completely silenced. Our data indicate that by far the most prominent perceptual manifestation of center-surround antagonism is gain suppression by motion in the same direction without any appreciable change in directional tuning.
Relationship between Estradiol and Antioxidant Enzymes Activity of Ischemic Stroke
Authors: Sheikh Nasrin , Tavilani Heidar , Rezaie Aliakbar , Vaisi-raygani Asad , Salimi Saeedeh
Published: September 2009

Some evidence suggests the neuroprotection of estrogen provided by the antioxidant activity of this compound. The main objective of this study was to determine the level of estradiol and its correlation with the activity of antioxidant enzymes, total antioxidant status and ferritin from ischemic stroke subjects. The study population consisted of 30 patients with acute ischemic stroke and 30 controls. There was no significant difference between estradiol in stroke and control group. The activity of superoxide dismutase and level of ferritin was higher in stroke compared with control group (P < .05, P < .001, resp.). There was no significant correlation between estradiol and glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase, catalase, total antioxidant status, and ferritin in stroke and control groups. We observed inverse correlation between estradiol with superoxide dismutase in males of stroke patients (r = −0.54, P = .029). Our results supported that endogenous estradiol of elderly men and women of stroke or control group has no antioxidant activity.
Stalking the Everted Telencephalon: Comparisons of Forebrain Organization in Basal Ray-Finned Fishes and Teleosts
Authors: Braford, Jr. Mark R.
Published: September 2009

Compared to land vertebrates and the other fishes, the basal ray-finned fishes and teleosts have morphologically unusual forebrains. The telencephalic pallium is everted, and its diencephalic inputs arise largely – not from what is clearly the dorsal thalamus but rather – from an enigmatic group of migrated nuclei of the basal diencephalon. The subpallia exhibit much less variation than the pallia. The polypteriforms have a long, thin pallial sheet that can be divided into four zones which recent data suggest could correspond to the ventral, lateral, dorsal, and medial pallia of tetrapods, with some caveats. In sturgeons and gars, the pallium is thicker and divisible into three or four zones. The data available for sturgeons and gars are not sufficient for the formulation of more than a barely working hypothesis, although a review of the existing literature has illuminated some basic unresolved issues in these taxa. The voluminous literature on the pallium of teleosts is briefly summarized. The thickened pallium is divided into four zones which are compared with those of the polypteriforms and those of the tetrapods. The topographical position of the primary olfactory target in the pallium is lateral, which is unexpected in an everted pallium. Several recent hypotheses have sought to explain this organization: partial eversion, caudolateral eversion and displacement, simple eversion with changed olfactory connections, and not quite so simple an eversion with preserved topology. These hypotheses are evaluated and some persisting problems are enumerated.
The Structural Organization of the Forebrain: A Commentary on the Papers Presented at the 20th Annual Karger Workshop ‘Forebrain Evolution in Fishes’
Authors: Nieuwenhuys Rudolf
Published: September 2009

During the 2008 Karger Workshop considerable progress was made towards defining a model or structural plan, valid for the prosencephalon of all vertebrates. The presentations demonstrated that the following features, which are valid for tetrapods, also hold true for most groups of fish: (1) The diencephalon proper is clearly composed of three neuromeres, p1–p3; (2) in the pallium four, rather than three, fundamental longitudinal zones can be distinguished; (3) during ontogenesis, numerous GABA-ergic elements migrate tangentially from the subpallium to the pallium.
Severe Phenotype in a Girl with Partial Tetrasomy 7, Karyotype 46,XX,trp(7)(q35q36)
Authors: Lehnen H. , Maiwald R. , Neyzen S. , Kohlhase J. , Böhm D. , Ritterbach J. , Behrend C. , Schwennicke G.
Published: September 2009

On prenatal ultrasonography, polyhydramnion, internal hydrocephalus, hypoplasia of the corpus callosum, and dysmorphic features were detected in a fetus of a 22-year-old mother. Subsequent karyotyping of amniocytes revealed supernumerary material in distal 7q. The baby was delivered after 38+4 weeks of gestation, and postnatal array CGH analysis showed a triplication of 7q35→q36, resulting in partial tetrasomy. The triplication was not distinguishable from a duplication by conventional and molecular cytogenetic methods, but was clearly identified by array CGH analysis. The phenotype was rather severe with limited cardiac contractility and subsequent respiratory problems, as well as progressive neurologic deterioration and several dysmorphic features. Triplications in general are rare, and this case is the first report of a microscopically visible triplication in 7q. Duplication patients of the same chromosomal segment also showed a severe phenotype, however, in our opinion there are no common features suggesting a clinically recognizable distal 7q duplication/triplication syndrome.
Isolation of Cysteine Protease in the Crude Mite Extract, Dermatophagoides farinae
Authors: Ando Tohru , Ino Yoshitaka , Haida Michiko , Honma Reiko , Maeda Hidenori , Yamakawa Hiroshi , Iwaki Masahiro , Okudaira Hirokazu
Published: September 2009

In order to study the relationship between cysteine protease and Der f l, which is one of the major allergens in the mite, Dermatophagoides farinae, isolation of cysteine protease was attempted using various column chromatographies. Both the potent cysteine protease activity and the allergenic activity were detected in the same fractions by anion exchange chromatography on a DEAE-Sephacel, gel chromatographies and chelating Sepharose 6B chromatography. In the double immunodiffusion test, the finally isolated fraction and rabbit anti-Der f I sera reacted to give a single precipitation line which fused completely with the precipitation line formed by Der f l and anti-Der f l sera. Sequence analysis for the first 10 N-terminal amino acids from cysteine protease and Der f l were identical. These results strongly suggest that cysteine protease of mites may be Der f l allergen and that measuring cysteine protease activity may possibly become a beneficial method for detecting Der f I allergens.
Isolation and Characterization of a Major Allergen from Oriental Mustard Seeds, Bra jI
Authors: Gonzalez de la Peña Manuel A. , Menéndez-Arias Luis , Monsalve Rafael I. , Rodríguez Rosalía
Published: September 2009

A 2 S albumin from oriental mustard (Brassica juncea) seeds has been isolated and characterized as an allergen. This protein, Bra j I, was recognized by human IgE from mustard-sensitive individuals, as proved by using two different enzyme immunoassays. Bra j I was found to be closely related to Sin a I, the major allergen from yellow mustard seeds. Many fractions with molecular weights ranging from 16,000 to 16,400 and with differences in charge were separated by ion-exchange chromatography. They exhibited small but significant amino acid composition differences for Glx, Val, He, Lys, and Arg contents. The heterogeneity of Bra j I can be explained by size and charge differences of its heavy and light chains. All of the isoallergenic forms of Bra j I gave a single precipitation band in double diffusion immunoassays when using a Sin a-I-specific rabbit polyclonal serum.
Peptide Leukotriene Involvement in Pulmonary Eosinophil Migration upon Antigen Challenge in the Actively Sensitized Guinea Pig
Authors: Foster Aidan , Chan Chi Chung
Published: September 2009

Male Dunkin Hartley guinea pigs, actively sensitized to ovalbumin (OA) and pretreated with mepyramine (1 mg/kg i.p.), were challenged with OA as an aerosol. Histological analysis of the lung for eosinophils (EOs) showed significant accumulations in the submucosa of the airways (8 h: 1,477.3 ± 43 EOs/mm2 airway, n = 3, p < 0.01), after antigen challenge compared to saline control (478.6 ± 104 EOs/mm2 airway, n = 4). Pretreatment with both mepyramine and cimetidine (10 mg/kg i.p.) did not affect this response. Aerosolization of OA to unsensitized guinea pigs resulted in no significant accumulation of EOs (360.2 ± 49 EOs/mm2 airway, n = 4) when compared with the saline-challenged sensitized control group. Pretreatment with the leukotriene (LT)D4 receptor antagonist MK-571 (1 mg/kg p.o.) significantly inhibited the OA-induced EO migration (95 ± 5% inhibition, n = 5, p < 0.01) compared to vehicle in the presence of mepyramine and cimetidine, while indomethacin (3 mg/kg p.o., n = 4) had no effect. Aerosolization of synthetic LTC4 (0.3–30 μg/ml) resulted in a dose-dependent migration of EOs into the submucosal layer over 8 h, reaching significance at the 10-μg/ml dose, with comparable results obtained with LTD4. Pretreatment of animals with MK-571 (1 mg/kg p.o.) before LTC4 and LTD4 aerosol results in inhibition of the response in both cases, suggesting that this effect may be mediated through the LTD4 receptor. We conclude that peptide LTs produce eosinophilia in the airways of the guinea pig.
Extracellular Phospholipase A2 and Histamine Release from Rat Peritoneal Mast Cells
Authors: Nagai Hiroichi , Sakamoto Tatsuo , Kondo Masaki , Miura Toru , Inagaki Naoki , Koda Akihide
Published: September 2009

Phospholipase A2 (PLA2) from cobra (Naja naja) venom and PLA2 from porcine pancreas accelerated IgE antibody-mediated histamine release from rat peritoneal mast cells. These enhancements were clearly abrogated by heating the enzymes and pretreatment with parabromophenacyl bromide, mepacrine and anti-flammin. Indomethacin (cyclooxygenase inhibitor) and AA-861 (lipoxygenase inhibitor) did not affect the enhancement by PLA2. These results indicate that extracellular PLA2 enhances the IgE antibody-mediated histamine release from rat peritoneal mast cells without the participation of arachidonate.
Surgical Latex Glove Allergy: Characterization of Rubber Protein Allergens by Immunoblotting
Authors: Alenius Harri , Turjanmaa Kristiina , Palosuo Timo , Mäkinen-Kiljunen Soili , Reunala Timo
Published: September 2009

Immunoblot analysis employing IgE antibodies derived from sera of 3 physicians and 2 nurses allergic to surgical latex gloves, disclosed 10 allergens in natural rubber sap. Nine of the 10 allergens were detected in ammoniated natural rubber latex, but only 4 allergens in a latex glove extract. The allergenic proteins had apparent molecular weights ranging from 14 to 70 kD. Allergens with molecular weights of 14 and 21 kD showed the most intense immunoblot reactions suggesting that these proteins could be the major allergens in the natural rubber. An 11-kD protein and a 26-kD protein were only seen in the glove extract, indicating that they could be modified rubber proteins formed during glove manufacture.
Surgical Treatment of Tuberculous Paraparesis in the Third Trimester: A Report of Two Cases and Review of the Literature
Authors: Loughenbury Peter , Pavlou George , Dunsmuir Robert
Published: September 2009

Background: Tuberculous paraplegia as a consequence of spinal infiltration in pregnancy is reported to be rare. Analysis of the current literature produces few case studies that report successful outcomes. Delay in diagnosis and treatment may ultimately result in an irreversible neurological deficit. The potential implications of progression are paraplegia and a significant associated morbidity to the fetus if delivered premature. Methods: Two cases of spinal tuberculosis in pregnancy are reported with description of clinical presentation, neuroradiographic findings and treatment. Results: Both patients made good recoveries after undergoing cesarean section followed by urgent spinal cord decompression and fixation for progression of neurology. On review at 2 years, neither patient had any permanent neurological deficit. Both children suffered no deleterious effects from treatment of the mothers. Conclusions: A treatment strategy to successfully treat this group of patients is recommended. Although there is a place for both chemotherapeutic and surgical intervention in the treatment of spinal tuberculosis, the authors suggest initiation of treatment with chemotherapy and close neurological monitoring of the patient, unless deterioration in neurological status mandates surgery. Furthermore, the use of steroids for fetal maturation should be used with caution.
Evaluation of Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer with Optic Nerve Tracking Optical Coherence Tomography in Thyroid-Associated Orbitopathy
Authors: Forte Raimondo , Bonavolontà Paola , Vassallo Patrizia
Published: September 2009

Aims: To evaluate retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness in eyes with Graves’ orbitopathy (GO), in eyes with ocular hypertension (OHT) and in a control group of healthy eyes. Methods: Observational, controlled cross-sectional study. We evaluated all patients with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) and all patients with GO and intraocular pressure >23 mm Hg in primary position examined from March 2006 to June 2007. Forty apparently healthy patients (80 eyes) were enrolled as a control group. Complete ophthalmic evaluation, visual field (VF) examination with the Humphrey Visual Field Analyzer and RNFL thickness measurement with optic nerve tracking optical coherence tomography (ONT-OCT; OCT/SLO, OTI, Toronto, Ont., Canada) were performed. Results: Among 116 eyes with POAG [58 patients, 32 males, 26 females, mean age 62 (46–71) years], RNFL was reduced in 87 eyes (75%, p = 0.05) when compared with the control group, and a good correlation was found between RNFL thickness and VF abnormalities (Spearman’s ρ 0.822; p = 0.001). Among 60 eyes [30 patients, 12 males, 18 females, mean age 56 (50–69) years] with GO and OHT, nonglaucomatous diffuse abnormalities of the VF were detected in 44 eyes (73.3%, p = 0.03), while RNFL thinning was present in 14 eyes (9 patients, 23.3%, p = 0.03). No correlation was found between RNFL thickness and VF abnormalities (Spearman’s ρ 0.365; p = 0.02). No significant differences in RNFL pattern were present between the group with GO, OHT and RNFL thinning and the group with POAG. Conclusions: In patients with GO and OHT, evaluation of RNFL thickness with ONT-OCT may represent an objective diagnostic technique for detecting optic neuropathy.
Clinical Assessment of Tacrolimus Therapy in Lupus Nephritis: One-Year Follow-Up Study in a Single Center
Authors: Asamiya Yukari , Uchida Keiko , Otsubo Shigeru , Takei Takashi , Nitta Kosaku
Published: September 2009

Background/Aims: The purpose of this study was to examine whether tacrolimus is effective and safe, and to determine the optimal dose of tacrolimus for maintenance treatment in patients with lupus nephritis (LN). Methods: A total of 17 adult patients (1 man and 16 women) with LN were enrolled. Tacrolimus was initiated at a dose of 3 mg/day which was administered once per day after the evening meal. Prospective data on renal response and serologic lupus activity were collected and followed for a year. Results: Mean age at baseline was 48.8 ± 12.6 years (range 31–72 years). The mean urinary protein/creatinine ratio significantly decreased from 1.14 ± 1.74 at baseline to 0.23 ± 0.47 at 1 year (p < 0.05). Mean serum C3 significantly increased from 73.0 ± 12.3 mg/dl at baseline to 84.7 ± 12.2 mg/dl at 1 year (p < 0.01). Mean serum creatinine levels were unchanged after tacrolimus treatment. The mean blood concentration of tacrolimus was 3.9 ± 2.1 ng/ml. There was no relationship between the incidence of adverse effects and blood tacrolimus level. Conclusion: Our results suggest tacrolimus to be potentially effective and safe for maintenance treatment in patients with LN.
CNGA2 Contributes to ATP-Induced Noncapacitative Ca2+ Influx in Vascular Endothelial Cells
Authors: Kwan Hiu-Yee , Cheng Kwong-Tai , Ma Yan , Huang Yu , Tang Nelson L. , Yu Shan , Yao Xiaoqiang
Published: September 2009

Background/Aims: ATP can activate several Ca2+ influx channels in vascular endothelial cells. For example, it stimulates TRPC channels via capacitative and noncapacitative Ca2+ entry (CCE and non-CCE, respectively) mechanisms; it also directly acts on P2X purinoceptors, resulting in Ca2+ influx. In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that cyclic nucleotide-gated (CNG) channels also contribute to ATP-induced non-CCE. Methods: Two selective inhibitors of CNG channels, L-cis-diltiazem and LY-83583, and CNGA2-specific siRNA were used to study the involvement of CNGA2 in ATP-induced non-CCE in endothelial cells. Ca2+ influx was studied using Ca2+-sensitive fluorescence dyes Fluo-3 and Fluo-4. Results/Conclusion:L-cis-diltiazem and LY-83583 markedly reduced ATP-induced non-CCE in 3 types of endothelial cells including the H5V endothelial cell line, the primary cultured bovine aortic endothelial cells and the endothelial cells within isolated mouse aortic strips. The CNGA2-specific siRNA also reduced the ATP-induced non-CCE in H5V endothelial cells. The Ca2+ influx was inhibited by Rp-8-CPT-cAMPS, MDL-12330A, SQ-22536 and MRS-2179, but not by ODQ or NF-157. Taken together, the present study demonstrated that CNGA2 channels contribute to ATP-induced non-CCE in vascular endothelial cells. It is likely that ATP acts through P2Y1 receptors and adenylyl cyclases to stimulate CNGA2.