bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cytokine profile of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid in patients with combined pulmonary fibrosis and emphysema
Authors: TASAKA SADATOMO , MIZOGUCHI KOSUKE , FUNATSU YOHEI , NAMKOONG HO , YAMASAWA WAKAKO , ISHII MAKOTO , HASEGAWA NAOKI , BETSUYAKU TOMOKO
Published: April 2012

Background and objective:  Combined pulmonary fibrosis and emphysema (CPFE) is characterized by upper lobe emphysema together with lower lobe fibrosis. The aim of this study was to examine whether cytokine levels in the alveolar space are associated with emphysematous changes superimposed on pulmonary fibrosis.

Methods:  Consecutive patients (n = 102), diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis were retrospectively evaluated. Cytokine levels and differential cell counts in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid, pulmonary function, computed tomography (CT) scores and levels of serum markers were compared between patients with or without emphysema.

Results:  Among the 102 patients (14 females, mean age 68 years), 38 (37%) had evidence of upper lobe emphysema on computed tomography (CT). Levels of epithelial neutrophil activating peptide 78 (ENA‐78/CXCL5) and interleukin (IL)‐8/CXCL8 in BAL fluid were significantly higher in patients with emphysema. Vital capacity (VC, % predicted) was greater, and ratio of forced expiratory volume in 1 s/forced vital capacity and diffusing capacity of carbon monoxide (DLCO)/alveolar volume (VA) were lower in patients with emphysema. CXCL8 and CXCL5 levels were associated with percentage or absolute numbers of neutrophils in BAL fluid. In addition, CXCL8 levels were inversely correlated with VC and DLCO/VA, and positively correlated with composite physiological index (CPI) and the extent of areas of low attenuation on CT.

Conclusions:  Increased CXC chemokine levels in the airspaces may be associated with emphysematous lung changes in patients with pulmonary fibrosis.
Vegetative and reproductive phenology of the mangrove Kandelia obovata
Authors: KAMRUZZAMAN MD. , SHARMA SAHADEV , HAGIHARA AKIO
Published: April 2012

Mangroves in the subtropical area of Japan are growing to their northern limits, yet little is known of their phenology. The aim of the present study was to understand both vegetative and reproductive phenology patterns, such as leaf emergence, leaf fall, bud setting, flowering, fruiting and propagule setting, in the mangrove Kandelia obovata. The phenology of this species was assessed using litter‐fall data for 5 years. Leaf and stipule litter‐falls continued with a clear monthly pattern throughout the years. New leaf production and leaf fall peaked in summer, immediately after the propagules fell. Leaf and stipule litter‐falls were linked to monthly sunshine hour, and monthly mean air temperature and monthly mean air relative humidity, respectively. Kandelia obovata had a distinct flowering period, with the flowering phenophase starting in spring and continuing into summer. Fruit initiation started at the end of summer and continued into autumn, whereas propagule production occurred during winter and spring. Flowering of K. obovata was influenced by monthly sunshine hour and monthly mean air temperature, whereas fruit and propagule litter‐falls were not linked to any climatic factors. The present results showed that a small portion (4.4%) of flowers developed into propagules. The average development period from flower buds to mature propagules was approximately 11 months. Kendall's consistency coefficient suggested that the monthly trends in vegetative and reproductive litter‐fall components, except for branches, did not change significantly among years.
Distribution, dispersal and spread of the invasive social wasp (Vespula germanica) in Argentina
Authors: MASCIOCCHI MAITÉ , CORLEY JUAN
Published: April 2012

We studied the distribution and spread of the invasive social waspVespula germanicain Argentina, focusing on the contribution of queen dispersal to territorial expansion.Vespula germanicais native to Eurasia and has invaded several regions of the world, including Southern Argentina. Flight potential of field‐collected queens was measured using flight mills. Also, by means of an extensive survey we estimated the rate of spread by analysing the relationship between years since arrival and distance from the introduction locality. The mean distance flown by wasp queens in flight mills was 404.7 ± 140.8 m (mean ± SE,n = 59), while the rate of spread ofV. germanicawas estimated at 37.2 ± 2.1 km year−1(mean ± SE,n = 67), although faster towards the south. The observed spread rate ofV. germanicawasps in Argentina confirms the invasive potential shown by several Hymenoptera species worldwide. Still, a stratified geographical expansion pattern does not match observed queen dispersal abilities, suggesting that human‐aided transport of hibernating queens is the central driver of the current distribution of these wasps. We suggest that despite several life‐history traits known for social insects that contribute to successful invasion, wasp spread must still rely strongly on human mediated pathways. This observation sheds light on those factors that are crucial for managing invasions of this and related pestiferous wasps.
Forest‐fire regimes affect thermoregulatory opportunities for terrestrial ectotherms
Authors: ELZER AMANDA L. , PIKE DAVID A. , WEBB JONATHAN K. , HAMMILL KATE , BRADSTOCK ROSS A. , SHINE RICHARD
Published: April 2012

Fire‐induced changes in canopy openness may affect sunlight penetration to the forest floor, and thus the operative temperatures available to terrestrial ectotherms. We examined thermal regimes for two types of ectotherms: diurnally active species that utilize sun‐exposed patches to regulate their body temperatures, and nocturnally active species that depend upon solar radiation striking the rocks under which they shelter. We measured canopy openness, shrub height, radiation transmission and operative environmental temperatures in the open and inside reptile retreat‐sites, at 24 study sites in eucalypt forests in two regions (Gosford and Yengo) in south‐eastern Australia. All sites were last burnt in 2000–2001, but had experienced different fire frequencies (1–4 fires over the previous 37 years). In Gosford, higher fire frequencies reduced canopy openness and radiation transmission at ground and shrub level, and thus reduced environmental temperatures and the thermal quality of reptile habitats. Our modelling based on thermal preferenda of an endangered snake species (the broad‐headed snake Hoplocephalus bungaroides) suggests that increased fire frequency at Gosford halved the amount of time an animal could spend within its preferred (set‐point) range, regardless of whether it thermoregulated beneath rocks or basked out in the open. At Yengo, however, fire frequency did not affect the thermal quality of reptile habitats. Thus, the effects of fire frequency on forest structure and the thermal environment at ground level differed between adjacent areas, and relatively small changes in canopy openness translated into major effects on thermoregulatory opportunities for reptiles. Although fire is a useful management tool for creating open habitats, we need to understand more about the effects of fire frequency on vegetation structure and thermal environment before we can use fire to manage habitats for reptiles.
Activation of spinal TDAG8 and its downstream PKA signaling pathway contribute to bone cancer pain in rats
Authors: Hang Li‐Hua , Yang Jian‐Ping , Yin Wei , Wang Li‐Na , Guo Feng , Ji Fu‐Hai , Shao Dong‐Hua , Xu Qi‐Nian , Wang Xiu‐Yun , Zuo Jian‐Ling
Published: April 2012

Bone cancer pain is difficult to treat and has a strong impact on the quality of life of patients. Few therapies have emerged because the molecular mechanisms underlying bone cancer pain are poorly understood. Recently, T‐cell death‐associated gene 8 (TDAG8) has been shown to participate in complete Freund’s adjuvant‐induced chronic inflammatory pain. In this study, we aimed to examine whether TDAG8 and its downstream protein kinase A (PKA) pathway are involved in bone cancer pain. A bone cancer pain model was made by inoculation of Walker 256 cells into the intramedullary space of rat tibia. Spinal TDAG8 expression was increased after inoculation with tumor cells. Intrathecal TDAG8 siRNA attenuated bone cancer pain behaviors during the initiation and maintenance phases; there were also concomitant decreases in TDAG8 mRNA and protein levels in spinal cord. Moreover, we found spinal PKA and phosphorylated cAMP response element‐binding (pCREB) protein levels were up‐regulated in the rat model of bone cancer pain. Knockdown of TDAG8 resulted in reduced bone cancer pain‐induced spinal PKA and pCREB protein expression in two procedures. Furthermore, intrathecal H‐89 (a PKA inhibitor) significantly attenuated bone cancer pain behaviors in rats. Our results suggest a causal relationship between TDAG8 expression and the initiation and maintenance of bone cancer pain. Activation of spinal TDAG8 contributes to bone cancer pain through the PKA signaling pathway in rats. These findings may lead to novel strategies for the treatment of bone cancer pain.
Staphylococcusprevails in the skin microbiota of long‐term immunodeficient mice
Authors: Garcia‐Garcerà Marc , Coscollà Mireia , Garcia‐Etxebarria Koldo , Martín‐Caballero Juan , González‐Candelas Fernando , Latorre Amparo , Calafell Francesc
Published: April 2012

Host–commensal relationships in the skin are a complex system governed by variables related to the host, the bacteria and the environment. A disruption of this system may lead to new steady states, which, in turn, may lead to disease. We have studied one such disruption by characterizing the skin microbiota in healthy and immunodepressed (ID) mice. A detailed anatomopathological study failed to reveal any difference between the skin of healthy and ID mice. We sequenced the 16S rDNA V1‐V2 gene region to saturation in 10 healthy and 10 ID 8 week‐old mice, and found than all of the healthy and two of the ID mice had bacterial communities that were similar in composition to that of human skin, although, presumably because of the uniform raising conditions, less interindividual variation was found in mice. However, eight ID mice showed microbiota dominated byStaphylococcus epidermidis.Quantitative PCR amplification of 16S rDNA gene and of theStaphylococcus‐specific TstaG region confirmed the previous results and indicated that the quantitative levels ofStaphylococcuswere similar in both groups while the total number of 16S copies was greater in the healthy mice. Thus, it is possible that, under long‐term immunodeficiency, which removes the acquired but not the native immune system,S. epidermidismay inhibit the growth of other bacteria but does not cause a pathogenic state.
The cost of treating substance use disorders: individual versus family therapy
Authors: Morgan Triston B. , Crane D. Russell , Moore Adam M. , Eggett Dennis L.
Published: April 2012

This study examined the cost of substance use disorders treatment in a large healthcare organization. A survival analysis demonstrated that family therapy utilised the least number of sessions (M = 2.41) when treating substance use disorders followed by individual therapy (M = 3.38) and mixed therapy (M = 6.40). Family therapy was the least costly of the three types, at $124.55 per episode of care for a client, with individual therapy costing $170.22 and mixed therapy $319.55. The ratio of family therapists utilising family therapy was more than three to one compared to other licensed professionals. The percentages of clients coming back for more than one episode of care are fewest for family therapy (8.9%) followed by mixed therapy (9.5%) and individual therapy (12.0%).
Part‐time Work as Practising Resistance: The Power of Counter‐arguments
Authors: Nentwich Julia , Hoyer Patrizia
Published: April 2012

Contributing to a Foucauldian perspective on ‘discursive resistance’, this paper theorizes how part‐time workers struggle to construct a valid position in the rhetorical interplay between norm‐strengthening arguments and norm‐contesting counter‐arguments. It is thereby suggested that both the reproductive and the subversive forces of resistance may very well coexist within the everyday manoeuvres of world‐making. The analysis of these rhetorical interplays in 21 interviews shows how arguments and counter‐arguments produce full‐time work as the dominant discourse versus part‐time work as a legitimate alternative to it. Analysing in detail the effects of four rhetorical interplays, this study shows that, while two of them leave unchallenged the basic assumptions of the dominant full‐time discourse and hence tend instead to reify the dominant discourse, two other interplays succeed in contesting the dominant discourse and establishing part‐time work as a valid alternative. The authors argue that the two competing dynamics of challenging and reifying the dominant are not mutually exclusive, but do in fact coexist.
Risk Aversion and Trade‐Union Membership*
Authors: Goerke Laszlo , Pannenberg Markus
Published: April 2012

If trade unions provide only their members with insurance against income variations, as a private good, this insurance will provide a stronger incentive for more risk‐averse employees to become union members. Using data from the German Socio‐Economic Panel (SOEP) and various direct measures of individual risk attitudes, we find robust evidence of a positive relationship between risk aversion and the likelihood of union membership for full‐time employees. This association is particularly strong for males and in West Germany.
Smooth Principal Components for Investigating Changes in Covariances Over Time
Authors: Miller Claire , Bowman Adrian
Published: April 2012

The complex interrelated nature of multivariate systems can result in relationships and covariance structures that change over time. Smooth principal components analysis is proposed as a means of investigating whether and how the covariance structure of multiple response variables changes over time, after removing a smooth function for the mean, and this is motivated and illustrated by using data from an aircraft technology study and a lake ecosystem. Inferential procedures are investigated in the cases of independent and dependent errors, with a bootstrapping procedure proposed to detect changes in the direction or variance of components.
NO APICAL MERISTEM (MtNAM) regulates floral organ identity and lateral organ separation in Medicago truncatula
Authors: Cheng Xiaofei , Peng Jianling , Ma Junying , Tang Yuhong , Chen Rujin , Mysore Kirankumar S. , Wen Jiangqi
Published: April 2012

The CUP‐SHAPED COTYLEDON (CUC)/NO APICAL MERISTEM (NAM) family of genes control boundary formation and lateral organ separation, which is critical for proper leaf and flower patterning. However, most downstream targets of CUC/NAM genes remain unclear.

In a forward screen of the tobacco retrotransposon1 (Tnt1) insertion population in Medicago truncatula, we isolated a weak allele of the no‐apical‐meristem mutant mtnam‐2. Meanwhile, we regenerated a mature plant from the null allele mtnam‐1. These materials allowed us to extensively characterize the function of MtNAM and its downstream genes.

MtNAM is highly expressed in vegetative shoot buds and inflorescence apices, specifically at boundaries between the shoot apical meristem and leaf/flower primordia. Mature plants of the regenerated null allele and the weak allele display remarkable floral phenotypes: floral whorls and organ numbers are reduced and the floral organ identity is compromised. Microarray and quantitative RT‐PCR analyses revealed that all classes of floral homeotic genes are down‐regulated in mtnam mutants. Mutations in MtNAM also lead to fused cotyledons and leaflets of the compound leaf as well as a defective shoot apical meristem.

Our results revealed that MtNAM shares the role of CUC/NAM family genes in lateral organ separation and compound leaf development, and is also required for floral organ identity and development.
Weight gain after childhood traumatic brain injury
Authors: BARLOW KAREN
Published: April 2012

This commentary is on the original article by Jourdan et al. on pages 624‐628 of this issue
Breast cancer metastasising to the pelvis and abdomen: what the gynaecologist needs to know
Authors: Moore EK , Roylance R , Rosenthal AN
Published: April 2012

Please cite this paper as: Moore EK, Roylance R, Rosenthal AN. Breast cancer metastasising to the pelvis and abdomen: what the gynaecologist needs to know. BJOG 2012;119:788–794.

A small proportion of breast cancers metastasise within the peritoneal cavity. With increasing breast cancer incidence rates, gynaecologists and oncologists will encounter such women more frequently. Most women with intraperitoneal breast cancer are premenopausal. Although data are limited and are likely to be subject to selection bias, the median survival of women undergoing resection appears superior to those not undergoing surgery. Furthermore, survival is broadly similar to that for women undergoing advanced ovarian cancer surgery, particularly when tumour debulking is optimal. Obtaining data via randomised trials is unlikely to be feasible and therefore we recommend prospective data collection via the establishment of an international intraperitoneal breast cancer patient registry. For individual women where survival is anticipated to be more than a few months, we suggest considering referral to a gynaecological oncology team for discussion of surgical options.
sAPPα rescues deficits in amyloid precursor protein knockout mice following focal traumatic brain injury
Authors: Corrigan Frances , Vink Robert , Blumbergs Peter C. , Masters Colin L. , Cappai Roberto , van den Heuvel Corinna
Published: April 2012

J. Neurochem. (2012) 122, 208–220.

The amyloid precursor protein (APP) is thought to be neuroprotective following traumatic brain injury (TBI), although definitive evidence at moderate to severe levels of injury is lacking. In the current study, we investigated histological and functional outcomes in APP−/− mice compared with APP+/+ mice following a moderate focal injury, and whether administration of sAPPα restored the outcomes in knockout animals back to the wildtype state. Following moderate controlled cortical impact injury, APP−/− mice demonstrated greater impairment in motor and cognitive outcome as determined by the ledged beam and Barnes Maze tests respectively (p < 0.05). This corresponded with the degree of neuronal damage, with APP−/− mice having significantly greater lesion volume (25.0 ± 1.6 vs. 20.3 ± 1.6%, p < 0.01) and hippocampal damage, with less remaining CA neurons (839 ± 245 vs. 1353 ± 142 and 1401 ± 263). This was also associated with an impaired neuroreparative response, with decreased GAP‐43 immunoreactivity within the cortex around the lesion edge compared with APP+/+ mice. The deficits observed in the APP−/− mice related to a lack of sAPPα, as treatment with exogenously added sAPPα post‐injury improved APP−/− mice histological and functional outcome to the point that they were no longer significantly different to APP+/+ mice (p < 0.05). This study shows that endogenous APP is potentially protective at moderate levels of TBI, and that this neuroprotective activity is related to the presence of sAPPα. Importantly, it indicates that the mechanism of action of exogenously added sAPPα is independent of the presence of endogenous APP.
Partner relationships and long‐term sick leave among female workers: consequences and impact on dimensions of health and return to work
Authors: Dellve Lotta , Ahlborg Tone
Published: April 2012

Few efforts have been made to prospectively identify resources and obstacles outside work that may predict regained work ability and return to work when workers are on sick leave. This study investigates the association between partner relationships and sick leave. Our research questions were as follows: (i) What is the influence of sick leave, pain, stress and domestic strain on the quality of the dyadic partner relationship?, and (ii) What is the influence of the partner and social relationship on pain, stress, work ability, self‐rated health and return to work? A cohort of female workers (n = 225) on long‐term sick leave (>60 days), all in a partner relationship, at 6‐month intervals completed a questionnaire based on the Quality of Dyadic Relationship (QDR) instrument, the Interview Schedule of Social Interaction (ISSI), the Work Ability Index (WAI) and the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ). Univariate and multivariate analyses of baseline and prospective data were performed. The results showed that decreased partner relationship quality was related to having major responsibility for household work despite being on sick leave, having pain and having decreased social integration. Among younger individuals on sick leave, a reduction in the quality of the partner relationship was shown already at the first (6‐month) follow‐up, while among middle‐aged women, such a reduction was seen only at the 12‐month follow‐up. No dimensions of partner relationship quality at baseline were related to dimensions of return to work, either as a resource or as an obstacle. Consequently, our results show that a good relationship does not keep the woman from returning to work. Having main responsibility for household work, which implies domestic strain while on sick leave, predicts lower partner relationship quality. The practical implications are that healthcare professionals treating women on sick leave should emphasize the importance of keeping a social network as well as making sufficient adjustments at home for the relationship quality to be safeguarded. Special attention should be given to the young woman on sick leave as being on sick leave seems to influence her partner relationship considerably.
US IRBS CONFRONTING RESEARCH IN THE DEVELOPING WORLD
Authors: KLITZMAN ROBERT L.
Published: April 2012

Increasingly, US‐sponsored research is carried out in developing countries, but how US Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) approach the challenges they then face is unclear.

METHODS:  I conducted in‐depth interviews of about 2 hours each, with 46 IRB chairs, directors, administrators and members. I contacted the leadership of 60 IRBs in the United States (US) (every fourth one in the list of the top 240 institutions by National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding), and interviewed IRB leaders from 34 (55%).

RESULTS:  US IRBs face ethical and logistical challenges in interpreting and applying principles and regulations in developing countries, given economic and health disparities, and limited contextual knowledge. These IRBs perceive wide variations in developing world IRBs/RECs' quality, resources and training; and health systems in some countries may have long‐standing practices of corruption. These US IRBs often know little of local contexts, regulations and standards of care, and struggle with understandings of other cultures' differing views of autonomy, and risks and benefits of daily life. US IRBs thus face difficult decisions, including how to interpret principles, how much to pay subjects and how much sustainability to require from researchers. IRB responses and solutions include trying to maintain higher standards for developing world research, obtain cultural expertise, build IRB infrastructure abroad, communicate with foreign IRBs, and ‘negotiate’ for maximum benefits for participants and fearing ‘worst‐case scenarios’.

CONCLUSIONS:  US and foreign IRBs confront a series of tensions and dilemmas in reviewing developing world research. These data have important implications for increased education of IRBs/RECs and researchers in the US and abroad, and for research and practice.
The oxidative DNA lesions 8,5′‐cyclopurines accumulate with aging in a tissue‐specific manner
Authors: Wang Jin , Clauson Cheryl L. , Robbins Paul D. , Niedernhofer Laura J. , Wang Yinsheng
Published: April 2012

Accumulation of DNA damage is implicated in aging. This is supported by the fact that inherited defects in DNA repair can cause accelerated aging of tissues. However, clear‐cut evidence for DNA damage accumulation in old age is lacking. Numerous studies report measurement of DNA damage in nuclear and mitochondrial DNA from tissues of young and old organisms, with variable outcomes. Variability results from genetic differences between specimens or the instability of some DNA lesions. To control these variables and test the hypothesis that elderly organisms have more oxidative DNA damage than young organisms, we measured 8,5′‐cyclopurine‐2′‐deoxynucleosides (cPu), which are relatively stable, in tissues of young and old wild‐type and congenic progeroid mice. We found that cPu accumulate spontaneously in the nuclear DNA of wild‐type mice with age and to a greater extent in DNA repair–deficient progeroid mice, with a similar tissue‐specific pattern (liver > kidney > brain). These data, generated under conditions where genetic and environmental variables are controlled, provide strong evidence that DNA repair mechanisms are inadequate to clear endogenous lesions over the lifespan of mammals. The similar, although exaggerated, results obtained from progeroid, DNA repair–deficient mice and old normal mice support the conclusion that DNA damage accumulates with, and likely contributes to, aging.
The ‘missing middle’: class and urban governance in Delhi’s unauthorised colonies
Authors: Lemanski Charlotte , Tawa Lama‐Rewal Stéphanie
Published: April 2012

This research critically engages with existing theories of class and urban governance, and is empirically located in Delhi, India. The paper argues that existing theories of urban participatory governance in the global South, which polarise urban citizens and their mobilisation strategies into the elite, typically understood as guilty of ‘capturing’ participatory structures; and the poor, conceptualised as excluded from formal governance mechanisms but active in more politicised forms of mobilisation, are incomplete. This research identifies urban citizens who fit neither the ‘elite’ nor ‘poor’ conceptual binary, and explores how such ‘ordinary’ citizens engage in participatory urban governance. Empirically, research addresses Delhi’s unauthorised colonies (UCs), residential areas that have evolved mostly on private land that is not classified ‘residential’ in the Delhi Master Plan. Housing roughly a quarter to one‐third of Delhi’s population and comprising a mix of classes, UCs are technically illegal locations for residential development, are consequently excluded from Delhi’s network of basic urban services (water, roads, electricity) and face potential demolition. UCs are conceptualised as representing India’s ‘missing middle’ both empirically, highlighting the multiplicity of the middle class, and conceptually, revealing the failure of binary concepts to accurately describe participatory urban governance for those in ‘the middle’. In addition, analysis highlights how UCs’ invisibility (linked to their heterogeneity – i.e. their empirical and conceptual ‘middle‐ness’) functions as both an asset and a limitation in terms of participation in urban governance. The paper calls for greater recognition in academic and policy debates regarding the nuances in everyday life that are overlooked by neat binaries. As the Delhi case shows, a large proportion of urban populations are neither ‘poor’ nor ‘elite’, and arguably a similar trend is likely to exist in cities throughout the world where segments of populations demographically in ‘the middle’ are ‘missing’ from academic and policy debates.
Neuroprotective and neurotrophic actions of glucagon‐like peptide‐1: an emerging opportunity to treat neurodegenerative and cerebrovascular disorders
Authors: Salcedo Isidro , Tweedie David , Li Yazhou , Greig Nigel H
Published: April 2012

Like type‐2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), neurodegenerative disorders and stroke are an ever increasing, health, social and economic burden for developed Westernized countries. Age is an important risk factor in all of these; due to the rapidly increasing rise in the elderly population T2DM and neurodegenerative disorders, both represent a looming threat to healthcare systems. Whereas several efficacious drugs are currently available to ameliorate T2DM, effective treatments to counteract pathogenic processes of neurodegenerative disorders are lacking and represent a major scientific and pharmaceutical challenge. Epidemiological data indicate an association between T2DM and most major neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. Likewise, there is an association between T2DM and stroke incidence. Studies have revealed that common pathophysiological features, including oxidative stress, insulin resistance, abnormal protein processing and cognitive decline, occur across these. Based on the presence of shared mechanisms and signalling pathways in these seemingly distinct diseases, one could hypothesize that an effective treatment for one disorder could prove beneficial in the others. Glucagon‐like peptide‐1 (GLP‐1)‐based anti‐diabetic drugs have drawn particular attention as an effective new strategy to not only regulate blood glucose but also to reduce apoptotic cell death of pancreatic beta cells in T2DM. Evidence supports a neurotrophic and neuroprotective role of GLP‐1 receptor (R) stimulation in an increasing array of cellular and animal neurodegeneration models as well as in neurogenesis. Herein, we review the physiological role of GLP‐1 in the nervous system, focused towards the potential benefit of GLP‐1R stimulation as an immediately translatable treatment strategy for acute and chronic neurological disorders.
Eradication of Helicobacter pylori in Children in Vietnam in Relation to Antibiotic Resistance
Authors: Nguyen Thi Viet Ha , Bengtsson Carina , Yin Li , Nguyen Gia Khanh , Hoang Thi Thu Ha , Phung Dac Cam , Sörberg Mikael , Granström Marta
Published: April 2012

Background:  Low Helicobacter pylori eradication rates are common in pediatric trials especially in developing countries. The aim of the study was to investigate the role of antibiotic resistance, drug dosage, and administration frequency on treatment outcome for children in Vietnam.

Materials and Methods:  Antibiotics resistance of H. pylori was analyzed by the Etest in 222 pretreatment isolates from children 3–15 years of age who were originally recruited in a randomized trial with two treatment regiments: lansoprazole with amoxicillin and either clarithromycin (LAC) or metronidazole (LAM) in two weight groups with once‐ or twice‐daily administration. The study design was an observational study embedded in a randomized trial.

Results:  The overall resistance to clarithromycin, metronidazole, and amoxicillin was 50.9%, 65.3%, and 0.5%, respectively. In LAC, eradication was linked to the strains being susceptible to clarithromycin (78.2% vs 29.3%, p = .0001). Twice‐daily dosage of proton‐pump inhibitor (PPI) and clarithromycin was more effective for eradication than once‐daily dosage for resistant strains (50.0% vs 14.7%, p = .004) and tended to be so also for sensitive strains (87.5% vs 65.2%, p = .051). Exact antibiotic dose per body weight resulted in more eradication for resistant strains (45.3% vs 8.0%, p = .006). These differences were less pronounced for the LAM regimen, with twice‐daily PPI versus once daily for resistant strains resulting in 69.2% and 50.0% eradication (p = .096), respectively.

Conclusions:  Helicobacter pylori clarithromycin resistance was unexpectedly high in young children in Vietnam. Clarithromycin resistance was an important cause for eradication treatment failure. Twice‐daily administration and exact antibiotic dosing resulted in more eradicated infections when the strains were antibiotic resistant, which has implications for the study design in pediatric H. pylori eradication trials.
Assisted Colonization of Foundation Species: Lack of Consideration of the Extended Phenotype Concept—Response to Kreyling et al. (2011)
Authors: Frascaria‐Lacoste Nathalie , Fernández‐Manjarrés Juan
Published: April 2012

Assisted colonization (AC), or the intentional translocation of populations to compensate for risks related to climate change, is receiving increasing attention. It has been recently suggested by Kreyling et al. (2011) that rather than relocating endangered species, a focus should be placed on local adaptations of foundation or keystone species, and that these local ecotypes should be moved within their own range. Hence, this type of relocation could be applied with minimal risk in many restoration efforts. We think that caution is needed when considering the translocation of these foundation species, even within their range. Many recent studies have shown that foundation species can influence community structure and ecosystem processes through heritable traits, which suggests a genetic basis for ecosystem services. Thus, the translocation of different genotypes of foundation species might lead to unexpected results of colonization and might not be as “predictable” as Kreyling et al. have argued. Here, in our response, we stress how AC of foundation species can have important evolutionary consequences that might be impossible to reverse. We propose, whenever possible, (1) to favor population mixes of the foundation species to minimize the potential negative effects of specific genotypes; and (2) to collect from adjacent populations along ecological clines of the foundation species to mimic natural processes of migration under climate change.
Stereotypes ofU.S. Immigrants from Four Global Regions
Authors: Timberlake Jeffrey M. , Williams Rhys H.
Published: April 2012

Objective

This study explores variation in stereotypes ofU.S. immigrants fromLatinAmerica, theMiddleEast,Europe, andAsia.

Method

We exploit a split‐ballot design in two waves of theOhioPoll to test hypotheses about effects of contextual and respondent‐level characteristics on immigrant stereotypes.

Results

Respondents generally ratedAsian immigrants most positively andLatinAmerican immigrants most negatively, withEuropean andMiddleEastern immigrants occupying an intermediate position. Findings from regression analyses indicate little direct effect of county‐level percent foreign born or media consumption. The strongest effects observed were income on stereotypes ofMiddleEastern andAsian immigrants and concerns about the problem of unauthorized immigration on stereotypes ofLatinAmerican andMiddleEastern immigrants.

Conclusion

Our findings suggest that views about the characteristics of certain groups of immigrants are strongly linked to national‐level debates about unauthorized immigration.
Current and Emerging Indications for Implantable Cardiac Monitors
Authors: GIADA FRANCO , BERTAGLIA EMANUELE , REIMERS BERNHARD , NOVENTA DONATELLA , RAVIELE ANTONIO
Published: April 2012

Implantable cardiac monitors (ICMs) continuously monitor the patient's electrocardiogram and perform real‐time analysis of the heart rhythm, for up to 36 months. The current clinical use of ICMs involves the evaluation of transitory symptoms of possible arrhythmic origin, such as unexplained syncope and palpitations. Moreover, ICMs can also be used for the evaluation of difficult cases of epilepsy and unexplained falls, though current indications for their application in these sectors are less clearly defined. Finally, the ability of new‐generation ICMs to automatically record arrhythmic episodes suggests that these devices could also be used to study asymptomatic arrhythmias, and thus could be proposed for the long‐term evaluation of the total (symptomatic and asymptomatic) arrhythmic burden in patients at risk of arrhythmic events. In particular, ICMs may have an emerging role in the management of patients with atrial fibrillation and in those at risk of ventricular arrhythmias. (PACE 2012; 35:1169–1178)
Two additional cases of metformin‐associated encephalopathy in patients with end‐stage renal disease undergoing hemodialysis
Authors: Kang Yeo‐Jin , Bae Eun Jin , Seo Jong Woo , Jeon Dae‐Hong , Cho Hyun Seop , Kim Hyun‐Jung , Chang Se‐Ho , Park Dong Jun
Published: April 2012

We report on two additional cases of metformin‐associated encephalopathy in patients with end‐stage renal disease (ESRD) undergoing hemodialysis. Two patients were seen at our hospital with abnormal neurological signs and symptoms. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed the same pattern of high signal intensity in both basal ganglia in T2‐weighted images in the two patients. The two patients had started taking metformin 5 and 6 weeks earlier at the same dose of 1000 mg per day. Metformin was immediately stopped, and regular hemodialysis was conducted. Their signs and symptoms resolved completely after these measures. The high signal intensity in both ganglia in T2‐weighted MRI also disappeared. We should suspect metformin‐induced encephalopathy and withdraw the drug when presented with diabetic patients with chronic kidney disease and neurological signs and symptoms of unknown cause.
Gene expression patterns of the Bcl‐2 and Bax genes in preterm birth
Authors: DEMENDI CSABA , BÖRZSÖNYI BALÁZS , VÉGH VERONIKA , NAGY ZSOLT B. , RIGÓ JÁNOS , PAJOR ATTILA , JOÓ JÓZSEF GÁBOR
Published: April 2012

Objective. The apoptotic genes Bax and Bcl‐2 are both involved in the pathogenesis of preterm delivery in conjunction with additional factors. We characterized gene expression patterns of these apoptotic regulatory genes as well as relevant environmental factors. Design. A gene expression study with evaluation of clinical data. Setting. Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary. Sample. Human placental samples from 104 preterm and 140 full‐term pregnancies. Methods. Gene tests were performed using real‐time PCR to assess gene expression patterns of Bax and Bcl‐2 in human placental samples. Clinical data were collected from our computerized database. Main outcome measures. Apoptotic gene expression pattern and clinical information against the background of preterm delivery. Results. In placental samples from preterm delivery pregnancies, expression of the Bcl‐2 gene was unchanged, whereas the Bax gene was overexpressed. Placental gene expression of Bax in preterm delivery was dependent on gestational age with gestational weeks 28–32 and 32–36 associated with overexpression, and no overexpression in gestational weeks 24–28. Preterm delivery began with premature rupture of membranes in 70.2% and spontaneous uterine activity in 29.8%. Conclusions. The Bax gene was overexpressed in preterm delivery, whereas expression of the Bcl‐2 gene remained unchanged. After the 28th gestational week, apoptosis appears to be a key factor in the pathogenesis of preterm delivery.
Dermatoglyphic asymmetries and fronto‐striatal dysfunction in young adults reporting non‐clinical psychosis
Authors: Mittal V. A. , Dean D. J. , Pelletier A.
Published: April 2012

Mittal VA, Dean DJ, Pelletier A. Dermatoglyphic asymmetries and fronto‐striatal dysfunction in young adults reporting non‐clinical psychosis.

Objective:  Growing evidence indicates that non‐clinical psychotic‐like experiences occur in otherwise healthy individuals, suggesting that psychosis may occur on a continuum. However, little is known about how the diathesis for formal psychosis maps on to individuals at the non‐clinical side of this continuum. Our current understanding of the pathophysiology of schizophrenia implicates certain key factors such as early developmental abnormalities and fronto‐striatal dysfunction. To date, no studies have examined these core factors in the context of non‐clinical psychosis.

Method:  A total of 221 young adults were assessed for distressing attenuated positive symptoms (DAPS), dermatoglyphic asymmetries (a marker of early developmental insult), and procedural memory (a proxy for fronto‐striatal function).

Results:  Participants reporting DAPS (n = 16; 7.2%) and no‐DAPS (n = 205; 92.7%) were split into two groups. The DAPS group showed significantly elevated depression, elevated dermatoglyphic asymmetries, and a pattern of procedural learning consistent with other studies with formally psychotic patients.

Conclusion:  The results indicate that the non‐clinical side of the psychosis continuum also shares key vulnerability factors implicated in schizophrenia, suggesting that both early developmental disruption and abnormalities in fronto‐striatal function are core aspects underlying the disorder.
Coronally advanced flap with and without connective tissue graft for the treatment of single maxillary gingival recession with loss of inter‐dental attachment. A randomized controlled clinical trial
Authors: Cairo Francesco , Cortellini Pierpaolo , Tonetti Maurizio , Nieri Michele , Mervelt Jana , Cincinelli Sandro , Pini‐Prato Giovanpaolo
Published: April 2012

Background

The aim of this randomized clinical trial (RCT) was to evaluate the adjunctive benefit of Connective Tissue Graft (CTG) to Coronally Advanced Flap (CAF) for the treatment of gingival recession associated with inter‐dental clinical attachment loss equal or smaller to the buccal attachment loss (RT2).

Material and Methods

A total of 29 patients with one recession were enrolled; 15 patients were randomly assigned to CAF+CTG while 14 to CAF alone. Measurements were performed by a blind and calibrated examiner. Outcome measures included complete root coverage (CRC), recession reduction (RecRed), Root coverage Esthetic Score (RES), intra‐operative and post‐operative morbidity, and root sensitivity.

Results

After 6 months, CAF+CTG resulted in better outcomes in terms of CRC (adjusted OR = 15.51, p = 0.0325) than CAF alone. CRC was observed in >80% of the cases treated with CAF+CTG when the baseline amount of inter‐dental CAL was ≤3 mm. No difference was detected in term of RecRed. CAF+CTG was associated with longer surgical‐time (p < 0.0001), higher number of days with post‐operative morbidity (p = 0.0222) and the need for a greater number of analgesics (p = 0.0178) than CAF alone. No difference for final RES score was detected (p = 0.1612).

Conclusion

Both treatments can provide CRC in single gingival recession with inter‐dental CAL loss. The application of CTG under CAF resulted in predictable CRC when inter‐dental CAL was ≤3 mm.
Reactive granular histiocytosis secondary to arthroplasty prosthesis: a novel reaction pattern
Authors: Miller Daniel D. , Yaar Ron , Posnik Oksana , Karolow Wayne , Mahalingam Meera
Published: April 2012

A reactive histiocytic infiltrate can be seen as an incidental finding in a lymph node biopsy from a patient with a history of joint arthroplasty. We report the case of a 74‐year‐old female who underwent surgical revision of a polyethylene‐based right total knee prosthesis due to chronic wear. At the time of surgery, a soft tissue mass adjacent to the tibial prosthetic insert was noted and excised. Histopathologic examination revealed a sheet‐like proliferation of large, histiocytoid cells within the subcutis and superficial fascia. The cells showed abundant eosinophilic, granular cytoplasm and small round bland nuclei. Immunohistochemical evaluation revealed the cells to be positive only for CD68. In addition, abundant PAS‐positive cytoplasmic granules were found, and minute particles of polarizable material were noted intracellularly and scattered throughout the interstitium of the infiltrate. These findings were interpreted as consistent with a reactive, non‐Langerhans cell histiocytosis secondary to the patient's polyethylene knee prosthesis. This finding appears to be a local correlate of the process previously described in regional lymph nodes as reactive granular histiocytosis. Dermatopathologists should be cognizant of this uncommon reaction pattern to avoid mistaking it for a neoplastic process.

Miller DD, Yaar R, Posnik O, Karolow W, Mahalingam M. Reactive granular histiocytosis secondary to arthroplasty prosthesis: a novel reaction pattern.
Comparison of salivary and plasma antioxidant levels in lichen planus patients and healthy subjects
Authors: Azizi Arash , Farshchi Fereshteh
Published: April 2012

J Oral Pathol Med (2012) 41: 524–526

Introduction:  Oral lichen planus (OLP) is a chronic, mucocutaneous, inflammatory disease. It has become more evident that the immune system plays a primary role in the development of this disease. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the total antioxidant status (TAS) of saliva and serum in patients with erosive OLP.

Method and Materials:  This study was designed as case‐control. In total, 48 patients with erosive OLP (34 women and 14 men) were enrolled as case group, and 44 self‐admitted healthy people (34 women and 10 men) were selected as control group. Measurement of total antioxidant status was carried out in saliva and plasma. t‐test was used for statistical analysis with significant level set at P < 0.05.

Results:  The mean ± SD of salivary TAS in case group was 0.98 ± 0.12, and in control group was 1.32 ± 0.18 mM, respectively, and there were significant differences between groups (P < 0.02). The mean ± SD of the plasma TAS in the case group and the control group was 1.24 ± 0.17 and 1.84 ± 0.34 mM, respectively. There were significant differences between two groups (P < 0.01).

Conclusion:  Our results showed that salivary and plasma levels of total antioxidant status in erosive OLP patients were lower than those in healthy subjects.
A comparison of screening methods in two early phase oral leukoplakia clinical trials
Authors: Rosas RR , Cole KA , Darrah L , Rohrer MD , Rhodus NL , Ondrey FG
Published: April 2012

Oral Diseases (2012) 18, 720–723

Objectives/Introduction:  Clinical trial accrual for oral dysplasia is difficult in the United States and elsewhere. Patients with dysplastic oral leukoplakia progress to frank invasive carcinoma at a rate of 5–37% over 5 years. We compared two clinical trial screening efforts to hopefully devise better accrual strategies to these types of clinical trials.

Methods:  For the first trial, we identified 244 patients with dysplastic oral leukoplakia in our university database and a media campaign. Patients were notified and screened by examination and biopsy. For the second clinical trial, we established a preneoplastic lesions clinic and teaching and communications network with regional oral healthcare professionals.

Results:  Only one of 244 patients accrued to the first clinical trial through an organized screening effort based on database/medical records review. The second clinical trial accrued 16/30 screened patients through redirected efforts in teaching, communications, and a preneoplastic lesions clinic.

Conclusion:  We conclude that significant difficulties resulted from medical record/database review of leukoplakia patients as a screening method for leukoplakia clinical trial entry. We feel that persistent direct contact and education of healthcare professionals who are likely to examine leukoplakia patients improved accrual to the second clinical trial.