bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evidence for the involvement of purinergic P2X7receptors in outer retinal processing
Authors: Puthussery Theresa , Yee Peter , Vingrys Algis J. , Fletcher Erica L.
Published: July 2006

Extracellular ATP mediates fast excitatory neurotransmission in many regions of the central nervous system through activation of P2X receptors. Although several P2X receptor subunits have been identified in the mammalian retina, little is known about the functional role of these receptors in retinal signalling. The purpose of the present study was to investigate whether purinergic P2X7receptors are involved in outer retinal processing by assessing receptor localization, degradation of extracellular ATP and the effect of functional activation of P2X7receptors on the electroretinogram (ERG). Using light and electron microscopy, we demonstrated that P2X7receptors are expressed postsynaptically on horizontal cell processes as well as presynaptically on photoreceptor synaptic terminals in both the rat and marmoset retina. Using an enzyme cytochemical method, we showed that ecto‐ATPases are active in the outer plexiform layer of the rat retina, providing a mechanism by which purinergic synaptic transmission can be rapidly terminated. Finally, we evaluated the role of P2X7receptors in retinal function by assessing changes to the ERG response of rats after intravitreal delivery of the P2X7receptor agonist benzoyl benzoyl ATP (BzATP). Intravitreal injection of BzATP resulted in a sustained increase (up to 58%) in the amplitude of the photoreceptor‐derived a‐wave of the ERG. In contrast, BzATP caused a transient reduction in the rod‐ and cone‐derived postreceptoral responses. These results provide three lines of evidence for the involvement of extracellular purines in outer retinal processing.
Regulation of the glutamate transporter EAAC1 by expression and activation of δ‐opioid receptor
Authors: Xia Peng , Pei Gang , Schwarz Wolfgang
Published: July 2006

Glutamate transporters play an essential role in regulating temporal and spatial glutamate concentration in the synaptic cleft. The excitatory amino acid carrier 1 (EAAC1) is a neuronal‐specific transporter. Opioid receptors are found to modulate the glutamatergic system in brain, but the regulatory mechanism remains to be investigated. Here we report that the δ‐opioid receptor (DOR) co‐expressed with EAAC1 in Xenopus oocytes, but not the µ‐opioid receptor, down‐regulates EAAC1 function, and that [d‐Pen2,5]‐enkephalin stimulation of DOR can counteract the down‐regulation of the EAAC1‐mediated uptake. Results from co‐immunoprecipitation and immunofluorescence microscopy in both oocytes and rat hippocampal neurons indicate co‐localization and suggest direct interaction between DOR and EAAC1. The results suggest that DOR can reduce EAAC1 function by direct protein–protein interaction and that activation of DOR releases the inhibitory interaction. We suggest that this mechanism may be important for modulation of the glutamatergic system following opioid stimulation.
Dopamine neuronal responses in monkeys performing visually cued reward schedules
Authors: Ravel Sabrina , Richmond Barry J.
Published: July 2006

Dopamine neurons are important for reward‐related behaviours. They have been recorded during classical conditioning and operant tasks with stochastic reward delivery. However, daily behaviour, although frequently complex in the number of steps, is often very predictable. We studied the responses of 75 dopamine neurons during schedules of trials in which the events and related reward contingencies could be well‐predicted, within and across trials. In this visually cued reward schedule task, a visual cue tells the monkeys exactly how many trials, 1, 2, 3, or 4, must be performed to obtain a reward. The number of errors became larger as the number of trials remaining before the reward increased. Dopamine neurons frequently responded to the cues at the beginning and end of the schedules. Approximately 75% of the first‐cue responsive neurons did not distinguish among the schedules that were beginning even though the cues were different. Approximately half of the last‐cue responsive neurons depended on which schedule was ending, even though the cue signalling the last trial was the same in all schedules. Thus, the responses were related to what the monkey knew about the relation between the cues and the schedules, not the identity of the cues. These neurons also frequently responded to the go signal and/or to the OK signal indicating the end of a correctly performed trial whether a reward was forthcoming or not, and to the reward itself. Thus, dopamine neurons seem to respond to behaviourally important, i.e. salient, events even when the events have been well‐predicted.
Minocycline attenuates hypoxia–ischemia‐induced neurological dysfunction and brain injury in the juvenile rat
Authors: Fan Lir‐Wan , Lin Shuying , Pang Yi , Rhodes Philip G. , Cai Zhengwei
Published: July 2006

To investigate whether minocycline provides long‐lasting protection against neonatal hypoxia–ischemia‐induced brain injury and neurobehavioral deficits, minocycline was administered intraperitoneally in postnatal day 4 Sprague–Dawley rats subjected to bilateral carotid artery occlusion followed by exposure to hypoxia (8% oxygen for 15 min). Brain injury and myelination were examined on postnatal day 21 (P21) and tests for neurobehavioral toxicity were performed from P3 to P21. Hypoxic–ischemic insults resulted in severe white matter injury, enlarged ventricles, deficits in the hippocampus, reduction in numbers of mature oligodendrocytes and tyrosine hydroxylase‐positive neurons, damage to axons and dendrites, and impaired myelination, as indicated by the decrease in myelin basic protein immunostaining in the P21 rat brain. Hypoxic–ischemic insult also significantly affected physical development (body weight gain and eye opening) and neurobehavioral performance, including sensorimotor and locomotor function, anxiety and cognitive ability in the P21 rat. Treatments with minocycline significantly attenuated the hypoxia–ischemia‐induced brain injury and improved neurobehavioral performance. The protection of minocycline was associated with its ability to reduce microglial activation. The present results show that minocycline has long‐lasting protective effects in the neonatal rat brain in terms of both hypoxia–ischemia‐induced brain injury and the associated neurological dysfunction.
Neurotensin afferents of the ventral tegmental area in the rat: [1] re‐examination of their origins and [2] responses to acute psychostimulant and antipsychotic drug administration
Authors: Geisler Stefanie , Zahm Daniel S.
Published: July 2006

The ventral tegmental area (VTA) is involved in reward‐related behaviours and the actions of psychostimulant drugs. It is influenced by afferents expressing a variety of neurotransmitters and neuromodulators; the innervation containing neurotensin is among the densest of these. Intra‐VTA neurotensin activates dopaminergic neurons and plays an important role in the development of behavioural sensitization to psychostimulant drugs and possibly in schizophrenia. Using gold‐coupled wheatgerm agglutinin as retrograde tracer in combination with nonisotopic in situ hybridization for neurotensin mRNA or neurotensin antibodies after colchicine treatment, the present study was undertaken to demonstrate the neurotensinergic neurons projecting to the VTA and determine whether (and in which subpopulations) neurotensin expression is regulated in VTA‐projecting neurons after administrations of the psychostimulant drug methamphetamine or the antipsychotic haloperidol. This study reveals the lateral preoptico‐rostral lateral hypothalamic continuum and the medial preoptic area as main sources for the neurotensin afferents of the VTA. Fewer neurotensinergic, VTA‐projecting neurons are situated in the dorsal raphe, pedunculopontine and laterodorsal tegmental nuclei, lateral hypothalamic area, ventral endopiriform area, lateral septum, accumbens shell, parabrachial nucleus and different parts of the extended amygdala. The number of neurotensinergic VTA‐projecting neurons increased significantly only after methamphetamine administration and exclusively in the accumbens shell. It is concluded that the widespread neurotensinergic VTA‐projecting neurons, situated in areas involved in different reward‐related behaviours, are well suited to convey distinct reward information to the VTA. The up‐regulation of neurotensin expression selectively in VTA‐projecting neurons in the accumbens shell following methamphetamine administration may be an important factor in the development of behavioural sensitization.
Retinoic acid delineates the topography of neuronal plasticity in postnatal cerebral cortex
Authors: Wagner Elisabeth , Luo Tuanlian , Sakai Yasuo , Parada Luis F. , Dräger Ursula C.
Published: July 2006

Retinoic acid is well recognized to promote neuronal differentiation in the embryonic nervous system, but how it influences the postnatal cerebral cortex remains largely unknown. The domain of highest retinoic acid actions in the cortex of the mouse constricts postnatally to a narrow band that includes the dorsal visual stream and the attentional and executive networks. This band of cortex, which is distinguished by the retinoic acid‐synthesizing enzyme RALDH3, exhibits signs of delayed maturation and enhanced plasticity compared to the surrounding cortex, as indicated by suppression of parvalbumin, neurofilament, cytochrome oxidase and perineuronal net maturation, and persistence of the embryonic, polysialated form of the neural cell‐adhesion molecule PSA‐NCAM. During the first postnatal week, the RALDH3‐expressing territory translocates in the caudal cortex from the medial limbic lobe to the adjacent neocortex. This topographical shift requires the neurotrophin NT‐3 because in mice lacking neuronal NT‐3 the RALDH3 enzyme maintains its early postnatal pattern up to adulthood. In the NT‐3‐null mutants, expression of the markers, whose topography colocalizes with RALDH3 in the normal cortex, matches the abnormal RALDH3 pattern. This indicates that the uneven retinoic acid distribution serves a role in patterning the maturation and to some extent function of the normal postnatal cerebral cortex.
Atherosclerosis in diabetes and insulin resistance
Authors: Reusch Jane E.‐B. , Draznin Boris B.
Published: July 2006

Atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease are the major causes of morbidity and mortality in patients with diabetes and those with insulin resistance and the metabolic syndrome. Both conditions profoundly accelerate the development of atherosclerosis and increase the morbidity and mortality of cardiovascular events. The question, therefore, is what are the molecular/biochemical mechanisms that underlie the potentiating influence of diabetes, the metabolic syndrome and/or insulin resistance on the development and progression of atherosclerosis? The following review will focus on the molecular mechanism whereby hyperglycaemia and/or hyperinsulinemia either directly or indirectly promote atherosclerosis.
Weight cycling in a very low‐calorie diet programme has no effect on weight loss velocity, blood pressure and serum lipid profile
Authors: Li Z. , Hong K. , Wong E. , Maxwell M. , Heber D.
Published: July 2006

Background:  Many dieters lose and regain weight many times. It is unclear whether weight cycling is associated with adverse metabolic alterations or becomes more difficult with each attempt.

Methods:  From 1988 to 2000, 2474 obese patients enrolled in our outpatient weight loss programme using a very low‐calorie diet. Caloric intake consisted of meal replacement supplying 700–800 cal/day.

Results:  Our search distinguished 480 patients who had restarted the weight reduction programme at least once and up to four times (restarts). All subjects remained on the programme for 2 weeks or more each time. Mean initial weight loss was 21.3 kg for women and 28.8 kg for men. Rate of weight loss on first restart was not different from initial weight loss for women [1.6  vs. 1.4 kg/week; not significant (NS)] or for men (2.2  vs. 2.1 kg/week; NS). Of the 480 patients, 85 women and 51 men entered the programme three times. Rate of weight loss was similar for all three entries (1.4, 1.6 and 2.1 kg/week for first, second and third entry in women, NS; 2.1, 2.1 and 2 kg/week for men, NS). Only 20 women and 18 men entered the programme four times. The rate of weight loss was again similar for both men (NS) and women (NS) during each re‐entry. Cardiovascular risk factors including lipid profile and blood pressure were not adversely affected by weight cycling. In fact, lipid levels were lower at each restart.

Conclusions:  The present study refutes the hypothesis that repeated dieting makes further dieting efforts more difficult.
Weight gain in type 2 diabetes mellitus
Authors: Jacob A. N. , Salinas K. , Adams‐Huet B. , Raskin P.
Published: July 2006

Objective:  To investigate the potential causes of weight gain using insulin and combination therapy in type 2 diabetes.

Design and methods:  This was an open‐label prospective study of 6‐month duration. Randomization was performed to insulin monotherapy, insulin and pioglitazone 30 mg daily, or insulin and metformin up to 2000 mg daily. Fifty‐seven subjects with poorly controlled type 2 diabetes were enrolled. The goal was to achieve a normal haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) (<5.6%). Weight, resting energy expenditure (REE), reported energy intake and total energy expenditure, HbA1c, glycosuria, plasma leptin, ghrelin and adiponectin levels, and body fat were measured.

Results:  A total of 49 subjects completed the study. At baseline, weight was 89.4 ± 22.9 kg and HbA1c was 11.1 ± 1.5%. Weight increased by 7.46, 7.60 and 7.12 kg in the monotherapy, metformin and pioglitazone groups, respectively [p = 0.98 between and <0.0001 within the groups by repeated measures‐analysis of variance (RM‐anova)]. HbA1c dropped to 7.8 ± 0.9% in the monotherapy arm, 7.6 ± 1.0% in the metformin arm and 7.2 ± 1.2% in the pioglitazone arm. Reported energy intake decreased. Glycosuria decreased but was not correlated with weight gain, while HbA1c changes were correlated with weight gain. REE per lean mass decreased (p = 0.04 by RM‐anova). The subcutaneous fat areas in the insulin monotherapy and pioglitazone arms showed increases (p = 0.02 and 0.004 respectively).

Conclusions:  Weight gain was probably not due to an increase in food intake, while REE per lean body mass decreased, suggesting a role for increased efficiency in fuel usage due to improved glycaemic control. A drop in glycosuria probably also contributed to weight gain. In the monotherapy and pioglitazone arms, the subcutaneous fat areas increased.
Serum ghrelin levels are higher in Caucasian men than Japanese men aged 40–49 years
Authors: Matsunaga‐Irie S. , Ueshima H. , Zaky W. R. , Kadowaki T. , Evans R. W. , Okamura T. , Takamiya T. , Kita Y. , Kuller L. H. , Sekikawa A.
Published: July 2006

Background:  Ghrelin, a 28‐amino‐acid gastric peptide hormone, has an appetite‐stimulating effect and controls the energy balance. Serum ghrelin levels inversely correlate with body mass index. Recently, several papers reported the ethnic difference in the ghrelin levels. To our knowledge, however, no studies have compared the serum ghrelin levels between Caucasians in the USA and the Japanese in Japan.

Methods:  We conducted a cross‐sectional study of 189 men 40‐49 years of age (91 US Caucasians in the U.S. and 98 Japanese in Japan) to examine serum ghrelin levels and metabolic and other factors.

Results:  Serum ghrelin levels correlated with waist circumferences and lipid profiles among Caucasian Americans and the Japanese. Serum ghrelin levels were significantly higher among Caucasian Americans than among the Japanese (904.5 (632.0, 1132.0) pg/mL, 508.0 (399.0, 1378.3) pg/mL (median and 95% confidence interval), respectively, P < 0.01), although Caucasian Americans were much more obese (BMI: 26.9 ± 3.3 kg/m2 versus 23.3 ± 3.1 kg/m2 respectively, P < 0.01). The ethnic difference remained after adjusting for metabolic factors, smoking status, and other factors (P < 0.01).

Conclusions:  We have shown in our population‐based study that serum ghrelin levels among men aged 40‐49 are significantly higher in Caucasian Americans than in the Japanese in Japan. Reasons for the ethnic difference in the ghrelin levels are largely unknown and warrant further investigation.
Will climate change affect ectoparasite species ranges?
Authors: Cumming Graeme S. , Van Vuuren Detlef P.
Published: July 2006

Aim  Over the next 100 years, human‐driven climate change and resulting changes in species occurrences will have global impacts on biodiversity, ecosystem function, and human health. Here we examine how climate change may affect the occurrences of tick species in Africa and alter the suitability of habitat outside Africa for African ticks.

Location  Africa and the world.

Methods  We predicted continental and global changes in habitat suitability for each of 73 African tick species, using multiple regression models in different climate change scenarios that cover a wide range of uncertainty.

Results  Global habitat suitability improves for nearly all tick species under each of a representative range of eight climate change scenarios. Depending on the scenario, African tick species experience an average increase in global habitat suitability of between 1 million and 9 million square kilometres between 1990 and 2100.

Main conclusions  The potential for successful translocations of ticks and their pathogens from Africa to the rest of the world is likely to increase over the next 100 years. Although the general trend is one of range expansion, there are winners and losers among tick species in each scenario, suggesting that tick community composition will be disrupted substantially by climate change. If this is also typical of other invertebrates, then climate change will disrupt not only the geographic location of communities but also their structure. Changes in tick communities are also likely to influence tick‐borne pathogens.
Trainee perspectives on their family therapy training
Authors: Nel Pieter Willem
Published: July 2006

Although research into family therapy training is increasing it has so far mostly focused on the process of the teaching and acquisition of certain concepts and skills. In contrast, the experience of training as family therapists has rarely been investigated. This paper reports on the impact of family therapy training at one training institution in the UK on the personal, relational and professional identities of trainees. Six family therapy trainees were interviewed using semi‐structured interviews at regular intervals over a period of approximately twenty months. Interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA) was employed to analyse the interviews. The results suggest that participants often found the experience of training as a family therapist overwhelming and de‐skilling, but that it nevertheless provoked a re‐evaluation of some of their established personal, relational and professional identities. In many cases these re‐evaluations seemed to have preceded a process of individuation, of assuming a different or more complex identity.
Continuity and Change in the Life Story: A Longitudinal Study of Autobiographical Memories in Emerging Adulthood
Authors: McAdams Dan P. , Bauer Jack J. , Sakaeda April R. , Anyidoho Nana Akua , Machado Mary Anne , Magrino‐Failla Katie , White Katie W. , Pals Jennifer L.
Published: July 2006

ABSTRACT
If a person's internalized and evolving life story (narrative identity) is to be considered an integral feature of personality itself, then aspects of that story should manifest some continuity over time while also providing evidence regarding important personality change. Accordingly, college freshmen and seniors provided detailed written accounts of 10 key scenes in their life stories, and they repeated the same procedure 3 months and then 3 years later. The accounts were content analyzed for reliable narrative indices employed in previous studies of life stories: emotional tone, motivational themes (agency, communion, personal growth), and narrative complexity. The results showed substantial continuity over time for narrative complexity and positive (vs. negative) emotional tone and moderate but still significant continuity for themes of agency and growth. In addition, emerging adults (1) constructed more emotionally positive stories and showed (2) greater levels of emotional nuance and self‐differentiation and (3) greater understanding of their own personal development in the 4th year of the study compared to the 1st year. The study is the first to demonstrate both temporal continuity and developmental change in narrative identity over time in a broad sampling of personally meaningful life‐story scenes.
Couple Similarity and Marital Satisfaction: Are Similar Spouses Happier?
Authors: Gaunt Ruth
Published: July 2006

ABSTRACT
This study examined the role of couple similarity in spouses' marital satisfaction and affect. The associations between spousal similarity and relationship measures were examined in a sample of 248 married couples. As hypothesized, greater similarity between partners was associated with higher levels of marital satisfaction and lower levels of negative affect. In particular, similarity on the gendered personality and values domains was more strongly associated with relationship measures, whereas similarity on the attitudes and religiosity domains showed weaker and inconsistent patterns of associations. Finally, profile‐based similarity tended to be a stronger and more consistent correlate of relationship measures than difference score‐based similarity. The implications of these findings for processes underlying intimate relationships are discussed.
The role of prosodic sensitivity in children's reading development
Authors: Whalley Karen , Hansen Julie
Published: July 2006

While the critical importance of phonological awareness (segmental phonology) to reading ability is well established, the potential role of prosody (suprasegmental phonology) in reading development has only recently been explored. This study examined the relationship between children's prosodic skills and reading ability. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses examined the unique contribution of word‐level and phrase‐level prosodic skills to the prediction of three concurrent measures of reading ability in 81 fourth‐grade children (mean age 9.3 years). After controlling for phonological awareness and general rhythmic sensitivity, children's prosodic skills predicted unique variation in word‐reading accuracy and in reading comprehension. Phrase‐level prosodic skills, assessed by means of a reiterative speech task, predicted unique variance in reading comprehension, after controlling for word reading accuracy, phonological awareness and general rhythmic sensitivity. These results add to the growing body of evidence of the importance of prosodic skills in reading development.
Prosody in skilled silent reading: evidence from eye movements
Authors: Ashby Jane
Published: July 2006

Recent eye movement experiments offer preliminary evidence that skilled readers activate word‐level prosodic information when silently reading sentences. This paper reviews the role of eye movements during reading as well as the preliminary evidence for prosodic processing. A new experiment examines whether prosodic processing differs for high and low frequency words. Readers' eye movements were monitored while reading target words presented in sentences preceded by parafoveal previews that either contained the exact initial syllable of the target (i.e. thecongruentpreview condition) or the initial syllable plus the next letter (i.e. theincongruentpreview condition). Reading times on high frequency words did not differ in the congruent and incongruent preview conditions, but reading times on low frequency words were faster in the congruent condition. The implications of the present result and previous studies are discussed in terms of phonological hub theory, which is a production‐based theory of word recognition during skilled silent reading.
Haplotype Structure of FSHB, the Beta‐Subunit Gene for Fertility‐Associated Follicle‐Stimulating Hormone: Possible Influence of Balancing Selection
Authors: Grigorova M. , Rull K. , Laan M.
Published: July 2006

Follicle‐stimulating hormone (FSH) is essential for human reproduction. The unique functions of this hormone are provided by the FSH receptor‐binding beta‐subunit encoded by the FSHB gene. Resequencing and genotyping of FSHB in three European, two Asian and one African population, as well as in the great apes (chimpanzee, gorilla, orangutan), revealed low diversity and significant excess of polymorphisms with intermediate frequency alleles. Statistical tests for FSHB showed deviations from neutrality in all populations suggesting a possible effect of balancing selection. Two core haplotypes were identified (carried by 76‐96.6% of each population's sample), the sequences of which are clearly separated from each other. As fertility most directly affects an organism's fitness, the carriers of these haplotypes have apparently had more success in human history to contribute to the next generation. There is a preliminary observation suggesting that the second most frequent FSHB haplotype may be associated with rapid conception success in females. Interestingly, the same haplotype is related to an ancestral FSHB variant shared with the ancestor of the great apes. The determination of the functional consequence of the two core FSHB variants may have implications for understanding and regulating human fertility, as well as in assisting infertility treatments.
Ecology of juvenile grouse during the transition to adulthood
Authors: Hannon S. J. , Martin K.
Published: July 2006

Information on survival and habitat use of juvenile animals during the transition period from parental independence to adulthood is sparse, yet survival during this period may be critical for maintaining populations. We review studies on habitat use and survival of juvenile grouse from hatch to recruitment to breeding populations the next spring. Mortality of juveniles was highest during the first 2 weeks after hatch, caused primarily by predation and exposure. Survival of juveniles during their first autumn and winter was usually lower than adults, particularly in autumn. Predation, mainly by raptors, was the main mortality agent. Juveniles did not appear to be more susceptible than adults to hunting, although hunting mortality was additive to overwinter mortality for several species or populations. For most species, juvenile survival was not related to movement distances or patterns. However, studies on grouse in forest habitats disconnected by extensive logging showed that dispersal distances increased and survival was reduced. During the first few weeks of life, chicks eat primarily insects and brood hens seek habitats that optimize a trade‐off between insect abundance and cover. Vegetation must provide sufficient cover to impede predation but be sparse enough to allow movement of chicks. For most species, juveniles and adults used similar habitats in autumn and winter, although juveniles had higher variation in habitat use than adults, possibly due to the greater distances moved by juveniles during dispersal. Habitat use varied more between genders than age classes. Management actions should be directed towards the two demographic bottlenecks for juvenile survival: the first 2 weeks after hatch and the period of autumn when independent young are dispersing. The most direct management actions are the retention or restoration of brood‐rearing habitats, the reduction of habitat fragmentation and the reduction of hunting during autumn movements and in source populations.
PCOS according to the Rotterdam consensus criteria: change in prevalence among WHO‐II anovulation and association with metabolic factors
Authors: Broekmans FJ , Knauff EAH , Valkenburg O , Laven JS , Eijkemans MJ , Fauser BCJM
Published: July 2006

Objective  The current report aims to compare the prevalence of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) diagnosed according to the new Rotterdam criteria (Rott‐PCOS) versus the previous criteria as formulated by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) (NIH‐PCOS) in women with normogonadotropic (WHO‐II) anovulation and assess the frequency of obesity and related factors determined in these women.

Design  Cohort study based on large anovulation screening database.

Setting  Two large tertiary referral centres for reproductive medicine.

Population  WHO‐II normogonadotropic, anovulatory, infertility cases.

Methods  WHO‐II cases were extracted from the screening database and classified according to both the Rotterdam and NIH criteria for PCOS. Within these two classes, the prevalence of obesity, hyperglycaemia and insulin resistance was assessed and compared and their relation to the difference in diagnostic criteria applied was analysed.

Main outcome measures  Prevalence of diagnosis PCOS in the WHO‐II anovulation group. Prevalence of obesity, hyperglycaemia and insulin resistance in the two diagnostic classes.

Results  The Rott‐PCOS group appeared to be more than 1.5 times larger than the group classified as NIH‐PCOS (91 versus 55% of the WHO‐II cohort). Especially, women with ovarian dysfunction and polycystic ovaries at ultrasound scan, but without hyperandrogenism, were added to the PCOS diagnostic group. The Rott‐PCOS exhibited a lower frequency of obesity, hyperglycaemia and insulin resistance compared with the NIH‐PCOS group. Obese women in the Rott‐PCOS group without androgen excess had a different metabolic profile compared with obese women in the NIH‐PCOS group, with lower rates of hyperglycaemia and hyperinsulinism, despite comparable distributions of body weight.

Conclusion  The present findings indicate that with the new Rotterdam consensus criteria, oligo/anovulatory women with less severe metabolic derangement will be added to the heterogeneous group of women with PCOS.
The substrate specificity of a neuronal glutamate transporter is determined by the nature of the coupling ion
Authors: Menaker David , Bendahan Annie , Kanner Baruch I.
Published: July 2006

Glutamate transporters are essential for terminating synaptic transmission. Glutamate is translocated together with three sodium ions. In the neuronal glutamate transporter EAAC1, lithium can replace sodium. To address the question of whether the coupling ion interacts with the ‘driven’ substrate during co‐transport, the kinetic parameters of transport of the three substrates, l‐glutamate and d‐ and l‐aspartate by EAAC‐1 in sodium‐ and lithium‐containing media were compared. The major effect of the substitution of sodium by lithium was on Km. In the presence of sodium, the values for Km and Imax of these substrates were similar. In the presence of lithium, the Km for l‐aspartate was increased around 13‐fold. Remarkably, the corresponding increase for l‐glutamate and d‐aspartate was much larger, around 130‐fold. In marked contrast, the Ki values for a non‐transportable substrate analogue were similar in the presence of either sodium or lithium. The preference for l‐aspartate in the presence of lithium was also observed when electrogenic transport of radioactive substrates was monitored in EAAC1‐containing proteoliposomes. Our results indicate that, subsequent to substrate binding, the co‐transported solutes interact functionally in the binding pocket of the transporter.
DNA‐based identification of preys from non‐destructive, total DNA extractions of predators using arthropod universal primers
Authors: PONS JOAN
Published: July 2006

Here, I show that prey sequences can be detected from DNA of tiger beetles of the genus Rivacindela using whole specimens, nondestructive methods, and universal cytochrome b primers for arthropods. BLAST searches of the obtained sequences against public databases revealed that the diet of Rivacindela is mostly composed of flies but also termites and other beetles. Accurate determination of order, family and even genus was achieved in most cases but rarely to species level. Results suggest that stored DNA samples extracted from whole predatory specimens could be an alternative to dissected gut contents as starting source for DNA‐based dietary studies.
Experience of antitumor necrosis factor‐α therapies in Taiwan
Authors: James Cheng‐Chung WEI , Joung‐Liang LAN , Der‐Yuan CHEN , Chung‐Tei CHOU , Ming‐Chih CHOU , Gregory J. TSAY
Published: July 2006

Background:  Etanercept (Enbrel), was the first approved biologics in Taiwan for rheumatoid arthritis (RA), juvenile RA (JRA), psoriatic arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis. Approximately 500 patients with RA were under etanercept therapy by April 2006.

Aim:  We aimed to review the current status of biological agents use in the treatment of rheumatic diseases in Taiwan.

Methods:  MEDLINE database (January 1966 to February 2006) was searched by MeSH terms, limited to Taiwan by author affiliations. All known principal clinical investigators and pharmaceutical companies in Taiwan were contacted for unpublished information about this issue.

Results:  Six articles including two clinical trials, two case series and two preclinical studies were found in MEDLINE since January 1966. A 12‐week double‐blind placebo‐controlled study of 58 patients with active adult RA in Taiwan revealed better efficacy than results in Western countries. For JRA, two studies reported good results in polyarticular type JRA but fair response in systemic type. Adalimumab (Humira, Abbott) and Alefacept (Ameviev, Biogen) had completed their local trials in RA and psoriasis but they are not yet available in Taiwan. Widespread usage of biologics has been limited due to restricted insurance coverage policy only to the refractory patients with RA. Some herbs demonstrating TNF‐α inhibition properties are under exploratory clinical trials.

Conclusions:  Etanercept showed better efficacy in patients with adult RA in Taiwan than Western countries. Some herbs demonstrated TNF‐α inhibition and are under laboratory and clinical investigations.
Philippine guidelines on the screening for tuberculosis prior to the use of biologic agents
Authors: LICHAUCO Juan Javier T. , TANKEH‐TORRES Sandra A. , NAVARRA Sandra V. , DANS for the Task Force for TB Screening Prior to Use of Bio Leonila F.
Published: July 2006

Aim:  To develop practice guidelines in tuberculosis screening of patients and their households and close contacts, prior to the use of biologic agents.

Method:  A technical research committee formulated an evidence‐based draft, based on existing literature regarding the tests used in tuberculosis screening among immunocompromised patients. The evidence‐based draft was then circulated to an expert panel. An en banc meeting of the panelists was held and a consensus was declared if more than 50% agreed on a recommendation. Issues not resolved by consensus were discussed by correspondence and voted upon. The guidelines were presented in a public forum and feedback by stakeholders were reviewed and integrated into the final draft.

Recommendations:  1. Patients for biologic therapy should be screened for latent and active tuberculosis prior to initiating treatment. 2. All patients who are candidates for biologic agents should be screened by tuberculin skin test for latent TB, and a chest radiograph for active tuberculosis. 3. Household and close contacts of candidate patients should be screened for active tuberculosis. 4. All household and close contacts of candidate patients should be screened for active TB using chest radiograph. 5. Treat latent and active tuberculosis according to local guidelines. 6. Delay treatment with biologic agents in patients with latent or active tuberculosis. 7. Administer tuberculosis prophylaxis to the patient for biologic therapy exposed to household contacts with active tuberculosis.

Conclusion:  These recommendations emphasize the importance of screening patients, household and close contacts for latent and active tuberculosis prior to initiating biologic therapy.
Infliximab versus placebo in rheumatoid arthritis patients receiving concomitant methotrexate: a preliminary study from China
Authors: ZHANG Feng‐Chun , HOU Yong , HUANG Feng , WU Dong‐Hai , BAO Chun‐De , NI Li‐Qing , YAO Chen
Published: July 2006

Aim:  To report the efficacy and safety of infliximab in the treatment of active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in Chinese patients.

Methods:  This is a multicentre double‐blind placebo controlled study. Patients with active RA despite being on a stable dose of methotrexate were randomly assigned to receive either infliximab 3 mg/kg body weight or placebo infusion at weeks 0, 2, 6 and 14. All patients continued their stable dose of methotrexate throughout the study. Patients were assessed at weeks 0, 2, 6, 14 and 18 for the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) 20%, 50% and 70% response (ACR20, 50 and 70, respectively). Health assessment questionnaire (HAQ), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), c‐reactive protein (CRP), duration of morning stiffness and adverse effects were monitored.

Results:  Infliximab was effective in improving the disease activity of RA with significant ACR20 response observed at week 2 (infliximab vs. placebo 52.87%vs. 13.95%, P < 0.05). Significant differences in the ACR20 and ACR50 response rates between the two treatment groups were also observed at week 18 (75.86% and 43.68% of patients receiving infliximab vs. 48.84% and 25.58% and 13.95% of patients on placebo, P = 0.0003 and P = 0.011, respectively). Infliximab was generally well tolerated. The rate of adverse events and withdrawal due to adverse events were similar between the two groups. Most adverse reactions were transient. One patient in the infliximab group developed tuberculosis during the study. One patient in the placebo group developed antinuclear antibodies without obvious signs of systemic lupus erythematosus.

Conclusion:  In this preliminary study, infliximab infusions, at a dose of 3 mg/kg body weight given at various intervals over 14 weeks, were effective in controlling the signs and symptoms of active RA in Chinese. Infliximab also appeared to be well tolerated. Further studies involving a larger number of patients over a more prolonged period will further evaluate the long‐term efficacy and safety of infliximab in this group of patients.
Consensus on the use and monitoring of anti‐TNF‐α therapies for rheumatic diseases in Hong Kong 2005
Authors:   Hong Kong Society of Rheumatology
Published: July 2006

The development and use of the tumour necrosis factor (TNF) antagonists is a major breakthrough in the treatment of many rheumatic diseases. Although these novel agents are undoubtedly superior to conventional therapeutic modalities, their costs and potential adverse effects are of concern. The current consensus statements were developed in early 2005 to help practicing rheumatologists identify which adult patients may benefit from anti‐TNF therapies and highlight their potential toxicities. The Hong Kong Society of Rheumatology has developed a registry on the use of the biologics in our local patients with chronic rheumatic disorders. Because the indications and novel data regarding the TNF inhibitors are ever changing, this consensus will be updated regularly.
The efficacy of infliximab for patients with rheumatoid arthritis in Japan: results of 5000 cases by post‐marketing surveillance data
Authors: OKA Hiroshi , NISHIOKA Kusuki , TOGO Masanori , OCHI Takahiro
Published: July 2006

Aim:  To clarify the efficacy of infliximab (INF) for active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in Japan by nationwide postmarketing surveillance (PMS) data.

Method:  The data of 5000 cases with active RA, despite treatment with methotrexate, were collected to Tanabe Seiyaku Co., Ltd and all of these were analysed in detail for efficacy and adverse reactions. Overall efficacy was evaluated by physicians to three grades: markedly improved, improved and unchanged.

Results:  Overall efficacy was 34.0% markedly improved, 57.6% improved and 8.4% unchanged at 22 weeks after INF therapy, respectively. Overall of adverse reactions were 28.0% and serious adverse reactions were 6.2%.

Conclusion:  Iinfliximab was proven to be very effective and safe by nationwide PMS data in Japan. Longer observation is needed for further evaluation of INF therapy, especially efficacy forpreventing joint damage.
Validation of the Revised Patient Perception of Migraine Questionnaire: Measuring Satisfaction With Acute Migraine Treatment
Authors: Revicki Dennis A. , Kimel Miriam , Beusterien Kathy , Kwong Jackie W. , Varner Julie A. , Ames Michael H. , Mahajan Sunny , Cady Roger K.
Published: July 2006

Objective.—To evaluate the psychometric properties of the revised Patient Perception of Migraine Questionnaire (PPMQ‐R), which measures satisfaction with migraine treatment.

Background.—The original version of the PPMQ was developed prior to the introduction of newer migraine treatments, which may have attributes that influence treatment satisfaction.

Methods.—Literature review, patient focus groups, and one‐on‐one patient interviews guided revisions to the original PPMQ. The revised questionnaire was tested in 200 migraine patients visiting neurologists and primary care clinics. At baseline, all subjects completed the PPMQ‐R, a migraine‐specific quality‐of‐life measure, and a migraine experience questionnaire; and 125 subjects completed assessments 24 hours after each migraine attack and within 30 days post‐baseline. Factor analysis was performed to inform the development of a scoring algorithm, and reliability, validity, and responsiveness of the PPMQ‐R were evaluated.

Results.—Factor analyses confirmed that the revised questionnaire has five domains measuring satisfaction with efficacy, functionality, ease of use, medication cost, and bothersomeness of medication side effects. A total score can be created by taking the average of efficacy, functionality, and ease of use scores. The PPMQ‐R scale scores and Total score demonstrated internal consistency reliability (Cronbach's α: 0.80 to 0.98) and test–retest reliability (intra‐class correlation coefficient: 0.79 to 0.91). Except for the Cost domain, the PPMQ‐R scores discriminated among migraine pain severity levels (allP< .05) and levels of impairment in ability to work and perform usual activities (allP< .05). Except for the Ease of Use and Cost domains, mean PPMQ‐R scores were significantly higher among patients with no change in treatment and whose pain improved between two consecutive migraine attacks (allP< .01).

Conclusion.—The PPMQ‐R is a reliable and valid measure of patient satisfaction with acute migraine treatment in women with frequent migraine attacks.
Construction of a Medication Dependence Questionnaire in Headache Patients (MDQ‐H) Validation of the French Version
Authors: Radat Françoise , Irachabal Sandrine , Lafittau Magali , Creac'h Christelle , Dousset Virginie , Henry Patrick
Published: July 2006

Objectives.—To construct and validate a questionnaire measuring dependence on analgesics and on migraine attack treatments in headache patients.

Method.—The items were obtained using the Diagnostic and Statistic Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed.) (DSM‐IV) diagnostic criteria for dependence. The construct validity of the scale was investigated by confirmatory analysis in a sample of 156 patients. Regression analysis was used to explore predictive validity.

Results.—The 21 items of the scale were grouped into seven first‐order factors corresponding to seven dependence items described in the DSM‐IV. There was a second‐order factor that may be considered as a general dependence factor. The global questionnaire score predicted the number of units of treatment taken per week, the number of days of headache, the number of days medications were taken, and emotional distress. Patients with headache associated with chronic substance use had a significantly higher score (P < .000) than migraine and tension headache patients.

Conclusion.—It is a practical and valid tool for measuring medication dependence, including the behavioral dimension of dependence, in patients with headache associated with chronic substance use. It can prevent patients and clinicians from only focusing on pharmacological dependence.
PHYLOGENETICS OF RHINODINIUM BROOMEENSE GEN. ET SP. NOV., A PERIDINIOID, SAND‐DWELLING DINOFLAGELLATE (DINOPHYCEAE)1
Authors: Murray Shauna , Hoppenrath Mona , Preisfeld Angelika , Larsen Jacob , Yoshimatsu Sadaaki , Toriumi Saburo , Patterson David J.
Published: July 2006

The phylogeny of Rhinodinium broomeense, a new genus and species of heterotrophic peridinioid dinoflagellates, has been studied based on morphological and molecular genetic data. The genus was found in tidal marine sand habitats in Broome, north‐western Australia, and from three marine sand habitats in Japan. The thecal plate formula is Po 3′ 1a 5″ 4c ?s 5″′ 1″″. A large apical hook points toward the dorsal side. Its plate pattern is similar to species of the genus Roscoffia; however, it differs from that genus in its much larger epitheca, narrow cingulum, which could be interpreted as incomplete, the narrow sulcus without sulcal lists on both sides, and the strong oblique lateral compression. Phylogenetic analyses using partial LSU rDNA sequences, as well as plate pattern information, support the placement of this genus in the Peridiniales; however, it is sufficiently different from other genera that the family affinity remains unclear.
INTERACTIVE EFFECTS OF IRRADIANCE AND TEMPERATURE ON THE PHOTOSYNTHETIC PHYSIOLOGY OF THE PENNATE DIATOM PSEUDO‐NITZSCHIA GRANII (BACILLARIOPHYCEAE) FROM THE NORTHEAST SUBARCTIC PACIFIC1
Authors: El‐Sabaawi Rana , Harrison Paul J.
Published: July 2006

This study examined how light and temperature interact to influence growth rates, chl a, and photosynthetic efficiency of the oceanic pennate diatom Pseudo‐nitzschia granii Hasle, isolated from the northeast subarctic Pacific. Growth rates were modulated by both light and temperature, although for each irradiance tested, the growth rate was always the greatest at ∼14°C. Chl a per cell was affected primarily by temperature, except at the maximum chl a per cell (at 10°C) where the effects of light were noticeable. At both ends of the temperature gradient, cells displayed evidence of chlorosis even at low light intensities. Chl fluorescence data suggested that cells at 8°C were significantly more efficient in their photosynthetic processes than cells at 20°C, despite having comparable concentrations of chl. Cells at low temperature showed photosynthetic characteristics similar to high‐irradiance‐adapted cells. The decline of growth rates beyond the optimum growth temperature coincided with the cell's inability to accumulate chl in response to increasing temperature. The decline in photosynthetic ability at 20°C was likely due to a combination of high‐temperature stress on cellular membranes and a decline in chl. Our results highlight the important interactions between light and temperature and the need to incorporate these interactions into the development of phytoplankton models for the subarctic Pacific.