bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Novel Population of Cholinergic Neurons in the Macaque Spinal Dorsal Horn of Potential Clinical Relevance for Pain Therapy
Authors: Pawlowski Sophie Anne , Gaillard Stéphane , Ghorayeb Imad , Ribeiro-da-Silva Alfredo , Schlichter Rémy , Cordero-Erausquin Matilde
Published: February 2013

Endogenous acetylcholine (ACh) is a well-known modulator of nociceptive transmission in the spinal cord of rodents. It arises mainly from a sparse population of cholinergic interneurons located in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord. This population was thought to be absent from the spinal cord of monkey, what might suggest that spinal ACh would not be a relevant clinical target for pain therapy. In humans, however, pain responses can be modulated by spinal ACh, as evidenced by the increasingly used analgesic procedure (for postoperative and labor patients) consisting of the epidural injection of the acetylcholinesterase inhibitor neostigmine. The source and target of this ACh remain yet to be elucidated. In this study, we used an immunolabeling for choline acetyltransferase to demonstrate, for the first time, the presence of a plexus of cholinergic fibers in laminae II-III of the dorsal horn of the macaque monkey. Moreover, we show the presence of numerous cholinergic cell bodies within the same laminae and compared their density and morphological properties with those previously described in rodents. An electron microscopy analysis demonstrates that cholinergic boutons are presynaptic to dorsal horn neurons as well as to the terminals of sensory primary afferents, suggesting that they are likely to modulate incoming somatosensory information. Our data suggest that this newly identified dorsal horn cholinergic system in monkeys is the source of the ACh involved in the analgesic effects of epidural neostigmine and could be more specifically targeted for novel therapeutic strategies for pain management in humans.
Tbr2Expression in Cajal-Retzius Cells and Intermediate Neuronal Progenitors Is Required for Morphogenesis of the Dentate Gyrus
Authors: Hodge Rebecca D. , Garcia Alfredo J. , Elsen Gina E. , Nelson Branden R. , Mussar Kristin E. , Reiner Steven L. , Ramirez Jan-Marino , Hevner Robert F.
Published: February 2013

The dentate gyrus (DG) is a unique cortical region whose protracted development spans the embryonic and early postnatal periods. DG development involves large-scale reorganization of progenitor cell populations, ultimately leading to the establishment of the subgranular zone neurogenic niche. In the developing DG, the T-box transcription factorTbr2is expressed in both Cajal-Retzius cells derived from the cortical hem that guide migration of progenitors and neurons to the DG, and intermediate neuronal progenitors born in the dentate neuroepithelium that give rise to granule neurons. Here we show that in miceTbr2is required for proper migration of Cajal-Retzius cells to the DG; and, in the absence ofTbr2, formation of the hippocampal fissure is abnormal, leading to aberrant development of the transhilar radial glial scaffold and impaired migration of progenitors and neuroblasts to the developing DG. Furthermore, loss ofTbr2results in decreased expression ofCxcr4in migrating cells, leading to a premature burst of granule neurogenesis during early embryonic development accompanied by increased cell death in mutant animals. Formation of the transient subpial neurogenic zone was abnormal inTbr2conditional knock-outs, and the stem cell population in the DG was depleted before proper establishment of the subgranular zone. These studies indicate thatTbr2is explicitly required for morphogenesis of the DG and participates in multiple aspects of the intricate developmental process of this structure.
Reversible Pathologic and Cognitive Phenotypes in an Inducible Model of Alzheimer-Amyloidosis
Authors: Melnikova Tatiana , Fromholt Susan , Kim HyunSu , Lee Deidre , Xu Guilian , Price Ashleigh , Moore Brenda D. , Golde Todd E. , Felsenstein Kevin M. , Savonenko Alena , Borchelt David R.
Published: February 2013

Transgenic mice that express mutant amyloid precursor protein (APPsi) using tet-Off vector systems provide an alternative model for assessing short- and long-term effects of Aβ-targeting therapies on phenotypes related to the deposition of Alzheimer-type amyloid. Here we use such a model, termed APPsi:tTA, to determine what phenotypes persist in mice with high amyloid burden after new production of APP/Aβ has been suppressed. We find that 12- to 13-month-old APPsi:tTA mice are impaired in cognitive tasks that assess short- and long-term memories. Acutely suppressing new APPsi/Aβ production produced highly significant improvements in performing short-term spatial memory tasks, which upon continued suppression translated to superior performance in more demanding tasks that assess long-term spatial memory and working memory. Deficits in episodic-like memory and cognitive flexibility, however, were more persistent. Arresting mutant APPsi production caused a rapid decline in the brain levels of soluble APP ectodomains, full-length APP, and APP C-terminal fragments. As expected, amyloid deposits persisted after new APP/Aβ production was inhibited, whereas, unexpectedly, we detected persistent pools of solubilizable, relatively mobile, Aβ42. Additionally, we observed persistent levels of Aβ-immunoreactive entities that were of a size consistent with SDS-resistant oligomeric assemblies. Thus, in this model with significant amyloid pathology, a rapid amelioration of cognitive deficits was observed despite persistent levels of oligomeric Aβ assemblies and low, but detectable solubilizable Aβ42 peptides. These findings implicate complex relationships between accumulating Aβ and activities of APP, soluble APP ectodomains, and/or APP C-terminal fragments in mediating cognitive deficits in this model of amyloidosis.
Neutralization of Inhibitory Molecule NG2 Improves Synaptic Transmission, Retrograde Transport, and Locomotor Function after Spinal Cord Injury in Adult Rats
Authors: Petrosyan Hayk A. , Hunanyan Arsen S. , Alessi Valentina , Schnell Lisa , Levine Joel , Arvanian Victor L.
Published: February 2013

NG2 belongs to the family of chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans that are upregulated after spinal cord injury (SCI) and are major inhibitory factors restricting the growth of fibers after SCI. Neutralization of NG2's inhibitory effect on axon growth by anti-NG2 monoclonal antibodies (NG2-Ab) has been reported. In addition, recent studies show that exogenous NG2 induces a block of axonal conduction. In this study, we demonstrate that acute intraspinal injections of NG2-Ab prevented an acute block of conduction by NG2. Chronic intrathecal infusion of NG2-Ab improved the following deficits induced by chronic midthoracic lateral hemisection (HX) injury: (1) synaptic transmission to lumbar motoneurons, (2) retrograde transport of fluororuby anatomical tracer from L5 to L1, and (3) locomotor function assessed by automated CatWalk gait analysis. We collected data in an attempt to understand the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying the NG2-Ab-induced improvement of synaptic transmission in HX-injured spinal cord. These data showed the following: (1) that chronic NG2-Ab infusion improved conduction and axonal excitability in chronically HX-injured rats, (2) that antibody treatment increased the density of serotonergic axons with ventral regions of spinal segments L1–L5, (3) and that NG2-positive processes contact nodes of Ranvier within the nodal gap at the location of nodal Na+channels, which are known to be critical for propagation of action potentials along axons. Together, these results demonstrate that treatment with NG2-Ab partially improves both synaptic and anatomical plasticity in damaged spinal cord and promotes functional recovery after HX SCI. Neutralizing antibodies against NG2 may be an excellent way to promote axonal conduction after SCI.
Postsynaptic GABABReceptors Enhance Extrasynaptic GABAAReceptor Function in Dentate Gyrus Granule Cells
Authors: Tao Wucheng , Higgs Matthew H. , Spain William J. , Ransom Christopher B.
Published: February 2013

Ambient GABA in the brain tonically activates extrasynaptic GABAAreceptors, and activity-dependent changes in ambient GABA concentration can also activate GABABreceptors. To investigate an interaction between postsynaptic GABABand GABAAreceptors, we recorded GABAAcurrents elicited by exogenous GABA (10 μm) from dentate gyrus granule cells (DGGCs) in adult rat hippocampal slices. The GABABreceptor agonist baclofen (20 μm) enhanced GABAAcurrents. This enhancement was blocked by the GABABreceptor antagonist CGP 55845 and intracellular solutions containing the GTP analog GDP-β-s, indicating that baclofen was acting on postsynaptic GABABreceptors. Modulation of GABAAcurrents by postsynaptic GABABreceptors was not observed in CA1 pyramidal cells or layer 2/3 cortical pyramidal neurons. Baclofen reduced the frequency of spontaneous inhibitory postsynaptic currents (sIPSCs) but did not alter sIPSC amplitude or kinetics. Thus, GABAAreceptors activated at synapses were not modulated by postsynaptic GABABreceptors. In contrast, tonic GABA currents and currents activated by the GABAAreceptor δ subunit-selective agonist THIP (10 μm) were potentiated by baclofen. Our data indicate that postsynaptic GABABreceptors enhance the function of extrasynaptic GABAAreceptors, including δ subunit-containing receptors that mediate tonic inhibition in DGGCs. The modulation of GABAAreceptor function by postsynaptic GABABreceptors is a newly identified mechanism that will influence the inhibitory tone of DGGCs when GABABand GABAAreceptors are both activated.
Basolateral Amygdala Lesions Facilitate Reward Choices after Negative Feedback in Rats
Authors: Izquierdo Alicia , Darling Chelsi , Manos Nic , Pozos Hilda , Kim Charissa , Ostrander Serena , Cazares Victor , Stepp Haley , Rudebeck Peter H.
Published: February 2013

The orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) and basolateral amygdala (BLA) constitute part of a neural circuit important for adaptive, goal-directed learning. One task measuring flexibility of response to changes in reward is discrimination reversal learning. Damage to OFC produces well documented impairments on various forms of reversal learning in rodents, monkeys, and humans. Recent reports show that BLA, though highly interconnected with OFC, may be differentially involved in reversal learning. In the present experiment, we compared the effects of bilateral, ibotenic acid lesions of OFC or BLA (or SHAM) on visual discrimination and reversal learning. Specifically, we used pairwise visual discrimination methods, as is commonly administered in non-human primate studies, and analyzed how animals use positive and negative trial-by-trial feedback, domains not previously explored in a rat study. As expected, OFC lesions displayed significantly slower reversal learning than SHAM and BLA rats across sessions. Rats with BLA lesions, conversely, showed facilitated reversal learning relative to SHAM and OFC groups. Furthermore, a trial-by-trial analysis of the errors committed showed the BLA group benefited more from incorrectly performed trials (or negative feedback) on future choices than either SHAM or OFC rats. This provides evidence that BLA and OFC are involved in updating responses to changes in reward contingency and that the roles are distinct. Our results are discussed in relation to a competitive framework model for OFC and BLA in reward processing.
Diffusion of Fluorine-Silicon Interstitial Complex in Crystalline Silicon
Authors: Harrison Scott A. , Edgar Thomas F. , Hwang Gyeong S.
Published: February 2013

Based on first principles density functional theory calculations, we identify the structure and diffusion pathway for a fluorine-silicon interstitial complex (F-Sii). We find the F-Sii complex to be most stable in the singly positive charge state at all Fermi leVels. At mid-gap, the complex is found to have a binding energy of 1.08 eV relative to bond-centered F+ and (110)-split Sii. We find the F-Sii complex has an overall migration barrier of 0.76 eV, which suggests that this complex may play an important role in fluorine diffusion. Our results should lead to more accurate models that describe the behavior of fluorine co-implants crystalline silicon.
Theoretical Investigation of Formation of (n-n+)-Junction in Ion-Implanted Crystalline Matrix
Authors: Peleshchak R. , Kuzyk O. , Khlyap H.
Published: February 2013

The paper reports results of theoretical calculations of the redistribution of electrons and electrostatic potential in the implanted crystalline matrix (100)-GaAs+Si(Ar) due to electrondeformation effects. The model requires a self-consistent solution of the set of following equations: 1)the time-independent Schroedinger equation; 2) the equation of mechanical equilibrium: 3) the Poisson equation for determining electrostatic potential distribution; 4) the equation for calculation of the electron concentration, and 5) the equation for the chemical potential calculation in the implanted system. The most important result is: it is shown that in the elastic region of the implanted matrix n-n+-junction is formed. Current-voltage characteristics of the junction are numerically simulated.
Violências e conflitos intersubjetivos no Brasil contemporâneo
Authors: Costa Arthur Trindade M.
Published: February 2013

Neste trabalho, discutimos a violência interpessoal no Brasil, cuja consequência mais visível é o aumento da mortalidade por homicídios. Sugerimos que a chave para entender esse fenômeno violento é a compreensão do contexto nos quais essas mortes ocorreram, ou seja, o tipo de conflito, seu significado para as partes envolvidas, seu objeto e sua estruturação. Finalmente, sustentamos que, embora dramática, a violência intersubjetiva tem recebido pouca atenção das autoridades brasileiras.
The Financial Toxicity of Cancer Treatment: A Pilot Study Assessing Out-of-Pocket Expenses and the Insured Cancer Patient's Experience
Authors: Zafar S. Yousuf , Peppercorn Jeffrey M. , Schrag Deborah , Taylor Donald H. , Goetzinger Amy M. , Zhong Xiaoyin , Abernethy Amy P.
Published: February 2013

Learning Objectives

Describe the experiences of insured cancer patients requesting copayment assistance in order to better understand the challenges of underinsurance. Describe the impact of costs on the well being of insured cancer patients. Evaluate the impact of costs on the treatment received by insured cancer patients.

Purpose.

Cancer patients carry rising burdens of health care-related out-of-pocket expenses, and a growing number of patients are considered “underinsured.” Our objective was to describe experiences of insured cancer patients requesting copayment assistance and to describe the impact of health care expenses on well-being and treatment.

Methods.

We conducted baseline and follow-up surveys regarding the impact of health care costs on well-being and treatment among cancer patients who contacted a national copayment assistance foundation along with a comparison sample of patients treated at an academic medical center.

Results.

Among 254 participants, 75% applied for drug copayment assistance. Forty-two percent of participants reported a significant or catastrophic subjective financial burden; 68% cut back on leisure activities, 46% reduced spending on food and clothing, and 46% used savings to defray out-of-pocket expenses. To save money, 20% took less than the prescribed amount of medication, 19% partially filled prescriptions, and 24% avoided filling prescriptions altogether. Copayment assistance applicants were more likely than nonapplicants to employ at least one of these strategies to defray costs (98% vs. 78%). In an adjusted analysis, younger age, larger household size, applying for copayment assistance, and communicating with physicians about costs were associated with greater subjective financial burden.

Conclusion.

Insured patients undergoing cancer treatment and seeking copayment assistance experience considerable subjective financial burden, and they may alter their care to defray out-of-pocket expenses. Health insurance does not eliminate financial distress or health disparities among cancer patients. Future research should investigate coverage thresholds that minimize adverse financial outcomes and identify cancer patients at greatest risk for financial toxicity.
Induction Chemotherapy for Locoregionally Advanced Head and Neck Cancer: Past, Present, Future?
Authors: Hanna Glenn J. , Haddad Robert I. , Lorch Jochen H.
Published: February 2013

The treatment of patients with locoregionally advanced squamous cell cancer of the head and neck is still evolving. Induction chemotherapy (IC) is widely used in this patient population and it is unclear how to best incorporate IC into multimodality treatment. Recently, the results of two randomized clinical trials were presented (the PARADIGM and Docetaxel Based Chemotherapy Plus or Minus Induction Chemotherapy to Decrease Events in Head and Neck Cancer trials), which showed no demonstrable benefit of IC followed by concurrent chemoradiation over concurrent chemoradiotherapy alone. However, a lower rate of distant metastatic disease was noted, suggesting that patients who are at high risk for metastatic disease may benefit from IC. This review summarizes how IC has evolved over the years, provides an update of recent developments, and discusses how IC may develop in the future.
A Phase II Study of Amrubicin as a Third-Line or Fourth-Line Chemotherapy for Patients With Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Hokkaido Lung Cancer Clinical Study Group Trial (HOT) 0901
Authors: Harada Toshiyuki , Oizumi Satoshi , Ito Kenichiro , Takamura Kei , Kikuchi Eiki , Kuda Tomoya , Sugawara Shunichi , Suzuki Aya , Maemondo Makoto , Fujita Yuka , Kinoshita Ichiro , Inoue Akira , Hommura Fumihiro , Katsuura Yutaka , Dosaka-Akita Hirotoshi , Isobe Hiroshi , Nishimura Masaharu ,   Hokkaido Lung Cancer Clinical Study Group.
Published: February 2013

Amrubicin, a third-generation synthetic anthracycline agent, has favorable clinical activity and acceptable toxicity for the treatment of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and small cell lung cancer. We conducted this study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of amrubicin for advanced NSCLC patients as a third- or fourth-line therapy. Eligible patients had recurrent or refractory advanced NSCLC after second- or third-line therapy. Patients received amrubicin, 35 mg/m2 i.v. on days 1–3 every 3 weeks. The primary endpoint was the disease control rate (DCR). Secondary endpoints were the overall survival (OS) time, progression-free survival (PFS) time, response rate, and toxicity profile. Of the 41 patients enrolled, 26 received amrubicin as a third-line and 15 received it as a fourth-line therapy. The median number of treatment cycles was two (range, 1–9). Objective responses were complete response (n = 0), partial response (n = 4), stable disease (n = 21), progressive disease (n = 15), and not evaluable (n = 1), resulting in a DCR of 61.0% (95% confidence interval, 46.0%–75.9%). The overall response rate was 9.8% (95% confidence interval, 0.6%–18.8%). The median PFS interval was 3.0 months, median OS time was 12.6 months, and 1-year survival rate was 53.7%. Grade 3 or 4 hematological toxicities were neutropenia (68%), anemia (12%), thrombocytopenia (12%), and febrile neutropenia (17%). Nonhematological toxicities were mild and reversible. No treatment-related deaths were observed. Amrubicin showed significant clinical activity with manageable toxicities as a third- or fourth-line therapy for patients with advanced NSCLC. This study provides relevant data for routine practice and future prospective trials evaluating third- or fourth-line treatment strategies for patients with advanced NSCLC.
Soil stability and flow slides in unsaturated shallow slopes: can saturation events trigger liquefaction processes?
Authors: BUSCARNERA G. , DI PRISCO C.
Published: February 2013

This paper illustrates an application of the theory of material stability to the analysis of unsaturated slopes. The main goal is to contribute to the understanding of rainfall-induced flow slides. For this purpose, a coupled hydromechanical constitutive model is combined with a simplified approach for the analysis of infinite slopes. Simple shear-test simulations are used to evaluate triggering perturbations and investigate the role of both initial suction and stress anisotropy in the activation of slope failures. The numerical simulations clearly show that different mechanisms of activation can be originated. The onset of instability is detected by introducing appropriate stability indices for distinct modes of failure: localised shear failure, static liquefaction and wetting-induced collapse. Critical intervals of slope inclinations are identified, cautioning that the predicted failure mode may change dramatically depending on initial conditions, slope angle and material properties. The numerical simulations demonstrate that, in particular circumstances, saturation of the pore space can be the unexpected result of a volumetric instability. According to this interpretation, a rainfall-induced flow slide can originate from a complex chain process consisting of a sudden volume collapse, uncontrolled saturation of the pores and, eventually, catastrophic liquefaction of the deposit.
Study of risk factors associated with the development of malocclusion
Authors: Petrovic Djordje , Vukic-Culafic Branka , Ivic Stojan , Djuric Milanko , Milekic Bojana
Published: February 2013

Background/Aim. Research of the most common causes of irregularities of jaws
and teeth is designed in order to find the most efficient mode of their
prevention. Frequency of orthodontic malformations (malocclusions) is as high
as 60% to 80% in this region with an increasing tendency. Researching the
risk factors for orofacial irregularities is designed with the purpose of
creating a standardized methodology for risk evaluation, frequency and degree
of orthodontic irregularities of face, jaws and teeth. The aim of the study
was to identify and analyze the causal factors that lead to forming
malocclusions in patients from the Province of Vojvodina and create a uniform
methodology for epidemiological research. Methods. The research included 127
patients from the current casuistics of the Vojvodina Stomatology Clinic -
Department for Jaw Orthopedics. Data for Questionnaire for Epidemiological
Surveillance were obtained from medical records of patients, heteroanamnesis,
objective findings, functional analysis of stomatognathic system, and
additional diagnostic methods. Results. The average number of the risk
factors was 2.59 per patient, of which 56% were morphological factors, and
44% functional. Acquired risk factors made up 61% of the total number, while
congenital risk factors made up 39%, of which 15% were hereditary and 24%
were nonhereditary. Conclusion. Implementing the Questionnaire for
Epidemiological Surveillance, general distribution of anomalies could be
presented by the Anomaly index (AI), which dictates the introduction of a
standardized questionnaire for epidemiological screening, which would
preclude ambiguousness and the differences between the epidemiological
research data would be cut to the minimum.
The effect of bone morphometric changes on orthodontic tooth movement in an osteoporotic animal model
Authors: Hashimoto Megumi , Hotokezaka Hitoshi , Sirisoontorn Irin , Nakano Takako , Arita Kotaro , Tanaka Motohiro , Yoshida Noriaki
Published: February 2013

Objective:

To elucidate the effect of bone morphometric changes on orthodontic tooth movement (OTM) in zoledronic acid–treated ovariectomized rats.

Materials and Methods:

Twenty-one 10-week-old female Wistar rats were divided into ovariectomy (OVX), OVX with zoledronic acid administration (OVX + ZOL), and sham operation (control) groups. Two weeks after OVX, ZOL administration was initiated. Twelve weeks after OVX, a nickel-titanium closed-coil spring of 25-g force was applied mesially to the maxillary left first molar. In vivo micro–computed tomography (CT) of the left proximal tibia was performed for bone morphometric analysis every 2 weeks after OVX. In addition, OTM was investigated using micro-CT at 0, 12, and 14 weeks after OVX.

Results:

There were significant differences in the bone mineral content (BMC), bone volume (BV), BMC to tissue volume ratio (BMC/TV), and BV to TV ratio of trabecular bone between the control and OVX groups and also between the OVX + ZOL and OVX groups. In the OVX + ZOL group, increased BMC and BV in the cortical bone and increased bone mineral density (BMD) in the trabecular bone were observed. Interestingly, OTM in the OVX group was almost two times more than that in the control and OVX + ZOL groups. Moreover, OTM was correlated with BMD, BMC, BV, and BMC/TV in the trabecular bone.

Conclusions:

OVX accelerated OTM, while ZOL suppressed it. OTM demonstrated a significant negative relationship with trabecular bone mass.
Evaluation of coagulation in dogs with partial or complete extrahepatic biliary tract obstruction by means of thromboelastography
Authors: Mayhew Philipp D. , Savigny Michelle R. , Otto Cynthia M. , Brown Dorothy Cimino , Brooks Marjory B. , Bentley Adrienne M. , Runge Jeffrey J. , Callan Mary Beth
Published: February 2013

Objective—To characterize in vitro coagulation status in a cohort of dogs with extrahepatic biliary tract obstruction (EHBO) and to evaluate these patients for hypercoagulability by means of thromboelastography.

Design—Prospective cohort study.

Animals—10 dogs with EHBO and 19 healthy control dogs.

Procedures—Partial or complete EHBO was confirmed via exploratory celiotomy. Venous blood samples were collected for evaluation of prothrombin time (PT) and activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT); fibrinogen and D-dimer concentrations; protein C and antithrombin activities; and factor VII, VIII, and XI coagulant activities in plasma as well as thromboelastography in whole blood. Thromboelastography variables were measured from the thromboelastography tracing, and a coagulation index was calculated. Thromboelastography results were compared with those of healthy control dogs previously evaluated by the same laboratory.

Results—Hypercoagulability was diagnosed in all dogs with EHBO on the basis of a high coagulation index. Thromboelastography variables, including maximal amplitude, α-angle, and coagulation index, were significantly higher, and K (clot formation time) and R (reaction time) were significantly lower in these dogs than in control dogs. All dogs with EHBO had PT and APTT within respective reference ranges. Plasma D-dimer and fibrinogen concentrations were above reference ranges in 8 and 7 dogs, respectively, and protein C and antithrombin activities were below reference ranges in 3 and 1 dogs, respectively.

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—In vitro hypercoagulability was commonly detected in dogs with naturally occurring EHBO. The traditional view of EHBO as a disease that causes hypocoagulability may need to be reconsidered.
Relationship between dynamin 1 mutation status and characteristics of recurrent episodes of exercise-induced collapse in Labrador Retrievers
Authors: Furrow Eva , Minor Katie M. , Taylor Susan M. , Mickelson James R. , Patterson Edward E.
Published: February 2013

Objective—To identify characteristics of exercise-induced collapse in Labrador Retrievers and compare characteristics for dogs with various dynamin 1 gene (DNM1) mutation statuses.

Design—Retrospective cross-sectional study.

Animals—109 Labrador Retrievers with a history of recurrent exercise-induced collapse, clinically normal behavior and gait between episodes, and no reason for collapse identified via medical evaluation.

Procedures—Data were collected via surveys from owners of dogs that were tested for an autosomal recessive DNM1 mutation causing DNM1-associated exercise-induced collapse (d-EIC). Dogs were identified as having d-EIC (homozygous for the mutation) or not having d-EIC (heterozygous for or without the mutation). Survey data were reviewed by an investigator unaware of the genotypes of dogs, and collapse characteristics were compared between groups.

Results—74 dogs had d-EIC; 35 dogs did not have d-EIC. Dogs with d-EIC were young (median age, 12 months) at the time of the first collapse episode; collapse in such dogs typically originated in the hind limbs and was characterized by low muscle tone, clinically normal mentation, and rapid recovery. Dogs without d-EIC were older (median age, 23 months) than dogs with d-EIC; such dogs had various characteristics of collapse that were not consistent with a single disease.

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Characteristics of exercised-induced collapse in Labrador Retrievers with various DNM1 genotypes were identified in this study; findings may help distinguish dogs with d-EIC from those with other types of collapse conditions. Characteristics of collapse in Labrador Retrievers that were not homozygous for the DNM1 mutation differed substantially among dogs and may have been attributable to multiple causes.
Successful treatment of encrusted cystitis associated with Staphylococcus pseudintermedius infection in the urinary bladder of a dog
Authors: Biegen Vanessa R. , Slusser Peter G. , Fischetti Anthony J. , Geist Michael R.
Published: February 2013

Case Description—A 5-year-old female spayed mixed-breed dog was examined because of signs of persistent stranguria following treatment for urethral obstruction.

Clinical Findings—Radiographic, ultrasonographic, cystoscopic, and histologic findings were consistent with encrusted cystitis. Results of bacteriologic culture of urine and bladder wall biopsy samples indicated growth of Staphylococcus pseudintermedius.

Treatment and Outcome—The dog was initially treated via IV administration of fluids, placement of an indwelling urinary catheter, lavage of the bladder with sterile saline (0.9% NaCl) solution, and administration of antimicrobial drugs and bethanechol (to improve voiding of urine from the bladder). Antimicrobial drugs were administered for 3 months, and a commercially available diet for dissolution of urinary calculi was fed. Clinical signs of encrusted cystitis gradually resolved during the 3 months after the initial examination. Results of urinalysis and abdominal ultrasonographic examination performed 4 months after the initial examination indicated resolution of the disease.

Clinical Relevance—Encrusted cystitis is extremely rare in small animals and has previously only been associated with Corynebacterium spp infection of the urinary bladder. Resolution of encrusted cystitis has previously been achieved via surgical debridement of the bladder and treatment with antimicrobial drugs. The clinical findings and successful resolution of clinical signs in the dog of the present report suggested that urease-positive bacteria other than Corynebacterium spp can cause encrusted cystitis and that feeding of a diet for dissolution of urinary calculi in conjunction with antimicrobial treatment may result in resolution of urinary bladder lesions and clinical signs attributable to the disease without the need for surgical debridement of encrusted plaques.
Spinal cord compression secondary to extramedullary hematopoiesis in a dog
Authors: Williams Lindsay M. , Skeen Todd M.
Published: February 2013

Case Description—An 11-year-old spayed female Siberian Husky was evaluated because of a 2-week history of progressive paraparesis.

Clinical Findings—Results of neurologic examination were consistent with a T3-L3 myelopathy. There were no abnormalities on CBC, and hypercalcemia was noted on serum biochemical analysis. Several hypoechoic splenic nodules were evident on abdominal ultrasonography, and results of fine-needle aspiration cytology were consistent with splenic extramedullary hematopoiesis (EMH). Two compressive, extradural masses in the dorsal epidural space of the thoracolumbar region of the spinal cord were seen on MRI images.

Treatment and Outcome—A dorsal laminectomy was performed to remove the extradural spinal masses. Results of histologic examination of tissue samples were consistent with EMH. Following surgery, clinical signs of paraparesis resolved, and there was no recurrence of the masses 24 months after surgery.

Clinical Relevance—Extramedullary hematopoesis should be considered as a differential diagnosis in dogs in which results of diagnostic imaging indicate a epidural mass. In human patients, spinal EMH usually occurs secondary to an underlying hematologic disease, but it can also occur spontaneously. Treatment options reported for humans include surgical decompression, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and blood transfusion. The dog of this report responded favorably to surgical decompression and was clinically normal 2 years after surgery.
Clinicopathologic variables associated with hypokalemia in lactating dairy cows with abomasal displacement or volvulus
Authors: Constable Peter , Grünberg Walter , Staufenbiel Rudolf , Stämpfli Henry R.
Published: February 2013

Objective—To identify potential mechanisms for hypokalemia in dairy cows with left-displaced abomasum (LDA), right-displaced abomasum (RDA), or abomasal volvulus (AV).

Design—Retrospective analysis of clinicopathologic data from 2 convenience samples of cows.

Sample—112 lactating dairy cows with AV (group 1); 1,332 lactating dairy cows (group 2) with LDA (n = 1,160) or RDA or AV (172).

Procedures—Data were analyzed via Spearman ρ and multivariate stepwise regression.

Results—78 of 112 (70%) group 1 cows were hypokalemic (mean serum potassium concentration, 3.5 mEq/L; reference range, 3.9 to 5.8 mEq/L). For group 1 cows, serum chloride concentration had the strongest positive association with serum potassium concentration, and serum potassium concentration was negatively associated with plasma bicarbonate and serum glucose, creatinine, and urea concentrations. Six hundred thirty-six of 1,160 (55%) of group 2 cows with LDA were hypokalemic (mean serum potassium concentration, 3.7 mEq/L). Ninety-two of 172 (53%) group 2 cows with RDA or AV were hypokalemic (mean serum potassium concentration, 3.8 mEq/L). For group 2 cows, serum chloride concentration had the strongest positive association with serum potassium concentration, and serum potassium concentration was negatively associated with indices of feed intake (serum bilirubin concentration) and hydration status.

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Results suggested hypokalemia was associated with hypochloremia, alkalemia, low feed intake with high amount of milk produced, hypovolemia, and hyperglycemia in lactating dairy cows. Treatment of hypokalemia should include surgical correction of abomasal displacement, increased dietary potassium intake via dietary dry matter intake or oral administration of KCl, and correction of hypochloremia, alkalemia, metabolic alkalosis, and dehydration.
Alien invertebrates transported accidentally to the Polish Antarctic Station in cargo and on fresh foods
Authors: Chwedorzewska Katarzyna J. , Korczak−Abshire Małgorzata , Olech Maria , Lityńska−Zając Maria , Augustyniuk−Kram Anna
Published: February 2013

During three austral summer seasons cargo, expeditioner clothes and equipment of the Polish Antarctic Expedition were examined for the presence of alien propagules. De− tailed inspections were undertaken at the station buildings, searching for any invertebrates. During each austral summer fresh fruits and vegetables were also inspected. A total of 359 invertebrates and their remains were found in cargo transported to Arctowski Station, or caught in the station’s facilities. The majority of samples were classified as cultivation pests (26%), food pests (43%), wood−destroying pests (4%), domestic insects and arachnids (15%). Through supply of the research station a wide range of alien organisms can be acci− dentally transported and ultimately introduced to the Antarctic. This study has clearly dem− onstrated that almost all cargo items can be a potential vector for alien organisms. Species from a broad range of biological groups can be transported to the Antarctic and remain in a viable state.
Morphological and histochemical examination of male and female gonads in Homarus gammarus (L. 1758)
Authors: Erkan Melike , Ayun Yasemin
Published: February 2013

The reproductive organs of both male and female European lobsters (Homarus gammarus) are H-shaped gonads that lie dorsal to the gut on the large hepatopancreas. The ovary consists of a pair of tubular, parallel lobules with a connecting bridge. The germarium of the ovary containing oogonia is concentrated in the center of the ovarian lobe. As oogonesis proceeds, the oocytes move to the peripheral regions of the ovary. The follicle cells begin to surround the oocytes in the previtellogenic stage, and the mature oocytes are completely surrounded by the follicle cells. Carbohydrates exist in both early and late vitellogenic oocytes that give PAS positive reaction. However, their rising protein content in late vitellogenic oocytes makes them stain with Bromophenol blue. Testes show convoluted lobules with a germinal epithelium and a central collecting duct, and the paired vasa deferentia have three distinct parts. Spermatophores are nonpedunculate and tubular, which extrude as a continuous column and consist of a sperm mass covered with primary and secondary layers. The primary layer stains with Bromophenol Blue and gives a PAS positive reaction. But the secondary layer only weakly stains with Bromophenol Blue. The histochemical results may indicate that the function of the two layers is different.
Self-rated health among women and their assessment of the health care system / Samoocena zdravja med ženskami in njihov odnos do zdravstvenega sistema v sloveniji
Authors: Ule Mirjana , Kurdija Slavko
Published: February 2013

Background: This article researches gender inequality in health based on subjective assessments of health, the
accessibility of health care services and trust in the health care system between different social categories of women
in Slovenia.

Methods: The study is based on the Slovenian Public Opinion survey (ISSP Health Module) carried out in 2011 on
representative samples of the adult Slovenian population. In the data, we investigated the gender differences and
difference between different socio-economic categories within the female sub-sample in self-assessed health, and
some other related topics such as: trust in doctors, trust in health care system, access to health care services and
attitude to the health care policy in Slovenia.

Results: The data shows significant inequalities in self-assessed health between different social strata. Self-assessed
health is significantly lower among women at the bottom of the educational and income scale. The data also reveals
strong support for the preservation of the available public health.

Conclusion: Neoliberal economic reforms (of health care) affect vulnerable social categories the most, and women
are particularly exposed. The use of women’s unpaid work in the family belongs among the basic (neo)liberal saving
strategies. These want to take more care and health work within families from the shoulders of the state and place
it onto the shoulders of family members, which mainly means women. In these circumstances, it is understandable
that women subjectively assess their health as being worse than men’s. Moreover, conditions are being established
that de facto could lead to worse health in the female population in Slovenia.
Application of FTIR spectroscopy to study the thermal stability of magnesium aspartate-arginine
Authors: Hacura Andrzej , Marcoin Wacława , Pasterny Karol
Published: February 2013

FTIR spectroscopy has been applied to study the thermal stability of magnesium aspartatearginine. An attempt has been made, using theoretically predicted IR spectra, to relate the changes in the experimental spectra with the decomposition process of the studied magnesium complex.
Distribution, abundance and environmental conditions of the clonal aquatic fern Salvinia natans (L.) All. in the Vistula delta (Baltic Sea Region)
Authors: Gałka Agnieszka , Szmeja Józef
Published: February 2013

We examined the distribution, resources and environmental conditions of the clonal aquatic fern Salvinia natans (L.) All., expansive in the Vistula delta (N Poland). Before 2006, there were 7 stands of this species, while in the years 2006-2010 their number increased to 21. The most abundant populations were found in the rivers: Tuga (133.0±37.6 indiv./0.1 m2), Fiszewka( 79.3±6.0), Szkarpawa (74.7±5.0), Struga Orłowska (61.0±2.0), Nogat (52.3±2.5), Elbląg (40.3±31.8), Wiślano-Zalewowy Canal (61.3±3.2) and in the SW part of Lake Druzno (72.3±2.5). S. natans did not colonise the weakly saline Vistula Lagoon and Elbląg Bay, which belong to the Baltic Sea. The plant under study occurred in shallow (2.2±1.5 m), narrow (17.9±13.6 m), slow-flowing (0.11±0.12 m s-1) and fertile (4.7±4.2 mg TN dm-3, 0.7±0.4 mg TP dm-3) watercourses. The water in them had neutral or alkaline pH (7.2-9.2) and was weakly saline (53.8±21.3 mg Cl dm-3). A dense mat of S. natans significantly affected the environmental conditions in the watercourses: water oxygenation, PAR intensity and concentration of biogenic substances, especially phosphorus, decreased.
Enzyme Activity in Forest Gleysols
Authors: Błońska Ewa , Lasota Jarosław , Januszek Kazimierz
Published: February 2013

The aim of this study was to determine the enzymatic activity (dehydrogenase and urease) in trophically diverse Gleysols. Efforts to establish the relationship between enzymatic activity and physico-chemical properties of various subtypes of Gleysols were attempted. Dehydrogenase activity was best correlated with carbon content and acidity among the studied properties of soils. Urease activity was correlated with the reaction pf soil. Enzyme activity differentiates subtypes of Gleysols, which are characterized by a different type of soil humus. The dehydrogenase activity was higher in gleysols with peat or muck of swamp habitats. The opposite trend was found in the urease activity. The urease activity was the highest in the gleysols without organic matter. The studies showed that enzymatic activity is closely related to the type of accumulated organic matter and at the same time with species variety of plant communities..
Komparatystyka i (inna) Historia Literatury / Comparative Literature Studies and (an Alternative ) History of Literature
Authors: Hejmej Andrzej
Published: February 2013

This article examines the relationship between comparative studies and history of literature. While paying special attention to the present-day condition of these two disciplines, the author surveys various approaches, formulated since the early 19th century, which sought to break with the traditional, national model of the history of literature and the ethnocentric model of traditional comparative studies, driven by an impatience with both nationalism and crypto-nationalism. In this context he focuses on the most recent projects of literary history like ‘comparative history of literature’, ‘international history of literature’, ‘transcultural history of literature’, or ‘world literature’ - all of which are oriented towards the international dimension of literary history. The article explores the possible reasons for the late 20th and early 21st- century revival of Goethe’s idea of Weltliteratur (in the critical thought of Pascal Casanova, David Damrosch, and Franco Moretti) and the recent vogue for ‘alternative’ histories of literature produced under the auspices of comparative cultural studies. At the same time it voices some skepticism about the radical reinvention of comparative studies (along the lines of Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak’s Death of a Discipline).
Historia Literatury, Komparatystyka, Przekład / History of Literature, Comparative Studies, Translation
Authors: Bilczewski Tomasz
Published: February 2013

This article analyzes the problem of constructing historical and literary narratives in the context of latest developments in comparative cultural studies, which have been subjected to the influence of the so-called ‘translation turn’. This perspective requires that one acknowledges the return and reinterpretation of Goethe’s notion of Weltliteratur, and the appearance of analyses of the philosophical, ethical, and political dimensions of the category of “comparison” (undertaken especially by anthropologists and scholars of postcolonialism). The revival of interest in the history of literature among comparative literature scholars (e.g., Frederic Jameson, David Damrosch, Walter F. Veit, Frances Ferguson, Jonathan Arac, Hans Ulrich Gumbricht, or Rebecca Walkowitz) is discussed in relation to the publication of Pascale Casanova’s La République mondiale des lettres (Paris, Seuil, 1999), which turned out to be one of the most important and most interesting works devoted to the problem of constructing transnational historical and literary narratives to appear in the last two decades.
Miłosz Wobec Conrada w Traktacie Moralnym / Miłosz and Conrad in the Treatise on Morality
Authors: Dudek Jolanta
Published: February 2013

It would appear that Czesław Miłosz’s Treatise on Morality - one of whose aims was to “stave off despair” - was largely inspired by the writings of Joseph Conrad. That Miłosz had no wish to draw his readers’ attention to this is perfectly understandable, given Conrad’s particularly low standing in the eyes of communist State censors. This long poem, which extols human freedom and pours scorn on socialist realism (together with its ideological premises), is one of Miłosz’s best known works in his native Poland, where it was published in 1948. The Treatise on Morality may well have been inspired by three of Conrad’s essays that were banned in communist Poland: ‘Autocracy and War’ (1905), ‘A Note on the Polish Problem’ (1916) and ‘The Crime of Partition’ (1919). After the Second World War, translations of these three essays were not available to the general Polish reader until … 1996! Conrad’s writings helped Miłosz to diagnose Poland’s political predicament from a historical perspective and to look for a way out of it without losing all hope. An analysis of the Treatise on Morality shows that only by reconstructing the Conradian atmosphere and context - alluded to in the text - can we fully grasp all the levels of the poet’s irony, which culminates in a final “punchline”. Apart from allusions to The Heart of Darkness and the brutal colonization of the Congo, the fate of post-war Poland is also seen through the optic of those of Conrad’s novels that deal with the subject of depraved revolutionaries: Nostromo (1904), TheSecret Agent (1907) and Under Western Eyes (1911). Conrad’s ideas for ways to fight against bad fortune and despair are suggested not only by his stories Youth (1902) and Typhoon (1903) - and by his novels The Nigger of the “Narcissus” and Lord Jim - but also and above all by his volume of memoirs entitled A Personal Record (1912), in which he relates his yearning for freedom as the young, tragic victim of a foreign empire. In an article entitled ‘Joseph Conrad in Polish Eyes’ and published in 1957 - on the hundredth anniversary of Conrad’s birth - Miłosz writes that, through his writings, Conrad fulfilled the hopes of his father (who gave him the name “Konrad”) and that although “the son did not want to assume a burden that had crushed his father, he had nevertheless become the defender of freedom against the blights of autocracy”