bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Plasmaspiegel von Glucose, Insulin und weiteren Seruminhaltstoffen während kontinuierlicher Zufuhr kleiner Glucosemengen im Bereich des Grundumsatzes
Authors: Marshall M. , Heigenhauser F. , Zöllner N.
Published: November 2008

Metabolic reactions during long-time intravenous infusion of glucose in dosages according to basal energy requirements of man were investigated. Infusion of 0.2–0.4 g glucose/kg body weight/h led to the typical behaviour of blood glucose with an initial peak and a subsequent steady state. The steady state was dose-dependent and always higher than the starting value. Insulin always rose significantly with increasing scattering of the individual values with higher glucose loads. With 0.1 g glucose/kg/h, the steady state of blood glucose, after a minimal initial peak, was lower than the starting value, and no change of insulin in the peripheral venous blood could be observed.Free fatty acid levels initially always decreased, but rose again under low glucose loads (0.1 and 0.2 g/kg/h). In all experiments, with an increase of insulin, a decrease of serum potassium was found. Sodium, calcium, bilirubin, creatinine and urea-N did not show any typical changes.
Effects of Dietary Fats on the Coronary Flow Rate and the Left Ventricular Function of the Isolated Rat Heart
Authors: de Deckere E.A.M. , ten Hoor F.
Published: November 2008

Two groups of rats were fed diets containing large amounts (45–50% of the total digestible energy) of sunflower seed oil or hydrogenated coconut oil for 4–5 days. The left ventricular working capacity, the coronary flow rate, the oxygen consumption, the glucose uptake and the lactate release were determined in the isolated perfused heart. The fatty acid composition of the heart phospholipids was also determined. The left ventricular working capacity and the coronary flow rate of hearts of rats fed sunflower seed oil are higher (10–20%) than those of rats fed hydrogenated coconut oil. Feeding the two fats for 3–4 weeks instead of 4–5 days does not alter the results. There are no or only minor differences between the two dietary groups as to the other quantities mentioned.It is concluded that dietary fats affect the properties of the heart already after a short feeding time.
Biochemical Parameters of Vitamin D Nutriture in Old People in Jerusalem
Authors: Guggenheim K. , Kravitz M. , Tal Rachel , Kaufmann N.A.
Published: November 2008

Serum 25-hydroxycholecalciferol (25[OH]D3) levels and other parameters of vitamin D nutriture were examined in 58 subjects aged 70 or more, living in Jerusalem. They were compared with those of 54 young adults living in the same neighbourhood. No evidence was obtained of a lower level of vitamin D nutriture in the elderly compared to younger adults. Serum 25(OH)D3 of the elderly adults was 18.4 (SEM: 1.4) ng/ml and in the younger adults, 17.8 (1.0) ng/ml. There was no seasonal variation in serum 25(OH)D3, nor could a strong association be found between reported vitamin D intake nor with exposure to sunshine. There was a negative correlation between serum alkaline phosphatase and the calcium-phosphorus product in serum. High values of alkaline phosphatase were associated with reported low exposure to sunlight and, in elderly persons, with a reported low consumption of vitamin D.
Impact of Early Nutrition on Later Development of Spontaneous Physical Activity and Lipid Metabolism
Authors: Pařízková Jana , Petrásek Richard
Published: November 2008

Male rats suckled in large litters (more than 12 pups, group A) had significantly higher levels of spontaneous physical activity and temporarily increased food intake (g/l00 g body weight) than male rats from small litters (less than 6 pups, group B). Females did not differ. Epididymal fat pads were significantly lighter in males in group A. The concentration of total lipids in the small intestine was significantly higher in females from group A, and the synthesis of lipids was higher in the animals of both sexes from group A. The synthesis of fatty acids in the intestines was significantly greater in both males and females from group A. Cholesterol concentration in the liver and carcass was the same in all groups. Cholesterogenesis was higher in the liver only in males from group B, and in the carcass in the animals of both sexes from group B.
Beneficial Effect of Zinc Supplementation on Reproduction in Rats Fed Rapeseed Protein Concentrate
Authors: Shah B.G. , Giroux A. , Belonje B. , Jones J.D.
Published: November 2008

Three groups of 33 90-day-old female Sprague-Dawley rats were fed, ad libitum, the following diets for 2 weeks before breeding. Diet 1 (D1) contained 20% protein from casein, diet 2 (D2) had the same level of protein from Tower rapeseed (Brassica napus) protein concontrate (RPC) and diet 3 (D3) was the same as D2 with a zinc supplement (70 mg/l) in the drinking water. From each group 6 animals were killed before breeding and 5–9 animals were killed at 1 and 2 weeks of gestation and post-partum. From each rat, blood, thyroids, liver and femur were collected for the determination of zinc, copper, iron, manganese, calcium and magnesium. As a measure of the reproductive performance, body weight, number of pups in the uterus or delivered live or dead, and gestation days before parturition were recorded. The pups were examined for obvious deformities and also analysed for the above mineral elements by atomic absorption spectroscopy. In group D2, levels of zinc in maternal serum, liver, femur and in the pups were significantly lower than the comparable levels in the other two groups. The zinc supplemented RPC-fed group did not show the anorexia experienced by the unsupplemented group and there was neither a significant difference between reproductive performances of groups D1 and D3 nor was there any significant difference between the zinc levels determined. It was concluded that the toxic symptoms caused by RPC feeding were attributable to zinc deficiency probably caused by the high phytate level in the RPC.
Bioavailability of Zinc in Infant Cereals
Authors: Shah B.G. , Giroux A. , Belonje B.
Published: November 2008

The bioavailabüity of zinc in three infant cereals was determined by a rat assay, using total femur zinc as the indicator. The basal diet contained 25% egg white solids and 0.6 µg zinc per gram. The infant cereals were included in the diets at three graded levels to supply 3-12 µg zinc per gram. Zinc sulphate was used as a standard source, with and without supplemental iron (185, 370, 555 µg/g, respectively) at 3, 6 and 9 µg zinc per gram with a view to determine the effect of excess iron on zinc availability. Added iron from sodium iron pyrophosphate was not found to have any effect on the bioavailabüity of zinc from zinc sulphate. The responses for the three cereals were linear but the regression lines representing them and the standard source did not have a common intercept. However, the ratio of the slope of the regression line for the test source to that of the standard indicated that the cereal containing soy protein was a better source of zinc (ratio = 0.49) than the barley cereal (0.10) or the rice cereal (0.32). These ratios did not show any correlation with the actual iron-precipitable phytate phosphorus content or the reported crude fibre content.
Influence of Different Dietary Carbohydrates on Liver and Plasma Constituents in Rats Adapted to Meal Feeding
Authors: Kang S.S. , Bruckdorfer K.R. , Yudkin John
Published: November 2008

Male Sprague-Dawley rats were given in one experiment diets with starch or sucrose and in a second experiment diets with glucose or fructose. In each experiment, one group of 5 rats was fed ad libitum and five other groups fed a 3-hour meal each day. After 36 days, one group of the meal-fed rats was killed when the meal was due, and the other groups at intervals after the beginning of the meal. The group fed ad libitum was killed the next day after 21 h fasting. Meal feeding led to a smaller food intake and a smaller gain in weight, and a lower blood concentration of triacylglycerol. The diets with sucrose or fructose produced heavier livers and kidneys than did those with starch or glucose. The consumption of the meal led also to a temporary increase in the weight of the liver. The weight of the kidney, however, did not change in rats given starch or glucose, but fell in rats given sucrose or fructose. Meal consumption was also followed by an increase in the concentration of liver glycogen, irrespective of the nature of the dietary carbohydrate. The concentration of plasma fatty acids was affected differently by meals containing the different carbohydrates, the extremes being a continuing fall with starch and no change with fructose. The concentration of triacylglycerol was increased by sucrose or fructose after the presentation of the meal. The concentration of blood glucose rose and then fell when the meal contained starch or glucose, but fell and then rose when it contained sucrose, and especially when it contained fructose. The concentration of insulin in meal-fed rats receiving sucrose was higher than that of rats receiving starch, both before and after the meal. This difference was not seen in rats fed ad libitum. The results indicate that the effects of meal feeding, or of sucrose or fructose, are not additive.
Nutritional Properties of Poppyseed Oil Relative to Some Other Oils
Authors: Beare-Rogers J.L. , Gray L. , Nera E.A. , Levin O.L.
Published: November 2008

Male Wistar rats were fed a purified basal diet with 20% lard and corn oil (3:1), sunflower oil, poppyseed oil, low-erucic rapeseed oil from Brassica napus, cultivar Tower, or mixtures of these oils, for 1 or 26 weeks. None of the hearts exhibited lipidosis at 1 week. At 26 weeks, the level of serum triglycerides was higher in rats fed the mixture of lard and corn oil than in those fed only vegetable oil, and the incidence of cardiac necrosis and fibrosis was higher in rats fed the rapeseed oil than in the other animals. Cardiac phospholipids in rats fed the rapeseed oil contained an elevated level of Ω3 docosahexaenoic acid, particularly in phosphatidylethanolamine. Poppyseed oil exhibited properties similar to those of sunflower oil, was absorbed as well as olive oil, and appeared to be a promising oil for human consumption.
Effects of Isocaloric Supplements of Glucose or Soyabean Oil on Lipids in Tissues and Plasma Lipoproteins of Starved and Overfed Chicks
Authors: Shapira Niva , Nachtomi Edna , Nir I.
Published: November 2008

Chicks were overfed a basic diet supplemented isocalorically by soyabean oil or glucose 1, 2 and 10 days after 1 day of starvation. Carcass lipids resumed the prestarvation level 1 and 2 days after overfeeding with oil or glucose, respectively. After 10 days, an equal amount of lipid, mainly triglycerides, accumulated in the carcasses of both supplement groups. In the liver a transient accumulation of lipid was noticed in the oil-supplemented groups while a continuous increase was found in the glucose-supplemented ones. Hyperlipemia, due essentially to very low density lipoprotein (VLDL), was concomitant to liver lipid concentration. After 1 day, oil overfeeding raised plasma VLDL 6-fold, while the same level of VLDL was obtained within 2 days with glucose supplement. After 10 days, hyperlipemia was reduced in the oil-supplemented group, while it increased in the glucose-supplemented one. The fatty acid fluctuation caused by the treatments in liver lipids and plasma VLDL were grossly similar: the level of linoleic acid was reduced by glucose and increased by oil supplementation; the linoleic acid increase in VLDL preceeded that of liver lipids in the oil-supplemented groups. The results indicate a delayed transport of newly synthesized hepatic lipids in glucose-supplemented animals.
Assessment of Nutritional Status in Adult Hospitalized Patients
Authors: Tanphaichitr Vichai , Kulapongse Swairin , Komindr Surat
Published: November 2008

140 adult hospitalized Thai patients were assessed for their nutritional status. The prevalence of protein-calorie malnutrition in these patients based on various parameters was as follows: 73.2% according to weight-height, 80.0% accroding to triceps skinfold thickness, 60.7% according to upper arm muscle circumference, 50.4% according to hair root morphology and 66.2% according to serum albumin level. These data reflected the disproportionate loss of the patients’ body tissues. Severity of protein-calorie malnutrition was also detected by physical signs. Anemia and vitamin deficiencies were present in some of the patients. This study signifies that intensive nutritional management should be done to combat hospital malnutrition.
Levels of Minerals, Lipoproteins and Lipids in Plasma, Liver and Tibia from Female Rats Fed on a Zinc-Supplemented Rapeseed Protein Diet
Authors: Eklund Anders
Published: November 2008

In order to study the effects of a zinc-supplemented dietary rapeseed protein concentrate on the contents of zinc and some other minerals in plasma, liver and bone tissue as well as on the levels of tocopherol, lipoproteins and lipids in plasma and total lipid contents of livers, groups of young female rats were fed for 4-week periods on semi-purified diets containing either rapeseed protein or casein as the sole source of protein at a 20% protein level. Despite normal levels of tissue zinc and plasma proteins, rats on diets containing rapeseed protein showed reduced contents of plasma lower density lipoproteins and tocopherol in comparison to the casein-fed rats. Rats on rapeseed diet also seemed to have an increased lipid content of the liver possibly indicating a reduced hepatic synthesis or secretion of lipoproteins. In addition the livers of rats fed on rapeseed protein diet showed a reduced iron content.
Na+, K+-ATPase in Developing Rat Brain during Undernutrition
Authors: Mishra O.P. , Shankar R.
Published: November 2008

Na+, K+-ATPase was studied in developing rat brain during undernutrition. The activity of Na+, K+-ATPase was significantly lower in animals that were undernourished from 6 to 17 days after birth than in well-nourished controls. The decreased activity of the enzyme was partially recovered after 4 weeks of rehabilitation. No change in the cation contents of brain following undernutrition was observed. The decrease in Na+, K+-ATPase activity was possibly due to the reduction in cholesterol contents and could be responsible for the observed functional changes associated with malnutrition or undernutrition during development.
The Effect of Various Cholecalciferol-Related Substances on the Biosynthesis of the Cholecalciferol-Dependent Calcium-Binding Protein in the Small Intestine of the Rachitic Chick and Its Relation to Rickets
Authors: Jones L.T. , Cruickshank E.M. , Kodicek E.
Published: November 2008

Rachitic chicks were injected with different dose-levels of cholecalciferoi and several cholecalciferol-related substances, i.e., dihydrotachysterol3, ergocalciferol, 5,6-trans-cholecalciferol and 25-hydroxycholecalciferol. The response to treatment was assayed by the amount of cholecalciferol-dependent calcium-binding protein produced in the mucosa of the small intestine. The biological activity of these substances in the healing of rickets in the rat was also estimated except for ergocalciferol. The relative potencies in stimulating calcium-binding protein production were: 25-hydroxycholecalciferol > cholecalciferoi > 5,6-trans-cholecalciferol > ergocalciferol > dihydrotachysterol3.
Effect of Feeding Different Levels of Mustard Oil in Monkeys
Authors: Shenolikar I.S. , Tilak T.B.G.
Published: November 2008

Three groups, each of 9 adult male monkeys were maintained for about 18 months on diets containing mustard oil, either 5 or 10%; or 10% peanut oil, respectively. Histological examination of hearts of monkeys fed either 5 or 10% mustard oil diets did not reveal any abnormality attributable to mustard oil intake, such as vacuolation and fibrosis of myocardium. However, the oxygen consumption, RCR and ADP/O ratio, were significantly lower in the mitochondria isolated from monkeys receiving 109í mustard oil than those isolated from 10% peanut oil receiving monkeys, in the left ventricle but not in the right ventricle. Moreover, the oxygen consumption in the homogenates of left ventricles of monkeys receiving mustard oil, either 5 or 10%, was significantly lower as compared to that in 10% peanut oil controls. These data indicate that ingestion of mustard oil is associated with decreased oxidative capacity of heart mitochondria. They also suggest that the homogenates of the hearts of monkeys receiving mustard oil may contain a factor which further inhibits mitochondrial oxidation.
Spontaneous Activity and Food Requirements for Maintenance and for Growth in the Genetically Obese Zucker Rat
Authors: Haberey P. , Bach A. , Schaefer A. , Piquard F.
Published: November 2008

This study was undertaken in order to elucidate whether, as compared with those of their lean controls, the low maintenance requirements of genetically obese Zucker rats may be explained by a lower spontaneous activity. In 6 obese and 6 lean rats, daily body weight, food intake and spontaneous activity were recorded during 6 weeks, using a seismographic recorder. The obese rats weighed more (average + 46%) and ate more (average + 42%) than the lean rats, while there was no difference between their daily activity levels. The relationship between food intake (FI) and weight gain (ΔW), both expressed per 100 g body weight, was: FI (kcal/day) = 3.3 ΔW (g/day) + 20.4 for lean rats and 4.9 ΔW (g/day) + 17.4 for obese rats. Thus, the food requirements for maintenance obtained for ΔW =·was less for obese than for lean rats, while for a given gain in body weight, it was higher for obese rats. This did not seem to be because of a lower daily activity level in the obese than in the lean rats.
Lecithin Supplementation in Healthy Volunteers Effect on Cholesterol Esterification and Plasma, and Bile lipids
Authors: Cobb Margaret , Turkki Pirkko , Linscheer Willem , Raheja Krishan
Published: November 2008

Plasma and bile lipids and in vitro cholesterol esterifying activity of plasma (mg CE/dl/6 h) were determined in healthy volunteers who supplemented their regular diets with 7.5 g doses of soya lecithin three times daily for a 4-week period. Lecithin ingestion by the 4 male and 6 female subjects did not produce any significant changes either in total plasma cholesterol (TC) level or cholesterol esterification. A small but significant reduction was observed in the plasma triglyceride (TG) and total phospholipid (TPL) levels after supplementation. The molar percent of bile acids (BA), TC and TPL as well as the lithogenic index (LI = TC/BA + TPL) in both hepatic and gallbladder bile were also unaltered by 4 weeks of lecithin supplementation. In vitro cholesterol esterification was found linearly related to plasma-free cholesterol (r = 0.60, p < 0.01) cholesterol ester (r = 0.50, p < 0.05), total phospholipid (r = 0.50, p < 0.05), lecithin (r = 0.45, p < 0.05), and triglyceride (r = 0.57, p < 0.025) levels.
L-Dopa Competes with Tyrosine and Tryptophan for Human Brain Uptake
Authors: Riederer P.
Published: November 2008

Tyrosine and tryptophan have been assayed spectrofluorometrically in postmortem human brain areas of patients with Parkinson’s disease treated orally with or without 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (L-dopa) plus the peripherally acting decarboxylase inhibitor benserazide. Tyrosine as well as tryptophan decreased significantly after treatment with L-dopa, thus showing a competitive action of L-dopa to other aromatic amino acids on human brain uptake. It is suggested that some of the side effects of L-dopa treatment in Parkinson’s disease are due to a disturbance in the brain and neural uptake of other, specially aromatic and branched-chain amino acids. An influence of L-dopa administration on protein synthesis also cannot be excluded.
Cardiovascular Effects of Dietary Linoleic Acid
Authors: ten Hoor F.
Published: November 2008

A survey is given of the effects of a linoleic-acid-rich diet on arterial thrombosis, blood platelet function and blood pressure in rats and man, and on coronary flow rate and heart muscle function of isolated rat hearts. Dietary linoleic acid deci eases arterial thrombosis tendency in a dose-dependent manner in rats, as measured by the aorta loop technique. In a group of patients, a linoleic-acid-rich diet improved blood platelet aggregation measured with the filtragometer as compared with a similar group which was given a linoleic-acid-poor diet. The patients who received a high linoleic acid diet showed a lower cardiovascular death rate than the low linoleic acid group. Salt-induced hypertension in rats can be prevented and cured by a high linoleic acid diet. In man, the results of a few experiments show a decreasing tendency of blood pressure during a diet enriched with linoleic acid. In the isolated hearts of rats fed a diet high in linoleic acid, coronary flow and heart muscle function both increase as compared to control groups fed lard or hardened coconut oil. The observed effects are discussed against the background of recent findings in the field of prostaglandin research.
Structure of Fat Consumption in Hungary and Role of Interpersonal Relations in Its Modification
Authors: Kurucz Eva , Duba J.
Published: November 2008

In Hungary, fat consumption is inadequate both from a quantitative and from a qualitative point of view. Statistical data also reveal that per capita consumption of fat has become stabilized and that within the vegetable fats/oils, margarine consumption increases year by year. To accelerate this process, a study was carried out on the effect of personal persuasion on the consumption of vegetable oils and different kinds of margarine. The results of this investigation are summarized in our paper.
Contaminations et réactions secondaires dans la fabrication des corps gras
Authors: Wolff J.P.
Published: November 2008

The contamination of dietary fats and oils can have various origins: contamination of the raw materials that could not be eliminated by the industrial process; refining completely eliminates this type of contamination; contamination with one of the processing aids can occur if the process is not properly conducted; contamination with packaging materials will increase with the storage duration of the finished product (in the case of vinyl chloride monomer and styrene contamination); only the strict control and adequate choice of the materials and packaging conditions will allow complete elimination of this contamination type. The presence of small amounts of another fat (in vegetable margarines for instance) should also be mentioned although it is not a real contamination. The secondary reactions that may occur during the processing of dietary fats are primarily due to unwanted chemical reactions leading to the formation of fatty acid or native glyceride isomers (e.g. formation of geometric isomers during deodorization, formation of position isomers during hydrogenation). In the present stage of knowledge, it is fairly easy to avoid secondary reactions during deodorization, those that take place during hydrogenation are not yet under control, however.
Parental Smoking and Vascular Damage in Young Adult Offspring: Is Early Life Exposure Critical?
Authors: Geerts Caroline C. , Bots Michiel L. , Grobbee Diederick E. , Uiterwaal Cuno S.P.M.
Published: November 2008

Objective—

Our purpose was to study the association between familial and particularly fetal tobacco smoke exposure and vascular damage in young adulthood.

Methods and Results—

From a cohort of 732 young adults, birth data were collected and in young adulthood ultrasound measurement of common carotid artery intima-media thickness (CIMT) was performed. Data on parental smoking were obtained by standardized questionnaires. Twenty-nine percent of the mothers smoked during pregnancy. Offspring of mothers who smoked had 13.4 μm thicker CIMT (95% CI: 5.5, 21.3;
P
=0.001) than offspring of mothers who did not smoke in pregnancy. Adjustment for known CIMT risk factors (participant’s age, gender, BMI, pulse pressure, and LDL-cholesterol) yielded no change (9.4 μm, 95% CI: 1.9, 16.3,
P
=0.01) nor did adjustment for current smoking of parents (10.6 μm, 95% CI: 0.4 to 20.8,
P
=0.04), for participants’ current smoking and pack-years (11.5 μm, 95% CI: 3.5 to 19.4,
P
=0.004) or for parental socioeconomic status (SES; 13.0 μm, 95% CI: 5.0, 21.1,
P
=0.002). Thicker CIMT was associated with exclusive paternal smoking in pregnancy, somewhat stronger with exclusive maternal smoking and strongest with both parents smoking (
P
linear trend
=0.001). Offspring of particularly mothers who smoked an above median number of cigarettes in pregnancy had thicker CIMT than those smoking less than median or no cigarettes (
P
linear trend
<0.0001).

Conclusion—

Permanent vascular damage is partly attributable to familial tobacco smoke exposure, an association that might be initiated in gestation.
Determinants of Ventilatory Efficiency in Heart Failure
Authors: Lewis Gregory D. , Shah Ravi V. , Pappagianopolas Paul P. , Systrom David M. , Semigran Marc J.
Published: November 2008

Background—

Ventilatory efficiency, right ventricular (RV) function, and secondary pulmonary hypertension are each prognostic indicators in patients with heart failure due to left ventricular systolic dysfunction, but the relationships among these variables have not been comprehensively investigated. In this study, we hypothesized that inefficient ventilation during exercise, as defined by an abnormally steep relationship between ventilation and carbon dioxide output (V
e
/V
co
2
slope), may be a marker of secondary pulmonary hypertension and RV dysfunction in heart failure.

Methods and Results—

A cohort of patients with systolic heart failure (mean�SD age, 58�13 years; left ventricular ejection fraction, 0.27�0.05; peak oxygen uptake, 11.2�3.2 mL kg
−1
min
−1
) underwent incremental cardiopulmonary exercise testing with simultaneous hemodynamic monitoring and first-pass radionuclide ventriculography before and after 12 weeks of treatment with sildenafil, a selective pulmonary vasodilator, or placebo. V
e
/V
co
2
slope was positively related to rest and exercise pulmonary vascular resistance (
R
=0.39 and
R
=0.60, respectively) and rest pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (
R
=0.49,
P
<0.005 for all) and weakly indirectly related to peak exercise RV ejection fraction (
R
=−0.29,
P
=0.03). Over the 12-week study period, V
e
/V
co
2
slope fell 8�3% (
P
=0.02) with sildenafil and was unchanged with placebo. Changes in V
e
/V
co
2
slope correlated with changes in exercise pulmonary vascular resistance (
R
=0.69,
P
<0.001) and rest and exercise RV ejection fraction (
R
=−0.58 and −0.40, respectively, both
P
<0.05).

Conclusions—

In patients with systolic heart failure and secondary pulmonary hypertension, ventilatory efficiency is closely related to RV function and pulmonary vascular tone during exercise.
PDE5A Inhibitor Treatment of Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension After Mechanical Circulatory Support
Authors: Tedford Ryan J. , Hemnes Anna R. , Russell Stuart D. , Wittstein Ilan S. , Mahmud Mobusher , Zaiman Ari L. , Mathai Stephen C. , Thiemann David R. , Hassoun Paul M. , Girgis Reda E. , Orens Jonathan B. , Shah Ashish S. , Yuh David , Conte John V. , Champion Hunter C.
Published: November 2008

Background—

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) secondary to left heart failure portends a poor prognosis and is a relative contraindication to heart transplantation at many centers. We tested the hypothesis that when PH persists after adequate left ventricle unloading via recent left ventricular assist device (LVAD) therapy, phosphodiesterase type 5A inhibition would decrease PH in this population.

Methods and Results—

We performed an open-label clinical trial using control patients not receiving therapy. Between 1999 and 2007, 138 consecutive patients undergoing cardiac transplantation evaluation with advanced left ventricular dysfunction, an elevated pulmonary capillary wedge pressure, and PH (defined by a pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) >3 Woods Units), were treated with LVAD therapy. Fifty-eight of these patients reduced their pulmonary capillary wedge pressure to a value <15 mm Hg (11.8�2.0 mm Hg from baseline 23.2�6.2 mm Hg) 1 to 2 weeks after LVAD implantation, but despite this improvement, the PVR of these patients was only minimally affected (5.65�3.00 to 5.39�1.78 Wood Units). Twenty-six consecutive patients from this group with persistently elevated PVR were started on oral phosphodiesterase type 5A inhibition with sildenafil and titrated to an average of dose of 51.9 mg by mouth 3 times per day. The average PVR in the sildenafil-treated group fell from 5.87�1.93 to 2.96�0.92 Wood Units (
P
<0.001) and the mean pulmonary artery pressure fell from 36.5�8.6 to 24.3�3.6 mm Hg (
P
<0.0001) and was significantly lower when compared with the 32 LVAD recipients not receiving sildenafil at weeks 12 to 15 after the initial post-LVAD hemodynamic measurements (13 to 17 weeks post-LVAD implantation). In addition, hemodynamic measurements of right ventricular function in sildenafil-treated patients was also improved compared with patients not receiving sildenafil.

Conclusions—

In patients with persistent PH after recent LVAD placement, phosphodiesterase type 5A inhibition in this open-label trial resulted in a significant decrease in PVR when compared with control patients.
Intrinsic Gating for Small-Animal Computed Tomography
Authors: Dinkel Julien , Bartling Soenke H. , Kuntz Jan , Grasruck Michael , Kopp-Schneider Annette , Iwasaki Masayoshi , Dimmeler Stefanie , Gupta Rajiv , Semmler Wolfhard , Kauczor Hans-Ulrich , Kiessling Fabian
Published: November 2008

Background—

A projection-based method of intrinsic cardiac gating in small-animal computed tomography imaging is presented.

Methods and Results—

In this method, which operates without external ECG monitoring, the gating reference signal is derived from the raw data of the computed tomography projections. After filtering, the derived gating reference signal is used to rearrange the projection images retrospectively into data sets representing different time points in the cardiac cycle during expiration. These time-stamped projection images are then used for tomographic reconstruction of different phases of the cardiac cycle. Intrinsic gating was evaluated in mice and rats and compared with extrinsic retrospective gating. An excellent agreement was achieved between ECG-derived gating signal and self-gating signal (coverage probability for a difference between the 2 measurements to be less than 5 ms was 89.2% in mice and 85.9% in rats). Functional parameters (ventricular volumes and ejection fraction) obtained from the intrinsic and the extrinsic data sets were not significantly different. The ease of use and reliability of intrinsic gating were demonstrated via a chemical stress test on 2 mice, in which the system performed flawlessly despite an increased heart rate. Because of intrinsic gating, the image quality was improved to the extent that even the coronary arteries of mice could be visualized in vivo despite a heart rate approaching 430 bpm. Feasibility of intrinsic gating for functional imaging and assessment of cardiac wall motion abnormalities was successfully tested in a mouse model of myocardial infarction.

Conclusions—

Our results demonstrate that self-gating using advanced software postprocessing of projection data promises to be a valuable tool for rodent computed tomography imaging and renders ECG gating with external electrodes superfluous.
Evaluation of Coronary Atherosclerosis by Multislice Computed Tomography in Patients With Acute Myocardial Infarction and Without Significant Coronary Artery Stenosis
Authors: Aldrovandi Annachiara , Cademartiri Filippo , Menozzi Alberto , Ugo Fabrizio , Lina Daniela , Maffei Erica , Palumbo Alessandro , Fusaro Michele , Crisi Girolamo , Ardissino Diego
Published: November 2008

Background—

It is known that 9% to 31% of women and 4% to 14% of men with acute myocardial infarction have normal coronary arteries or nonsignificant coronary disease at angiography. These patients represent a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge. Multislice computed tomography (CT) can noninvasively identify the presence of coronary plaques even in the absence of significant coronary artery stenosis. This study evaluated the role of 64-slice CT, in comparison with coronary angiography, in detecting and characterizing coronary atherosclerosis in patients with acute myocardial infarction without significant coronary artery stenosis.

Methods and Results—

Thirty consecutive patients with acute myocardial infarction but without significant coronary stenosis at coronary angiography underwent 64-slice CT. All coronary segments were quantitatively analyzed by means of coronary angiography (CA-QCA) and 64-slice CT (CT-QCA). Forty-seven (10.4%) of the 450 coronary segments were not evaluable by CT. The mean proximal reference diameters at CT-QCA and CA-QCA were, respectively, 2.88�0.75 mm and 2.65�0.9 mm; the overall correlation between CT-QCA and CA-QCA for quantification of reference diameter was r
s
=0.77;
P
<0.001. The mean percent stenosis was 14.4�8.0% at CT-QCA and 4.0�11.0% at CA-QCA and the correlation was r
s
=0.11;
P
=0.03. Overall CT-QCA showed the presence of 50 plaques, of which only 11 were detected by CA-QCA. CT-QCA identified 25 plaques in infarct-related coronary arteries. Positive remodeling was present in 38 of the 50 plaques (76%), with a higher prevalence in the coronary plaques not visualized by CA-QCA (82.1% versus 54.5%).

Conclusions—

CT-QCA correlates well with CA-QCA in terms of coronary reference diameter analysis, but not stenosis quantification. Multislice CT can detect coronary atherosclerotic plaques in segments of nonstenotic coronary arteries that are underestimated by CA and may have an incremental diagnostic value for the diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction in patients without significant coronary stenosis at CA.
Development of Receptor for Advanced Glycation End Products–Directed Imaging of Atherosclerotic Plaque in a Murine Model of Spontaneous Atherosclerosis
Authors: Tekabe Yared , Li Qing , Rosario Rosa , Sedlar Marija , Majewski Stan , Hudson Barry I. , Einstein Andrew J. , Schmidt Ann Marie , Johnson Lynne L.
Published: November 2008

Background—

The receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) is implicated in the development and progression of atherosclerosis. We tested the hypothesis that
99m
Tc-labeled anti-RAGE F(ab′)
2
can be used as a noninvasive tool to image atherosclerotic lesions in apolipoprotein E–deficient (apoE
−/−
) mice.

Methods and Results—

A sequence in the V-type Ig extracellular domain of RAGE was used to develop a peptide injected into rabbits; serum was retrieved, IgG prepared and affinity-purified, and pepsin-digested into F(ab′)
2
. Thirteen 6-week apoE
−/−
mice were fed a Western diet. At 20 weeks, 6 were injected with 15.2�1.9 MBq (350 to 411 μCi)
99m
Tc-labeled anti-RAGE F(ab′)
2
, 6 were injected with
99m
Tc-labeled control nonspecific IgG F(ab′)
2
, and 1 was injected with dual-labeled
99m
Tc and rhodamine anti-RAGE F(ab′)
2
. Four 20-week C57BL/6 mice were injected with
99m
Tc-labeled anti-RAGE F(ab′)
2
. All mice were imaged on a high resolution mini-γ camera 4 hours after injection and euthanized. The aortic tree was dissected and photographed, and the proximal aorta was sectioned for staining after γ scintillation counting. All 6 apoE
−/−
mice injected with
99m
Tc-labeled anti-RAGE F(ab′)
2
fragments showed focal tracer uptake in the proximal aorta (mean %ID/g, 1.98%). Disease and antibody controls showed no focal tracer uptake in the thorax (%ID/g, <1.0%). Histological sections of the proximal aorta showed American Heart Association class III lesions with lipid laden macrophages, smooth muscle cells, and positive staining for RAGE. On immunofluorescence, RAGE colocalized with macrophages.

Conclusion—

These data show the feasibility of noninvasively imaging RAGE in atherosclerotic lesions in a murine model and confirm levels of RAGE expression sufficient to allow detection on in vivo imaging.
Spiking Neurons Can Learn to Solve Information Bottleneck Problems and Extract Independent Components
Authors: Klampfl Stefan , Legenstein Robert , Maass Wolfgang
Published: November 2008

Independent component analysis (or blind source separation) is assumed to be an essential component of sensory processing in the brain and could provide a less redundant representation about the external world. Another powerful processing strategy is the optimization of internal representations according to the information bottleneck method. This method would allow extracting preferentially those components from high-dimensional sensory input streams that are related to other information sources, such as internal predictions or proprioceptive feedback. However, there exists a lack of models that could explain how spiking neurons could learn to execute either of these two processing strategies. We show in this article how stochastically spiking neurons with refractoriness could in principle learn in an unsupervised manner to carry out both information bottleneck optimization and the extraction of independent components. We derive suitable learning rules, which extend the well-known BCM rule, from abstract information optimization principles. These rules will simultaneously keep the firing rate of the neuron within a biologically realistic range.
Bayesian Filtering in Spiking Neural Networks: Noise, Adaptation, and Multisensory Integration
Authors: Bobrowski Omer , Meir Ron , Eldar Yonina C.
Published: November 2008

A key requirement facing organisms acting in uncertain dynamic environments is the real-time estimation and prediction of environmental states, based on which effective actions can be selected. While it is becoming evident that organisms employ exact or approximate Bayesian statistical calculations for these purposes, it is far less clear how these putative computations are implemented by neural networks in a strictly dynamic setting. In this work, we make use of rigorous mathematical results from the theory of continuous time point process filtering and show how optimal real-time state estimation and prediction may be implemented in a general setting using simple recurrent neural networks. The framework is applicable to many situations of common interest, including noisy observations, non-Poisson spike trains (incorporating adaptation), multisensory integration, and state prediction. The optimal network properties are shown to relate to the statistical structure of the environment, and the benefits of adaptation are studied and explicitly demonstrated. Finally, we recover several existing results as appropriate limits of our general setting.
A Computational Model for Rhythmic and Discrete Movements in Uni- and Bimanual Coordination
Authors: Ronsse Renaud , Sternad Dagmar , Lefèvre Philippe
Published: November 2008

Current research on discrete and rhythmic movements differs in both experimental procedures and theory, despite the ubiquitous overlap between discrete and rhythmic components in everyday behaviors. Models of rhythmic movements usually use oscillatory systems mimicking central pattern generators (CPGs). In contrast, models of discrete movements often employ optimization principles, thereby reflecting the higher-level cortical resources involved in the generation of such movements. This letter proposes a unified model for the generation of both rhythmic and discrete movements. We show that a physiologically motivated model of a CPG can not only generate simple rhythmic movements with only a small set of parameters, but can also produce discrete movements if the CPG is fed with an exponentially decaying phasic input. We further show that a particular coupling between two of these units can reproduce main findings on in-phase and antiphase stability. Finally, we propose an integrated model of combined rhythmic and discrete movements for the two hands. These movement classes are sequentially addressed in this letter with increasing model complexity. The model variations are discussed in relation to the degree of recruitment of the higher-level cortical resources, necessary for such movements.
Measure of Correlation Orthogonal to Change in Firing Rate
Authors: Amari Shun-ichi
Published: November 2008

There are a number of measures of correlation for spikes of two neurons and for spikes at two successive time bins in one neuron: covariance, correlation coefficient, mutual information, and information-geometric measure in the log-linear model. It is desirable to have a measure that is not affected by change in the firing rates of neurons. We explain the superiority of the information-geometric measure from the point of view of geometry, by which the correlation and firing rates are separated orthogonally, that is, without correlation. We then analyze characteristics of other measures and show analytically how they are related to firing rates.
A Geometric Newton Method for Oja's Vector Field
Authors: Absil P.-A. , Ishteva M. , De Lathauwer L. , Van Huffel S.
Published: November 2008

Newton's method for solving the matrix equation [Formula: see text] runs up against the fact that its zeros are not isolated. This is due to a symmetry of F by the action of the orthogonal group. We show how differential-geometric techniques can be exploited to remove this symmetry and obtain a “geometric” Newton algorithm that finds the zeros of F. The geometric Newton method does not suffer from the degeneracy issue that stands in the way of the original Newton method.
Chemosensor-Driven Artificial Antennal Lobe Transient Dynamics Enable Fast Recognition and Working Memory
Authors: Muezzinoglu Mehmet K. , Huerta Ramon , Abarbanel Henry D. I. , Ryan Margaret A. , Rabinovich Mikhail I.
Published: November 2008

The speed and accuracy of odor recognition in insects can hardly be resolved by the raw descriptors provided by olfactory receptors alone due to their slow time constant and high variability. The animal overcomes these barriers by means of the antennal lobe (AL) dynamics, which consolidates the classificatory information in receptor signal with a spatiotemporal code that is enriched in odor sensitivity, particularly in its transient. Inspired by this fact, we propose an easily implementable AL-like network and show that it significantly expedites and enhances the identification of odors from slow and noisy artificial polymer sensor responses. The device owes its efficiency to two intrinsic mechanisms: inhibition (which triggers a competition) and integration (due to the dynamical nature of the network). The former functions as a sharpening filter extracting the features of receptor signal that favor odor separation, whereas the latter implements a working memory by accumulating the extracted features in trajectories. This cooperation boosts the odor specificity during the receptor transient, which is essential for fast odor recognition.
Justifying and Generalizing Contrastive Divergence
Authors: Bengio Yoshua , Delalleau Olivier
Published: November 2008

We study an expansion of the log likelihood in undirected graphical models such as the restricted Boltzmann machine (RBM), where each term in the expansion is associated with a sample in a Gibbs chain alternating between two random variables (the visible vector and the hidden vector in RBMs). We are particularly interested in estimators of the gradient of the log likelihood obtained through this expansion. We show that its residual term converges to zero, justifying the use of a truncation—running only a short Gibbs chain, which is the main idea behind the contrastive divergence (CD) estimator of the log-likelihood gradient. By truncating even more, we obtain a stochastic reconstruction error, related through a mean-field approximation to the reconstruction error often used to train autoassociators and stacked autoassociators. The derivation is not specific to the particular parametric forms used in RBMs and requires only convergence of the Gibbs chain. We present theoretical and empirical evidence linking the number of Gibbs steps k and the magnitude of the RBM parameters to the bias in the CD estimator. These experiments also suggest that the sign of the CD estimator is correct most of the time, even when the bias is large, so that CD-k is a good descent direction even for small k.
Zur Bedingungsdogmatik im klassischen römischen Recht und zu ihren Grundlagen in der stoischen Logik
Authors: Armgardt Matthias
Published: November 2008

The doctrine on conditions in classical Roman law and its foundations in Stoic logics. – Juan Miquel established in 1970 that the Roman jurists Proculus, Scaevola and Julian had used techniques of the Stoic logics in order to solve legal problems. In the present article, Miquel's main results are first summarized in terms of modern symbolism. The subsequent argument is that G.W. Leibniz interpreted the same sources equivalently. Finally, an analysis of the logical relationship between condition and conditionatum shows that that relationship must not be characterised as implication but as equivalence, a concept familiar to the Stoic logicians.
Codification of late Roman inheritance law: fideicommissa and the Theodosian Code
Authors: Tate Joshua C.
Published: November 2008

It has long been known that most of the private law content of the Theodosian Code has not been preserved independently of the Lex Romana Visigothorum. Certain constitutions, not contained in the LRV but dating to the period covered by the CT, have survived in the Code of Justinian. This article discusses this problem with respect to a particular topic: fideicommissa. The article discusses whether a particular constitution, CJ 6.37.21, might have been included in the CT, either as part of a general rubric concerning inheritance or as part of a separate rubric on fideicommissa, and concludes by suggesting what the constitution might have looked like had it been under a separate heading.
La logique de la preuve dans la littérature bartoliste Quelques explications à partir de la Summa circa testes et examinationem eorum (Ms. Bruxelles, B.R., II 1442, fol. 101 ra – 103 rb)
Authors: Mausen Yves
Published: November 2008

The logic of evidence in Bartolistic literature, A reading of the Summa circa testes et examinationem eorum (Ms. Bruxelles, B.R., II 1442, fol.101 ra – 103 rb). – Bartolus teaches how to read testimonies from a logical point of view. On the one hand, the facts that the witness recounts constitute the minor premise of a syllogism, its conclusion being their legal characterization; therefore he is prohibited from pronouncing directly on any legal matter. On the other hand, given that the witness' knowledge of the facts has to stem from sensory perception, the information he provides has at least to constitute the minor premise of another syllogism, making for establishing the causa of his testimony.
Designing the limits of creditworthiness Insolvency in Antwerp bankruptcy legislation and practice (16th–17th centuries)
Authors: De ruysscher Dave
Published: November 2008

In 1516 and 1518, the Antwerp City Council introduced a collective system of debt recovery, which broke with the tradition of priority for the first seizing claimant. This view resulted in a legal framework, which was based on the concept of publicly known insolvency. Because of the vague legal definitions in the 1582 and 1608 customary law compilations, the position of pursuing creditors was strengthened. Although these rules weren't successful, they demonstrate an early intention to draw the line between criminal bankruptcy, persisting insolvency and temporary payment problems.