bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Acoustic Characteristics of Adolescent Actors’ and Non-Actors’ Voices
Authors: Kovačić Gordana , Bud̃anovac Aleksandar
Published: April 2003

The aim of the present study was to investigate differences in the acoustic characteristics of the voice between adolescent actors and non-actors. The experimental sample consisted of 10 actresses and 10 actors while the control sample included 13 girls and 14 boys. Phonation of the vowel /a/, spontaneous speaking and oral reading provided a set of acoustic variables (fundamental frequency, jitter, shimmer, speaking and reading ranges); t test showed statistically significant differences between actresses and non-actresses in speaking range, reading F₀ maximum, and reading range, whereas between actors and non-actors the difference was found in reading range only. The results showed that drama in education without systematic voice training had no effects in terms of acoustic characteristics of the voice.
Pränatalmedizin – Anspruch und Wirklichkeit
Authors: Hepp H. , Haller U. , Winter R.
Published: April 2003

Legalität und Ethik sind – insbesondere unter dem zunehmenden Druck des Haftungsrechtes – im Bereich der Pränatalmedizin nicht mehr deckungsgleich. Ob die Präimplantationsdiagnostik (PID) zugelassen werden soll, wird mittlerweile im politischen Raum Europas heftig diskutiert. Der Interessenkonflikt wird durch die Interessen der betroffenen Paare, den in Art. 2 Abs. 2 des Grundgesetzes der Bundesrepublik Deutschland verankerten anerkannten Status des Embryos und den daraus abgeleiteten Lebensschutz «von Anfang an» bestimmt. Die Fortschritte der Pränatalmedizin wecken kontinuierliche Ansprüche und verschieben die Wirklichkeit der Medizin. Daher ist auch im Bereich der PID eine klare ethische Lösung des Konflikts nur über den Verzicht auf eine Schwangerschaft, die Adoption eines Kindes oder das bewusste Eingehen des Wiederholungsrisikos mit Annahme eines kranken Kindes möglich. Der Gesetzgeber ist gefordert, durch klare Rahmenbedingungen jedem möglichen Dammbruch entgegenzuwirken. Nimmt man die gesellschaftliche und medizinische Wirklichkeit zur Kenntnis und bejaht für bestimmte Fallkonstellationen eine Analogie von Pränataldiagnostik (PND) zu PID, dann ist die PID durch den Gesetzgeber nur dann strafrechtlich zu verbieten, wenn auch eine «Schwangerschaft auf Probe» expressis verbis als ein Verstoss gegen §218a Abs. 2 geahndet würde.
Aporie der Pränatalmedizin
Authors: Hepp H.
Published: April 2003

Pränatale Medizin berührt elementare Fragen der Qualität von Leben – sowohl der Mutter als auch des ungeborenen Kindes und auch des Arztes. Im Kern geht es stets um eine Wertbestimmung des Menschen durch den Menschen. Jede Schwangerenvorsorgeuntersuchung ist eine pränatalmedizinische Massnahme. Pränatale Medizin hat heute zu Recht einen hohen und positiven Stellenwert in der Geburtsmedizin und in unserer Gesellschaft erhalten. Zweifellos haben jedoch die Fortschritte der Pränatalmedizin auch Ansprüche und Begehrlichkeiten geweckt. Zunehmend sind wir mit dem «Anspruch auf ein gesundes Kind» konfrontiert. In der ethischen Bewertung sind intrauterine diagnostische Massnahmen so lange fragwürdig, wie eine intrauterine Therapie nicht möglich ist und nur die Tötung des Kindes als «Therapie» folgt. Die Inhalte der «Indikation», insbesondere in Hinblick auf die Frage der Zumutbarkeit gegenüber der Mutter bzw. den Eltern, werden vor dem Hintergrund des Haftungsrechts – «Kind als Schaden» – diskutiert. Die Reform des §218 StGB hat u.a. das prä- und postnatale Problem der iatrogenen Frühgeburt provoziert. Die schon immer gestellte Frage wird mit dem lebendgeborenen kranken Kind, welches eigentlich tot sein sollte, transparenter, d.h. warum das nachgeburtlich schwer kranke Leben plötzlich dem vollen Rechtsschutz unterstellt ist, so dass aktives Handeln von Passivität abgelöst wird. Der Januskopf der Pränatalmedizin tritt noch mehr hervor, wenn man sich die derzeitige politische Diskussion des neuen pränatalmedizinisch Machbaren, nämlich der Präimplantationsdiagnostik, vergegenwärtigt.
Nichtinvasive Pränataldiagnose – schon eine Tatsache?
Authors: Holzgreve Wolfgang , Hahn Sinuhe
Published: April 2003

Die genetische Untersuchung von fetalen Zellen, die aus dem Blut der Schwangeren angereichert worden sind, ist ein lang ersehntes Ziel von vielen Forschern und Pänatal-Medizinern, die diese Möglichkeit für eine risikofreie pränatale Diagnose nützen wollen. Kürzlich haben gross angelegte Studien, wie z.B. die amerikanische ‘NIFTY-Studie’ der NIH, diesen Ansatz bestätigt, aber sie haben auch deutlich gezeigt, dass die Technologie zur Zeit nicht imstande ist, diese seltenen fetalen Zellen verlässlich anzureichern und zu analysieren. Im Gegensatz dazu ist die neue Beobachtung von zellfreier fetaler DNS im mütterlichen Plasma rasch von vielen Forschern genutzt worden, um zu zeigen, dass die Methode für die äusserst verlässliche Erfassung von durch Einzelgene determinierten fetalen genetischen Merkmalen genutzt werden kann, wie z.B. dem fetalen Rhesus-Faktor. Diese Methode ist damit auch die erste, die den Transfer vom Labor zur Klinik erfolgreich absolvieren konnte.
Effect of Beta-Blockade on Heart Rate and VO2 Kinetics during Recovery in Patients with Coronary Artery Disease
Authors: Pavia Leandro , Myers Jonathan , Rusconi Cesare
Published: April 2003

Background: Recently, there has been heightened interest in the functional and prognostic applications of VO2 and heart rate kinetics during the early recovery phase from exercise in patients with cardiovascular disease. However, the effect of beta-blockade on these responses is unknown. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of beta-blockade on VO2 and heart rate kinetics during recovery from exercise in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD), and compare these responses to those of normal individuals and patients with chronic heart failure (CHF). Methods: A cardiopulmonary exercise test using a ramp protocol was performed in 18 healthy subjects, 18 patients with CAD not taking a beta-blocker, 19 patients with CAD taking a cardioselective beta-blocker (metoprolol), 19 patients with mild or moderate CHF, and 19 patients with moderately severe CHF. The kinetics of oxygen uptake and heart rate were calculated and expressed as a single exponential relation between heart rate or VO2 and time during the first 3 min of recovery. Results: No differences in time of recovery of VO2 were found between normal subjects and CAD patients, whether or not they were taking a beta-blocker; VO2 in recovery was slowed only among patients with moderately severe CHF. The slope of the decline in heart rate during recovery was steeper in patients with CAD taking a beta-blocker compared with the other groups (p < 0.05). Conclusion: In patients with CAD, cardioselective beta-blockade causes a faster decline in heart rate during the early recovery period without any effect on VO2 recovery kinetics. The effect of beta-blockade should be accounted for when considering the prognostic utility of heart rate recovery.
The 95% Confidence Interval and the p Value
Authors: Steurer Johann
Published: April 2003

In the medical literature, results are usually analyzed statistically, and until a few years ago, results were reported simply as p values. A p value below 0.05 is a statistically significant result, whereas a value above 0.05 implies that there is no statistically significant difference in the therapeutic effect of two drugs. In recent years, many authors have started to report the precision of the effect size of different drugs in terms of 95% confidence intervals. This paper describes the concept of the 95% confidence interval and its potential advantages in the interpretation of results.
Clopidogrel – Confounding or Confirming Our Concept of How to Treat Acute Coronary Syndromes?
Authors: Manoharan G. , Adgey A.A.J.
Published: April 2003

Clopidogrel, a thienopyridine derivative, selectively and irreversibly inhibits the platelet ADP receptor resulting in platelet inhibition. The utilisation of clopidogrel in the setting of coronary artery disease has been studied in three multicentre trials: CAPRIE, CLASSICS and the CURE study. These clinical trials generally suggest that patients with atherosclerotic vascular disease are more effectively managed with long-term clopidogrel than aspirin in reducing the combined risk of ischaemic stroke, myocardial infarction or vascular death, that the combination of clopidogrel and aspirin is safer when compared to ticlopidine and aspirin following percutaneous coronary intervention and that the use of clopidogrel and aspirin is beneficial in patients with acute coronary syndromes without ST segment elevation by reducing major cardiac events when compared with placebo and aspirin. Patients in the CURE study were managed initially ‘conservatively’ with aspirin and clopidogrel. However, recent studies have shown that managing these high-risk patients by pretreatment with antiplatelet and antithrombin agents (aspirin, heparin, clopidogrel and a glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitor) followed by early revascularisation is beneficial. The combination of clopidogrel with aspirin, heparin and a glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitor appears safe, though this requires further study. Furthermore, the risk of bleeding in patients requiring coronary artery bypass graft surgery within 5 days of initiation of clopidogrel is of concern. The length of treatment required with clopidogrel to provide optimum benefit is still not clear.
Congenital Arachnoid Cyst Mimicking Meningocele
Authors: Hayashi Y. , Futami K. , Munemoto S. , Hamada Y. , Soma M. , Yamashita J. , Hasegawa M.
Published: April 2003

The subject of this report is a rare case of a 5-year-old girl who developed an arachnoid cyst with a bony and dural defect in the parietal convexity. She had no history of head trauma or infection. Surgical exploration revealed the bulging lesion to consist of cerebrospinal fluid-containing spongy subcutaneous tissue and to extend into the bony and dural defect. The arachnoid cyst cavity was found beneath the subcutaneous lesion and was not connected to the adjacent subarachnoid space. Histologically, the subcutaneous tissue contained a complex of sinusoidal channels formed by an abundance of migrating arachnoidal cells, thus mimicking meningocele.
Uremia-Specific Alterations in Lipid Metabolism
Authors: Wanner Christoph , Krane Vera
Published: April 2003

Uremic patients suffer from a secondary form of complex dyslipidemia consisting of quantitative and qualitative abnormalities in serum lipoproteins resulting in altered lipoprotein composition and metabolism. The most prominent are an increase in serum triglyceride levels (due to elevated very-low-density lipoprotein remnants and intermediate-density lipoprotein) and low high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol. Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol is often normal, but the cholesterol may originate from the atherogenic small and dense LDL subclass. The apolipoprotein B-containing part of the lipoprotein may undergo modifications (peptide modification of the enzymatic and advanced glycation end-product, oxidation or glycosylation). Modifications contribute to impaired LDL receptor-mediated clearance from plasma and promote prolonged circulation. HDL particles are structurally altered during states of inflammation. The contribution of this complex and atherogenic form of dyslipidemia to cardiovascular disease in patients with renal disease is at present unclear. Most studies are negative in demonstrating the predictive power of serum lipids for the development of cardiovascular disease. This is most likely due to interference with deteriorating aspects of the activated acute-phase response. Since it is also still unclear whether we have therapeutics available with a sufficient impact on LDL size, remnant lipoprotein lowering and restoration of HDL function, we urgently need specific intervention trials.
Immune System Dysregulation in Uremia: Role of Oxidative Stress
Authors: Descamps-Latscha Béatrice , Jungers Paul , Witko-Sarsat Véronique
Published: April 2003

Immune system dysregulation in end-stage renal disease patients is a multifactorial process combining profound immunodeficiency with a state of cellular activation. While at the origin of the deficiency uremic toxins are thought to play a prominent role, the dialysis procedure is the main factor for the genesis of a recurrent cellular activation process leading to a chronic inflammation state dominated by oxidative stress and its related severe complications, e.g. β2-microglobulin amyloid arthropathy and accelerated atherosclerosis. The recent identification of advanced oxidation protein products (AOPPs) in the plasma of uremic patients and the following demonstration that AOPPs act as both potential uremic toxins and proinflammatory mediators, have opened novel areas of research on these novel molecular bases of oxidative stress and on therapeutic strategies aimed at reducing its most deleterious effects in hemodialysis patients.
Inflammation, Malnutrition and Atherosclerosis in End-Stage Renal Disease: A Global Perspective
Authors: Nascimento Marcelo M. , Pecoits-Filho Roberto , Lindholm Bengt , Riella Miguel C. , Stenvinkel Peter
Published: April 2003

End-stage renal disease (ESRD) is characterized by an exceptional cardiovascular mortality rate. Although traditional risk factors are common in ESRD patients, they alone may not be sufficient to account for the high prevalence of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Recent evidence demonstrated that chronic inflammation, a non-traditional risk factor which is commonly observed in ESRD patients, may cause malnutrition and progressive atherosclerotic CVD by several pathogenetic mechanisms. Although both malnutrition and inflammation have been shown to be strong predictors of cardiovascular mortality in ESRD patients, it must be remembered that the majority of studies describing the presence of inflammation and malnutrition have been performed in Western and Asian industrialized countries. As it is evident that the prevalence of malnutrition and inflammation may differ markedly between different regions of the world and developing countries face a much higher prevalence of chronic infectious diseases, comparative inter-regional studies focusing on the etiology and prevalence of the malnutrition, inflammation and atherosclerosis syndrome are warranted.
Convergences in the Modular and Areal Organization of the Forebrain of Mammals: Implications for the Reconstruction of Forebrain Evolution
Authors: Kaas Jon
Published: April 2003

Early efforts to reconstruct the course of the evolution of the human brain relied on comparing the brains of a few related mammals with brains at successively higher levels of complexity. This Clark or ladder of levels approach is now seen as having limited usefulness in that species are not easily assigned to levels, and extant mammals are now recognized as mosaics of primitive and derived features. In addition, direction of change does not necessarily proceed from simple to complex, small to large, or diffuse to differentiated. A modern cladistic approach reconstructs the brains of ancestors by identifying brain characters within and across phylogenetic groups (clades), and uses parsimony or likelihood to infer direction of change and distinguish ancestral features from independently evolved convergences. Unfortunately, an idealized cladistic approach is often difficult to realize because characters may be hard to identify and validate, key species may be unavailable for study, and broadly based comparative studies can be costly, poorly funded, and labor intensive. Thus, many investigators pursue a truncated approach that is superficially Clark-like but conceptually cladistic. A truncated approach that relies on the extensive study of a few species may compensate for weaknesses by including niche-matched species that offer the opportunity to estimate the likelihood of similar brain features evolving as convergent adaptations. Because inferences about the brains of the primate ancestor are often made from the brains of tree shrews, we compare the brains of squirrel-like tree shrews with the brains of diurnal squirrels, and suggest that many of the primate-like features of the visual system of tree shrews arose independently of those in primates.
Do Convergent Developmental Mechanisms Underlie Convergent Phenotypes?
Authors: Wray Gregory A.
Published: April 2003

Convergence is a pervasive evolutionary process, affecting many aspects of phenotype and even genotype. Relatively little is known about convergence in developmental processes, however, nor about the degree to which convergence in development underlies convergence in anatomy. A switch in the ecology of sea urchins from feeding to nonfeeding larvae illustrates how convergence in development can be associated with convergence in anatomy. Comparisons to more distantly related taxa, however, suggest that this association may be limited to relatively close phylogenetic comparisons. Similarities in gene expression during development provide another window into the association between convergence in developmental processes and convergence in anatomy. Several well-studied transcription factors exhibit likely cases of convergent gene expression in distantly related animal phyla. Convergence in regulatory gene expression domains is probably more common than generally acknowledged, and can arise for several different reasons.
Black Spots of the Parietal Pleura: Morphology and Formal Pathogenesis
Authors: Müller K.-M. , Schmitz I. , Konstantinidis K.
Published: April 2003

Background: Dark incorporations (black spots) have been described in various organs. ‘Black spots’ seen as flat-to-nodular lesions of the parietal pleura are common findings in former miners. They represent areas of coal dust accumulation. An increased incorporation of asbestos fibres has been described in these areas, causing them to be seen as potential starting points for malignant mesotheliomas. Objectives: The aim of our examinations was to describe the morphology of black spots in order to understand their formal pathogenesis and discuss their role in the development of malignant mesotheliomas. Materials: We report the results of the morphological and energy dispersive X-ray analysis of 12 black spots (4 surgical and 8 autopsy specimens) located in the parietal pleura. Results: Black spots of the pleura develop in close correlation to lymphatic channels and blood vessels. Their formal pathogenesis is characterized by a mild fibrosis and an inflammatory reaction to the incorporated foreign particles. The proliferation of connective tissue may result in the formation of hyaline granulomas. Aluminum, silicone and sometimes fibres are also found in such areas. Mesothelial cells may be irritated. Conclusion: Although there are hints for an increased proliferation of mesothelial cells in some areas with black spots, our findings do not support the classification of black spots as an obligate early lesion in the development of malignant mesotheliomas.
Nonsurgical Treatment of a Catamenial Pneumothorax with a Gn-RH Analogue
Authors: Akal Murat , Kara Murat
Published: April 2003

Catamenial pneumothorax is a rarely encountered entity characterized by recurrent pneumothorax concurrent with menstruation. Numerous mechanisms have been postulated in the etiology of catamenial pneumothorax and treatment is still controversial. We report a case of a catamenial pneumothorax successfully treated with a Gn-RH analogue supporting the efficacy of this regimen and the endometriosis theory as an underlying cause of the disease.
Chemokines and Pro-Inflammatory Cytokines in Down’s Syndrome: An Early Marker for Alzheimer-Type Dementia?
Authors: Carta Mauro G. , Serra Paolo , Ghiani Assunta , Manca Elisabetta , Hardoy Maria Carolina , Del Giacco Gennaro S. , Diaz Giacomo , Carpiniello Bernardo , Manconi Paolo E.
Published: April 2003

Background: People with Down’s syndrome (DS) show early Alzheimer-like dementia. It has been suggested that the pro-inflammatory cytokine class plays a role in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The study aims at verifying whether pro-inflammatory cytokines in DS are correlated with age, affective symptoms and intellectual decline to a different degree than in subjects with non-DS learning disabilities. Methods: Cases: 19 subjects with DS; controls: sex- and age-matched individuals with learning disabilities caused by perinatal ischaemic damage. The level of mental retardation was assessed according to DSM-IV; psychopathological symptoms were measured by the Assessment and Information Rating Profile. Serum levels of cytokines were determined with ELISA. Results: DS patients showed higher levels of cytokines and chemokines, with the exception of RANTES; but the only significant difference detected was for MIP-1α. A correlation between the degree of mental retardation and IL-6, and between MIP-lα and age was found in patients with DS, but not in controls. Conclusions: The data obtained suggest a possible involvement of chemokines in the inflammatory and degenerative processes similar to AD in DS. Further longitudinal research is required to confirm these findings.
The Effect of Photodynamic Therapy with Rose Bengal on Posterior Capsule Opacification in Rabbit Eyes
Authors: Koh Hyoung J. , Kang Shin J. , Lim Seung J. , Chu Young K. , Lee Sung C. , Kwon Oh W. , Kim Hong B.
Published: April 2003

We investigated the in vivo effect of photodynamic therapy (PDT) using rose bengal on the development of posterior capsule opacification (PCO). Endocapsular phacoemulsification was performed on white rabbits, which were divided into 4 groups: control group; group 1, treated with visible light only; group 2, treated with rose bengal only, and group 3, treated with PDT. In the case of the PDT group, rose bengal dissolved in sodium hyaluronate was injected into the empty capsular bag and treated with visible light. Three months after surgery, the rabbits were sacrificed and the eyeballs enucleated. The obstruction rate of visible light caused by PCO was measured with an optical powermeter. The mean obstruction rate was 30.6% in the control group, 28.3% in group 1, 19.3% in group 2, and 14.3% in group 3. Group 3 showed a statistically significant decrease in PCO compared with the control group and group 1 (p = 0.0014). Our results suggest that PDT using rose bengal effectively decreased PCO in rabbit eyes.
A Preliminary Study on the Prevention of Posterior Capsule Opacification by Photodynamic Therapy with Bacteriochlorin A in Rabbits
Authors: van Tenten Yasmine , Schuitmaker Hans J. , De Groot Veva , Willekens Ben , Vrensen Gijs F.J.M. , Tassignon Marie-José
Published: April 2003

Purpose: Photodynamic therapy (PDT) with bacteriochlorin a (BCA) has proven to be successful in the treatment of cancers and to be cytocidal for lens epithelial cells (LECs) in culture. The present study aimed to determine whether PDT with BCA is also effective in destroying LECs in the capsular bag in vivo and could therefore be a strategy for prevention of posterior capsule opacification (PCO). Materials and Methods: BCA was obtained by saponification and acid hydrolysis of bacteriochlorophyll a and was formulated in 30% polyethylene glycol, 20% ethanol and 50% water. Nine albino rabbits were anesthesized and both pupils dilated. Extracapsular lens extraction by phacoemulsification was performed on both eyes. One eye of each animal served as control. In the other eye, 1.5 ml BCA (10 or 50 µg/ml) was injected in the capsular bag and after 10 min, the eye was illuminated with a diode laser (wavelength 760 nm) for 10 or 15 min. Six weeks after surgery, the rabbits were sacrificed and the globes were enucleated, the capsular bags and the corneas removed, fixed and examined using stereomicroscopy and light microscopy. Results: In the control capsular bags, extensive proliferation of LECs and formation of a complete ring of Soemmering was found, while in the PDT-treated capsular bags, LEC proliferation was markedly diminished and an incomplete irregular and much thinner ring of Soemmering was formed. Using the presently described application, the corneas of the PDT-treated animals were opaque and swollen and had lost their endothelial lining. Conclusion: PDT with BCA induces cell death in LECs and greatly reduces the formation of a ring of Soemmering. Therefore, it could be a promising novel means of prevention of PCO, provided the total length of the treatment can be substantially reduced and the negative effects on corneal transparency avoided.
Partial Reversal of Methylprednisolone-Induced Opacity in Isolated Rat Lenses
Authors: Ohta Yoshiji , Okada Hiroshi
Published: April 2003

We examined whether opacity is reversed in isolated rat lenses with opacities of different grades induced by methylprednisolone treatment by withdrawal of the steroid treatment. Transparent lenses isolated from male Wistar rats aged 6 weeks were incubated in TC-199 medium containing methylprednisolone hemisuccinate (1.5 mg/ml) for 24 or 48 h to induce opacities of two different grades (one was a slight cortical opacity around the equator and the other a heavy cortical opacity spreading from the equator to the cortex). In the slightly opaque lenses, water content was preserved at the level of transparent lenses untreated with steroid, although a 3.2-fold increase in Na+/K+ ratio and a 20% decrease in Na+,K+-ATPase activity were observed. In contrast, in the heavily opaque lenses, a significant increase in water content was accompanied by a 31.0-fold increase in Na+/K+ ratio and a 27% decrease in Na+,K+-ATPase activity. When the slightly and heavily opaque lenses were further incubated in steroid-free medium for 24 or 48 h, a partial opacity reversal was found in the slightly opaque lenses, but not in the heavily opaque lenses. In the slightly opaque lenses incubated in steroid-free medium for 48 h, increased Na+/K+ ratio and decreased Na+,K+-ATPase activity were restored to nearly the levels of untreated transparent lenses. Incubation of the heavily opaque lenses in steroid-free medium for 48 h caused further slight increases in water content and Na+/K+ ratio and further slight decrease in Na+,K+-ATPase activity. These results indicate that opacity is partially reversed in rat lenses with a slight opacity induced by methylprednisolone hemisuccinate when the steroid treatment is withdrawn, and suggest that recovery of impaired lens membrane function could be involved in this in vitro partial opacity reversal.
Activation of Caspase-3 during Degeneration of the Outer Nuclear Layer in the rd Mouse Retina
Authors: Kim Dong-Hwan , Kim Jeong-a , Choi Jun-Sub , Joo Choun-Ki
Published: April 2003

Caspase activation has been implicated in apoptosis, and the nature of the apoptotic stimulus determines the specific caspase activation during apoptosis. In this study, we examined the activation of caspase-3 during photoreceptor degeneration in the rd mouse, which has a mutation on a gene encoding cyclic GMP phosphodiesterase. The outer nuclear layer of the rd mouse retina was observed using light and electron microscopy. The progress of degeneration was determined chronologically and correlated with the activation of caspase-3 and the fragmentation of poly-ADP-ribose polymerase. Additionally, the active form of caspase-3 was detected during photoreceptor degeneration in the outer nuclear layer of the rd mouse. The chronological observation of the caspase-3 activation pattern correlates with the pattern of photoreceptor degeneration. As a result of this study, we present here our findings that caspase-3 was activated in photoreceptor cells of the rd mouse.
Matrix Metalloproteinases and Their Inhibitors in Exfoliation Syndrome
Authors: Gartaganis S.P. , Georgakopoulos C.D. , Mela E.K. , Exarchou A. , Ziouti N. , Assouti M. , Vynios D.H.
Published: April 2003

The purpose of this study was to determine the expression of metalloproteinases (MMPs) and their tissue inhibitors (TIMPs) in the aqueous humour of patients with exfoliation syndrome (XFS). XFS and control samples were analysed for their MMP content by zymography and for their tissue inhibitors by ELISA. In XFS eyes, an increase for up to 60% in almost all MMPs was observed, as compared to the controls. MMP-2 and MMP-9 were found to predominate. TIMP-1 levels in XFS samples were slightly decreased, while TIMP-2 levels were similar to those of the controls. Our findings suggest that MMPs may be crucial in the progression of XFS, by degrading the abnormal fibrillar matrix components in the anterior segment tissues of XFS eyes. However, the increased levels of MMPs seem not to be able to overcome the overproduction and accumulation of the exfoliative material.
Androgen Effects on Tyrosine Hydroxylase Cells in the Northern Leopard Frog, Rana pipiens
Authors: Chu Joanne , Wilczynski Walter
Published: April 2003

The interaction between gonadal steroids and dopamine neurons has been examined extensively in rodent model systems. However, there have been few investigations examining the functional relation between gonadal steroids and dopaminergic systems in nonmammalian taxa, and none in amphibians. We examined the effects of testosterone (T) and dihydrotestosterone (DHT) on changes in tyrosine hydroxylase immunoreactive (TH-ir) neuron number in the fore- and midbrain of male Rana pipiens, the Northern leopard frog, using a whole-mount immunohistochemical procedure. Gonadectomized males had significantly fewer TH-ir neurons in the medial preoptic area (POA), suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), and the caudal hypothalamus/posterior tubercular region (HY/TP) compared with T-implanted males. A follow-up study demonstrated that T- and DHT-implanted males had similar numbers of TH-ir neurons in these three regions compared with intact males and that all three of these groups possessed significantly more TH-ir neurons compared with gonadectomized males. These results suggest that circulating sex steroids have a significant impact on the activity of dopaminergic neurons in male R. pipiens. Although the function of these specific dopaminergic neurons is not yet known, the POA, SCN, and TP/DH are known to be integral brain regions underlying the neural control of reproductive behavior in frogs. These results suggest that dopamine may be important in controlling the behavior or neuroendocrine mechanisms of reproduction in these animals and that dopaminergic activity in these areas is regulated by gonadal steroids.
Effect of Antalarmin, a Novel Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone Antagonist, on the Dynamic Function of the Preterm Ovine Fetal Hypothalamo-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis
Authors: Young I. Ross , Chan E. Cheng , Smith Roger , Chrousos George P. , Veldhuis Johannes D. , Canny Benedict J.
Published: April 2003

This study describes the effect of antalarmin on basal and stimulated activity of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis function in the late gestation ovine fetus. Fetuses received antalarmin (15 mg/h i.v.) or vehicle (cremophor El 50% in ethanol) from day 130 gestational age. Antalarmin infusion did not significantly affect immunoreactive corticotropin (ir-ACTH) concentrations, although there was a tendency for ir-ACTH to be lower and cortisol concentrations were lower in the antalarmin-treated fetuses (p < 0.01). The ir-ACTH response to corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) challenge was attenuated (p < 0.05) in the antalarmin-treated fetuses, but neither antalarmin- nor vehicle-treated fetuses had significant cortisol responses to CRH. The ir-ACTH response to hypoxia was diminished (p < 0.05) in the antalarmin-treated fetuses while the cortisol responses of antalarmin- and vehicle-treated fetuses were indistinguishable. Deconvolution analysis revealed no effect of antalarmin treatment on ir-ACTH secretory dynamics. In contrast, antalarmin decreased (p < 0.05) basal, mean and integrated cortisol. The plasma cortisol responses of antalarmin- and vehicle-treated fetuses to exogenous ACTH1–24 were indistinguishable. These data indicate that, while antalarmin inhibits CRH- and stress-induced ir-ACTH secretion, basal ir-ACTH secretion may be less affected by antalarmin treatment. Paradoxically, cortisol secretion is impaired by antalarmin infusion, although adrenal responsiveness to ACTH is not impaired. These results confirm a role for CRH in stress-induced ACTH secretion in the ovine fetus, though its role in the regulation of basal ACTH and cortisol secretion is unclear.
Effect of Porcine Fetal Enamel Matrix Derivative on Chondrocyte Proliferation, Differentiation, and Local Factor Production Is Dependent on Cell Maturation State
Authors: Dean D.D. , Lohmann C.H. , Sylvia V.L. , Cochran D.L. , Liu Y. , Boyan B.D. , Schwartz Z.
Published: April 2003

Recent studies have shown that porcine fetal enamel matrix derivative (EMD) can enhance the osteoinductive ability of demineralized freeze-dried bone allograft (DFDBA) in a nude mouse muscle implantation model. This suggests that one or more components of EMD can regulate the process of endochondral ossification initiated by DFDBA. To substantiate this hypothesis, in the current study, chondrocytes in the endochondral pathway at two stages of maturation were tested for their response to EMD. Chondrocytes were isolated from the resting zone and growth zone (prehypertrophic and upper hypertrophic cell zones) of the costochondral growth plate cartilage of adolescent rats. The results showed that the relatively immature resting zone cells responded to EMD with an increase in proliferation and a decrease in differentiation as measured by alkaline-phosphatase-specific activity. In addition, EMD stimulated a fivefold increase in PGE2 production, but was without effect on collagen synthesis, proteoglycan sulfation, and TGF-β1 production. The more mature growth zone cells also responded to EMD with increased proliferation, but alkaline-phosphatase-specific activity was unchanged, and there was only a modest increase in PGE2 production. In contrast to resting zone cells, growth zone cells exhibited a decrease in collagen synthesis, proteoglycan sulfation, and TGF-β1 production. These observations indicate that EMD has prominent effects on cells in the endochondral pathway. In particular, EMD stimulates the production of more cells, but inhibits their maturation. This would increase the pool of cells available for subsequent differentiation in response to other factors.
Convergence of Complex Cognitive Abilities in Cetaceans and Primates
Authors: Marino Lori
Published: April 2003

What examples of convergence in higher-level complex cognitive characteristics exist in the animal kingdom? In this paper I will provide evidence that convergent intelligence has occurred in two distantly related mammalian taxa. One of these is the order Cetacea (dolphins, whales and porpoises) and the other is our own order Primates, and in particular the suborder anthropoid primates (monkeys, apes, and humans). Despite a deep evolutionary divergence, adaptation to physically dissimilar environments, and very different neuroanatomical organization, some primates and cetaceans show striking convergence in social behavior, artificial ‘language’ comprehension, and self-recognition ability. Taken together, these findings have important implications for understanding the generality and specificity of those processes that underlie cognition in different species and the nature of the evolution of intelligence.
The History of Nephrology in the Talmudic Corpus
Authors: Dvorjetski Estée
Published: April 2003

The kidneys, the bladder and nephrology in general were discussed in the Talmudic literature from their anatomical, pathological and philological aspects. The Sages’ deliberations were based on the Biblical texts. The characteristic phraseology of the scriptures uses the kidneys as symbols of the human emotions, contrary to the heart, which is regarded as the location of wisdom. The kidney is considered to be the individual’s seat of their deepest desires – perhaps because it is an ‘internal’ organ, well hidden, surrounded by a capsule and by a layer of perinephric fat. The Talmudic corpus considers the kidneys to be the origin of secret counsels – ‘the kidneys advise’. An injury to the kidneys is used symbolically as an example of a cruel and serious injury. The sages were concerned with nephrological problems such as a diseased kidney of small size, fluid and pus in the kidney, injuries, perforations and more. Fascinating advice is given regarding micturition, its timing, characteristics and significance. The Halakhah is concerned with the kidneys during the examination of an animal after slaughter for the fitness for its ritual consumption. The paper presents various nephrological diseases from the Talmudic corpus. Among them are, for example, ‘Tzemirtha’ – urolithiasis; ‘Hydrakon’ – hydronephrosis; ‘Suskhinta’ – urinary retention; ‘Tzinit’ – podagra, gout, and ‘Yerakon’ – icterus. A survey of some Talmudic personalities will exemplify the existence of these conditions.
History of the Nephron
Authors: Mezzogiorno Antonio , Mezzogiorno Vincenzo , Esposito Vincenzo
Published: April 2003

The many progressive achievements in knowledge about the structure and function of the nephron – the kidney’s main morpho-functional unit – have always been influenced by philosophical theories, which for a long time have swung between vitalism and mechanism. From Galen’s first imaginative vitalistic hypothesis, the scientific thought about the kidney’s structure/function gradually moved to the iatro-mechanistic view promoted by Borelli, Bellini and Malpighi, to then meet Bowman’s bright vitalistic-based theory. But Bowman’s theory was rather soon replaced by novel yet still mechanistic theories proposed first by Ludwig and then Starling. Ludwig based his scientific approach to knowledge of renal function upon physics and chemistry; Starling eventually developed a ‘colloid-osmotic’ theory.
Emergence of the Concept of Acute Renal Failure
Authors: Eknoyan Garabed
Published: April 2003

Acute renal failure (ARF) is an ailment that has afflicted humans from time immemorial. Its recognition, however, was slow to emerge, hampered initially by the failure to consider it a diagnosis and, subsequently, by the disparity of its nomenclature in the different conditions in which it was observed and described. Further delay was due to the late recognition of the physiology of urine formation and the pathophysiology of acute injury to the kidney, which was to allow the final identification of the entity in the past century. The definition of ‘ischuria’ as the suppression or retention of urine, and its classification to include ‘ischuria renalis’ in the 17th century was a fundamental step that allowed diseases of the kidney to be grouped, studied and described. By the 18th century, the clinical course of ARF was well described, and by the 19th century its microscopic structural features were clearly detailed but continued to be given disparate names by various authors. During World War I, acute failure of kidney function due to trauma was reported as ‘war nephritis’, which with the end of the war became a forgotten entity. In the interval between the two world wars, increased emphasis on experimental studies allowed major advances in the understanding of the hemodynamics of shock, volume homeostasis, kidney function and tubular epithelial cell injury and regeneration. As such, the reports of acute kidney failure in crush victims of the London air raids in 1941 prompted a series of clinical, pathological and experimental studies over the ensuing decade that were to lead to the full emergence of the concept of ARF in 1951.
Gordon Murray: Heparin, Hemodialysis and Hubris
Authors: Fellner Susan K. , Purkerson Mabel L.
Published: April 2003

Gordon Murray (1894–1976), a brilliant and innovative surgeon who spent the majority of his professional career at the University of Toronto, Ont., Canada, is properly credited with having performed the first successful hemodialyses in humans in North America. Neither he nor Kolff, working in the Netherlands, were aware of each other’s work during the middle 1940s when wartime hampered communication. Murray’s extensive investigations and experience in the use of heparin in vascular surgery laid the groundwork for the use of this anticoagulant with the artificial kidney. He first designed a coil dialyzer in which cellophane tubing was wound about a steel frame. His second-generation apparatus was a plate dialyzer. In all, he performed dialysis on 11 patients with presumed acute renal failure, 50% of whom survived. Those who died succumbed to sepsis or irreversible chronic renal failure. Not much has changed in 50 years.
The Discovery of Renal Contrast Media in Berlin
Authors: Hierholzer Klaus , Hierholzer Johannes
Published: April 2003

After X-rays were detected and cystoscopes had become available, progress in nephrology depended on the development of contrast media which would permit imaging of the kidneys and the urinary system. We describe how A. Binz and C. Räth, two chemists at the Agricultural Academy in Berlin, synthesized iodinated derivatives which were potent chemotherapeutics. Moses Swick tested the substances in the clinics of L. Lichtwitz (Hamburg) and A. von Lichtenberg (Berlin) and discovered a rapid renal excretion. He also observed that an iodinated N-acetylated derivative, later named Uro-Selectan, amplified X-ray contrast after intravenous application. With this substance and other derivatives which were produced by Schering-Kahlbaum AG, the door was open for excretion urography.
Psychophysiological Correlates of Peritraumatic Dissociative Responses in Survivors of Life-Threatening Cardiac Events
Authors: Ladwig Karl-Heinz , Marten-Mittag Birgitt , Deisenhofer Isabel , Hofmann Birgit , Schapperer Johannes , Weyerbrock Sonja , Erazo Natalia , Schmitt Claus
Published: April 2003

The psychophysiological startle response pattern associated with peritraumatic dissociation (DISS) was studied in 103 survivors of a life-threatening cardiac event (mean age 61.0 years, SD 13.95). Mean time period since the cardiac event was 37 (79 IQD) months. All patients underwent a psychodiagnostic evaluation (including the Peritraumatic Dissociative Experiences Questionnaire) and a psychophysiological startle experience which comprised the delivery of 15 acoustic startle trials. Magnitude and habituation to trials were measured by means of electromyogram (EMG) and skin conductance responses (SCR). Thirty-two (31%) subjects were indexed as patients with a clinically significant level of DISS symptoms. High-level DISS was associated with a higher magnitude of SCR (ANOVA for repeated measures p = 0.017) and EMG (p = 0.055) and an impaired habituation (SCR slope p = 0.064; EMG slope p = 0.005) in comparison to subjects with no or low DISS. In a subgroup analysis, high-level DISS patients with severe post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD; n = 11) in comparison to high-level DISS patients without subsequent PTSD (n = 19) exhibited higher EMG amplitudes during all trials (repeated measures analysis of variance F = 5.511, p = 0.026). The results demonstrate exaggerated startle responses in SCR and EMG measures – an abnormal defensive response to high-intensity stimuli which indicates a steady state of increased arousal. DISS patients without PTSD exhibited balanced autonomic responses to the startle trials. DISS may, therefore, unfold malignant properties only in combination with persistent physiological hyperarousability.
Natural Course of Experimental Choroidal Neovascularization: Three-Dimensional Study with Corrosion Cast and Scanning Electron Microscope
Authors: Kuroki Akiko Mera , Bhutto Imran Ahmed , Kitaoka Takashi , Amemiya Tsugio
Published: April 2003

Objectives: The details of the morphological features of choroidal neovascularization (CNV) remain unclear. The purpose of this study was to establish a CNV rat model and study the natural course of CNV using vascular casts and a scanning electron microscope (SEM). Methods: Focal laser photocoagulation (argon green 50 mW, 0.04 s, 200 µm) was applied to Brown Norway pigmented rats. Choroidal vascular casts were prepared 1 and 3 days, 1 and 2 weeks, and 1, 3 and 6 months after laser photocoagulation. The choroidal casts were examined with a SEM. Results: One day after photocoagulation, corrosion casts and SEM revealed complete defects of the choriocapillaris at the laser shot sites. One week after photocoagulation, small vascular buds originating from the damaged choriocapillaris were observed. Two weeks after photocoagulation, newly formed CNV originating from an individual laser burn was observed. One to three months after photocoagulation, these new vessels were connected to each other to form CNV networks. Six months later, some thin and atrophic vessels were observed in the CNV network. Conclusions: We succeeded in making fine corrosion casts of CNV formed by photocoagulation in pigmented rats and in demonstrating the details of CNV formation and regression. It is hoped that the results of this study will contribute to the development of a drug therapy for CNV and to the interpretation of diagnostic imaging of CNV in humans.
Novel Spot-Like Pigmentary Pattern Detected by High-Resolution Epiluminescence Microscopy
Authors: Haas Norbert , Hermes Barbara , Henz Beate M.
Published: April 2003

Background: Epiluminescence light microscopy (ELM) can be improved with enhanced optical resolution. Objective: High-resolution ELM was performed by placing a standard light microscope on the skin surface for visualization of further details. Methods: 25 melanocytic nevi and 14 melanomas with a globular pattern were investigated and examined histologically. Results: A new spotty substructure was detected, namely individual pigmented spots of 5–10 µm in diameter located within peripheral brown globules. Clinicopathologic correlation showed these spots to correspond with individual pigmented melanocytes (IPMs) within nests of melanocytes. IPMs were seen in 9/25 melanocytic nevi and in none of 14 melanomas. Conclusion: Their origin may be a physiologic, UV-dependent pigment induction suggesting that they may represent a benign ELM pattern.
Cytotoxic Mycosis fungoides Evolving from Pityriasis lichenoides chronica in a Seventeen-Year-Old Girl
Authors: Tomasini Dario , Zampatti Clementina , Palmedo Gabriele , Bonfacini Vincenzo , Sangalli Gabriele , Kutzner Heinz
Published: April 2003

Pityriasis lichenoides chronica and its acute form, pityriasis lichenoides et varioliformis acuta, are skin diseases of unknown origin, that probably represent a hypersensitivity reaction to an infective agent. Pityriasis lichenoides is often a benign disorder but, because of the presence of a clonal T cell population detected both in the chronic and acute forms, some authors have suggested that it may belong to the group of primary cutaneous T cell lymphomas. Although various studies have clearly documented no significant association between pityriasis lichenoides and malignant lymphomas, cases of long-standing pityriasis lichenoides evolving into mycosis fungoides have been described. Herein we report the case of a girl suffering from pityriasis lichenoides since the age of 11 years, subsequently developing a CD45RO+, CD8+, TIA-1+ mycosis fungoides.