bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
N. Femoralis, N. Obturatorius and N. Ischiadicus: Deviation in Creation in the Dogs
Authors: Mihelić D. , Mihelić D. , Slavica A. , Deždek D. , Trbojević‐Vukičević T. , Džaja P. , Majić‐Balić I.
Published: October 2007

Two hundred and twelve dog cadavers belonging to different breeds were examined, to investigate the formation of the femoral, obturator and the sciatic nerve. Besides the commonly described formation patterns of the mentioned nerves, some variations were also found. These variations were not gender‐related, but on the other hand we discovered a certain correlation between the variations appearing in the formation of the femoral, obturator and the sciatic nerve. In 74.05% of cases, the femoral nerve was formed from ventral branches of the 4th, 5th and 6th lumbar nerve, and 16.98% of the dogs had the nerve formed from ventral branches of the 3rd, 4th and 5th lumbar nerve. Many dogs (i.e. 2.30%) had the femoral nerve formed from the ventral branches of the 5th, 6th and 7th, the 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th or the 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th lumbar nerve, respectively. In 1.88% of dogs in particular, the femoral nerve was formed from ventral rami of the 4th and 5th lumbar nerve. In 66.98% of the examined dogs, the obturator nerve was formed from the ventral branches of the 4th, 5th and 6th lumbar nerve, followed by 16.59% of the dogs with the obturator nerve formed from the ventral rami of the 4th and 5th lumbar nerve and 9.43% of dogs in which the nerve was formed from the ventral branches of the 5th and 6th lumbar nerve. In 4.71% of dogs, the obturator nerve was formed from the ventral rami of the 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th lumbar nerve, while only 2.30% of the examined dogs had the same nerve formed from the ventral branches of the 5th, 6th and 7th lumbar nerve. The sciatic nerve was formed from ventral branches of the 6th and 7th lumbar nerve and the 1st sacral nerve in 86.79% of the dogs. In 5.18% of cases, the same nerve was formed from a junction of the ventral branches of the 7th lumbar and the 1st and 2nd sacral nerve, and, in the same percentage of cases, it was formed from a junction of ventral branches of the 6th and 7th lumbar nerve and the 1st and 2nd sacral nerve. In 2.83% of the dogs, it was formed from a junction of the ventral branches of the 6th and 7th lumbar and the 1st sacral nerve. The correlation of variations established in the formation of the femoral, obturator and the sciatic nerve was not statistically significant.
Arterial Supply of the Penis in Agoutis (Dasyprocta prymnolpha, Wagler, 1831)
Authors: De Carvalho M. A. M. , Machado Junior A. A. N. , Bezerra e Silva R. A. , Menezes D. J. A. , Conde Júnior A. M. , Righi D. A.
Published: October 2007

The arterial vascularization of agoutis’ penis (Dasyprocta prymnolopha) were analysed using ten male adults from ‘Núcleo de Estudos e Preservação de Animais Silvestres da Universidade Federal do Piauí’ (FUFPI/IBAMA n° 02/99). Among the total number of specimens, six animals had natural death and were members of the research collection of the Laboratory of Anatomy, and four were killed after anaesthesia. Stained bi‐centrifugated‐Cis‐I‐4 latex was injected in arterial vessels responsible for penis vascularization throughout the abdominal portion of aorta. The samples were fixed in 10% formaldehyde solution and arteries were dissected. The penile artery is originated as a branch of internal pudendal artery. At the level of ischiatic arch, the penile artery project two branches, the penile dorsal and the deep arteries; those arteries irrigates the penile dorsal surface and the corpus cavernosum penis. The penile dorsal arteries have an independent course up to the glans penis. Based on the conditions of this work a remarkable similarity regarding the distribution of vessels destined to the agouti penis when compared to other domestic, wild and lagomorph rodents as rabbits.
Oocyte Morphometry in Female Dogs (Canis familiaris, Linnaeus, 1758)
Authors: Diagone K. V. , Vicente W. R. R. , Pacheco M. R. , Mateus O.
Published: October 2007

In the present study, the ovaries of 15 healthy bitches divided into three groups according to age were analysed by histology and morphometry: group 1 (1–3 years), group 2 (>3–5 years) and group 3 (>5–7 years). After ovariosalpingohysterectomy, the ovaries were fixed, routinely processed for embedding in paraffin and stained with haematoxylin–eosin. The following morphometric parameters were analysed: maximum and minimum diameter (μm), perimeter (μm), area (μm2) and roundness of the cytoplasm and nucleus of oocytes from different types of follicles. Significant differences in the cytoplasmic and nuclear parameters of follicular oocytes between the experimental groups were determined by anova and the Tukey test (5%). For the biotechnology of reproduction, the present results showed that in vitro maturation yielded the best performance for oocytes from primordial follicles in group 3 females and for oocytes embedded in secondary and tertiary follicles in group 2 females. In addition, the present findings will help in the diagnosis and prognosis of diseases affecting bitches, and will especially contribute to a better understanding of these cells by researchers in the field of histology and canine reproduction.
Effects of Castration on the Expression of TrkB and p75NTR in the Vas Deferens and Male Accessory Genital Glands of the Rat
Authors: Mirabella N. , Squillacioti C. , De Luca A. , Paino G.
Published: October 2007

Brain‐derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a growth factor belonging to the family of neurotrophins. Neurotrophins exert their effects by binding to corresponding receptors, which are formed by the tyrosine receptor kinases TrkA, TrkB and TrkC, and the low‐affinity p75NTR receptor. The role of neurotrophins in the biology of male genital organs is far from clear. In particular, little is known about the influence of sex hormones on the expression of neurotrophin receptors. In the present study, using immunohistochemistry, we investigated the distribution of TrkB and p75NTR in the vas deferens and accessory male genital glands in normal and castrated rats. In normal rats, both TrkB and p75NTR immunoreactivities were localized in the epithelial layer of the vas deferens and prostate gland. The nerves were immunoreactive in all the examined organs. Castration induced the loss of both TrkB and p75NTR immunoreactivities in the epithelial layer. On the contrary, both receptors persisted or, as in the case of p75NTR, increased in the nerves after castration. These results show that receptors that bind BDNF are expressed in the internal male genital organs of the rat and that their expression is differently regulated by androgen hormones. It can be hypothesized that BDNF, via interacting with p75NTR, has a role in the castration‐induced regression of the sympathetic nerves.
Effects of Betamethasone Treatment on Central Myelination in Fetal Sheep: An Electron Microscopical Study
Authors: Raschke C. , Schmidt S. , Schwab M. , Jirikowski G.
Published: October 2007

The long‐term effect of betamethasone on the myelination of commissural and associational fibres was investigated in fetal sheep. We studied the corpus callosum and subcortical white matter by electron microscopy. Axons were subdivided into classes according to their axonal diameter: class I: ≤0.65 μm; class II: 0.66–0.84 μm; class III: ≥0.85 μm. Under control conditions, the different functions of the white matter tracts examined were reflected by three morphological criteria: (1) there was a diverse percentage of axonal classes in the investigated areas. In corpus callosum the axons of class II predominate (47.1%). In the subcortical white matter, class I axons with small diameter are in majority (40.8%). (2) In the subcortical white matter more axons are present, with especially large diameter and hence of axonal class III. (3) The axons of subcortical white matter have thicker myelin sheaths than those of the corpus callosum. Betamethasone administration caused a significant decrease of class II axons in the corpus callosum (36.9%). In corpus callosum, axons of all classes present thicker myelin sheaths. Betamethasone administration resulted in a change in the formation of the myelin sheath in the commissural fibres of the corpus callosum but not in the associational fibres of the subcortical white matter. This could be the morphological correlate to behavioral and cognitive changes known to occur in humans after prenatal glucocorticoid treatment.
Changes in the Myosin Heavy Chain 2a and 2b Isoforms of the Anterior Belly of the Digastric Muscle Before and After Weaning in Mice
Authors: Yoshii M. , Sakiyama K. , Abe S. , Agematsu H. , Mitarashi S. , Tamatsu Y. , Ide Y.
Published: October 2007

During the process of growth and development, the digastric muscle is subjected to marked functional changes, including the change from suckling to mastication. In particular, because the anterior belly of the digastric muscle, which is one of the suprahyoid muscles, plays an important role in mastication. Therefore, this muscle seems to undergo a marked functional change before and after weaning. However, the details remain unknown. Here, to clarify the changes in the muscle fibre characteristics of the anterior belly of the digastric muscle before and after weaning, we examined myosin heavy chain isoforms at the protein (immunohistochemistry) and mRNA (transcription) levels. As a control, the changes in the muscle fibre characteristics of the sternohyoid muscle, which is anatomically aligned in the same direction as the anterior belly of the digastric muscle, were analyzed. The results showed that, in the anterior belly of the digastric muscle that is involved in mandibular movements in mice, the ratio of a fast‐contraction isoform with strong contractile force increased after weaning. We believe that this occurred in response to a functional change from suckling to mastication. On the other hand, there was little change in the composition of sternohyoid muscle.
Specialized predation on Wasmannia auropunctata by the army ant species Neivamyrmex compressinodis
Authors: Le Breton J. , Dejean A. , Snelling G. , Orivel J.
Published: October 2007

Abstract:  We report here the first case of an efficient and specialized predator of the invasive ant species Wasmannia auropunctata: the army ant Neivamyrmex compressinodis. Our results are based on a study that we conducted in French Guiana, a part of the Wasmannia’s native range. When N. compressinodis workers attacked W. auropunctata nests, the assaulted workers panicked and left the nests, some of them carrying brood. Nevertheless, during its raids on W. auropunctata, N. compressinodis was able to capture nearly all of the W. auropunctata brood and winged sexuals, whereas none of the attacks by N. compressinodis on other sympatric ant species were successful. Laboratory experiments revealed that the workers of eight compared sympatric species attacked the N. compressinodis individuals and that N. compressinodis workers accepted W. auropunctata brood as well as that of most of the tested species, showing that its specificity probably depends on the reaction of the W. auropunctata workers.
Predatory abilities favour the success of the invasive ant Pheidole megacephala in an introduced area
Authors: Dejean A. , Kenne M. , Moreau C. S.
Published: October 2007

Abstract:  The invasive African big‐headed ant, Pheidole megacephala, is a dominant species in the many areas it has invaded. We examined whether one potential reason for its ecological success might be its predatory efficiency. We compared the density of termite nests in an area of Mexico invaded by P. megacephala with an adjacent area where P. megacephala is not present. We also compared the success of P. megacephala in preying on termites with that of 13 native ant species. We found that termite nest density was significantly lower in areas invaded by P. megacephala (0.33 vs. 1.05 nests per 30 m transect). In field trials, we established that P. megacephala workers were significantly more successful at capturing termite workers from termite nest fragments than even the most successful native ant species, Dorymyrmex pyramicus. For both P. megacephala and D. pyramicus, single scouts could trigger the mass recruitment of nestmates, but P. megacephala was able to recruit greater numbers of nestmates. Combined with their aggressiveness towards other ant species, their highly efficient predatory capacities help explain the ecological success of P. megacephala and demonstrate how it can be a major threat to invertebrate biodiversity in the areas it invades.
GENETIC POLYMORPHISM OF PEROXISOME PROLIFERATOR‐ACTIVATED RECEPTOR‐γ2 PRO12ALA ON ETHNIC SUSCEPTIBILITY TO DIABETES IN UYGUR, KAZAK AND HAN SUBJECTS
Authors: Li Lin‐Lin , Ma Xiao‐Li , Ran Jian‐Xin , Sun Xiao‐Feng , Xu Li‐Ming , Ren Jun , Mao Xin‐Min
Published: October 2007

The aim of the present study was to determine whether the peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor (PPAR)‐g Pro12Ala polymorphism affects susceptibility to diabetes in Uygur, Kazak and Han subjects in Xinjiang, China.

Uygur, Kazak and Han subjects from Kashi, Yili and Shawan (Xinjiang, China) were enrolled in the present study. The PPAR‐g Pro12Ala polymorphism was determined using restriction fragment length polymorphism. Anthropometric and serum biological indices were monitored among different genotype carriers to examine the PPAR‐g Pro12Ala gene polymorphism and the prevalence of type 2 diabetes.

The distribution frequency of the Pro12Ala genotype did not differ between diabetic and non‐diabetic Uygur, Kazak and Han subjects. However, the frequency of the A allele of Pro12Ala was significant different among non‐diabetics, with frequencies of 11, 9 and 5% in Uygur, Kazak and Han groups, respectively. Using the c2 test, it was shown that the frequency of the A allele in Uygurs (11%) was significantly higher than that in Han subjects (5%). To compare the wild‐type (Pro/Pro) carriers in diabetics from each ethnic group, Ugyur subjects, who carry PPAR‐g Pro12Ala (Pro/Ala), had a larger waist circumference and lower low‐density lipoprotein–cholesterol level, Kazaks subjects showed larger waist circumference and higher high‐density lipoprotein levels and Han subjects exhibited a high waist‐to‐hip ratio and body mass index.

The present study revealed that the allele and genotype frequency did not differ in diabetics and non‐diabetics of each ethnic group. However, the frequency of the A allele was significantly different in non‐diabetics from various ethnic groups. These data suggest that PPAR‐g Pro12Ala may affect blood lipid levels and the abdominal fat storage of diabetic Ugyurs and Kazaks and may be associated with fat storage and insulin resistance in Hans.
TYPE 1 DIABETES AND HYPERCHOLESTEROLAEMIA REVEAL THE CONTRIBUTION OF ENDOTHELIUM‐DERIVED HYPERPOLARIZING FACTOR TO ENDOTHELIUM‐DEPENDENT RELAXATION OF THE RAT AORTA
Authors: Malakul Wachirawadee , Thirawarapan Suwan , Suvitayavat Wisuda , Woodman Owen L
Published: October 2007

The present study evaluated the effect of diabetes, hypercholesterolaemia and their combination on the contribution of nitric oxide (NO) and endothelium‐derived hyperpolarizing factor (EDHF) to relaxation of rat isolated aortic rings and the potential contribution of oxidant stress to the disturbance of endothelial function.

Thoracic aortic rings from control, diabetic, hypercholesterolaemic and diabetic plus hypercholesterolaemic rats were suspended in organ baths for tension recording. Generation of superoxide by the aorta was measured using lucigenin‐enhanced chemiluminescence.

The maximal response to acetylcholine (ACh) was significantly reduced in diabetic or hypercholesterolaemic rats compared with control rats. In rats with diabetes plus hypercholesterolaemia, both the sensitivity and maximal response to ACh was impaired. In control rats, the response to ACh was abolished by the NO synthase inhibitorNG‐nitro‐l‐arginine (l‐NNA) or inhibition of soluble guanylate cyclase with 1H‐[1,2,4]oxadiazolo[4,3‐a]quinoxalin‐1‐one (ODQ). In contrast, in rats with diabetes, hypercholesterolaemia or both, relaxation to ACh was resistant to inhibition byl‐NNA or ODQ, but abolished by additional inhibition of KCachannels with charybdotoxin plus apamin.

The generation of superoxide was not significantly enhanced in aortic rings from either diabetic or hypercholesterolaemic rats, but was significantly increased in aortic rings from rats with diabetes plus hypercholesterolaemia.

These results suggest that when diabetes and hypercholesterolaemia impair endothelium‐dependent relaxation, due to a diminished contribution from NO, a compensatory contribution of EDHF to endothelium‐dependent relaxation of the aorta is revealed. The attenuation of NO‐mediated relaxation, at least in the presence of both diabetes and hypercholesterolaemia, is associated with enhanced superoxide generation.
CHANGES IN MUSCARINIC RECEPTORS IN THE TOAD UROTHELIAL CELL LINE TBM‐54 FOLLOWING ACROLEIN TREATMENT
Authors: Giglio D , Andersson M , Aronsson P , Delbro DS , Haraldsson B , Tobin G
Published: October 2007

In cyclophosphamide‐induced cystitis in the rat, cholinergic function of the bladder and muscarinic receptor expression are altered. In the present study, we investigated whether the toad urothelial cell line TBM‐54 expresses functional muscarinic receptors and whether changes in muscarinic receptors can be induced in vitro by treating cells with acrolein, a metabolite of cyclophosphamide causing cystitis.

The occurrence of muscarinic receptors on cells was assessed by microphysiometry, a method analysing receptor function by measuring changes in the extracellular acidity rate (ECAR) in response to receptor stimulation.

Challenging untreated cells with the muscarinic receptor agonist carbachol gave rise to a concentration‐dependent increase in changes in ECAR, with a maximal response at 1 mmol/L carbachol of 51 ± 6%. Pre‐incubating cells with different muscarinic receptor antagonists (i.e. pirenzepine (M1 receptor selective), methoctramine (M2/M4 receptor selective) and 4‐diphenylacetoxy‐N‐methylpiperidine methobromide (4‐DAMP; M3/M1/M5 receptor selective)), gave rise to a concentration‐dependent decrease in the effects of carbachol (0.5 mmol/L) on changes in ECAR.

Western blot analysis was used to determine the expression of all muscarinic receptor subtypes (M1–M5) by the cell line. Following acrolein treatment, cells were markedly less sensitive to carbachol and the expression of muscarinic M2 receptors was decreased, whereas the expression of muscarinic M3 receptors was increased.

In conclusion, the urothelial cell line TBM‐54 expresses functional muscarinic receptors and exposure to acrolein leads to a modulation in the expression of muscarinic receptors. Consequently, acrolein may have direct effects on muscarinic receptor function and expression that contribute to the pathogenesis of cyclophosphamide‐induced cystitis.
EVIDENCE THAT HYDROXYSAFFLOR YELLOW A PROTECTS THE HEART AGAINST ISCHAEMIA–REPERFUSION INJURY BY INHIBITING MITOCHONDRIAL PERMEABILITY TRANSITION PORE OPENING
Authors: Liu Yi‐Na , Zhou Zhong‐Min , Chen Peng
Published: October 2007

The present study was conducted to investigate whether hydroxysafflor yellow A (HSYA) has a protective effect against heart injury after ischaemia–reperfusion and to determine the possible mechanism involved.

Hearts isolated from male Sprague‐Dawley rats were perfused on a Langendorff apparatus and subjected to 30 min global ischaemia, followed by 120 min reperfusion. Infarct size and the level of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in the coronary effluent were determined. In mitochondria from isolated perfused hearts, Ca2+‐induced swelling was observed. In isolated ventricular myocytes, depolarization of the mitochondrial membrane was determined by tetramethyl‐rhodamine ethyl ester (TMRE) fluorescence. Furthermore, levels of phosphorylated endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) protein were measured by western blot.

Pretreatment with HSYA for 5 min before ischaemia reduced infarct size and the release of LDH. Administration of 20 µmol/L atractyloside, an opener of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore, and 10 µmol/L NG‐nitro‐l‐arginine methyl ester (l‐NAME), an inhibitor of NOS, attenuated the protective effects of HSYA. In mitochondria isolated from hearts pretreated with 0.1 mmol/L HSYA for 5 min, a significant inhibition of Ca2+‐induced swelling was observed and this inhibition was attenuated by l‐NAME. In isolated ventricular myocytes, pretreatment with HSYA prevented ischaemia‐induced cell death and depolarization of the mitochondrial membrane, whereas atractyloside or l‐NAME attenuated the effects of HSYA. Levels of phosphorylated eNOS protein were significantly enhanced in the HSYA‐treated group.

The findings of the present study indicate that HSYA protects the myocardium against ischaemia–reperfusion injury by inhibiting mitochondrial permeability transition pore opening. The effect of HSYA on mitochondrial permeability transition pore opening may be mediated through enhanced nitric oxide production by eNOS activation.
Peripheral and central administration of exogenous urocortin 1 disrupts the fasted motility pattern of the small intestine in rats via the corticotrophin releasing factor receptor 2 and a cholinergic mechanism
Authors: Yin Yan , Dong Lei , Yin Dong
Published: October 2007

Background and Aim:  The action of the corticotrophin releasing factor (CRF) receptor on the small intestinal motility has been rarely investigated. The present study aimed to determine the effects of urocortin 1 on small intestinal motility in rats and the CRF receptor subtypes and autonomic pathways mediating the effects.

Methods:  Fasted or fed rats were used to investigate the effect of intravenous or intracerebroventricular urocortin 1 on duodenum and jejunum motility. NBI‐27914 and astressin2‐B (CRF receptor 1 and 2 antagonists, respectively), atropine (an M‐receptor antagonist), phentolamine (an α‐receptor antagonist), propranolol (a β‐receptor antagonist) and Nω‐Nitro‐l‐arginine (a nitric oxide synthase [NOS] inhibitor) were applied to determine the involved CRF receptor subtypes and autonomic pathways.

Results:  In fasted rats, intravenous or intracerebroventricular injection of urocortin 1 disrupted duodenal and jejunal migrating myoelectric complex pattern, leading to an irregular spiking activity similar to the fed motility pattern. When urocortin 1 was given in the fed state, the fed motility pattern remained unchanged. In addition, urocortin 1 also inhibited small intestinal transit function. Astressin2‐B injected intraperitoneally or intracerebroventricularly blocked urocortin 1‐induced change, while NBI‐27914 had no effect. The disruption of migrating myoelectric complex induced by urocortin 1 was abolished by atropine, but not affected by phentolamine, propranolol and Nω‐Nitro‐l‐arginine.

Conclusion:  Intravenous or intracerebroventricular injection of urocortin 1 acts, respectively, on peripheral and central CRF receptor 2 to disrupt the intestinal migrating myoelectric complex through an M‐receptor‐dependent mechanism, and such change has an inhibitory effect as proved by measuring the small intestinal transit function.
Percutaneous radiofrequency ablation of hepatocellular adenoma: Initial experience in 10 patients
Authors: Rhim Hyunchul , Lim Hyo K , Kim Young‐sun , Choi Dongil
Published: October 2007

Background and Aim:  The purpose of this study was to assess the therapeutic efficacy and safety of percutaneous radiofrequency (RF) ablation for hepatocellular adenoma.

Methods:  We performed percutaneous RF ablation in 10 patients with pathologically proven hepatocellular adenomas. Eight patients were asymptomatic and two patients had a recurrent tumor after surgical resection. The size of the tumors was 2.25 ± 0.76 cm (range: 1.5–4.5 cm) in the largest diameter. All ablation procedures were percutaneously performed with an internally cooled RF electrode system under ultrasound (US) guidance. We evaluated the therapeutic efficacy and safety of the procedure by clinical follow‐up data with regular follow‐up computed tomography (CT) for 2–35 months (mean, 17.5 months).

Results:  All patients well tolerated percutaneous RF ablation procedure without any incident. Contrast‐enhanced CT (n = 7) or contrast‐enhanced US (n = 3) obtained immediately (<24 h) after the procedure revealed complete ablation of the tumor in all cases. There was no case of local tumor progression or new recurrence during the follow‐up period. We found neither procedure‐related mortality nor major complication requiring specific treatment.

Conclusion:  Percutaneous RF ablation of hepatocellular adenoma without overt complication can be a new potential alternative to close imaging follow‐up or elective surgery.
Altered expression of glucagon‐like peptide‐1 and dipeptidyl peptidase IV in patients with HCV‐related glucose intolerance
Authors: Itou Minoru , Kawaguchi Takumi , Taniguchi Eitaro , Sumie Shuji , Oriishi Tetsuharu , Mitsuyama Keiichi , Tsuruta Osamu , Ueno Takato , Sata Michio
Published: October 2007

Background and Aim:  The pathogenesis of hepatitis C virus (HCV)‐associated glucose intolerance remains unclear. Glucagon‐like peptide‐1 (GLP‐1), a gut hormone, synthesizes hepatic glycogen and is inactivated by dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPPIV). The aims of this study were to investigate the alterations in the expression of GLP‐1 and DPPIV in HCV‐associated glucose intolerance.

Methods:  We enrolled patients with HCV‐ or hepatitis B virus (HBV)‐related liver disease (n = 94 and 37, respectively), patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD; n = 14) as disease controls, and healthy controls (n = 48). The serum or tissue GLP‐1 and DPPIV expression levels were determined by enzyme immunoassay, immunoblotting, or immunostaining. The hepatic glycogen content was assayed by periodic acid–Schiff staining.

Results:  The serum GLP‐1 levels were significantly decreased in the HCV group (4.9 ± 0.3 ng/mL) than those in the controls (7.5 ± 0.6 ng/mL), the HBV group (7.0 ± 0.5 ng/mL), or the IBD group (10.8 ± 1.0 ng/mL, P < 0.01). Although the ileum GLP‐1 expression was not significantly different between the controls and the HCV group, the DPPIV expression was significantly increased in the ileum, liver, and serum in the HCV group. Hepatic glycogen content was decreased to a greater extent in the HCV group than that in the HBV group (127.5 ± 5.3 vs 187.7 ± 6.6 arbitrary units; n = 19, P < 0.01).

Conclusion:  We demonstrated the altered expressions of GLP‐1 and DPPIV in patients with HCV‐associated glucose intolerance. Since hepatic glycogen synthesis, a GLP‐1 action, was impaired, the altered expressions of GLP‐1 and DPPIV may be involved in the development of HCV‐associated glucose intolerance.
How to characterize non‐hypervascular hepatic nodules on contrast‐enhanced computed tomography in chronic liver disease: Feasibility of contrast‐enhanced ultrasound with a microbubble contrast agent
Authors: Yoshizumi Hiroaki , Maruyama Hitoshi , Okugawa Hidehiro , Kobayashi Satoshi , Akiike Taro , Yoshikawa Masaharu , Ebara Masaaki , Yokosuka Osamu , Matsutani Shoichi , Kondo Fukuo , Kamiyama Naohisa
Published: October 2007

Background and Aim:  Although hypervascular appearance is characteristic in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), hepatic nodules without hypervascular appearance are sometimes found in patients with chronic liver disease (CLD). The aim of the present study was to clarify the efficacy of contrast‐enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) with Levovist to characterize small, non‐hypervascular hepatic nodules on contrast‐enhanced computed tomography (CECT) in patients with CLD.

Methods:  The subject was 41 hepatic nodules (<30 mm, 18.5 ± 5.6 mm) which showed non‐hypervascular appearance on CECT in 35 patients with CLD; their histological results were 31 HCC (15 well, 14 moderate, and two poor) and 10 regenerative nodules (RN). CEUS with Levovist was performed under intermittent scanning (1‐s interval) using APLIO at the early phase and the liver‐specific phase, and the contrast enhancement of the nodule was assessed in comparison to that of the surrounding liver parenchyma. The contrast‐enhanced findings with the time‐intensity analysis were compared with the histological results.

Results:  Twelve nodules with weak enhancement in the liver‐specific phase were HCC, regardless of their early‐phase appearances. The other 29 nodules with equivalent or weak enhancement in the early phase and equivalent enhancement in the liver‐specific phase were 19 HCC and 10 RN. Among them, the maximum‐intensity ratio of tumor to non‐tumor in the early phase was significantly higher in HCC than in RN (P < 0.01, n = 16), and the receiver‐operating characteristic analysis showed a sensitivity of 1.0 and a specificity of 0.83 for their characterization.

Conclusion:  CEUS with Levovist may be an alternative to biopsy to characterize small, non‐hypervascular hepatic nodules on CECT in patients with CLD.
Prospective evaluation of the management of moderate to severe cellulitis with parenteral antibiotics at a paediatric day treatment centre
Authors: Gouin Serge , Chevalier Isabelle , Gauthier Marie , Lamarre Valérie
Published: October 2007

Aim:  To assess the clinical outcome of patients with moderate to severe cellulitis managed at a paediatric day treatment centre (DTC).

Methods:  Prospective observational study of all patients (3 months to 18 years) with a presumed diagnosis of moderate to severe cellulitis made in a university‐affiliated paediatric emergency department (ED) (September 2003 to September 2005). Patients treated at the DTC were given ceftriaxone or clindamycin.

Results:  During the study period, a presumed diagnosis of moderate to severe cellulitis was made in 224 patients in the ED. Ninety‐two patients were treated at the DTC (41%). The cellulitis had a median width of 7.0 cm (range: 1.0–50.0 cm) and a median length of 6.5 cm (range: 1.0–40.0 cm). Blood cultures were performed in 95.7%; one was positive for Staphylococcus aureus. After a mean of 2.5 days of intravenous therapy (first injection in the ED and a mean of 1.5 days at the DTC), 73 patients (79.3%) were successfully discharged from the DTC and switched to an oral agent. For these patients no relapse occurred. Nineteen patients (20.7%) required inpatient admission for further therapy. No patient was diagnosed with necrotizing fasciitis in the course of therapy. Seventy‐eight satisfaction questionnaires were handed in and revealed very good to excellent parental satisfaction with treatment at the DTC in 94.8%.

Conclusion:  Treatment with parenteral antibiotic at a DTC is a viable alternative to hospitalisation for moderate to severe cellulitis in children.
Bilateral testicular intratubular germ‐cell neoplasia, unclassified in an azoospermic patient
Authors: Vassilis Argyropoulos , Vassilis Protogerou , Eleni Patsea , Sofia Anagnostopoulou , Athanassios Kostakopoulos
Published: October 2007

Abstract:  We report the case of a 29‐year‐old man, who was examined in our hospital for infertility. After complete evaluation, the patient was found to be azoospermic with normal follicle‐stimulating hormone levels, whereas his testes were slightly smaller than normal. Thus, there was an indication for testicular biopsy, which showed bilateral testicular intratubular germ‐cell neoplasia, unclassified. The patient was informed about his status, and when the staging was completed and the possibility of distant or lymphatic metastases was excluded, the therapeutic choices were discussed. In this case, bilateral orchiectomy was recommended and carried out, followed by hormone replacement therapy.
Renal transplantation after myeloablative and non‐myeloablative hematopoietic cell transplantation from the same donor
Authors: Tanaka Toshiaki , Ishida Hideki , Shirakawa Hiroki , Amano Hiroyuki , Nishida Hayato , Tanabe Kazunari
Published: October 2007

Abstract:  Hematopoietic cell transplantation is a key treatment to prolong patient survival for many hematological disorders. Renal impairment is well recognized as a significant complication of hematopoietic cell transplantation, which can progress to end‐stage renal disease. Herein, we report our experience of two patients who underwent renal transplantation from the same donor who provided cells for the preceding hematopoietic cell transplantation. One patient had undergone peripheral blood stem cell transplantation with a non‐myeloablative conditioning regimen, whereas the other had received bone marrow transplantation with a myeloablative regimen. Chronic immunosuppressive therapy was not needed in either one to maintain the kidney graft function. Not only bone marrow transplantation with a myeloablative conditioning regimen, but also peripheral blood stem cell transplantation with a non‐myeloablative regimen can confer immunological tolerance.
Transrectal high‐intensity focused ultrasound for treatment for patients with biochemical failure after radical prostatectomy
Authors: Hayashi Mutsuo , Shinmei Shunsuke , Asano Kosuke
Published: October 2007

Abstract:  Four patients with biochemical prostate‐specific antigen (PSA) failure with suspected local recurrence at the vesico‐urethral anastomotic site after radical prostatectomy were treated using a high‐intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) device (Sonablate 500) under caudal or spinal anesthesia. The pretreatment PSA levels ranged from 0.318 to 0.898 ng/mL and their Gleason scores ranged between 5 and 7. HIFU treatment was carried out six times in four patients. The median time of operation and follow‐up period were 30 min (range, 15–37) and 13 months (range, 7–18), respectively. In all patients, the median PSA levels decreased from 0.555 ng/mL (range, 0.318–0.898) to 0.137 ng/mL (range, 0.102–0.290). The median PSA nadir after each HIFU was 0.054 ng/mL (range, 0.008–0.097). No major complications were noted. HIFU may be useful for the therapy of vesicourethral anastomostic lesion in patients with PSA failure after prostatectomy.
Neobladder overactivity; an equivalent to spontaneous rectal contraction
Authors: Sakakibara Ryuji , Awa Yusuke , Naya Yukio , Tobe Toyofusa , Uchiyama Tomoyuki , Hattori Takamichi
Published: October 2007

Abstract:  A 76‐year‐old man had transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder and underwent orthotopic ileal neobladder, and developed severe nocturnal enuresis. We performed videomanometry in the ileal neobladder and the rectum of the patient. Slow filling of the ileal neobladder showed overactivity (the amplitudes up to 50 cmH2O), which was similar to that normally seen in the rectum (the amplitudes up to 20 cmH2O). In contrast to the normal rectal sensation, neobladder sensation was markedly decreased. During urination, the patient voided with strain and overactivity, both of which were similar to that seen in the rectum. Urethral sphincter function was preserved in the patient. In conclusion, both decreased sensation and neobladder overactivity, an equivalent to spontaneous phasic contraction of the rectum, contributed to nocturnal enuresis in our patient. Bowel‐targeted management may be necessary to minimize nocturnal enuresis in bladder‐substituted patients.
Clinical and urodynamic outcomes of pubovaginal sling procedure with autologous rectus fascia for stress urinary incontinence
Authors: Mitsui Takahiko , Tanaka Hiroshi , Moriya Kimihiko , Kakizaki Hidehiro , Nonomura Katsuya
Published: October 2007

Aim:  We report the clinical and urodynamic outcomes of the pubovaginal sling procedure with autologous rectus fascia for stress urinary incontinence (SUI) and determined the urodynamic parameters that could predict the occurrence of postoperative voiding difficulty.

Methods:  Between 1998 and 2005, a total of 29 consecutive women with SUI underwent pubovaginal sling surgery with autologous rectus fascia. Patients were preoperatively and postoperatively evaluated with regard to symptoms and urodynamic findings including uroflowmetry (UFM), postvoid residual urine volume (PVR), filling cystometry (CMG) and pressure flow study (PFS).

Results:  Overall SUI was cured in 23 patients (80%) and improved in 3 patients (10%). Three patients (10%) who developed persistent urinary retention or severe voiding difficulty after surgery underwent urethrolysis. Of 17 patients who had urgency before the pubovaginal sling, urgency was cured postoperatively in seven, while de novo urgency appeared in one patient. Maximum flow rate (Qmax) in UFM was significantly decreased (P < 0.05) and PVR was increased (P = 0.08) after surgery. PFS showed a significant increase in detrusor opening pressure and detrusor pressure at Qmax (P < 0.01) after surgery. Eight patients (28%) needed prolonged intermittent self‐catheterization. Patients who had PVR >100 mL (P < 0.05) or Qmax ≤20 mL/s (P = 0.09) in preoperative UFM were more likely to require prolonged intermittent catheterization after surgery.

Conclusions:  The pubovaginal sling procedure with autologous rectus fascia is an effective treatment for SUI. A comparison of preoperative and postoperative urodynamic parameters indicates an increase in urethral resistance after pubovaginal sling surgery. PVR >100 mL and Qmax ≤20 mL/s before surgery are risk factors for postoperative voiding difficulty.
Rhythmic auditory stimulation modulates gait variability in Parkinson's disease
Authors: Hausdorff Jeffrey M. , Lowenthal Justine , Herman Talia , Gruendlinger Leor , Peretz Chava , Giladi Nir
Published: October 2007

Patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) walk with a shortened stride length and high stride‐to‐stride variability, a measure associated with fall risk. Rhythmic auditory stimulation (RAS) improves stride length but the effects on stride‐to‐stride variability, a marker of fall risk, are unknown. The effects of RAS on stride time variability, swing time variability and spatial‐temporal measures were examined during 100‐m walks with the RAS beat set to 100 and 110% of each subject's usual cadence in 29 patients with idiopathic PD and 26 healthy age‐matched controls. Carryover effects were also evaluated. During usual walking, variability was significantly higher (worse) in the patients with PD compared with the controls (P < 0.01). For the patients with PD, RAS at 100% improved gait speed, stride length and swing time (P < 0.02) but did not significantly affect variability. With RAS at 110%, reductions in variability were also observed (P < 0.03) and these effects persisted 2 and 15 min later. In the control subjects, the positive effects of RAS were not observed. For example, RAS increased stride time variability at 100 and 110%. These results demonstrate that RAS enables more automatic movement and reduces stride‐to‐stride variability in patients with PD. Further, these improvements are not simply a by‐product of changes in speed or stride length. After walking with RAS, there also appears to be a carryover effect that supports the possibility of motor plasticity in the networks controlling rhythmicity in PD and the potential for using RAS as an intervention to improve mobility and reduce fall risk.
Involvement of protein‐tyrosine phosphatase PTPMEG in motor learning and cerebellar long‐term depression
Authors: Kina Shin‐ichiro , Tezuka Tohru , Kusakawa Shinji , Kishimoto Yasushi , Kakizawa Sho , Hashimoto Koichi , Ohsugi Miho , Kiyama Yuji , Horai Reiko , Sudo Katsuko , Kakuta Shigeru , Iwakura Yoichiro , Iino Masamitsu , Kano Masanobu , Manabe Toshiya , Yamamoto Tadashi
Published: October 2007

Although protein‐tyrosine phosphorylation is important for hippocampus‐dependent learning, its role in cerebellum‐dependent learning remains unclear. We previously found that PTPMEG, a cytoplasmic protein‐tyrosine phosphatase expressed in Purkinje cells (PCs), bound to the carboxyl‐terminus of the glutamate receptor δ2 via the postsynaptic density‐95/discs‐large/ZO‐1 domain of PTPMEG. In the present study, we generated PTPMEG‐knockout (KO) mice, and addressed whether PTPMEG is involved in cerebellar plasticity and cerebellum‐dependent learning. The structure of the cerebellum in PTPMEG‐KO mice appeared grossly normal. However, we found that PTPMEG‐KO mice showed severe impairment in the accelerated rotarod test. These mice also exhibited impairment in rapid acquisition of the cerebellum‐dependent delay eyeblink conditioning, in which conditioned stimulus (450‐ms tone) and unconditioned stimulus (100‐ms periorbital electrical shock) were co‐terminated. Moreover, long‐term depression at parallel fiber–PC synapses was significantly attenuated in these mice. Developmental elimination of surplus climbing fibers and the physiological properties of excitatory synaptic inputs to PCs appeared normal in PTPMEG‐KO mice. These results suggest that tyrosine dephosphorylation events regulated by PTPMEG are important for both motor learning and cerebellar synaptic plasticity.
The formation of trajectories during goal‐oriented locomotion in humans. II. A maximum smoothness model
Authors: Pham Quang‐Cuong , Hicheur Halim , Arechavaleta Gustavo , Laumond Jean‐Paul , Berthoz Alain
Published: October 2007

Despite the theoretically infinite number of possible trajectories a human may take to reach a distant doorway, we observed that locomotor trajectories corresponding to this task were actually stereotyped, both at the geometric and the kinematic levels. In this paper, we propose a computational model for the formation of human locomotor trajectories. Our model is adapted from smoothness maximization models that have been studied in the context of hand trajectory generation. The trajectories predicted by our model are very similar to the experimentally recorded ones. We discuss the theoretical implications of this result in the context of movement planning and control in humans. In particular, this result supports the hypothesis that common principles, such as smoothness maximization, may govern the generation of very different types of movements (in this case, hand movements and whole‐body movements).
A spiking network model for passage‐of‐time representation in the cerebellum
Authors: Yamazaki Tadashi , Tanaka Shigeru
Published: October 2007

In Pavlovian delay eyeblink conditioning, the cerebellum represents the passage‐of‐time (POT) between onsets of conditioned and unconditioned stimuli (CS and US, respectively). To study possible computational mechanisms of the POT representation we built a large‐scale spiking network model of the cerebellum. Consistent with our previous rate‐coding model, we found two conditions necessary for the present model to represent the POT with a dynamic population of active granule cells: (i) long temporal integration of input signals; and (ii) random recurrent connections between granule and Golgi cells. When these conditions were satisfied, a nonrecurrent sequence of active granule cell populations was generated in response to a CS and, conversely, the POT from the CS onset was able to be read out from the sequence. Specifically, simulated N‐methyl‐D‐aspartate (NMDA) channels with a long decay time constant at granule and Golgi cells were responsible for the long temporal integration. Thus, blocking the NMDA channels or ablating Golgi cells impaired the POT representation. Simulated glomerulus structure made POT representation robust against noise in mossy fibre inputs. Long‐term potentiation induced at mossy fibre synapses on granule cells also served to enhance the robustness. We reproduced some experimental results of Pavlovian delay eyeblink conditioning using the present model. These results suggest that the recurrent network in the granular layer and NMDA channels in granule and Golgi cells play an essential role in the timing mechanisms in the cerebellum, whereas the glomerulus serves to realize a robust representation of time.
Inactivation of the gene for the nuclear receptor tailless in the brain preserving its function in the eye
Authors: Belz Thorsten , Liu Hai‐Kun , Bock Dagmar , Takacs Andrea , Vogt Miriam , Wintermantel Tim , Brandwein Christiane , Gass Peter , Greiner Erich , Schütz Günther
Published: October 2007

During embryogenesis, tailless, an orphan member of the nuclear receptor family, is expressed in the germinal zones of the brain and the developing retina, and is involved in regulating the cell cycle of progenitor cells. Consequently, a deletion of the tailless gene leads to decreased cell number with associated anatomical defects in the limbic system, the cortex and the eye. These structural abnormalities are associated with blindness, increased aggressiveness, poor performance in learning paradigms and reduced anxiousness. In order to assess the contribution of blindness to the behavioural changes, we established tailless mutant mice with intact visual abilities. We generated a mouse line in which the second exon of the tailless gene is flanked by loxP sites and crossed these animals with a transgenic line expressing the Cre recombinase in the neurogenic area of the developing brain, but not in the eye. The resulting animals have anatomically indistinguishable brains compared with tailless germline mutants, but are not blind. They are less anxious and much more aggressive than controls, like tailless germline mutants. In contrast to germline mutants, the conditional mutants are not impaired in fear conditioning. Furthermore, they show good performance in the Morris water‐maze despite severely reduced hippocampal structures. Thus, the pathological aggressiveness and reduced anxiety found in tailless germline mutants are due to malformations caused by inactivation of the tailless gene in the brain, but the poor performance of tailless null mice in learning and memory paradigms is dependent on the associated blindness.
Shifting and scaling adaptation to dynamic stimuli in somatosensory cortex
Authors: Garcia‐Lazaro J. A. , Ho S. S. M. , Nair A. , Schnupp J. W. H.
Published: October 2007

Recent reports have shown that responses of midbrain neurons in the guinea pig rapidly shift the dynamic range of their responses to track changes in the statistics of ongoing sound‐level distributions. This results in an increased coding accuracy for the most commonly occurring stimulus intensities. To investigate whether this type of adaptation might also be found in other sensory modalities, we characterized the intensity–response functions of neurons in rat primary somatosensory cortex (S1) to continuous sinusoidal vibration of the whiskers with amplitudes that were changed every 40 ms. Vibration amplitudes were selected randomly such that there was an 80% chance for the amplitude to be drawn from a relatively narrow ‘high‐probability region’ (HPR). Stimulus mean and variance were then manipulated by shifting or widening the HPR. We found that rat S1 neurons adapt to shifts of the HPR mainly by shifting their thresholds, and to changes in HPR width by changing the slope of their rate‐level curves. Using realistic single‐neuron models, we go on to show that after‐hyperpolarizing currents, such as those carried by KCa2+ channels, may be responsible for the threshold shifts, but not the slope changes.