bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Images of debris fans and other deep-sea sediments on the sea bed of the Faroe–Shetland Channel based on 3D seismic data
Authors: Bulat J. , Long D.
Published: January 2010

Synopsis

The Faroe–Shetland Channel (FSC) is covered by 25 000 km
2
of 3D seismic data which have been used to image the morphology of the sea bed. Among many of the observed geological features, the image reveals a system of down-slope linear gullies and associated debris fans on the floor of the FSC. These gullies and fans are interpreted as the products of high-energy mass flow. These features are not observed elsewhere in the FSC and are localized t o this part of the West Shetland Margin. Their restricted geographical extent and episodic longevity implies that there must have been a significant difference in the nature of the ice margin here, possibly caused by the outflow of an ancient ice stream that fed the gully and fan systems with semi-liquid sediments on this part of the West Shetland Shelf.
Theropod dinosaur and other footprints from the Valtos Sandstone Formation (Bathonian, Middle Jurassic) of the Isle of Skye
Authors: Marshall Paul
Published: January 2010

Synopsis

Three to four footprints, including a tridactyl pes print attributed to a small bipedal theropod, are recorded from the Valtos Sandstone Formation (Bathonian, Middle Jurassic) on the Strathaird peninsula, southern Skye. The prints are preserved in a very fine-grained, well-sorted, silty sandstone that was deposited in a lagoonal, microtidal flat palaeoenvironmental setting, associated with a bay-head delta system. Two of the prints may form a short, narrow trackway reflecting a walking to gently trotting gait of a small theropod animal. These are the first dinosaur footprints recorded from southern Skye.
Multiple growth history of porphyroblasts in Barrovian metamorphism of Dalradian albite schists near Loch Lomond, SW Scottish Highlands
Authors: MATHAVAN V. , BOWES D. R.
Published: January 2010

Synopsis

Growth histories have been determined from microstructural relationships and mineral chemistries of porphyroblasts of muscovite, Mn-rich garnet, almandine, biotite and chlorite. With data for albite, these chart the progressive development of biotite- and almandine-zone mineral assemblages during Barrovian metamorphism of Dalradian pelitic rocks near Loch Lomond in the SW Highlands of Scotland. Dimensionally aligned, fine-grained products of low greenschist facies dynamothermal metamorphism formed during D1 are included in early D2 Mn-rich garnets and in the cores of porphyroblasts of muscovite. Abundant albite porphyroblasts (An
0–3
) also grew early in D2 enclosing trails of inclusions that define open folds, with some showing two mineral growth fabrics. Almandine grew later during D2 when temperature was at its peak. Matrix grain coarsening, the development of the regionally expressed schistosity and intense dissection of F2 folds took place during late D2. Inclusion-free overgrowths of almandine and plagioclase (An
4–17
) grew during the end part of D2 to post-D2 along with porphyroblasts of muscovite, biotite and chlorite that are randomly disposed to the schistosity. Growth of the micaceous porphyroblasts is related to a change from the regionally expressed dynamothermal conditions of D2 to regional thermal growth conditions. Their development prior to D3 is shown by S3 minerals cutting across them and across the S2 schistosity. Both S3 and S4 developed during retrogressive low greenschist facies dynamothermal metamorphism. The timing of peak temperatures in the Loch Lomond district differs from that in the type area for Barrovian zones in the SE Scottish Highlands.
Fine-scale biostratigraphy within the
Stimulograptus sedgwickii
Zone (Silurian: Llandovery) at Dob’s Linn, Southern Uplands
Authors: Pannell Claire L. , Clarkson Euan N. K. , Zalasiewicz Jan
Published: January 2010

Synopsis

A 1.89-m section excavated from the
Stimulograptus sedgwickii
Biozone (Silurian: Llandovery, Aeronian) at Dob’s Linn, Southern Uplands, Scotland, representing some 0.2 Ma of deposition, shows pronounced, quantitatively established patterns of graptolite abundance and diversity. The most striking signature comprises several marked peaks in abundance of the distinctive taxon
Neolagarograptus tenuis
(Portlock) within this interval. Such ‘bloom events’, if recognized further afield, may provide very fine-scale stratigraphic resolution, seemingly akin to the ammonite biohorizons of the Jurassic. Taxonomic richness as a whole decreases upwards and appears associated with bentonite layers, suggesting that volcanic ash falls might have led to local extinctions of graptolite populations with little or no subsequent recovery. Repetition of the analysis on a duplicate section along-strike at Dob’s Linn showed comparable patterns, demonstrating the robustness of the methodology.
Constraining the maximum age of movements in the Moine Thrust Belt: dating the Canisp Porphyry
Authors: Goodenough K. M. , Evans J. A. , Krabbendam M.
Published: January 2010

Synopsis

The Moine Thrust Belt of the Northwest Highlands of Scotland represents the front of the Caledonian Orogeny. The exact age of this thrust belt is the source of continuing debate, and has not been fully resolved either by dating of igneous rocks within the thrust belt or by direct dating of mylonites. The Canisp Porphyry sills are porphyritic quartz–microsyenite intrusions, found in the Foreland to the Moine Thrust Belt in the Assynt region. The sills occur close to the lowest thrust, but are never seen within the thrust belt. They are thus considered to predate movement on the lowest thrusts. This paper presents a U–Pb (TIMS) zircon date of 437 ± 4.8 Ma for the Canisp Porphyry, and thus movement on the lower thrusts of the Moine Thrust Belt is constrained as having occurred after that date.
A Lower Carboniferous sipunculan from the Granton Shrimp Bed, Edinburgh
Authors: Muir L. A. , Botting J. P.
Published: January 2010

Synopsis

Sipunculans are sedentary marine worms, believed to represent either an early coelomate grade or a later offshoot of the annelids, but are unmineralized and extremely rare in the fossil record. Here we describe an example from the Granton Shrimp Bed, a Lower Carboniferous Konservat-Lagerstätte. This is the third known occurrence of Palaeozoic sipunculans, although they may have been previously overlooked. The recognition of fossil sipunculans is discussed, based partly on cuticle deformation due to the underlying muscle arrangement.
A cladid crinoid (Echinodermata) from the Llandovery (Lower Silurian) of the Girvan district, SW Scotland
Authors: Fearnhead Fiona E. , Donovan Stephen K.
Published: January 2010

Synopsis

Llandovery (Lower Silurian) crinoids are rare in the British Isles. The oldest articulated crinoids from the Silurian of Scotland are from the Newlands Formation (upper Rhuddanian or lower Aeronian) of Rough Neuk Quarry, near Girvan, Ayrshire. Articulated crinoid arms of a taxon new to this site are interpreted to be a cladid sp. indet. Comparison with other Silurian cladids is inconclusive, but the Rough Neuk specimen may be close to
Dendrocrinus.
Age and significance of former low-altitude corrie glaciers on Hoy, Orkney Islands
Authors: Ballantyne Colin K. , Hall Adrian M. , Phillips William , Binnie Steven , Kubik Peter W.
Published: January 2010

Synopsis

Geomorphological mapping provides evidence for two former low-level corrie glaciers on Hoy, both defined by end moraines. Five
10
Be exposure ages obtained from sandstone boulders on moraine crests fall within the range 12.4 ± 1.5 ka to 10.4 ± 1.7 ka (weighted mean 11.7 ± 0.6 ka), confirming that these glaciers developed during the Loch Lomond (Younger Dryas) Stade (LLS) of 12.9–11.5 cal. ka
bp
, and demonstrate the feasibility of using this approach to establish the age of LLS glacier limits. The equilibrium line altitude (ELA) of one of the glaciers (99 m) is the lowest recorded for any LLS glacier, and the area-weighted mean ELA for both (141 m) is consistent with a general northward ELA decrease along the west coast of Britain. The size of moraines fronting these small (≤0.75 km
2
) glaciers implies that glacier termini remained at or close to their limits for a prolonged period. The apparent restriction of LLS glaciers to only two sites on Hoy probably reflects topographic favourability, and particularly the extent of snow-contributing areas.
A field guide to the Glenelg-Attadale Inlier, NW Scotland, with emphasis on the Precambrian high-pressure metamorphic history and subsequent retrogression
Authors: Storey Craig
Published: January 2010

Synopsis

The Glenelg-Attadale Inlier contains Proterozoic eclogites and Late Archaean mafic high-pressure granulites. Eclogites were formed both in the Palaeoproterozoic (around 1.75 Ga) and the Mesoproterozoic (around 1.1 Ga). The inlier is the only place in the British Isles that contains significant and unequivocal crustal eclogites and furthermore is one of the few places that retains clear evidence of having been strongly affected by the
c.
1.1–1.0 Ga Grenvillian orogeny. The excursions provide an opportunity to study these rare rocks and gain insight into how they formed and how they were exhumed back to the surface.
Quaternary geology of part of the Kale Water catchment, Western Cheviot Hills, southern Scotland
Authors: Mitchell W. A.
Published: January 2010

Synopsis

This study reports on a survey of the middle part of the Kale Water, one of the western Cheviot catchments. Field mapping has revealed the presence of weathered andesite bedrock on many hillslopes. Conversely, evidence for glaciation is limited and restricted to a few exposures of till and meltwater channels suggesting that the last (Late Devensian) ice sheet in this area was cold-based, creating a frozen patch that lay to the east of a thermal boundary related to the Tweed ice stream. A well developed solifluction sheet is found on the lower valley slopes, indicating remobilization of former glacial sediments under periglacial conditions when head formed on the upper slopes. A particular feature is the presence of stratified fine gravels forming an upper lithofacies on many hillslopes which appear to be due to reworking of weathered material. Although there has been no dating of these sediments, it is suggested that the upper part of the sequence dates from Late Devensian deglaciation with the soliflucted sediments related to periglacial processes and paraglacial adjustment in association with permafrost degradation at the end of the Dimlington Stadial, and the stratified gravels related to fluvio-nivational processes associated with snowmelt during the subsequent Loch Lomond Stadial.
Glucocorticoids differentially regulate Na-bile acid cotransport in normal and chronically inflamed rabbit ileal villus cells
Authors: Coon Steven , Kekuda Ramesh , Saha Prosenjit , Sundaram Uma
Published: January 2010

Previous studies have demonstrated that apical Na-bile acid cotransport (ASBT) is inhibited during chronic ileitis by both a decrease in the affinity as well as a decrease in the number of cotransporters. Methylprednisolone (MP), a commonly used treatment for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD, e.g., Crohn's disease), has been shown to reverse the inhibition of several other Na-solute cotransporters during chronic enteritis. However, the effect of MP on ASBT in the chronically inflamed ileum is not known. MP stimulated ASBT in villus cells from the normal rabbit ileum by increasing the cotransporter expression without a change in the affinity of the cotransporter for bile acid. Western blot studies demonstrated an increase in cotransporter expression. MP reversed the inhibition of ASBT in villus cells from the chronically inflamed ileum. Kinetic studies demonstrated that the mechanism of MP-mediated reversal of ASBT inhibition was secondary to a restoration of both affinity as well as cotransporter numbers. Western blot analysis demonstrated restoration of cotransporter numbers after MP treatment of rabbits with chronic ileitis. Thus MP stimulates ASBT in the normal ileum by increasing cotransporter numbers. MP reverses the inhibition of ASBT during chronic ileitis. However, MP restores the diminished affinity as well as cotransporter expression levels during chronic ileitis. Thus MP differentially regulates ASBT in the normal and in the chronically inflamed ileum.
Clinical Study on Combined Therapy of Botulinum Toxin Injection and Small Balloon Dilation in Patients with Esophageal Achalasia
Authors: Zhu Qiang , Liu Jiyong , Yang Chongmei
Published: January 2010

Background and Study Aims: To compare the efficiency of pneumatic balloon dilation, botulinum toxin (BT) injection, and the combination of the two modalities in the management of esophageal achalasia. Patients and Methods: Ninety patients with esophageal achalasia were randomly divided into three groups according to different interventions, i.e. patients in group A received 100 U BT injection; patients in group B were given balloon dilation, and patients in group C were subjected to balloon dilation plus 100 U BT injection 15 days after the dilation. Clinical assessment and esophageal manometry were performed by experienced gastroenterologists. All patients were followed-up for more than 2 years. Results: At any time after the treatment, the lower esophageal sphincter pressure and symptom score in group C were lower compared with those in group A or group B (p < 0.05). At 2 years after treatment, the response rate in group C remained 56.67%, still higher than those in the other groups (p < 0.05); the response rate in group B was only 35.71% (10/28); the response rate in group A was 13.79%, the lowest among the three groups. Conclusions: The efficiency of the combination of 100 U BT administration and small balloon dilation is superior to the single modality approach.
Total Laparoscopic versus Open Splenectomy and Esophagogastric Devascularization in the Management of Portal Hypertension: A Comparative Study
Authors: Xin Zheng , Qingguang Liu , Yingmin Yao
Published: January 2010

Background/Aim: Total laparoscopic splenectomy (LS) + esophagogastric devascularization (ED) has been accepted as a safe treatment for patients with portal hypertension and serious gastroesophageal varices in China. This study was carried out to determine whether total LS + ED is more advantageous than the open procedure in the management of portal hypertension. Methods: From February 2007 to July 2008, 24 patients were diagnosed with portal hypertension and serious gastroesophageal varices in our center. Seven patients underwent total LS + ED and 17 patients received the open procedure. Results and outcomes were compared retrospectively. Results: All operations were performed successfully. The operative time was similar in both groups (p = 0.355 > 0.05). The intraoperative blood loss was obviously less in the laparoscopic group (p = 0.001 < 0.05). Postoperative hospital stay was not different among the groups (p = 0.079 > 0.05), but this was mainly due to one complicated case in the laparoscopic group. Conclusions: Although LS + ED entails meticulous technical preparation, it has the advantage of minimally invasive surgery and offers a good alternative for the management of portal hypertension.
Brain Development, Intelligence and Cognitive Outcome in Children Born Small for Gestational Age
Authors: de Bie H.M.A. , Oostrom K.J. , Delemarre-van de Waal H.A.
Published: January 2010

Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) can lead to infants being born small for gestational age (SGA). SGA is associated with increased neonatal morbidity and mortality as well as short stature, cardiovascular disease, insulin resistance, diabetes mellitus type 2, dyslipidemia and end-stage renal disease in adulthood. In addition, SGA children have decreased levels of intelligence and cognition, although the effects are mostly subtle. The overall outcome of each child is the result of a complex interaction between intrauterine and extrauterine factors. Animal and human studies show structural alterations in the brains of individuals with IUGR/SGA. The presence of growth hormone (GH) receptors in the brain implies that the brain is also a target for GH. Exogenous GH theoretically has the ability to act on the brain. This is exemplified by the effects of GH on cognition in GH-deficient adults. In SGA children, data on the effect of exogenous GH on intelligence and cognition are scant and contradictory.
Can the TW3 Bone Age Determination Method Provide Additional Criteria for Growth Hormone Treatment in Adopted Girls with Early Puberty?
Authors: Proos L.A. , Lönnerholm T. , Jonsson B. , Tuvemo T.
Published: January 2010

Background/Aims: Gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogues (GnRHa) are the accepted treatment of idiopathic central precocious puberty. As it has been found that growth velocity may be decreased with GnRHa treatment, clinical trials with GnRHa combined with growth hormone (GH) have been carried out. In a recent study 46 adopted girls with early or precocious puberty were randomly assigned to treatment with either GnRHa or GnRHa combined with GH, and followed to final height (FH). It was found that FH was significantly higher in the combined treatment group, 158.9 compared with 155.8 cm in the GnRHa treated group. In order to select the patients who could benefit from added GH, predictions of FH at the start of treatment according to the methods of bone age determination of Greulich-Pyle (GP) and Tanner-Whitehouse 2 (TW2) were compared. It was found that the GP method was the most useful method for patient selection. Recently, a revision of the Tanner-Whitehouse method, named Tanner-Whitehouse 3 (TW3), has been developed. The present study examined the usefulness of the TW3 method in selecting suitable patients for combined treatment. Method: The TW3 method bone age determinations of the 46 girls were compared to the GP and TW2 method determinations, using the differences between actual FH and predicted adult height (PAH). Beside accuracy of prediction of FH, the criteria of efficiency of selection and replicability were applied in the comparison. Results: We found that the GP method, also when compared to the TW3 method, gave the most accurate prediction of the FH on only GnRHa treatment. This gives the best ground for selection of patients who can benefit from combined treatment. The GP method was also the most efficient in selecting patients, i.e., it could select the least number of patients that needed the combined treatment. The only drawback of the GP method was that it requires an experienced pediatric radiologist. Automated methods are being developed and may soon facilitate the use of the GP method for those less experienced. The FH after combined treatment could be predicted with an equation including PAH GP as well as PAH TW3 as variables. Conclusion: The GP method remains the most useful method for selection of those patients who will benefit most from the addition of GH to GnRHa in the treatment of idiopathic central precocious or early puberty. FH prediction after combined treatment requires PAH GP as well as PAH TW3.
Filter-Protected versus Unprotected Carotid Artery Stenting: A Randomised Trial
Authors: Macdonald Sumaira , Evans David H. , Griffiths Paul D. , McKevitt Fiona M. , Venables Graham S. , Cleveland Trevor J. , Gaines Peter A.
Published: January 2010

Background: Our aim was to determine whether filter protection reduces embolisation to the brain during carotid artery stenting (CAS). Methods: Thirty patients with symptomatic carotid artery stenosis ≧70% (North American Symptomatic Carotid Endarterectomy Trial) were randomly assigned to filter-protected or unprotected CAS. Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DWI) of the brain was performed before and at 3 time points after CAS. In a subset of patients, high-intensity transient signals on transcranial Doppler (TCD) were recorded with categorisation of emboli. Data were independently reviewed off-site. Results: There were no significant differences in mean age, proportion of octogenarians or presenting symptoms between the groups. On procedural DWI (1–3 and 24 h after stenting), there were 7/24 (29%) and 4/22 (18%) new lesions in protected and unprotected patients respectively (p = 0.38). At 30 days there were 9/33 (26%) and 4/33 (12%) lesions in protected and unprotected patients, respectively (p = 0.1). On TCD there were significantly more signals in total as well as particulate emboli during filter-protected CAS (426.5 and 251.3) than during unprotected CAS (165.2 and 92) – p = 0.01 and 0.03, respectively. Conclusions: Filter-protected CAS is associated with an increase in new lesions on DWI and significantly higher rates of total and particulate microembolisation on TCD than unprotected CAS. The clinical significance of these findings requires further study.
Cross-Sectional Microhardness of Human Enamel Subjected to Erosive, Cariogenic or Combined Erosive/Cariogenic Challenges
Authors: Honório H.M. , Rios D. , Santos C.F. , Magalhães A.C. , Delbem A.C.B. , Buzalaf M.A.R. , Machado M.A.A.M.
Published: January 2010

This in situ study evaluated the interaction between caries and erosion processes. In the first phase, enamel specimens were subjected to erosion without dental plaque (EO) or to erosion with plaque (EP); in the second phase, they were subjected to erosion plus cariogenic challenge (EC) or cariogenic challenge (CO), both with plaque accumulation. Cross-sectional hardness data (10–330 µm depth) were tested using ANOVA (α = 0.05). EO and EP showed surface softening to 10 µm depth. CO and EC produced subsurface lesions, of similar depth (up to 220 µm), with CO showing higher integrated loss of hardness than EC, indicating that cariogenic and erosive challenges did not have an additive effect.
Treatment of Proximal Superficial Caries Lesions on Primary Molar Teeth with Resin Infiltration and Fluoride Varnish versus Fluoride Varnish Only: Efficacy after 1 Year
Authors: Ekstrand K.R. , Bakhshandeh A. , Martignon S.
Published: January 2010

This split-mouth study aimed to assess the efficacy of resin-infiltrated lesions covered by fluoride varnish (FV) versus FV treatment only of proximal lesions on deciduous molar teeth. The study lasted for 1 year. Children with 2 or more superficial proximal lesions on deciduous molar teeth detected on bitewing radiographs were included. After written parental consent, two lesions in each of 50 children were randomly allocated to one of two treatments: resin infiltration followed by FV (2.26% F) application (test lesion) versus only FV (control lesion). The ICDAS scores of the selected lesions were recorded by 2 clinicians before the treatments (weighted kappa for inter- and intra-examiner agreement >0.79). FV was applied to both test and control lesions 6 and 12 months after the first treatment. After 1 year ICDAS scores were obtained for 42 children and radiographs for 39. One external examiner not familiar with the study scored the radiographs twice (weighted kappa 0.88). Baseline mean age of the children was 7.17 ± (SD) 0.68 and mean def-s was 8.1 ± (SD) 6.9. After 1 year the ICDAS scores of 31% of the test lesions and 67% of the control lesions had progressed (p < 0.01). Radiographically, 23% of the test lesions and 62% of the control lesions had progressed (p < 0.01). Thus, the clinical and radiographic therapeutic effect of both resin infiltration/FV over FV alone was >35% and significant. To conclude, resin infiltration in conjunction with fluoride varnish seems promising for controlling proximal lesion progression on deciduous molar teeth.
Suppression of T Cell Proliferation by Root Apical Papilla Stem Cells in vitro
Authors: Ding Gang , Liu Yi , An Yunqing , Zhang Chunmei , Shi Songtao , Wang Wei , Wang Songlin
Published: January 2010

The use of allogeneic stem cells strongly extends the range of stem cell applications in dentistry; however, immunological rejection remains a major concern. There is little information about the immunological features of dental-related stem cells in the literature. Therefore, we investigated the immunological characteristics of stem cells from the root apical papilla (SCAP) of swine in vitro by measuring T cell immunomodulation and apoptosis. We found that SCAP expressed a low level of swine leukocyte antigen (SLA) class I molecules and were negative for SLA class II DR molecules. Moreover, SCAP could inhibit autologous T cell proliferation stimulated by phytohemagglutinin (PHA) and a one-way mixed lymphocyte reaction in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, SCAP could suppress proliferation of allogeneic T cells in a dose-dependent manner, with or without mitomycin C pretreatment. Moreover, soluble factor(s) may be involved in the SCAP-mediated immune suppression. After a 5-day coculture of SCAP, allogeneic T cells, and PHA, only 1.22% of T cells were apoptotic. These data indicated that SCAP were weakly immunogenic and suppressed T cell proliferation in vitro through an apoptosis-independent mechanism.
Development of Rat Tibia Innervation: Colocalization of Autonomic Nerve Fiber Markers with Growth-Associated Protein 43
Authors: Gajda Mariusz , Litwin Jan A. , Tabarowski Zbigniew , Zagólski Olaf , Cichocki Tadeusz , Timmermans Jean-Pierre , Adriaensen Dirk
Published: January 2010

Development of autonomic innervation of the tibia was investigated in rat fetuses on gestational days (GD) 17–21 and in juvenile animals on postnatal days (PD) 1–28. Double immunofluorescence combined with confocal microscopy was applied to study colocalization of neuronal growth- associated protein 43 (GAP-43) and panneuronal marker protein gene product 9.5 (PGP) with markers of the autonomic nervous system: neuropeptide Y (NPY) and dopamine β-hydroxylase (DβH) for adrenergic, as well as vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) and vesicular acetylcholine transporter (VAChT) for cholinergic fibers. The first GAP-43-immunoreactive (GAP-IR) nerve fibers were seen on GD17 in the perichondrium of the proximal epiphysis. Further GAP- and PGP-IR innervation appeared in the perichondrium/periosteum of the diaphysis and in the distal epiphysis (GD19), then in the bone marrow and in the intercondylar eminence (GD21). On PD1, NPY-IR and DβH-IR fibers appeared within the diaphyseal periosteum and on PD4 within the bone marrow. From PD14, GAP-43 immunoreactivity of NPY-positive fibers decreased. From PD7 on, NPY-IR fibers were observed in cartilage canals of both epiphyses and in the intercondylar eminence. In secondary ossification centers, NPY-IR fibers were seen from PD10, and in the bone marrow of the epiphyses from PD14. First VIP-IR and VAChT-IR fibers were observed on PD4 within the periosteum, bone marrow and patellar ligament. From PD10 on, VIP-positive fibers were seen in the intercondylar eminence, and from PD14 in secondary ossification centers. GAP-43 proved to be superior to PGP 9.5 as marker of growing nerve fibers, mostly due to its earlier appearance. The presence of specific nerve fibers may suggest possible involvement of autonomic innervation in regulation of bone development.
Differentiation of Intestinal Epithelial Cells Mediated by Cell Confluence and/or Exogenous Nucleoside Supplementation
Authors: Rodríguez-Serrano Fernando , Ríos Antonio , Marchal Juan A. , Caba Octavio , Martínez-Amat Antonio , Prados José , Melguizo Consolación , Ortiz Raúl , Perán Macarena , Boulaiz Houria , Vélez Celia , Álvarez Pablo , Aránega Antonia
Published: January 2010

Nucleotides (NT) and nucleosides (NS) play a key role in gastrointestinal development and in enterocyte healing after tissue damage. Exogenous NT and NS may therefore represent a novel therapy for maintaining gastrointestinal tract integrity. An exogenous NS mixture of thymidine, cytidine, guanosine and inosine (T-CGI) increases the proliferation rate of rat intestinal epithelial cell line 6 (IEC-6) cells, while a mixture of uridine, cytidine, guanosine and inosine (U-CGI) reduces IEC-6 proliferation independently of necrosis or apoptosis. This study aimed to analyze the effects of exogenous NS on IEC-6 differentiation under proliferation and differentiation conditions. To this end, IEC-6 cells were treated with NS T-CGI and NS U-CGI mixtures under low- and high-density conditions. Enterocyte differentiation was also assessed by flow cytometry, Western blotting, and light, fluorescence and transmission electron microscopy. Under proliferative conditions, villin expression was reduced in all cases, but NS-treated cells showed twofold the expression observed in NS-free cultures (controls) and more frequently showed characteristics of mature enterocytes. When cells were grown after confluence, villin expression, total protein production and morphology of NS-treated cultures were more differentiated compared with the control group. Our results demonstrate that T-CGI and U-CGI mixtures promote IEC-6 cell differentiation, with no significant differences between them. Unlike previous authors, we obtained this effect in cultures without an exogenous extracellular matrix such as Matrigel, reducing the variability among independent assays.
Comparison of Pre-Adipocyte Yield, Growth and Differentiation Characteristics from Excised versus Aspirated Adipose Tissue
Authors: Torio-Padron N. , Huotari A.M. , Eisenhardt S.U. , Borges J. , Stark G.B.
Published: January 2010

Adipose tissue precursor cells (pre-adipocytes) are part of a stromal vascular fraction that can be easily isolated from fat tissue. Adipose tissue can be harvested by 2 methods: aspiration and excision. We analyzed whether the pre-adipocyte yield, growth characteristics and ability to differentiate into mature adipose tissue are influenced by the type of harvesting procedure. Adipose tissue was simultaneously harvested from the abdomen by surgical excision or aspiration according to the Coleman procedure in 10 individuals. This permitted inter- and intra-individual comparisons. Cell viability and yield were determined directly after isolation of pre-adipocytes. The growth kinetics were investigated in culture. Furthermore, pre-adipocytes were cultured under adipogenic conditions to compare their differentiation potential. The number of viable pre-adipocytes was significantly higher after excision of adipose tissue compared to aspiration. The proliferation kinetic was not influenced by the type of harvesting. No differences were observed in the differentiation potential of the pre-adipocytes between both groups. Compared to excision, aspiration of adipose tissue negatively affects the yield of pre-adipocytes. However, growth characteristics and differentiation potential of viable cultured cells are not influenced by the type of surgical harvesting. Due to its reduced donor site morbidity, we conclude that aspiration of adipose tissue is a valid harvesting method for isolation of pre-adipocytes.
Pancreatic Islet Transplantation Using Vascularised Chambers Containing Nerve Growth Factor Ameliorates Hyperglycaemia in Diabetic Mice
Authors: Hussey A.J. , Winardi M. , Wilson J. , Forster N. , Morrison W.A. , Penington A.J. , Knight K.R. , Feeney S.J.
Published: January 2010

Intraportal islet transplantation has shown initial promise for the treatment of type 1 diabetes. However, the portal vein site is associated with complications such as thrombosis and hepatic steatosis, leading to transplant failure. The aims of this study were to (1) test the feasibility of an alternative islet transplantation method that utilises a FDA-approved gelatin sponge as a novel islet carrier and (2) assess if exogenous addition of nerve growth factor (NGF) has any additional beneficial effects on graft performance in diabetic mice. Mice were rendered diabetic by a single intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin. Five hundred syngeneic islets were seeded onto a Gelitaspon® disc in the presence or absence of NGF, and placed into a silicone chamber surrounding the femoral neurovascular pedicle. Islet function was assessed by weekly monitoring of blood glucose levels and an intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test performed at the end of the study. Chambers were harvested for further histological analysis. Four of five mice transplanted with islets seeded onto Gelitaspon with NGF showed a significant reduction in blood glucose levels by 4 weeks after transplantation, and demonstrated a response similar to non-diabetic mice when tested with an intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test. Chamber tissue from this group contained islets with insulin-producing β cells adjacent to the vascular pedicle. Islets seeded onto Gelitaspon with NGF and sited on femoral vessels using a tissue-engineering chamber offer an alternative method for islet transplantation in diabetic mice. This may have potential as a method for clinical islet transplantation.
Intronic CArG Box Regulates Cysteine-Rich Protein 2 Expression in the Adult but Not in Developing Vasculature
Authors: Chen Chung-Huang , Wu Meng-Ling , Lee Yi-Chung , Layne Matthew D. , Yet Shaw-Fang
Published: January 2010

Objective—

An absence of cysteine-rich protein 2 (CRP2) enhances vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) migration and increases neointima formation after arterial injury; therefore, CRP2 plays an important role in the response to vascular injury. The goal of the present study was to elucidate the molecular mechanisms that preserve CRP2 expression in the adult vasculature and thus might serve to inhibit the response to injury.

Methods and Results—

We generated a series of transgenic mice harboring potential
Csrp2
regulatory regions with a lacZ reporter. We determined that the 12-kb first intron was necessary for transgene activity in adult but not in developing vasculature. Within the intron we identified a 6.3-kb region that contains 2 CArG boxes. Serum response factor preferentially bound to CArG2 box in gel mobility shift and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays; additionally, serum response factor coactivator myocardin factors activated CRP2 expression via the CArG2 box. Mutational analysis revealed that CArG2 box was important in directing lacZ expression in VSMC of adult vessels.

Conclusion—

Although CRP2 expression during development is independent of CArG box regulatory sites, CRP2 expression in adult VSMC requires CArG2 element within the first intron. Our results suggest that distinct mechanisms regulate CRP2 expression in VSMC that are controlled by separate embryonic and adult regulatory modules.
The Ability to Promote Efflux Via ABCA1 Determines the Capacity of Serum Specimens With Similar High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol to Remove Cholesterol From Macrophages
Authors: de la Llera-Moya Margarita , Drazul-Schrader Denise , Asztalos Bela F. , Cuchel Marina , Rader Daniel J. , Rothblat George H.
Published: January 2010

Objective—

We measured efflux from macrophages to apolipoprotein B-depleted serum from 263 specimens and found instances in which serum having similar high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) differed in their efflux capacity. Thus, we wanted to elucidate why efflux capacity could be independent of total HDL-C or apolipoprotein A-I (apoA-I).

Methods and Results—

To understand why sera with similar HDL-C or apoA-I could differ in total efflux capacity, we assessed their ability to promote efflux via the pathways expressed in cAMP-treated J774 macrophages. Briefly, macrophages were preincubated with probucol to block ABCA1, with BLT-1 to block SR-BI, and with both inhibitors to measure residual efflux. ABCG1 efflux was measured with transfected BHK-1 cells. We used apolipoprotein B-depleted serum from specimens with similar HDL-C values at the 25
th
and 75
th
percentiles. Specimens in each group were classified as having high or low efflux based on total efflux being above or below the group average. We found that independently of HDL-C, sera with higher efflux capacity had a significant increase in ABCA1-mediated efflux, which was significantly correlated to the concentration of preβ-1 HDL. The same result was obtained when these sera were similarly analyzed based on similar apoA-I.

Conclusion—

Sera with similar HDL-C or apoA-I differ in their ability to promote macrophage efflux because of differences in the concentration of preβ-1 HDL.
Effects of Caspase Inhibitor on Angiotensin II-Induced Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm in Apolipoprotein E–Deficient Mice
Authors: Yamanouchi Dai , Morgan Stephanie , Kato Kaori , Lengfeld Justin , Zhang Fan , Liu Bo
Published: January 2010

Objective—

The presence of apoptotic markers is a prominent histological feature of abdominal aortic aneurysm. To understand the role of apoptosis in the pathogenesis of this common vascular disease, we tested the effect of the pan-caspase inhibitor quinoline-Val-Asp-difluorophenoxymethylketone (Q-V
d
-OPh) on aneurysm formation using a mouse angiotensin II (Ang II) model.

Methods and Results—

Ang II in apolipoprotein E–deficient mice significantly induced medial cell apoptosis 3 days after infusion at the aortic region, eventually becoming aneurismal. A daily administration of 20 mg/kg per day Q-V
d
-OPh starting 6 hours before Ang II infusion reduced aneurysm incidence from 83.3% to 16.7% and maximal aortic diameter from 2.43±0.29 mm to 1.58±0.18 mm. The caspase inhibitor treated mice showed profoundly diminished levels of medial apoptosis and inflammation. In contrast, administration of Q-V
d
-OPh starting 7 days after Ang II infusion had no significant impact on aneurysm development. In vitro, media conditioned by Ang II-treated smooth muscle cells (SMCs) stimulated macrophage chemotaxis in a caspase-dependent manner. Inhibition of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) in the conditioned media via a neutralizing antibody completely blocked the ability of conditioned media to attract macrophages.

Conclusion—

These results indicate that medial SMC apoptosis may contribute to vascular inflammation and thus aneurysm formation, in part through production of MCP-1.
Persistent Use of Secondary Preventive Drugs Declines Rapidly During the First 2 Years After Stroke
Authors: Glader Eva-Lotta , Sjölander Maria , Eriksson Marie , Lundberg Michael
Published: January 2010

Background and Purpose—

To prevent new cardiovascular events after stroke, prescribed preventive drugs should be used continuously. This study measures persistent use of preventive drugs after stroke and identifies factors associated with persistence.

Methods—

A 1-year cohort (21 077 survivors) from Riks-Stroke, the Swedish Stroke Register, was linked to the Swedish Prescribed Drug Register.

Results—

The proportion of patients who were persistent users of drugs prescribed at discharge from hospital declined progressively over the first 2 years to reach 74.2% for antihypertensive drugs, 56.1% for statins, 63.7% for antiplatelet drugs, and 45.0% for warfarin. For most drugs, advanced age, comorbidity, good self-perceived health, absence of low mood, acute treatment in a stroke unit, and institutional living at follow-up were independently associated with persistent medication use.

Conclusion—

Persistent secondary prevention treatment declines rapidly during the first 2 years after stroke, particularly for statins and warfarin. Effective interventions to improve persistent secondary prevention after stroke need to be developed.
The Effect of Cuts in Reimbursement on Stroke Outcome
Authors: Tung Yu-Chi , Chang Guann-Ming
Published: January 2010

Background and Purpose—

As healthcare costs keep rising, cuts in reimbursement such as the Balanced Budget Act in the United States or global budgeting have become the key to healthcare reform efforts. Limited information is available, however, concerning whether reimbursement cuts are associated with changes in stroke outcomes. The objective of this study is to determine whether 30-day mortality rates for patients with ischemic stroke changed under increased financial strain from global budgeting in Taiwan.

Methods—

We analyzed all 258 167 patients with ischemic stroke admitted to general acute care hospitals in Taiwan over the period 1998 to 2007 through Taiwan’s National Health Insurance Research Database. Multilevel logistic regression analysis was used to examine whether 30-day stroke mortality rates varied after the implementation of hospital global budgeting since July 2002 adjusted for patient, physician, and hospital characteristics.

Results—

The magnitude of payment reduction on overall hospital net revenues was between 4.3% and 10.0%. The 30-day mortality rates for patients with ischemic stroke in Taiwan increased after the implementation of hospital global budgeting after adjustment for patient gender and age, comorbidities, surgery, physician age and volume, specialty, hospital volume, ownership, accreditation level, bed size, geographic location, competition, and trend.

Conclusions—

The mortality rate of patients with stroke rose under increased financial strain from cuts in reimbursement. Therefore, stroke outcomes are more likely to be affected by hospital financial pressures. It is imperative to monitor stroke outcomes and develop strategies to maintain levels of stroke care as cuts in reimbursement are adopted.
Stroke Rehabilitation 2009
Authors: Kalra Lalit
Published: January 2010

The past year has continued to see growth in stroke rehabilitation literature, ranging from important insights into the basic science of stroke recovery to broader multidisciplinary aspects aimed at improving global quality of life in stroke survivors. The areas that particularly stand out include 1) new evidence on old treatment strategies in clinical rehabilitation; 2) developments in the treatment of “neglected” impairments, such as hemianopia and sensory loss; 3) evaluation of the use of technology in stroke rehabilitation; and 4) advances in neurorestorative treatments after stroke.
Effects of 0.6 mg/kg Intravenous Alteplase on Vascular and Clinical Outcomes in Middle Cerebral Artery Occlusion
Authors: Mori Etsuro , Minematsu Kazuo , Nakagawara Jyoji , Yamaguchi Takenori , Sasaki Makoto , Hirano Teruyuki
Published: January 2010

Background and Purpose—

The purpose of this study was to evaluate further the efficacy of 0.6 mg/kg intravenous alteplase on vascular and clinical outcomes in patients with middle cerebral artery occlusion in a postmarketing Phase IV trial of prospective cohort study design.

Methods—

Alteplase was given intravenously at 0.6 mg/kg to patients with ischemic stroke within 3 hours of onset with MR angiography-documented middle cerebral artery occlusion. Vascular outcome was evaluated by MR angiography at 6 and 24 hours after symptom onset based on the modified Mori grade. The primary end points also included a favorable outcome (modified Rankin Scale 0 to 1 at 3 months after onset) and incidence of symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage within 36 hours after treatment. The impact of recanalization on clinical outcome was assessed by stepwise logistic regression analysis.

Results—

Fifty-eight patients were enrolled. Recanalization was noted in 51.7% on 6-hour MR angiography and 69.0% on 24-hour MR angiography. A favorable clinical outcome was achieved in 46.6%. None had symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage. In logistic regression models, recanalization on either 6-hour or 24-hour MR angiography was an independent predictor for clinical outcome as well as the baseline National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score.

Conclusions—

Early recanalization of an occluded middle cerebral artery can be provoked by 0.6 mg/kg intravenous alteplase and may induce a favorable clinical outcome. The rates of recanalization and favorable outcome are comparable to that previously reported with the 0.9-mg/kg dose.
Performing on Cue? The Formation of Public Opinion Toward War
Authors: Gelpi Christopher
Published: January 2010

The public’s inability to gain direct personal experience or information about American military operations means that individuals must rely on cues to form opinions about war. But in an environment filled will potential cues, which ones do Americans tend to rely on when deciding whether to support an ongoing military operation? This experimental study uses two distinct cues within the context of a newspaper story about the Iraq War to test four theoretical models of the American public’s reliance on cues. The results provide fairly consistent support for the “surprising events” model of opinion formation, which suggests that individuals will attend to news events that conflict with their expectations in an effort to update their attitudes toward the war. These results also provide support for the cost/benefit perspective on the formation of public opinion toward war that underpins much of the literature on casualty tolerance during military conflicts.
Development of a Population Pharmacokinetics‐Based Sampling Schedule to Target Daily Intravenous Busulfan for Outpatient Clinic Administration
Authors: Salinger David H. , Vicini Paolo , Blough David K. , O'Donnell Paul V. , Pawlikowski Matthew A. , McCune Jeannine S.
Published: January 2010

Therapeutic drug monitoring of daily intravenous (IV) busulfan currently requires hospital admission. Population pharmacokinetic modeling and determination of an optimal pharmacokinetic sampling schedule over 6 hours could allow for personalizing these busulfan doses in the outpatient clinic. A retrospective evaluation of daily IV busulfan pharmacokinetics was conducted in 37 adults. SPK and NONMEM software were used to estimate the population pharmacokinetic parameters. Subsequent to model building, the area under the concentration‐time curve (AUC) was computed using NONMEM. A 1‐compartment model best fit the data. The optimal 6‐hour outpatient sampling schedule was constructed using a simulation approach that sought to minimize scaled mean squared error for the clearance and volume parameters for each simulated individual. The best sampling times were 2.75, 3, 3.25, 5.5, 5.75, and 6 hours from the start of a 3‐hour infusion. With these sampling times, the maximum a posteriori (MAP) Bayesian estimation was superior to maximum likelihood estimation with more samples. An individual patient's busulfan AUC and pharmacokinetic parameters may be accurately estimated with an outpatient sampling schedule that is used in conjunction with MAP Bayesian estimation, with a parameter prior based on population pharmacokinetic modeling. Prospective validation of this approach is needed.
Simulation study on hydronic balancing to improve individual room control for radiant floor heating system
Authors: Rhee KN , Ryu SR , Yeo MS , Kim KW
Published: January 2010

Recently, the application of radiant floor heating systems has significantly increased in many countries, resulting in the improvement of thermal comfort and energy efficiency. When it comes to the control method, individual room control is highly recommended because it can ensure thermal comfort and energy saving more successfully than that of central control, which had been widely adopted in the early days of radiant floor heating systems. To maximise the performance of individual room control, it is significantly important to adopt hydronic balancing, especially if a building is composed of rooms with diverse heating loads and floor areas. In this study, the necessity and the effect of hydronic balancing on individual room control are investigated through computer simulations. In addition, secondary problems caused by current hydronic balancing are also studied. Finally, this paper presents a new balancing method to improve an individual room control for a radiant floor heating system.

Practical applications: In terms of the life cycle of a radiant floor heating system, good operation is as important as good design to maximise the system performance. Hydronic balancing is an essential procedure for the successful operation and optimisation of a radiant floor heating system. The results of this paper can be applied to the improvement of hydronic balancing, which ensures good operation and enhances the performance of a radiant floor heating system adopting individual room control. This paper could provide useful information for commissioning engineers; testing, adjusting and balancing practitioners; control equipment manufacturers; and researchers.