bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Sympathomodulatory Effects of Antihypertensive Drug Treatment
Authors: Grassi Guido 
Published: May 2016

Abstract

BACKGROUND
An activation of sympathetic neural influences to the heart and peripheral circulation has been shown to represent a hallmark of the essential hypertensive state, adrenergic neural factors participating together with other variables at the development and progression of the high blood pressure state as well as of the hypertension-related target organ damage. This represents the rationale for employing in hypertension treatment drugs which combine the blood pressure-lowering properties with the modulatory effects on the sympathetic neural function.

METHODS AND RESULTS
Several studies published during the past 40 years have investigated the impact of antihypertensive drugs on the sympathetic target as assessed by indirect and direct approaches. In the present paper, the effects of different monotherapies or combination drug treatment used in hypertension to lower elevated blood pressure values on various adrenergic markers will be examined. This will be followed by a discussion of the (i) hemodynamic and nonhemodynamic consequences of employing antihypertensive drugs with sympathomodulatory or sympathoexcitatory properties and (ii) mechanisms potentially responsible for the adrenergic responses to a given antihypertensive drug. The final part of this review will address the questions still open related to the impact of antihypertensive drug treatment on sympathetic function. Two questions in particular will be examined, i.e., whether antihypertensive drugs with sympathomodulatory properties may be capable to fully restore a “normal” adrenergic drive and how far sympathetic activity should be reduced in hypertensive patients.

CONCLUSION
Future investigations aimed at answering these questions will be needed in order to improve cardiovascular protection in treated hypertensive patients.
Local field potentials primarily reflect inhibitory neuron activity in human and monkey cortex
Authors: Teleńczuk Bartosz , Dehghani Nima , Le Van Quyen Michel , Cash Sydney S. , Halgren Eric , Hatsopoulos Nicholas G. , Destexhe Alain 
Published: May 2016

ABSTRACTThe local field potential (LFP) is generated by large populations of neurons, but unitary contribution of spiking neurons to LFP is not well characterised. We investigated this contribution in multi-electrode array recordings from human and monkey neocortex by examining the spike-triggered LFP average (st-LFP). The resulting st-LFPs were dominated by broad spatio-temporal components due to ongoing activity, synaptic inputs and recurrent connectivity. To reduce the spatial reach of the st-LFP and observe the local field related to a single spike we applied a spatial filter, whose weights were adapted to the covariance of ongoing LFP. The filtered st-LFPs were limited to the perimeter of 800μm around the neuron, and propagated at axonal speed, which is consistent with their unitary nature. In addition, we discriminated between putative inhibitory and excitatory neurons and found that the inhibitory st-LFP peaked at shorter latencies, consistently with previous findings in hippocampal slices. Thus, in human and monkey neocortex, the LFP reflects primarily inhibitory neuron activity.
Divergent Immune Priming Responses Across Flour Beetle Life Stages and Populations
Authors: Khan Imroze , Prakash Arun , Agashe Deepa 
Published: May 2016

ABSTRACTGrowing evidence shows that low doses of pathogens may prime the immune response in many insects, conferring subsequent protection against infection in the same developmental stage (within life stage priming), across life stages (ontogenic priming), or to offspring (trans-generational priming). Recent work also suggests that immune priming is a costly response. Thus, depending on host and pathogen ecology and evolutionary history, tradeoffs with other fitness components may constrain the evolution of priming. However, the relative impacts of priming at different life stages and across natural populations remain unknown. We quantified immune priming responses of 10 natural populations of the red flour beetleTribolium castaneum, primed and infected with the natural insect pathogenBacillus thuringiensis. We found that priming responses were highly variable both across life stages and populations, ranging from no detectable response to a 13-fold survival benefit. Comparing across stages, we found that ontogenic immune priming at the larval stage conferred maximum protection against infection. Finally, we found that various forms of priming showed sex-specific associations that may represent tradeoffs or shared mechanisms. These results suggest that sex-, life stage-, and pathogen-specific selective pressures can cause substantial divergence in priming responses even within a species. Our work highlights the necessity of further work to understand the mechanistic basis of this variability.
Deferoxamine alleviates liver fibrosis induced by CCl4 in rats
Authors: Mohammed Aya , Abd Al Haleem Ekram N , El‐Bakly Wesam M , El‐Demerdash Ebtehal 
Published: May 2016

SummarySeveral chronic liver diseases can lead to the occurrence of hepatic fibrosis through the accumulation of iron, which causes induction of oxidative stress and consequently activation of fibrogenesis. The present study was designed to investigate the potential antifibrotic and anti‐oxidant effects of deferoxamine (DFO), a well‐known iron chelator in an experimental rat model of liver injury using carbon tetrachloride (CCl4). First, the potential effective dose of DFO was screened against CCl4‐induced acute hepatotoxicity. Then, rats were co‐treated with DFO (300 mg/kg, i.p.) for 6 weeks starting from the third week of CCl4 induction of chronic hepatotoxicity. Liver function was assessed in addition to histopathological examination. Furthermore, oxidative stress and fibrosis markers were assessed. It was found that treatment of animals with DFO significantly counteracted the changes in liver function; histopathological lesions and hepatic iron deposition that were induced by CCl4. DFO also significantly counteracted the CCl4‐induced lipid peroxidation increase and reduction in antioxidant activities of superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase enzymes. In addition, DFO ameliorated significantly liver fibrosis markers including hydroxyproline, collagen accumulation, and the expression of the hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) activation marker; alpha smooth muscle actin and transforming growth factor‐beta (TGF‐β). Together, these findings indicate that DFO possesses a potent antifibrotic effect due to its antioxidant properties that counteracted oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation and restored antioxidant enzymes activities as well as reducing HSCs activation and fibrogenesis.
Genome‐wide association study reveals novel variants for growth and egg traits in Dongxiang blue‐shelled and White Leghorn chickens
Authors: Liao R. , Zhang X. , Chen Q. , Wang Z. , Wang Q. , Yang C. , Pan Y. 
Published: May 2016

SummaryThis study was designed to investigate the genetic basis of growth and egg traits in Dongxiang blue‐shelled chickens and White Leghorn chickens. In this study, we employed a reduced representation sequencing approach called genotyping by genome reducing and sequencing to detect genome‐wide SNPs in 252 Dongxiang blue‐shelled chickens and 252 White Leghorn chickens. The Dongxiang blue‐shelled chicken breed has many specific traits and is characterized by blue‐shelled eggs, black plumage, black skin, black bone and black organs. The White Leghorn chicken is an egg‐type breed with high productivity. As multibreed genome‐wide association studies (GWASs) can improve precision due to less linkage disequilibrium across breeds, a multibreed GWAS was performed with 156 575 SNPs to identify the associated variants underlying growth and egg traits within the two chicken breeds. The analysis revealed 32 SNPs exhibiting a significant genome‐wide association with growth and egg traits. Some of the significant SNPs are located in genes that are known to impact growth and egg traits, but nearly half of the significant SNPs are located in genes with unclear functions in chickens. To our knowledge, this is the first multibreed genome‐wide report for the genetics of growth and egg traits in the Dongxiang blue‐shelled and White Leghorn chickens.
Rare complication after totally extraperitoneal endoscopic inguinal hernia repair: Small bowel perforation without peritoneal disruption
Authors: Kojima Shigehiro , Sakamoto Tsuguo , Honda Masayuki , Nishiguchi Ryohei , Ogawa Fumihiro 
Published: May 2016

AbstractWe report a rare case of visceral injury after totally extraperitoneal endoscopic inguinal hernia repair. A 48‐year‐old man underwent needlescopic totally extraperitoneal repair of a direct inguinal hernia. Bleeding from a branch of the inferior epigastric vessels occurred at the beginning of the extraperitoneal dissection with a monopolar electrosurgical device. Hemostasis was prolonged. However, herniorrhaphy and mesh repair were successfully performed, and no peritoneal disruption or pneumoperitoneum was visible. The patient was discharged home on the next day. However, 30 h after this operation, he underwent diagnostic and operative laparoscopy because of acute abdominal pain. Ileal perforation was found and repaired, and pathological examination indicated cautery artifact. Thus, thermal damage to the ileum during the initial operation may have caused the bowel perforation. To the best of our knowledge, no other cases of bowel perforation after totally extraperitoneal repair without peritoneal disruption have been reported.
Revisiting the validity of measures of social cognitive bias in schizophrenia: Additional results from the Social Cognition Psychometric Evaluation (SCOPE) study
Authors: Buck Benjamin E. , Pinkham Amy E. , Harvey Philip D. , Penn David L. 
Published: May 2016

ObjectiveThe ongoing Social Cognition Psychometric Evaluation (SCOPE) study is in the process of forming a gold‐standard battery of social cognition tests for use in clinical trials. Previous SCOPE phases have not acknowledged key differences between social cognition skills and biases, and psychometric validity analyses might provide important information if tailored to bias‐related outcomes. This study aims to validate these measures with such bias‐related outcomes.MethodsTwo measures of social cognitive bias – the Ambiguous Intention Hostility Questionnaire (AIHQ; hostile attribution bias) and Trustworthiness Task (distrust bias) – were reviewed according to their relationships to (1) current and prospective symptom levels, (2) questionnaires of trait paranoia and hostility and informant‐rated hostility, (3) interpersonal conflict, as well as (4) relationships to measures of trait paranoia, hostility, and interpersonal conflict above and beyond the influence of clinically rated symptoms.ResultsResults supported hypotheses that social cognitive bias provides information about cognition, symptoms, and functioning related to interpersonal conflict. Each bias demonstrated relationships to trait paranoia questionnaires, hostility, or interpersonal conflict outcomes, and these persisted above and beyond the influence of clinically rated symptoms. Hostile attribution bias also predicted change in symptom levels over a brief interval.ConclusionsOverall, the current bias‐specific psychometric analysis provides support for continued study of social cognitive biases.Practitioner points

Hostile attribution bias may play a role in important outcome variables given relationships to emotional discomfort and suspiciousness symptoms, trait paranoia and hostility, interpersonal conflict, as well as prospective hostility symptoms.

Distrust bias may also impact real‐world functioning, as it is related to hostility, suspiciousness, and positive symptoms, trait paranoia, and hostility.

Relationships of social cognitive biases to interpersonal conflict outcomes exist independently of interview‐rated symptoms and persist above and beyond the influence of social cognitive skills, which appear to demonstrate weaker relationships to these outcomes.

Understanding and assessing the individual's biases towards distrust or blame might help practioners predict interpersonal conflict and future increases in symptoms.
Auditory brainstem maturation in normal‐hearing infants born preterm: a meta‐analysis
Authors: Stipdonk Lottie W , Weisglas‐Kuperus Nynke , Franken Marie‐Christine JP , Nasserinejad Kazem , Dudink Jeroen , Goedegebure André 
Published: May 2016

AimChildren born preterm often have neurodevelopmental problems later in life. Abnormal maturation of the auditory brainstem in the presence of normal hearing might be a marker for these problems. We conducted a meta‐analysis of auditory brainstem response (ABR) latencies at term age to describe differences in auditory brainstem maturation between normal‐hearing preterm and term‐born infants.MethodComputerized databases were searched for studies published between 1995 and 2014 that reported ABR measurements at term age in infants born preterm in a case–control design. Five peaks reflect the conduction of a neural signal along the brainstem auditory pathway. We collected I to V interpeak latency data, and III to V interpeak latency data, which refers to the more central part of the pathway.ResultsPreterm‐born infants’ III to V interval is significantly longer compared to infants born at term (0.081ms, effect‐size=0.974), which also reflects on the I to V interval. Moreover, significantly increased ABR interpeak latencies of infants born preterm are related to lower gestational age and the need for neonatal intensive care treatment.InterpretationThe delayed conduction time towards and into the auditory brainstem at term age suggests atypical maturation of the brainstem in normal‐hearing infants born preterm. Both the duration of gestation and the consequences of the preterm birth (intensive care needed) negatively affect maturation of the auditory brainstem, which may influence later development.
A European multicentre survey of impulse control behaviours in Parkinson's disease patients treated with short‐ and long‐acting dopamine agonists
Authors: Rizos A. , Sauerbier A. , Antonini A. , Weintraub D. , Martinez‐Martin P. , Kessel B. , Henriksen T. , Falup‐Pecurariu C. , Silverdale M. , Durner G. , Røkenes Karlsen K. , Grilo M. , Odin P. , Chaudhuri K. Ray ,   EUROPAR and the IPMDS Non‐Motor‐PD‐Study Group
Published: May 2016

Background and purposeImpulse control disorders (ICDs) in Parkinson's disease (PD) are associated primarily with dopamine agonist (DA) use. Comparative surveys of clinical occurrence of impulse control behaviours on longer acting/transdermal DA therapy across age ranges are lacking. The aim of this study was to assess the occurrence of ICDs in PD patients across several European centres treated with short‐ or long‐acting [ropinirole (ROP); pramipexole (PPX)] and transdermal [rotigotine skin patch (RTG)] DAs, based on clinical survey as part of routine clinical care.MethodsA survey based on medical records and clinical interviews of patients initiating or initiated on DA treatment (both short‐ and long‐acting, and transdermal) across a broad range of disease stages and age groups was performed.ResultsFour hundred and twenty‐five cases were included [mean age 68.3 years (range 37–90), mean duration of disease 7.5 years (range 0–37)]. ICD frequencies (as assessed by clinical interview) were significantly lower with RTG (4.9%; P < 0.05) compared with any other assessed DAs except for prolonged release PPX (PPX‐PR). The rate of ICDs for PPX‐PR (6.6%) was significantly lower than for immediate release PPX (PPX‐IR) (19.0%; P < 0.05). Discontinuation rates of DA therapy due to ICDs were low.ConclusionOur data suggest a relatively low rate of ICDs with long‐acting or transdermal DAs, however these preliminary observational data need to be confirmed with prospective studies controlling for possible confounding factors.
An Experiment on Forward vs. Backward Induction: How Fairness and Level k Reasoning Matter
Authors: Balkenborg Dieter , Nagel Rosemarie 
Published: May 2016

AbstractWe report the experimental results on a game with an outside option where forward induction contradicts with backward induction based on a focal, risk dominant equilibrium. The latter procedure yields the equilibrium selected by Harsanyi and Selten’s (1988) theory, which is hence here in contradiction with strategic stability (Kohlberg and Mertens, 1986). We find the Harsanyi-Selten solution to be in much better agreement with our data. Since fairness and bounded rationality seem to matter we discuss whether recent behavioral theories, in particular fairness theories and learning, might explain our findings. The fairness theories by Bolton and Ockenfels (2000), Charness and Rabin (2002), or Fehr and Schmidt (1999), when calibrated using experimental data on dictator- and ultimatum games, indeed predict that forward induction should play no role for our experiment and that the outside option should be chosen by all sufficiently selfish players. However, there is a multiplicity of ‘fairness equilibria’, some of which seem to be rejected because they require too many levels of reasoning. We show that learning theories based on naive priors could alternatively explain our results, but not that of closely related experiments.
Inter‐rater reliability of h‐index scores calculated by Web of Science and Scopus for clinical epidemiology scientists
Authors: Walker Benjamin , Alavifard Sepand , Roberts Surain , Lanes Andrea , Ramsay Tim , Boet Sylvain 
Published: May 2016

AbstractObjectiveWe investigated the inter‐rater reliability of Web of Science (WoS) and Scopus when calculating the h‐index of 25 senior scientists in the Clinical Epidemiology Program of the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute.Materials and methodsBibliometric information and the h‐indices for the subjects were computed by four raters using the automatic calculators in WoS and Scopus. Correlation and agreement between ratings was assessed using Spearman's correlation coefficient and a Bland–Altman plot, respectively.ResultsData could not be gathered from Google Scholar due to feasibility constraints. The Spearman's rank correlation between the h‐index of scientists calculated with WoS was 0.81 (95% CI 0.72–0.92) and with Scopus was 0.95 (95% CI 0.92–0.99). The Bland–Altman plot showed no significant rater bias in WoS and Scopus; however, the agreement between ratings is higher in Scopus compared to WoS.ConclusionOur results showed a stronger relationship and increased agreement between raters when calculating the h‐index of a scientist using Scopus compared to WoS. The higher inter‐rater reliability and simple user interface used in Scopus may render it the more effective database when calculating the h‐index of senior scientists in epidemiology.
Mortality Risk of Antipsychotic Dose and Duration in Nursing Home Residents with Chronic or Acute Indications
Authors: Simoni‐Wastila Linda , Wei Yu‐Jung , Lucas Judith A. , Brandt Nicole , Moyo Patience , Huang Ting‐Ying J. , Franey Christine S. , Harris Ilene 
Published: May 2016

ObjectivesTo examine disease‐specific associations between antipsychotic dose and duration and all‐cause mortality.DesignRetrospective cohort study.SettingA 5% random sample of Medicare beneficiaries who had a Minimum Data Set 2.0 clinical assessment completed between 2007 and 2009.ParticipantsThree mutually exclusive cohorts of new antipsychotic users with evidence of severe mental illness (SMI, n = 5,621); dementia with behavioral symptoms (dementia + behavior) without SMI (n = 1,090); or delirium only without SMI or dementia + behavior (n = 2,100) were identified.MeasurementsDose and duration of therapy with antipsychotics were assessed monthly with a 6‐month look‐back. Dose was measured as modified standardized daily dose (mSDD), with a mSDD of 1 or less considered below or at recommended maximum geriatric dose. Duration was categorized as 30 or fewer, 31 to 60, 61 to 90, and 91 to 184 days for SMI and dementia + behavior and 7 or fewer, 8 to 30, 31 to 90, and 91 to 184 days for delirium. Complementary log‐log models with mSDD and duration as time‐dependent variables were used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for mortality.ResultsIn all three groups, new antipsychotic users with a mSDD of 1 or less had significantly lower mortality risk (HRSMI = 0.77, 95% CI = 0.67–0.88; HRdementia+behavior = 0.52, 95% CI = 0.36–0.76; HRdelirium = 0.61, 95% CI = 0.44–0.85) than peers with a mSDD greater than 1. Individuals with longer duration of antipsychotic use (91–184 days for SMI and delirium) had significantly lower mortality than those with a short duration of use (≤30 days for SMI; ≤7 days for delirium). The interaction between dose and duration was statistically significant in the SMI cohort (P < .001).ConclusionLower mortality was observed with within‐recommended dose ranges for dementia + behavior, SMI, and delirium and with long duration of antipsychotic use for the latter two disease groups. Prescribers should monitor antipsychotic dosage throughout the course of antipsychotic treatment and customize dose and duration regimens to an individual's indications.
BDNF isoforms: a round trip ticket between neurogenesis and serotonin?
Authors: Foltran Rocío Beatriz , Diaz Silvina Laura 
Published: May 2016

AbstractThe brain‐derived neurotrophic factor, BDNF, was discovered more than 30 years ago and, like other members of the neurotrophin family, this neuropeptide is synthetized as a proneurotrophin, the pro‐BDNF, which is further cleaved to yield mature BDNF. The myriad of actions of these two BDNF isoforms in the central nervous system is constantly increasing and requires the development of sophisticated tools and animal models to refine our understanding. This review is focused on BDNF isoforms, their participation in the process of neurogenesis taking place in the hippocampus of adult mammals, and the modulation of their expression by serotonergic agents. Interestingly, around this triumvirate of BDNF, serotonin, and neurogenesis, a series of recent research has emerged with apparently counterintuitive results. This calls for an exhaustive analysis of the data published so far and encourages thorough work in the quest for new hypotheses in the field.imageBDNF is synthetized as a pre‐proneurotrophin. After removal of the pre‐region, proBDNF can be cleaved by intracellular or extracellular proteases. Mature BDNF can bind TrkB receptors, promoting their homodimerization and intracellular phosphorylation. Phosphorylated‐TrkB can activate three different signaling pathways. Whereas G‐protein‐coupled receptors can transactivate TrkB receptors, truncated forms can inhibit mBDNF signaling. Pro‐BDNF binds p75NTR by its mature domain, whereas the pro‐region binds co‐receptors.