bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Electromechanical Effects of 1,25‐Dihydroxyvitamin D with Antiatrial Fibrillation Activities
Authors: HANAFY DICKY A. , CHANG SHIH‐LIN , LU YEN‐YU , CHEN YAO‐CHANG , KAO YU‐HSUN , HUANG JEN‐HUNG , CHEN SHIH‐ANN , CHEN YI‐JEN 
Published: October 2013

Electromechanical Effects of 1,25‐Dihydroxyvitamin D on the LAIntroductionTreatment with 1,25‐dihydroxyvitamin D (1,25[OH]2D) has several cardiovascular benefits. 1,25[OH]2D has direct cellular effects, but its effects on the atrium are not clear. We evaluated the effects of 1,25[OH]2D on the atrial electrophysiology and atrial fibrillation (AF).MethodsConventional microelectrodes were used to record action potentials (APs) and contractility in isolated rabbit left atrium (LA) tissue preparations before and after the administration of 0.01, 0.1, and 1 nM 1,25[OH]2D with and without rapid atrial pacing (RAP) and acetylcholine (5 mM)‐induced AF. Surface ECG and intracardiac electrograms were recorded before and after the intravenous administration of 4 units/kg of 1,25[OH]2D in heart failure (HF) rabbits (4 weeks after coronary artery ligation) with RAP and acetylcholine‐induced AF.Results1,25[OH]2D dose‐dependently increased the AP duration in the LA, which was abolished by pretreatment with 0.1 μM ryanodine. RAP and 5 mM acetylcholine‐induced fewer (64.3% vs 100%, P < 0.05) AF occurrences in the presence (n = 14) of 1,25[OH]2D than those (n = 14) in the absence of 1,25[OH]2D. The LA treated with 1,25[OH]2D (n = 9) had a slower maximal AF rate (10.9 ± 2.4 Hz vs 13.3 ± 2.7 Hz, P < 0.05) than the LA (n = 14) without 1,25[OH]2D. Moreover, 1,25[OH]2D caused a lower AF inducible percentage (11.0 ± 1.9% vs 100 ± 0%, P < 0.001) and a shorter duration (4 ± 0.4 seconds vs 309 ± 26 seconds, P < 0.001) with a prolonged LA 90% monophasic AP duration (94.1 ± 0.2 milliseconds vs 98.5 ± 0.1 milliseconds, P < 0.05) in 5 rabbits with HF. 1,25[OH]2D did not prolong the QT interval or 90% of the AP duration in isolated Purkinje fibers.Conclusion1,25[OH]2D has direct electromechanical effects on the LA and can prevent or terminate AF.
LeCDJ1, a chloroplast DnaJ protein, facilitates heat tolerance in transgenic tomatoes
Authors: Kong Fanying , Deng Yongsheng , Wang Guodong , Wang Jieru , Liang Xiaoqing , Meng Qingwei 
Published: October 2013

AbstractThe roles of a tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) chloroplast‐targeted DnaJ protein (LeCDJ1) were investigated using wild‐type (WT) and sense transgenic tomatoes. The LeCDJ1 expression was upregulated by 38 °C, 42 °C, 45 °C, NaCl, PEG, methyl viologen (MV) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), but not by 30 °C and 35 °C. Meanwhile, LeCDJ1 was involved in the response of plants to abscisic acid (ABA). Under heat stress, the sense plants showed better growth, higher chlorophyll content, lower malondialdehyde (MDA) accumulation and relative electrical conductivity (REC), and also less PSII photoinhibition than WT. Interestingly, the sense plants treated with streptomycin (SM), an inhibitor of organellar translation, still showed higher maximum photochemistry efficiency of PSII (Fv/Fm) and D1 protein levels than the SM‐untreated WT, suggesting that the protective effect of LeCDJ1 on PSII was, at least partially, independent of D1 protein synthesis. Furthermore, the relatively lower superoxide radical (O2•−) and H2O2 levels in the sense plants were considered to be due to the higher ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, which seemed unlikely dependent on their transcription level. These results indicated that LeCDJ1 overexpression facilitated heat tolerance in transgenic tomatoes.
Enteric neuroplasticity in seawater‐adapted European eel (Anguilla anguilla)
Authors: Sorteni C. , Clavenzani P. , De Giorgio R. , Portnoy O. , Sirri R. , Mordenti O. , Di Biase A. , Parmeggiani A. , Menconi V. , Chiocchetti R. 
Published: October 2013

AbstractEuropean eels live most of their lives in freshwater until spawning migration to the Sargasso Sea. During seawater adaptation, eels modify their physiology, and their digestive system adapts to the new environment, drinking salt water to compensate for the continuous water loss. In that period, eels stop feeding until spawning. Thus, the eel represents a unique model to understand the adaptive changes of the enteric nervous system (ENS) to modified salinity and starvation. To this purpose, we assessed and compared the enteric neuronal density in the cranial portion of the intestine of freshwater eels (control), lagoon eels captured in brackish water before their migration to the Sargasso Sea (T0), and starved seawater eels hormonally induced to sexual maturity (T18; 18 weeks of starvation and treatment with standardized carp pituitary extract). Furthermore, we analyzed the modification of intestinal neuronal density of hormonally untreated eels during prolonged starvation (10 weeks) in seawater and freshwater. The density of myenteric (MP) and submucosal plexus (SMP) HuC/D‐immunoreactive (Hu‐IR) neurons was assessed in wholemount preparations and cryosections. The number of MP and SMP HuC/D‐IR neurons progressively increased from the freshwater to the salty water habitat (control > T0 > T18; P < 0.05). Compared with freshwater eels, the number of MP and SMP HuC/D‐IR neurons significantly increased (P < 0.05) in the intestine of starved untreated salt water eels. In conclusion, high salinity evokes enteric neuroplasticity as indicated by the increasing number of HuC/D‐IR MP and SMP neurons, a mechanism likely contributing to maintaining the body homeostasis of this fish in extreme conditions.
Flaccid Penile Acceleration as a Marker of Cardiovascular Risk in Men without Classical Risk Factors
Authors: Rastrelli Giulia , Corona Giovanni , Lotti Francesco , Aversa Antonio , Bartolini Marco , Mancini Mario , Mannucci Edoardo , Maggi Mario 
Published: October 2013

Abstract

Introduction
Conventional cardiovascular (CV) risk factors identify only half of subjects with incident major adverse CV events (MACE). Hence new markers are needed in high CV risk subjects, as those with erectile dysfunction (ED). A role for dynamic peak systolic velocity (D-PSV) at penile color Doppler ultrasound (PCDU) has been suggested, but it is operator dependent and time consuming. Flaccid penile acceleration (FPA) is a PCDU parameter that reflects PSV, the systolic rise time (SRT), and end diastolic velocity (EDV), arithmetically defined as (PSV−EDV)/SRT.

Aim
The study aims to verify, in a large series of ED patients, whether FPA has a role in predicting MACE.

Methods
A selected series of 1,903 patients (aged 54.6 ± 11.7) with a suspected organic component for ED was retrospectively studied from January 2000 until July 2012. A subset of this sample (n = 622) was enrolled in a longitudinal study that ended in December 2007.

Main Outcome Measures
Several clinical, biochemical, and instrumental (PCDU) parameters were studied.

Results
Decreased FPA levels were associated with worse metabolic profile and sexual symptoms. In addition, FPA was positively associated with both total and calculated free testosterone. In the longitudinal study, unadjusted incidence of MACE was significantly associated with lower baseline FPA. When FPA was introduced in a multivariate model, along with D-PSV, after adjusting for age and Chronic Disease Score, lower FPA, but not D-PSV, was associated with incident MACE in lower-risk—i.e., younger (HR = 0.48 [0.23–0.99]), nonhypertensive (HR = 0.59 [0.38–0.92]), nonobese (HR = 0.68 [0.49–0.96]), or nondiabetic (HR = 0.67 [0.49–0.96] subjects; all P &lt; 0.05—but not in higher-risk ones. FPA demonstrated a threshold effect in predicting MACE at a value &lt;1.17 m/s2 which showed a threefold increase in incidence of MACE in apparently lower-risk individuals.

Conclusions
FPA is an easily obtained PCDU parameter and capable of identifying adverse metabolic and CV profiles, particularly in apparently lower-risk individuals with ED.
Assessment of coyote–wolf–dog admixture using ancestry‐informative diagnostic SNPs
Authors: Monzón J. , Kays R. , Dykhuizen D. E. 
Published: October 2013

AbstractThe evolutionary importance of hybridization as a source of new adaptive genetic variation is rapidly gaining recognition. Hybridization between coyotes and wolves may have introduced adaptive alleles into the coyote gene pool that facilitated an expansion in their geographic range and dietary niche. Furthermore, hybridization between coyotes and domestic dogs may facilitate adaptation to human‐dominated environments. We genotyped 63 ancestry‐informative single‐nucleotide polymorphisms in 427 canids to examine the prevalence, spatial distribution and the ecology of admixture in eastern coyotes. Using multivariate methods and Bayesian clustering analyses, we estimated the relative contributions of western coyotes, western and eastern wolves, and domestic dogs to the admixed ancestry of Ohio and eastern coyotes. We found that eastern coyotes form an extensive hybrid swarm, with all our samples having varying levels of admixture. Ohio coyotes, previously thought to be free of admixture, are also highly admixed with wolves and dogs. Coyotes in areas of high deer density are genetically more wolf‐like, suggesting that natural selection for wolf‐like traits may result in local adaptation at a fine geographic scale. Our results, in light of other previously published studies of admixture in Canis, revealed a pattern of sex‐biased hybridization, presumably generated by male wolves and dogs mating with female coyotes. This study is the most comprehensive genetic survey of admixture in eastern coyotes and demonstrates that the frequency and scope of hybridization can be quantified with relatively few ancestry‐informative markers.
Diffuse symbioses: roles of plant–plant, plant–microbe and microbe–microbe interactions in structuring the soil microbiome
Authors: Bakker Matthew G. , Schlatter Daniel C. , Otto‐Hanson Lindsey , Kinkel Linda L. 
Published: October 2013

AbstractA conceptual model emphasizing direct host–microbe interactions has dominated work on host‐associated microbiomes. To understand plant–microbiome associations, however, broader influences on microbiome composition and functioning must be incorporated, such as those arising from plant–plant and microbe–microbe interactions. We sampled soil microbiomes associated with target plant species (Andropogon gerardii, Schizachyrium scoparium, Lespedeza capitata, Lupinus perennis) grown in communities varying in plant richness (1‐, 4‐, 8‐ or 16‐species). We assessed Streptomyces antagonistic activity and analysed bacterial and Streptomyces populations via 454 pyrosequencing. Host plant species and plant richness treatments altered networks of coassociation among bacterial taxa, suggesting the potential for host plant effects on the soil microbiome to include changes in microbial interaction dynamics and, consequently, co‐evolution. Taxa that were coassociated in the rhizosphere of a given host plant species often showed consistent correlations between operational taxonomic unit (OTU) relative abundance and Streptomyces antagonistic activity, in the rhizosphere of that host. However, in the rhizosphere of a different host plant species, the same OTUs showed no consistency, or a different pattern of responsiveness to such biotic habitat characteristics. The diversity and richness of bacterial and Streptomyces communities exhibited distinct relationships with biotic and abiotic soil characteristics. The rhizosphere soil microbiome is influenced by a complex and nested array of factors at varying spatial scales, including plant community, plant host, soil edaphics and microbial taxon and community characteristics.
Combination of caspofungin and low‐dose trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole for the treatment of severe Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia in renal transplant recipients
Authors: Tu Guo‐wei , Ju Min‐jie , Xu Ming , Rong Rui‐ming , He Yi‐zhou , Xue Zhang‐gang , Zhu Tong‐yu , Luo Zhe 
Published: October 2013

AbstractPneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PJP) is a severe and life‐threatening complication in immunocompromised patients. Trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (TMP‐SMZ) is well known for its effectiveness as prophylaxis of PJP. However, the use of TMP‐SMZ is associated with various adverse effects that may not be tolerated by critically ill patients. Caspofungin is recommended for invasive fungal infections, but the treatment of PJP after solid organ transplantation (SOT) is an off‐label use of this drug. In this study, three cases of severe PJP in renal transplant recipients treated with a combination of caspofungin and low‐dose TMP‐SMZ were presented. Initial findings indicated that the combined treatment may be beneficial for the treatment of PJP and decrease the incidence of TMP‐SMZ‐related adverse effects.
Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices of Primary Care Physicians in the Franche‐Comte Region (France) Regarding the Risk of Rabies
Authors: Jeanpetit R. , Bellanger A.‐P. , Piotte E. , Haffner‐Mauvais C. , Marguet P. 
Published: October 2013

SummaryRabies remains a public health concern and is associated with a mortality rate of nearly 100%. An observational survey was undertaken in 2010 to assess the knowledge, attitudes and practices of primary care physicians (PCPs) in our area regarding the risk of rabies. Standardized questionnaires were sent to a random sample of 400 PCPs practicing in the Franche‐Comté region (eastern France), requesting their voluntary and anonymous participation. The questionnaires requested socio‐demographic details and self‐evaluation. Seven clinical situations were selected to assess the attitudes of physicians. The response rate was 38.5%. Most of the PCPs were based in rural and semi‐rural areas, 76% knew where their nearest rabies centre was located and 75% of them claimed their knowledge of the risk of rabies was poor. While most of them (>80%) knew which animals transmitted the disease as well as the severity criteria for bites, only 12% knew that there was no contraindication for the rabies vaccine in the event of exposure to the disease. Responses to the seven clinical situations showed that most of them did not know the precise indication for the rabies vaccine and rabies immunoglobulin. Primary care physicians are usually aware of the risk of rabies, but their knowledge of how to manage rabies exposure and prevention often requires updating. The health authorities should provide more detailed information to PCPs and to the general population about the risk of rabies.
Differential Therapeutic Effects of Anti–VEGF-A Antibody in Different Tumor Models: Implications for Choosing Appropriate Tumor Models for Drug Testing
Authors: Alishekevitz Dror , Bril Rotem , Loven David , Miller Valeria , Voloshin Tali , Gingis-Velistki Svetlana , Fremder Ella , Scherer Stefan J. , Shaked Yuval 
Published: October 2013

Abstract
We previously reported that the host response to certain chemotherapies can induce primary tumor regrowth, angiogenesis, and even metastases in mice, but the possible impact of anti–VEGF-A therapy in this context has not been fully explored. We, therefore, used combinations of anti–VEGF-A with chemotherapy on various tumor models in mice, including primary tumors, experimental lung metastases, and spontaneous lung metastases of 4T1-breast and CT26-colon murine cancer cell lines. Our results show that a combined treatment with anti–VEGF-A and folinic acid/5-fluorouracil/oxaliplatin (FOLFOX) but not with anti–VEGF-A and gemcitabine/cisplatinum (Gem/CDDP) enhances the treatment outcome partly due to reduced angiogenesis, in both primary tumors and experimental lung metastases models. However, neither treatment group exhibited an improved treatment outcome in the spontaneous lung metastases model, nor were changes in endothelial cell numbers found at metastatic sites. As chemotherapy has recently been shown to induce tumor cell invasion, we tested the invasion properties of tumor cells when exposed to plasma from FOLFOX-treated mice or patients with cancer. While plasma from FOLFOX-treated mice or patients induced invasion properties of tumor cells, the combination of anti–VEGF-A and FOLFOX abrogated these effects, despite the reduced plasma VEGF-A levels detected in FOLFOX-treated mice. These results suggest that the therapeutic impact of antiangiogenic drugs varies in different tumor models, and that anti–VEGF-A therapy can block the invasion properties of tumor cells in response to chemotherapy. These results may implicate an additional therapeutic role for anti–VEGF-A when combined with chemotherapy. Mol Cancer Ther; 13(1); 202–13. ©2013 AACR.
Assessment of endogenous, oral and inhaled steroid cross-reactivity in the Roche cortisol immunoassay
Authors: Stokes FJ , Bailey LM , Ganguli A , Davison AS 
Published: October 2013

Background Inhaled steroids are widely used for the treatment of asthma. Concerns over adrenal suppression when used at high doses or in combination with drugs such as ritonavir exist, requiring the measurement of serum cortisol. Herein, we investigate the cross-reactivity of the inhaled steroids betamethasone, fluticasone and beclomethasone in the Roche cortisol immunoassay, in addition to five other steroids. Methods Five replicates were produced from a serum pool for each of the eight steroids at a final concentration of 0.1 and 1 µg/mL. Each steroid was dissolved in 50% methanol, with 50% methanol of the same volume added to the control sample. The cross-reactivity of each steroid in the cortisol assay was calculated. Results There was no statistically or clinically significant cross-reactivity in the measurement of cortisol when fluticasone, beclomethasone or betamethasone were spiked at 0.1 and 1.0 µg/mL, except for beclomethasone at a concentration of 1 µg/mL (1490 nmol/L) with a cross-reactivity of 1.6%, which is unlikely to be clinically significant. At both steroid concentrations investigated, prednisolone, 17-hydroxyprogesterone and 11-deoxycortisol exhibited statistically significant cross-reactivities that were greater than the least significant change of the assay (13.1%), whereas dexamethasone and metyrapone did not. Mean inter-assay precision was 1.5% (405–1586 nmol/L). Conclusion The cross-reactivity of the inhaled steroids; betamethasone, fluticasone and beclomethasone in the Roche cortisol immunoassay are unlikely to be clinically significant at the concentrations found in patients on therapeutic doses. This will enable confident assessment of adrenal status in patients at risk of adrenal suppression.
Regulations Guiding the Interstate Shipment of Investigational Product
Authors: McIntyre Chelsey 
Published: October 2013

Purpose: Investigational drug services (IDSs) are often responsible for delivery of investigational product, whether to a study participant pursuant to a prescription or in bulk to another investigational study site. These deliveries must often cross state borders. For situations in which the study is not conducted under an investigational new drug application, these shipments are subject to the legislation of the receiving state. Summary: Every state board of pharmacy in the United States was contacted in an effort to compile a single resource describing interstate investigational product shipping regulations for each state. The majority of the states require registration with their board of pharmacy for shipment of medication into the state. Some states will allow for exceptions and/or fee waiver in certain situations. Controlled substances also fall under the jurisdiction of the Drug Enforcement Administration, with additional constraints placed on their shipment by many states. Conclusion: Knowledge of state legislative requirements surrounding interstate shipment of investigational product is crucial for IDSs to maintain compliance with all regulations. This document provides an important framework for obtaining and interpreting this information. However, as legislation changes on a regular basis, current legislation should be reviewed prior to the commencement of interstate shipping.
A meta-analysis of the association between angiotensin-converting enzyme insertion/ deletion gene polymorphism and the risk of overweight/obesity
Authors: Mao Song , Huang Songming 
Published: October 2013

Background and objective: The association between angiotensin-converting enzyme insertion/deletion (ACE I/D) gene polymorphism and the risk of overweight/obesity remains controversial. A meta-analysis was conducted to evaluate the association between ACE I/D gene polymorphism and overweight/obesity susceptibility. Method: All eligible studies were included in this meta-analysis by searching PubMed, Embase and Cochrane databases through April 2013 according to a predefined criteria. Results: Fourteen case-control studies including 3371 cases and 4490 controls were recruited for the analysis of the association between ACE I/D gene polymorphism and overweight/obesity susceptibility. A significant association was observed between DD genotype and overweight/obesity risk in overall populations and Africans ( p=0.014 and 0.010, respectively). D allele was associated with the risk of overweight/ obesity in Africans ( p=0.026). However, II genotype might not be a protective factor against overweight/obesity risk in overall populations, Africans, Caucasians and Asians. Conclusions: DD genotype is a risk factor for the overweight/obesity susceptibility in overall populations, particularly in Africans. D allele is a risk factor for the overweight/obesity susceptibility in Africans. Further larger studies are needed to confirm our findings.
A semi-parametric approach to estimate risk functions associated with multi-dimensional exposure profiles: application to smoking and lung cancer
Authors: Hastie David I , Liverani Silvia , Azizi Lamiae , Richardson Sylvia , Stücker Isabelle 
Published: October 2013

Abstract

Background
A common characteristic of environmental epidemiology is the multi-dimensional aspect of exposure patterns, frequently reduced to a cumulative exposure for simplicity of analysis. By adopting a flexible Bayesian clustering approach, we explore the risk function linking exposure history to disease. This approach is applied here to study the relationship between different smoking characteristics and lung cancer in the framework of a population based case control study.

Methods
Our study includes 4658 males (1995 cases, 2663 controls) with full smoking history (intensity, duration, time since cessation, pack-years) from the ICARE multi-centre study conducted from 2001-2007. We extend Bayesian clustering techniques to explore predictive risk surfaces for covariate profiles of interest.

Results
We were able to partition the population into 12 clusters with different smoking profiles and lung cancer risk. Our results confirm that when compared to intensity, duration is the predominant driver of risk. On the other hand, using pack-years of cigarette smoking as a single summary leads to a considerable loss of information.

Conclusions
Our method estimates a disease risk associated to a specific exposure profile by robustly accounting for the different dimensions of exposure and will be helpful in general to give further insight into the effect of exposures that are accumulated through different time patterns.