bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Improvement of Overactive Bladder Symptoms and Bladder Ischemia with Dutasteride in Patients with Benign Prostatic Enlargement
Authors: WADA Naoki , MATSUMOTO Seiji , KITA Masafumi , HASHIZUME Kazumi , KAKIZAKI Hidehiro 
Published: February 2014

ObjectivesTo evaluate the correlation of clinical and urodynamic parameters with bladder vascular resistance before and after dutasteride treatment in patients with lower urinary tract symptoms associated with benign prostatic enlargement.MethodsA prospective study was conducted in 30 consecutive patients with benign prostatic enlargement who had not been satisfied with alpha‐adrenergic antagonist monotherapy. Before and 24 weeks after dutasteride add‐on treatment, we assessed International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), prostate volume (PV), urodynamic study and contrast‐enhanced color Doppler ultrasonography to measure bladder vascular resistive index (RI).ResultsTwenty‐four weeks after dutasteride, PV significantly decreased from 68 ± 29 to 48 ± 28 mL (P < 0.001), and there was significant improvement of IPSS (from 18.8 ± 7.7 to 13.4 ± 7.2, P < 0.001). Urgency score of IPSS was also significantly improved from 2.3 ± 1.9 to 1.4 ± 1.4 (P < 0.01) after dutasteride. On pressure‐flow study, bladder outlet obstruction index (BOOI) (from 58 ± 36 to 38 ± 27, P < 0.001) and detrusor pressure at Qmax (PdetQmax) (from 73 ± 34 to 54 ± 25 cmH2O, P < 0.001) were significantly improved. RI significantly decreased after dutasteride (from 0.548 ± 0.069 to 0.486 ± 0.064, P < 0.001). In 20 patients with persistent urgency after dutasteride, RI was less improved than in another 10 patients without urgency (change of RI 0.045 ± 0.091 vs. 0.096 ± 0.042, P < 0.05). Post‐treatment BOOI and PdetQmax in patients with persistent urgency was significantly higher than in those without urgency after dutasteride (BOOI: 46 ± 28 vs. 24 ± 20, P < 0.05, PdetQmax: 62 ± 26 vs. 40 ± 17 cmH2O, P < 0.01).ConclusionsReduction of obstruction and improvement of bladder ischemia might play an important role in a beneficial impact of dutasteride on overactive bladder symptoms.
Bladder Hyperactivity Induced by Chronic Variable Stress in Rats
Authors: HAN Dong Youp , JEONG Hee Jong , LEE Moon Young 
Published: February 2014

ObjectivesTo investigate the effect of chronic stress on bladder function. We used awake cystometry and investigated the expressions of contractile‐associated proteins.MethodsSixteen adult female Sprague–Dawley rats, weighing approximately 220 g, were randomly assigned and divided into control (CON, n = 8) and chronic variable stress (CVS, n = 7) groups. The rats of the CVS group spent 6 weeks under the CVS protocol. After 6 weeks, continuous filling cystometry was performed on conscious animals. The basal pressure, maximal pressure, micturition duration, threshold pressure, micturition interval and micturition volume were measured in each rat. After measuring cystometric parameters, the rat was sacrificed. Western blotting of the entire urinary bladder was performed for detecting the changes in contractile‐associated protein expression.ResultsCompared to the control group, basal pressure and threshold pressure were significantly higher (P < 0.05) while micturition duration, micturition interval and micturition volume were significantly lower in the CVS group (P < 0.05). In the western blot study, neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) expression was weaker and RhoA/Rho‐kinase alpha were stronger in the CVS group than those in the CON group.ConclusionsThese results suggest that chronic variable stress induces changes in bladder function lead to bladder hyperactivity and possibly related to the changes in RhoA/Rho‐kinase and nNOS.
Molecular analysis reveals high compartmentalization in aphid–primary parasitoid networks and low parasitoid sharing between crop and noncrop habitats
Authors: Derocles Stephane A. P. , Le Ralec Anne , Besson Mathilde M. , Maret Marion , Walton Alan , Evans Darren M. , Plantegenest Manuel 
Published: February 2014

AbstractThe ecosystem service of insect pest regulation by natural enemies, such as primary parasitoids, may be enhanced by the presence of uncultivated, semi‐natural habitats within agro‐ecosystems, although quantifying such host–parasitoid interactions is difficult. Here, we userRNA16S gene sequencing to assess both the level of parasitism by Aphidiinae primary parasitoids and parasitoid identity on a large sample of aphids collected in cultivated and uncultivated agricultural habitats in Western France. We used these data to construct ecological networks to assess the level of compartmentalization between aphid and parasitoid food webs of cultivated and uncultivated habitats. We evaluated the extent to which uncultivated margins provided a resource for parasitoids shared between pest and nonpest aphids. We compared the observed quantitative ecological network described by our molecular approach to an empirical qualitative network based on aphid–parasitoid interactions from traditional rearing data found in the literature. We found that the molecular network was highly compartmentalized and that parasitoid sharing is relatively rare between aphids, especially between crop and noncrop compartments. Moreover, the few cases of putative shared generalist parasitoids were questionable and could be due to the lack of discrimination of cryptic species or from intraspecific host specialization. Our results suggest that apparent competition mediated by Aphidiinae parasitoids is probably rare in agricultural areas and that the contribution of field margins as a source of these biocontrol agents is much more limited than expected. Further large‐scale (spatial and temporal) studies on other crops and noncrop habitats are needed to confirm this.
Robust RNA silencing‐mediated resistance to Plum pox virus under variable abiotic and biotic conditions
Authors: Di Nicola Elisa , Tavazza Mario , Lucioli Alessandra , Salandri Laura , Ilardi Vincenza 
Published: February 2014

SummarySome abiotic and biotic conditions are known to have a negative impact on post‐transcriptional gene silencing (PTGS), thus representing a potential concern for the production of stable engineered virus resistance traits. However, depending on the strategy followed to achieve PTGS of the transgene, different responses to external conditions can be expected. In the present study, we utilized the Nicotiana benthamiana–Plum pox virus (PPV) pathosystem to evaluate in detail the stability of intron‐hairpin (ihp)‐mediated virus resistance under conditions known to adversely affect PTGS. The ihp plants grown at low or high temperatures were fully resistant to multiple PPV challenges, different PPV inoculum concentrations and even to a PPV isolate differing from the ihp construct by more than 28% at the nucleotide level. In addition, infections of ihp plants with viruses belonging to Cucumovirus, Potyvirus or Tombusvirus, all known to affect PTGS at different steps, were not able to defeat PPV resistance. Low temperatures did not affect the accumulation of transgenic small interfering RNAs (siRNAs), whereas a clear increase in the amount of siRNAs was observed during infections sustained by Cucumber mosaic virus and Potato virus Y. Our results show that the above stress factors do not represent an important concern for the production, through ihp‐PTGS technology, of transgenic plants having robust virus resistance traits.
Primary cutaneous cryptococcosis in an immunocompetent patient due to Cryptococcus gattii molecular type VGI in Brazil: a case report and review of literature
Authors: Nascimento Erika , Bonifácio da Silva Maria Emília Nadaletto , Martinez Roberto , von Zeska Kress Marcia Regina 
Published: February 2014

SummaryPrimary Cutaneous Cryptococcosis is an uncommon infection caused by the yeast Cryptococcus neoformans and C. gattii. Few case reports are available in the literature describing in detail primary cutaneous cryptococcosis due to C. gattii in immunocompetent patients. Herein, we present a case of a 68‐year‐old immunocompetent male patient with erythematous nodular lesions on the right forearm due to C. gattii mating‐type α and molecular type VGI. The virulence factors test was performed for capsule diameter, melanin production and phospholipase activity. In vitro fluconazole testing showed the sensitivity profile of this clinical isolate. In addition, a review of the literature on this subject was carried out and verified that this is the first reported case of VGI in the south‐east region of Brazil.
The protein expression profile of meningioma cells is associated with distinct cytogenetic tumour subgroups
Authors: Domingues Patrícia Henriques , Teodósio Cristina , Otero Álvaro , Sousa Pablo , Gonçalves Jesus Maria , Nieto Ana Belen , Lopes Maria Celeste , de Oliveira Catarina , Orfao Alberto , Tabernero Maria Dolores 
Published: February 2014

AimsLimited information exists about the impact of cytogenetic alterations on the protein expression profiles of individual meningioma cells and their association with the clinicohistopathological characteristics of the disease. The aim of this study is to investigate the potential association between the immunophenotypic profile of single meningioma cells and the most relevant features of the tumour.MethodsMultiparameter flow cytometry (MFC) was used to evaluate the immunophenotypic profile of tumour cells (n = 51 patients) and the Affymetrix U133A chip was applied for the analysis of the gene expression profile (n = 40) of meningioma samples, cytogenetically characterized by interphase fluorescence in situ hybridization.ResultsOverall, a close association between the pattern of protein expression and the cytogenetic profile of tumour cells was found. Thus, diploid tumours displayed higher levels of expression of the CD55 complement regulatory protein, tumours carrying isolated monosomy 22/del(22q) showed greater levels of bcl2 and PDGFRβ and meningiomas carrying complex karyotypes displayed a greater proliferation index and decreased expression of the CD13 ectoenzyme, the CD9 and CD81 tetraspanins, and the Her2/neu growth factor receptor. From the clinical point of view, higher expression of CD53 and CD44 was associated with a poorer outcome.ConclusionsHere we show that the protein expression profile of individual meningioma cells is closely associated with tumour cytogenetics, which may reflect the involvement of different signalling pathways in the distinct cytogenetic subgroups of meningiomas, with specific immunophenotypic profiles also translating into a different tumour clinical behaviour.
Demonstrating for a Kosovo Republic in Switzerland: emotions, national identity and performance
Authors: Farquet Romaine 
Published: February 2014

AbstractNational ceremonies are often designated as a means of crafting or strengthening the ‘national identity’ of the participants, thanks to their potentially emotional effects. This article seeks to examine in greater detail the relationship between emotions, ‘national identity’ and performance. First, it presents evidence from the literature to demonstrate the crucial role played by emotions in the process of national identification, then highlights the conditions responsible for generating these. Second, it explores these issues by adopting an oral history approach in relation to the demonstrations organised by Albanian‐speaking migrants from Yugoslavia in Switzerland in the 1980s. This approach makes it possible to explore issues from the participants' own perspective. The marchers' narratives not only provide a taste of the demonstrations' excitement but also provide clues about the conditions that lead to the emotions they experienced. They are particularly insistent about locating the demonstrations within a much broader life picture.
Paroxysmal dysarthria and ataxia in chronic lymphocytic inflammation with pontine perivascular enhancement responsive to steroids
Authors: Ueno Hiroki , Tomimura Hikaru , Yoshimoto Takeshi , Ochi Kazuhide , Nomura Eiichi , Maruyama Hirofumi , Matsumoto Masayasu 
Published: February 2014

AbstractWe describe the clinical and imaging features of a unique case of chronic lymphocytic inflammation with pontine perivascular enhancement responsive to steroids. A 58‐year‐old man presented with development of mild ataxia. Magnetic resonance imaging showed punctate enhancement in the pons, brachium pontis, midbrain and cerebral white matter. Midbrain lesions involved the bilateral red nuclei with ring‐like enhancement. Treatment with steroids resulted in improvements in mild ataxia and brain lesions. However, several days after steroid therapy, the patient presented with paroxysmal dysarthria, and limb ataxia recurred a couple of dozen times each day. Single photon emission computed tomography showed hypoperfusion in the bilateral parietal lobes. After treatment with carbamazepine, symptoms and parietal hypoperfusion improved. Late‐onset paroxysmal dysarthria‐ataxia and parietal hypoperfusion might have been caused by interruption of the cerebellothalamocortical tract at the level of the ring‐like enhancing red nuclei lesions in chronic lymphocytic inflammation with pontine perivascular enhancement responsive to steroids.
Bitemporal hemianopia; its unique binocular complexities and a novel remedy
Authors: Peli Eli , Satgunam PremNandhini 
Published: February 2014

AbstractBitemporal hemianopic visual field impairment frequently leads to binocular vision difficulties. Patients with bitemporal hemianopia with pre‐existing exophoria complain of horizontal diplopia, sometimes combined with vertical deviation (with pre‐existing hyperphoria). The symptoms are a result of the phoria decompensating into a tropia (hemi‐slide) due to the lack of retinal correspondence between the remaining nasal fields of both eyes. We measured these effects using a dichoptic perimeter. We showed that aligning the eyes with prisms could prevent diplopia if the bitemporal hemianopia is incomplete. We also describe the successful use of a novel fusion aid – the ‘stereo‐typoscope’ – that utilizes midline stereopsis to prevent diplopia resulting from hemi‐sliding in patients with complete bitemporal hemianopia.
Responses to interocular disparity correlation in the human cerebral cortex
Authors: Ip Ifan Betina , Minini Loredana , Dow James , Parker Andrew J. , Bridge Holly 
Published: February 2014

AbstractPurposePerceiving binocular depth relies on the ability of our visual system to precisely match corresponding features in the left and right eyes. Yet how the human brain extracts interocular disparity correlation is poorly understood.MethodsWe used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to characterize brain regions involved in processing interocular disparity correlation. By varying the amount of interocular correlation of a disparity‐defined random‐dot‐stereogram, we concomitantly controlled the perception of binocular depth and measured the percent Blood‐Oxygenation‐Level‐Dependent (%BOLD)‐signal in multiple regions‐of‐interest in the human occipital cortex and along the intra‐parietal sulcus.ResultsA linear support vector machine classification analysis applied to cortical responses showed patterns of activation that represented different disparity correlation levels within regions‐of‐interest in the visual cortex. These also revealed a positive trend between the difference in disparity correlation and classification accuracy in V1, V3 and lateral occipital cortex. Classifier performance was significantly related to behavioural performance in dorsal visual area V3. Cortical responses to random‐dot‐stereogram stimuli were greater in the right compared to the left hemisphere.ConclusionsOur results show that multiple regions in the cerebral cortex are sensitive to changes in interocular disparity correlation, and that dorsal area V3 may play an important role in the early transformation of binocular disparity to depth perception.
The case from animal studies for balanced binocular treatment strategies for human amblyopia
Authors: Mitchell Donald E. , Duffy Kevin R. 
Published: February 2014

AbstractAlthough amblyopia typically manifests itself as a monocular condition, its origin has long been linked to unbalanced neural signals from the two eyes during early postnatal development, a view confirmed by studies conducted on animal models in the last 50 years. Despite recognition of its binocular origin, treatment of amblyopia continues to be dominated by a period of patching of the non‐amblyopic eye that necessarily hinders binocular co‐operation. This review summarizes evidence from three lines of investigation conducted on an animal model of deprivation amblyopia to support the thesis that treatment of amblyopia should instead focus upon procedures that promote and enhance binocular co‐operation. First, experiments with mixed daily visual experience in which episodes of abnormal visual input were pitted against normal binocular exposure revealed that short exposures of the latter offset much longer periods of abnormal input to allow normal development of visual acuity in both eyes. Second, experiments on the use of part‐time patching revealed that purposeful introduction of episodes of binocular vision each day could be very beneficial. Periods of binocular exposure that represented 30–50% of the daily visual exposure included with daily occlusion of the non‐amblyopic could allow recovery of normal vision in the amblyopic eye. Third, very recent experiments demonstrate that a short 10 day period of total darkness can promote very fast and complete recovery of visual acuity in the amblyopic eye of kittens and may represent an example of a class of artificial environments that have similar beneficial effects. Finally, an approach is described to allow timing of events in kitten and human visual system development to be scaled to optimize the ages for therapeutic interventions.
Binocular vision in amblyopia: structure, suppression and plasticity
Authors: Hess Robert F , Thompson Benjamin , Baker Daniel H 
Published: February 2014

AbstractThe amblyopic visual system was once considered to be structurally monocular. However, it now evident that the capacity for binocular vision is present in many observers with amblyopia. This has led to new techniques for quantifying suppression that have provided insights into the relationship between suppression and the monocular and binocular visual deficits experienced by amblyopes. Furthermore, new treatments are emerging that directly target suppressive interactions within the visual cortex and, on the basis of initial data, appear to improve both binocular and monocular visual function, even in adults with amblyopia. The aim of this review is to provide an overview of recent studies that have investigated the structure, measurement and treatment of binocular vision in observers with strabismic, anisometropic and mixed amblyopia.
The Benefits of Using a Bismuth‐Containing, Radiation‐Absorbing Drape in Cardiac Resynchronization Implant Procedures
Authors: JONES MICHAEL A. , COCKER MARY , KHIANI RAJ , FOLEY PAUL , QURESHI NORMAN , WONG KELVIN C.K. , RAJAPPAN KIM , BETTS TIMOTHY R. 
Published: February 2014

BackgroundRadiation exposure is a major concern in cardiac device implantation, especially cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) procedures. The RadPad™ (Worldwide Innovations & Technologies, Inc., Kansas City, MO, USA), a radiation‐attenuating adhesive drape, has been shown to be beneficial in several clinical settings involving fluoroscopy, but less is known about the actual benefits in CRT procedures.MethodsConsecutive CRT implants performed with and without a RadPad™ drape over a 10‐month period were analyzed. Two thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLDs) were attached to each implanting physician at several locations (adjacent to eyes, center abdomen [outside lead apron], left and right index fingers, and dorsum of the right foot). Results were corrected for background using control TLDs, and normalized to dose‐area product (DAP).ResultsThirty‐six patients (31 male), 16 with and 20 without the RadPad™, were included in the study. No technical problems were caused by the presence of the radiation‐absorbing drape. Time required to position the drape never exceeded 30 seconds, no acute skin reactions were noted, and no radiation‐absorbing drape became displaced. Despite a trend toward longer fluoroscopy times and higher DAPs in the radiation‐absorbing drape group, radiation exposure was significantly reduced: 65% in the case of the hands and body (P < 0.001), and 40% the eyes (P < 0.01).ConclusionThe use of a radiation‐absorbing drape results in a significant reduction in radiation dose to the implanting physician during CRT procedures. Not only is the dose to the hands reduced, but also the eye and body doses are significantly reduced. The routine use of radiation‐absorbing drapes should be considered for all CRT implant procedures in the light of these findings.
Static and dynamic bending has minor effects on xylem hydraulics of conifer branches (Picea abies, Pinus sylvestris)
Authors: MAYR STEFAN , BERTEL CLARA , DÄMON BIRGIT , BEIKIRCHER BARBARA 
Published: February 2014

AbstractThe xylem hydraulic efficiency and safety is usually measured on mechanically unstressed samples, although trees may be exposed to combined hydraulic and mechanical stress in the field. We analysed changes in hydraulic conductivity and vulnerability to drought‐induced embolism during static bending of Picea abies and Pinus sylvestris branches as well as the effect of dynamic bending on the vulnerability. We hypothesized this mechanical stress to substantially impair xylem hydraulics. Intense static bending caused an only small decrease in hydraulic conductance (−19.5 ± 2.4% in P. abies) but no shift in vulnerability thresholds. Dynamic bending caused a 0.4 and 0.8 MPa decrease of the water potential at 50 and 88% loss of conductivity in P. sylvestris, but did not affect vulnerability thresholds in P. abies. With respect to applied extreme bending radii, effects on plant hydraulics were surprisingly small and are thus probably of minor eco‐physiological importance. More importantly, results indicate that available xylem hydraulic analyses (of conifers) sufficiently reflect plant hydraulics under field conditions.
Wittgenstein on Showing What Cannot Be Said
Authors: Lugg Andrew 
Published: February 2014

AbstractThe distinction between saying and showing in Tractatus Logico‐Philosophicus is not self‐refuting, unbelievable or nonsensical. It makes good sense given Wittgenstein's equation of saying with communicable information and showing with necessarily true thought. The key to understanding his thinking is his claim in the Preface that unassailable and definitive truths are expressed in the book, and the subsidiary assumption that asserting empty truths is nonsensical. His conception of pictures, propositions, logic, mathematics, mathematical physics, mysticism, the inexpressible and solipsism as showing is of a piece with his conception of necessary/a priori truths as tautologies broadly understood.