bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Effects of fasudil on the portal and systemic hemodynamics of patients with cirrhosis
Authors: Fukuda Takeshi , Narahara Yoshiyuki , Kanazawa Hidenori , Matsushita Yoko , Kidokoro Hideko , Itokawa Norio , Kondo Chisa , Atsukawa Masanori , Nakatsuka Katsuhisa , Sakamoto Choitsu 
Published: August 2013

AbstractBackground and AimFasudil, a Rho‐kinase inhibitor, has been shown to reduce portal venous pressure in cirrhotic rats. However, its effects on portal and systemic hemodynamics have not been investigated in cirrhotic patients with portal hypertension. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of fasudil on the portal and systemic hemodynamics of cirrhotic patients with portal hypertension.MethodsTwenty‐three patients with cirrhosis and portal hypertension were studied. Systemic and portal hemodynamics were measured prior to and 50 min after the initiation of intravenous administration of 30 mg fasudil (n = 15) or placebo (n = 8).ResultsAfter fasudil, there were significant decreases in both mean arterial pressure (P < 0.05) and systemic vascular resistance (P < 0.05), whereas the heart rate increased significantly (P < 0.05). There was a significant decrease in the hepatic venous pressure gradient (P < 0.05). Portal vascular resistance also decreased significantly (P < 0.01). Placebo caused no significant effects. There were no symptomatic reactions caused by changes in the mean arterial pressure or heart rate after fasudil.ConclusionsIn cirrhotic patients with portal hypertension, fasudil lowers portal vascular resistance, resulting in decreased portal venous pressure with reducing arterial pressure.
Do Peer Firms Affect Corporate Financial Policy?
Authors: LEARY MARK T. , ROBERTS MICHAEL R. 
Published: August 2013

ABSTRACTWe show that peer firms play an important role in determining corporate capital structures and financial policies. In large part, firms' financing decisions are responses to the financing decisions and, to a lesser extent, the characteristics of peer firms. These peer effects are more important for capital structure determination than most previously identified determinants. Furthermore, smaller, less successful firms are highly sensitive to their larger, more successful peers, but not vice versa. We also quantify the externalities generated by peer effects, which can amplify the impact of changes in exogenous determinants on leverage by over 70%.
Placing Strategy Discourse in Context: Sociomateriality, Sensemaking, and Power
Authors: Balogun Julia , Jacobs Claus , Jarzabkowski Paula , Mantere Saku , Vaara Eero 
Published: August 2013

AbstractThere has been increasing interest in the discursive aspects of strategy over the last two decades. In this paper we review the existing literature, focusing on six major bodies of discursive scholarship: post‐structural, critical discourse analysis, narrative, rhetoric, conversation analysis, and metaphor. Our review reveals the significant contributions of research on strategy and discourse, but also the potential to advance research in this area by bringing together research on discursive practices and research on other practices we know to be important in strategy work. We explore the potential of discursive scholarship in integrating between significant theoretical domains (sensemaking, power, and sociomateriality), and realms of analysis (institutional, organizational, and the episodic), relevant to strategy scholarship. This allows us to place the papers published in this special issue on Strategy as Discourse: Its Significance, Challenges, and Future Directions among the body of knowledge accumulated thus far, and to suggest a way forward for future scholarship.
A nucleolar AAA‐NTPase is required for parasite division
Authors: Suvorova Elena S. , Radke Joshua B. , Ting Li‐Min , Vinayak Sumiti , Alvarez Carmelo A. , Kratzer Stella , Kim Kami , Striepen Boris , White Michael W. 
Published: August 2013

SummaryApicomplexa division involves several distinct phases shared with other eukaryote cell cycles including a gap period (G1) prior to chromosome synthesis, although how progression through the parasite cell cycle is controlled is not understood. Here we describe a cell cycle mutant that reversibly arrests in the G1 phase. The defect in this mutant was mapped by genetic complementation to a gene encoding a novel AAA‐ATPase/CDC48 family member called TgNoAP1. TgNoAP1 is tightly regulated and expressed in the nucleolus during the G1/S phases. A tyrosine to a cysteine change upstream of the second AAA+ domain in the temperature sensitive TgNoAP1 allele leads to conditional protein instability, which is responsible for rapid cell cycle arrest and a primary defect in 28S rRNA processing as confirmed by knock‐in of the mutation back into the parent genome. The interaction of TgNoAP1 with factors of the snoRNP and R2TP complexes indicates this protein has a role in pre‐rRNA processing. This is a novel role for a cdc48‐related chaperone protein and indicates that TgNoAP1 may be part of a dynamic mechanism that senses the health of the parasite protein machinery at the initial steps of ribosome biogenesis and conveys that information to the parasite cell cycle checkpoint controls.
Dithiocarb (N,N‐diethyldithiocarbamate, DEDTC) decreases levels of biogenic monoamines in the adult mouse brain
Authors: Redondo‐Castro Elena , Romero Rafael , Torres‐Espín Abel , Utrera Juana , Duque Daniel , Junyent Fèlix , Auladell Carme 
Published: August 2013

AimsDithiocarb (diethyldithiocarbamate, DEDTC) belongs to the group of dithiocarbamates and is the main metabolite of disulphiram, a drug of choice for the treatment of alcohol dependence. Its therapeutic potential relays on its ability to create an unpleasant aversive reaction following the ingestion of alcohol, and this effect is usually accompanied by neurobehavioural symptoms. Most of these can be attributed to the impaired metabolism of brain biogenic amines.MethodsTo gain new insights into the dithiocarbamates and their effects on neurotransmitter systems, an in vivo experimental model based on daily injections of DEDTC in adult mice for 7 days was established. To this end, the concentrations of the three major brain monoamines, dopamine (DA), noradrenaline (NA) and serotonin (5‐HT) were measured in whole brain extracts with high‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The levels of D2 dopamine receptor (D2R) were evaluated by Western blot and by immunohistochemical techniques the cell pattern of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), dopa beta hydroxylase (DBH) and choline acetyltransferase ChAT) were analysed.ResultsA significant reduction in DA and 5‐HT levels was observed, whereas NA was not affected. Moreover, decreases in D2R levels, as well as in enzymes such as TH, DBH and ChAT, were found.ConclusionsOur data suggest that DEDTC provokes alterations in biogenic amines and in different substrates of neurotransmitter systems, which could explain some of the neurobehavioural effects observed in patients treated with disulphiram.
Central response to painful electrical esophageal stimulation in well‐defined patients suffering from functional chest pain
Authors: Hoff D. A. L. , Krarup A. L. , Lelic D. , Olesen S. S. , Dimcevski G. , Hansen T. M. , Brock C. , Hatlebakk J. G. , Drewes A. M. 
Published: August 2013

AbstractBackgroundFunctional chest pain (FCP) of presumed esophageal origin is considered a common cause for chest pain in which central nervous system hyperexcitability is thought to play an important role. We aimed to compare cerebral responses with painful esophageal stimuli between FCP patients and healthy subjects (HS).MethodsThirteen patients with FCP (seven females, mean age 50.4 ± 7.5 years) and 15 HS (eight females, mean age 49.1 ± 12.9 years) were enrolled. Inclusion criteria consisted of typical chest pain, normal coronary angiogram, and normal upper gastrointestinal evaluation. Electrical stimulations evoking the pain threshold were applied in the distal esophagus, while cortical evoked potentials were recorded from the scalp. Pain scores, resting electroencephalogram (EEG), evoked potential characteristics and brain electrical sources to pain stimulation were compared between groups.Key ResultsNo differences were seen between patients and HS regarding (i) pain thresholds (patients: 20.1 ± 7.4 mA vs HS: 22.4 ± 8.3 mA, all P > 0.05), (ii) resting‐EEG (P > 0.05), (iii) evoked brain potential latencies (N2: patients 181.7 ± 25.7 mS vs HS 182.2 ± 25.8 mS, all P > 0.05) and amplitudes (N2P2: patients 8.2 ± 7.2 μV vs HS: 10.1 ± 3.4 μV, all P > 0.05), (iv) topography (P > 0.05), and (v) brain source location (P > 0.05).Conclusions & InferencesNo differences in activation of brain areas to painful esophageal stimulation were seen in this group of well characterized patients with FCP compared with sex‐ and age‐matched HS. The mechanism of pain in FCP and whether it originates in the esophagus remains unsolved.
Regional variation in distal esophagus distensibility assessed using the functional luminal imaging probe (FLIP)
Authors: Lin Z. , Nicodème F. , Boris L. , Lin C.‐Y. , Kahrilas P. J. , Pandolfino J. E. 
Published: August 2013

AbstractBackgroundThis study aimed to evaluate the spatial variation in esophageal distensibility in normal subjects using a novel multichannel functional luminal imaging probe (FLIP).MethodsTen healthy subjects (four men, age 21–49 years) were evaluated during endoscopy with a high‐resolution impedance planimetry probe (FLIP) positioned through the esophagogastric junction (EGJ) and distal 10 cm of the esophageal body. Stepwise bag distensions using 5‐mL increments from 0 to 60 mL were conducted, and simultaneous measurements of cross‐sectional area (CSA) and the associated intrabag pressure from each subject were analyzed using a customized MATLAB™ program. The distensibility along the esophagus was determined and compared between the EGJ and interval locations at 2–5 cm and 6–10 cm above the EGJ.Key ResultsThe pressure–CSA relationship was nearly linear among sites at lower pressures (0 to 7.5 mmHg) and reached a distension plateau at pressures ranging from 8 to 24 mmHg. The location of greatest distensibility was 4 cm above the EGJ. Although the CSAs of individual recording loci were not significantly different, there was a significant difference between the mean CSAs when comparing the region 2 to 5 cm proximal to EGJ with that 6 to 10 cm proximal to the EGJ.Conclusions & InferencesThere were significant regional differences in distensibility along the distal esophagus with lower values in the proximal part compared with more distal part. The greatest distensibility was noted to occur at about 4 cm above the EGJ in close proximity to the location of the contractile deceleration point and phrenic ampulla.
To investigate the therapeutic potential of immunochemotherapy with cisplatin + 78 kDa + MPL‐A against Leishmania donovani in BALB/c mice
Authors: Joshi J. , Kaur S. 
Published: August 2013

SummaryLeishmaniasis has recently garnered attention as one of the diseases ‘most neglected’ by drug research and development, as the current therapeutic modalities available for the patients are ridden with unacceptable toxicity due to high dosage of the drug, prolonged treatment schedules, resistance and prohibitive costs. A successful chemotherapy requires a restoration of immune response; therefore, we combined Leishmania‐specific 78 kDa antigen (with or without adjuvant MPL‐A) along with a novel drug cisplatin in infected BALB/c mice and did its comparative analysis with chemotherapy and immunotherapy alone. Animals that were treated with immunochemotherapy showed maximum curative potential as demonstrated by a marked reduction in parasite load. Delayed‐type hypersensitivity response to leishmanial antigens has been widely used to assess the level of host protection to the disease. An increased delayed‐type hypersensitivity (DTH) response was observed in animals given immunotherapy or chemotherapy or immunochemotherapy; however, maximum DTH response was observed in animals treated with cisplatin + 78 kDa + MPL‐A. These animals were also found to exhibit higher IgG2a levels greater cytokine (IFN‐γ and IL‐2) concentrations suggesting the generation of a strong Th1 type of immune response which is responsible for resolution of the disease.
Moral Rationalism without Overridingness
Authors: Archer Alfred 
Published: August 2013

AbstractMoral Rationalism is the view that if an act is morally required then it is what there is most reason to do. It is often assumed that the truth of Moral Rationalism is dependent on some version of The Overridingness Thesis, the view that moral reasons override nonmoral reasons. However, as Douglas Portmore has pointed out, the two can come apart; we can accept Moral Rationalism without accepting any version of The Overridingness Thesis. Nevertheless, The Overridingness Thesis serves as one of two possible explanations for Moral Rationalism. In this paper I will investigate which of these two explanations a moral rationalist should accept. I will argue that when we properly attend to the form of Moral Rationalism supported by the intuitions that motivate the view, we are left with no reason to accept The Overridingness Thesis.
Mutualism between armoured scale insects and ants: new species and observations on a unique trophobiosis (Hemiptera: Diaspididae; Hymenoptera: Formicidae: MelissotarsusEmery)
Authors: SCHNEIDER SCOTT A. , GILIOMEE JAN H. , DOOLEY JOHN W. , NORMARK BENJAMIN B. 
Published: August 2013

AbstractThe association between African armoured scale insects (Hemiptera: Coccoidea: Diaspididae) and ants belonging to Melissotarsus Emery (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Myrmicinae) is the only trophobiosis known in which ants do not receive honeydew or nectar in exchange for protection and other services. Food reward for the ants in this mutualism remains unknown, despite repeated suggestions that diaspidids are consumed by the associated ants, thus serving as ‘domestic cattle’. We describe new observations on interactions between Melissotarsus emeryi Santschi and the diaspidid Morganella conspicua (Brain) from South Africa. Worker ants exhibited previously undescribed tending behaviours, most notably a ‘squeezing and licking’ performed on an adult female diaspidid and ‘culling’, in which a worker removed an adult female armoured scale from the host plant. These could represent the gathering of secretory products and the cultivation of an individual for consumption, respectively. An ant exclusion study over 12 days of isolation showed that adult female diaspidids and second‐instar nymphs secreted no wax or exudates that attending ants would ordinarily collect. Workers of M. emeryi did not defend their nest against invading colonies of Crematogaster and other unidentified ants: we hypothesize that the primary mode of defence is maintenance of isolation within galleries. We describe three new ant‐associated diaspidid species: Affirmaspis cederbergensis Schneider sp.n. from South Africa, Diaspis doumtsopi Schneider sp.n. from Cameroon, and Melissoaspis incola Schneider sp.n. from Madagascar. Melissoaspis formicaria (Ben‐Dov) comb.n. is transferred from Morganella (Brain). Diagnostic characteristics for Melissoaspis Ben‐Dov are revised, and additional taxonomic information defining this genus allows ease of identification. An updated identification key to the species of ant‐associated diaspidids is provided.This published work has been registered in ZooBank, http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:632C1122-954A-4DE6-B946-8E6AB6A4D27F.
Antenatal and delivery services in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo: care‐seeking and experiences reported by women in a household‐based survey
Authors: Feinstein Lydia , Dimomfu Bruno Lapika , Mupenda Bavon , Duvall Sandra , Chalachala Jean Lambert , Edmonds Andrew , Behets Frieda 
Published: August 2013

AbstractObjectivesIncreasing coverage of quality reproductive health services, including prevention of mother‐to‐child transmission services, requires understanding where and how these services are provided. To inform scale‐up, we conducted a population‐based survey in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.MethodsStratified two‐stage cluster sampling was used to select women ≥18 years old who had been pregnant within the prior three years. Participants were interviewed about their reproductive healthcare utilization and impressions of services received.ResultsWe interviewed 1221 women, 98% of whom sought antenatal care (ANC). 78% of women began ANC after the first trimester and 22% reported <4 visits. Reasons for choosing an ANC facility included reputation (51%), friendly/accessible staff (39%), availability of comprehensive services (29%), medication access (26%), location (26%), and cost (21%). Most women reported satisfactory treatment by staff, but 47% reported that the ANC provider ignored their complaints, 23% had difficulty understanding responses to their questions, 22% wanted more time with the provider, 21% wanted more privacy, and 12% felt uncomfortable asking questions. Only 56% reported someone talked to them about HIV/AIDS. Strongest predictors of seeking inadequate ANC included low participant and partner education and lack of certain assets. Only 32% of women sought postnatal care. Some results varied by health zone.ConclusionsScaling‐up interventions to improve reproductive health services should include broad‐based health systems strengthening and promote equitable access to quality ANC, delivery, and postnatal services. Personal and structural‐level barriers to seeking ANC need to be addressed, with consideration given to local contexts.
Retroelement insertions at the Medicago FTa1 locus in spring mutants eliminate vernalisation but not long‐day requirements for early flowering
Authors: Jaudal Mauren , Yeoh Chin C. , Zhang Lulu , Stockum Christine , Mysore Kirankumar S. , Ratet Pascal , Putterill Joanna 
Published: August 2013

SummaryMolecular‐genetic control of the flowering time of temperate‐climate plants is best understood in Arabidopsis and the cereals wheat and barley. However, key regulators such as FLC and cereal VRN2 are not found in legumes. Therefore, we used forward genetics to identify flowering time genes in the model legume Medicago truncatula (Medicago) which is induced to flower by vernalisation and long‐day photoperiods. A screen of a Tnt1 retroelement tagging population yielded two mutants, spring2 and spring3, with a dominant early flowering phenotype. These mutants overexpress the floral activator FTa1 and two candidate downstream flowering genes SOC1a and FULb, similar to the spring1 somaclonal variant that we identified previously. We demonstrate here that an increase in the expression of FTa1, SOC1a and FULb and early flowering does not occur in all conditions in the spring mutants. It depends on long‐day photoperiods but not on vernalisation. Isolation of flanking sequence tags and linkage analysis identified retroelement insertions at FTa1 that co‐segregated with the early flowering phenotype in all three spring mutants. These were Tnt1 insertions in the FTa1 third intron (spring3) or the 3′ intergenic region (spring2) and an endogenous MERE1‐4 retroelement in the 3′ intergenic region in spring1. Thus the spring mutants form an allelic series of gain‐of‐function mutations in FTa1 which confer a spring growth habit. The spring retroelement insertions at FTa1 separate long‐day input from vernalisation input into FTa1 regulation, but this is not due to large‐scale changes in FTa1 DNA methylation or transcript processing in the mutants.
Haplotypes of theIL10Gene as Potential Protection Factors in Leprosy Patients
Authors: Garcia Patricia , Alencar Dayse , Pinto Pablo , Santos Ney , Salgado Claudio , Sortica Vinicius A. , Hutz Mara H. , Ribeiro-dos-Santos Ândrea , Santos Sidney 
Published: August 2013

ABSTRACTLeprosy is an infectious disease caused byMycobacterium lepraecharacterized by dermatoneurological signs and symptoms that has a large number of new cases worldwide. Several studies have associated interleukin 10 with susceptibility/resistance to several diseases. We investigated haplotypes formed by three single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) located in theIL10gene (A-1082G, C-819T, and C-592A) in order to better understand the susceptibility to and severity of leprosy in an admixed northern Brazil population, taking into account estimates of interethnic admixture. We observed the genotypes ACC/ACC (P= 0.021, odds ratio [OR] [95% confidence interval (CI)] = 0.290 [0.085 to 0823]) and ACC/GCC (P= 0.003, OR [95% CI] = 0.220 [0.504 to 0.040]) presenting significant results for protection against leprosy development, framed in the profiles of low and medium interleukin production, respectively. Therefore, we suggest that genotypes A-1082G, C-819T, and C-592A formed by interleukin-10 polymorphisms are closely related to protection of the leprosy development in an admixed northern Brazil population, in particular ACC/ACC and ACC/GCC genotypes.
Randomized, Controlled, Multicenter Study of the Immunogenicity and Safety of a Fully Liquid Combination Diphtheria–Tetanus Toxoid–Five-Component Acellular Pertussis (DTaP5), Inactivated Poliovirus (IPV), and Haemophilus influenzae Type b (Hib) Vaccine Compared with a DTaP3-IPV/Hib Vaccine Administered at 3, 5, and 12 Months of Age
Authors: Vesikari Timo , Silfverdal Sven Arne , Boisnard Florence , Thomas Stéphane , Mwawasi Grace , Reynolds Donna 
Published: August 2013

ABSTRACTThis study compared the levels of immunogenicity and safety of diphtheria–tetanus toxoid–five-component acellular pertussis (DTaP5), inactivated poliovirus (IPV), andHaemophilus influenzaetype b (Hib) (DTaP5-IPV-Hib) and DTaP3-IPV/Hib vaccines for study participants 3, 5, and 12 months of age. Post-dose 3 noninferiority criteria comparing DTaP5-IPV-Hib to DTaP3-IPV/Hib using rates of seroprotection were demonstrated against diphtheria, tetanus, and polio types 1 to 3, but not for polyribosylribitol phosphate (PRP). While PRP did not meet noninferiority criteria, the seroprotection rate and geometric mean concentration (GMC) were high, indicating a clinically robust immune response. GMCs or titers for other antigens (including pertussis) and the safety profiles were generally similar between groups. Fully liquid DTaP5-IPV-Hib can be administered using the 3-, 5-, and 12-month vaccination schedule. (This study has been registered at ClinicalTrials.gov under registration no. NCT00287092.)