bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Impaired sustained attention in euthymic bipolar disorder patients and non‐affected relatives: an fMRI study
Authors: Sepede Gianna , De Berardis Domenico , Campanella Daniela , Perrucci Mauro Gianni , Ferretti Antonio , Serroni Nicola , Moschetta Francesco Saverio , Del Gratta Cosimo , Salerno Rosa Maria , Ferro Filippo Maria , Di Giannantonio Massimo , Onofrj Marco , Romani Gian Luca , Gambi Francesco 
Published: October 2012

Sepede G, De Berardis D, Campanella D, Perrucci MG, Ferretti A, Serroni N, Moschetta FS, Del Gratta C, Salerno RM, Ferro FM, Di Giannantonio M, Onofrj M, Romani GL, Gambi F. Impaired sustained attention in euthymic bipolar disorder patients and non‐affected relatives: an fMRI study. Bipolar Disord 2012: 14: 764–779. © 2012 The Authors. Journal compilation © 2012 John Wiley & Sons A/S.Objective:  Behavioral deficits in sustained attention have been reported during both acute and euthymic phases of type I bipolar disorder (BD‐I) and also in non‐affected relatives of bipolar disorder (BD) patients. In particular, selective failure in target recognition was proposed as a potential trait marker for BD, but there are few studies exploring the neural correlates. The aim of the present study was to analyze the behavioral and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) response of euthymic BD‐I patients and non‐affected relatives during a sustained attention task.Methods:  Twenty‐four euthymic BD‐I patients, 22 non‐affected first‐degree relatives of BD‐I subjects, and 24 matched controls underwent a continuous performance test (CPT) with two levels of difficulty during event‐related fMRI scanning.Results:  Both patients and relatives showed a lower accuracy in target detection when compared to controls. The fMRI data analysis revealed between‐group differences in several brain regions involved in sustained attention. During error in target recognition, both patients and relatives showed a larger activation in the bilateral insula and the posterior part of the middle cingulate cortex. By contrast, during correct target response, only patients failed to activate the right insula, whereas relatives showed an increased activation of the left insula and bilateral inferior parietal lobule – limited to the higher attention load – and an augmented deactivation of the posterior cingulate/retrosplenial cortex.Conclusions:  A selective impairment in target recognition during a CPT was behaviorally and functionally detectable in both euthymic BD‐I patients and non‐affected first‐degree relatives, suggesting that specific sustained attention deficits may be a potential trait marker for BD‐I.
Hyperglycaemia is associated with impaired pulsatile insulin secretion: effect of basal insulin therapy
Authors: Meier J. J. , Pennartz C. , Schenker N. , Menge B. A. , Schmidt W. E. , Heise T. , Kapitza C. , Veldhuis J. D. 
Published: October 2012

AimPostprandial insulin pulsatility is impaired in patients with type 2 diabetes, but the effects of exogenous insulin therapy on pulsatile insulin secretion are not known. We addressed, whether pulsatile insulin secretion is related to glycaemic control, whether basal insulin supplementation increases postprandial insulin secretion, and if so, is this accomplished by a specific improvement in pulsatile insulin secretion?MethodsFourteen patients with type 2 diabetes underwent a mixed meal test before and after an 8‐week treatment period with insulin glargine. Glucose, insulin and C‐peptide levels were measured, and insulin pulsatility was determined by deconvolution analysis.ResultsInsulin treatment lowered fasting glycaemia from 179.6 ± 7.5 mg/dl to 117.6 ± 6.5 mg/dl (p < 0.001). Postprandial insulin and C‐peptide levels increased significantly after the treatment period (p < 0.0001). The total calculated insulin secretion rate increased with insulin treatment (p = 0.0039), with non‐significant increases in both pulsatile and non‐pulsatile insulin secretion. Insulin pulse frequency was unchanged by the intervention. There was an inverse relationship between fasting and postprandial glycaemia and insulin pulse mass (r2 = 0.51 and 0.56, respectively), whereas non‐pulsatile insulin secretion was unrelated to either fasting or postprandial glucose concentrations (r2 = 0.0073 and 0.031).ConclusionsHyperglycaemia in type 2 diabetes is associated with a reduction in postprandial insulin secretion, specifically through a reduction in insulin pulsatility. Reducing chronic hyperglycaemia by basal insulin therapy enhances endogenous β‐cell function in the postprandial state. These data support the use of basal insulin regimens in the pharmacotherapy of overtly hyperglycaemic patients with type 2 diabetes.
Blocking glutamate‐mediated signalling inhibits human melanoma growth and migration
Authors: Song Zhiqi , He Chun‐Di , Liu Jing , Sun Changkai , Lu Ping , Li Lili , Gao Lili , Zhang Yi , Xu Yanni , Shan Lujuan , Liu Yuejian , Zou Wei , Zhang Yuan , Gao Haiqin , Gao Wenting 
Published: October 2012

AbstractGlutamate is an excitatory neurotransmitter that has been shown to regulate the proliferation, migration and survival of neuronal progenitors in the central nervous system through its action on metabotropic and ionotropic glutamate receptors (GluRs). Antagonists of ionotropic GluRs have been shown to cause a rapid and reversible change in melanocyte dendritic morphology, which is associated with the disorganization of actin and tubulin microfilaments in the cytoskeleton. Intracellular expression of microtubule‐associated protein (MAP) 2a affects the assembly, stabilization and bundling of microtubules in melanoma cells; stimulates the development of dendrites; and suppresses melanoma cell migration and invasion. In this study, we investigated the relationship between glutamate‐mediated signalling and microtubules, cell dendritic morphology and melanoma cell motility. We found that metabotropic GluR1 and N‐methyl‐d‐aspartate receptor antagonists increased dendritic branching and inhibited the motility, migration and proliferation of melanoma cells. We also demonstrated that the invasion and motility of melanoma cells are significantly inhibited by the combination of increased expression of MAP2a and either metabotropic GluR1 or N‐methyl‐d‐aspartate receptor antagonists. Moreover, the blockade of glutamate receptors inhibited melanoma growth in vivo. Collectively, these results demonstrate the importance of glutamate signalling in human melanoma and suggest that the blockade of glutamate receptors is a promising novel therapy for treating melanoma.
Determinants of chymotrypsin C cleavage specificity in the calcium‐binding loop of human cationic trypsinogen
Authors: Szabó András , Sahin‐Tóth Miklós 
Published: October 2012

The pancreatic serine protease chymotrypsin C (CTRC) cleaves the Leu81–Glu82 peptide bond in the calcium‐binding loop of human cationic trypsinogen and thereby promotes its degradation. This serves as a protective mechanism against ectopic trypsinogen activation in the pancreas. In the present study, we demonstrate that cleavage of the Leu81–Glu82 peptide bond by CTRC is highly specific, and other human pancreatic chymotrypsins (CTRB1, CTRB2 and CTRL1) and elastases (ELA2A, ELA3A and ELA3B) do not catalyze this reaction. To elucidate the mechanistic basis for CTRC specificity, we surveyed the primary (P1) cleavage preference of these pancreatic proteases on peptide substrates. We found that CTRC cleaved after a P1 Leu with at least tenfold higher catalytic efficiency than other enzymes tested. To assess extended sub‐site interactions, we introduced Ala mutations into human cationic trypsinogen at the P3, P1′ P3′ and P4′ amino acid positions, where P1–P1′ corresponds to Leu81–Glu82. Interestingly, CTRC‐mediated cleavage was stimulated threefold by mutation E82A and unaffected by mutations E79A and N84A, but all three mutations compromised specificity and resulted in increased cleavage by ELA2A. Mutation E85A decreased CTRC cleavage by twofold. Remarkably, other chymotrypsins and elastases did not cleave human cationic trypsinogen even with the L81F or L81A mutations, which introduced favorable P1 residues for these enzymes. We conclude that specific cleavage of the Leu81–Glu82 peptide bond in human cationic trypsinogen by CTRC is primarily determined by its distinctively high activity on leucyl peptide bonds, with the P1′ Glu82, P3′ Asn84 and P4′ Glu85 residues serving as additional specificity determinants.
Congenital hypothyroidism mutations affect common folding and trafficking in the α/β‐hydrolase fold proteins
Authors: De Jaco Antonella , Dubi Noga , Camp Shelley , Taylor Palmer 
Published: October 2012

The α/β‐hydrolase fold superfamily of proteins is composed of structurally related members that, despite great diversity in their catalytic, recognition, adhesion and chaperone functions, share a common fold governed by homologous residues and conserved disulfide bridges. Non‐synonymous single nucleotide polymorphisms within the α/β‐hydrolase fold domain in various family members have been found for congenital endocrine, metabolic and nervous system disorders. By examining the amino acid sequence from the various proteins, mutations were found to be prevalent in conserved residues within the α/β‐hydrolase fold of the homologous proteins. This is the case for the thyroglobulin mutations linked to congenital hypothyroidism. To address whether correct folding of the common domain is required for protein export, we inserted the thyroglobulin mutations at homologous positions in two correlated but simpler α/β‐hydrolase fold proteins known to be exported to the cell surface: neuroligin3 and acetylcholinesterase. Here we show that these mutations in the cholinesterase homologous region alter the folding properties of the α/β‐hydrolase fold domain, which are reflected in defects in protein trafficking, folding and function, and ultimately result in retention of the partially processed proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum. Accordingly, mutations at conserved residues may be transferred amongst homologous proteins to produce common processing defects despite disparate functions, protein complexity and tissue‐specific expression of the homologous proteins. More importantly, a similar assembly of the α/β‐hydrolase fold domain tertiary structure among homologous members of the superfamily is required for correct trafficking of the proteins to their final destination.DatabaseA listing and description of proteins in the α/β‐hydrolase fold family of proteins is available at http://bioweb.ensam.inra.fr/ESTHER/general?what=index
Impact of biochar field aging on laboratory greenhouse gas production potentials
Authors: Spokas Kurt A. 
Published: October 2012

AbstractRecent observations of decreased greenhouse gas (GHG) production from biochar amended soils have been used to further substantiate the environmental benefit of biochar production and soil incorporation strategies. However, the mechanisms behind this biochar‐mediated response have not been fully elucidated. In addition, the duration of these GHG reductions is not known and is of pivotal importance for the inclusion of biochar into future bioenergy production and climate abatement strategies. In this study, the impacts of biochar field aging on the observed GHG production/consumption were evaluated. Two different wood‐derived biochars and a macadamia nut shell biochar were weathered in an agricultural field in Rosemount, MN (2008–2011) and the impacts on net soil GHG production/consumption were assessed through laboratory incubations. For the three biochars evaluated here, weathering negated the suppression of N2O production that was originally observed from the fresh biochar in laboratory incubations. On the other hand, all three weathered biochars enhanced CO2 production (three‐ to tenfold compared with the fresh biochar amendments) in laboratory soil incubations, suggesting an enhanced microbial mineralization rate of the weathered biochar. This enhanced mineralization could be aided by the chemical oxidation of the biochar surfaces during weathering. Fresh biochar reduced observed soil methane oxidation rates, whereas the weathered biochars had no significant impacts on the observed soil methanotrophic activity. This study demonstrates that for these three biochars, weathering greatly alters the GHG response of the soil systems to biochar amendments.
Nature of water‐biochar interface interactions
Authors: Conte Pellegrino , Marsala Valentina , De Pasquale Claudio , Bubici Salvatore , Valagussa Massimo , Pozzi Alessandro , Alonzo Giuseppe 
Published: October 2012

AbstractA poplar biochar obtained by an industrial gasification process was saturated with water and analyzed using fast field cycling (FFC) NMR relaxometry in a temperature range between 299 and 353 K. Results revealed that the longitudinal relaxation rate increased with the increment of the temperature. This behavior was consistent with that already observed for paramagnetic inorganic porous media for which two different relaxation mechanisms can be accounted for: outer‐ and inner‐sphere mechanisms. The former is due to water diffusing from the closest approach distance to infinity, whereas the second is due to water interacting by nonconventional H‐bonds to the porous surface of the solid material. In particular, the inner‐sphere relaxation appeared to be predominant in the water‐saturated biochar used in the present study. This study represents a fundamental first step for the full comprehension of the role played by biochar in the draining properties of biochar‐amended soils.
The outcome is in the assumptions: analyzing the effects on atmospheric CO2 levels of increased use of bioenergy from forest biomass
Authors: Holtsmark Bjart 
Published: October 2012

AbstractRecently, several studies have quantified the effects on atmospheric CO2 concentration of an increased harvest level in forests. Although these studies agreed in their estimates of forest productivity, their conclusions were contradictory. This study tested the effect of four assumptions by which those papers differed. These assumptions regard (1) whether a single or a set of repeated harvests were considered, (2) at what stage in stand growth harvest takes place, (3) how the baseline is constructed, and (4) whether a carbon‐cycle model is applied. A main finding was that current and future increase in the use of bioenergy should be studied considering a series of repeated harvests. Moreover, the time of harvest should be determined based on economical principles, thus taking place before stand growth culminates, which has implications for the design of the baseline scenario. When the most realistic assumptions are used and a carbon‐cycle model is applied, an increased harvest level in forests leads to a permanent increase in atmospheric CO2 concentration.
Role of Helicobacter pylori in common rosacea subtypes: A genotypic comparative study of Egyptian patients
Authors: El‐khalawany Mohamed , Mahmoud Ali , Mosbeh Al‐Sadat , Abd Alsalam Fatma , Ghonaim Noha , Abou‐bakr Amany 
Published: October 2012

ABSTRACTHelicobacter pylori was incriminated as an etiological factor of rosacea. However, there is still controversy about this association. We conducted a comparative study in order to assess the role of H. pylori in rosacea patients who had dyspeptic symptoms. The study included 68 patients and 54 controls. Screening for H. pylori was performed and positive cases were referred for gastric endoscopy. The inflammatory response and bacterial density were evaluated in gastric biopsy. H. pylori vacA alleles, cagA and iceA genotypes were assessed by polymerase chain reaction. We found that 49 rosacea (72%) and 25 controls (46.3%) were infected with H. pylori. Thirty‐one rosacea cases were papulopustular (PPR) while 18 were erythematotelangiectatic (ETR). Gastric ulceration was higher in PPR cases (38.7%) than ETR (11.1%) and controls (12%). A significant inflammatory reaction was observed more in PPR cases (74.2%) compared with 44.4% in ETR (P = 0.04) and 44% in controls (P = 0.02). Analysis of H. pylori genotypes revealed that vacA s1m1 was more identified in PPR cases (54.8%) compared with 22.2% in ETR (P = 0.03) and 16% in controls (P = 0.003). There was a significant elevation of cagA/vacA s1m1 positivity in PPR cases. After the eradication regimen of H. pylori, a significant improvement (P < 0.05) was observed in 15 out of 27 PPR cases (55.6%) compared with three out of 17 ETR (17.6%). We concluded that H. pylori has a significant role in rosacea patients who had dyspeptic symptoms. The PPR type is more influenced by H. pylori and this is regarded as being because of certain virulent strains that increase the inflammatory response in gastric mucosa and also in cutaneous lesions.
Plasma trough levels of adalimumab and infliximab in terms of clinical efficacy during the treatment of psoriasis
Authors: Takahashi Hidetoshi , Tsuji Hitomi , Ishida‐Yamamoto Akemi , Iizuka Hajime 
Published: October 2012

AbstractWe examined the relation between adalimumab and infliximab plasma trough levels, anti‐adalimumab and anti‐infliximab antibody formation. We analyzed plasma from 32 adalimumab‐treated and 20 infliximab‐treated psoriasis patients for evaluating trough levels of each drug. The presence of anti‐adalimumab and anti‐infliximab antibodies was analyzed and the severity of psoriasis was evaluated. At week 28, 25 out of 32 and at week 48, 21 out of 30 adalimumab‐treated patients maintained as more than PASI 75. At week 28, 12 out of 20 and at week 48, nine out of 18 infliximab‐treated patients were evaluated as more than PASI 75. In patients treated with 40 mg adalimumab every other week, the mean trough level was 7.62 μg/mL (range, 0.05–10.6) at week 48. In patients treated with 80 mg adalimumab every other week, the mean trough level was 8.61 μg/mL (range, 0.08–13.5) at week 48. Mean trough level of infliximab‐treated cases (4.1–5.2 mg/kg; mean, 4.6) was 4.64 μg/mL (range, 0.03–16.9) at week 48. Anti‐adalimumab antibody was detected in five out of 32 cases and anti‐infliximab antibody was detected in six out of 20 cases, respectively, at weeks 24 and 48. The optimal cut‐off values of adalimumab and infliximab concentration for more than PASI 75 were more than 7.84 μg/mL and more than 0.92 μg/mL, respectively. The trough levels of adalimumab and infliximab in psoriasis patients were positively associated with clinical response and were significantly lower in cases having anti‐adalimumab or anti‐infliximab antibodies.
Population‐based threshold models describe weed germination and emergence patterns across varying temperature, moisture and oxygen conditions
Authors: Boddy Louis G. , Bradford Kent J. , Fischer Albert J. 
Published: October 2012

Summary

Opportunities for diversifying the management of weedy populations may be enhanced through accurate predictions of seedling emergence, because the timing and success of control measures often hinges on the timing of weed emergence. We used population‐based threshold models to establish the temperature, moisture and oxygen conditions for optimum germination of herbicide‐resistant and ‐susceptible Echinochloa phyllopogon, a weed of temperate paddy rice, and applied them to predict emergence from field soil.
We combined hydrothermal time for germination, accounting for within‐population variation in base water potentials (Ψb), with thermal time for early seedling growth to predict the quantity and proportional size of the emergence flushes that constitute final recruitment.
Emergence in field soils was reduced by moisture stress and flooding, especially for the resistant population. In all populations, germination rates increased between 9·5 and 31 °C, Ψb was <−1·0 MPa, and there was no sensitivity to oxygen supply.
Synthesis and applications. Population‐based threshold models produced physiologically meaningful germination parameters, which are useful in defining the environmental constraints to germination, and predicting Echinochloa phyllopogon germination and emergence in field soils. By exploring the effects of temperature, water stress and flooding on germination and emergence, we predict irrigation regimes for optimising recruitment and the timing of weed control.
The observation of bleeding complications in haemato‐oncological patients: stringent watching, relevant reporting
Authors: Ypma P. F. , Kerkhoffs J.‐L. H. , van Hilten J. A. , Middelburg R. A. , Coccoris M. , Zwaginga J. J. , Beckers E. M. , Fijnheer R. , van der Meer P. F. , Brand A. 
Published: October 2012

SUMMARYBackgroundThe reported percentage of haemato‐oncological patients experiencing bleeding complications is highly variable, ranging from 5 to 70%, posing a major problem for comparison of clinical platelet transfusion trials using bleeding complications as a primary endpoint. In a pilot study we assessed the impact of the design of scoring of bleeding on the percentage of patients with WHO grade 2 or higher bleeding grades.Study design and methodsWe performed a prospective, observational study using a rigorous bleeding observation system in thrombocytopenic patients with haemato‐oncological disorders. Endpoints of the study were the percentage of patients and days with bleeding WHO grade ≥ 2 comparing designs in which skin bleeding represent a continuation of a previous bleed or a new bleed.ResultsIn four participating hospitals 64 patients suffering 870 evaluable thrombocytopenic days (platelet count < 80 × 109 L−1) were included. At least one episode of bleeding grade ≥ 2 occurred in 36 patients (56%). Most grade 2 bleeding complications occurred mucocutaneously. The percentage of days with bleeding of grade ≥ 2 was 16% but decreases to 8% when only newly developed skin bleeding was included.ConclusionRigorous daily observation results in a bleeding incidence that is comparable to recent reportings applying the same method. The results of this study show that censoring for stable skin bleeding has a profound effect on bleeding incidence per day. The clinical relevance of rigorous or clinically judged bleeding scores as an endpoint remains to be defined.
Re‐mating across years and intralineage polygyny are associated with greater than expected levels of inbreeding in wild red deer
Authors: Stopher K. V. , Nussey D. H. , Clutton‐Brock T. H. , Guinness F. , Morris A. , Pemberton J. M. 
Published: October 2012

AbstractThe interaction between philopatry and nonrandom mating has important consequences for the genetic structure of populations, influencing co‐ancestry within social groups but also inbreeding. Here, using genetic paternity data, we describe mating patterns in a wild population of red deer (Cervus elaphus) which are associated with marked consequences for co‐ancestry and inbreeding in the population. Around a fifth of females mate with a male with whom they have mated previously, and further, females frequently mate with a male with whom a female relative has also mated (intralineage polygyny). Both of these phenomena occur more than expected under random mating. Using simulations, we demonstrate that temporal and spatial factors, as well as skew in male breeding success, are important in promoting both re‐mating behaviours and intralineage polygyny. However, the information modelled was not sufficient to explain the extent to which these behaviours occurred. We show that re‐mating and intralineage polygyny are associated with increased pairwise relatedness in the population and a rise in average inbreeding coefficients. In particular, the latter resulted from a correlation between male relatedness and rutting location, with related males being more likely to rut in proximity to one another. These patterns, alongside their consequences for the genetic structure of the population, have rarely been documented in wild polygynous mammals, yet they have important implications for our understanding of genetic structure, inbreeding avoidance and dispersal in such systems.