bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Skeletal Progenitor Cells and Ageing Human Populations
Authors: Oreffo Richard O. C. , Bord Stéphanie , Triffitt James T. 
Published: August 2015

1. Stem and progenitor cells present within bone marrow give rise to colony forming units-fibroblastic (CFU-F) which can differentiate into fibroblastic, osteogenic, myogenic, adipogenic and reticular cells. The decrease in skeletal bone formation and rate of fracture repair observed with ageing and in osteoporosis has been suggested to be due to a decrease in numbers of these progenitors, but human studies are limited.
2. We have tested the potential to form CFU-F in a total of 99 patients undergoing corrective surgery (16 controls, 14–48 years of age) or hip arthroplasty for osteoarthritis (57 patients, 28–87 years of age) or osteoporosis (26 patients, 69–97 years of age). Total colony number, alkaline phosphatase-positive colony number and colony size were determined.
3. No decrease in colony forming efficiency under the culture conditions used was observed in all populations examined irrespective of age, disease or gender, as determined by the lack of correlation between colony formation and age.
3. Examination of colony sizes showed a significant reduction in colony size with age in osteoarthritis and in control populations indicating a change in cellular proliferative potential with age.
4. Examination of number and percentage of alkaline phosphatase-positive CFU-F showed a significant decrease in osteoporotic patients compared with controls and osteoarthritis patients, indicating altered differentiation potential.
5. These results suggest that the reduction in bone mass with ageing may be due to reduction of the proliferative capacity of progenitor cells or their responsiveness to biological factors leading to alteration in subsequent differentiation. The maintenance of CFU-F number and alkaline phosphatase activity in these osteoarthritis patients may, in part, explain the inverse relationship observed for the preservation of bone mass between generalized osteoarthritis and primary osteoporosis.
How Does Treatment Influence Endocrine Mechanisms in Acute Severe Heart Failure? Effects on Cardiac Natriuretic Peptides, the Renin System, Neuropeptide Y and Catecholamines
Authors: Missouris Constantinos G. , Grouzmann Eric , Buckley Martin G. , Barron Jeffrey , MacGregor Graham A. , Singer Donald R.J. 
Published: August 2015

1. Hormones involved in cardiovascular regulation are influenced by drug treatment. It is therefore difficult to study endocrine mechanisms in heart failure as most patients are already on treatment by the time they reach hospital.
2. We studied nine hospital in-patients before and after treatment of acute New York Heart Association class IV heart failure.
3. Before treatment, plasma brain and atrial natriuretic peptides were markedly elevated (BNP 121 ± 26 pg/ml, ANP 163 ± 33 pg/ml; normal range: BNP 3.9 ± 0.3 pg/ml, ANP 8.6 ± 0.8 pg/ml) and correlated positively with serum creatinine and left ventricular end-diastolic diameter and negatively with ejection fraction. Eight patients improved and one died.
4. With improvement plasma ANP and BNP fell. Initial renin activity was within the normal range but increased on treatment. Plasma neuropeptide Y and adrenaline remained normal before and after treatment in the eight patients who improved. Initial plasma noradrenaline was in the normal range in four of these patients and just above normal in a further four. In the patient who died, initial plasma neuropeptide Y and catecholamines were very high.
5. Plasma BNP emerged as complementary to ANP as a dynamic index in severe heart failure; however, renal function is also an important determinant of plasma BNP and ANP. There is little evidence for activation of the circulating renin—angiotensin—aldosterone system or neuropeptide Y before treatment of acute heart failure.
Deep Venous Thrombosis: A Prospective 3-Month Follow-up Using Duplex Scanning and Strain-Gauge Plethysmography
Authors: Janssen M. C. H. , Wollersheim H. , Haenen J. H. , van Asten W. N. J. C. , Thien TH. 
Published: August 2015

1. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the degree of thrombus regression, development of valvular insufficiency, impaired calf muscle pump function and clinical symptoms after a period of acute deep venous thrombosis.
2. Seventy patients with acute deep venous thrombosis, diagnosed by duplex scanning or venography, received treatment with heparin and oral coumarin derivatives according to a standard protocol. All patients wore graduated compression stockings during the whole study period. Duplex scanning was performed at diagnosis and 1 and 3 months later to measure thrombus mass and reflux. The supine venous pump function test was used to assess calf muscle pump function.
3. Three months follow-up was completed in 60 patients. In total 218 (28%) out of 780 vein segments were initially thrombosed and 134 (17%) could not be traced. A statistically significant reduction of thrombus mass was recorded throughout the study period. Total resolution of thrombosis in all vein segments occurred in 25% of the patients within 1 month and in 40% in 3 months. There was no difference in regression between the various proximal vein segments. Distal segments showed more regression than proximal segments. Reflux occurred in 27% of the initially thrombosed veins and in 15% of the patent veins. Patients who showed total resolution after 1 month had a significantly higher calf muscle pump function than patients without total resolution (70%pf vs 61%pf, P &lt; 0.05). Patients with reflux in two or more segments had a significantly lower calf muscle pump function than patients with reflux in less than two segments (58%pf vs 69%pf, P &lt; 0.05).
4. Using duplex scanning and the supine venous pump function test 3 months after an acute deep venous thrombosis, overall haemodynamic abnormalities and local site of valve incompetence could readily be identified. Patients with haemodynamic abnormalities might be at risk to develop the post-thrombotic syndrome. There was no difference in thrombus regression between the various proximal vein segments. Reflux was significantly more often seen in initially thrombosed veins. Thirty-five percent of the patients developed an abnormal calf muscle pump function after 3 months. Patients with early resolution of thrombus had a higher calf muscle pump function after 3 months.
Autonomic modulation of heart rate and blood pressure in hypertensive subjects with symptoms of anxiety
Authors: PICCIRILLO Gianfranco , ELVIRA Santagada , VIOLA Emanuela , BUCCA Carmela , DURANTE Michele , RAGANATO Paolo , MARIGLIANO Vincenzo 
Published: August 2015

1.The influence of anxiety symptoms on autonomic nervous system cardiovascular control has never been studied in hypertensive subjects. This study was designed to verify the presence of sympathetic hyperactivity in hypertension associated with anxiety symptoms.
2.Neuroautonomic cardiovascular control was evaluated using short-time power spectral analysis of RR and arterial pressure variability at baseline and after the head-up tilt test. The two spectral components principally influenced by the autonomic nervous system are the low-frequency (LF) component, mainly though not exclusively due to sympathetic modulation, and the high-frequency (HF) component, due to parasympathetic activity. The ratio of LF to HF powers (LF:HF) provides an index of the sympathovagal sinus balance.
3.We studied 33 hypertensive subjects (mean age 47±1 years; M:F = 19:14) and 37 normotensive control subjects (mean age: 47±2 years; M:F = 20:17) divided into four subgroups: hypertensive subjects who scored 2 or more on a 5-item anxiety symptom scale, hypertensive subjects who scored 0, normotensive controls who scored 2 or more and normotensive controls who scored 0. LF:HF and LF during rest were significantly higher (P< 0.05) in hypertensive and normotensive groups with an anxiety score of 2 or more compared with the two groups who scored 0. HF of systolic blood pressure was significantly lower in the hypertensive group who scored 2 or more than in the hypertensive group who scored 0 (P< 0.05). Tilt in both hypertensive groups reporting anxiety symptoms left the indexes of sympathetic modulation unchanged. Tilt in hypertensive subjects reporting anxiety symptoms also induced a significant fall in arterial pressure (P< 0.05). The mean left ventricular mass index was significantly higher in the hypertensive subjects who had anxiety scores of 2 or more than in those scoring 0 (144.7±3.0 versus 133.4±2.31, P< 0.05).
4.In conclusion, normotensive and hypertensive subjects reporting anxiety symptoms showed increased sympathetic modulation of heart rate at rest. Higher anxiety scores seem to be associated with the development of left ventricular hypertrophy.
Gender differences in fat oxidation and sympathetic nervous system activity at rest and during submaximal exercise in older individuals
Authors: TOTH Michael J. , GARDNER Andrew W. , ARCIERO Paul J. , CALLES-ESCANDON Jorge , POEHLMAN Eric T. 
Published: August 2015

1.Gender differences in fat oxidation at rest and during exercise may contribute to higher body fat in women. We examined gender differences in fat oxidation at rest and during submaximal exercise and their relationship to sympathetic nervous system activity, free fatty acid availability, body composition and aerobic capacity in older volunteers.
2.We measured free fatty acid kinetics using [14C]palmitate, absolute (μmol/min) and relative (respiratory quotient) rates of fat oxidation by indirect calorimetry and sympathetic nervous system activity from noradrenaline kinetics using [3H]noradrenaline in 12 older men (70±4 years) and 12 older women (66±4 years) at rest and during 30 min of submaximal exercise (45% of peak oxygen consumption).
3.At rest, men oxidized more fat than women on both an absolute (88±19 versus 51±15 μmol/min; P< 0.01) and relative (respiratory quotient: 0.80±0.04 versus 0.85±0.04; P< 0.01) basis. These differences were not related to noradrenaline appearance rate, free fatty acid concentration, body composition or aerobic capacity. During exercise, fat oxidation was higher (P< 0.05 to P< 0.01) in men on an absolute level, but respiratory quotient did not differ. Higher absolute fat oxidation in men during exercise was explained by their higher absolute workload. Plasma free fatty acids and free fatty acid rate of appearance did not differ between men and women during exercise despite higher (P< 0.05 to P< 0.01) plasma noradrenaline concentrations in men.
4.We conclude that: (i) resting fat oxidation is higher in older men compared with older women independent of differences in noradrenaline appearance rate, free fatty acid availability, body composition or aerobic capacity, and (ii) despite higher plasma noradrenaline concentrations during submaximal exercise, no gender differences in free fatty acid appearance rate or fat oxidation were found. These results suggest a sex dimorphism in post-absorptive fat metabolism in the elderly.
Effect of propylthiouracil-induced hypothyroidism on the onset of skeletal muscle necrosis in dystrophin-deficient mdx mice
Authors: McARDLE Anne , HELLIWELL Timothy R. , BECKETT Geoffrey J. , CATAPANO Mariana , DAVIS Anthony , JACKSON Malcolm J. 
Published: August 2015

1.Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophies are X-linked disorders caused by defects in muscle dystrophin. The mdx mouse is an animal model for Duchenne muscular dystrophy which has a point mutation in the dystrophin gene, resulting in little (< 3%) or no expression of dystrophin in muscle. Mdx mice show a characteristic pattern of muscle necrosis and regeneration. Muscles are normal until the third postnatal week when widespread necrosis commences. This is followed by muscle regeneration, with the persistence of centrally nucleated fibres.
2.This work has examined the hypothesis that the onset of this muscle necrosis is associated with postnatal maturation of the thyroid endocrine system and that pharmacological inhibition of thyroid hormone synthesis delays the onset of muscle necrosis.
3.Serum T4 and T3 concentrations of mice were found to rise immediately before the onset of muscle necrosis in the mdx mouse, and induction of hypothyroidism by treatment of animals with propylthiouracil was found to delay the onset of muscle necrosis.
4.The results provide the first demonstration of experimental delay of muscle necrosis by manipulation of the endocrine system in muscle lacking dystrophin, and provide a novel insight into the way in which a lack of dystrophin interacts with postnatal development to precipitate muscle necrosis in the mdx mouse.
Intestinal permeability to polyethyleneglycol and sugars: a re-evaluation
Authors: LLOYD John B. 
Published: August 2015

1.Previous studies have indicated that the permeability of polyethyleneglycol across the human intestine is anomalously high in comparison with the permeability of sugars with similar molecular mass. In consequence it has been proposed that two or more distinct mechanisms must exist for the translocation of these classes of molecule or, alternatively, that the molecular parameter determining rate of penetration is each molecule's minimum molecular dimension.
2.The notional hydrogen-bonding capacity of a molecule correlates well with oil–water partition coefficient and also, in a variety of experimental systems, with rate of passive diffusion across biological membranes. A molecule's hydrogen-bonding capacity is calculated by inspecting the structural formula and summing the individual theory-derived hydrogen-bonding capacities of the molecule's functional groups.
3.A classic set of intestinal permeability data that includes several ethyleneglycol oligomers and several sugars is re-analysed. A good correlation between permeability and hydrogen-bonding capacity is demonstrated. Specifically, there is no discontinuity between the polyethyleneglycols and the sugars. The data are compatible with a simple model in which all the molecules studied cross the intestine by passive diffusion across cellular membranes.
Usefulness of markers of cell proliferation in the management of pituitary adenomas
Authors: LOSA Marco , FRANZIN Alberto , MORTINI Pietro , TERRENI Maria Rosa , MANGILI Francesca , GIOVANELLI Massimo 
Published: August 2015

1.Pituitary adenomas are benign and slow-growing tumours whose clinical manifestations depend mainly on the secretory activity of the adenomatous cells. Except for prolactinomas, surgical removal of the tumour is the therapy of choice.
2.Despite extensive research on their clinical and pathophysiological aspects, few studies have explored the oncological characteristics of these rare lesions. Among these, the growth fraction of pituitary adenomas has been determined by different methods, of which the most useful are those performed in archival material.
3.The results reported in the literature show that adrenocorticotropic hormone-secreting tumours seem to be characterized by a higher proliferation index than the other types of pituitary adenomas, despite their usually small tumour size.
4.In small series of patients radiotherapy and medical treatment with dopaminergic drugs and octreotide were associated with a lower proliferation index than untreated tumours. Tumour size was not correlated with the growth fraction of the pituitary tumours, whereas invasiveness was correlated in most studies.
5.From a clinical point of view, however, the more promising utilization of the proliferation index seems to be in predicting the potential of recurrence of the tumour, thus allowing a more rational approach to follow-up and further treatment of patients with pituitary adenomas.
Central cooling effects in patients with hypercholesterolaemia
Authors: LORENZO F. DE , MUKHERJEE M. , KADZIOLA Z. , SHERWOOD R. , KAKKAR V. V. 
Published: August 2015

1.A prospective study has been carried out, and 68 patients with hypercholesterolaemia have been investigated to study the effects of central cooling on serum lipid levels.
2.Central cooling was obtained by the exposure of the whole body to cold water. All patients were trained to gradually reduce the water temperature from 22 to 14 ;°C and to increase the time of exposure from 5 to 20 ;min over a period of 90 days. The 33 male and 35 female patients were aged between 40 and 60 years at entry with total cholesterol of 6.0 ;mmol/l or greater and low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol of 4.0 ;mmol/l or greater. Thyroid-stimulating hormone, free thyroxine (FT4), total T3, total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol, triacylglycerols and total fat mass (determined by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry scan) were obtained at baseline and after 3 months treatment with hydrotherapy.
3.Central cooling obtained by hydrotherapy results in a median fall in tympanic temperature from 0.2 ;°C (P&lt; 0.001) to 0.8 ;°C (P&lt; 0.001). We have observed in these patients a significant reduction in total cholesterol (-0.2 ;mmol/l, P = 0.006) and LDL-cholesterol (-0.2 ;mmol/l, P = 0.004). Serum FT4 level was higher than baseline results in 30 of these hypercholesterolaemic patients (15.5 ;pmol/l to 17.3 ;pmol/l) and there was no significant change in serum thyroid-stimulating hormone and total T3.
4.In conclusion, in our patients with hypercholesterolaemia we have observed a significant reduction of total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol after body temperature regulation.
Blood lead in U.K. children–time for a lower action level?
Authors: O'DONOHOE Jarlath , CHALKLEY Sylvia , RICHMOND John , BARLTROP Donald 
Published: August 2015

1.Blood lead measurements in samples collected from 660 London schoolchildren during 1991 to 1992 suggest that the blood lead values in children in the U.K. are decreasing.
2.Geometric mean values for blood lead were 0.18 (range 0.05–0.71) ;μmol/l [3.7 (1.0–15.0) ;μg/dl]. Analysis of variance showed differences between ethnic groups, sex and schools. An age-matched subset of 148 children was compared with 136 children from an earlier study in 1986 and 1987. Trend analysis of the geometric mean lead values showed a negative slope (b = -0.484, P&lt; 0.0001), with maximum values of 0.81, 1.00, 0.71 and 0.43 ;μmol/l (17, 21, 15 and 9 ;μg/dl) for the years 1986, 1987, 1991 and 1992 respectively.
3.It is recommended that children in the U.K. being investigated for anaemia, pica, recurrent abdominal pain or a high-risk environment should have blood lead values measured and that the action level for blood lead in children should be decreased from 1.19 ;μmol/l to 0.48 ;μmol/l (from 25 ;μg/dl to 10 ;μg/dl).
4.Guidance is offered to clinicians and other health professionals investigating excessive lead exposure.
Subjects with obstructive pulmonary disease tend to be chronically vasodilated
Authors: CASIGLIA Edoardo , PAVAN Lucia , MARCATO Luca , LEOPARDI Marco , PIZZIOL Alessandra , SALVADOR Paolo , ZUIN Renzo , PESSINA Achille C. 
Published: August 2015

1.In 12 unselected outpatients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and six controls, arterial pH, Pao2, Paco2 and oxygen saturation (Sao2), forced expiratory volume in 1.0 ;s (FEV1.0) and vital capacity were measured. Subjects were grouped into those with or without obstruction based on the Tiffenau index. The Baseline Dyspnoea Index was employed to objectify the severity of dyspnoea and the Borg index to evaluate the subjective sensation. Blood pressure was measured with a sphygmomanometer; calf arterial flow both at rest and during reactive hyperaemia with a plethysmograph. Basal and minimal resistance were calculated.
2.FEV1.0 was 26% lower in patients with obstruction than in controls, and was also lower in patients with moderate-to-severe obstruction compared with those with mild or no obstruction. Arterial flow (75% greater in the patients with obstruction) progressively increased with increasing severity of obstruction, being 54% higher in those with mild obstruction than in those with no obstruction (P< 0.001), and 28% higher in moderate–severe than in mild obstruction (P< 0.005). In multiple regressions, F correlated inversely with FEV1.0, Pao2 and Sao2, and directly with Paco2. Basal resistance correlated positively with FEV1.0, Sao2 and the Tiffenau index, and inversely with Paco2 (r = -0.52, P = 0.02). Minimal resistance was significantly lower in obstructed than in non-obstructed subjects. Both basal and minimal resistance progressively decreased, although insignificantly, with worsening bronchial obstruction. Paco2 did not correlate with any haemodynamic parameter. Borg index correlated indirectly with FEV1.0 and basal resistance directly with arterial flow.
3.Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease therefore tend to show chronic vasodilatation depending on hypoxia rather than Paco2. Other mechanisms could be involved in this phenomenon. The Borg index is a good indicator of oxygen desaturation and vasodilatation.
Subcutaneous glucagon-like peptide-1 improves postprandial glycaemic control over a 3-week period in patients with early Type 2 diabetes
Authors: TODD Jeannie F. , EDWARDS C. Mark B. , GHATEI Mohammad A. , MATHER Hugh M. , BLOOM Stephen R. 
Published: August 2015

1.Glucagon-like peptide-1 (7-36) amide (GLP-1) is released into the circulation after meals and is the most potent physiological insulinotropic hormone in man. GLP-1 has the advantages over other therapeutic agents for Type 2 diabetes of also suppressing glucagon secretion and delaying gastric emptying. One of the initial abnormalities of Type 2 diabetes is the loss of the first-phase insulin response, leading to postprandial hyperglycaemia.
2.To investigate the therapeutic potential of GLP-1 in Type 2 diabetes, six patients were entered into a 6-week, double-blind crossover trial during which each received 3 weeks treatment with subcutaneous GLP-1 or saline, self-administered three times a day immediately before meals. A standard test meal was given at the beginning and end of each treatment period.
3.GLP-1 reduced plasma glucose area under the curve (AUC) after the standard test meal by 58% (AUC, 0–240 ;min: GLP-1 start of treatment, 196±141 ;mmol·min-1·l-1; saline start of treatment, 469±124 ;mmol·min-1·l-1; F = 16.4, P< 0.05). The plasma insulin excursions were significantly higher with GLP-1 compared with saline over the initial postprandial 30 ;min, the time period during which the GLP-1 concentration was considerably elevated. The plasma glucagon levels were significantly lower over the 240-min postprandial period with GLP-1 treatment. The beneficial effects of GLP-1 on plasma glucose, insulin and glucagon concentrations were fully maintained for the 3-week treatment period.
4.We have demonstrated a significant improvement in postprandial glycaemic control with subcutaneous GLP-1 treatment. GLP-1 improves glycaemic control partially by restoring the first-phase insulin response and suppressing glucagon and is a potential treatment for Type 2 diabetes.