bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Diminished cartilage‐lubricating ability of human osteoarthritic synovial fluid deficient in proteoglycan 4: Restoration through proteoglycan 4 supplementation
Authors: Ludwig Taryn E. , McAllister Jenelle R. , Lun Victor , Wiley J. Preston , Schmidt Tannin A. 
Published: August 2012

AbstractObjectiveThe purposes of this study were 1) to quantify the proteoglycan 4 (PRG4) and hyaluronan (HA) content in synovial fluid (SF) from normal donors and from patients with chronic osteoarthritis (OA) and 2) to assess the cartilage boundary–lubricating ability of PRG4‐deficient OA SF as compared to that of normal SF, with and without supplementation with PRG4 and/or HA.MethodsOA SF was aspirated from the knee joints of patients with symptomatic chronic knee OA prior to therapeutic injection. PRG4 concentrations were measured using a custom sandwich enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and HA concentrations were measured using a commercially available ELISA. The molecular weight distribution of HA was measured by agarose gel electrophoresis. The cartilage boundary–lubricating ability of PRG4‐deficient OA SF, PRG4‐deficient OA SF supplemented with PRG4 and/or HA, and normal SF was assessed using a cartilage‐on‐cartilage friction test. Two friction coefficients (μ) were calculated: static (μstatic, Neq) and kinetic (<μkinetic, Neq>) (where Neq represents equilibrium axial load and angle brackets indicate that the value is an average).ResultsThe mean ± SEM PRG4 concentration in normal SF was 287.1 ± 31.8 μg/ml. OA SF samples deficient in PRG4 (146.5 ± 28.2 μg/ml) as compared to normal were identified and selected for lubrication testing. The HA concentration in PRG4‐deficient OA SF (mean ± SEM 0.73 ± 0.08 mg/ml) was not significantly different from that in normal SF (0.54 ± 0.09 mg/ml). In PRG4‐deficient OA SF, the molecular weight distribution of HA was shifted toward the lower range. The cartilage boundary–lubricating ability of PRG4‐deficient OA SF was significantly diminished as compared to normal (mean ± SEM <μkinetic, Neq> = 0.043 ± 0.008 versus 0.025 ± 0.002; P < 0.05) and was restored when supplemented with PRG4 (<μkinetic, Neq> = 0.023 ± 0.003; P < 0.05).ConclusionThese results indicate that some OA SF may have decreased PRG4 levels and diminished cartilage boundary–lubricating ability as compared to normal SF and that PRG4 supplementation can restore normal cartilage boundary lubrication function to these OA SF.
The role of interleukin‐1β in arthritic pain: Main involvement in thermal, but not mechanical, hyperalgesia in rat antigen‐induced arthritis
Authors: Ebbinghaus Matthias , Uhlig Benjamin , Richter Frank , von Banchet Gisela Segond , Gajda Mieczyslaw , Bräuer Rolf , Schaible Hans‐Georg 
Published: August 2012

AbstractObjectiveInterleukin‐1β (IL‐1β) is considered a pronociceptive cytokine, but its role in the generation of arthritic pain is unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of IL‐1β in arthritic pain and to explore the antinociceptive potential of the IL‐1 receptor type I (IL‐1RI) antagonist anakinra.MethodsAntigen‐induced arthritis (AIA) was induced in rats. Expression of IL‐1RI in the dorsal root ganglia (DRGs) was determined, and the effects of anakinra on inflammation, pain‐related behavior, and receptor expression were assessed. In cultured DRG neurons, the effect of IL‐1β on the expression of the transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV‐1) ion channel was examined. Recordings of action potentials from joint nociceptors were made after intraarticular injection of IL‐1β into the rat knee joints.ResultsAIA generated pronounced and persistent mechanical and thermal hyperalgesia, and IL‐1RI expression in the lumbar DRGs was significantly up‐regulated. Treatment with anakinra did not significantly reduce the severity of arthritis or mechanical hyperalgesia, but did result in a pronounced reduction in thermal hyperalgesia. In cultured DRG neurons, IL‐1β up‐regulated the expression of TRPV‐1, a major transduction molecule involved in thermal hyperalgesia. During AIA, anakinra treatment down‐regulated the expression of TRPV‐1, consistent with the pronounced reduction in thermal hyperalgesia. IL‐1β increased the mechanosensitivity of C‐fibers of the joint, but reduced the mechanosensitivity of Aδ‐fibers, thus having opposite effects on these mechanonociceptive nerve fibers.ConclusionIn the context of arthritic knee pain, IL‐1β and IL‐1 receptors appear to be involved in thermal, rather than mechanical, hyperalgesia. Therefore, neutralization of IL‐1β may be mainly antinociceptive in disease states characterized by thermal hyperalgesia, but not in disease states mainly characterized by mechanical hyperalgesia.
Brief Report: Adrenal autoimmunity in primary Sjögren's syndrome
Authors: Mavragani Clio P. , Schini Marian , Gravani Fotini , Kaltsas Gregorios , Moutsopoulos Haralampos M. 
Published: August 2012

AbstractObjectiveTo evaluate the prevalence of antibodies to 21‐hydroxylase (anti‐21[OH]), a marker of autoimmune adrenal disease, in a cohort of patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome (SS) and to investigate whether the presence of anti‐21(OH) correlates with clinical, serologic, and salivary gland features of the disease.MethodsSera from 63 consecutive patients with primary SS, 32 patients with autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD), and 20 healthy controls were obtained and anti‐21(OH) levels were determined by radioimmunoassay. Clinical, serologic, and histopathologic features were recorded, and a short Synacthen test was used to assess adrenal function reserve. Seven available minor salivary gland (MSG) tissue specimens from patients in the primary SS cohort were also assessed for interferon‐α (IFNα), BAFF, and interleukin‐21 (IL‐21) cytokine transcripts, which are all implicated in B cell activation.ResultsAnti‐21(OH) positivity was detected in 17.5% and 28.1% of primary SS and AITD patients, respectively, and in none of the healthy controls. While no evidence of adrenal insufficiency was detected in any of the patients studied, a blunted rate of increase in cortisol levels was observed in patients with detectable serum autoantibodies against 21(OH), compared to their anti‐21(OH)–negative counterparts. A strong correlation between the serum titer of anti‐21(OH) antibodies and expression of IFNα, BAFF, and IL‐21 messenger RNA in MSG tissues was also detected.ConclusionAdrenal autoimmunity occurs in almost 20% of patients with primary SS in association with markers of B cell activation. Although the presence of adrenal autoantibodies was not associated with adrenal insufficiency in the present study, there was a blunted adrenal response, suggesting the need for further followup and monitoring of adrenal function in patients with primary SS who are positive for the autoantibodies.
The biophysical mechanisms of altered hyaluronan concentration in synovial fluid after anterior cruciate ligament transection
Authors: McCarty William J. , Cheng Justin C. , Hansen Bradley C. , Yamaguchi Tomonori , Firestein Gary S. , Masuda Koichi , Sah Robert L. 
Published: August 2012

AbstractObjectiveThe residence time of hyaluronan (HA) in knee joint synovial fluid (SF) was investigated using a rabbit anterior cruciate ligament transection (ACLT) model. The aims of this study were to assess, at 7 and 28 days after surgery, the 1) HA concentration and molecular mass (Mr) distribution in the SF, 2) endogenous replenishment of HA after saline washout, 3) HA residence times in the SF, and 4) synovium and subsynovium cellularity of the knee joints of rabbits subjected to ACLT, compared to sham‐operated and nonoperated control joints.MethodsAdult NZW rabbits underwent ACLT or sham surgery on one hind limb, while each contralateral limb was the nonoperated control. On day 7 or 28 after surgery, the joints were aspirated for SF, lavaged with saline, and injected with saline or polydisperse HA, and samples were obtained for analysis at set time points up to 8 hours after injection. Joint fluid samples were analyzed for the concentration andMrdistribution of HA to calculate the HA residence time constant.ResultsAnalysis of HA concentrations andMrdistributions showed 1) loss of high‐MrHA in the SF on day 7 and a shift toward a lower‐Mrdistribution on day 28, 2) endogenous replenishment of high‐MrHA after washout, and 3)Mr‐dependent loss of HA from the knee joints after ACLT, particularly on day 7 postsurgery. The HA residence time decreased with decreasing HAMr(residence time ∼27 hours with anMrload of 7,000–2,500 kd, to ∼7 hours with anMrload of 250–50 kd). HA residence time also decreased (by ∼70%) in the knee joints on day 7 after ACLT. The subsynovium of the joints subjected to ACLT displayed increased cellularity and neovascularization on days 7 and 28 postsurgery.ConclusionThe residence time of HA in the SF is transiently decreased after ACLT, suggesting that a biophysical transport mechanism is responsible for the altered composition of the SF after joint injury or during inflammation.
Endothelial nitric oxide synthase inhibits the development of autoimmune‐mediated vasculitis in mice
Authors: Schoeb Trenton R. , Jarmi Tambi , Hicks M. John , Henke Scott , Zarjou Abolfazl , Suzuki Hitoshi , Kramer Philip , Novak Jan , Agarwal Anupam , Bullard Daniel C. 
Published: August 2012

AbstractObjectiveMany different genes or mediators have been implicated in promoting the development of vasculitis, although little is known regarding the mechanisms that normally act to suppress lesion formation. Endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) has been shown to inhibit vascular inflammation in many different model systems, but its roles in the pathogenesis of vasculitis have not been elucidated. This study was undertaken to determine the functions of eNOS in the initiation and progression of vasculitic lesion formation.MethodsMRL/MpJ‐Faslpr mice lacking the gene for eNOS (Nos3−/−) were generated and comprehensively evaluated and compared to controls with regard to the development of autoimmune disease, including vasculitic lesion formation and glomerulonephritis.ResultsNos3−/− MRL/MpJ‐Faslpr mice exhibited accelerated onset and increased incidence of renal vasculitis compared to Nos3+/+ controls. In contrast, no significant differences in severity of glomerulonephritis were observed between groups. Vasculitis was also observed in other organs of eNOS‐deficient mice, including in the lungs of several of these animals. Ultrastructural analyses of renal lesions revealed the presence of electron‐dense deposits in affected arteries, and IgG, IgA, and C3 deposition was observed in some vessels in the kidneys of Nos3−/− mice. In addition, Nos3−/− MRL/MpJ‐Faslp mice showed increased levels of circulating IgG–IgA immune complexes at 20 weeks of age, compared to Nos3+/+ MRL/MpJ‐Faslpr and Nos3−/− C57BL/6 mice.ConclusionThese findings strongly indicate that eNOS serves as a negative regulator of vasculitis in MRL/MpJ‐Faslpr mice and further suggest that NO produced by this enzyme may be critical for inhibiting lesion formation and vascular damage in human vasculitic diseases.
Cortisol‐mediated adhesion of synovial fibroblasts is dependent on the degradation of anandamide and activation of the endocannabinoid system
Authors: Lowin Torsten , Zhu Wentao , Dettmer‐Wilde Katja , Straub Rainer H. 
Published: August 2012

AbstractObjectiveIn rheumatoid arthritis (RA) synovial fluid, levels of the endocannabinoids anandamide (AEA) and 2‐arachidonylglycerol are elevated. Since synovial fibroblasts (SFs) possess all of the enzymes necessary for endocannabinoid synthesis, it is likely that these cells contribute significantly to elevated endocannabinoid levels. While glucocorticoids initiate endocannabinoid synthesis in neurons, this study was undertaken to test whether cortisol also regulates endocannabinoid levels in mesenchymal cells such as SFs, and whether this interferes with integrin‐mediated adhesion.MethodsAdhesion was determined in 1‐minute intervals over 60 minutes using an xCELLigence system. Slopes from individual treatment groups were averaged and compared to the control. Fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) and cyclooxygenase 2 (COX‐2) were detected by immunocytochemistry, and AEA was detected by mass spectrometry.ResultsCortisol increased the adhesion of RASFs and osteoarthritis SFs with a maximum of 200% at both 10−7M and 10−8M. When cortisol was administered together with either cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1) antagonist (rimonabant; 100 nM), CB2 antagonist (JTE907; 100 nM), transient receptor potential vanilloid channel 1 (TRPV‐1) antagonist (capsazepine; 1 μM), FAAH inhibitor, or COX‐2 inhibitor, adhesion was reduced below the level in controls. Concomitant inhibition of FAAH and COX‐2 reversed these effects. Mass spectrometry revealed the presence of AEA in SFs.ConclusionOur findings indicate that glucocorticoid‐induced adhesion is dependent on CB1/CB2/TRPV‐1 activation. Since AEA is produced in SFs, this endocannabinoid is the most likely candidate to mediate these effects. Since AEA levels are regulated by COX‐2 and FAAH, inhibition of both enzymes along with low‐dose glucocorticoids may provide a therapeutic option to maximally boost the endocannabinoid system in RA, with possible beneficial effects.
Collagen antibody–induced arthritis evokes persistent pain with spinal glial involvement and transient prostaglandin dependency
Authors: Bas Duygu B. , Su Jie , Sandor Katalin , Agalave Nilesh M. , Lundberg Johanna , Codeluppi Simone , Baharpoor Azar , Nandakumar Kutty S. , Holmdahl Rikard , Svensson Camilla I. 
Published: August 2012

AbstractObjectivePain is one of the most debilitating symptoms reported by rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. While the collagen antibody–induced arthritis (CAIA) model is used for studying the effector phase of RA pathologic progression, it has not been evaluated as a model for studies of pain. Thus, this study was undertaken to examine pain‐like behavior induced by anticollagen antibodies and to assess the effect of currently prescribed analgesics for RA. In addition, the involvement of spinal glia in antibody‐induced pain was explored.MethodsCAIA was induced in mice by intravenous injection of a collagen antibody cocktail, followed by intraperitoneal injection of lipopolysaccharide. Disease severity was assessed by visual and histologic examination. Pain‐like behavior and the antinociceptive effect of diclofenac, buprenorphine, gabapentin, pentoxifylline, and JNK‐interacting protein 1 were examined in mechanical stimulation experiments. Spinal astrocyte and microglia reactivity were investigated by real‐time polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry.ResultsFollowing the induction of CAIA, mice developed transient joint inflammation. In contrast, pain‐like behavior was observed prior to, and outlasted, the visual signs of arthritis. Whereas gabapentin and buprenorphine attenuated mechanical hypersensitivity during both the inflammatory and postinflammatory phases of arthritis, diclofenac was antinociceptive only during the inflammatory phase. Spinal astrocytes and microglia displayed time‐dependent signs of activation, and inhibition of glial activity reversed CAIA‐induced mechanical hypersensitivity.ConclusionCAIA represents a multifaceted model for studies exploring the mechanisms of pain induced by inflammation in the articular joint. Our findings of a time‐dependent prostaglandin and spinal glial contribution to antibody‐induced pain highlight the importance of using appropriate disease models to assess joint‐related pain.
Neural tube defects and maternal intake of micronutrients related to one‐carbon metabolism or antioxidant activity
Authors: Chandler Angela L. , Hobbs Charlotte A. , Mosley Bridget S. , Berry Robert J. , Canfield Mark A. , Qi Yan Ping , Siega‐Riz Anna Maria , Shaw Gary M. ,   National Birth Defects Prevention Study
Published: August 2012

AbstractBACKGROUNDMaternal nutritional status has been evaluated to clarify its role in development of neural tube defects (NTDs). Maternal folate intake during pregnancy has been closely evaluated for its association with NTDs. The study objective was to examine associations between NTDs and other dietary periconceptional micronutrient intake, particularly nutrients involved in one‐carbon metabolism or antioxidant activity.METHODSUsing data from the National Birth Defects Prevention Study, 1997–2005, logistic regression models were used to estimate the relative risk of NTDs based on maternal micronutrient intake.RESULTSResults were stratified according to folic acid supplement use, race/ethnicity, and maternal body mass index. Analyses included 954 cases (300 with anencephaly, 654 with spina bifida) and 6268 controls. Higher intakes of folate, thiamin, betaine, iron, and vitamin A were associated with decreased risk of anencephaly among some ethnic and clinical groups. In some groups, higher intakes of thiamin, riboflavin, vitamin B6, vitamin C, vitamin E, niacin, and retinol were associated with decreased risk of spina bifida.CONCLUSIONIn addition to folic acid, other micronutrients, including thiamin, betaine, riboflavin, vitamin B6, vitamin C, vitamin E, niacin, iron, retinol, and vitamin A, may decrease the risk of NTD occurrence. Birth Defects Research (Part A) 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Engagement of students with lectures in biochemistry and pharmacology
Authors: Davis Elizabeth Ann , Hodgson Yvonne , Macaulay Janet Olwyn 
Published: August 2012

AbstractAcademic staff at universities have become concerned about the decrease in student attendance at lectures and the implication of this on student achievement and learning. Few studies have measured actual lecture attendance in a coherent or comprehensive way. The aim of this study was to measure actual lecture attendance of students over two year levels enrolled in two separate science disciplines, biochemistry and pharmacology. The study further sought to determine the factors that influence lecture attendance. Attendance at lectures in four units of study was monitored over a 12‐week semester. Attendance at lectures decreased over the semester and was lower at early morning lectures (8 A.M.; 9 A.M.). A questionnaire surveying students about their preparation for lectures, their compensation for missed lectures and the factors influencing their nonattendance was administered at the end of the semester. Students reported that the major factors influencing their attendance at lectures related to timetable issues and the quality of lecturing. If students missed lectures, the majority read the lecture notes and listened to the online recordings. The availability of online recordings of lectures was not a major influence on attendance at lectures. In three of the four units studied there was no correlation between self‐reported lecture attendance and exam performance. The results of the study indicate that universities should dedicate more resources to timetabling and to supporting staff to improve the quality of their lectures.
Systematic Review of Fathers' Involvement in Programmes for the Primary Prevention of Child Maltreatment
Authors: Smith Tyler K. , Duggan Anne , Bair‐Merritt Megan H. , Cox Georgette 
Published: August 2012

Both mothers and fathers perpetrate child maltreatment, but it is uncertain the extent to which child maltreatment prevention programmes include fathers. The objectives of this systematic review were to determine: (1) how many empirically studied primary prevention programmes for child maltreatment have included fathers; (2) among studies including fathers, what percentage of participants were fathers; and (3) whether programmes were effective in reducing paternal risk factors for child maltreatment. Three online databases were searched. Eligible articles were English language, original research studies describing an intervention for the primary prevention of child maltreatment for children ≤ five years. Included studies had to include at least one father. After screening for eligibility using titles and abstracts, the full text of 158 articles was abstracted. Seventeen studies, describing 15 individual and one multi‐site programme, met eligibility criteria. The majority of the studies identified by the systematic review were from the USA. Thirteen programmes had < 30 per cent paternal participation; one did not clearly delineate the number of fathers. In the final two programmes, ≥ 50 per cent of the participants were fathers. Programme effectiveness in reducing paternal risk factors is uncertain because only the two studies with ≥ 50 per cent fathers reported father‐specific results. Few fathers participated in empirically studied child maltreatment primary prevention programmes. Research is needed to determine how to actively engage fathers. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.‘Three online databases were searched’‘Research is needed to determine how to actively engage fathers’Key Practitioner Messages

Few empirically studied primary prevention programmes for child maltreatment include fathers.
Reviewed primary prevention programmes for child maltreatment commonly addressed parenting strategies and techniques.
Future programmes for the primary prevention of child maltreatment should determine how to effectively recruit and actively engage fathers' participation, provide programme content relevant to fathers, and conduct interventions at times and locations convenient to fathers.
Working with Fathers around Domestic Violence: Contemporary Debates
Authors: Featherstone Brid , Fraser Claire 
Published: August 2012

This article discusses the issues that emerged from a small consultation exercise with academics and practitioners in the field of domestic violence on their perceptions of practice interventions with fathers who were domestically violent. The exercise suggests that there has been a growth in such interventions especially in the UK over the last decade as a result of the recognition of domestic violence as a child protection issue. There are tensions, however, and these mapped onto tensions between interventions located in working with perpetrators and more recent interventions that have a focus on fathers. More importantly, tensions about what kinds of practice interventions were most desirable were linked to wider debates within practice about the merits of set programmes versus more individualised responses. Respondents expressed concern about the lack of evidence on effectiveness on programmes. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.Key Practitioner Messages

Interventions directed at fathers that seek to tackle their violence towards their partners have grown in the last decade.
There are tensions in philosophy that are related to the history of work with men as perpetrators and more recent developments constructing them as fathers.
Tensions are also related to differing views on the desirability and efficacy of set programmes versus individualised, flexible approaches incorporating a range of delivery methods and formats.‘A small consultation exercise with academics and practitioners in the field of domestic violence’‘Tensions in philosophy that are related to the history of work with men as perpetrators’
Dopant induced morphologies of ZnS nanoparticles
Authors: Dixit N. , Anasane N. , Chavda M. , Bodas D. , Soni H. P. 
Published: August 2012

AbstractWe have reported the synthesis of cubic (zinc blende) phase ZnS: Ni2+ nanoparticles using a simple wet‐chemical method. Synthesized ZnS: Ni2+ nanoparticles had been characterized by X‐ray diffraction (XRD) and Energy Dispersive X‐ray (EDX) analysis. Surface morphologies were studied using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectra of selected samples were also carried out to confirm the presence of capping agent on the surface of the material. We have demonstrated that various morphologies like spherical, tetrapods, sheet and long‐armed multipods are emerged by simple chemical route without any vigorous reaction parameters and changing the concentration of dopant ions only. The probable mechanism for such morphologies has also been suggested.