bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Anti‐nociception mediated by a κ opioid receptor agonist is blocked by a δ receptor agonist
Authors: Taylor A M W , Roberts K W , Pradhan A A , Akbari H A , Walwyn W , Lutfy K , Carroll F I , Cahill C M , Evans C J 
Published: June 2014

Background and PurposeThe opioid receptor family comprises four structurally homologous but functionally distinct sub‐groups, the μ (MOP), δ (DOP), κ (KOP) and nociceptin (NOP) receptors. As most opioid agonists are selective but not specific, a broad spectrum of behaviours due to activation of different opioid receptors is expected. In this study, we examine whether other opioid receptor systems influenced KOP‐mediated antinociception.Experimental ApproachWe used a tail withdrawal assay in C57Bl/6 mice to assay the antinociceptive effect of systemically administered opioid agonists with varying selectivity at KOP receptors. Pharmacological and genetic approaches were used to analyse the interactions of the other opioid receptors in modulating KOP‐mediated antinociception.Key ResultsEtorphine, a potent agonist at all four opioid receptors, was not anti‐nociceptive in MOP knockout (KO) mice, although etorphine is an efficacious KOP receptor agonist and specific KOP receptor agonists remain analgesic in MOP KO mice. As KOP receptor agonists are aversive, we considered KOP‐mediated antinociception might be a form of stress‐induced analgesia that is blocked by the anxiolytic effects of DOP receptor agonists. In support of this hypothesis, pretreatment with the DOP antagonist, naltrindole (10 mg·kg−1), unmasked etorphine (3 mg·kg−1) antinociception in MOP KO mice. Further, in wild‐type mice, KOP‐mediated antinociception by systemic U50,488H (10 mg·kg−1) was blocked by pretreatment with the DOP agonist SNC80 (5 mg·kg−1) and diazepam (1 mg·kg−1).Conclusions and ImplicationsSystemic DOP receptor agonists blocked systemic KOP antinociception, and these results identify DOP receptor agonists as potential agents for reversing stress‐driven addictive and depressive behaviours mediated through KOP receptor activation.Linked ArticlesThis article is part of a themed section on Opioids: New Pathways to Functional Selectivity. To view the other articles in this section visit http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/bph.2015.172.issue-2
Pharmacologically distinct phenotypes of α1B‐adrenoceptors: variation in binding and functional affinities for antagonists
Authors: Yoshiki Hatsumi , Uwada Junsuke , Anisuzzaman Abu Syed Md , Umada Hidenori , Hayashi Ryoji , Kainoh Mie , Masuoka Takayoshi , Nishio Matomo , Muramatsu Ikunobu 
Published: June 2014

Background and PurposeThe pharmacological properties of particular receptors have recently been suggested to vary under different conditions. We compared the pharmacological properties of the α1B‐adrenoceptor subtype in various tissue preparations and under various conditions.Experimental Approach[3H]‐prazosin binding to α1B‐adrenoceptors in rat liver (segments, dispersed hepatocytes and homogenates) was assessed and the pharmacological profiles were compared with the functional and binding profiles in rat carotid artery and recombinant α1B‐adrenoceptors.Key ResultsIn association and saturation‐binding experiments with rat liver, binding affinity for [3H]‐prazosin varied significantly between preparations (KD value approximately ten times higher in segments than in homogenates). The binding profile for various drugs in liver segments also deviated from the representative α1B‐adrenoceptor profile observed in liver homogenates and recombinant receptors. L‐765,314 and ALS‐77, selective antagonists of α1B‐adrenoceptors, showed high binding and antagonist affinities in liver homogenates and recombinant α1B‐adrenoceptors. However, binding affinities for both ligands in the segments of rat liver and carotid artery were 10 times lower, and the antagonist potencies in α1B‐adrenoceptor‐mediated contractions of carotid artery were more than 100 times lower than the representative α1B‐adrenoceptor profile.Conclusions and ImplicationsIn contrast to the consistent profile of recombinant α1B‐adrenoceptors, the pharmacological profile of native α1B‐adrenoceptors of rat liver and carotid artery varied markedly under various receptor environments, showing significantly different binding properties between intact tissues and homogenates, and dissociation between functional and binding affinities. In addition to conventional ‘subtype’ characterization, ‘phenotype’ pharmacology must be considered in native receptor evaluations in vivo and in future pharmacotherapy.
Multiple roles of the PGE2‐EP receptor signal in vascular permeability
Authors: Omori K , Kida T , Hori M , Ozaki H , Murata T 
Published: June 2014

Background and PurposePGE2 is a major prostanoid that regulates inflammation by stimulating EP1–4 receptors. However, how PGE2 induces an initial inflammatory response to vascular hyper‐permeability remains unknown. Here we investigated the role of the PGE2‐EP receptor signal in modulating vascular permeability both in vivo and in vitro.Experimental ApproachWe used a modified Miles assay and intravital microscopy to examine vascular permeability in vivo. Endothelial barrier property was assessed by measuring transendothelial electrical resistance (TER) in vitro.Key ResultsLocal administration of PGE2, an EP2 or EP4 receptor agonist into FVB/NJcl mouse ear skin caused vascular leakage, indicated by dye extravasation. Intravital microscopy and laser Doppler blood‐flow imaging revealed that these treatments dilated peripheral vessels and increased local blood flow. Pretreatment with the vasoconstrictor phenylephrine inhibited the PGE2‐induced blood flow increase and vascular leakage. In contrast to the EP2 and EP4 receptor agonists, administration of an EP3 receptor agonist suppressed vascular leakage without altering vascular diameter or blood flow. In isolated HUVECs, the EP3 receptor agonist elevated TER and blocked thrombin‐induced dextran passage. Inhibiting PKA restored the hypo‐permeability induced by the EP3 receptor agonist.Conclusions and ImplicationsActivation of the PGE2‐EP2 or ‐EP4 receptor signal induces vasodilatation in mural cells, resulting in increased local blood flow and hyper‐permeability. In contrast, activation of the PGE2‐EP3 receptor signal induces a cAMP‐dependent enhancement of the endothelial barrier, leading to hypo‐permeability. We provide the first evidence that endothelial cells and mural cells cooperate to modulate vascular permeability.
Definitions of sleeplessness in children with attention‐deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): implications for mothers' mental state, daytime sleepiness and sleep‐related cognitions
Authors: Montgomery P. , Wiggs L. 
Published: June 2014

AbstractBackgroundSleep disturbances are common in children with attention‐deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Sleeplessness is frequently reported although results are inconsistent perhaps because different definitions for it are applied. This study looked at maternal functioning and child objective sleep patterns in relation to different definitions of sleeplessness in children withADHD.MethodsThe study included 45 children (aged 3–14 years) withADHDand their mothers. Sleeplessness was defined according to: (i) yes/no report of whether mothers thought their children had a problem with sleeplessness (Maternal definitionMD) and (ii) mothers' responses to a quantitative standardized questionnaire (Quantitative definitionQD) designed to detect the frequency and duration of parent‐reported problems with settling, night waking and early waking. Objective sleep patterns were also assessed by means of actigraphy. Maternal mental health, daytime sleepiness and cognitions related to child sleep were assessed by questionnaire.ResultsBoth definitions appeared to tap similar although slightly different constructs. There were no group differences in objective sleep patterns. Maternal mental health was found to be significantly worse in the mothers who considered their child to be sleepless (MD) (P< 0.025), but not in those mothers whose child was found to be sleepless according to the standardized criteria (QD). Maternal sleepiness did not differ between groups. For both categories of sleepless children (MDandQD), the mothers had significantly more doubts about their competency as a parent (P< 0.01 andP< 0.025, respectively) compared to mothers of children without sleeplessness.ConclusionsTwo different maternal assessments of child sleeplessness in children withADHDmay assess subtly different constructs, but both may provide useful information about potential problems across the family.
Long‐term evaluation of orbital rhabdomyosarcoma in children
Authors: Boutroux Helene , Levy Christine , Mosseri Véronique , Desjardins Laurence , Plancher Corine , Helfre Sylvie , Freneaux Paul , Cellier Cecile , Orbach Daniel 
Published: June 2014

AbstractBackgroundOrbital rhabdomyosarcoma (ORMS) is associated with an excellent survival rate greater than 85%, and is considered to be a favourable site for this tumour. Treatment is based on combination chemotherapy together with best local therapy, sometimes surgery but more often radiation therapy. Local therapy is associated with frequent and potentially severe late sequelae.DesignRetrospective hospital single‐centre analysis.ParticipantsEighty‐two patients treated in Institut Curie, Paris.MethodsTo define long‐term status of survivors after localized ORMS, patients treated between 1975 and 2010 were analysed.Main Outcome MeasuresClinical structural and functional orbital, and general sequelae.ResultsMedian age at diagnosis was 6 years (range: 8 months–19 years), and median follow up was 8.5 years (range: 7 months–24 years). The 5‐year globe conservation rate was 90.4%. Ophthalmic dysfunction was present in 79% of patients. Impaired visual acuity (VA), was present in 62% of patients; 38% of them had severe visual disability with VA < 6/60. Late effects on orbitofacial structure were present in 39.8% of patients. Ocular or palpebral sequelae were present in 79% of survivors, mainly cataract (42%), ocular surface lesions such as keratoconjunctivitis (40%) and eyelid abnormalities (29%). General late effects were rare.ConclusionsThese data suggest that ocular and orbital late effects are frequent after treatment of ORMS, indicating the need for systematic long‐term ophthalmologic follow up of these patients. Radiation therapy is an important part of the total burden of therapy.
Exemplar‐Based Portrait Photograph Enhancement as Informed by Portrait Paintings
Authors: Zhang Xiaoyan , Constable Martin , Chan Kap Luk 
Published: June 2014

AbstractThis paper proposes an approach to enhance the regional contrasts in snap‐shot style portrait photographs by using pre‐modern portrait paintings as aesthetic exemplars. The example portrait painting is selected based on a comparison of the existing contrast properties of the painting with those of the photograph. The contrast organization in the selected example painting is transferred to the photograph by mapping the inter‐ and intra‐regional contrasts of the regions, such as the face and skin areas of the foreground figure, the non‐face/skin part of the foreground and the background region. A piecewise non‐linear transformation curve is used to achieve the contrast mapping. Finally, the transition boundary between regions is smoothed to achieve the final results. The experimental results and user study demonstrate that, by using this proposed approach, the visual appeal of the portrait photographs is effectively improved, and the face and the figure become more salient.
POY version 5: phylogenetic analysis using dynamic homologies under multiple optimality criteria
Authors: Wheeler Ward C. , Lucaroni Nicholas , Hong Lin , Crowley Louise M. , Varón Andrés 
Published: June 2014

AbstractWe present POY version 5, an open source program for the phylogenetic analysis of diverse data types including qualitative, aligned sequences, unaligned sequences, genomic data, and user‐defined sequences. In addition to the maximum‐parsimony optimality criterion supported by POY4, POY5 supports several types of maximum likelihood as well as posterior probability. To make these analyses feasible, new heuristic search algorithms and parallelization options have been implemented for all criteria.
Injection laryngoplasty in the outpatient clinic under local anaesthetic: a case series of sixty‐eight patients
Authors: Powell J. , Carding P. , Birdi R. , Wilson J.A. 
Published: June 2014

ObjectivesWe aimed to assess self‐report and perceptual voice outcomes in patients undergoing local anaesthetic injection laryngoplasty in our outpatient clinic.DesignProspective case series.SettingDepartment of Otolaryngology‐Head and Neck Surgery, Freeman Hospital, Newcastle‐upon‐Tyne, UK.ParticipantsSixty‐eight patients underwent local anaesthetic injection laryngoplasty in the outpatient clinic over the 2‐year study period.Main outcome measureVoice Performance Questionnaire (patient‐rated), and perceptual voice analysis (observer‐rated) Grade, Roughness, Breathiness, Aesthenia and Strain scores were recorded before and 2 weeks after injection laryngoplasty.ResultsFifty‐seven patients had sufficient pre‐ and post‐procedure data to be included in the analysis. These included 32 men and 25 women, age range 26–97 years. Of the remaining patients, they were excluded due to failed procedure (n = 3), too unwell to proceed (n = 1), died before follow‐up was complete (n = 3) and incomplete data (n = 4). The median Voice Performance Questionnaire score improved from 42 to 21; (P < 0.0001). Significant improvements were seen in all parameters of Grade, Roughness, Breathiness, Aesthenia, Strain.ConclusionInjection laryngoplasty under local anaesthetic in the outpatient clinic generates improvements in subjective and perceptual voice outcomes similar to those obtained in the operating room under general anaesthetic or sedation. Complication rates between these procedures were also comparable. Injection laryngoplasty under local anaesthetic is timely, cost‐effective and obviates need for general anaesthesia in patients, many of whom have comorbidities and diminished life expectancy.
Pre‐transplant immune state defined by serum markers and alloreactivity predicts acute rejection after living donor kidney transplantation
Authors: Vondran Florian W.R. , Timrott Kai , Kollrich Sonja , Steinhoff Ann‐Kristin , Kaltenborn Alexander , Schrem Harald , Klempnauer Juergen , Lehner Frank , Schwinzer Reinhard 
Published: June 2014

AbstractAcute rejection (AR) remains a major cause for long‐term kidney allograft failure. Reliable immunological parameters suitable to define the pre‐transplant immune state and hence the individual risk of graft rejection are highly desired to preferably adapt the immunosuppressive regimen in advance. Donor and third party alloreactivities were determined by mixed lymphocyte cultures. Soluble forms of CD25, CD30, and CD44 were detected in patients' serum by ELISA. Various lymphocyte subpopulations were measured using flow cytometry. All patients received triple immunosuppression (tacrolimus/mycophenolate mofetil/steroids) and were grouped according to biopsy results within the first year: rejection‐free (RF, n = 13), borderline (BL, n = 5), or acute rejection (AR, n = 7). Patients with AR showed the highest pre‐transplant alloreactivities and serum levels (sCD25/sCD30/sCD44) according to the pattern RF < BL < AR. Relying on serum analysis only, multivariate logistic regression (logit link function) yielded a prognostic score for prediction of rejection with 75.0% sensitivity and 69.2% specificity. Patients with rejection showed markedly higher pre‐transplant frequencies of CD4+/CD8+ T cells lacking CD28, but lower numbers of CD8+CD161bright T cells and NK cells than RF individuals. Pre‐transplant immune state defined by alloreactivity, serum markers, and particular lymphocyte subsets seems to correlate with occurrence of graft rejection after kidney transplantation. A prognostic score based on pre‐transplant serum levels has shown great potential for prediction of rejection episodes and should be further evaluated.
Evolutionary Approaches to Privatisation
Authors: Ormerod Paul 
Published: June 2014

AbstractThere is considerable scope for further privatisation, with the particular aim of sharply reducing public sector claims on national output. However, survey evidence indicates considerable opposition to further privatisations, particularly those taking the form of creating dividend‐paying joint stock companies. The paper considers the value of surveys when compared with the economic concept of stable, revealed preferences, and the potential endogeneity of preferences as discussed by Hayek (1949). Consideration is also given to the implications of making concessions to survey opinion by carrying out privatisations under alternative corporate structures.
Economic Concentration in the Start‐Up Nation: Is Privatisation to Blame?
Authors: Gazit Yarden , Sauer Robert M. 
Published: June 2014

AbstractIn this paper we examine the underlying sources of economic concentration in Israel, which is unusually high for a developed and innovative economy. After a brief review of Israel's economic history since the start of the British Mandate, we describe the level of economic concentration, privatisation policy and other public policies that potentially contributed to the creation and persistence of the concentration problem. We argue that privatisation is not likely to be a causal factor, mainly because concentration was present and substantial at least two decades before modern privatisation policies were adopted. It is more plausible to argue that other economic policies, such as R&D subsidies, tax breaks for capital investment, export subsidies, tariffs, stringent regulations and barriers to competition played a major role in the emergence and persistence of economic concentration.
Privatising The Swedish Welfare State
Authors: Svanborg‐Sjövall Karin 
Published: June 2014

AbstractThe introduction of private competition and choice in the Swedish welfare sector has attracted widespread attention in recent years. This paper sets out the factors that helped make this development possible, and explains why the influence of the organisational theory of New Public Management (NPM) has ensured that while market economy elements have increased in welfare services, the scope of the state and the public sector has continued to grow. The result is the emergence of welfare quasi‐markets, which are increasingly subject to input‐related regulation and control.
Privatisation in the EU Energy Sector: The Never‐Ending Story
Authors: Stagnaro Carlo 
Published: June 2014

AbstractFollowing the wave of privatisation that started in Britain's energy sectors in the early 1980s, much progress has been made but the results still fall short of the potential benefits. In this paper both the theoretical arguments and the existing empirical evidence on privatisation in the energy sector are examined, with particular reference to European experience. The paper also presents some additional empirical analysis on the effect of privatisation on competition in the electricity market. Although not fully satisfactory, the analysis seems to be consistent with theoretical arguments. In particular, ‘mostly privatised’ industries tend to be associated with incumbents having lower market shares.
The Privatisation of the UK Railway Industry: An Experiment in Railway Structure
Authors: Wellings Richard 
Published: June 2014

AbstractThe British rail network was privatised in the mid‐ to late 1990s. However, the sector was heavily regulated and not permitted to evolve according to market processes. Indeed, the government imposed a complex and fragmented structure on the industry which ran counter to traditional railway practices. As a consequence, economies of scale and scope were lost, while transaction costs were increased. There was a negative impact on costs and safety. Given the disappointing outcomes, there is a strong case for reforming the sector by facilitating the development of a privately owned and vertically integrated rail system.
Privatisation failure and failure to privatise: the slovene example
Authors: Stojan Jure 
Published: June 2014

AbstractThis paper discusses theSlovene experience of privatisation, which is marked by two defects: privatisation failure and failure to privatise. Definitions of privatisation failure fall into four main categories: failure in outcomes, failure in method, failure in regulation, and failure in process. The paper suggests that privatisation failure and failure to privatise are interrelated and proposes a new metric for both.
Comprehensive Evaluation of Cardiac Function and Detection of Myocardial Infarction Based on a Semi‐Automated Analysis Using Full‐Volume Real Time Three‐Dimensional Echocardiography
Authors: Streiff Cole , Zhu Meihua , Panosian Jill , Sahn David J. , Ashraf Muhammad 
Published: June 2014

ObjectiveQuantitative left ventricular mass (LVM) as well as regional strain values may be obtained from full‐volume real time 3D echocardiography data via semi‐automated feature tracking and represent indices of heart function, both in health and disease.MethodsFresh adult porcine and ovine hearts were passively pumped to simulate normal cardiac motion at stroke volumes (SVs) varying from 30 to 70 mL. A 3V‐D Matrix probe, interfaced with a GE Vivid E9 ultrasound system, was used to image each heart at baseline conditions and after simulated myocardial infarction (MI). The 4D LV quantification function of EchoPAC PC was used to quantify the LVM and longitudinal and circumferential strain (LS & CS) of LV segments at each SV prior and subsequent to simulated MI. LVM was validated by volumetric displacement, while LS and CS values were compared to sonomicrometry‐based strain.ResultsLinear regression analyses show excellent correlations in LVM, LS, and CS between the 4D echo and volumetric/sonomicrometric displacement with R2 values of 0.99, 0.88, and 0.67, respectively. Bland–Altman analyses for all variables validate the compatibility of both methods. It was also determined that EchoPAC PC was able to detect a decrease in LS and CS in the relevant segments between pre‐ and post‐MI at all SVs (P < 0.05).ConclusionsEchoPAC PC is a robust utility with the ability to accurately obtain quantitative LVM, LS, and CS values from 4D echo volumes and has the potential to improve the yield of clinical studies in cases of suspected MI.