bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Addition of sitagliptin to ongoing metformin monotherapy improves glycemic control in Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes over 52 weeks
Authors: Kadowaki Takashi , Tajima Naoko , Odawara Masato , Nishii Mikio , Taniguchi Tadaaki , Ferreira Juan Camilo Arjona 
Published: October 2012

AbstractAims/IntroductionThe efficacy and safety of sitagliptin, a highly selective dipeptidyl peptidase‐4 inhibitor, when added to metformin monotherapy was examined in Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes.Materials and MethodsIn this 52‐week, add‐on to metformin study, 149 patients were randomly assigned to receive sitagliptin 50 mg or placebo once daily in a double‐blind fashion for 12 weeks. Thereafter, all patients who completed the double‐blind period of the study received open‐label sitagliptin 50 mg once daily for 40 weeks, with the investigator option of increasing sitagliptin to 100 mg once daily for patients who met predefined glycemic thresholds.ResultsAfter 12 weeks of treatment, the mean change from baseline in glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) significantly decreased with sitagliptin relative to placebo (between‐group difference [95% confidence interval] = −0.7% [−0.9 to −0.5] P < 0.001). At week 12, the mean changes in 2‐h post‐meal glucose (−2.6 mmol/L [−3.5 to −1.7]) and fasting plasma glucose (−1.0 mmol/L [−1.3 to −0.6]) also decreased significantly with sitagliptin relative to placebo (P < 0.001 for both). Significant improvements from baseline in glycemic control were also observed in the open‐label period through to week 52. There were no differences between treatment groups in the incidence of adverse events (AEs), including hypoglycemia and predefined gastrointestinal AEs (nausea, vomiting and diarrhea) during the double‐blind period, with similar findings in the open‐label period.ConclusionsOver a period of 52 weeks, the addition of sitagliptin once‐daily to ongoing metformin therapy was efficacious and generally well tolerated in Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes. This trial was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (no. NCT00363948).
Self‐perception of glycemic control among Japanese type 2 diabetic patients: accuracy  of patient perception and characteristics  of patients with misperception
Authors: Suzuki‐Saito Tomoko , Yokokawa Hirohide , Shimada Koichi , Yasumura Seiji 
Published: October 2012

AbstractAimsSome diabetic patients, despite reporting a good perception of their glycemic control, actually show poor control and this misperception might well hinder successful diabetes management. This study aimed to assess patients' self‐perception of glycemic control and to clarify factors associated with misperception of glycemic control status.MethodsBaseline data from a hospital‐based prospective cohort of 519 type 2 diabetic patients were analyzed. Self‐perception of glycemic control and other items, including sociodemographic factors and blood test data, were determined from a self‐administered questionnaire and medical records. Factors associated with misperception were examined by age group (elderly [aged ≥ 65 years] vs non‐elderly [aged < 65 years]) using multiple logistic regression analysis.ResultsAmong poorly controlled patients, misperception was higher in the elderly (glycated hemoglobin [HbA1c] 7.4–8.3, 55.1%; HbA1c >8.4, 44.8%) than in the non‐elderly (HbA1c 7.4–8.3, 20.0%; HbA1c >8.4, 18.9%). The factors significantly associated with misperception were as follows: high lifestyle regimen adherence in both age groups (non‐elderly group odds ratio [OR] 5.23; elderly group OR 5.15, respectively); high family support (OR = 7.32), failure to achieve blood pressure control (OR = 6.94) and having diabetic complications (OR = 0.06) among the non‐elderly; and long duration of diabetes (OR = 4.06) among the elderly.ConclusionsFor better management of diabetes, physicians should pay attention to the patient characteristics associated with misperception among uncontrolled diabetic patients, particularly among those who are elderly.
Oviposition preference and larval development of the invasive moth Cydalima perspectalis on five European box‐tree varieties
Authors: Leuthardt F. L. G. , Baur B. 
Published: October 2012

AbstractThe box‐tree pyralid Cydalima perspectalis (Walker 1859) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), native to Eastern Asia, is a newly introduced species causing severe damage to box‐trees (Buxus sp.) in private and public gardens as well as in semi‐natural box‐tree forests in Central Europe. It is so far not known whether different box‐tree subspecies (or varieties) are similarly affected by this invasive moth. In a choice experiment offering branches of five different box‐tree varieties as oviposition sites, we found a preference of female moths for laying their egg clusters on the variety ‘Rotundifolia’, while other varieties were less frequently considered. The preference for ‘Rotundifolia’, the variety with the largest leaves in the tests, remained when intervariety differences in foliar area (mean leaf size × number of leaves) were taken into account. Feeding larvae on leaves of either of the five box‐tree varieties revealed a significant effect of the seasonal generation of C. perspectalis on the growth rate of individuals but no influence of the box‐tree variety. Larvae from the spring generation show the highest growth rate, those from the summer generation a moderate and those from the autumn generation the lowest growth rate. The moths used in the experiments may belong to the 10th to 12th generation present in Europe. The time elapsed since their introduction may be too short for an optimal adaptation to the partly novel diet encountered by the invasive moth.
Inhibitory control and adaptive behaviour in children with mild intellectual disability
Authors: Gligorović M. , Buha Ðurović N. 
Published: October 2012

AbstractBackgroundInhibitory control, as one of the basic mechanisms of executive functions, is extremely important for adaptive behaviour. The relation between inhibitory control and adaptive behaviour is the most obvious in cases of behavioural disorders and psychopathology. Considering the lack of studies on this relation in children with disabilities, the aim of our research is to determine the relation between inhibitory control and adaptive behaviour in children with mild intellectual disability.MethodThe sample consists of 53 children with mild intellectual disability. Selection criteria were: IQ between 50 and 70, age between 10 and 14, absence of bilingualism, and with no medical history of neurological impairment, genetic and/or emotional problems. Modified Day–Night version of the Stroop task, and Go‐no‐Go Tapping task were used for the assessment of inhibitory control. Data on adaptive behaviour were obtained by applying the first part of AAMR (American Association on Mental Retardation) Adaptive Behaviour Scale‐School, Second Edition (ABS‐S:2).ResultsSignificant relationships were determined between some aspects of inhibitory control and the most of assessed domains of adaptive behaviour. Inhibitory control measures, as a unitary inhibition model, significantly predict results on Independent Functioning, Economic Activity, Speech and Language Development, and Number and Times domains of the ABS‐S:2.Inhibitory control, assessed by second part of the Stroop task, proved to be a significant factor in practical (Independent Functioning) and conceptual (Economic Activity, Speech and Language Development, and Numbers and Time) adaptive skills. The first part of the Stroop task, as a measure of selective attention, proved to be a significant factor in language and numerical demands, along with second one. Inhibitory control through motor responses proved to be a significant factor in independent functioning, economic activities, language and self‐direction skills.ConclusionWe can conclude that inhibitory control represents a significant developmental factor of different adaptive behaviour domains in children with mild intellectual disability.
Neuroendocrine cells are present in the domestic fowl ovary
Authors: Hofmann Pablo G. , Báez Saldaña Armida , Fortoul Van Der Goes Teresa , González del Pliego Margarita , Gutiérrez Ospina Gabriel 
Published: October 2012

AbstractNeuroendocrine cells are present in virtually all organs of the vertebrate body; however, it is yet uncertain whether they exist in the ovaries. Previous reports of ovarian neurons and neuron‐like cells in mammals and birds might have resulted from misidentification. The aim of the present work was to determine the identity of neuron‐like cells in immature ovaries of the domestic fowl. Cells immunoreactive to neurofilaments, synaptophysin, and chromogranin‐A, with small, dense‐core secretory granules, were consistently observed throughout the sub‐cortical ovarian medulla and cortical interfollicular stroma. These cells also displayed immunoreactivity for tyrosine, tryptophan and dopamine β‐hydroxylases, as well as to aromatic L‐DOPA decarboxylase, implying their ability to synthesize both catecholamines and indolamines. Our results support the argument that the ovarian cells previously reported as neuron‐like in birds, are neuroendocrine cells.
The cast imaging of the osteon lacunar‐canalicular system and the implications with functional models of intracanalicular flow
Authors: Pazzaglia Ugo E. , Congiu Terenzio 
Published: October 2012

AbstractA casting technique with methyl‐methacrylate (MMA) was applied to the study of the osteon lacunar‐canalicular network of human and rabbit cortical bone. The MMA monomer infiltration inside the vascular canals and from these into the lacunar‐canalicular system was driven by capillarity, helped by evaporation and the resulting negative pressure in a system of small pipes. There was uniform, centrifugal penetration of the resin inside some osteons, but this was limited to a depth of four to five layers of lacunae. Moreover, not all of the osteon population was infiltrated. This failure can be the result of one of two factors: the incomplete removal of organic debris from the canal and canalicular systems, and lack of drainage at the osteon external border. These data suggest that each secondary osteon is a closed system with a peripheral barrier (represented by the reversal line). As the resin advances into the osteon, the air contained inside the canalicula is compressed and its pressure increases until infiltration is stopped. The casts gave a reliable visualization of the lacunar shape, position and connections between the lacunae without the need for manipulations such as cutting or sawing. Two systems of canalicula could be distinguished, the equatorial, which connected the lacunae (therefore the osteocytes) lying on the same concentric level, and the radial, which established connections between different levels. The equatorial canalicula radiated from the lacunar border forming ramifications on a planar surface around the lacuna, whereas the radial canalicula had a predominantly straight direction perpendicular to the equatorial plane. The mean length of the radial canalicula was 40.12 ± 10.26 μm in rabbits and 38.4 ± 7.35 μm in human osteons; their mean diameter was 174.4 ± 71.12 nm and 195.7 ± 79.58 nm, respectively. The mean equatorial canalicula diameter was 237 ± 66.04 nm in rabbit and 249.7 ± 73.78 nm in human bones, both significantly larger (P < 0.001) than the radial. There were no significant differences between the two species. The lacunar surface measured on the equatorial plane was higher in rabbit than in man, but the difference was not statistically significant. The cast of the lacunar‐canalicular network obtained with the reported technique allows a direct, 3‐D representation of the system architecture and illustrates how the connections between osteocytes are organized. The comparison with models derived by the assumption of the role of hydraulic conductance and other mechanistic functions provides descriptive, morphological data to the ongoing discussion on the Haversian system biology.
Temporal expression of metalloproteinase‐8 and ‐13 and their relationships with extracellular matrix metalloproteinase inducer in the development of ligature‐induced periodontitis in rats
Authors: Yang D. , Wang J. , Ni J. , Shang S. , Liu L. , Xiang J. , Li C. 
Published: October 2012

Background and ObjectiveMatrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) play important roles in extracellular matrix degradation and may be regulated by extracellular matrix metalloproteinase inducer (EMMPRIN). The aim of this study was to investigate the temporal expression and localization of MMP‐8 and MMP‐13 during the development of ligature‐induced periodontitis in rats, and to analyze the correlations of EMMPRIN with MMP‐8 and MMP‐13 in periodontitis.Material and MethodsPeriodontitis was simulated in rats by ligaturing the cervix of the lower first molars, as described in our previous method. The rats were killed 0, 3, 5, 7, 11, 15 and 21 d after ligation. Micro‐computed tomography examinations were performed to detect alveolar bone loss. Semiquantitative western blotting was used to assess the temporal changes in the levels of MMP‐8, MMP‐13 and EMMPRIN proteins in gingival tissue. Immunohistochemistry was applied to detect the expression and locations of MMP‐8 and MMP‐13 in gingival tissue and alveolar bone.ResultsAlveolar bone loss showed an exponential increase from days 3 to 11, followed by a slower rate of loss at subsequent study time points. MMP‐8 showed a rapid increase of expression from baseline to a peak on day 3, a gradual decrease from days 5 to 7 and then stabilized thereafter. MMP‐8 was predominantly located in neutrophil‐like cells. Statistically, the expression of MMP‐8 was not correlated with the expression of EMMPRIN. The expression of MMP‐13 and of EMMRPIN increased from days 3 to 7, and showed a moderate decrease thereafter. The immunoreactivity of MMP‐13 was mainly detected in monocytes/macrophages, on the alveolar bone surface, in osteoclasts and in gingival epithelial cells. Statistically, MMP‐13 had a strong, positive correlation with EMMPRIN (r = 0.855, p < 0.01).ConclusionThe levels of expression of MMP‐8 and MMP‐13 are temporally varied at different periods during the development of experimental periodontitis. The level of expression of EMMPRIN is closely associated with the expression of MMP‐13, but not with the expression of MMP‐8. In addition, MMP‐13 might be involved in alveolar bone destruction, as well as in physiological bone remodeling.
Design and dosimetric characteristics of a new endocavitary contact radiotherapy system using an electronic brachytherapy source
Authors: Richardson Susan , Garcia‐Ramirez Jose , Lu Wei , Myerson Robert J. , Parikh Parag 
Published: October 2012

Purpose:To present design aspects and acceptance tests performed for clinical implementation of electronic brachytherapy treatment of early stage rectal adenocarcinoma. A dosimetric comparison is made between the historically used Philips RT‐50 unit and the newly developed Axxent® Model S700 electronic brachytherapy source manufactured by Xoft (iCad, Inc.).Methods:Two proctoscope cones were manufactured by ElectroSurgical Instruments (ESI). Two custom surface applicators were manufactured by Xoft and were designed to fit and interlock with the proctoscope cones from ESI. Dose rates, half value layers (HVL), and percentage depth dose (PDD) measurements were made with the Xoft system and compared to historical RT‐50 data. A description of the patient treatment approach and exposure rates during the procedure is also provided.Results:The electronic brachytherapy system has a lower surface dose rate than the RT‐50. The dose rate to water on the surface from the Xoft system is approximately 2.1 Gy/min while the RT‐50 is 10–12 Gy/min. However, treatment times with Xoft are still reasonable. The HVLs and PDDs between the two systems were comparable resulting in similar doses to the target and to regions beyond the target. The exposure rate levels around a patient treatment were acceptable. The standard uncertainty in the dose rate to water on the surface is approximately ±5.2%.Conclusions:The Philips RT‐50 unit is an out‐of‐date radiotherapy machine that is no longer manufactured with limited replacement parts. The use of a custom‐designed proctoscope and Xoft surface applicators allows delivery of a well‐established treatment with the ease of a modern radiotherapy device. While the dose rate is lower with the use of Xoft, the treatment times are still reasonable. Additionally, personnel may stand farther away from the Xoft radiation source, thus potentially reducing radiation exposure to the operator and other personnel.
Toward quantifying the composition of soft tissues by spectral CT with Medipix3
Authors: Ronaldson J. Paul , Zainon Rafidah , Scott Nicola Jean Agnes , Gieseg Steven Paul , Butler Anthony P. , Butler Philip H. , Anderson Nigel G. 
Published: October 2012

Purpose:To determine the potential of spectral computed tomography (CT) with Medipix3 for quantifying fat, calcium, and iron in soft tissues within small animal models and surgical specimens of diseases such as fatty liver (metabolic syndrome) and unstable atherosclerosis.Methods:The spectroscopic method was applied to tomographic data acquired using a micro‐CT system incorporating a Medipix3 detector array with silicon sensor layer and microfocus x‐ray tube operating at 50 kVp. A 10 mm diameter perspex phantom containing a fat surrogate (sunflower oil) and aqueous solutions of ferric nitrate, calcium chloride, and iodine was imaged with multiple energy bins. The authors used the spectroscopic characteristics of the CT number to establish a basis for the decomposition of soft tissue components. The potential of the method of constrained least squares for quantifying different sets of materials was evaluated in terms of information entropy and degrees of freedom, with and without the use of a volume conservation constraint. The measurement performance was evaluated quantitatively using atheroma and mouse equivalent phantoms. Finally the decomposition method was assessed qualitatively using a euthanized mouse and an excised human atherosclerotic plaque.Results:Spectral CT measurements of a phantom containing tissue surrogates confirmed the ability to distinguish these materials by the spectroscopic characteristics of their CT number. The assessment of performance potential in terms of information entropy and degrees of freedom indicated that certain sets of up to three materials could be decomposed by the method of constrained least squares. However, there was insufficient information within the data set to distinguish calcium from iron within soft tissues. The quantification of calcium concentration and fat mass fraction within atheroma and mouse equivalent phantoms by spectral CT correlated well with the nominal values (R2 = 0.990 and R2 = 0.985, respectively). In the euthanized mouse and excised human atherosclerotic plaque, regions of calcium and fat were appropriately decomposed according to their spectroscopic characteristics.Conclusions:Spectral CT, using the Medipix3 detector and silicon sensor layer, can quantify certain sets of up to three materials using the proposed method of constrained least squares. The system has some ability to independently distinguish calcium, fat, and water, and these have been quantified within phantom equivalents of fatty liver and atheroma. In this configuration, spectral CT cannot distinguish iron from calcium within soft tissues.
Relative growth rates of two epiphytic lichens, Lobaria pulmonaria and Hypogymnia occidentalis, transplanted within and outside of Populus dripzones
Authors: Gauslaa Yngvar , Goward Trevor 
Published: October 2012

Overstory Populus has been shown to facilitate establishment by cyano- and cephalolichens on conifer branches within its dripzone; though the mechanisms behind this “dripzone effect” have yet to be elucidated. Here we test the following hypotheses that throughfall from Populus: (i) elevates bark pH; (ii) increases relative growth rate in cephalolichens; and (iii) stimulates their growth through phosphorus (P) fertilization. In southern British Columbia we transplanted the cephalolichen Lobaria pulmonaria (L.) Hoffm. (promoted by dripzones) and the acidophytic chlorolichen Hypogymnia occidentalis L.H. Pike for 14 months to 26 pairs of similar-sized Picea glauca × engelmannii situated within and outside of Populus dripzones. Half of our transplants were fertilized with P. Bark pH was significantly higher on spruce branches within than outside dripzones. Relative growth rate in L. pulmonaria increased with bark pH and was slightly higher within dripzones than outside, consistent with a facilitating effect of Populus on the Lobarion community. By contrast, the addition of P decreased relative thallus area growth in L. pulmonaria and increased relative thallus area growth in H. occidentalis; though a stronger influence on growth could be attributed to variation in canopy cover and tree height. We conclude that cephalolichens in our study area are unlikely to be facilitated by P leached from Populus.
Tyrosine kinase receptor alteration of renal vasoconstriction in rats is sex- and age-related
Authors: Passmore John C. , Fleming John T. , Tyagi Suresh C. , Falcone Jeff C. 
Published: October 2012

Male rat renal blood vessels undergo reduced contraction to norepinephrine with aging. There is a greater renal vascular impairment in male compared with female rats. We investigated specific tyrosine kinase receptor inhibition of renal interlobar artery responsiveness to phenylephrine in male and female rats at specifically designated ages. Vessels from young male rats contracted much less to phenylephrine when the vessels were pretreated with the tyrosine kinase inhibitors Lavendustin A, HNMPA-(AM)3, or AG1478. Vessels from adult female rats pretreated with Lavendustin A showed no difference in contraction from control, but did demonstrate a slightly reduced contraction when pretreated with AG1478. Middle-aged male rat vessels treated with Lavendustin A demonstrated no inhibition, but the insulin and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) antagonists both induced a decline in contraction. Vessels from aged male rats demonstrated no effect related to the 3 pretreatments. Middle-aged and aged female rats pretreated with any inhibitor demonstrated no inhibitor-dependent alterations. We conclude that maximum contraction of interlobar arteries from adult male rats is reduced when tyrosine kinase receptor activity is reduced. Female rats demonstrated much less inhibitor-related change of contraction.