bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Association of FTO gene variants with body composition in UK twins
Authors: Livshits Gregory , Malkin Ida , Moayyeri Alireza , Spector Timothy D , Hammond Christopher J 
Published: July 2012

SummaryThe association of FTO gene variants with body mass index (BMI) and other obesity characteristics is well established. However, uncertainties remain whether the association is present only in young populations and whether it is attributable to body fat mass specifically. We aimed to clarify these two questions in a large sample (N= 4,523 individuals) of middle‐aged and older (range 40–80 years) British female twins. The women were assessed for BMI, waist and hip circumference, total lean (LBM) and fat (FBM) body mass. Since the majority of FTO association signals have been reported in a haploblock bordering 52,355–52,408 kb (on chromosome 16q12.2), we examined five genotyped and 43 imputed SNPs mapped to this block. Canonical correlation and other association analyses showed significant and consistent association between the selected SNP and studied body composition phenotypes, with p‐values reaching p= 0.000004. Of particular interest, in addition to the expected significant associations between FTO variants and FBM, we also identified significant associations with LBM. These results suggest that the association between FTO variants and body composition phenotypes is present across a wide range of ages, and that FTO appears primarily to affect the amount of body soft tissue, influencing both fat and lean mass.
Rapid climate change and the rate of adaptation: insight from experimental quantitative genetics
Authors: Shaw Ruth G. , Etterson Julie R. 
Published: July 2012

SummaryEvolution proceeds unceasingly in all biological populations. It is clear that climate‐driven evolution has molded plants in deep time and within extant populations. However, it is less certain whether adaptive evolution can proceed sufficiently rapidly to maintain the fitness and demographic stability of populations subjected to exceptionally rapid contemporary climate change. Here, we consider this question, drawing on current evidence on the rate of plant range shifts and the potential for an adaptive evolutionary response. We emphasize advances in understanding based on theoretical studies that model interacting evolutionary processes, and we provide an overview of quantitative genetic approaches that can parameterize these models to provide more meaningful predictions of the dynamic interplay between genetics, demography and evolution. We outline further research that can clarify both the adaptive potential of plant populations as climate continues to change and the role played by ongoing adaptation in their persistence.

Contents

Summary
752

I.
Introduction
752

II.
Will migration be enough?
753

III.
Can adaptation proceed fast enough?
754

IV.
Fitness links demographic and evolutionary processes
755

V.
Experimental studies: what do they tell us and how can we improve them?
756

VI.
Predicting evolutionary change based on genetic variation and natural selection
757

VII.
The chronosequence approach
758

VIII.
Resurrection of ancestral propagules
759

IX.
The mean and variance in fitness, a link between genetics and demography
760

X.
Conclusions
762

Acknowledgements
762

References
762
Modulation of interferon‐γ‐induced glial cell activation by transforming growth factor β1: A role for STAT1 and MAPK pathways
Authors: Herrera‐Molina Rodrigo , Flores Betsi , Orellana Juan A. , von Bernhardi Rommy 
Published: July 2012

AbstractOveractivated glial cells can produce neurotoxic oxidant molecules such as nitric oxide (NO·) and superoxide anion (O2·−). We have previously reported that transforming growth factor β1 (TGFβ1) released by hippocampal cells modulates interferon‐γ (IFNγ)‐induced production of O2·− and NO· by glial cells. However, underlying molecular mechanisms are not completely understood, thereby, the aim of this work was to study the effect of TGFβ1 on IFNγ‐induced signaling pathways. We found that costimulation with TGFβ1 decreased IFNγ‐induced phosphorylation of signal transducer and activator of transcription‐type‐1 (STAT1) and extracellular signal‐regulated kinase (ERK), which correlated with a reduced O2·− and NO· production in mixed and purified glial cultures. Moreover, IFNγ caused a decrease in TGFβ1‐mediated phosphorylation of P38, whereas pre‐treatment with ERK and P38 inhibitors decreased IFNγ‐induced phosphorylation of STAT1 on serine727 and production of radical species. These results suggested that modulation of glial activation by TGFβ1 is mediated by deactivation of MAPKs. Notably, TGFβ1 increased the levels of MAPK phosphatase‐1 (MKP‐1), whose participation in TGFβ1‐mediated modulation was confirmed by MKP‐1 siRNA transfection in mixed and purified glial cultures. Our results indicate that the cross‐talk between IFNγ and TGFβ1 might regulate the activation of glial cells and that TGFβ1 modulated IFNγ‐induced production of neurotoxic oxidant molecules through STAT1, ERK, and P38 pathways.
Measuring patient satisfaction with the Polish version of the Newcastle Satisfaction with Nursing Scale
Authors: Gutysz‐Wojnicka Aleksandra , Dyk Danuta , Cudak Edyta , Ozga Dorota 
Published: July 2012

Scand J Caring Sci; 2013; 27; 311–318

Measuring patient satisfaction with the Polish version of the Newcastle Satisfaction with Nursing Scale
The measurement of patients’ satisfaction is increasingly becoming legal and ethical duty of healthcare providers worldwide. Till now, there were no validated, widely available Polish scales to assess patients’ satisfaction with nursing care. The aim of this study was to assess the experiences and satisfaction with nursing care of patients hospitalized in surgical and nonsurgical wards in Poland using Polish version of the Newcastle Satisfaction with Nursing Scale. This is a multicentre, cross‐sectional, descriptive study. Eight hospitals were qualified to participate in a convenience manner. The correlations between variables were analysed using the Mann–Whitney or the Kruskal–Wallis tests. In the case of a significant correlation, the Dunn’s test was used to conduct multiple comparisons for the group of variables. A significance of α = 0.05 was assumed for the tests. A total 918 patients participated in the study, and 787 (85.72%) questionnaires were correctly filled out. The average result on the ‘experience’ scale was 73.22 (Me 73.07) and on the ‘satisfaction’ scale, 74.98 (Me 76.31). Education levels did not affect the experiences of nursing care levels p = 0.2204 and satisfaction with nursing care p = 0.1075. Patient age had a statistically significant impact on the results of the ‘experiences of nursing care’ scale p = 0.0005 and the ‘satisfaction with nursing’ scale p = 0.0194. The experiences of nursing care (p = 0.0002) and patients satisfaction (p = 0.0000) were significantly higher in surgical wards than in nonsurgical wards. The experiences of nursing care were significantly lower in the university hospital than in provincial hospitals (p = 0.0374) and district hospitals (p = 0.0183). A comparison of patient satisfaction with nursing in various hospitals shows that patients were most satisfied in district hospitals (average 78.10, Me 82.89), followed by provincial hospitals (average 72.11, Me 76.31) and the university hospital (average 70.64, Me 71.05).
Density and behaviour ofWhinchatsSaxicola rubetraonAfrican farmland suggest that winter habitat conditions do not limitEuropean breeding populations
Authors: Hulme Mark F. , Cresswell Will 
Published: July 2012

TheWhinchatSaxicolarubetrais anAfro‐Palaearctic migrant undergoing widespread population decline.Whinchats winter inWestAfrica but there are almost no data on their habitat use and behaviour there that may help to explain the cause of this decline. We measured the density ofWhinchats, the habitat characteristics associated with their occurrence on farmland, and the relationships between behavioural and habitat variation on farmland around Jos, central Nigeria, over three winters.Whinchats occurred in many fields harvested in the dry season, the density at three sites varying from 0.03 to 0.43 birds/ha, but they were absent at a fourth site. Whinchats were less likely to be found in farmland without particular crops (e.g. structural stem crops such as maize and millet), with more trees, lower amounts of short vegetation (grass, weeds, crops and crop stubble less than 10 cm in height), and higher amounts of medium vegetation (coverage of vegetation 10–100 cm in height) and litter (dead, unburned, vegetation on the ground). Whinchat abundance in areas of farmland where they were present was independent of most variables considered, but density was higher where there was more short vegetation cover. Foraging behaviour did not vary significantly between farmland habitats. All predictors were consistent between season, years and across sites. The presence/absence model was very poor at predicting presence and there were no strong predictors of abundance or foraging variation. This is consistent with a species well below carrying capacity within its environment so that many suitable areas do not have birds present and there is little aggregation at better sites. Overall,Whinchats were abundant and appeared to have plentiful habitat; densities have probably increased alongside the intensification of agriculture (presence of fallow farmland, short vegetation and structural crops). The results suggest thatWestAfrican farmland in the dry season can support large numbers of Whinchats and that recent population declines in Europe are unlikely to be caused primarily by lack of suitable wintering habitat.
Obesity Prevention: The Impact of Local Health Departments
Authors: Chen Zhuo (Adam) , Roy Kakoli , Gotway Crawford Carol A. 
Published: July 2012

ObjectiveTo examine the association between bodyweight status and provision of population‐based prevention services.Data SourcesThe National Association of City and County Health Officials 2005 Profile survey data, linked with two cross‐sections of the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) survey in 2004 and 2005.Study DesignMultilevel logistic regressions were used to examine the association between provision of obesity‐prevention services and the change in risk of being obese or morbidly obese among BRFSS respondents. The estimation sample was stratified by sex. Low‐income samples were also examined. Falsification tests were used to determine whether there is counterevidence.Principal FindingsProvision of population‐based obesity‐prevention services within the jurisdiction of local health departments and specifically those provided by the local health departments are associated with reduced risks of obesity and morbid obesity from 2004 to 2005. The magnitude of the association appears to be stronger among low‐income populations and among women. Results of the falsification tests provide additional support of the main findings.ConclusionsPopulation‐based obesity‐prevention services may be useful in containing the obesity epidemic.
The spontaneous release of prostaglandins into the cerebral ventricles of the dog and the effect of external factors on this release
Authors: HOLMES S. W. 
Published: July 2012

Summary
Prostaglandins E19 E2, F1α and F2α have been identified in perfusates of the cerebral ventricles of anaesthetized dogs.
Infusions of serotonin into the lateral ventricle caused a four‐fold increase in the release of prostaglandins E into the ventricles and this increase was dissociated from the hyperthermic action. Intraventricular infusions of adrenaline and noradrenaline had no effect on the level of prostaglandin release.
Neither electrical stimulation of a hind foot pad nor the intraperitoneal administration of chlorpromazine, amphetamine, tranylcypromine or imipramine had any consistent effect on the amounts of prostaglandins released into the cerebrospinal fluid.
When prostaglandin E1 was added to the fluid perfusing the ventricular system, respiratory changes were observed but almost all the added prostaglandin was recovered from the perfusate leaving the cisterna.
Effects of general stimulant drugs on the electrical responses of isolated slabs of cat's cerebral cortex
Authors: FRANK G. B. , JHAMANDAS K. 
Published: July 2012

Summary
In the neuronally isolated cortex of the cat, local application of bemegride, picrotoxin, nikethamide, caffeine and strychnine facilitated the surface positive response of the isolated cortex and lowered the stimulus threshold for this response. Excepting nikethamide, they all produced convulsive discharge in the isolated cortex unrelated to the applied stimulus.
Local application of glutamate to the cortex produced spreading depression, which was sometimes preceded by spontaneous positive bursting.
In contrast to the “general depressants” which produce a relatively consistent pattern of effects on the electrical responses of isolated cortex, the “general stimulants”, although they all have excitatory effects on isolated cortex, each produced a greatly different type of electrical response in the isolated cortex, suggesting that several different mechanisms of action are responsible for their effects.
An assessment of the role of the sympathetic nervous system in experimental hypertension using normal and immunosympathectomized rats
Authors: AYITEY‐SMITH E. , VARMA D. R. 
Published: July 2012

Summary
The role of the sympathetic nervous system in experimental hypertension and associated changes in aortic sodium and potassium was studied using normal and immunosympathectomized Sprague‐Dawley rats.
A single injection of antiserum to nerve‐growth factor to rats at birth produced less intensive destruction of the peripheral sympathetic system than did two injections (one daily for 2 days). The former are referred to as “partial” immunosympathectomized and the latter as “total” immunosympathectomized rats.
Maintenance of rats on 1% sodium chloride after unilateral nephrectomy and implantation of 40 mg desoxycorticosterone acetate (DOCA) pellets resulted in sustained DOCA‐NaCl hypertension in both normal and “partial” immunosympathectomized rats but not in “total” immunosympathectomized rats. Hypertension was associated with an increase in aortic sodium.
Constriction of one renal artery with contralateral nephrectomy caused sustained hypertension and an increase in aortic sodium in normal and “partial” immunosympathectomized rats. Renal hypertension in “total” immunosympathectomized rats was not sustained.
It is concluded that a certain minimum control of the cardiovascular system by the sympathetic system is essential for the production of experimental hypertension and associated electrolyte changes.
Histamine and granulocytes in the umbilical cord blood of infants at birth
Authors: MITCHELL R. G. , PORTER J. F. 
Published: July 2012

SummaryHistamine levels in whole blood and plasma from the umbilical arteries and veins, together with circulating basophil and eosinophil counts, were determined in two groups of healthy infants, “term” and “pre‐term”.No significant arteriovenous differences were found except in the basophil counts of the “pre‐term” group. This result was consistent with the finding of significant arteriovenous correlations for all these sets of estimations except the basophil counts in the “pre‐term” group.No significant differences were found between the mean values in either group except for the difference between the mean basophil counts for venous blood.Plasma histamine levels (arterial and venous) were usually less than the lowest limit of the method (1.8 ng/ml). Very small amounts of histamine were detected, however, in one venous and one arterial specimen in the “pre‐term” group, but these did not produce a significant difference between the levels for the two groups of infants.
Healing rate calculation in the diabetic foot ulcer: Comparing different methods
Authors: Santamaria Nick , Ogce Filiz , Gorelik Alexandra 
Published: July 2012

AbstractThe determination of healing rate in the diabetic foot wound is an important assessment parameter that is part of the overall clinical decision‐making process in wound treatment. A number of methods that have been used to calculate healing, ranging from length and width measurement, surface area measure changes expressed as a function of time and linear advancement of the wound edge. The objective of this study was to compare surface area measures to linear advancement of the wound edge in 228 diabetic foot ulcers. Each wound was measured using the two methods and analyzed using linear regression to determine the best modeling of the healing process in these wounds. Results indicated that the total surface area change per day was superior to the linear advancement parameter in this group of wounds and that the area measurement was significantly more likely to predict the healing trajectory in the subgroup of wounds that took more than 28 days to heal. Contrary to expectations, the linear advancement method was correlated to initial wound size in the longer duration wounds suggesting that in these chronic wounds, differing healing phases render the surface area calculation method superior to the linear advancement parameter.
Angiogenin expression in burn blister fluid: Implications for its role in burn wound neovascularization
Authors: Pan Shin‐Chen , Wu Li‐Wha , Chen Chung‐Lin , Shieh Shyh‐Jou , Chiu Haw‐Yen 
Published: July 2012

AbstractDeep partial thickness burn (DPTB) wound fluids have a greater propensity for establishing neovascularization than did superficial partial thickness burn (SPTB) wound fluids in our previous study. To investigate the factors responsible for this activity, cytokine array and enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay were used to perform an expression analysis of angiogenic factors in burn fluid. Although present in approximately equal amounts in both SPTB and DPTB blister fluids from burn patients, angiogenin does appear to be involved in the ability of DPTB blister fluid to promote neovascularization in vitro and in vivo. Angiogenin alone was sufficient to induce endothelial differentiation of circulating angiogenic cells (CAC) without vascular endothelial growth factor A involvement. In addition, angiogenin was positively associated with CAC differentiation in the burn blister fluid. Blocking the effect of angiogenin in burn blister fluids resulted in a significant reduction of endothelial cell proliferation, CAC differentiation, and new blood vessels formation in vivo. Moreover, immunohistochemistry revealed that high angiogenin expression colocalizes with high vascularity in human burn wounds at day 7, further supporting our hypothesis that angiogenin is involved in burn wound neovascularization.
Migraine Among Norwegian Neurologists
Authors: Alstadhaug Karl B. , Hernandez Antonio , Næss Halvor , Stovner Lars Jacob 
Published: July 2012

Background.— Previous studies have shown a high prevalence of migraine among neurologists. The main objective of this study was to assess the prevalence of migraine and its subtypes among neurologists in Norway.Method.— Questionnaire‐based cross‐sectional study among every Norwegian neurologist registered on March 19, 2010.Results.— Among the 384 neurologists, 245 (64%) participated. Of these, 95 (39%) reported having experienced migraine aura, and 86 having experienced migraine headache (35%). By employing the International Headache Society criteria for migraine with regard to the number of attacks, the gender‐adjusted lifetime and 1‐year prevalence was 38.7% (95% CI 30.3‐47.7) and 33.8% (95% CI 25.9‐47.2), respectively. Age‐adjusted 1‐year prevalence of migraine headache (not including subjects experiencing visual aura only) for men was 15.9% and for women 36.7%, which gives an overall age and gender‐adjusted prevalence of 26.3% (95% CI 18.5‐34.2). Solitary auras were experienced by 83 (34%), of which 73 (30%) had experienced this twice or more frequently. The majority of the neurologists thought that migraine was underdiagnosed and undertreated, 70% and 68%, respectively.Conclusion.— The study confirms the results of previous studies, indicating that migraine, including visual aura, is more common among neurologists than what would be expected from population‐based studies. Because this group, through professional experience with the condition, can make accurate diagnoses in themselves, and will have fewer problems with recalling headache episodes, the prevalence figures obtained may give the most precise estimate of the true population prevalence.
A Case‐Control Study on Cortical Thickness in Episodic Cluster Headache
Authors: Seifert Christian L. , Magon Stefano , Staehle Kathrin , Zimmer Claus , Foerschler Annette , Radue Ernst‐Wilhelm , Pfaffenrath Volker , Tölle Thomas R. , Sprenger Till 
Published: July 2012

Objective.— This study aims at investigating cortical thickness in cluster headache patients as compared with a healthy control group.Background.— The pathobiology of cluster headache is not yet fully understood, although a dysfunction of the hypothalamus has been suggested to be causal. Previous studies in migraine and trigeminal neuropathic pain have demonstrated changes in cortical thickness using cortex segmentation techniques, but no data have been published on cluster headache.Methods.— We investigated 12 men with episodic cluster headache during a phase without acute headache as well as age and sex‐matched healthy controls using high resolution T1‐weighted magnetic resonance imaging acquired at 3T and performed a categorical whole‐brain surface‐based comparison of cortical thickness between groups. Furthermore, a correlation analysis of disease duration and cortical thickness was conducted.Results.— In comparison with control subjects, we found a reduction of cortical thickness in the angular gyrus and the precentral gyrus in cluster headache patients contralaterally to the headache side. These reductions did not correlate with disease duration. The cortical thickness of an area within the primary sensory cortex correlated with disease duration.Conclusions.— This study demonstrates alterations in cortical thickness in cluster headache patients suggesting a potential role of cortical structures in cluster headache pathogenesis. However, it cannot be determined from this study whether the changes are cause or consequence of the disorder. The correlation of cortical thickness with disease duration in the somatosensory cortex may suggest disease‐related plasticity in the somatosensory system.
The Study of Time Perception in Migraineurs
Authors: Zhang Juanjuan , Wang Guoying , Jiang Yubao , Dong Wenwen , Tian Yanghua , Wang Kai 
Published: July 2012

Objective.— The study aimed to explore the impairment of time perception in migraineurs.Background.— Headache is the most common pain syndrome in middle‐aged adults, and migraine is highly prevalent and severely disabling. Although the mechanisms of and the therapies for migraines have long been explored, less is known about the functional impairments associated with them, especially the impairment in time perception, that is, the ability to estimate the passage of time.Methods.— In this study, we used a temporal reproduction task to assess the estimation of the duration of visual stimulus in 27 migraine patients. The stimulus was delivered at different intervals over the milliseconds and seconds range.Results.— In the setting of an interstimulus interval for 1 second and an interstimulus interval for 5 seconds in the 600‐millisecond‐duration reproduction task, the migraineurs showed impairment in time perception, and in that they significantly overestimated the duration, as compared with the healthy subjects. When compared with the healthy controls for the 3‐second and 5‐second duration reproduction task, migraineurs in the setting of an interstimulus interval for 1 second and an interstimulus interval for 5 seconds did not show impairment in time perception.Conclusions.— This study indicates that not only is time perception impaired in migraineurs, but that this impairment is exhibited for durations in the milliseconds range, and not the seconds range.