bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Intrastromal corneal ring segments: visual outcomes from a large case series
Authors: Ferrara Guilherme , Torquetti Leonardo , Ferrara Paulo , Merayo‐Lloves Jesús 
Published: September 2011

AbstractBackground:  To evaluate the clinical safety and efficacy of implanted Ferrara intrastromal corneal ring segments in a large sample of patients with ectatic corneal disease.Design:  Retrospective, consecutive case series.Samples:  A total of 1073 eyes of 810 patients consecutively operated from January 2006 to July 2008 were evaluated.Methods:  Two groups were created according to the type of ring implanted: Group 1 – patients implanted with the 160° of arc ring – and Group 2 – patients implanted with the 210° of arc ring.Main Outcome Measures:  Uncorrected visual acuity, best‐corrected visual acuity, keratometry, asphericity and pachymetry at the thinnest point of the cornea. All patients were evaluated using a corneal tomography (Pentacam, Oculus, Inc., Lynnwood, WA, USA).Results:  For Group 1 patients, uncorrected visual acuity increased to 20/80, best‐corrected visual acuity increased to 20/40, asphericity decreased to −0.35, spherical equivalent decreased to −2.26 D and keratometry decreased to 45.72 D (P < 0.001 for each compared with preoperative values). For Group 2 patients, uncorrected visual acuity increased to 20/130, best‐corrected visual acuity increased to 20/60, asphericity decreased to −0.56, spherical equivalent decreased to −4.14 D and keratometry decreased to 48.10 D (P < 0.001 for each compared with preoperative values). The 210° intrastromal corneal ring segments reduced keratometry and asphericity more than the 160° intrastromal corneal ring segments did. The complication rate was 3.82%.Conclusions:  Ferrara intrastromal corneal ring segments implantation is safe and effective and has a low complication rate. It can effectively reduce the corneal steepening and improve uncorrected visual acuity and best‐corrected visual acuity in patients with keratoconus.
Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: a systematic review of polyethylene terephthalate grafts
Authors: Mulford Jonathan Seymour , Chen Dong 
Published: September 2011

AbstractBackground:  The ligament advanced reinforcement system (LARS) ligament is an artificial polyester ligament made from polyethylene terephthalate (PET) that is used for primary anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstructive surgery. Recent media attention has resulted in a high awareness of this reconstructive option among patients; however, the outcomes compared with autograft are controversial.Objectives:  A systematic review of the literature was undertaken to examine the outcomes following LARS and long‐term PET artificial grafts in ACL reconstructive surgery. The ultimate objective was to determine whether the LARS ligament should be incorporated into routine practice.Methods:  A systematic search strategy from 1970 to June 2010 was used to retrieve relevant studies. Inclusion of articles was established through application of a predetermined protocol, independent assessment by two reviewers and a final consensus decision.Results:  Twelve articles met the inclusion criteria for the LARS ligament. The methodology of the identified articles was poor. Only short‐term outcomes were available. These results were good with low complication rates. Eleven articles reported on other PET grafts and recorded long‐term follow‐up of more than 4 years. These grafts had poor outcomes and a high rate of complications. No meta‐analysis was possible.Conclusions:  There are surprisingly few studies reporting on LARS ligament outcomes. The literature has poor methodological quality. Short‐term results for the LARS ligament appear good, with faster recovery times compared with autografts. Final short‐term results are not significantly different from autograft. There is real concern that late failure and iatrogenic osteoarthritis may occur based on the results of other PET grafts.
Stress and strain behaviour modelling of the carotid bifurcation
Authors: Lawrence‐Brown Michael , Stanley Brendan M. , Sun Zhonghua , Semmens James B. , Liffman Kurt 
Published: September 2011

AbstractBackground:  The aim of this study is to investigate the biomechanical stress and strain behaviour within the wall of the artery and its influence on plaque formation and rupture using computational fluid dynamics (CFD).Methods:  A three‐dimensional finite‐element model of the carotid bifurcation was generated to analyse the wall stress and strain behaviour. Both single‐layer and multilayer models were created and structural analysis was compared between these two types of models. Systolic pressure of 180 mm Hg (∼24 kPa) was applied in the inner boundary of the carotid bifurcation, and CFD analysis was performed to show the wall shear stress and pressure.Results:  The highest wall stress was found at the carotid bifurcation. When a high blood pressure (280 mm Hg) was applied to the carotid CFD model, the results showed that the stress at the carotid bifurcation may reach the rupture value. The multilayer carotid bifurcation model behaved differently from the equivalent single‐layer model, with peak stress (Von‐Mises) being higher in the multilayer model.Conclusion:  The peak stress and strain was located at the origins of the internal and external carotid arteries. Significant shearing occurred between the layers in the wall of the artery at the bifurcation. Intramural shear stress in the CFD multilayer model has potential for intramural vascular injury. This may be responsible for plaque formation, plaque rupture and an injury/healing cycle.
Expression of biomineralization‐related ion transport genes in Emiliania huxleyi
Authors: Mackinder Luke , Wheeler Glen , Schroeder Declan , von Dassow Peter , Riebesell Ulf , Brownlee Colin 
Published: September 2011

SummaryBiomineralization in the marine phytoplankton Emiliania huxleyi is a stringently controlled intracellular process. The molecular basis of coccolith production is still relatively unknown although its importance in global biogeochemical cycles and varying sensitivity to increased pCO2 levels has been well documented. This study looks into the role of several candidate Ca2+, H+ and inorganic carbon transport genes in E. huxleyi, using quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR. Differential gene expression analysis was investigated in two isogenic pairs of calcifying and non‐calcifying strains of E. huxleyi and cultures grown at various Ca2+ concentrations to alter calcite production. We show that calcification correlated to the consistent upregulation of a putative HCO3‐ transporter belonging to the solute carrier 4 (SLC4) family, a Ca2+/H+ exchanger belonging to the CAX family of exchangers and a vacuolar H+‐ATPase. We also show that the coccolith‐associated protein, GPA is downregulated in calcifying cells. The data provide strong evidence that these genes play key roles in E. huxleyi biomineralization. Based on the gene expression data and the current literature a working model for biomineralization‐related ion transport in coccolithophores is presented.
REPUBLICS AND THEIR LOVES: REREADING CITY OF GOD 191
Authors: LEE GREGORY W. 
Published: September 2011

AbstractIn City of God 19.24, Augustine rejects Cicero's definition of res publica as a society founded on justice for a new definition focused on common objects of love. Robert Markus, Oliver O'Donovan, and a host of Augustinian political theologians have depicted this move as a positive gesture toward secular society. Yet this reading fails to account for why Augustine waited so long to address Cicero's definition, first discussed in Book 2, and for the radical dualism Augustine sets forth between the two cities throughout his text. I argue, in line with Rowan Williams and John Milbank, for a minority reading of Book 19 that draws upon the narrative structure of City of God. In Books 3–5, Augustine recounts the history of the earthly city according to Rome's penchant for violence and idolatry, both a function of love for temporal goods. In Book 18, Augustine traces the history of the earthly city before Rome according to the same themes, completing a narrative argument that humanity has always been divided according to differing loves. Book 19 advances the idea that such idolatry is injustice—a failure to grant God the worship he is due. With the new definition of 19.24, Augustine retains Cicero's emphasis on the importance of virtue in civic society while characteristically shifting the terms of discussion from justice to love. While such a definition means that Rome can be called a res publica, it also prompts a negative judgment upon her history according to her objects of love. Given her violence and idolatry, Rome is no better than Assyria, Babylon, Egypt, and Greece—all subject to withering critique in Book 18. Thus, Augustine's new definition does not retract but extends the polemic of City of God.
Electroanalytical determination of the sunscreen agent octocrylene in cosmetic products
Authors: Júnior J. B. G. , Araujo T. A. , Trindade M. A. G. , Ferreira V. S. 
Published: September 2011

SynopsisAn electroanalytical method was developed to detect and quantify the sunscreen agent octocrylene (OCR) in cosmetic products. The method was based on electrochemical reduction, using voltammetric techniques. OCR was reduced at −0.97 V vs. Ag/AgCl on a glassy carbon electrode using a mixture of Britton–Robinson buffer (0.04 mol L−1) and ethanol (7 : 3, v/v) as the supporting electrolyte solution. Under optimized conditions and square‐wave voltammetry, OCR response was linear from 5.0 × 10−6 to 8.0 × 10−5 mol L−1 (r = 0.9995), with a limit of detection of 2.8 × 10−6 mol L−1. The proposed electroanalytical method proved simple, fast and suitable for detection and quantification of OCR in samples of cosmetic products, with satisfactory results in the recovery test and analytical determination in real samples.
Sex differences in telomeres and lifespan
Authors: Barrett Emma L. B. , Richardson David S. 
Published: September 2011

SummaryMales and females often age at different rates resulting in longevity ‘gender gaps’, where one sex outlives the other. Why the sexes have different lifespans is an age‐old question, still fiercely debated today. One cellular process related to lifespan, which is known to differ according to sex, is the rate at which the protective telomere chromosome caps are lost. In humans, men have shorter lifespans and greater telomere shortening. This has led to speculation in the medical literature that sex‐specific telomere shortening is one cause of sex‐specific mortality. However, telomere shortening may be a cause for and/or a consequence of the processes that govern survival, and to infer general principles from single‐taxon studies may be misleading. Here, we review recent work on telomeres in a variety of animal taxa, including those with reverse sexual lifespan dimorphism (i.e., where males live longer), to establish whether sex‐specific survival is generally associated with sex differences in telomere dynamics. By doing this, we attempt to tease apart the potential underlying causes for sex differences in telomere lengths in humans and highlight targets for future research across all taxa.
Stem cell depletion in Hutchinson–Gilford progeria syndrome
Authors: Rosengardten Ylva , McKenna Tomás , Grochová Diana , Eriksson Maria 
Published: September 2011

SummaryHutchinson–Gilford progeria syndrome (HGPS or progeria) is a very rare genetic disorder with clinical features suggestive of premature aging. Here, we show that induced expression of the most common HGPS mutation (LMNA c.1824C>T, p.G608G) results in a decreased epidermal population of adult stem cells and impaired wound healing in mice. Isolation and growth of primary keratinocytes from these mice demonstrated a reduced proliferative potential and ability to form colonies. Downregulation of the epidermal stem cell maintenance protein p63 with accompanying activation of DNA repair and premature senescence was the probable cause of this loss of adult stem cells. Additionally, upregulation of multiple genes in major inflammatory pathways indicated an activated inflammatory response. This response has also been associated with normal aging, emphasizing the importance of studying progeria to increase the understanding of the normal aging process.
Evidence that adenosine triphosphate or a related nucleotide is the transmitter substance released by non‐adrenergic inhibitory nerves in the gut
Authors: BURNSTOCK G. , CAMPBELL G. , SATCHELL D. , SMYTHE ANNE 
Published: September 2011

Summary
. Stimulation of the vagal non‐adrenergic inhibitory innervation caused the release of adenosine and inosine into vascular perfusates from the stomachs of guinea‐pigs and toads.
. Stimulation of portions of Auerbach's plexus isolated from turkey gizzard caused the release of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), adenosine diphosphate (ADP) and adenosine monophosphate (AMP).
. ATP, added to solutions perfused through the toad stomach vasculature, was broken down to adenosine, inosine and adenine.
. Of a series of purine and pyrimidine derivatives tested for inhibitory activity on the guinea‐pig isolated taenia coli, ATP and ADP were the most potent.
. ATP caused inhibition of twelve other gut preparations previously shown to contain non‐adrenergic inhibitory nerves. The inhibitory action of ATP was not prevented by tetrodotoxin.
. Quinidine antagonized relaxations of the guinea‐pig taenia coli caused by catecholamines or adrenergic nerve stimulation. Higher concentrations of quinidine antagonized relaxations caused by ATP or non‐adrenergic inhibitory nerve stimulation.
. When tachyphylaxis to ATP had been produced in the rabbit ileum, there was a consistent depression of the responses to non‐adrenergic inhibitory nerve stimulation but not of responses to adrenergic nerve stimulation.
. It is suggested that ATP or a related nucleotide is the transmitter substance released by the non‐adrenergic inhibitory innervation of the gut.
Prostaglandins and the mechanism of analgesia produced by aspirin‐like drugs
Authors: FERREIRA S. H. , MONCADA S. , VANE J. R. 
Published: September 2011

Summary
. Resting splenic venous outflow from anaesthetized dogs contains prostaglandin‐like material: the concentration increases after intra‐arterial injections of bradykinin into the spleen, and is abolished by treatment with indomethacin.
. Intra‐arterial injections of bradykinin into the spleen of lightly anaesthetized dogs elicit a dose‐dependent reflex increase in the blood pressure, which is reduced but not abolished by treatment with indomethacin.
. Addition of prostaglandin E1 or E2 either by injections or by infusions restores the reflex increase in the blood pressure due to bradykinin injections after indomethacin treatment.
. The sensitizing action of endogenously released prostaglandins at or near the afferent nerve endings is discussed.
. The analgesic activity of aspirin‐like drugs is explained in terms of the removal of the sensitizing activity of prostaglandins.
THE DISTRIBUTION OF METHIONINE‐ENKEPHALIN AND LEUCINE‐ENKEPHALIN IN THE BRAIN AND PERIPHERAL TISSUES
Authors: HUGHES J. , KOSTERLITZ H.W. , SMITH T.W. 
Published: September 2011

A method is described for the rapid extraction of opioid peptides from the brain and other tissues. The method is based on acid extraction of tissues followed by adsorption of the extract onto Amberlite XAD‐2 resin. Elution with methanol separates the enkephalins and α‐endorphin from β‐endorphin.
Over 90% of the opioid peptide activity isolated from brain and gut of several species by our method was due to methionine‐ and leucine‐enkephalin. In contrast, the major opioid peptide activity recovered from the pituitary was due to peptides of much greater mol. wt. than the enkephalins.
An opioid peptide with properties unlike those of the known endorphins or enkephalins was present in brain extracts. This peptide, termed ∈‐endorphin, has an apparent mol. wt. of 700 to 1200; it constituted between 5 to 10% of the total opioid activity in our extracts.
A differential assay of methionine‐ and leucine‐enkephalin was made either by destroying methionine‐enkephalin activity with cyanogen bromide or by separating the peptides by thin layer chromatography.
The ratio of methionine‐enkephalin to leucine‐enkephalin varied greatly in different brain regions. The highest proportions of leucine‐enkephalin were found in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus.
Formaldehyde perfusion and fixation of the brain in vivo had no significant effect on the brain content of enkephalin, indicating that proteolytic breakdown is not a major problem in the extraction of these peptides.
It is suggested that the enkephalins may have a neurotransmitter role in both brain and peripheral tissues and that methionine‐ and leucine‐enkephalin may subserve separate neuronal functions.
PROSTACYCLIN (PGI2) INHIBITS THE FORMATION OF PLATELET THROMBI IN ARTERIOLES AND VENULES OF THE HAMSTER CHEEK POUCH
Authors: HIGGS E.A. , HIGGS G.A. , MONCADA S. , VANE J.R. 
Published: September 2011

Isolated rings of hamster aorta produced an unstable substance which inhibited platelet aggregation in vitro and had the same characteristics as prostacyclin.
Prostacyclin inhibited adenosine diphosphate (ADP)‐induced aggregation of hamster platelets in vitro.
The effects of prostacyclin on ADP‐induced platelet thrombi in the microcirculation of the hamster cheek pouch were studied with a television microscope.
Prostacyclin caused a dose‐dependent increase in the time of iontophoretic application of ADP which was required to induce platelet thrombi formation and embolization in venules (30 to 40 μm diameter).
Prostacyclin caused a dose‐dependent reduction in the total time during which ADP‐induced thrombi were observed following local electrical damage to arterioles (40 to 80 μm diameter).
Thrombus formation in venules and arterioles was abolished by 500 ng/ml prostacyclin in the Krebs solution superfusing the hamster cheek pouch.
Prostacyclin was approximately twenty times more potent than prostaglandin E1 in preventing thrombus formation in the microcirculation.
Relevance of the inner mitochondrial membrane enzyme F1F0‐ATPase as an autoantigen in autoimmune liver disorders
Authors: Preuß Beate , Berg Christoph , Dengjel Jörn , Stevanovic Stefan , Klein Reinhild 
Published: September 2011

AbstractBackground and AimsRecently, a non‐M2‐related mitochondrial 60 kDa protein found to be recognized by antimitochondrial antibody (AMA) negative sera from patients with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) has been shown to contain parts of the five F1‐ATPase subunits α, β, γ, δ and ε. In this study, we examined whether this enzyme is, indeed, a target antigen in PBC.MethodsAnalysed were 60 AMA‐positive/anti‐M2‐negative and 103 anti‐M2‐positive PBC patients, 46 patients with autoimmune hepatitis (AIH), 35 patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC), 110 patients with viral hepatitis, 40 patients with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), 33 patients with connective tissue diseases (systemic lupus erythematosus, mixed connective tissue disease, Sjögren disease, systemic sclerosis) and 25 blood donors. The F1‐ATPase‐subunits α‐δ were recombinantly expressed in Escherichia coli, purified and applied to ELISA and Western blotting.ResultsIn all, 40 of the 60 AMA‐positive/anti‐M2‐negative (67%) and 44 (43%) of the 103 anti‐M2‐positive PBC‐sera reacted with at least one of the F1‐subunits α‐δ. The β‐ and γ‐subunits were preferentially recognized. However, also up to 57% of patients with AIH and 34% of patients with PSC had anti‐β‐ or γ‐antibodies, while patients with viral hepatitis had these antibodies in up to 13%. Patients with IBD had anti‐β and anti‐γ‐antibodies in up to 20 and 5% respectively. None of the patients with connective tissue diseases had antibodies to the β‐ and only 6% to the γ‐subunit. Sera from healthy blood donors were negative.ConclusionsAntibodies to the β‐ and γ‐subunits of F1‐ATPase are further AMAs in PBC but occur also in other autoimmune liver disorders; they may be, therefore, indicators for a general autoimmune process of the liver.
Use of aDacron Shape‐Memory Intravascular Coil to Achieve Slow, Progressive Occlusion of the Jugular Vein in Dogs
Authors: Nanfelt Michelle R. , Marolf Angela J. , Powers Barbara E. , Monnet Eric 
Published: September 2011

ObjectiveTo investigate the ability of shape memory Dacron polymer vascular coils to induce the complete, gradual occlusion of the canine jugular vein.Study DesignObservational pilot study.AnimalsNine purpose‐bred dogs.MethodsEighteen coils were deployed in nine dogs using fluoroscopic‐guided percutaneous transvenous coil implantation. Individual coil formulations varied around a Dacron polymer base. Jugular vein diameter, percent vessel occlusion, and thrombus echogenicity were monitored at weekly intervals using ultrasonography. Affected jugular veins were harvested at 6 weeks post‐implantation and histopathological analysis was performed to assess adventitial fibrosis, intimal layer thickening, and inflammation.ResultsTen coils migrated from the jugular veins to the pulmonary vasculature within 0–2 weeks following implantation. Three jugular veins achieved at least 90% occlusion at six weeks. Histopathology of these jugular veins revealed marked perivascular thickening and fibrovascular proliferation, increased infiltration of macrophages, neutrophils and lymphocytes, and abundant fibroplasia.ConclusionsComplete, gradual occlusion of a jugular vein was achieved in three dogs. Significant vessel wall reaction and inflammation can induce gradual vessel occlusion when a Dacron coil remains implanted within the jugular vein. Dacron polymer coils could be a feasible treatment option for the gradual occlusion of congenital portosystemic shunts in dogs using minimally invasive, percutaneous transvenous implantation.