bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Kimura disease of the eyelid in an Indian man
Authors: Lee Jason KS , Almousa Radwan , Thamboo Thomas P , Amrith Shantha 
Published: April 2009

AbstractKimura disease is a rare idiopathic chronic inflammatory disease, characterized by subcutaneous nodular lesions in the head and neck area. Ophthalmic manifestation of Kimura disease involves orbital and eyelid lesions mostly in Asian patients, but it has been described in White patients and Black Caribbean patients. Kimura disease is usually associated with eosinophilia and occasionally with renal disease. Here, we report a case of Kimura disease of the eyelid in a 50‐year‐old Indian man with eosinophilia. The main differential diagnosis was angiolymphoid hyperplasia with eosinophilia. Histology is crucial to separate these two entities, and our case was shown to be Kimura disease by histology. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a person of Indian origin to develop Kimura disease involving the eyelid.
A novel engineering method based on the critical plane concept to estimate the lifetime of weldments subjected to variable amplitude multiaxial fatigue loading
Authors: SUSMEL L. , TOVO R. , BENASCIUTTI D. 
Published: April 2009

ABSTRACTThis paper summarizes an attempt at proposing a new engineering method suitable for estimating the fatigue lifetime of steel‐ and aluminium‐welded connections subjected to variable amplitude multiaxial fatigue loading. In particular, the proposed approach is based on the use of the so‐called Modified Wöhler Curve Method (MWCM), i.e. a bi‐parametrical critical plane approach, whose accuracy has been checked so far solely in addressing the constant amplitude multiaxial fatigue problem. In order to extend the use of our criterion to variable amplitude situations, the critical plane is suggested here as being determined by taking full advantage of the maximum variance concept, that is, such a plane is assumed to be the one containing the direction along which the variance of the resolved shear stress reaches its maximum value. The main advantage of such a strategy is that the cycle counting can directly be performed by considering the shear stress resolved along the maximum variance direction: by so doing, the problem is greatly simplified, allowing those well‐established cycle counting methods specifically devised to address the uniaxial variable amplitude problem to be extended to those situations involving multiaxial fatigue loading. The validity of the proposed methodology was checked by using two different datasets taken from the literature and generated by testing both steel and aluminium tube‐to‐plate welded connections subjected to in‐phase and 90° out‐of‐phase variable amplitude bending and torsion. This new fatigue life assessment technique was seen to be highly accurate allowing the estimates to fall within the calibration scatter bands not only when the constants in the governing equations were calculated by using the experimental uniaxial and torsional fully reversed fatigue curves, but also when they were determined by using the reference curves supplied, for the investigated geometry, by the available standard codes. These results seem to strongly support the idea that, thanks to its peculiar features, our method can be considered as an effective engineering approach capable of performing multiaxial fatigue assessment under variable amplitude loading which fully complies with the recommendations of the available standard codes.
Substance P and cocaine employ convergent mechanisms to depress excitatory synaptic transmission in the rat nucleus accumbens in vitro
Authors: Kombian Samuel B. , Ananthalakshmi Kethireddy V. V. , Zidichouski Jeffrey A. , Saleh Tarek M. 
Published: April 2009

AbstractSubstance P (SP) has been reported to produce effects on excitatory synaptic transmission in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) that are similar to those induced by cocaine. To address the question of whether SP serves as an endogenous mediator producing cocaine‐like effects that are known to be D1‐receptor‐mediated, we tested the hypothesis that the effects of SP and cocaine on excitatory postsynaptic currents (EPSCs) in the NAc occlude one another. We report here that SP and SP5–11 actions occlude the effect of cocaine and vice versa. SP, SP5–11 and cocaine all depressed evoked, non‐N‐methyl‐d‐aspartate (NMDA) receptor‐mediated synaptic currents in a concentration‐dependent manner, with EC50 values of 0.12, 0.17 and 8.3 μm, respectively. Although cocaine was the least potent, it was most efficacious. SP, SP5–11 and cocaine all suppressed isolated NMDA receptor‐mediated evoked EPSCs. SP5–11 (1 μm)‐induced EPSC depression was blocked by the neurokinin‐1 antagonist L732138 and by the D1‐like receptor antagonist SCH23390. Pretreatment of slices with cocaine (30 μm) depressed the EPSC by 39.1% ± 4.8%. Application of SP or SP5–11 (1 μm) at the peak of the cocaine depressive effect on the EPSC did not produce any additional diminution of the response (5.7% ± 2.8%). In the reverse experiments, in which either SP or SP5–11 was applied first, subsequent application of cocaine at the peak of the peptide’s effect (30.3% ± 2.3%) produced a further but smaller depression (15.5% ± 3.6%) of the remaining EPSC. These data indicate that cocaine and SP produce similar effects on excitatory synaptic transmission in the NAc, and that their actions occlude one another. This suggests that SP may act like cocaine in its absence, and may be an endogenous trigger for the reward and behaviors associated with cocaine.
Learning to filter out visual distractors
Authors: Gál Viktor , Kozák Lajos R. , Kóbor István , Bankó Éva M. , Serences John T. , Vidnyánszky Zoltán 
Published: April 2009

AbstractWhen learning to master a visual task in a cluttered natural environment, it is important to optimize the processing of task‐relevant information and to efficiently filter out distractors. However, the mechanisms that suppress task‐irrelevant information are not well understood. Here we show that training leads to a selective increase in motion coherence detection thresholds for task‐irrelevant motion directions that interfered with the processing of task‐relevant directions during training. Furthermore, using functional magnetic resonance imaging we found that training attenuated neural responses associated with the task‐irrelevant direction compared with the task‐relevant direction in the visual cortical areas involved in processing of visual motion. The strongest suppression of functional magnetic resonance imaging responses to task‐irrelevant motion information was observed in human area MT+. These findings reveal that perceptual learning leads to the suppression and efficient filtering of task‐irrelevant visual information.
Comparing the role of the anterior cingulate cortex and 6‐hydroxydopamine nucleus accumbens lesions on operant effort‐based decision making
Authors: Walton Mark E. , Groves James , Jennings Katie A. , Croxson Paula L. , Sharp Trevor , Rushworth Matthew F. S. , Bannerman David M. 
Published: April 2009

AbstractBoth the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and mesolimbic dopamine, particularly in the nucleus accumbens (NAc), have been implicated in allowing an animal to overcome effort constraints to obtain greater benefits. However, their exact contribution to such decisions has, to date, never been directly compared. To investigate this issue we tested rats on an operant effort‐related cost–benefit decision‐making task where animals selected between two response alternatives, one of which involved investing effort by lever pressing on a high fixed‐ratio (FR) schedule to gain high reward [four food pellets (HR)], whereas the other led to a small amount of food on an FR schedule entailing less energetic cost [two food pellets, low reward (LR)]. All animals initially preferred to put in work to gain the HR. Systemic administration of a D2 antagonist caused a significant switch in choices towards the LR option. Similarly, post‐operatively, excitotoxic ACC lesions caused a significant bias away from HR choices compared with sham‐lesioned animals. There was no slowing in the speed of lever pressing and no correlation between time to complete the FR requirement and choice performance. Unexpectedly, no such alteration in choice allocation was observed in animals following 6‐hydroxydopamine NAc lesions. However, these rats were consistently slower to initiate responding when cued to commence each trial and also showed a reduction in food hoarding on a species‐typical foraging task. Taken together, this implies that only ACC lesions, and not 6‐hydroxydopamine NAc lesions as performed here, cause a bias away from investing effort for greater reward when choosing between competing options.
Differential loss and preservation of glutamate receptor function in bipolar cells in the rd10 mouse model of retinitis pigmentosa
Authors: Puthussery Theresa , Gayet‐Primo Jacqueline , Pandey Shilpi , Duvoisin Robert M. , Taylor W. Rowland 
Published: April 2009

AbstractPhotoreceptor degenerations can trigger morphological alterations in second‐order neurons, however, the functional implications of such changes are not well known. We conducted a longitudinal study, using whole‐cell patch‐clamp, immunohistochemistry and electron microscopy to correlate physiological with anatomical changes in bipolar cells of the rd10 mouse – a model of autosomal recessive retinitis pigmentosa. Rod bipolar cells (RBCs) showed progressive changes in mGluR6‐induced currents with advancing rod photoreceptor degeneration. Significant changes in response amplitude and kinetics were observed as early as postnatal day (P)20, and by P45 the response amplitudes were reduced by 91%, and then remained relatively stable until 6 months. These functional changes correlated with the loss of rod photoreceptors and mGluR6 receptor expression. Moreover, we showed that RBCs make transient ectopic connections with cones during progression of the disease. At P45, ON‐cone bipolar cells (ON‐CBCs) retain mGluR6 responses for longer periods than the RBCs, but by about 6 months these cells also strongly downregulate mGluR6 expression. We propose that the relative longevity of mGluR6 responses in CBCs is due to the slower loss of the cones. In contrast, ionotropic glutamate receptor expression and function in OFF‐CBCs remains normal at 6 months despite the loss of synaptic input from cones. Thus, glutamate receptor expression is differentially regulated in bipolar cells, with the metabotropic receptors being absolutely dependent on synaptic input. These findings define the temporal window over which bipolar cells may be receptive to photoreceptor repair or replacement.
Patterns of 15N assimilation and growth of methanotrophic ANME‐2 archaea and sulfate‐reducing bacteria within structured syntrophic consortia revealed by FISH‐SIMS
Authors: Orphan Victoria J. , Turk Kendra A. , Green Abigail M. , House Christopher H. 
Published: April 2009

SummaryMethane release from the oceans is controlled in large part by syntrophic interactions between anaerobic methanotrophic archaea (ANME) and sulfate‐reducing bacteria (DSS), frequently found as organized consortia. An understanding of the specifics of this symbiotic relationship and the metabolic heterogeneity existing between and within individual methane‐oxidizing aggregates is currently lacking. Here, we use the microanalytical method FISH‐SIMS (fluorescence in situ hybridization‐secondary ion mass spectrometry) to describe the physiological traits and anabolic activity of individual methanotrophic consortia, specifically tracking 15N‐labelled protein synthesis to examine the effects of organization and size on the metabolic activity of the syntrophic partners. Patterns of 15N distribution within individual aggregates showed enhanced 15N assimilation in ANME‐2 cells relative to the co‐associated DSS revealing a decoupling in anabolic activity between the partners. Protein synthesis in ANME‐2 cells was sustained throughout the core of individual ANME‐2/DSS consortia ranging in size range from 4 to 20 μm. This indicates that metabolic activity of the methane‐oxidizing archaea is not limited to, or noticeably enhanced at the ANME−2/DSS boundary. Overall, the metabolic activity of both syntrophic partners within consortia was greater than activity measured in representatives of the ANME‐2 and DSS observed alone, with smaller ANME‐2/DSS aggregates displaying a tendency for greater 15N uptake and doubling times ranging from 3 to 5 months. The combination of 15N‐labelling and FISH‐SIMS provides an important perspective on the extent of heterogeneity within methanotrophic aggregates and may aid in constraining predictive models of activity and growth by these syntrophic consortia.
Evidence for low‐titre infections in insect symbiosis:Wolbachiain the bark beetlePityogenes chalcographus(Coleoptera, Scolytinae)
Authors: Wolfgang Arthofer , Markus Riegler , Dimitrios N. Avtzis , Christian Stauffer 
Published: April 2009

SummaryWolbachiaare obligatory endosymbiotic α‐proteobacteria found in many insect species. They are maternally transmitted and often exhibit reproductive phenotypes like cytoplasmic incompatibility.Pityogenes chalcographusis a bark beetle causing severe damage in spruce stands. Its European populations are divided into several mitochondrial clades separated by partial crossing barriers. In this study, we tested a large sample set covering the natural range of the beetle in Europe for the presence ofWolbachiaand associations between infection pattern and mitotypes using a highly sensitive nested PCR technique. 35.5% of the individuals were infected with the endosymbiont and two distinct strains were identified. Both strains occur in low titre not accessible by conventional detection methods. The infections are present all over Europe, unlikely to cause the partial crossing barriers in this host and uncoupled from mitochondrial clades. This pattern is indicative for populations evolving towards endosymbiont loss and for repeated intraspecific horizontal transfer ofWolbachia. Alternatively, the low‐titre infections found inP. chalcographusare yet another example forWolbachiathat can persist in host species at low densities and frequencies.
Exenatide: a review from pharmacology to clinical practice
Authors: Gentilella R. , Bianchi C. , Rossi A. , Rotella C. M. 
Published: April 2009

Background:  Exenatide is an incretin mimetic that activates glucagon‐like‐peptide‐1 receptors. It blunts the postprandial rise of plasma glucose by increasing glucose‐dependent insulin secretion, suppressing inappropriately high glucagon secretion and delaying gastric emptying.Methods:  In seven clinical trials performed in 2845 adult patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus who were inadequately controlled by a sulphonylurea and/or metformin (glycosylated haemoglobin, HbA1c ≤11%), or by thiazolidinediones (with or without metformin) and treated for periods from 16 weeks to 3 years, exenatide (5 μg b.i.d. s.c. for the first 4 weeks of treatment and 10 μg b.i.d. s.c. thereafter) reduced HbA1c, fasting and postprandial glucose, and body weight dose dependently, and was similar to insulin glargine and biphasic insulin aspart in reducing HbA1c. Body weight diminished with exenatide, whereas it increased with both insulin preparations. Positive effects on the lipid profile and a reduction in C‐reactive protein were also recorded with exenatide. Treatment extensions up to 3 years showed that benefits were maintained in the long term. Adverse events were usually mild to moderate in intensity, and generally the frequency decreased with continued therapy. The most common was nausea (whose incidence may be reduced by gradual dose escalation from 5 μg b.i.d. to 10 μg b.i.d.), vomiting, diarrhoea, headache and hypoglycaemia (almost exclusively in patients treated with a sulphonylurea).Results and conclusions:  Exenatide is a new, promising therapeutic option for type 2 diabetic patients inadequately controlled by oral agents, before insulin therapy, offering the added benefits of body weight reduction and tight postprandial glucose control.
Long‐term 2‐year safety and efficacy of vildagliptin compared with rosiglitazone in drug‐naïve patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus
Authors: Rosenstock J. , Niggli M. , Maldonado‐Lutomirsky M. 
Published: April 2009

Aims:  To assess the long‐term safety and the sustained glycaemic control of vildagliptin compared with rosiglitazone over 2‐year treatment in drug‐naïve type 2 diabetes mellitus patients.Methods:  This was an additional 80‐week, multicentre, double‐blind and active‐controlled extension to a 24‐week core study comparing the treatments of vildagliptin (50 mg b.i.d., n = 396) to rosiglitazone (8 mg q.d., n = 202). The primary efficacy variable was the mean change in haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) from the core study baseline (day 1) to the end of 104 weeks (the extension endpoint).Results:  Vildagliptin and rosiglitazone showed statistically significant and sustained HbA1c reductions from a core mean baseline of 8.6 and 8.7% to 7.8 and 7.3% respectively (both significant, p < 0.001). However, rosiglitazone‐treated patients showed significantly greater mean HbA1c reductions (mean difference 0.62%, s.e. 0.13, p < 0.001) compared with vildagliptin. The overall lipid profile significantly improved with vildagliptin compared to rosiglitazone treatment. Body weight remained unchanged in vildagliptin‐treated patients despite improvements in glycaemic control but significantly increased (mean change from core study baseline 4.67 kg) in rosiglitazone‐treated patients (p < 0.001). Notably, a lower incidence of peripheral oedema was seen with vildagliptin (4.6%) compared with rosiglitazone treatment (11.1%). More serious adverse events (SAEs) occurred in vildagliptin‐ than rosiglitazone‐treated patients (12.5 and 9.1% respectively), but only one SAE each in both treatment group was suspected to be related to study drug. Three non‐study drug‐related deaths (vildagliptin: 2 and rosiglitazone: 1) were reported. Four mild hypoglycaemic events were observed with vildagliptin.Conclusions:  This study showed that the similar short‐term HbA1c reductions seen with both vildagliptin and rosiglitazone treatments were more durable after 104 weeks of treatment with rosiglitazone than vildagliptin. However, this greater durability with rosiglitazone was at the expense of weight gain (almost 5 kg), higher incidences of peripheral oedema and a less favourable plasma lipid profile compared with vildagliptin.
Autoradiographic observations on developing and growing claws of reptiles
Authors: Alibardi Lorenzo 
Published: April 2009

AbstractAlibardi, L. 2010. Autoradiographic observations on developing and growing claws of reptiles. —Acta Zoologica (Stockholm) 91: 233–241The present qualitative autoradiographic analysis aims to present the main features of morphogenesis and growth of claws in reptiles. Lizard embryos treated with tritiated thymidine reveal that epidermal cell proliferation in terminal digits is prevalent in the dorsal side and gives origin to the curved unguis of the claw. Less proliferation occurs in the ventral side of the digit tip where the concave sub‐unguis is derived. Adult claws of a turtle show that thymidine‐labelled cells are present along most of the epidermis of the claw, especially at the claw tip. Also, injection of tritiated histidine and proline, indicating active protein synthesis, confirm autoradiographic labelling along most of the epidermis of claws, in particular at the apical tip. The present study indicates that proximal matrix regions, as have been described in mammalian nails, are absent in reptiles. This pattern of claw growth probably derives from that of terminal digital scales. In fact reptilian (and avian) claws are formed from a modification of scales, a different condition from that present in mammals.
Effects of grape seed extract in Type 2 diabetic subjects at high cardiovascular risk: a double blind randomized placebo controlled trial examining metabolic markers, vascular tone, inflammation, oxidative stress and insulin sensitivity
Authors: Kar P. , Laight D. , Rooprai H. K. , Shaw K. M. , Cummings M. 
Published: April 2009

AbstractObjective  Current research has focused upon the potential links between novel markers of vascular risk such as endothelial dysfunction, oxidative stress, inflammation and insulin resistance in the pathogenesis of Type 2 diabetes and its complications. Grape seed extract (GSE), a flavonoid‐rich product, is a potential moderator of these markers. This study aimed to test the hypothesis that GSE may improve these markers in high‐risk cardiovascular subjects with Type 2 diabetes.Research design and methods  Thirty‐two Type 2 diabetes mellitus patients, prescribed diet or oral glucose‐lowering agents, received GSE (600 mg/day) or placebo for 4 weeks in a double‐blinded randomized crossover trial. Markers of endothelial function (measured by photoplethysmography), oxidative stress [total antioxidant status (TAOS), reduced glutathione (GSH)/oxidized glutathione (GSSG)], inflammation [highly sensitive C‐reactive protein (hsCRP), urinary albumin : creatinine ratio), insulin resistance [homeostasis model assessment–insulin resistance (HOMA–IR)] and metabolism (fructosamine, lipid profile) was measured at baseline and after intervention with GSE or placebo.Results  Baseline characteristics (16 male and 16 female): age 61.8 ± 6.36 years; body mass index 30.2 ± 5.92 kg/m2; diabetes duration 5.9 ± 2.14 years. Following GSE (but not placebo), significant changes were noted in fructosamine (282 ± 40.9 vs. 273 ± 50.2 mmol/l; P = 0.0004); whole blood GSH (2359 ± 823 vs. 3595 ± 1051 mmol/l; P < 0.01) and hsCRP (3.2 ± 3.65 vs. 2.0 ± 2.2 mg/l; P = 0.0006). Total cholesterol concentration also decreased (4.5 ± 0.96 vs. 4.3 ± 0.99 mmol/l; P = 0.05). No statistically significant changes were shown in endothelial function, HOMA–IR or TAOS.Conclusion  GSE significantly improved markers of inflammation and glycaemia and a sole marker of oxidative stress in obese Type 2 diabetic subjects at high risk of cardiovascular events over a 4‐week period, which suggests it may have a therapeutic role in decreasing cardiovascular risk.