bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Comparative expression pathway analysis of human and canine mammary tumors
Authors: Uva Paolo , Aurisicchio Luigi , Watters James , Loboda Andrey , Kulkarni Amit , Castle John , Palombo Fabio , Viti Valentina , Mesiti Giuseppe , Zappulli Valentina , Marconato Laura , Abramo Francesca , Ciliberto Gennaro , Lahm Armin , La Monica Nicola , de Rinaldis Emanuele 
Published: March 2009

AbstractBackgroundSpontaneous tumors in dog have been demonstrated to share many features with their human counterparts, including relevant molecular targets, histological appearance, genetics, biological behavior and response to conventional treatments. Mammary tumors in dog therefore provide an attractive alternative to more classical mouse models, such as transgenics or xenografts, where the tumour is artificially induced. To assess the extent to which dog tumors represent clinically significant human phenotypes, we performed the first genome-wide comparative analysis of transcriptional changes occurring in mammary tumors of the two species, with particular focus on the molecular pathways involved.ResultsWe analyzed human and dog gene expression data derived from both tumor and normal mammary samples. By analyzing the expression levels of about ten thousand dog/human orthologous genes we observed a significant overlap of genes deregulated in the mammary tumor samples, as compared to their normal counterparts. Pathway analysis of gene expression data revealed a great degree of similarity in the perturbation of many cancer-related pathways, including the 'PI3K/AKT', 'KRAS', 'PTEN', 'WNT-beta catenin' and 'MAPK cascade'. Moreover, we show that the transcriptional relationships between different gene signatures observed in human breast cancer are largely maintained in the canine model, suggesting a close interspecies similarity in the network of cancer signalling circuitries.ConclusionOur data confirm and further strengthen the value of the canine mammary cancer model and open up new perspectives for the evaluation of novel cancer therapeutics and the development of prognostic and diagnostic biomarkers to be used in clinical studies.
Methanol poisoning and long term sequelae – a six years follow-up after a large methanol outbreak
Authors: Paasma Raido , Hovda Knut Erik , Jacobsen Dag 
Published: March 2009

AbstractBackgroundMass poisonings with methanol are rare but occur regularly both in developed and in developing countries. Data from the poisoning episodes are often published, but follow-up-data is scarce. We therefore conducted a six year follow-up study after the large methanol outbreak in Estonia in September 2001.MethodsSurviving victims from the outbreak were contacted and invited to an interview and a clinical evaluation by an ophthalmologist and a physician. The patients that failed to respond were searched for in the Estonian Register of Population and through their General Practitioner.ResultsDuring the outbreak in 2001, 86/111 hospitalized patients survived: 66 without sequelae (Group I) and 20 with sequelae (Group II). Six years later, 26/86 were dead, 33/86 could not be tracked down, and so only 27/86 of these were followed up and examined: 22/66 of the patients in Group I, and 5/20 in Group II were found and examined. From Group I, 8/22 were identified with new neurological impairment and 8/22 with new visual disturbances after discharge. From Group II, visual disturbances (n = 4) and neurological impairment (n = 3) were still present in all patients. Among the 26 dead, 19 were from Group I, and seven were from Group II. Alcohol intoxication was the most frequent cause of death (7/26).ConclusionAll sequelae were still present six years after the initial poisoning suggesting that these were irreversible damages. On follow-up, apparently new neurological and visual complications were identified in 36% and 36%, respectively. 35% of the patients initially discharged with sequelae and 29% discharged without were dead six years later; 27% of them from alcohol intoxication.
Avian influenza virus (H5N1); effects of physico-chemical factors on its survival
Authors: Shahid Muhammad Akbar , Abubakar Muhammad , Hameed Sajid , Hassan Shamsul 
Published: March 2009

Abstract
Present study was performed to determine the effects of physical and chemical agents on infective potential of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 (local strain) virus recently isolated in Pakistan during 2006 outbreak. H5N1 virus having titer 108.3 ELD50/ml was mixed with sterilized peptone water to get final dilution of 4HA units and then exposed to physical (temperature, pH and ultraviolet light) and chemical (formalin, phenol crystals, iodine crystals, CID 20, virkon®-S, zeptin 10%, KEPCIDE 300, KEPCIDE 400, lifebuoy, surf excel and caustic soda) agents. Harvested amnio-allantoic fluid (AAF) from embryonated chicken eggs inoculated with H5N1 treated virus (0.2 ml/egg) was subjected to haemagglutination (HA) and haemagglutination inhibition (HI) tests. H5N1 virus lost infectivity after 30 min at 56°C, after 1 day at 28°C but remained viable for more than 100 days at 4°C. Acidic pH (1, 3) and basic pH (11, 13) were virucidal after 6 h contact time; however virus retained infectivity at pH 5 (18 h), 7 and 9 (more than 24 h). UV light was proved ineffectual in inactivating virus completely even after 60 min. Soap (lifebuoy®), detergent (surf excel®) and alkali (caustic soda) destroyed infectivity after 5 min at 0.1, 0.2 and 0.3% dilution. All commercially available disinfectants inactivated virus at recommended concentrations. Results of present study would be helpful in implementing bio-security measures at farms/hatcheries levels in the wake of avian influenza virus (AIV) outbreak.
Transforming Growth Factor-β1 Impairs Neuropathic Pain through Pleiotropic Effects
Authors: Echeverry Stefania , Shi Xiang Qun , Haw Alexandra , Liu g , Zhang Zhongwei , Zhang Ji 
Published: March 2009

Background Understanding the underlying mechanisms of neuropathic pain caused by damage to the peripheral nervous system remains challenging and could lead to significantly improved therapies. Disturbance of homeostasis not only occurs at the site of injury but also extends to the spinal cord and brain involving various types of cells. Emerging data implicate neuroimmune interaction in the initiation and maintenance of chronic pain hypersensitivity. Results In this study, we sought to investigate the effects of TGF-β1, a potent anti-inflammatory cytokine, in alleviating nerve injury-induced neuropathic pain in rats. By using a well established neuropathic pain animal model (partial ligation of the sciatic nerve), we demonstrated that intrathecal infusion of recombinant TGF-β1 significantly attenuated nerve injury-induced neuropathic pain. TGF-β1 treatment not only prevents development of neuropathic pain following nerve injury, but also reverses previously established neuropathic pain conditions. The biological outcomes of TGF-β1 in this context are attributed to its pleiotropic effects. It inhibits peripheral nerve injury-induced spinal microgliosis, spinal microglial and astrocytic activation, and exhibits a powerful neuroprotective effect by preventing the induction of ATF3+ neurons following nerve ligation, consequently reducing the expression of chemokine MCP-1 in damaged neurons. TGF-β1 treatment also suppresses nerve injury-induced inflammatory response in the spinal cord, as revealed by a reduction in cytokine expression. Conclusion Our findings revealed that TGF-β1 is effective in the treatment of neuropathic by targeting both neurons and glial cells. We suggest that therapeutic agents such as TGF-β1 having multipotent effects on different types of cells could work in synergy to regain homeostasis in local spinal cord microenvironments, therefore contributing to attenuate neuropathic pain.
Non-linear myofilament elasticity in frog intact muscle fibres
Authors: Edman K. A. P. 
Published: March 2009

SUMMARY
The aim of the present investigation was to elucidate the elastic properties of the myofilaments during tetanic activity in striated muscle. The study was carried out on intact single muscle fibres from the anterior tibialis muscle of Rana temporaria (2.0–2.5°C). The instantaneous stiffness was measured as the change in force that occurred in response to a high-frequency (2–4 kHz) length oscillation while the fibre was released to shorten against a pre-set constant load that ranged between 40 and 70% of maximum tetanic force in different experiments. Measurements of fibre stiffness were carried out, at a given load, both at 2.20 μm sarcomere length (S2.20), i.e. at full overlap between the thick and thin filaments, and at 2.60 μm sarcomere length(S2.60). The fact that the load on the fibre was constant during the stiffness measurements at the two sarcomere lengths implies that the stiffness of elastic elements, acting in series with the myofilaments, was constant at the two sarcomere lengths. The fibre stiffness was consistently lower at the extended sarcomere length, the S2.60/S2.20 ratio ranging from 0.83 to 0.97 at the different loads investigated. Based on the S2.60/S2.20 ratio, the compliance of the free portions of the thick and thin filaments could be calculated. The myofilament stiffness was found to increase progressively as the load was raised from 40 to 70% of maximum tetanic force. At 2.20 μm sarcomere length and at 40% of maximum load on the fibre, the calculated myofilament stiffness was approximately 2.5 times the maximum cross-bridge stiffness.
Energetic costs of detoxification systems in herbivores feeding on chemically defended host plants: a correlational study in the grain aphid,Sitobion avenae
Authors: Castañeda Luis E. , Figueroa Christian C. , Fuentes-Contreras Eduardo , Niemeyer Hermann M. , Nespolo Roberto F. 
Published: March 2009

SUMMARYHerbivorous insects have developed mechanisms to cope with plant barriers,including enzymatic systems to detoxify plant allelochemicals. Detoxification systems may be induced when insects are feeding on plants with increasing levels of allelochemicals. Increases in enzymatic activity have been related to energetic costs, and therefore less energy may be allocated to fitness-related traits. In this study, we explored the induction and energetic costs of detoxifying hydroxamic acids (Hx; a wheat allelochemical) in the grain aphid, Sitobion avenae. Aphids were reared on three wheat cultivars with different levels of Hx (0.26±0.08, 2.09±0.6 and 5.91±1.18 mmol kg–1 fresh mass). We performed a nested ANOVA to test the effect of Hx (main factor) and intrahost variation (nested factor) on body mass, standard metabolic rate (SMR) and the enzymatic activity of cytochrome P450s monooxygenases (P450s), glutathione S-transferases (GSTs)and esterases (ESTs). We found non-significant effects of Hx levels(P&gt;0.5 for all tests), but there was significant intrahost variation (P&lt;0.05 for all tests). In addition, we found a negative correlation between SMR and ESTs (P=0.003) and no correlation between SMR and GSTs or P450s (P=n.s after a Bonferroni correction). Multiple regression between SMR (dependent variable) and enzymatic activities(predictor variables) was significant (P=0.007), but detoxification enzymes only explained about 5% of the variation of SMR. Finally, we found a non-significant path coefficient between `metabolism' and `detoxifying capacity' (P&gt;0.05). These results suggest that increased enzymatic activities do not entail increased metabolic rate. Therefore, low energetic costs in aphids would facilitate the use of different hosts and promote a wider ecological niche.
Quantitative analysis of sex-pheromone coding in the antennal lobe of the moth Agrotis ipsilon: a tool to study network plasticity
Authors: Jarriault David , Gadenne Christophe , Rospars Jean-Pierre , Anton Sylvia 
Published: March 2009

SUMMARY
To find a mating partner, moths rely on pheromone communication. Released in very low amounts, female sex pheromones are used by males to identify and localize females. Depending on the physiological state (i.e. age, reproductive state), the olfactory system of the males of the noctuid moth Agrotis ipsilon is `switched on or off'. To understand the neural basis of this behavioural plasticity, we performed a detailed characterization of the qualitative, quantitative and temporal aspects of pheromone coding in the primary centre of integration of pheromonal information, the macroglomerular complex (MGC) of the antennal lobe. MGC neurons were intracellularly recorded and stained in sexually mature virgin males. When stimulating antennae of males with the three main components of the female pheromone blend, most of the neurons showed a biphasic excitatory–inhibitory response. Although they showed different preferences, 80% of the neurons responded at least to the main pheromone component (Z-7-dodecenyl acetate). Six stained neurons responding to this component had their dendrites in the largest MGC glomerulus. Changes in the stimulus intensity and duration affected the excitatory phase but not the inhibitory phase properties. The stimulus intensity was shown to be encoded in the firing frequency, the number of spikes and the latency of the excitatory phase, whereas the stimulus duration only changed its duration. We conclude that the inhibitory input provided by local interneurons following the excitatory phase might not contribute directly to the encoding of stimulus characteristics. The data presented will serve as a basis for comparison with those of immature and mated males.
A multifactorial test of the effects of carotenoid access, food intake and parasite load on the production of ornamental feathers and bill coloration in American goldfinches
Authors: Hill Geoffrey E. , Hood Wendy R. , Huggins Kristal 
Published: March 2009

SUMMARYIt has been well established that carotenoid and melanin pigmentation are often condition-dependent traits in vertebrates. Expression of carotenoid coloration in birds has been shown to reflect pigment intake, food access and parasite load; however, the relative importance of and the potential interactions among these factors have not been previously considered. Moreover, carotenoid and melanin pigmentation have been proposed to signal fundamentally different aspects of individual condition but few data exist to test this idea. We simultaneously manipulated three environmental conditions under which American goldfinches (Cardeulis tristis) grew colorful feathers and developed carotenoid pigmentation of their bills. Male goldfinches were held with either high or low carotenoid supplementation,pulsed or continuous antimicrobial drug treatment, or restricted or unlimited access to food. Carotenoid supplementation had an overriding effect on yellow feather coloration. Males given more lutein and zeaxanthin grew yellow feathers with hue shifted toward orange and with higher yellow chroma than males supplemented with fewer carotenoids. Parasites and food access did not significantly affect yellow feather coloration, and there were only minor interaction effects for the three treatments. By contrast, bill coloration was significantly affected by all three treatments. Carotenoid supplementation had a significant effect on yellow chroma of bills, drug treatment and food access both had a significant effect on bill hue, and food access had a significant effect on the yellow brightness of bills. Neither the size nor blackness of the black caps of male goldfinches was affected by any treatment. These results indicate that pigment intake, food access and parasite load can have complex and variable effects on color displays, and that feather and bill coloration signal different aspects of male condition.
Endogenous signaling pathways and chemical communication between sperm and egg
Authors: Krug Patrick J. , Riffell Jeffrey A. , Zimmer Richard K. 
Published: March 2009

SUMMARYRed abalone (Haliotis rufescens) sperm detect a waterborne chemical cue released by conspecific eggs, and change their swimming behavior to increase the likelihood of fertilization success. Previously, we isolated the natural sperm attractant by bioassay-guided fractionation and high-performance liquid chromatography, and chemically identified it as the free-amino acid l-tryptophan (l-Trp). In the present study, levels of this ecologically meaningful compound were quantified in various abalone tissues, and in freshly spawned eggs. Tryptophan was the least abundant of 19 dissolved free amino acids (DFAAs) in ovary, testis, foot muscle, gill, stomach and hemolymph. As a proportion of the DFAA pool,however, Trp concentrations were significantly elevated in eggs (three- to seven-times higher) relative to all other sampled tissues. Natural rates of Trp release from eggs also were measured and correlated with fertility. Fertilization success peaked during an initial 30 min period (post-spawn), but decreased to nil over the next 50 min. Closely paralleling these events, Trp accumulated in seawater around freshly spawned eggs for the first 45 min(post-spawn) before decaying rapidly from solution. Older eggs stopped releasing Trp approximately when they became infertile, revealing a critical link between gamete physiology and chemical signaling. This apparent negative feedback loop did not arise from tryptophan oxidation, uptake by bacteria in seawater, or a degrading enzyme released by eggs. As a metabolic precursor critical to development of the larval nervous system, Trp could be an honest indicator of egg fitness for prospective sperm suitors. Our results suggest that endogenous signaling pathways have been co-opted for external communication between gametes, as an adaptation to increase reproductive success by promoting sperm navigation towards fertile eggs.
Halogen-bonded and Hydrogen-bonded Network Structures in Crystals of 1-Propyl- and 1-Butyl-4,5-dibromo-3-methylimidazolium Bromides
Authors: Mukai Tomohiro , Nishikawa Keiko 
Published: March 2009

Abstract
Bromine substitutions in the 4 and 5 positions of 1-propyl- and 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium ions provide characteristic layer organizations in the crystals through halogen bonding and hydrogen bonding. The network structures strongly affect the alkyl-chain conformations.
Sleep Environment Risk Factors for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome: The German Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Study
Authors: Vennemann Mechtild M. , Bajanowski Thomas , Brinkmann Bernd , Jorch Gerhard , Sauerland Cristina , Mitchell Edwin A. ,   the GeSID Study Group
Published: March 2009

OBJECTIVE. Our goal was to investigate the risk factors for sudden infant death syndrome in the infants' sleep environment for a population in which few infants sleep prone as a result of education campaigns.METHODS. This was a population-based sudden infant death syndrome case-control study over 3 years (1998–2001) in Germany.RESULTS. There were 333 sudden infant death syndrome cases and 998 matched controls. Although only 4.1% of the infants were placed prone to sleep, those infants were at a high risk of sudden infant death syndrome. Those who were unaccustomed to sleeping prone were at very high risk, as were those who turned to prone. Bed sharing (especially for infants younger than 13 weeks); duvets; sleeping prone on a sheepskin; sleeping in the house of a friend or a relative (compared with sleeping in the parental home); and sleeping in the living room (compared with sleeping in the parental bedroom) increased the risk for sudden infant death syndrome; pacifier use during the last sleep was associated with a significantly reduced risk of sudden infant death syndrome.CONCLUSIONS. This study has clarified the risk factors for sudden infant death syndrome in a population where few infants sleep prone. This study supports the current recommendations of the American Academy of Pediatrics. This study has identified several novel risk factors for sudden infant death syndrome: an increased risk if the infants sleeps outside the parental home, death in the living room, and the high risk when sleeping prone on a sheepskin; however, because the numbers of cases in these groups are small, additional studies are needed to confirm these findings.
Resuscitation of Likely Nonviable Newborns: Would Neonatology Practices in California Change if the Born-Alive Infants Protection Act Were Enforced?
Authors: Partridge J. Colin , Sendowski Mya D. , Drey Eleanor A. , Martinez Alma M. 
Published: March 2009

BACKGROUND. The effects of the Born-Alive Infants Protection Act of 2002, which defines the legal status of live-born infants have not been evaluated.OBJECTIVE. To study neonatologists' perceptions and the potential effects of the Born-Alive Infants Protection Act and subsequent Department of Health and Human Services enforcement guidelines on resuscitation and comfort care for infants born at 20 to 24 weeks' gestation.METHODS. From August 2005 to November 2005, we mailed surveys to all 354 neonatologists practicing in California. Surveys asked physicians to characterize their knowledge of and attitudes toward this legislation and enforcement guidelines, current resuscitation and comfort-care practices for extreme prematurity, anticipated changes in practice were the enforced, and demographic information. We hypothesized that enforcement would alter thresholds for resuscitation and care.RESULTS. We obtained 156 completed surveys (response rate: 44%); 140 fulfilled criteria for analysis. More than half of the neonatologists had not heard of this Act or the enforcement guidelines. Screening examinations at birth were infrequent (&lt;20%) at gestational ages of &lt;23 weeks. Although 63% of neonatologists felt that the Act clarified the definition of born-alive infants, nearly all (&gt;90%) criticized the legislation; only 6% felt that it should be enforced. If it were enforced, physicians predicted that they would lower birth weight and gestational age thresholds for resuscitation and comfort care.CONCLUSIONS. The Born-Alive Infants Protection Act clarified the legal status of “born-alive” infants, but enforcement guidelines fail to clarify what measures are appropriate when survival is unlikely. The Act may constrain resuscitation options offered to parents, because neonatologists anticipate medicolegal threats if they pursue nonintervention. If this legislation were enforced, respondents predicted more aggressive resuscitation potentially increasing risks of disability or delayed death. Until outcomes for infants of &lt;24 weeks' gestation improve, legislation that changes resuscitation practices for extreme prematurity seems an unjustifiable restriction of physician practice and parental rights.