bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Prevalence of genes for enterotoxins, toxic shock syndrome toxin 1 and exfoliative toxin among clinical isolates ofStaphylococcus pseudintermediusfrom canine origin
Authors: Yoon Jang W. , Lee Gi‐Jong , Lee So‐Young , Park Chul , Yoo Jong‐Hyun , Park Hee‐Myung 
Published: May 2010

AbstractA total of 74Staphylococcus pseudintermediusstrains were isolated from the 99 clinical cases of canine pyoderma or chronic otitis in our veterinary teaching hospital during May 2006–February 2008. In this study, we examined the genetic distribution of staphylococcal pyogenic toxins such as staphylococcal enterotoxins A (sea), B (seb), C (sec), D (sed), E (see), and toxic shock syndrome toxin 1 (tst) as well as the previously characterizedS. intermediusexfoliative toxin (siet) among those isolates. The polymerase chain reaction analyses with the toxin gene‐specific primers revealed that 18 (24.3%) of 74S. pseudintermediusisolates carried thesecgenes, but none of thesea,seb,sed,seeandtstgenes. Further DNA sequencing analysis of the amplifiedsecgenes revealed that they all belonged to the canine type C staphylococcal enterotoxin (SECcanine) whose superantigenic activity has been demonstrated. In addition to theseccaninegenes, our polymerase chain reaction results showed that all the 74 isolates carried thesietgene. Since both SECcanineand SIET toxins are known to be biologically active, it would be interesting to investigate how those toxins are involved in the pathogenesis of the canine diseases byS. pseudintermediussuch as pyoderma or chronic otitis.
STEREOCHEMICAL STUDIES ON CYCLIC PEPTIDES.
Authors: Sarathy K. P. , Ramakrishnan C. 
Published: May 2010

A study of the conformational states of cyclic hexapeptides has been made, based on energy of conformations. Structures of cyclohexaalanyl and cyclohexaglycyl with twofold symmetry and having intracyclic 4 → 1 type of hydrogen bonds have been considered, taking into account hydrogen‐bonding, electrostatic interactions, and torsional distortions in addition to non‐bonded interaction.The results indicate that the conformation with the lowest energy is the same when the different energy factors are taken into account, both in the case of cyclohexaalanyl and in the case of cyclohexaglycyl. When the different types of conformations are compared, the effect of electrostatic interaction increases the difference in energy between the two possible different types of conformation A and B in the case of cyclohexaalanyl and A' and B in the case of cyclohexaglycyl, compared to the non‐bonded contribution alone. When the hydrogen‐bonding effect is included in addition to electrostatic and non‐bonded van der Waals interaction, the differences are brought down and the interpretations based on this are similar to those obtained from considering non‐bonded van der Waals interaction alone. Also, the most stable conformation is not the same as the one with the lowest hydrogen‐bond energy alone. The torsional and bond angle distortions do not appreciably affect the relative stabilities of these conformations. The theoretical results are compared with the available experimental data.
AMINO ACID COMPOSITIONS AND N‐TERMINAL AMINO ACID OF ALL THE TRYPTIC PEPTIDES FROM THE α AND β POLYPEPTIDE CHAINS OF ADULT HEMOGLOBIN OF THE JAPANESE MONKEY (Macaca fuscata fuscata)
Authors: Matsuda Genji , Maita Tetsuo , Ota Hisahiro , Araya Aiko , Tachikawa Isamu , Terao Yoji , Tanaka Yoshiro 
Published: May 2010

Globin prepared from adult hemoglobin of the Japanese monkey was separated into α and β polypeptide chains by the countercurrent distribution method. All the tryptic peptides obtained from these polypeptide chains were isolated and purified by column and paper chromatography. The amino acid compositions and the N‐terminal amino acid of these tryptic peptides were analyzed. The results thus obtained suggested amino acid exchanges between Japanese monkey and human hemoglobin, that is, at four positions in α polypeptide chain and seven positions in β polypeptide chain. In comparison with the α and β polypeptide chains of adult hemoglobin from the rhesus monkey, the α chain is quite the same, and it is considered that there is one amino acid exchange in the β chains.The outline of this work was presented at Symposium 5 (Biochemical Polymorphisms in Man and Other Primates and their Anthropological Implications) of the 8th International Congress of Anthropological and Ethnological Science (3–10 September 1968, Tokyo
PURIFICATION AND PROPERTIES OF CRYSTALLINE HUMAN CERULOPLASMIN
Authors: Nakagawa Osamu 
Published: May 2010

Crystalline human ceruloplasmin was prepared from a Cohn's fraction F‐IV‐1 of normal human pooled plasma, by procedures based on acetone fractionation and chromatography on DEAE‐sephadex A‐50.Needle‐shaped crystals of the human ceruloplasmin showed a single component on ultracentrifugation, electrophoresis and immunoelectrophoresis and had a sedimentation constant of 7.04 S and an electrophoretic mobility of 5.2 × 10–5 cm2 volt‐1 sec‐1. Light scattering of the ceruloplasmin gave a molecular weight of 160,000. Absorption coefficient at 610 nm was E1%1 cm 0.66, at 280 nm, 14.7 and the ratio E610 nm/E280 nm, 0.045. This protein provided 0.31% copper and contained serine, aspartic acid and valine residues as an amino terminal amino acid and showed an oxidase activity of 62 arbitrary units.
Changes in the selection differential exerted on a marine snail during the ontogeny of a predatory shore crab
Authors: PAKES D. , BOULDING E. G. 
Published: May 2010

AbstractEmpirical estimates of selection gradients caused by predators are common, yet no one has quantified how these estimates vary with predator ontogeny. We used logistic regression to investigate how selection on gastropod shell thickness changed with predator size. Only small and medium purple shore crabs (Hemigrapsus nudus) exerted a linear selection gradient for increased shell‐thickness within a single population of the intertidal snail (Littorina subrotundata). The shape of the fitness function for shell thickness was confirmed to be linear for small and medium crabs but was humped for large male crabs, suggesting no directional selection. A second experiment using two prey species to amplify shell thickness differences established that the selection differential on adult snails decreased linearly as crab size increased. We observed differences in size distribution and sex ratios among three natural shore crab populations that may cause spatial and temporal variation in predator‐mediated selection on local snail populations.
The small‐conductance calcium‐activated potassium channel is a key modulator of firing and long‐term depression in the dorsal striatum
Authors: Woodward Hopf F. , Seif Taban , Mohamedi Maysha L. , Chen Billy T. , Bonci Antonello 
Published: May 2010

AbstractThe striatum is considered to be critical for the control of goal‐directed action, with the lateral dorsal striatum (latDS) being implicated in modulation of habits and the nucleus accumbens thought to represent a limbic–motor interface. Although medium spiny neurons from different striatal subregions exhibit many similar properties, differential firing and synaptic plasticity could contribute to the varied behavioral roles across subregions. Here, we examined the contribution of small‐conductance calcium‐activated potassium channels (SKs) to action potential generation and synaptic plasticity in adult rat latDS and nucleus accumbens shell (NAS) projection neurons in vitro. The SK‐selective antagonist apamin exerted a prominent effect on latDS firing, significantly decreasing the interspike interval. Furthermore, prolonged latDS depolarization increased the interspike interval and reduced firing, and this enhancement was reversed by apamin. In contrast, NAS neurons exhibited greater basal firing rates and less regulation of firing by SK inhibition and prolonged depolarization. LatDS neurons also had greater SK currents than NAS neurons under voltage‐clamp. Importantly, SK inhibition with apamin facilitated long‐term depression (LTD) induction in the latDS but not the NAS, without alterations in glutamate release. In addition, SK activation in the latDS prevented LTD induction. Greater SK function in the latDS than in the NAS was not secondary to differences in sodium or inwardly rectifying potassium channel function, and apamin enhancement of firing did not reflect indirect action through cholinergic interneurons. Thus, these data demonstrate that SKs are potent modulators of action potential generation and LTD in the dorsal striatum, and could represent a fundamental cellular mechanism through which habits are regulated.
Reduction of adaptive genetic diversity radically alters eco‐evolutionary community dynamics
Authors: Becks Lutz , Ellner Stephen P. , Jones Laura E. , Hairston Jr Nelson G. 
Published: May 2010

Ecology Letters (2010) 13: 989–997AbstractAdaptive variation in the traits determining ecological interactions can lead to evolution so rapid that ecological dynamics change course while in progress (i.e., ‘eco‐evolutionary dynamics’). However, little is known about how the qualitative properties of eco‐evolutionary dynamics (e.g., cycling, equilibrium, etc.) are affected by the amount of heritable variation present. Here, we show that a change in the range of variation in a heritable prey defense trait determines what dynamics are observed in an experimental predator–prey system. We combine modelling and laboratory experiments to show that initial defense trait variation determines whether populations exhibit eco‐evolutionary cycles in which heritable variation is maintained, or converge to an equilibrium at which the prey population becomes monomorphic. Our results show how small changes in the amount of adaptive genetic variance initially present can radically alter eco‐evolutionary dynamics, and can ultimately determine whether heritable variation is maintained or lost.
Unrecognized bladder perforation with mid‐urethral slings
Authors: Foley Charlotte , Patki Prasad , Boustead Greg 
Published: May 2010

Study Type – Therapy (case series) Level of Evidence 4OBJECTIVETo present a series of women with late presentation of mid‐urethral synthetic slings perforating the bladder and their management, this is rare but can lead to significant morbidity with medico‐legal consequences.PATIENTS AND METHODSWe retrospectively reviewed the case notes of nine women with urinary symptoms referred to our unit for further investigation after synthetic mid‐urethral sling placement.RESULTSThe women presented between 8 weeks and 18 months after initial sling placement. Eight patients underwent a tension‐free vaginal tape insertion via the retropubic route and one patient had an ‘outside‐in’ obturator sling with the I‐Stop device (CL Medical, Lyon, France). The frequencies of presenting symptoms were: dysuria in six; recurrent urinary tract infection in four; frequency and urgency in four and pelvic pain in two. Seven of the nine women developed bladder calculi on the exposed sling material, all of which were visible on plain X‐ray. In six women, perforations were present at more than one site; in three urethral perforation had occurred together with an anterolateral bladder injury and in the remaining three there was bilateral bladder perforation. Initial management included cystoscopy and cystolithopaxy followed by transurethral resection (TUR) of the visible prolene mesh into the detrusor muscle. One woman required two TURs to clear all the mesh. Two women required further open surgery to remove all of the remaining mesh, both for ongoing pelvic pain that resolved after revision surgery. All the women had resolution of symptoms but all had recurrent stress urinary incontinence after tape division/excision. We used a novel technique to remove intraurethral mesh using a nasal speculum urethrally and excising the tape under direct vision, where resection proved impossible due to poor endoscopic views, with significant risk of sphincter injury.CONCLUSIONSThe possibility of unrecognized tape perforation or erosion must be considered in women with persistent urinary symptoms, infection or pain after any form of mid‐urethral sling procedure. Bladder stones almost invariably develop if the exposed mesh has been present for >3 months. Most patients can be managed with endoscopic resection to remove all intravesical tape. Cystoscopy should remain a mandatory procedure together with any form of mid‐urethral sling placement but does not prevent unrecognized perforations in inexperienced hands.
A 20‐year follow‐up of the mesh wallstent in the treatment of detrusor external sphincter dyssynergia in patients with spinal cord injury
Authors: Abdul‐Rahman Ahmad , Ismail Soran , Hamid Rizwan , Shah Julian 
Published: May 2010

Study Type – Therapy (case series) Level of Evidence 4OBJECTIVETo assess the long‐term (20 years) effectiveness of the UroLume wallstentTM (Pfizer Inc., UK) in the treatment of detrusor external sphincter dyssynergia (DESD) in patients with spinal cord injury (SCI).PATIENTS AND METHODSTwelve patients with quadriplegia secondary to SCI underwent external striated sphincter stenting with the UroLume wallstent in place of sphincterotomy for DESD ≈ 20 years ago. The mean (range) age was 41.8 (26–65) years. Eleven patients had cervical level injury whilst one had a thoracic injury. All the patients were shown to have high‐pressure neurogenic detrusor overactivity and DESD with incomplete emptying on preoperative video‐cystometrograms (VCMG).RESULTSSix of the 12 patients have now been followed‐up for a mean (range) of 20 (19–21) years. Of the remaining six, two were lost to follow‐up at 1 and 3 years, but both remained free of complications during that time. Two patients developed encrustation causing obstruction, requiring stent removal within 1 year of insertion. Another patient with an adequately functioning stent died 7 years after stent insertion from a chest infection. The twelfth patient developed bladder cancer 14 years after stent insertion and underwent cystectomy with urinary diversion. VCMG follow‐up of the six patients showed a significantly sustained reduction of maximum detrusor pressure and duration of detrusor contraction at the 20‐year follow‐up. Five of these six patients developed bladder neck dyssynergia of varying degrees as shown on VCMG within the first 9 years of follow‐up. All were successfully treated with bladder neck incision (BNI) where the last BNI needed was at 12 years. We did not encounter any problem with stent migration, urethral erosion, erectile dysfunction or autonomic dysreflexia.CONCLUSIONUrethral stenting using the UroLume wallstent is effective in the management of DESD in patients with SCI and provides an acceptable long‐term (20‐year follow‐up) alternative to sphincterotomy. The failures manifest within the first few years and can be managed easily with stent removal without any significant problems. Bladder neck dyssynergia was the long‐term complication which was treated successfully with BNI. It has no significant interference with erectile function, being reversible, minimally invasive and has a shorter hospital stay.
The 1 year outcome of the transobturator retroluminal repositioning sling in the treatment of male stress urinary incontinence
Authors: Rehder Peter , Mitterberger Michael J. , Pichler Renate , Kerschbaumer Andrea , Glodny Bernhard 
Published: May 2010

Study Type – Therapy (outcomes research) Level of Evidence 2cOBJECTIVETo evaluate the efficacy and safety of a transobturator retroluminal repositioning sling suspension in the treatment of male stress urinary incontinence (SUI) after prostate surgery.PATIENTS AND METHODSIn 118 men with SUI after prostatic surgery, a transobturator retroluminal repositioning sling suspension was implanted. Patients were evaluated including: complete history and physical examination, 24‐h pad test, a questionnaire (International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire, Short‐Form), urodynamic evaluation and endoscopy. The surgical technique was described previously. The findings before and at 1 year after sling placement were compared.RESULTSAt the 12‐month follow‐up, 73.7% of the men were cured, 16.9% were improved, and 9.3% were still incontinent. After sling placement the daily pad use decreased significantly (P < 0.001), while the ICIQ‐SF improved significantly (P < 0.01). The detrusor voiding pressure, postvoid residual urine volume and maximal flow rates remained unchanged, while the Valsalva leak‐point pressure improved significantly (P < 0.01). In 19.5% of the men, there was transient scrotal pain or perineal discomfort. In 5.1% of the men, postoperative urinary retention occurred but resolved spontaneously after a few weeks of catheter placement. In 1.7% of the men adductor pain was reported, which resolved spontaneously. There were no major complications.CONCLUSIONThe transobturator retroluminal repositioning sling suspension for the treatment of male SUI is effective and safe with a low complication rate after 1 year of follow‐up.
Change‐related responses in the human auditory cortex: An MEG study
Authors: Yamashiro Koya , Inui Koji , Otsuru Naofumi , Kakigi Ryusuke 
Published: May 2010

AbstractWe recorded cortical activity in response to the onset, offset, and frequency change of a pure tone using magnetencephalograms (MEGs) to clarify the physiological significance of N1m relating to the detection of changes. Four interstimulus intervals (ISIs) (0.5, 1.5, 3, and 6 s) were used for each of the three auditory events. Results showed that (i) all three auditory events elicited N1m with a similar topography and similar temporal profile, (ii) the source of N1m was located in the superior temporal gyrus (STG) for all events under all ISI conditions, (iii) the amplitude of the STG activity as a function of the duration of the steady state preceding the change was similar among the three events, and (iv) there was a significant positive correlation in amplitude between on‐N1m and off‐N1m and between on‐N1m and change‐N1m. These results suggested that N1m for the three events has a similar physiological significance relating to the detection of changes.
Electrophysiological correlates of language switching in second language learners
Authors: Van Der Meij Maartje , Cuetos Fernando , Carreiras Manuel , Barber Horacio A. 
Published: May 2010

AbstractThis study analyzed the electrophysiological correlates of language switching in second language learners. Participants were native Spanish speakers classified in two groups according to English proficiency (high and low). Event‐related potentials (ERPs) were recorded while they read English sentences, half of which contained an adjective in Spanish in the middle of the sentence. The ERP results show the time‐course of language switch processing for both groups: an initial detection of the switch driven by language‐specific orthography (left‐occipital N250) followed by costs at the level of the lexico‐semantic system (N400), and finally a late updating or reanalysis process (LPC). In the high proficiency group, effects in the N400 time window extended to left anterior electrodes and were followed by larger LPC amplitudes at posterior sites. These differences suggest that proficiency modulates the different processes triggered by language switches.
Adaptive immune regulation of glial homeostasis as an immunization strategy for neurodegenerative diseases
Authors: Kosloski Lisa M. , Ha Duy M. , Hutter Jessica A. L. , Stone David K. , Pichler Michael R. , Reynolds Ashley D. , Gendelman Howard E. , Mosley R. Lee 
Published: May 2010

J. Neurochem.(2010)114, 1261–1276.AbstractNeurodegenerative diseases, notably Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases, are amongst the most devastating disorders afflicting the elderly. Currently, no curative treatments or treatments that interdict disease progression exist. Over the past decade, immunization strategies have been proposed to combat disease progression. Such strategies induce humoral immune responses against misfolded protein aggregates to facilitate their clearance. Robust adaptive immunity against misfolded proteins, however, accelerates disease progression, precipitated by induced effector T cell responses that lead to encephalitis and neuronal death. Since then, mechanisms that attenuate such adaptive neurotoxic immune responses have been sought. We propose that shifting the balance between effector and regulatory T cell activity can attenuate neurotoxic inflammatory events. This review summarizes advances in immune regulation to achieve a homeostatic glial response for therapeutic gain. Promising new ways to optimize immunization schemes and measure their clinical efficacy are also discussed.
Robust anti‐arrhythmic efficacy of verapamil and flunarizine against dofetilide‐induced TdP arrhythmias is based upon a shared and a different mode of action
Authors: Oros A , Houtman MJ , Neco P , Gomez AM , Rajamani S , Oosterhoff P , Attevelt NJ , Beekman JD , Van Der Heyden MAG , Ver Donck L , Belardinelli L , Richard S , Antoons G , Vos MA ,   for the CONTICA investigators
Published: May 2010

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSEThe high predisposition to Torsade de Pointes (TdP) in dogs with chronic AV‐block (CAVB) is well documented. The anti‐arrhythmic efficacy and mode of action of Ca2+channel antagonists, flunarizine and verapamil against TdP were investigated.EXPERIMENTAL APPROACHMongrel dogs with CAVB were selected based on the inducibility of TdP with dofetilide. The effects of flunarizine and verapamil were assessed after TdP and in different experiments to prevent dofetilide‐induced TdP. Electrocardiogram and ventricular monophasic action potentials were recorded. Electrophysiological parameters and short‐term variability of repolarization (STV) were determined.In vitro, flunarizine and verapamil were added to determine their effect on (i) dofetilide‐induced early after depolarizations (EADs) in canine ventricular myocytes (VM); (ii) diastolic Ca2+sparks in RyR2R4496+/+mouse myocytes; and (iii) peak and lateINain SCN5A‐HEK 293 cells.KEY RESULTSDofetilide increased STV prior to TdP and in VM prior to EADs. Both flunarizine and verapamil completely suppressed TdP and reversed STV to baseline values. Complete prevention of TdP was achieved with both drugs, accompanied by the prevention of an increase in STV. Suppression of EADs was confirmed after flunarizine. Only flunarizine blocked late INa. Ca2+sparks were reduced with verapamil.CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONSRobust anti‐arrhythmic efficacy was seen with both Ca2+channel antagonists. Their divergent electrophysiological actions may be related to different additional effects of the two drugs.