bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Mice overexpressing wild‐type human alpha‐synuclein display alterations in colonic myenteric ganglia and defecation
Authors: Wang L. , Magen I. , Yuan P.‐Q. , Subramaniam S. R. , Richter F. , Chesselet M.‐F. , Taché Y. 
Published: July 2012

AbstractBackground  Prevalent non‐motor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease (PD) include gastrointestinal motor impairments and advanced stage PD displays pathological aggregates of α‐synuclein in colonic enteric neurons. We previously showed that 12 months old mice overexpressing human wild type (WT) α‐synuclein under the Thy1 promoter (Thy1‐aSyn) displayed colonic motor dysfunction. We investigated functional gut alterations at earlier ages and histological correlates.Methods  Defecation, gastric emptying (GE), and immunostaining for α‐synuclein, peripheral choline acetyltransferase (pChAT), tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS), and vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) in distal colon myenteric plexuses were assessed in male Thy1‐aSyn compared to littermate WT mice.Key Results  Thy1‐aSyn mice aged 2.5–3 or 7–8 months old had 81% and 55% reduction in fecal pellet output, respectively, in the first 15 min of exposure to a novel environment. The reduction remained significant in the older group for 2‐h, and subsequent refeeding resulted also in a 60% and 69% reduction of defecation in the first hour, respectively. Thy1‐aSyn mice (8–10 months) displayed increased α‐synuclein in the myenteric plexuses with abundant varicose terminals surrounding pChAT‐immunoreactive (ir) neurons, and only a few, nNOS‐ir neurons. There were no conspicuous changes in pChAT‐ and nNOS‐ir neurons, or TH‐ and VIP‐ir nerve fibers. Thy1‐aSyn mice aged 4–18 months had normal GE.Conclusions & Inferences  The occurrence of over‐production of pre‐synaptic α‐synuclein in colonic myenteric ganglia several months before the loss of striatal dopamine may provide an anatomical basis for interference with cholinergic neuronal activation, causing an early impairment in defecation to stimuli.
NrCAM‐regulating neural systems and addiction‐related behaviors
Authors: Ishiguro Hiroki , Hall Frank S. , Horiuchi Yasue , Sakurai Takeshi , Hishimoto Akitoyo , Grumet Martin , Uhl George R. , Onaivi Emmanuel S. , Arinami Tadao 
Published: July 2012

AbstractWe have previously shown that a haplotype associated with decreased NrCAM expression in brain is protective against addiction vulnerability for polysubstance abuse in humans and that Nrcam knockout mice do not develop conditioned place preferences for morphine, cocaine or amphetamine. In order to gain insight into NrCAM involvement in addiction vulnerability, which may involve specific neural circuits underlying behavioral characteristics relevant to addiction, we evaluated several behavioral phenotypes in Nrcam knockout mice. Consistent with a potential general reduction in motivational function, Nrcam knockout mice demonstrated less curiosity for novel objects and for an unfamiliar conspecific, showed also less anxiety in the zero maze. Nrcam heterozygote knockout mice reduced alcohol preference and buried fewer marbles in home cage. These observations provide further support for a role of NrCAM in substance abuse including alcoholism vulnerability, possibly through its effects on behavioral traits that may affect addiction vulnerability, including novelty seeking, obsessive compulsion and responses to aversive or anxiety‐provoking stimuli. Additionally, in order to prove glutamate homeostasis hypothesis of addiction, we analyzed glutamatergic molecules regulated by NRCAM expression. Glutaminase appears to be involved in NrCAM‐related molecular pathway in two different tissues from human and mouse. An inhibitor of the enzyme, prolyl‐leucyl‐glycinamide, treatment produced, at least, some of the phenotypes of mice shown in alcohol preference and in anxiety‐like behavior. Thus, NrCAM could affect addiction‐related behaviors via at least partially modulation of some glutamatergic pathways and neural function in brain.
Variation in OPRM1 moderates the effect of desire to drink on subsequent drinking and its attenuation by naltrexone treatment
Authors: Kranzler Henry R. , Armeli Stephen , Covault Jonathan , Tennen Howard 
Published: July 2012

AbstractTo evaluate the role of the functional Asn40Asp polymorphism in the mu‐opioid receptor gene on drinking behavior and naltrexone's ability to attenuate drinking, we used a daily diary method in a 12‐week, randomized clinical trial of naltrexone to reduce drinking. Participants (n = 158 problem drinkers) were assigned to receive either daily or targeted naltrexone 50 mg (n = 81) or matching placebo (n = 77). Patients reported by telephone each evening their current desire to drink and their drinking during the previous night and during the reporting day. We examined genotype, medication, desire to drink and their interactions as predictors of nighttime drinks consumed, controlling for drinking earlier in the day. Asp40 carriers showed a stronger positive association between evening desire (deviations from their mean levels) and later night drinking levels than Asn40 homozygotes (P = 0.019). The desire × genotype × medication condition interaction was also significant (P = 0.009), with a significant desire × genotype interaction for the placebo group (
P = 0.001) but not for the naltrexone group (P = 0.74). In summary, when the evening level of desire to drink was relatively high, Asp40 allele carriers were at greater risk than Asn40 homozygotes to drink more, which was attenuated by naltrexone. Although average measures across the study were not informative, daily reports helped to demonstrate the moderating effects of genetic variation on the relation between desire to drink and alcohol consumption and the effects of naltrexone on that phenotype.
Expression of Mn‐SOD, iNOS and eNOS mRNAs in Osteoblasts from the Maxilla of Osteopetrotic Mice
Authors: Kuwana M. , Watanabe H. , Abe S. , Yanagisawa T. , Sasaki J. 
Published: July 2012

SummaryActive oxygens and free radicals are involved in the metabolism and clinical conditions of tissues; however, little is known about the localisation and expression levels of associated enzymes. The expressions of active oxygens, free radicals and associated enzymes are reported to be site‐specific; therefore, the expression states of free radical enzymes differ between sites, even within the same cell. In particular, there has been no report concerning the catabolic enzymes of active oxygens in osteoblasts of the maxilla, other than normal osteoblasts that were weakly positive by immunohistochemical staining. We conducted this study to elucidate the relationship between osteodystrophy and radical‐associated enzymes by investigating mRNAs of enzymes associated with active oxygens and free radicals using osteoblasts from the maxilla of normal and osteopetrotic model (op/op) mice. In op/op mouse maxilla osteoblasts, mRNAs of Mn‐SOD, i‐NOS and e‐NOS were strongly positive. Mn‐SOD and iNOS enzymes were considered to be highly expressed in osteoblasts of the narrowed medullary cavity of this bone.
Relationship between litters per sow per year sire breeding values and sire progeny means for farrowing rate, removal parity and lifetime born alive
Authors: Abell C.E. , Mabry J.W. , Dekkers J.C.M. , Stalder K.J. 
Published: July 2012

SummaryThe objective of this study was to determine the relationship between individual sire estimated breeding values (EBV) for litters/sow/year (LSY) and sire progeny means for farrowing rate (FR), removal parity and lifetime born alive (LTBA). Genetic parameters and breeding values were estimated using ASREML. The heritability estimate for LSY was 0.11. When all sires with 10 or more daughters with records were included in the analysis, Spearman rank correlations between the sire's LSY EBV and the sires' daughter means for FR, removal parity and LTBA were 0.49, 0.23 and 0.25 (p < 0.01). The sire EBV for LSY was favourably correlated with sires' daughter means for all three traits. This provides evidence that selecting sires with high EBV for LSY could improve herd FR, removal parity and LTBA. By including LSY as part of the selection criterion, the LTBA may be indirectly improved. The positive genetic correlation between LTBA and LSY may be a result of the improved longevity of sows with greater LSY compared with sows with lower LSY. The relationships between LSY and FR, removal parity and LTBA are strongly supported by the correlations between the sire progeny means for each trait and the sire LSY EBV.
A possible chemopreventive role for photodynamic therapy in Gorlin syndrome: a report of basal cell carcinoma reduction and review of literature
Authors: Wolfe Christopher M. , Green W. Harris , Cognetta Armand B. , Hatfield H. Keith 
Published: July 2012

AbstractMultiple basal cell carcinomas (BCC) are a significant cause of morbidity and disfigurement in patients with naevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome (NBCCS). Chemopreventive strategies are needed to reduce the formation of new BCC in these patients. Appropriate evidence‐based guidelines for photodynamic therapy chemoprevention in NBCCS do not exist. We herein report one patient treated with methyl aminolevulinate PDT with red light (630 nm) activation to continue sustained chemoprevention following other BCC chemopreventive modalities and a relevant literature review.
Movement and phenology of bees in a subtropical Australian agricultural landscape
Authors: CUNNINGHAM SAUL A. , SCHELLHORN NANCY A. , MARCORA ANNA , BATLEY MICHAEL 
Published: July 2012

AbstractBees are mobile organisms that seek food and nesting opportunities from a range of habitats. It is important to understand the way they move in agricultural landscapes if we are to conserve them and benefit from their activity as pollinators. We surveyed bees using directional flight interception (Malaise) traps over a 1‐year period in two agricultural landscapes in south‐east Queensland, Australia. We placed traps at the ecotone between crops and remnant vegetation to establish the pattern of movement between these habitats. Species richness in these landscapes (70) was high relative to that in comparable studies. Some bees were active year round, but most were caught in the period September to March. Across the whole assemblage there was a significant pattern where more species were detected leaving rather than entering remnant vegetation. The same bias was true for the number of individuals of the two most abundant species (Homalictus urbanus and Apis mellifera). Species exclusively found in crops were smaller on average (and therefore have smaller foraging range) than their non‐crop counterparts. Together, these patterns indicate that while bees are abundant in crop habitat, the remnant vegetation is important as the point of origin for bee movements, and the riparian remnant in particular is richer than the dry native remnant. Compositional similarity among samples was significantly explained by landscape but also movement direction (i.e. to or from the riparian remnant) because different species showed different patterns of response. The landscape with greater native vegetation cover supported more species in and around crops than the landscape with less native vegetation.
Communication before coherence
Authors: Rolls Edmund T. , Webb Tristan J. , Deco Gustavo 
Published: July 2012

AbstractThe hypothesis of communication through coherence proposes that coherent or synchronous oscillations in connected neural systems can promote communication. It has been applied mainly to how oscillations interact in connected networks. We tested by simulations whether information transmission about an external stimulus from one network to a second network is influenced by gamma oscillations, by whether the oscillations are coherent, and by their phase. Gamma oscillations were induced by increasing the relative conductance of AMPA to NMDA excitatory synapses. It was found that small associative connection strengths between the networks were sufficient to produce information transmission (measured by Shannon mutual information) such that the second attractor network took the correct decision based on the state of the first network. Although gamma oscillations were present in both networks, the synaptic connections sufficient for perfect information transmission about the stimulus presented to the network (100% correct, 1 bit of information) were insufficiently strong to produce coherence, or phase‐locking, between the two networks; this only occurred when the synaptic strengths between the networks were increased by > 10 ×. Further, the phase of the oscillations between the networks did not influence the information transmission or its speed at these connection strengths. Moreover, information transmission was as good when the AMPA‐to‐NMDA ratio was reduced to its normal value, and oscillations were not present. Similar results were found when the second network was not an attractor decision‐making network. Thus information transmission can occur before synapses have been made sufficiently strong to produce coherence.
Functional characterization of ether‐à‐go‐go‐related gene potassium channels in midbrain dopamine neurons – implications for a role in depolarization block
Authors: Ji Huifang , Tucker Kristal R. , Putzier Ilva , Huertas Marco A. , Horn John P. , Canavier Carmen C. , Levitan Edwin S. , Shepard Paul D. 
Published: July 2012

AbstractBursting activity by midbrain dopamine neurons reflects the complex interplay between their intrinsic pacemaker activity and synaptic inputs. Although the precise mechanism responsible for the generation and modulation of bursting in vivo has yet to be established, several ion channels have been implicated in the process. Previous studies with nonselective blockers suggested that ether‐à‐go‐go‐related gene (ERG) K+ channels are functionally significant. Here, electrophysiology with selective chemical and peptide ERG channel blockers (E‐4031 and rBeKm‐1) and computational methods were used to define the contribution made by ERG channels to the firing properties of midbrain dopamine neurons in vivo and in vitro. Selective ERG channel blockade increased the frequency of spontaneous activity as well as the response to depolarizing current pulses without altering spike frequency adaptation. ERG channel block also accelerated entry into depolarization inactivation during bursts elicited by virtual NMDA receptors generated with the dynamic clamp, and significantly prolonged the duration of the sustained depolarization inactivation that followed pharmacologically evoked bursts. In vivo, somatic ERG blockade was associated with an increase in bursting activity attributed to a reduction in doublet firing. Taken together, these results show that dopamine neuron ERG K+ channels play a prominent role in limiting excitability and in minimizing depolarization inactivation. As the therapeutic actions of antipsychotic drugs are associated with depolarization inactivation of dopamine neurons and blockade of cardiac ERG channels is a prominent side effect of these drugs, ERG channels in the central nervous system may represent a novel target for antipsychotic drug development.
Cenozoic evolution of Muricidae (Mollusca, Neogastropoda) in the Southern Ocean, with the description of a new subfamily
Authors: Barco Andrea , Schiaparelli Stefano , Houart Roland , Oliverio Marco 
Published: July 2012

Barco, A., Schiaparelli, S., Houart, R. & Oliverio, M. (2012). Cenozoic evolution of Muricidae (Mollusca, Neogastropoda) in the Southern Ocean, with the description of a new subfamily. —Zoologica Scripta, 41, 596–616.Gastropods are among the most studied group in Antarctica, and taxa with an advanced status of systematic knowledge can be used as a model to study how oceanographic and climatic patterns shaped Recent faunal assemblages. Within the ongoing study of the muricid phylogeny, we have analysed molecular and morphological data from species traditionally ascribed to the muricid subfamily Trophoninae. Particularly, the availability of specimens collected in the Southern Ocean and surrounding basins allowed to demonstrate as the genera Pagodula, Xymenopsis, Xymene and Trophonella, which are traditionally classified in the Trophoninae, actually belong to a distinct lineage, for which the new subfamily Pagodulinae is herein introduced. We propose and discuss a possible framework for the origin and radiation of Antarctic muricids.
Impact of postprandial glycaemia on health and prevention of disease
Authors: Blaak E. E. , Antoine J.‐M. , Benton D. , Björck I. , Bozzetto L. , Brouns F. , Diamant M. , Dye L. , Hulshof T. , Holst J. J. , Lamport D. J. , Laville M. , Lawton C. L. , Meheust A. , Nilson A. , Normand S. , Rivellese A. A. , Theis S. , Torekov S. S. , Vinoy S. 
Published: July 2012

SummaryPostprandial glucose, together with related hyperinsulinemia and lipidaemia, has been implicated in the development of chronic metabolic diseases like obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and cardiovascular disease (CVD). In this review, available evidence is discussed on postprandial glucose in relation to body weight control, the development of oxidative stress, T2DM, and CVD and in maintaining optimal exercise and cognitive performance. There is mechanistic evidence linking postprandial glycaemia or glycaemic variability to the development of these conditions or in the impairment in cognitive and exercise performance. Nevertheless, postprandial glycaemia is interrelated with many other (risk) factors as well as to fasting glucose. In many studies, meal‐related glycaemic response is not sufficiently characterized, or the methodology with respect to the description of food or meal composition, or the duration of the measurement of postprandial glycaemia is limited. It is evident that more randomized controlled dietary intervention trials using effective low vs. high glucose response diets are necessary in order to draw more definite conclusions on the role of postprandial glycaemia in relation to health and disease. Also of importance is the evaluation of the potential role of the time course of postprandial glycaemia.
Missed epidemics and missing links: international birth cohort trends in multiple sclerosis
Authors: Ajdacic‐Gross V. , Tschopp A. , Schmid M. , Bopp M. , Gutzwiller F. 
Published: July 2012

Background and purposeMany hypotheses on the etiopathogenesis of multiple sclerosis (MS) focus on risk factors occurring early in life. This study examined the variability of birth cohort trends in international MS data by means of age‐period‐cohort (APC) analysis.MethodsThe data from 25 countries were taken from the WHO mortality database. Data were encoded according to the International Classification of Diseases and covered slightly varying periods between 1951 and 2009. The APC analyses were based on logit models applied to cohort tables with 5‐year age‐ and period intervals.ResultsIn most countries, the birth cohort estimates peaked in those born in the first half of the 20th century. In countries from Central and Western Europe, the peak concerned those born before and around 1920. A second group of countries (Denmark, Sweden, Italy, Ireland, Scotland) shared a later peak amongst cohorts born in the 1920s and 1930s. Group 3 included Commonwealth countries, the USA and Norway, with a double or extended peak starting in the 1910s or 1920s, and ending by the 1950s. The fourth group, consisting of Mediterranean countries and Finland, was characterized by a steady increase in the birth cohort estimates until the 1950s. The fifth group with countries from Eastern Europe and Japan showed no particular pattern.ConclusionsBirth cohort trends have influenced the change in MS risk across the 20th century in many Western countries. This silent epidemic points to a most important but unknown latent risk factor in MS.
First evidence of bacterial biofilms in the anaerobe part of scalp hair follicles: a pilot comparative study in folliculitis decalvans
Authors: Matard B. , Meylheuc T. , Briandet R. , Casin I. , Assouly P. , Cavelier–balloy B. , Reygagne P. 
Published: July 2012

AbstractBackground  The cause of folliculitis decalvans (FD) remains unknown. We hypothesized that a bacterial biofilm could be involved in its pathogenesis.Objective  To assess the presence or not of a bacterial biofilm in the hair roots of the scalp in FD.Patients and methods  Hairs plucked from four patients and three controls were examined by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM).Results  Bacterial communities organized as biofilms were observed both by FESEM and CLSM in the under infundibular part of hair follicles in all patients and in two of the three controls. In patients and controls, these biofilms were formed exclusively of bacilli of comparable shapes.Conclusion  This pilot study provides the first evidence of the presence of bacterial biofilms in the infra infundibular part of human scalp hair follicles. These biofilms were detected both in FD patients and controls, suggesting their ubiquity as a commensal biofilm with a possible pathogenic shift in FD.
Tooth development in a model reptile: functional and null generation teeth in the gecko Paroedura picta
Authors: Zahradnicek Oldrich , Horacek Ivan , Tucker Abigail S. 
Published: July 2012

AbstractThis paper describes tooth development in a basal squamate, Paroedura picta. Due to its reproductive strategy, mode of development and position within the reptiles, this gecko represents an excellent model organism for the study of reptile development. Here we document the dental pattern and development of non‐functional (null generation) and functional generations of teeth during embryonic development. Tooth development is followed from initiation to cytodifferentiation and ankylosis, as the tooth germs develop from bud, through cap to bell stages. The fate of the single generation of non‐functional (null generation) teeth is shown to be variable, with some teeth being expelled from the oral cavity, while others are incorporated into the functional bone and teeth, or are absorbed. Fate appears to depend on the initiation site within the oral cavity, with the first null generation teeth forming before formation of the dental lamina. We show evidence for a stratum intermedium layer in the enamel epithelium of functional teeth and show that the bicuspid shape of the teeth is created by asymmetrical deposition of enamel, and not by folding of the inner dental epithelium as observed in mammals.