bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Motifs in health and disease: the promise of circuit interrogation by optogenetics
Authors: Tiesinga Paul H. E. 
Published: July 2012

AbstractIdentifying the dominant dynamical motifs in cortical circuits and determining their functional relevance is of the utmost importance to understand the underlying mechanisms of psychiatric diseases and to develop effective therapies. Optogenetics can be used to interrogate cortical circuits to determine the dominant motif and thereby identify the relevant biophysical time scales that set the oscillation frequency. We review how computational models of cortical networks can help guide optogenetics experiments. We focus our attention on the pyramidal interneuron gamma motif, which is comprised of reciprocally connected excitatory and inhibitory neurons, and determine how the different biophysical time scales of the circuit components are reflected in the resonance of the power in the local field potential at the frequency of stimulation as a function of that frequency. Cardin et al. [J.A. Cardin et al. (2009)Nature, 459, 663–667] find that periodic stimulation of inhibitory cells leads to a resonance at gamma frequencies (30–80 Hz), but that stimulation of excitatory cells does not lead to a resonance. We can account for these results when the pyramidal cells are endowed with an intrinsic frequency preference due to a slow hyperpolarizing current. Furthermore, when fast α‐amino‐3‐hydroxy‐5‐methyl‐4‐isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA)‐mediated excitatory currents are replaced by slow N‐methyl‐d‐aspartate (NMDA)‐mediated ones in inhibitory cells, the gamma frequency resonance is reduced; however, when the same replacement is made in excitatory cells, gamma oscillations are enhanced. The results are relevant to schizophrenia, because there is evidence that NMDA receptors on parvalbumin‐positive cells are primarily affected and that the regulation of gamma oscillations is impaired.
Changes in acetylcholinesterase in experimental autoimmune myasthenia gravis and in response to treatment with a specific antisense
Authors: Blotnick Edna , Hamra‐Amitai Yasmine , Wald Chen , Brenner Talma , Anglister Lili 
Published: July 2012

AbstractControlled regulation of synaptic nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (AChRs) and acetylcholinesterase (AChE), together with maintenance of a dynamic balance between them, is a requirement for proper function of cholinergic synapses. In the present study we assessed whether pathological changes in AChR perturb this balance, and whether such changes can be corrected. We studied the influence of AChR loss, caused by experimental autoimmune myasthenia gravis (EAMG), on muscle AChE, as well as the reciprocal effect of an antisense targeted towards AChE on both AChR and AChE at the neuromuscular synapse. The extensor digitorum longus (EDL) muscles of EAMG Lewis rats were isolated, and AChE levels and isoform compositions were examined. Although AChE levels in the muscles of healthy and EAMG rats were similar, marked changes were observed in isoform composition. Healthy EDL muscles contained globular (G1,2, G4) and asymmetric (primarily A12) isoforms. G1,2‐AChE was significantly reduced in EAMG muscles, whereas both G4‐ and A12‐AChE remained unchanged. Treatment of EAMG rats with the antisense EN101 resulted in decreased total muscle AChE, with recovery in G1,2 and reduction in A12‐AChE. AChE/AChR ratios were determined at the neuromuscular junctions (NMJ). The decrease in AChR levels that occurred as the disease progressed resulted in a dramatic increase in this ratio, and a significant recovery towards normal ratios occurred after EN101 treatment. This improvement was primarily due to increased synaptic AChR content. Our findings emphasise the tight connection between AChR and AChE at the myasthenic NMJ, and the importance of the AChE/AChR ratio in maintaining the required cholinergic balance.
Distinctive patterns of alterations in proton efflux from goldfish retinal horizontal cells monitored with self‐referencing H+‐selective electrodes
Authors: Kreitzer Matthew A. , Jacoby Jason , Naylor Ethan , Baker Adam , Grable Trent , Tran Emma , Booth Sophie Erwin , Qian Haohua , Malchow Robert Paul 
Published: July 2012

AbstractThe H+ hypothesis of lateral feedback inhibition in the outer retina predicts that depolarizing agents should increase H+ release from horizontal cells. To test this hypothesis, self‐referencing H+‐selective microelectrodes were used to measure extracellular H+ fluxes from isolated goldfish horizontal cells. We found a more complex pattern of cellular responses than previously observed from horizontal cells of other species examined using this technique. One class of cells had an initial standing signal indicative of high extracellular H+ adjacent to the cell membrane; challenge with glutamate, kainate or high extracellular potassium induced an extracellular alkalinization. This alkalinization was reduced by the calcium channel blockers nifedipine and cobalt. A second class of cells displayed spontaneous oscillations in extracellular H+ that were abolished by cobalt, nifedipine and low extracellular calcium. A strong correlation between changes in intracellular calcium and extracellular proton flux was detected in experiments simultaneously monitoring intracellular calcium and extracellular H+. A third set of cells was characterized by a standing extracellular alkalinization which was turned into an acidic signal by cobalt. In this last set of cells, addition of glutamate or high extracellular potassium did not significantly alter the proton signal. Taken together, the response characteristics of all three sets of neurons are most parsimoniously explained by activation of a plasma membrane Ca2+ ATPase pump, with an extracellular alkalinization resulting from exchange of intracellular calcium for extracellular H+. These findings argue strongly against the hypothesis that H+ release from horizontal cells mediates lateral inhibition in the outer retina.
A complicated pregnancy in a patient with lipodystrophic diabetes attributable to a peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor gamma (PPARG) mutation
Authors: Madhra M. , Noh R. M. , Zammitt N. N. , Patrick A. W. , Love C. D. B. 
Published: July 2012

Diabet. Med. 29, e398–e401 (2012)AbstractBackground  We describe an unplanned pregnancy in a 19‐year‐old with lipodystrophic diabetes caused by a mutation in the peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor gamma (PPARG) gene. The pregnancy was complicated by poor compliance with treatment, severe hypertriglyceridaemia and pancreatitis.Case report  The patient presented at 6 weeks’ gestation with an HbA1c of 140 mmol/mol (15%), cholesterol 8.1 mmol/l and triglycerides 20.1 mmol/l. She wished to continue the pregnancy so lipid‐lowering therapy was discontinued. She was severely insulin resistant and poorly compliant with diet and medication. A continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion was required for efficient delivery of large doses of basal insulin, alongside injected mealtime boluses, (up to 300 units insulin per day). At 17 weeks’ gestation she developed acute pancreatitis secondary to hypertriglyceridaemia (triglycerides > 100 mmol/l) and required plasmapheresis. Lipid‐lowering therapy was reinstated in the third trimester and plasmapheresis was required repeatedly to maintain triglycerides < 10 mmol/l. Delivery was arranged at 32 weeks, because of deteriorating glycaemic and lipid control (blood pressure was normal). Following betamethasone for fetal lung maturation, 20 units/h of intravenous insulin were required to maintain glycaemic control. A baby boy with significant subsequent developmental delay was delivered.Discussion  The features of PPARG mutations are discussed, with literature on lipodystrophy and pancreatitis in pregnancy reviewed. There are few documented cases of pregnancy in women with PPARG mutations. The notable features of this case include the consequences of non‐concordance with treatment, the use of continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion to treat insulin‐resistant diabetes and the need for repeated plasmapheresis during pregnancy to avert pancreatitis.
Assessing the impact of diabetes on the quality of life of older adults living in a care home: validation of the ADDQoL Senior
Authors: Speight J. , Sinclair A. J. , Browne J. L. , Woodcock A. , Bradley C. 
Published: July 2012

Diabet. Med. 30, 74–80 (2013)AbstractAims  Around a quarter of UK care‐home residents have diabetes. Diabetes is known to impact quality of life but existing diabetes‐specific quality of life measures are unsuitable for elderly care‐home residents. We aimed to develop and evaluate a new measure for use with older adults, to be particularly suitable for use with care‐home residents: the Audit of Diabetes‐Dependent Quality of Life (ADDQoL) Senior*.Methods  Content and format changes were made to the 19‐domain ADDQoL, informed by related measures for people with visual impairments (12 domain‐specific items were retained, four items were revised/added and three items were removed). This revision was modified further following cognitive debriefing interviews with three older adults living in a care home. Psychometric evaluation of the newly developed 17‐domain ADDQoL Senior was conducted using data from 90 care‐home residents with diabetes who took part in a broader intervention study.Results  The life domains most impacted by diabetes were ‘independence’ and ‘freedom to eat as I wish’. The ADDQoL Senior demonstrated good factor structure and internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.924). Domain scores were, as expected, significantly intercorrelated.Conclusions  The ADDQoL Senior measures the perceived impact of diabetes on quality of life in older adults, and has been found to be suitable for those living in care homes if administered by interview. The scale has demonstrated acceptability and excellent psychometric properties. It is anticipated that the number of items may be reduced in the future if our current findings can be replicated.
Immersion research education: students as catalysts in international collaboration research
Authors: Anderson K.H. , Friedemann M.L. , Bűscher A. , Sansoni J. , Hodnicki D. 
Published: July 2012

ANDERSON K.H., FRIEDEMANN M.L., BŰSCHER A., SANSONI J. & HODNICKI D. (2012) Immersion research education: students as catalysts in international collaboration research. International Nursing ReviewBackground:  This paper describes an international nursing and health research immersion program. Minority students from the USA work with an international faculty mentor in teams conducting collaborative research. The Minority Health International Research Training (MHIRT) program students become catalysts in the conduct of cross‐cultural research.Aim:  To narrow the healthcare gap for disadvantaged families in the USA and partner countries.Methods:  Faculty from the USA, Germany, Italy, Colombia, England, Austria and Thailand formed an international research and education team to explore and compare family health issues, disparities in chronic illness care, social inequities and healthcare solutions. USA students in the MHIRT program complete two introductory courses followed by a 3‐month research practicum in a partner country guided by faculty mentors abroad. The overall program development, student study abroad preparation, research project activities, cultural learning, and student and faculty team outcomes are explored.Results:  Cross‐fertilization of research, cultural awareness and ideas about improving family health occur through education, international exchange and research immersion. Faculty research and international team collaboration provide opportunities for learning about research, health disparities, cultural influences and healthcare systems. The students are catalysts in the research effort, the dissemination of research findings and other educational endeavours. Five steps of the collaborative activities lead to programmatic success.Conclusions:  MHIRT scholars bring creativity, enthusiasm, and gain a genuine desire to conduct health research about families with chronic illness. Their cultural learning stimulates career plans that include international research and attention to vulnerable populations.
In‐hospital paediatric accidents: an integrative review of the literature
Authors: Da Rin Della Mora R. , Bagnasco A. , Sasso L. 
Published: July 2012

DA RIN DELLA MORA R., BAGNASCO A. & SASSO L. (2012) In‐hospital paediatric accidents: an integrative review of the literature. International Nursing ReviewBackground:  Paediatric hospitals can be perceived by children, parents, health professionals as ‘safe’ places, but accidents do occur.Aim:  To review publications relating to in‐hospital paediatric accidents and highlight the state‐of‐the‐science concerning this issue especially in relation to falls, and the evolution of research addressing this issue.Methods:  Integrative review of papers published before March 2011 on accidents and falls occurred in hospitalized children. Electronic databases (PubMed, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature and Cochrane Library databases) and further hand searching through references were searched. The inclusion criteria were articles involving observational, quasi‐experimental or experimental studies in English or Italian. Exclusion criteria were articles addressing the outcomes of falls caused by suspect violence on children. Thirteen studies in English were included.Results:  Of the 13 studies conducted between 1963 and 2010, 10 had been conducted in the last 5 years; 10 in the USA. The studies were divided into two categories: contextualization and prevention of the ‘accident’ or ‘fall’ phenomenon (10 studies), and fall risk assessment (three studies). The most frequent type of design was observational explorative/descriptive. Several areas of investigation were explored (hazardous environment, children's characteristics correlated to accidents/falls, characteristics of the accidents/falls and their outcomes, paediatric fall risk factors and risk assessment tools, fall risk prevention programmes, parents' perceptions of accident/fall risks, etc.).Discussion:  No comparable methods were used to investigate the contextualization and prevention of the ‘accident’ and ‘fall’ phenomena; proposed fall risk assessment tools were not evaluated for their reliability and validity.Conclusions:  Consensus would be needed around the approach to accidents in terms of: the definition of ‘accident’ and ‘fall’; ‘fall‐related injury’ and respective classifications; the frequency and rate calculation methods; the tools used to assess the risk of falls; and evidence‐based practice aimed at preventing them.
Trade Openness and International Fragmentation of Production in the European Union: The New Divide?
Authors: Guerrieri Paolo , Vergara Caffarelli Filippo 
Published: July 2012

AbstractThe relationship between international fragmentation of production, trade openness, and global export performance in the European Union (EU) from 2000 to 2009 is analyzed. As most trade models featuring international production sharing show, higher levels of fragmentation and of related international openness improve the export performance of a country. The empirical analysis confirms this hypothesis. This paper estimates an error correction model on the panel of the EU Member States and finds that inter‐European fragmentation and openness significantly improve their long‐run export performance. Policy implications could be that restrictive policies preventing firms from internationalizing production would weaken a country's position in global production networks, with long‐term negative effects on domestic jobs and growth.
Is Globalization Driving Efficiency? A Threshold Stochastic Frontier Panel Data Modeling Approach
Authors: Mastromarco Camilla , Serlenga Laura , Shin Yongcheol 
Published: July 2012

AbstractIn an earlier paper the authors proposed a two‐step approach to examine dynamic transmission mechanism under which globalization factors foster technology efficiency. In this paper the MSS model is extended by combining a panel threshold regression technique. This threshold stochastic frontier panel data model enables the analysis of regime‐specific stochastic frontiers and complex time‐varying patterns of technical efficiencies in a robust manner. Using a dataset of 44 countries over 1970–2007, income elasticities of labor and capital and time‐varying common efficiencies are found to be substantially different under superior and inferior frontiers. Capital and labor inputs are more productive under superior frontier. More importantly, common efficiencies have steadily increased under superior frontier, but technical efficiency has monotonically decreased for low income countries, supporting the so‐called club convergence hypothesis. Furthermore, the VAR‐based impulse response analyses suggest that openness factors through FDI and trade help the countries to improve production technology and efficiency position relative to the frontier only after the country has reached a certain level of development.
Measure Words as Nouns: A Perspective From Silent Years
Authors: Watanabe Akira 
Published: July 2012

Abstract. This paper presents a novel type of evidence that measure words are nouns, not classifiers, in languages with numeral classifiers. The argument is based on striking similarities exhibited by expressions in English and in Japanese having to do with human age, especially when the head noun corresponding to ‘year’ is apparently missing. The most straightforward way of capturing these similarities is to treat measure words as nouns and posit a silent noun meaning ‘year’ in both languages.
China’s Growing Influence in Southeast Asia – Monetary Policy and Equity Markets
Authors: Johansson Anders C. 
Published: July 2012

AbstractThis study analyses the potential transmission of China’s monetary policy shocks to equity markets in Southeast Asia. Impulse response functions indicate that the impact of a monetary expansion in China is significant and positive for four of the five Southeast Asian equity markets. One explanation for this result is that monetary policy shocks in China lead to an increase in demand for goods and services in both China and abroad, which then shows up in the foreign equity market. The results in this paper provide evidence of China’s influence in Southeast Asia and its financial markets. The transmission effect is small and very short lived, but can be expected to increase if the current trends of a deepening economic integration between China and Southeast Asia and a maturing Chinese central bank continue.
Inequality Perceptions, Distributional Norms, and Redistributive Preferences in East and West Germany
Authors: Kuhn Andreas 
Published: July 2012

Abstract
This paper analyzes differences in inequality perceptions, distributional norms, and redistributive preferences between East and West Germany. As expected, there are substantial differences with respect to all three of these measures. Surprisingly, however, differences in distributional norms are much smaller than differences with respect to inequality perceptions or redistributive preferences. Moreover, individuals from East Germany tend to be more supportive of state redistribution and progressive taxation and they are less likely to have a conservative political orientation. I finally show that a substantial part of these differences in political preferences can be explained by underlying differences in redistributive preferences.
Combined effects of climate and management on plant diversity and pollination type in alpine grasslands
Authors: Hoiss Bernhard , Gaviria Julian , Leingärtner Annette , Krauss Jochen , Steffan‐Dewenter Ingolf 
Published: July 2012

AbstractAimClimate and habitat management are two key drivers for patterns of biodiversity, but little is known about relative importance, interactions and nonlinear effects of climate and management on species richness and trait variation of plants.LocationAlps (Germany).MethodsWe studied patterns of species richness and pollination types in 34 alpine grasslands along an altitudinal climatic gradient comparing grazed, mown and non‐managed grasslands. Two vegetation assessments were conducted in 2009 on ten 4‐m² plots per study site and per survey.ResultsIn total, 484 vascular plant species were recorded. Species richness peaked at intermediate temperatures and was highest in grazed grasslands compared with mown and non‐managed grasslands. No significant interaction between management effects and climate was found. Species richness of insect‐pollinated plants peaked at lower temperatures (higher altitudes) than species richness of wind‐pollinated plant species. The proportion of wind‐pollinated plants decreased with decreasing temperature, but the vegetation cover of wind‐pollinated plants increased with decreasing temperature.Main conclusionsOur results indicate that managing alpine grasslands by extensive grazing maintains high plant diversity over the full subalpine gradient. Rising temperatures with climate change and an upward shift of the diversity peak of plants might result not only in reduced overall diversity because of reduced grassland area at higher altitudes but also in changed species composition and adaptive potential of pollination types.
Evaluation of lidocaine treatment on frequency of cardiac arrhythmias, acute kidney injury, and hospitalization time in dogs with gastric dilatation volvulus
Authors: Bruchim Yaron , Itay Srugo , Shira Ben‐Halevy , Kelmer Efrat , Sigal Yudelecitch , Itamar Aroch , Gilad Segev 
Published: July 2012

AbstractObjectiveTo assess the efficacy of IV lidocaine in decreasing complication rate and improving the outcome in dogs with gastric dilatation volvulus (GDV).DesignProspective non‐controlled study of 83 lidocaine‐treated dogs with GDV compared to 47 untreated historical controls with GDV.SettingUniversity veterinary teaching hospital.AnimalsOne hundred and thirty client‐owned dogs with naturally occurring GDV.InterventionsStudy group dogs were treated at presentation with lidocaine (2 mg/kg, IV bolus) followed by constant rate infusion (CRI) of 0.05 mg/kg/min for 24 h. Historical control dogs did not receive any lidocaine.Measurements and Main ResultsThere were no group differences in age, body weight, time lag from onset of clinical signs to presentation, rectal temperature and pulse rate at presentation, and proportion of gastric wall necrosis. The proportions of cardiac arrhythmias and acute kidney injury (AKI) were significantly (P< 0.001 andP= 0.045,respectively) lower in the lidocaine group (10/83 [12%] versus 18/47 [38.3%] and 3/83 [3.6] versus 0/47). Median hospitalization time period was shorter (P= 0.05) in the lidocaine group compared to the controls (median 48 h; range 24–360 h versus median 72 h; range 24–144 h, respectively).Conclusion and Clinical RelevanceEarly treatment with IV lidocaine bolus, followed by CRI of lidocaine for 24 h post presentation decreased the occurrence of cardiac arrhythmias, AKI and hospitalization time period significantly in lidocaine‐treated dogs with GDV compared to untreated historical controls. Due to the nonblinded, placebo‐uncontrolled, nonrandomized nature of the current study, further evaluation of the efficacy of lidocaine in dogs with GDV is warranted.
The effects of intracerebroventricularly administered noradnamine and other sympathomimetic amines upon leptazol convulsions in mice
Authors: JONES B. J. , ROBERTS D. J. 
Published: July 2012

The influence of some intracerebroventricularly administered sympathomimetic amines on leptazol‐induced convulsions has been investigated.
Noradnamine and high doses of dopamine proved to be anticonvulsant and also antagonized the facilitative effects of reserpine.
Noradrenaline and octopamine also antagonized reserpine‐induced facilitation but were without effect on leptazol alone; by contrast tyramine and small doses of dopamine lowered the threshold for leptazol convulsions.
A possible interpretation of these results is presented.