bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Relationship of peak growth hormone to cardiovascular parameters, waist circumference, lipids and glucose in HIV‐infected patients and healthy adults
Authors: Lo Janet , You Sung M. , Wei Jeffrey , Canavan Bridget , Grinspoon Steven 
Published: April 2009

SummaryObjective  Relative growth hormone (GH) deficiency is highly prevalent in patients with HIV. The purpose of this study was to investigate relationships of GH to metabolic and anthropometric parameters in HIV patients and non‐HIV controls.Design  Peak GH and metabolic parameters were assessed in a cross‐sectional study of 191 HIV patients and 62 age and BMI‐matched healthy controls.Methods  Peak GH was assessed by GHRH/arginine stimulation testing.Results  HIV patients demonstrated similar BMI, but increased waist circumference (WC) and reduced peak GH to GHRH/arginine compared with control subjects [median = 12·4 (interquartile range: 6·3–24·8) vs. 21·3 (8·8, 34·5) μg/l, P = 0·006, HIV vs. control]. Among HIV and non‐HIV groups, peak GH was inversely associated with WC (rho = −0·44, P < 0·0001; rho = −0·63, P < 0·0001; HIV patients and controls, respectively), blood pressure (rho = −0·17, P = 0·02; rho = −0·36, P = 0·004), triglycerides (rho = −0·37, P < 0·0001; rho = −0·43, P = 0·001), glucose (rho = −0·34, P < 0·0001; rho = −0·30, P = 0·02), insulin (rho = −0·43, P < 0·0001; rho = −0·60, P < 0·0001) and CRP (rho = −0·29, P < 0·0001; rho = −0·59, P < 0·0001). Among HIV patients, the inverse association between peak GH and fasting glucose remained significant (β = −0·006 mmol/l change in glucose per μg/l change in GH, P = 0·004) controlling for age, gender, race, BMI, WC, protease inhibitor (PI) and nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors. Similarly, the inverse association between peak GH and triglycerides remained significant (β = −0·01 mmol/l change in triglycerides per μg/l change in GH, P = 0·02) controlling for age, gender, race, BMI, WC, PI and lipid‐lowering medications. HIV men with peak GH < 7·5 μg/l demonstrated higher BMI, WC, SBP, triglycerides, glucose and CRP.Conclusions  Reduced GH secretion is independently associated with dyslipidaemia and higher glucose, among HIV patients with abdominal fat accumulation.
Impaired endothelial‐ and nonendothelial‐mediated vasodilation in patients with acute or chronic hypothyroidism
Authors: Napoli Raffaele , Guardasole Vincenzo , Zarra Emanuela , D’Anna Carolina , De Sena Antonietta , Lupoli Gelsy Arianna , Oliviero Ugo , Matarazzo Margherita , Lupoli Giovanni , Saccà Luigi 
Published: April 2009

SummaryObjective  Vascular dysfunction and accelerated atherosclerosis are prominent features of hypothyroidism. The relative roles of thyroid hormone (TH) deficiency and the associated vascular risk conditions are still unclear. We studied the impact of acute and chronic hypothyroidism on vascular reactivity.Patients  We studied 12 patients with chronic primary hypothyroidism (cHY; TSH: 52 ± 14 mU/l), seven patients with acute hypothyroidism secondary to total thyroidectomy (aHY; TSH: 97 ± 24) and 13 healthy subjects (TSH: 1·2 ± 0·5).Measurements  We measured forearm blood flow (FBF) using plethysmography during intra‐brachial infusion of: acetylcholine (ACh), sodium nitroprusside (NP) and norepinephrine (NE). We also measured serum C‐reactive protein (CRP), TNF‐alpha, asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) and the forearm balance of nitric oxide (NO) during ACh infusion.Results  As compared with the controls, the vasodilatory response to ACh was reduced in cHY (P = 0·001) and aHY (P = 0·04), as was the forearm release of NO (P < 0·05). During NP infusion, FBF rose to 24 ± 2 ml/dl/min in the controls and to significantly lower values in cHY (12 ± 1; P = 0·001) and aHY (15 ± 2; P = 0·004). NE‐induced vasoconstriction was similar in the controls and aHY, but blunted in cHY. Serum CRP, TNF‐alpha and ADMA were not different in the three groups.Conclusions  (i) Hypothyroidism associates with endothelial and nonendothelial mediated vascular dysfunction; (ii) these defects are evident even after short‐term hypothyroidism, indicating that TH deficiency per se is sufficient to alter vascular homeostasis; and (iii) chronic, but not acute, hypothyroidism impairs the vasoconstrictory effect of NE in the resistance vessels.
Identification of the shallow subsurface succession and investigation of the seawater invasion to the Quaternary aquifer at the northern part of El Qaa plain, Southern Sinai, Egypt by transient electromagnetic data
Authors: Massoud Usama , Santos Fernando , El Qady Gad , Atya Magdy , Soliman Mamdouh 
Published: April 2009

ABSTRACTThe phenomenon of seawater invasion is a very common and widespread environmental problem that is present in the majority of Egyptian coastal aquifers. Saltwater intrusion may occur due to human activities and by natural events such as climate change and sea level rise. El Qaa plain is a structural depression trending NNW‐SSE, parallel to the main rift system of the Gulf of Suez. The Quaternary aquifer in El Qaa plain is the main source for water supply in this region. So, this study has been conducted to shed more light on the description of the subsurface section and marking out the invasion of seawater to this aquifer at the northern part of El Qaa plain. In this concern, transient electromagnetic data were measured at 52 stations arranged along 2 parallel profiles, 10 km apart, trending NE‐SW to cross the major course of the plain and to be approximately perpendicular to the coast line of the Suez Gulf. In addition, information from a nearby borehole was used to confirm the results of transient electromagnetic data interpretation. Two apparent resistivity pseudosections and two geoelectrical cross‐sections were constructed along the selected profiles. Investigation of these sections revealed that four geoelectrical layers could be detected in the shallow subsurface medium at the studied area and the Quaternary aquifer has been affected by seawater invasion at the western and middle parts. Besides, three faults striking approximately NW‐SE parallel to the major track of the plain were inferred from this study. These faults may be controlling the groundwater accumulation and flow in this area.
More pieces in the promoter jigsaw: recognition of −10 regions by alternative sigma factors
Authors: Busby Stephen J. W. 
Published: April 2009

SummaryTwo papers in this issue of Molecular Microbiology from Carol Gross and colleagues describe experiments that investigate how two alternative Escherichia coliσ proteins recognize target promoter −10 regions. A combination of genetics, biochemistry and bioinformatics is used to show that determinants in two adjacent domains of the σ proteins contact discrete sequence elements in the −10 regions.
Assessment of donor steatosis in liver transplantation: is it possible without liver biopsy?
Authors: Cucchetti Alessandro , Vivarelli Marco , Ravaioli Matteo , Cescon Matteo , Ercolani Giorgio , Piscaglia Fabio , Gaudio Massimo Del , Grazi Gian Luca , Ridolfi Lorenza , Pinna Antonio Daniele 
Published: April 2009

Abstract:  Background:  Macrovesicular steatosis of the liver is associated with early dysfunction or poor function of the graft after transplantation; however, it can be quantified accurately only through a liver biopsy that sometimes may not be available and whose result is anyway known when the recipient has already been selected. It would, therefore, be helpful to be able to predict the degree of steatosis, on the basis of non‐invasive readily available variables.Methods:  Data from 374 deceased liver donors from whom a liver biopsy had been taken were analyzed with the receiver operating characteristic area [area under the curve (AUC)] to identify variables that could predict the degree of macrovesicular steatosis classified as: absent to mild (0–30%) and moderate to severe (>30%).Results:  Steatosis was associated significantly with donor age, increased body mass index (BMI), presence of type II diabetes, ultrasonographic features, heavy alcohol consumption, transaminases [aspartate‐aminotransferase and alanine‐aminotransferase (ALT)], gamma‐glutamyl‐transpeptidase, and glucose blood levels. The combination of BMI, elevation of ALT, presence of type II diabetes, history of heavy alcohol consumption, and ultrasonography signs of steatosis could identify steatosis >30% accurately with an AUC of 0.86 (95% CI = 0.81–0.91).Conclusion:  Fatty infiltration in liver donors can be estimated based on clinical and biochemical parameters.
A critical component that activates the left inferior prefrontal cortex during interference resolution
Authors: Jimura Koji , Yamashita Ken‐ichiro , Chikazoe Junichi , Hirose Satoshi , Miyashita Yasushi , Konishi Seiki 
Published: April 2009

AbstractPrevious studies of proactive interference (PI) have revealed the involvement of the left inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) in resolution of PI during working memory/item recognition. PI resolution is thought to require: (1) inhibition of inappropriate attribution of familiarity to the probe and resultant inappropriate response tendencies; and (2) inhibition of PI per se regardless of the appropriateness of the attribution of familiarity. It is not clear, however, whether the IFG supports inhibition of inappropriate response tendencies or inhibition of PI per se. In the present functional magnetic resonance imaging study, we dissociate these possibilities using a recency judgment paradigm. Recency judgments, judgments of the relative temporal order of two studied items, provided an opportunity of examining three types of trials that differed in the way PI influenced the current trials: the trials where PI from previous trials was congruent with the current trials (C‐PI trials); the trials where PI was incongruent with the current trials (I‐PI trials); and the trials where no PI influenced the current trials (N‐PI trials). Relative to the N‐PI trials, the I‐PI trials elicited the significant left IFG activation associated with PI resolution, consistent with previous studies using working memory/item recognition. We found that the IFG activation was related not to inhibition of inappropriate response tendencies (I‐PI vs. C‐PI), but to inhibition of PI per se (C‐PI vs. N‐PI). These results indicate that the left IFG plays its control role regardless of whether or not PI is congruent with correct performance of current trials.
Impact of high‐fat /low‐carbohydrate, high‐, low‐glycaemic index or low‐caloric meals on glucose regulation during aerobic exercise in Type 2 diabetes
Authors: Ferland A. , Brassard P. , Lemieux S. , Bergeron J. , Bogaty P. , Bertrand F. , Simard S. , Poirier P. 
Published: April 2009

AbstractAims  A decrement in blood glucose (BG) may be observed in patients with Type 2 diabetes (T2DM) when exercise is performed after a meal, in contrast to fasting. We determined the impact of different pre‐exercise meal macronutrient compositions with modulation of the glycaemic index (GI) on glucose regulation during exercise in patients with T2DM.Methods  Using a randomized, single‐blind crossover design, 10 sedentary men performed five exercise sessions, once after an overnight fast, and also after each of four test meals, consisting of a high‐fat/low‐carbohydrate meal, a high‐GI meal, a low‐GI meal, and a low‐calorie meal.Results  Pre‐exercise BG and insulin levels were comparable for all four meals. Exercise decreased BG and insulin levels during all meal conditions (all P < 0.001) compared with the fasting state in which BG levels did not change. The magnitude of BG and insulin decrements was similar after consuming the low‐calorie, the high‐GI and the high‐fat/low‐carbohydrate meals, whereas the low‐GI meal induced the lowest BG fall. Adrenaline response was higher after consumption of the high‐, the low‐GI and the low‐caloric meals compared with the high‐fat/low‐carbohydrate meal and with the fasting state (P < 0.05).Conclusions  This study underlines the beneficial effect of low‐GI foods and the differential impact of pre‐exercise meal macronutrient composition on BG decrease. This may protect against exercise‐induced hypoglycaemia, and reiterates the safety of exercising while fasting in T2DM patients.
Continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion is more effective than multiple daily insulin injections in preventing albumin excretion rate increase in Type 1 diabetic patients
Authors: Lepore G. , Bruttomesso D. , Bonomo M. , Dodesini A. R. , Costa S. , Meneghini E. , Corsi A. , Nosari I. , Trevisan R. 
Published: April 2009

AbstractAims  To compare the effect of continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) and multiple daily insulin injections (MDI) on albumin excretion rate (AER) in Type 1 diabetic patients.Methods  In a 3‐year multicentre retrospective observational study, 110 Type 1 diabetic patients treated with CSII were compared with 110 patients treated with MDI matched at baseline for age, sex, diabetes duration and HbA1c. At entry, 90 patients in each group had normal AER and 20 persistent microalbuminuria. AER, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), HbA1c, lipids and blood pressure were assessed.Results  HbA1c was lower in the CSII than in the MDI group (8.1 ± 0.9 vs. 8.4 ± 1.3%; P < 0.005 after 3 years). Blood pressure and eGFR were similar during the study. AER [median (95% confidence interval)], similar at baseline [6.0 μg/min (9, 21) in the CSII group vs. 4.4 (8, 16) in the MDI group, NS] was significantly lower in the patients treated with CSII both at year 2 and at year 3 of follow‐up [4.7 μg/min (6, 12) vs. 6.4 (13, 29), P < 0.002]. This difference was observed even when normo‐ and microalbuminuric patients were analysed separately. Nine patients progressed to microalbuminuria in the MDI group and only one in the CSII group. Nine patients regressed to normoalbuminuria in the CSII group, whereas only two regressed to normoalbuminuria in the MDI group.Conclusions  Despite a small benefit in terms of improved glycaemic control, CSII therapy may be useful in decreasing the progressive increase in AER in Type 1 diabetic patients.
Australia’s national trends in the incidence of Type 1 diabetes in 0–14‐year‐olds, 2000–2006
Authors: Catanzariti L. , Faulks K. , Moon L. , Waters A.‐M. , Flack J. , Craig M. E. 
Published: April 2009

AbstractAims  To determine the national incidence of Type 1 diabetes in children aged 0–14 years and examine trends in incidence between 2000 and 2006 by age, sex and calendar year.Methods  Case ascertainment was from the Australian National Diabetes Register, a prospective population‐based incidence register established in 1999, with two sources of ascertainment: the National Diabetes Services Scheme and the Australasian Paediatric Endocrine Group’s state‐based registers. Denominator data were from the Australian Bureau of Statistics.Results  There were 6350 new cases of Type 1 diabetes (3323 boys and 3027 girls). Case ascertainment was 97.1% complete using the capture–recapture method. The mean adjusted incidence rate for 2000–2006 was 21.6 per 100 000 person‐years [95% confidence interval (CI) 21.0, 22.1], and increased from 19.8 in 2000 to 23.4 per 100 000 in 2006, an average increase of 2.8% (95% CI 1.5, 4.1) per year. Mean incidence for the 7‐year period increased with age, and was significantly higher in boys aged 0–4 years and 10–14 years than in girls of the same age.Conclusions  The incidence of Type 1 diabetes among 0–14‐year‐olds in Australia is very high compared with available data from many other countries. The rate of increase observed globally in the last decade has continued well into this decade in Australia. The rising incidence cannot be explained by changes in genetic susceptibility; there is an urgent need to examine the environmental factors that have contributed to this increase. The findings of this study also have important implications for resource planning.
Optimizing TILLING populations for reverse genetics in Medicago truncatula
Authors: Le Signor Christine , Savois Vincent , Aubert Grégoire , Verdier Jérôme , Nicolas Marie , Pagny Gaelle , Moussy Françoise , Sanchez Myriam , Baker Dave , Clarke Jonathan , Thompson Richard 
Published: April 2009

Summary Medicago truncatula has been widely adopted as a model plant for crop legume species of the Vicieae. Despite the availability of transformation and regeneration protocols, there are currently limited tools available in this species for the systematic investigation of gene function. Within the framework of the European Grain Legumes Integrated Project (http://www.eugrainlegumes.org), chemical mutagenesis was applied to M. truncatula to create two mutant populations that were used to establish a TILLING (targeting induced local lesions in genomes) platform and a phenotypic database, allowing both reverse and forward genetics screens. Both populations had the same M2 line number, but differed in their M1 population size: population 1 was derived from a small M1 population (one‐tenth the size of the M2 generation), whereas population 2 was generated by single seed descent and therefore has M1 and M2 generations of equal size. Fifty‐six targets were screened, 10 on both populations, and 546 point mutations were identified. Population 2 had a mutation frequency of 1/485 kb, twice that of population 1. The strategy used to generate population 2 is more efficient than that used to generate population 1, with regard to mutagenesis density and mutation recovery. However, the design of population 1 allowed us to estimate the genetically effective cell number to be three in M. truncatula. Phenotyping data to help forward screenings are publicly available, as well as a web tool for ordering seeds at http://www.inra.fr/legumbase
Strategies to mitigate transgene–promoter interactions
Authors: Gudynaite‐Savitch Loreta , Johnson Douglas A. , Miki Brian L. A. 
Published: April 2009

SummaryThe expression pattern of tissue‐specific promoters in transgenes can be influenced by promoter/enhancer elements employed for the expression of selectable marker genes or elements found in DNA flanking the insertion site. We have developed an analytical system in Arabidopsis thaliana to investigate strategies useful in blocking or reducing nonspecific interactions. These experiments confirm that the DNA configuration and the insertion of spacer DNA aid in the appropriate expression of tissue‐specific promoters. It is also demonstrated that the novel tobacco cryptic promoter (tCUP), when used to replace the cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV) 35S promoter/enhancer, does not show nonspecific interactions. Furthermore, it is shown that insulators isolated from yeast and animals may have potential application in plants. Our results may allow the design of strategies that, individually or in combination, can be used to minimize nonspecific interactions and to design vectors for individual tissue‐specific promoters.
Developmental differences in memory for cross‐modal associations
Authors: Pirogovsky Eva , Murphy Claire , Gilbert Paul E. 
Published: April 2009

AbstractAssociative learning is critical to normal cognitive development in children. However, young adults typically outperform children on paired‐associate tasks involving visual, verbal and spatial location stimuli. The present experiment investigated cross‐modal odour–place associative memory in children (7–10 years) and young adults (18–24 years). During the study phase, six odours were individually presented and paired with one of 12 spatial locations on a board. During the test phase, participants were presented with the six stimuli individually and were asked to place each stimulus on the correct spatial location. Children committed significantly more errors on the odour–place task than did young adults. However, item recognition memory for the odours or spatial locations involved in the odour–place associative memory task was similar between children and young adults. Therefore, poor odour–place associative memory in children did not result from impaired memory for the individual odours or spatial locations involved in the associations. The results suggest that cross‐modal associative memory is not fully developed in children.
Children perseverate to a human's actions but not to a robot's actions
Authors: Moriguchi Yusuke , Kanda Takayuki , Ishiguro Hiroshi , Itakura Shoji 
Published: April 2009

Abstract Previous research has shown that young children commit perseverative errors from their observation of another person’s actions. The present study examined how social observation would lead children to perseverative tendencies, using a robot. In Experiment 1, preschoolers watched either a human model or a robot sorting cards according to one dimension (e.g. shape), after which they were asked to sort according to a different dimension (e.g. colour). The results showed that children’s behaviours in the task were significantly influenced by the human model’s actions but not by the robot’s actions. Experiment 2 excluded the possibility that children’s behaviours were not affected by the robot’s actions because they did not observe its actions. We concluded that children’s perseverative errors from social observation resulted, in part, from their socio‐cognitive ability.
Low genetic diversity in the masked palm civet Paguma larvata (Viverridae)
Authors: Patou M.‐L. , Chen J. , Cosson L. , Andersen D. H. , Cruaud C. , Couloux A. , Randi E. , Zhang S. , Veron G. 
Published: April 2009

AbstractThe masked palm civet is distributed through south‐east Asia, China and the Himalayas. Because of its potential role in the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) epidemic, it has become important to gather information on this species, and notably to provide a tool to determine the origin of farm and market animals. For this purpose, we studied the genetic variability and the phylogeographic pattern of the masked palm civet Paguma larvata. First, two portions of mitochondrial genes, cytochrome b and the control region, were sequenced for a total of 76 individuals sampled from China, the Indochinese region and the Sundaic region. Results indicated a low genetic variability and suggested a lack of a phylogeographic structure in this species, which do not allow inferring the geographic origin of samples of unknown origin, although it is possible to distinguish individuals from China and the Sundaic region. This low variation is in contrast to the well‐marked morphological differentiation between the populations in the Sundaic and Chinese–Indochinese regions. We also used five microsatellite loci to genotype 149 samples from two wild and four farmed populations in China, where the masked palm civet is farmed and where the SARS coronavirus was isolated. These analyses also showed a reduced variability in Chinese civets and showed that farmed populations did not exhibit a lower genetic diversity than wild populations, suggesting frequent introductions of wild individuals into farms.
Understanding Sierra Leone in Colonial West Africa: A Synoptic Socio‐Political History
Authors: Bangura Joseph 
Published: April 2009

AbstractSierra Leone played a pivotal role in the success of the British colonial project in West Africa in the 19th century. In 1866, it served as the administrative headquarters for the colonies of Lagos, the Gold Coast now Ghana and Bathurst Gambia. Professionals, clergymen, and intellectuals from Sierra Leone, particularly Creoles, served as civil servants, engineers, and medical doctors in Nigeria, Ghana, and the Gambia in the 18th and 19th centuries. Sierra Leone also educated one of the first crops of Western‐educated elites in West Africa. In short, despite experiencing a devastating civil war, evidently Sierra Leone is gradually regaining its quintessential role as one of the oldest, peaceful, and democratic states in West Africa.