bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Salmonella chemoreceptors McpB and McpC mediate a repellent response to L‐cystine: a potential mechanism to avoid oxidative conditions
Authors: Lazova Milena D. , Butler Mitchell T. , Shimizu Thomas S. , Harshey Rasika M. 
Published: April 2012

SummaryChemoreceptors McpB and McpC in Salmonella enterica have been reported to promote chemotaxis in LB motility‐plate assays. Of the chemicals tested as potential effectors of these receptors, the only response was towards L‐cysteine and its oxidized form, L‐cystine. Although enhanced radial migration in plates suggested positive chemotaxis to both amino acids, capillary assays failed to show an attractant response to either, in cells expressing only these two chemoreceptors. In vivo fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) measurements of kinase activity revealed that in wild‐type bacteria, cysteine and cystine are chemoeffectors of opposing sign, the reduced form being a chemoattractant and the oxidized form a repellent. The attractant response to cysteine was mediated primarily by Tsr, as reported earlier for Escherichia coli. The repellent response to cystine was mediated by McpB/C. Adaptive recovery upon cystine exposure required the methyl‐transferase/‐esterase pair, CheR/CheB, but restoration of kinase activity was never complete (i.e. imperfect adaptation). We provide a plausible explanation for the attractant‐like responses to both cystine and cysteine in motility plates, and speculate that the opposing signs of response to this redox pair might afford Salmonella a mechanism to gauge and avoid oxidative environments.
Perinatal characteristics and risk of polio among Swedish twins
Authors: Perng Wei , Cnattingius Sven , Iliadou Anastasia , Villamor Eduardo 
Published: April 2012

SummaryPerng W, Cnattingius S, Iliadou A, Villamor E. Perinatal characteristics and risk of polio among Swedish twins. Paediatric and Perinatal Epidemiology 2012; 26: 218–225.Prenatal exposure to adverse environmental conditions is related to increased adult mortality in regions where infections are highly prevalent, yet there is little evidence of the impact of perinatal conditions on the risk of severe infections throughout life. Using prospectively collected data from 21 604 like‐sexed Swedish twins of known zygosity born in 1926–1958, we examined the risk of polio in relation to perinatal characteristics using cohort and nested co‐twin case–control analyses. Polio incidence was determined through an interview in 1998, and linkage with the Swedish national inpatient and death registries. There were 133 cases of polio. In the cohort analysis, birth length, birthweight and head circumference were positively associated with polio risk. After adjustment for sex, birth year, gestational age at birth and within‐twin pair correlations, twins of shortest length (<44 cm) had a 67% ([95% CI: 6%, 88%]; P = 0.04) lower risk of polio compared with the reference group (47–49 cm). After additional adjustment for birth length, every 100‐g increase in birthweight was related to a 34% increased risk of polio ([95% CI: −1%, 82%]; P = 0.06), and every 10‐mm increase in head circumference was related to a 17% greater risk of polio ([95% CI: 5%, 31%]; P = 0.004). In co‐twin control analyses among 226 disease‐discordant twins, birth length, birthweight and head circumference were 0.3 cm (P = 0.19), 84 g (P = 0.07) and 3 mm (P = 0.08) higher in cases than controls, respectively. Similar associations were observed among monozygotic (n = 84) and dizygotic (n = 142) twins. These findings suggest that early intrauterine growth restriction may be inversely related to the incidence of polio.
Contrasting morphodynamics in alluvial fans and fan deltas: effect of the downstream boundary
Authors: VAN DIJK MAURITS , KLEINHANS MAARTEN G. , POSTMA GEORGE , KRAAL ERIN 
Published: April 2012

AbstractAlluvial fans and fan deltas can, in principle, have exactly the same upstream conditions, but fan deltas by definition have ponding water at their downstream boundary. This ponding creates effects on the autogenic behaviour of fan deltas, such as backwater adaptation, mouth bars and backward sedimentation, whereas alluvial fans may lack these effects. Hence the present authors hypothesize that morphodynamics on alluvial fans are determined primarily by upstream boundary conditions, whereas morphodynamics on fan deltas are determined by both the upstream and the downstream boundary condition and changes therein. To isolate the effects of the upstream and downstream boundaries, five new alluvial fan experiments are compared with the details of three fan deltas published earlier that were formed under very similar and simple conditions. Similar to the fan deltas, the alluvial fans build up by sheet flow, whilst quasi‐regular periods of incision cause temporary channelized flow. Incision is followed by channel backfilling, after which the fan returns to sheet flow. The channelization and backfilling in alluvial fans is markedly less pronounced and more prone to autogenic disturbance than in fan deltas. The difference is caused by morphodynamics at the downstream boundary. In a fan delta, the flow expansion of the channel causes deposition of all the sediment, which forms a mouth bar and causes strong backfilling. In an alluvial fan, on the other hand, the slope break at the fan perimeter causes some deposition, but transport is not reduced to zero. Consequently, the backfilling in alluvial fans is less pronounced than in fan deltas. Other published experiments support this trend: removal of the mouth bar by a river leads to permanent channelization, whilst pronounced mouth‐bar formation in highly channelized deltas promotes backward sedimentation. The experimental results for this study predict that, when alluvial fans prograde into lakes or deep rivers, they transition to fan deltas with increasingly deeper channels and thicker backfill deposits.
Staphylococcal control in the veterinary hospital
Authors: Weese J. Scott 
Published: April 2012

Staphylococcal infections are common in veterinary dermatology patients, as are patients whose health status places them at increased risk of staphylococcal infection. The rapid emergence and dissemination of meticillin‐resistant staphylococci has had significant impacts on management of infections and also increased concerns about transmission of staphylococci between animals, from animals to humans and from humans to animals.The increasing incidence and implications of staphylococcal infections, particularly meticillin‐resistant staphylococcal infections, is leading to more interest in infection control in veterinary hospitals as a means to help reduce the impact of these significant pathogens.Infection control is a series of principles and practices that can and should be implemented by every veterinary hospital to improve patient care, protect personnel and meet the increasing expectations. Fortunately, general concepts of infection control are both simple and practical, and application of a basic infection control programme requires limited time, effort or training. With an understanding of some basic concepts and use of available resources, development of an effective infection control programme is within the reach of any facility.
Impact of pulmonary hypertension on transplant outcomes in pediatric cardiomyopathy patients
Authors: Buddhe Sujatha , Du Wei , L’Ecuyer Thomas 
Published: April 2012

Buddhe S, Du W, L’Ecuyer T. Impact of pulmonary hypertension on transplant outcomes in pediatric cardiomyopathy patients.Abstract:  Controversy exists over whether PHTN in heart transplant candidates increases post‐transplant mortality. We performed analysis of data reported to UNOS for children who underwent primary heart transplantation for cardiomyopathy from January 1994 to June 2010. Patients were divided into two groups depending on their pre‐transplant TPG: no‐PHTN (TPG ≤12 mmHg) and PHTN (TPG >12 mm Hg). A total of 6139 children underwent transplantation of whom 2456 (40%) were for cardiomyopathies; 1322 (54%) of these had catheterization data available. The PHTN group (mean TPG 19.5 ± 8.6) had 312 patients and no‐PHTN (TPG 6.7 ± 4.0) had 1010. Mortality at one month (4.5% vs. 2.3%) and three months (6.1% vs. 3.1%) post‐transplant was significantly higher in the PHTN than the no‐PHTN group with an odds ratio of 2 (p < 0.05). There was no significant effect of PHTN on early mortality in children <1 yr age. There was no significant improvement in early survival for transplants performed after compared to before 2003 in patients with PHTN despite availability of pulmonary dilators. Pre‐transplant PHTN increases early post‐transplant mortality in pediatric cardiomyopathy patients above one yr of age. There has been no significant improvement in the outcome of this group over the last seven yr.
Risk factors for cardiovascular disease are increased in young adults treated with stem cell transplantation during childhood
Authors: Frisk Per , Arvidson Johan , Larsson Marita , Naessén Tord 
Published: April 2012

Frisk P, Arvidson J, Larsson M, Naessén T. Risk factors for cardiovascular disease are increased in young adults treated with stem cell transplantation during childhood.Abstract:  We measured risk factors for CVD in 18 patients at a median of 18.2 yr after SCT and in sex and age‐matched controls. Three patients (17%), but none of the controls, met the criteria for the MetS (p = 0.25). In the patients, we found higher levels of triglycerides (0.94 vs. 0.62 mm, p = 0.019), total cholesterol (5.1 vs. 4.0 mm, p = 0.017), LDL (3.4 vs. 2.6 mm, p = 0.019), apolipoprotein B (1.04 vs. 0.74 g/L, p = 0.004), apolipoprotein B/A1 ratio (0.7 vs. 0.5, p = 0.026), and lower levels of adiponectin (4.9 vs. 7.5 mg/L, p = 0.008) than in the controls. The patients had a lower GHmax (9 vs. 20.7 mU/L, p = 0.002). GHmax was significantly correlated inversely with triglycerides (r = −0.64, p = 0.008), total cholesterol (r = −0.61, p = 0.011), apolipoprotein B (r = −0.60, p = 0.014), and apolipoprotein B/A1 ratio (r = −0.66, p = 0.005). We recorded a significantly thicker carotid intima layer among the patients than among matched controls (0.15 vs. 0.13 mm, p = 0.034). The level of adiponectin correlated inversely with carotid intima thickness (r = −0.55, p = 0.023). After SCT in childhood, long‐term survivors may be at risk of developing premature CVD.
Age‐Dependent Morphology of NADPH Diaphorase‐Positive Amacrine Cells in the Mouse Retina
Authors: May C.‐A. 
Published: April 2012

SummaryNADPH diaphorase‐positive amacrine cells (NAC) were studied in retinal whole mount preparation of mice, ranging from 1 day to 30 months of age. Following a peak in number and size during early development at postnatal day 14, their number and distribution remained well preserved up to senescence. Functional considerations include immunological, vascular and neuro‐modulating aspects.
Therapeutic options for refractory gastroesophageal reflux disease
Authors: Fass Ronnie 
Published: April 2012

AbstractRefractory gastroesophageal reflux disease may affect up to one‐third of the patients that consume proton pump inhibitor (PPI) once daily. Treatment in clinical practice has been primarily focused on doubling the PPI dose, despite lack of evidence of its value. In patients who failed PPI twice daily, medical treatment has been primarily focused on reducing transient lower esophageal sphincter relaxation rate or attenuating esophageal pain perception using visceral analgesics. In patients with evidence of reflux as the direct trigger of their symptoms, endoscopic treatment or antireflux surgery may be helpful in remitting symptoms. The role of psychological interventions, as well as non‐traditional therapeutic strategies remains to be further elucidated.
Determination of normal value of glomerular size in Chinese adults by different measurement methods
Authors: CHENG HONG , DONG HONG‐RUI , LIN RUI‐QI , SUN LI‐JUN , CHEN YI‐PU 
Published: April 2012

ABSTRACTAim:  Identification of glomerulomegaly is a prerequisite for diagnosis of obesity‐related glomerulopathy, so measurement of glomerular size is of critical importance.Methods:  A total 100 cases pathologically diagnosed as minor glomerular abnormalities or thin basement membrane nephropathy with normal body mass index and blood glucose level were selected as the normal value measurement group of glomerular size. The mean value of diameters of capillary tuft on the glomerular maximum profile was determined using the direct method and indirect method with the Motic Med 6.0 digital medical image analysis system. Meanwhile, 80 cases of different glomerular disease with normal body mass index and blood glucose level were also collected. Their glomerular diameters were measured and compared with those in the normal value measurement group.Results:  The measurement results showed that gender and age had no effects on glomerular diameter. The normal value ranges of the diameter on glomerular maximum profile were as follows. (i) Pole‐containing glomerulus (the glomerulus with vascular pole or/and urinary pole): direct method, 101.3–184.9 µm; indirect method, 100.3–183.5 µm. (ii) Pole‐containing glomerulus plus non‐pole glomerulus (the glomerulus without poles, the maximum profile of which was larger than that in the smallest pole‐containing glomerulus): direct method, 108.3–185.9 µm; indirect method, 107.4–185.4 µm. The glomerular diameters of the 80 cases with different glomerular disease were all within the aforementioned normal value ranges.Conclusions:  Both methods used in the present study are feasible to measure the glomerular diameter and the normal value range of glomerular diameter in Chinese adults is established.
Sleepiness that cannot be overcome: Narcolepsy and cataplexy
Authors: HAN FANG 
Published: April 2012

ABSTRACTNarcolepsy–cataplexy syndrome is characterized by excessive daytime sleepiness, cataplexy, sleep paralysis, hypnagogic hallucinations and disturbed nocturnal sleep. It is strongly associated with the genetic marker, human leucocyte antigen (HLA) DQB1*06:02. A deficit in the endogenous hypocretin/orexin system due to neuronal degeneration in the lateral hypothalamus, induced by an autoimmune‐mediated process, is the primary pathophysiology associated with the human disease. The important finding of an association with hypocretin genes in animal models of narcolepsy has led to the establishment of cerebrospinal fluid hypocretin measurements as a new diagnostic test for human narcolepsy. This is a fascinating story of translation of basic science research into clinical practice in sleep medicine during the past decade. Recent advances have shed light on the associations between respiratory medicine and narcolepsy–cataplexy research. The first is that upper airway infections, including H1N1 and/or streptococcal infections, may initiate or reactivate an immune response that leads to loss of hypocretin‐secreting cells and narcolepsy in genetically susceptible individuals. The second is that an increased incidence of sleep disordered breathing among narcoleptic subjects may relate to the impairment of central control of breathing, linked to hypocretin deficiency or carriage of HLADQB1*06:02, in animals and human subjects with narcolepsy, respectively, indicating neural dysfunction in an area where respiratory and sleep–wake systems are closely interrelated.
Can the Kattan nomogram still accurately predict prognosis in renal cell carcinoma using the revised 2010 tumor–nodes–metastasis reclassification?
Authors: Veeratterapillay Rajan , Rakhra Simren , El‐Sherif Amira , Johnson Mark , Soomro Naeem , Heer Rakesh 
Published: April 2012

AbstractThe Kattan nomogram has been used in renal cell cancer to predict progression‐free survival after nephrectomy. Tumor–nodes–metastasis staging is essential for the calculation of this score. The effect of the recent 2010 revision to the tumor–nodes–metastasis classification on the predictive ability of the Kattan nomogram was studied. All patients having radical nephrectomy for renal cell cancer in the 5‐year period of 2004–2008 at a tertiary referral center were included. Pathological and radiological records were reviewed to identify tumor–nodes–metastasis stage (2002 and 2010 classifications). Kattan scores were calculated for the 2002 and 2010 tumor–nodes–metastasis stages, and the effect on survival predictions were compared with actual outcomes. A total of 291 patients with non‐metastatic renal cell cancer were identified. Revision of the tumor–nodes–metastasis staging from the 2002 to 2010 classification resulted in an increase in the number of patients with stage pT3a (from 30 to 75), a reduction in the patients with stage pT3b (from 57 to 10) and a small increase in stage pT4 cases (1 to 3). This altered the proportion of patients in the Kattan prognostic of “good” (from 61% to 69%), “intermediate” (from 29% to 22%) and “poor” (from 10% to 8%). The overall median predicted 5‐year progression‐free survival was 79.8% with 2002 tumor–nodes–metastasis, and 81.8% with 2010 tumor–nodes–metastasis. Actual 5‐year progression‐free survival was 83.0%, which was not significantly different from that predicted using either tumor–nodes–metastasis classification (P = 0.66). On comparing the new 2010 and old 2002 tumor–nodes–metastasis classification in our cohort, we showed the predictive ability of the Kattan nomogram remained unaltered.
Antibiotic use and misuse in residential aged care facilities
Authors: Stuart R. L. , Wilson J. , Bellaard‐Smith E. , Brown R. , Wright L. , Vandergraaf S. , Gillespie E. E. 
Published: April 2012

AbstractBackgroundThe prevention and control of transmission of antimicrobial‐resistant pathogens in residential aged care facilities (RACF) is an area that has been neglected yet has significant implications for health services.AimsThe aims of this study were to describe the prevalence and appropriateness of antibiotic use within five RACF associated with our health service.MethodsDemographic data on each RACF and all residents were obtained, and antibiotics prescribed (the type, indication and duration) at the time of the survey were recorded. The appropriateness of antibiotic prescribing was assessed using well‐established criteria.ResultsOf the 257 residents, 28% were greater than 85 years of age, almost 50% were male and 71% had been in their RACF for more than a year. Sixty‐seven per cent were incontinent of urine or faeces, and 80% had some degree of cognitive impairment. Among the residents, 23 (9%) were receiving antibiotics at the time of the survey. Seventeen (74%) were for treatment, while six (26%) were given for prophylactic reasons. Data on the appropriateness of antibiotic use were available for the preceding 26‐month period. During this time, there were 988 antibiotic courses administered; of these, 392 (39.7%) did not fulfil the criteria for bacterial infection.ConclusionThis Australian study is one of the first to report on the use of antibiotics within RACF, shows a high rate of antimicrobial prescribing and inappropriate antibiotic use. Antibiotic stewardship is of paramount importance in RACF. Programmes to promote the rational use of antibiotics and minimise the emergence of resistant pathogens are urgently required in Australian RACF.
Surprise! Neural correlates of Pearce–Hall and Rescorla–Wagner coexist within the brain
Authors: Roesch Matthew R. , Esber Guillem R. , Li Jian , Daw Nathaniel D. , Schoenbaum Geoffrey 
Published: April 2012

AbstractLearning theory and computational accounts suggest that learning depends on errors in outcome prediction as well as changes in processing of or attention to events. These divergent ideas are captured by models, such as Rescorla–Wagner (RW) and temporal difference (TD) learning on the one hand, which emphasize errors as directly driving changes in associative strength, vs. models such as Pearce–Hall (PH) and more recent variants on the other hand, which propose that errors promote changes in associative strength by modulating attention and processing of events. Numerous studies have shown that phasic firing of midbrain dopamine (DA) neurons carries a signed error signal consistent with RW or TD learning theories, and recently we have shown that this signal can be dissociated from attentional correlates in the basolateral amygdala and anterior cingulate. Here we will review these data along with new evidence: (i) implicating habenula and striatal regions in supporting error signaling in midbrain DA neurons; and (ii) suggesting that the central nucleus of the amygdala and prefrontal regions process the amygdalar attentional signal. However, while the neural instantiations of the RW and PH signals are dissociable and complementary, they may be linked. Any linkage would have implications for understanding why one signal dominates learning in some situations and not others, and also for appreciating the potential impact on learning of neuropathological conditions involving altered DA or amygdalar function, such as schizophrenia, addiction or anxiety disorders.
Noradrenaline‐induced enhancement of oscillatory local field potentials in the mouse accessory olfactory bulb does not depend on disinhibition of mitral cells
Authors: Leszkowicz Emilia , Khan Selina , Ng Stephanie , Ved Nikita , Swallow Daniel L. , Brennan Peter A. 
Published: April 2012

AbstractThe olfactory bulb differs from other brain regions by its use of bidirectional synaptic transmission at dendrodendritic reciprocal synapses. These reciprocal synapses provide tight coupling of inhibitory feedback from granule cell interneurons to mitral cell projection neurons in the accessory olfactory bulb (AOB), at the first stage of vomeronasal processing. It has been proposed that both the mGluR2 agonist DCG‐IV and noradrenaline promote mate recognition memory formation by reducing GABAergic feedback on mitral cells. The resultant mitral cell disinhibition is thought to induce a long‐lasting enhancement in the gain of inhibitory feedback from granule to mitral cells, which selectively gates the transmission of the learned chemosensory information. However, we found that local infusions of both noradrenaline and DCG‐IV failed to disinhibit AOB neural activity in urethane‐anaesthetised mice. DCG‐IV infusion had similar effects to the GABAA agonist isoguvacine, suggesting that it increased GABAergic inhibition in the AOB rather than reducing it. Noradrenaline infusion into the AOB also failed to disinhibit mitral cells in awake mice despite inducing long‐term increases in power of AOB local field potentials, similar to those observed following memory formation. These results suggest that mitral cell disinhibition is not essential for the neural changes in the AOB that underlie mate recognition memory formation in mice.