bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Local Activation of Cannabinoid CB1 Receptors in the Urinary Bladder Reduces the Inflammation-Induced Sensitization of Bladder Afferents
Authors: Walczak Jean-Sébastien , Cervero Fernando 
Published: May 2011

Background: Systemic administration of cannabinoid agonists is known to reduce pain induced by bladder inflammation and to modulate cystometric parameters in vivo. We have previously reported that intravesical administration of a cannabinoid agonist reduces the electrical activity of bladder afferents under normal conditions. However, the effects of local activation of bladder cannabinoid receptors on afferent activity during inflammation are unknown. This study was aimed to assess the effects of intravesical administration of a cannabinoid agonist on the discharges of afferent fibers in inflamed bladders ex vivo. We also characterized the expression of CB1 receptors in the bladder and their localization and co-expression with TRPV1, a marker of nociceptive afferents. Results: Compared to untreated animals, afferent fiber activity in inflamed bladders was increased for intravesical pressures between 10 and 40 mmHg. Local treatment with a non selective cannabinoid agonist (AZ12646915) significantly reduced the afferent activity at intravesical pressures above 20 mmHg. This effect was blocked by AM251 but not by AM630 (selective for CB1 and CB2 respectively). Finally, CB1 was co-expressed with TRPV1 in control and inflamed bladders. Conclusion: These results demonstrate that sensitization of bladder afferents induced by inflammation is partly suppressed by intravesical activation of cannabinoid receptors, an effect that appears to be mediated by CB1 receptors. Also, TRPV1 positive fibers were found to co-express CB1, supporting the hypothesis of a direct action of the cannabinoid agonist on nociceptive afferents. Taken together, these results indicate a peripheral modulation by the cannabinoid system of bladder hypersensitivity during inflammation.
Nav1.7 is the Predominant Sodium Channel in Rodent Olfactory Sensory Neurons
Authors: Ahn Hye-Sook , Black Joel A , Zhao Peng , Tyrrell Lynda , Waxman Stephen G , Dib-Hajj Sulayman D 
Published: May 2011

Background: Voltage-gated sodium channel Nav1.7 is preferentially expressed in dorsal root ganglion (DRG) and sympathetic neurons within the peripheral nervous system. Homozygous or compound heterozygous loss-of-function mutations in SCN9A, the gene which encodes Nav1.7, cause congenital insensitivity to pain (CIP) accompanied by anosmia. Global knock-out of Nav1.7 in mice is neonatal lethal reportedly from starvation, suggesting anosmia. These findings led us to hypothesize that Nav1.7 is the main sodium channel in the peripheral olfactory sensory neurons (OSN, also known as olfactory receptor neurons). Methods: We used multiplex PCR-restriction enzyme polymorphism, in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry to determine the identity of sodium channels in rodent OSNs. Results: We show here that Nav1.7 is the predominant sodium channel transcript, with low abundance of other sodium channel transcripts, in olfactory epithelium from rat and mouse. Our in situ hybridization data show that Nav1.7 transcripts are present in rat OSNs. Immunostaining of Nav1.7 and Nav1.6 channels in rat shows a complementary accumulation pattern with Nav1.7 in peripheral presynaptic OSN axons, and Nav1.6 primarily in postsynaptic cells and their dendrites in the glomeruli of the olfactory bulb within the central nervous system. Conclusions: Our data show that Nav1.7 is the dominant sodium channel in rat and mouse OSN, and may explain anosmia in Nav1.7 null mouse and patients with Nav1.7-related CIP.
Similarities and differences in structure, expression, and functions of VLDLR and ApoER2
Authors: Reddy Sunil S , Connor Teal E , Weeber Edwin J , Rebeck William 
Published: May 2011

Abstract
Very Low Density Lipoprotein Receptor (VLDLR) and Apolipoprotein E Receptor 2 (ApoER2) are important receptors in the brain for mediating the signaling effects of the extracellular matrix protein Reelin, affecting neuronal function in development and in the adult brain. VLDLR and ApoER2 are members of the low density lipoprotein family, which also mediates the effects of numerous other extracellular ligands, including apolipoprotein E. Although VLDLR and ApoER2 are highly homologous, they differ in a number of ways, including structural differences, expression patterns, alternative splicing, and binding of extracellular and intracellular proteins. This review aims to summarize important aspects of VLDLR and ApoER2 that may account for interesting recent findings that highlight the unique functions of each receptor.
A modulated empirical Bayes model for identifying topological and temporal estrogen receptor α regulatory networks in breast cancer
Authors: Shen Changyu , Huang Yiwen , Liu Yunlong , Wang Guohua , Zhao Yuming , Wang Zhiping , Teng Mingxiang , Wang Yadong , Flockhart David A , Skaar Todd C , Yan Pearlly , Nephew Kenneth P , Huang Tim HM , Li Lang 
Published: May 2011

Abstract

Background
Estrogens regulate diverse physiological processes in various tissues through genomic and non-genomic mechanisms that result in activation or repression of gene expression. Transcription regulation upon estrogen stimulation is a critical biological process underlying the onset and progress of the majority of breast cancer. Dynamic gene expression changes have been shown to characterize the breast cancer cell response to estrogens, the every molecular mechanism of which is still not well understood.

Results
We developed a modulated empirical Bayes model, and constructed a novel topological and temporal transcription factor (TF) regulatory network in MCF7 breast cancer cell line upon stimulation by 17β-estradiol stimulation. In the network, significant TF genomic hubs were identified including ER-alpha and AP-1; significant non-genomic hubs include ZFP161, TFDP1, NRF1, TFAP2A, EGR1, E2F1, and PITX2. Although the early and late networks were distinct (<5% overlap of ERα target genes between the 4 and 24 h time points), all nine hubs were significantly represented in both networks. In MCF7 cells with acquired resistance to tamoxifen, the ERα regulatory network was unresponsive to 17β-estradiol stimulation. The significant loss of hormone responsiveness was associated with marked epigenomic changes, including hyper- or hypo-methylation of promoter CpG islands and repressive histone methylations.

Conclusions
We identified a number of estrogen regulated target genes and established estrogen-regulated network that distinguishes the genomic and non-genomic actions of estrogen receptor. Many gene targets of this network were not active anymore in anti-estrogen resistant cell lines, possibly because their DNA methylation and histone acetylation patterns have changed.
A hydrodynamic sensory antenna used by killifish for nocturnal hunting
Authors: Schwarz Jason S. , Reichenbach Tobias , Hudspeth A. J. 
Published: May 2011

SUMMARYThe perception of sensory stimuli by an animal requires several steps, commencing with the capture of stimulus energy by an antenna that, as the interface between the physical world and the nervous system, modifies the stimulus in ways that enhance the animal's perception. The mammalian external ear, for example, collects sound and spectrally alters it to increase sensitivity and improve the detection of directionality. In view of the morphological diversity of the lateral-line system across species and its accessibility to observation and experimental intervention, we sought to investigate the role of antennal structures on the response characteristics of the lateral line. The surface-feeding killifish Aplocheilus lineatus is able to hunt in darkness by detecting surface capillary waves with the lateral-line system atop its head. This cephalic lateral line consists of a stereotyped array of 18 mechanosensitive neuromasts bordered by fleshy ridges. By recording microphonic potentials, we found that each neuromast has a unique receptive field defined by its sensitivity to stimulation of the water's surface. The ridges help determine these receptive fields by altering the flow of water over each neuromast. Modification of the hydrodynamic environment by the addition of a supplemental ridge changes the pattern of water movement, perturbs the receptive fields of adjacent neuromasts and impairs the fish's localization ability. On the basis of electrophysiological, hydrodynamic and behavioral evidence, we propose that the ridges constitute a hydrodynamic antenna for the cephalic lateral line.
Origins of variation in muscle cytochrome c oxidase activity within and between fish species
Authors: Bremer Katharina , Moyes Christopher D. 
Published: May 2011

SUMMARY
Mitochondrial content, central to aerobic metabolism, is thought to be controlled by a few transcriptional master regulators, including nuclear respiratory factor 1 (NRF-1), NRF-2 and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ coactivator-1α (PGC-1α). Though well studied in mammals, the mechanisms by which these factors control mitochondrial content have been less studied in lower vertebrates. We evaluated the role of these transcriptional regulators in seasonal changes in white muscle cytochrome c oxidase (COX) activity in eight local fish species representing five families: Centrarchidae, Umbridae, Esocidae, Gasterosteidae and Cyprinidae. Amongst centrarchids, COX activity was significantly higher in winter for pumpkinseed (2-fold) and black crappie (1.3-fold) but not bluegill or largemouth bass. In esociforms, winter COX activity was significantly higher in central mudminnow (3.5-fold) but not northern pike. COX activity was significantly higher in winter-acclimatized brook stickleback (2-fold) and northern redbelly dace (3-fold). Though mudminnow COX activity increased in winter, lab acclimation to winter temperatures did not alter COX activity, suggesting a role for non-thermal cues. When mRNA was measured for putative master regulators of mitochondria, there was little evidence for a uniform relationship between COX activity and any of NRF-1, NRF-2α or PGC-1α mRNA levels Collectively, these studies argue against a simple temperature-dependent mitochondrial response ubiquitous in fish, and suggest that pathways which control mitochondrial content in fish may differ in important ways from those of the better studied mammals.
The distribution and expression of CFTR restricts electrogenic anion secretion to the ileum of the brushtail possum, Trichosurus vulpecula
Authors: Gill Mike , Bartolo Ray C. , Demmers Kristy , Harfoot Natalie , Fan Shujun , Butt Grant 
Published: May 2011

SUMMARY
In eutherian mammals, fluid secretion is essential for intestinal function. This is driven by electrogenic Cl– secretion, which involves a NaK2Cl cotransporter (NKCC1) in the enterocyte basolateral membrane and the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) in the apical membrane. However, in the possum ileum, NKCC1 expression is low and secretagogues stimulate electrogenic HCO3– secretion driven by a basolateral NaHCO3 cotransporter (pNBCe1). Here we investigated whether electrogenic anion secretion occurs in possum duodenum and jejunum and determined the role of CFTR in possum intestinal anion secretion. Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and forskolin stimulated a large increase in ileal short-circuit current (Isc), consistent with electrogenic HCO3– secretion, but had little effect on the duodenal and jejunal Isc. Furthermore, 5-nitro-2-(3-phenylpropylamino)benzoic acid (NPPB) and N-(2-naphthalenyl)-[(3,5-dibromo-2,4-dihydroxyphenyl)methylene]glycine hydrazide (GlyH101) inhibited cloned possum CFTR in cultured cells and the PGE2-stimulated ileal Isc, implicating CFTR in ileal HCO3– secretion. Consistent with this, CFTR is expressed in the apical membrane of ileal crypt and lower villous cells, which also express pNBCe1 in the basolateral membrane. In contrast, duodenal and jejunal CFTR expression is low relative to the ileum. Jejunal pNBCe1 expression is also low, whereas duodenal and ileal pNBCe1 expression are comparable. All regions have low NKCC1 expression. These results indicate that cAMP-dependent electrogenic Cl– secretion does not occur in the possum small intestine because of the absence of CFTR and NKCC1. Furthermore, CFTR functions as the apical anion conductance associated with HCO3– secretion and its distribution limits electrogenic HCO3– secretion to the ileum.
Rhodium-catalyzed Oxidative Coupling of Benzylamines with Alkynes through Dehydrogenation and Dehydrogenative Cyclization
Authors: Morimoto Keisuke , Hirano Koji , Satoh Tetsuya , Miura Masahiro 
Published: May 2011

Abstract
Oxidative coupling of benzylamines with internal alkynes accompanied by dehydrogenation and dehydrogenative cyclization proceeds efficiently under rhodium catalysis to selectively give the corresponding 3,4-substituted isoquinoline derivatives. The procedure is also applicable to the reactions of (1-naphthylmethyl)amine with diaryl- and dialkylacetylenes to construct benzo[h]isoquinoline and benzo[e]isoindole frameworks, respectively.
Patient information in otorhinolaryngology: a prospective audit
Authors: Henney Scott , Rakhra Simren 
Published: May 2011

Objectives The aim of patient information is to involve patients in their condition and their treatment. The literature states that good information can improve medical outcomes, reduce patient anxiety and that patients want access to it. We wanted to calculate the provision of written patient information to ENT day-case patients, measure information recall and patient satisfaction. Design A prospective audit cycle. The first cycle of the audit studied patients receiving current practice, where verbal information was provided but written patient information was not routine. Following a departmental drive towards provision of written patient information, a second cycle was audited. A question naire on admission to the ward on the day of surgery was used to measure outcomes. Setting The ENT Department of a UK university teaching hospital. Main outcome measures The number of patients receiving written patient information, the rate of recall of complications and patient satisfaction with the information provided. Participants One hundred patients undergoing day-case surgery were included. The first cycle of the audit studied 50 consecutive patients, receiving current practice. The second cycle, following implementation of change, studied a further 50 consecutive patients. Results Following a departmental drive towards provision of patient information, 64% of patients received written patient information improving the rate of recall of the majority of complications from 24% to 52%. There was no significant difference in patient satisfaction between groups. Conclusions Written patient information leaflets are a useful tool to improve recall of information given to patients, in order to facilitate informed consent.
Use of Anticholinergic Drugs and Cholinesterase Inhibitors and Their Association with Psychological Well-Being Among Frail Older Adults in Residential Care Facilities
Authors: Teramura-Grönblad Mariko , Muurinen Seija , Soini Helena , Suominen Merja , Pitkälä Kaisu H 
Published: May 2011

Background Drugs with anticholinergic properties have harmful effects among frail older people and they may antagonize the effects of cholinesterase inhibitors (ChEIs). However, their association with psychological well-being has not been studied. Objective: To determine (1) the prevalence of the use of anticholinergic drugs, ChEIs, or their combination among older adults in residential care facilities and their association with psychological well-being, and (2) the association of anticholinergic drugs with an individual's psychological well-being. Methods: In 2007, all older adults (N = 1475) living in residential care facilities in the cities of Helsinki and Espoo, Finland, were assessed in a cross-sectional study. A trained nurse retrieved data on demographic factors, regularly administered medications, and diagnoses from medical charts. Psychological well-being was assessed using 6 questions concerning life satisfaction, zest for life, plans for the future, feeling needed, and feeling depressed or lonely, and a psychological well-being score was created (range 0-1). Results: Residents taking anticholinergic drugs (n = 613) were significantly younger, used more drugs, and were more often on ChEIs compared with nonusers (n = 862). There was no significant difference in Charlson comorbidity index, stage of cognition, or dependence on activities of daily living between the users or nonusers of anticholinergic drugs. The anticholinergic drug users had significantly lower psychological well-being scores compared with the nonusers. Of the participants, 10.7% used ChEIs and anticholinergic drugs concomitantly. In logistic regression analysis where age, sex, comorbidities, and use of ChEIs were used as covariates, lower psychological well-being was associated with the use of anticholinergic drugs (OR 1.40; 95% CI 1.00 to 1.94; p = 0.048). Conclusions: Concomitant use of anticholinergic drugs and ChEIs is common among older adults. The use of anticholinergic drugs is associated with poor psychological well-being.
The Evolution of Diabetes Care in the Rural, Resource-Constrained Setting of Western Kenya
Authors: Pastakia Sonak D , Karwa Rakhi , Kahn Charles B , Nyabundi Jak S 
Published: May 2011

BACKGROUND: The initial focused effort on addressing the HIV pandemic in ***sub-Saharan Africa has helped set the groundwork for addressing many of the other areas of the health-care system requiring support in resource-constrained settings. With the growing prevalence of diabetes in this setting, the US Agency for International Development—Academic Model Providing Access to Healthcare Partnership (USAID-AMPATH) has begun developing infrastructure to meet the growing need for diabetes care. OBJECTIVE: To describe the evolution of diabetes care in the rural, resource-constrained setting of western Kenya and to analyze preliminary data on the current status of glucose control of patients. METHODS: Through partnerships, USAID-AMPATH has facilitated the provision of basic modalities of diabetes care, including reliable stocks of insulin, hemoglobin A1c (A1C) testing, and point-of-care glucose-testing supplies. RESULTS: Through the introduction of A1C testing, the poor quality of diabetes care was revealed, as the average A1C for the clinic population was 10.4%, with insulin-dependent patients constituting the majority of individuals with markedly elevated A1C levels. To address this, a contextualized electronic medical record and a cell phone-based home glucose monitoring program were created to improve glycemic control, which has led to significant reductions in A1C levels. CONCLUSIONS: Through the inclusion of clinical data within the electronic medical record, there is an ongoing effort to research various aspects of diabetes care in this understudied population, with the goal of addressing many of the unanswered questions surrounding diabetes care in sub-Saharan Africa. The lessons learned from this pilot program will be used to create sustainable infrastructure for diabetes care in partnership with the Kenyan government and will serve as a model for similar programs.
The Rise of African Studies (USA) and the Transnational Study of Africa
Authors: Martin William G. 
Published: May 2011

Abstract:Among Africanists, one of the remarkable events of 1957 was the founding of the African Studies Association. Commentaries on the association's history are slight and understandably celebratory. Exploration of archival and related sources, however, reveals considerable uncertainty and struggle over the construction of the field in the 1950s and 1960s. Those sources range across changing continental, colonial, and racial boundaries and reveal racialized relationships among U.S. scholars and especially foundation officials, British scholars and colonial officials, and, in unexpected ways, scholars in Africa and particularly South Africa. This essay traces the interplay of these forces and the demise of the transnational study of Africa in this period—and points briefly toward today's uncertain future for the study of Africa.
Raoul Peck'sLumumbaandLumumba: La mort du prophète: On Cultural Amnesia and Historical Erasure
Authors: Barr Burlin 
Published: May 2011

Abstract:This article examines two films by Raoul Peck—Lumumba: La mort du prophèle(1992) andLumumba(2000) that offer vastly divergent methods for remembering, memorializing, and meditating on the life and death of Patrice Lumumba. Peck succeeds in creating films that do more than preserve or resuscitate a historical record. The earlier film in particular performs analytic historical work as it delves into the conflicted historical record in which Lumumba is remembered. Peck uses an experimental and confrontational approach to reveal the ongoing forms of cultural censorship that have attempted to erase Lumumba and his legacy.
Do Ethnic Groups Retain Homogenous Preferences in African Politics? Evidence from Sierra Leone and Liberia
Authors: Batty Fodei 
Published: May 2011

Abstract:It is frequently argued that ethnic groups across Alrica retain homogenous preferences stemming from a sense of collective identity and shared destiny, and that they unvaryingly prefer the same outcomes in zero-sum competitions for scarce resources. This article presents results from comparative field surveys examining these claims in Sierra Leone and Liberia following postconflict elections. In contradiction with conventional expectations, the results show corroboration on several issues across voters from several ethnic groups as well as heterogeneity in preferences among voters from the same ethnic groups in both countries. The implications for democratization and conflict resolution in Africa are discussed. E-mail:fbatty@colgate.edu
Farm Intensification and Milk Market Expansion in Meru, Tanzania
Authors: Hillbom Ellen 
Published: May 2011

Abstract:In Meru, Tanzania, technological and institutional change has turned milk into one of the most reliable and important sources of income for smallholder households. Decades of increased population density have caused land scarcity, leading smallholders to intensity their fanning methods and land use, including introducing stall-fed exotic breeds of dairy cows. Meanwhile, a growing urban and rural demand has resulted in a significant market expansion for milk and increasing cash incomes for smallholders. Both farm intensification and market expansion are bottom-up processes of change driven primarily by smallholders. These factors make the livestock sector in Meru an interesting example of broad-based agricultural development.
“A School in the Interior” African Studies: Engagement and Interdisciplinary
Authors: Ambler Charles 
Published: May 2011

Abstract:This article explores the intellectual traditions of African studies, focusing on the central principles of interdisciplinarity and commitment to social and racial justice. Tracing the origins of the field to late nineteenth- and early twentieth-century African is t intellectuals such as Edward Blyden, it investigates these traditions historically and in the context of contemporary practice. Against the backdrop of concerns for the future of area studies, the author finds a vibrant field—both inside and beyond its traditional boundaries.