bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Persistent sensory dysfunction in pain‐free herniotomy
Authors: AASVANG E. K. , KEHLET H. 
Published: October 2009

Background: Persistent post‐herniotomy pain may be a neuropathic pain state based on the finding of a persistent sensory dysfunction. However, detailed information on the normal distribution of sensory function in pain‐free post‐herniotomy patients hinders identification of exact pathogenic mechanisms. Therefore, we aimed to establish normative data on sensory function in pain‐free patients >1 year after a groin herniotomy.Methods: Sensory thresholds were assessed in 40 pain‐free patients by a standardized quantitative sensory testing (QST). Secondary endpoints included comparison of sensory function between the operated and the naïve side, and correlation between sensory function modalities.Results: QST showed that on the operated side, thermal data were normally distributed, but mechanical pressure and pinch thresholds were normalized only after log‐transformation, and cold pain and pressure tolerance could not be normalized. Comparison of QST results revealed significant (P<0.01) cutaneous hypoesthesia/hyperalgesia, but also significant pressure hyperalgesia (P<0.01) and decreased pressure tolerance (P=0.02) on the operated vs. the naïve side. Wind‐up was seen in 6 (15%) but with a low pain intensity.Conclusion: Persistent sensory dysfunction is common in pain‐free post‐herniotomy patients. Future studies of sensory function in persistent post‐herniotomy pain should compare the findings to the present data in order to characterize individual patients and potentially identify subgroups, which may aid in allocation of patients to pharmacological or surgical treatment.
Evidence that nitric oxide inhibits vascular inflammation and superoxide production via a p47phox‐dependent mechanism in mice
Authors: Harrison Craig B , Drummond Grant R , Sobey Christopher G , Selemidis Stavros 
Published: October 2009

Summary1. Regulation of vascular Nox2‐containing NADPH oxidase by p47phoxplays a pivotal role in the development of atherosclerotic lesions through the generation of superoxide. Reduced vascular nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability is a major contributing factor in the initiation of atherosclerosis because it leads to an increase in adhesion molecule expression for inflammatory cell recruitment into the vessel wall.2. The aim of the present study was to examine whether the anti‐oxidant and anti‐inflammatory effects of endogenous NO involve inhibition of NADPH oxidase‐dependent superoxide production.3. To inhibit endogenous NO production, male C57Bl/6 wild‐type (WT) mice or age‐matched p47phox−/−mice were treated withNG‐nitro‐l‐arginine methyl ester (l‐NAME; 100 mg/kg per day for 4 weeks). Blood pressure was measured weekly via the tail‐cuff method. Basal and phorbol dibutyrate (PDB)‐stimulated aortic superoxide production was detected using lucigenin‐ and L‐012‐enhanced chemiluminescence, respectively. Aortic Nox2, p47phoxand vascular cell adhesion molecule (VCAM)‐1 expression were measured with western blotting. Plasma angiotensin (Ang) II levels were determined by radioimmunoassay.4. Compared with vehicle (tap water)‐treated WT mice (n = 4),l‐NAME‐treated WT mice had significantly higher systolic blood pressure (SBP;n = 6;P < 0.05) and basal and stimulated aortic extracellular superoxide production (n = 6–8;P < 0.05), but lower plasma AngII levels (P < 0.05). There was no change in Nox2 expression followingl‐NAME treatment of WT mice (n = 6); however, significant increases in both aortic p47phox(n = 6;P < 0.05) and VCAM‐1 expression (n = 6;P < 0.05) were observed. In p47phox−/−mice,l‐NAME treatment significantly increased SBP (n = 3–4;P < 0.05), but failed to increase aortic superoxide production and VCAM‐1 expression.5. In conclusion, endogenous NO suppresses vascular inflammation, via inhibition of p47phoxexpression, leading to attenuation of NADPH oxidase‐dependent superoxide production.
Inhibitors of slit protein interactions with the heparan sulphate proteoglycan glypican‐1: Potential agents for the treatment of spinal cord injury
Authors: Lau Elizabeth , Margolis Richard U 
Published: October 2009

Summary1. The heparan sulphate proteoglycan glypican‐1 is a major high‐affinity ligand of the Slit proteins.2. Messenger RNA for both Slit‐2 and glypican‐1 is strongly upregulated and coexpressed in the reactive astrocytes of injured adult brain, suggesting a possible function of Slit proteins and glypican‐1 in the adult central nervous system as significant components of the inhibitory environment that prevents axonal regeneration after injury.3. Based on the hypothesis that adverse effects on axonal regeneration may be due to a glypican–Slit complex or the retention of glypican‐binding C‐terminal proteolytic processing fragments of Slit at the injury site, we used ELISA to examine a number of small molecules and low molecular weight heparin analogues for their ability to inhibit glypican–Slit interactions.4. Our studies have led to the identification of several potent inhibitors with a favourable therapeutic profile that can now be tested in a spinal cord injury model. Among the most promising of these are a low molecular weight heparin produced by periodate oxidation and having no significant anticoagulant activity, the chemically sulphonated yeast‐derived phosphomannan PI‐88 and a number of randomly derivatized water‐soluble sulphated dextrans.
The development and implementation of the Pathway for Improving the Care of the Dying in general medical wards
Authors: Jackson K. , Mooney C. , Campbell D. 
Published: October 2009

AbstractThe majority of deaths in Australia occur in general hospital wards and most are neither sudden nor unexpected. The Pathway for Improving the Care of the Dying (PICD) is an adaptation of the Liverpool Care Pathway to the Australian healthcare setting (or ‘to Australian conditions’) and is designed to help ensure a ‘good death’ for patients dying outside the palliative care system. PICD consists of a series of prompts, guidelines, revised medical and nursing care plans and a number of medication algorithms.
Rock weathering creates oases of life in a High Arctic desert
Authors: Borin Sara , Ventura Stefano , Tambone Fulvia , Mapelli Francesca , Schubotz Florence , Brusetti Lorenzo , Scaglia Barbara , D'Acqui Luigi P. , Solheim Bjørn , Turicchia Silvia , Marasco Ramona , Hinrichs Kai‐Uwe , Baldi Franco , Adani Fabrizio , Daffonchio Daniele 
Published: October 2009

SummaryDuring primary colonization of rock substrates by plants, mineral weathering is strongly accelerated under plant roots, but little is known on how it affects soil ecosystem development before plant establishment. Here we show that rock mineral weathering mediated by chemolithoautotrophic bacteria is associated to plant community formation in sites recently released by permanent glacier ice cover in the Midtre Lovénbreen glacier moraine (78°53′N), Svalbard. Increased soil fertility fosters growth of prokaryotes and plants at the boundary between sites of intense bacterial mediated chemolithotrophic iron‐sulfur oxidation and pH decrease, and the common moraine substrate where carbon and nitrogen are fixed by cyanobacteria. Microbial iron oxidizing activity determines acidity and corresponding fertility gradients, where water retention, cation exchange capacity and nutrient availability are increased. This fertilization is enabled by abundant mineral nutrients and reduced forms of iron and sulfur in pyrite minerals within a conglomerate type of moraine rock. Such an interaction between microorganisms and moraine minerals determines a peculiar, not yet described model for soil genesis and plant ecosystem formation with potential past and present analogues in other harsh environments with similar geochemical settings.
Diel rhythm of nitrogen and carbon metabolism in the unicellular, diazotrophic cyanobacterium Crocosphaera watsonii WH8501
Authors: Mohr Wiebke , Intermaggio Maria Paola , LaRoche Julie 
Published: October 2009

SummaryWe examined the diel variation in nitrogen and carbon metabolism in Crocosphaera watsonii WH8501 at the physiological and gene expression level in order to determine the temporal constraints for N2 fixation and photosynthesis. N2 fixation and photosynthesis were restricted to the dark and light periods, respectively, during a 24 h light–dark cycle. All genes studied here except one (psbA2) showed diel variations in their expression levels. The highest variation was seen in nifH and nifX relative transcript abundance with a factor of 3–5 × 103 between light and dark periods. Photosynthesis genes showed less variation with a maximum factor of about 500 and always had high relative transcript abundances relative to other genes. At the protein level, the photosystems appeared more stable than the nitrogenase complex over a 24 h light–dark cycle, suggesting that C. watsonii retains the ability to photosynthesize during the dark period of the diel cycle. In contrast, nitrogenase is synthesized daily and exhibits peak abundance during the dark period. Our results have implications for field studies with respect to the interpretation of environmental gene expression data.
Dynamics of genome evolution in facultative symbionts of aphids
Authors: Degnan Patrick H. , Leonardo Teresa E. , Cass Bodil N. , Hurwitz Bonnie , Stern David , Gibbs Richard A. , Richards Stephen , Moran Nancy A. 
Published: October 2009

SummaryAphids are sap‐feeding insects that host a range of bacterial endosymbionts including the obligate, nutritional mutualist Buchnera plus several bacteria that are not required for host survival. Among the latter, ‘Candidatus Regiella insecticola’ and ‘Candidatus Hamiltonella defensa’ are found in pea aphids and other hosts and have been shown to protect aphids from natural enemies. We have sequenced almost the entire genome of R. insecticola (2.07 Mbp) and compared it with the recently published genome of H. defensa (2.11 Mbp). Despite being sister species the two genomes are highly rearranged and the genomes only have ∼55% of genes in common. The functions encoded by the shared genes imply that the bacteria have similar metabolic capabilities, including only two essential amino acid biosynthetic pathways and active uptake mechanisms for the remaining eight, and similar capacities for host cell toxicity and invasion (type 3 secretion systems and RTX toxins). These observations, combined with high sequence divergence of orthologues, strongly suggest an ancient divergence after establishment of a symbiotic lifestyle. The divergence in gene sets and in genome architecture implies a history of rampant recombination and gene inactivation and the ongoing integration of mobile DNA (insertion sequence elements, prophage and plasmids).
Halophilic Archaea cultured from ancient halite, Death Valley, California
Authors: Schubert Brian A. , Lowenstein Tim K. , Timofeeff Michael N. , Parker Matthew A. 
Published: October 2009

SummaryHalophilic Archaea cultured from ancient fluid inclusions in a 90‐m‐long (0‐ to 100 000‐year‐old) salt core from Death Valley, California, demonstrate survival of bacterial cells in subsurface halite for up to 34 000 years. Five enrichment cultures, representing three genera of halophilic Archaea (Halorubrum, Natronomonas and Haloterrigena), were obtained from five surface‐sterilized halite crystals exclusively in one section of the core (13.0–17.8 m; 22 000–34 000 years old) containing perennial saline lake deposits. Prokaryote cells were observed microscopically in situ within fluid inclusions from every layer that produced culturable cells. Another 876 crystals analysed from depths of 8.1–86.7 m (10 000–100 000 years old) failed to yield live halophilic Archaea. Considering the number of halite crystals tested (culturing success of 0.6%), microbial survival in fluid inclusions in halite is rare and related to the paleoenvironment, which controls the distribution and abundance of trapped microorganisms. Two cultures from two crystals at 17.8 m that yielded identical 16S rRNA sequences (genus: Haloterrigena) demonstrate intra‐laboratory reproducibility. Inter‐laboratory reproducibility is shown by two halophilic Archaea (genus: Natronomonas), with 99.3% similarity of 16S rRNA sequences, cultured from the same core interval, but at separate laboratories.
Inpatient treatment of diabetic patients in Asia: evidence from India, China, Thailand and Malaysia
Authors: Goldhaber‐Fiebert J. D. , Li H. , Ratanawijitrasin S. , Vidyasagar S. , Wang X. Y. , Aljunid S. , Shah N. , Wang Z. , Hirunrassamee S. , Bairy K. L. , Wang J. , Saperi S. , Nur A. M. , Eggleston K. 
Published: October 2009

Diabet. Med. 27, 101–108 (2010)AbstractAims  The prevalence of Type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) has grown rapidly, but little is known about the drivers of inpatient spending in low‐ and middle‐income countries. This study aims to compare the clinical presentation and expenditure on hospital admission for inpatients with a primary diagnosis of Type 2 DM in India, China, Thailand and Malaysia.Methods  We analysed data on adult, Type 2 DM patients admitted between 2005 and 2008 to five tertiary hospitals in the four countries, reporting expenditures relative to income per capita in 2007.Results  Hospital admission spending for diabetic inpatients with no complications ranged from 11 to 75% of per‐capita income. Spending for patients with complications ranged from 6% to over 300% more than spending for patients without complications treated at the same hospital. Glycated haemoglobin was significantly higher for the uninsured patients, compared with insured patients, in India (8.6 vs. 8.1%), Hangzhou, China (9.0 vs. 8.1%), and Shandong, China (10.9 vs. 9.9%). When the hospital admission expenditures of the insured and uninsured patients were statistically different in India and China, the uninsured always spent less than the insured patients.Conclusions  With the rising prevalence of DM, households and health systems in these countries will face greater economic burdens. The returns to investment in preventing diabetic complications appear substantial. Countries with large out‐of‐pocket financing burdens such as India and China are associated with the widest gaps in resource use between insured and uninsured patients. This probably reflects both overuse by the insured and underuse by the uninsured.
The CBL–CIPK Ca2+‐decoding signaling network: function and perspectives
Authors: Weinl Stefan , Kudla Jörg 
Published: October 2009

SummaryCalcium serves as a versatile messenger in many adaptation and developmental processes in plants. Cellular calcium signals are detected and transmitted by calcium‐binding proteins functioning as sensor molecules. The family of calcineurin B‐like (CBL) proteins represents a unique group of calcium sensors and contributes to the decoding of calcium transients by interacting with and regulating the family of CBL‐interacting protein kinases (CIPKs). In higher plants, CBL proteins and CIPKs form a complex signaling network that allows for flexible but specific signal–response coupling during environmental adaptation reactions. This review presents novel findings concerning the evolution of this signaling network and key insights into the physiological function of CBL–CIPK complexes. These aspects will be presented and discussed in the context of emerging functional principles governing efficient and specific information processing in this signaling system.

Contents

Summary
517

I.
Introduction
517

II.
Comparative genomics of the CBL–CIPK signaling network
518

III.
Structural features and functional principles of CBLs and CIPKs
521

IV.
Functions and targets of CBL–CIPK complexes
523

V.
Conclusions and perspectives
525

Acknowledgements
526

References
526
Building Trust? Conditional Cash Transfer Programmes and Social Capital*
Authors: Attanasio Orazio , Pellerano Luca , Reyes Sandra Polanía 
Published: October 2009

AbstractIn this paper, we propose a measure of social capital based on behaviour in a public goods game. We conducted a public goods game within 28 groups in two similar neighbourhoods in Cartagena, Colombia, one of which had been targeted for over two years by a conditional cash transfer programme that has an important social component. The level of cooperation we observe in the ‘treatment’ community is considerably higher than that in the ‘control’ community. The two neighbourhoods, however, although similar in many dimensions, turn out to be significantly different in other observable variables. The result we obtain in terms of cooperation, however, is robust to controls for these observable differences. We also compare our measure of social capital with other more traditional measures that have been used in the literature.
Would a Flat‐Rate Tax Stimulate Entrepreneurship in Germany? A Behavioural Microsimulation Analysis Allowing for Risk*
Authors: Fossen Frank M. 
Published: October 2009

AbstractWhen potential income tax reforms are debated, the suspected impact on entrepreneurship is often used as an argument in favour of or against a certain policy. Quantitative ex‐ante evaluations of the effect of certain tax reform options on entrepreneurship are very rare, however. This paper estimates the ex‐ante effects of the German tax reform 2000 and of two hypothetical flat‐rate tax scenarios on entries into and exits out of self‐employment based on a structural microsimulation model with econometrically estimated transition rates under risk. The simulation results indicate that flatter tax systems do not encourage people to choose self‐employment, but rather discourage them from doing so. This is explained by the reduction of entrepreneurs' income risk through progressive taxation.
Abolishing the Tax‐Free Threshold in Australia: Simulating Alternative Reforms*
Authors: Creedy John , Hérault Nicolas , Kalb Guyonne 
Published: October 2009

AbstractThis paper examines the role of the tax‐free income tax threshold in a complex tax and transfer system consisting of a range of taxes and benefits, each with its own taper rates and thresholds. Considering a tax and benefit system with benefit taper rates whereby some benefits are received by income groups other than those at the bottom of the distribution, it is suggested that a tax‐free threshold is not a necessary requirement to achieve redistribution. Four alternative policy changes, each involving the elimination of the tax‐free threshold in Australia and designed to achieve approximate revenue neutrality, were examined using the Melbourne Institute Tax and Transfer Simulator. A range of implications were examined, including labour supply responses to tax changes and the effects of policy changes on inequality and social welfare. The results demonstrate that it is possible to eliminate the tax‐free threshold under approximate overall revenue and distribution neutrality, but that it is impossible to improve labour supply incentives at the same time. In order to achieve improved incentives, either revenue or distribution neutrality has to be sacrificed.
Protease‐activated receptors and prostaglandins in inflammatory lung disease
Authors: Peters Terence , Henry Peter J 
Published: October 2009

Protease‐activated receptors (PARs) are a novel family of G protein‐coupled receptors. Signalling through PARs typically involves the cleavage of an extracellular region of the receptor by endogenous or exogenous proteases, which reveals a tethered ligand sequence capable of auto‐activating the receptor. A considerable body of evidence has emerged over the past 20 years supporting a prominent role for PARs in a variety of human physiological and pathophysiological processes, and thus substantial attention has been directed towards developing drug‐like molecules that activate or block PARs via non‐proteolytic pathways. PARs are widely expressed within the respiratory tract, and their activation appears to exert significant modulatory influences on the level of bronchomotor tone, as well as on the inflammatory processes associated with a range of respiratory tract disorders. Nevertheless, there is debate as to whether the principal response to PAR activation is an augmentation or attenuation of airways inflammation. In this context, an important action of PAR activators may be to promote the generation and release of prostanoids, such as prostglandin E2, which have well‐established anti‐inflammatory effects in the lung. In this review, we primarily focus on the relationship between PARs, prostaglandins and inflammatory processes in the lung, and highlight their potential role in selected respiratory tract disorders, including pulmonary fibrosis, asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.This article is part of a themed issue on Mediators and Receptors in the Resolution of Inflammation. To view this issue visit http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/121548564/issueyear?year=2009
Mediators and receptors in the resolution of inflammation: drug targeting opportunities
Authors: Stewart AG 
Published: October 2009

The active resolution of inflammation is recognized as offering new opportunities to generate novel anti‐inflammatory agents. The emerging appreciation of the importance of active resolution in regulation of inflammation also creates an imperative to examine developing and existing agents for their potential to influence these pathways. This themed issue of the British Journal of Pharmacology contains papers that discuss the roles of annexin‐1, lipoxins and related lipid products of fish oils as well as other mechanisms involved in active resolution and their receptor targets.This article is part of a themed issue on Mediators and Receptors in the Resolution of Inflammation. To view this issue visit http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/121548564/issueyear?year=2009