bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Effects of pulse methylprednisolone and oral methylprednisolone treatments on serum levels of oxidative stress markers in Graves’ ophthalmopathy
Authors: Akarsu Ersin , Buyukhatipoglu Hakan , Aktaran Şebnem , Kurtul Naciye 
Published: November 2010

SummaryBackground  Recent evidence has shown that oxidative stress may play a role in the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases, and this is an issue of considerable research interest in the field of infiltrative ophthalmopathy. Therefore, we evaluated both the relationship between Graves’ ophthalmopathy (GO) and serum levels of certain indicators of oxidative stress, and the effects of methylprednisolone treatment on serum malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione (GSH) levels in patients with euthyroid GO.Materials and Methods  We compared GO patients to both Graves’ patients without ophthalmopathy and healthy controls. Ultimately, we assessed four subject groups. Graves’ patients with ophthalmopathy (GO) were subcategorized into two groups: Group A subjects (n = 18) were given intravenous glucocorticoid and Group B patients (n = 15) were given oral glucocorticoid. Graves’ patients without ophthalmopathy comprised Group C (n = 20), and healthy controls comprised Group D (n = 15). Serum levels of MDA and GSH were measured at baseline and after 4 and 24 weeks of observation via spectrophotometric methods.Results  We found that serum MDA levels were significantly higher in the two GO groups (Groups A and B) than in GO patients without ophthalmopathy or healthy controls. Conversely, GSH levels were significantly lower in the two GO groups than in Groups C and D. MDA and GSH levels were not different between the latter two groups. MDA levels were strongly and positively correlated with a clinical activity score (CAS). In Group A, MDA levels and the CAS were significantly lower than in Group B at 4 weeks. After 24 weeks, however, MDA levels and the CAS were similar in these two groups.Conclusion  Oxidative stress appears to be involved in the pathophysiology of GO. Relative to oral dosing, the intravenous administration of a glucocorticoid seems to yield more rapid improvement in disease activity. MDA might be useful as an indicator of clinical activity.
Phylogenetic species delimitation in ectomycorrhizal fungi and implications for barcoding: the case of the Tricholoma scalpturatum complex (Basidiomycota)
Authors: JARGEAT PATRICIA , MARTOS FLORENT , CARRICONDE FABIAN , GRYTA HERVÉ , MOREAU PIERRE‐ARTHUR , GARDES MONIQUE 
Published: November 2010

AbstractPopulation studies have revealed that the fungal ectomycorrhizal morphospecies Tricholoma scalpturatum consists of at least two genetically distinct groups that occur sympatrically in several geographical areas. This discovery prompted us to examine species boundaries and relationships between members formerly assigned to T. scalpturatum and allied taxa using phylogenetic analyses. Sequence data were obtained from three nuclear DNA regions [internal transcribed spacer (ITS), gpd and tef], from 101 carpophores collected over a large geographical range in Western Europe, and some reference sequences from public databases. The ITS was also tested for its applicability as DNA barcode for species delimitation. Four highly supported phylogenetic clades were detected. The two previously detected genetic groups of T. scalpturatum were assigned to the phylospecies Tricholoma argyraceum and T. scalpturatum. The two remaining clades were referred to as Tricholoma cingulatum and Tricholoma inocybeoides. Unexpectedly, T. cingulatum showed an accelerated rate of evolution that we attributed to narrow host specialization. This study also reveals recombinant ITS sequences in T. inocybeoides, suggesting a hybrid origin. The ITS was a useful tool for the determination of species boundaries: the mean value of intraspecific genetic distances in the entire ITS region (including 5.8S rDNA) was <0.2%, whereas interspecific divergence estimates ranged from 1.78% to 4.22%. Apart from giving insights into the evolution of the T. scalpturatum complex, this study contributes to the establishment of a library of taxonomically verified voucher specimens, an a posteriori correlation between phenotype and genotype, and DNA barcoding of ectomycorrhizal fungi.
TSGA10 – A Target for Autoantibodies in Autoimmune Polyendocrine Syndrome Type 1 and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
Authors: Smith C. J. A. , Oscarson M. , Rönnblom L. , Alimohammadi M. , Perheentupa J. , Husebye E. S. , Gustafsson J. , Nordmark G. , Meloni A. , Crock P. A. , Kämpe O. , Bensing S. 
Published: November 2010

AbstractAutoimmune polyendocrine syndrome type 1 (APS1) is a rare monogenic autoimmune disorder caused by mutations in the autoimmune regulator (AIRE) gene. High‐titre autoantibodies are a characteristic feature of APS1 and are often associated with particular disease manifestations. Pituitary deficits are reported in approximately 7% of APS1 patients, with immunoreactivity to pituitary tissue frequently described. Using APS1 patient serum to immunoscreen a pituitary cDNA expression library, testis specific, 10 (TSGA10) was isolated. Immunoreactivity against TSGA10 was detected in 5/99 (5.05%) patients with APS1, but also in 5/135 (3.70%) systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients and 1/188 (0.53%) healthy controls. TSGA10 autoantibodies were not detected in the serum from patients with any other autoimmune disease. Autoantibodies against TSGA10 were detectable from a young age in 4/5 positive APS1 patients with autoantibody titres remaining relatively constant over time. Furthermore, real‐time PCR confirmed TSGA10 mRNA to be most abundantly expressed in the testis and also showed moderate and low expression levels throughout the entire body. TSGA10 should be considered as an autoantigen in a subset of APS1 patients and also in a minority of SLE patients. No recognizable clinical phenotype could be found to correlate with positive autoantibody reactivity.
Transmission mode affects the population genetic structure of Daphnia parasites
Authors: WOLINSKA J. , SPAAK P. , KOERNER H. , PETRUSEK A. , SEDA J. , GIESSLER S. 
Published: November 2010

AbstractParasite life cycle variation can shape parasite evolution, by predisposing them towards different population genetic structures. We compared the population genetic structure of two co‐occurring parasite species of Daphnia, to collect evidence for their expected transmission modes. The ichthyosporean Caullerya mesnili has a direct life cycle, whereas the microsporidian Berwaldia schaefernai is hypothesized to require passage through a secondary host. The parasites were collected from three geographically isolated Daphnia populations. The nucleotide variation in the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region was assessed at the within‐individual, within‐population and among‐population levels, using amova. We detected significant partitioning at all levels, except for a lack of among‐population variation in Berwaldia. This was confirmed by neighbour‐joining and principal component analyses; Caullerya populations were distinct from each other, while there was much overlap among parasite isolates representing different populations of Berwaldia. This all implies a higher amount of gene flow for Berwaldia, consistent with the hypothesized transmission mode.
Phylogenetic relationships of the Cretaceous frog Beelzebufo from Madagascar and the placement of fossil constraints based on temporal and phylogenetic evidence
Authors: RUANE S. , PYRON R. A. , BURBRINK F. T. 
Published: November 2010

AbstractThe placement of fossil calibrations is ideally based on the phylogenetic analysis of extinct taxa. Another source of information is the temporal variance for a given clade implied by a particular constraint when combined with other, well‐supported calibrations. For example, the frog Beelzebufo ampinga from the Cretaceous of Madagascar has been hypothesized to be a crown‐group member of the New World subfamily Ceratophryinae, which would support a Late Cretaceous connection with South America. However, phylogenetic analyses and molecular divergence time estimates based on other fossils do not support this placement. We derive a metric, Δt, to quantify temporal divergence among chronograms and find that errors resulting from mis‐specified calibrations are localized when additional nodes throughout the tree are properly calibrated. The use of temporal information from molecular data can further assist in testing phylogenetic hypotheses regarding the placement of extinct taxa.
Evolvability of an avian life history trait declines with father’s age
Authors: KIM S.‐Y. , DRUMMOND H. , TORRES R. , VELANDO A. 
Published: November 2010

AbstractStudies of laboratory organisms have suggested that parental age affects the genetic variance of offspring traits. This effect can engender age‐specific variance in genetic contributions to evolutionary change in heritable traits under directional selection, particularly in age‐structured populations. Using long‐term population data of the blue‐footed booby (Sula nebouxii), we tested whether genetic variance of recruiting age varies with parental age. Using robust quantitative genetic models fitted to pedigree, we found a significant genotype‐by‐paternal age interaction for recruiting age. Genetic potential for adaptive change in recruiting age was greater in progeny of young (age 1–6 years) fathers (males: CVA = 6.68; females: CVA = 7.59) than those of middle age (7–9 years) fathers (males: CVA = 4.64; females: CVA = 5.08) and old (10–14 years) fathers (CVA = 0 for both sexes). Therefore, parental age dependence of heritable variance, in addition to age‐related variation in survival and fecundity, should affect the strength of natural selection for evolutionary changes. Our results provide rare evidence for the influence of parental age on the evolutionary potential of a life history trait in a wild population.
Genomic medicine in non‐small cell lung cancer: Paving the path to personalized care
Authors: SRIRAM Krishna Bajee , LARSEN Jill Everland , YANG Ian Anthony , BOWMAN Rayleen Veronica , FONG Kwun Meng 
Published: November 2010

ABSTRACTLung cancer is the commonest cause of cancer‐related mortality and non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounts for 80% of all lung cancer. The prognosis of NSCLC remains poor across all stages, despite advances in staging techniques and treatments. The findings of recent high‐throughput mRNA microarray studies have shown potential in refining current NSCLC diagnosis, classification, prognosis and treatment paradigms. Emerging microarray studies of microRNA, DNA copy number and methylation profiles are also providing novel insights into the biology of NSCLC. Currently there are several challenges, such as the reproducibility and cost of microarray platforms that will need to be addressed prior to the implementation of these genomic technologies to routine thoracic oncology practice. In addition, genomic tests (such as prognosis and prediction gene expression signatures) will need to be validated in well designed prospective studies that aim to answer clinically relevant questions. If successful, the integration of microarray‐based genomic information with existing clinicopathological models may enhance the ability of clinicians to match the most effective treatment to an individual patient. Such a strategy may improve survival and reduce treatment‐related morbidity in NSCLC patients.
Refinement of metre perception – training increases hierarchical metre processing
Authors: Geiser Eveline , Sandmann Pascale , Jäncke Lutz , Meyer Martin 
Published: November 2010

AbstractAuditory metre perception refers to the ability to extract a temporally regular pulse and an underlying hierarchical structure of perceptual accents from a sequence of tones. Pulse perception is widely present in humans, and can be measured by the temporal expectancy for prospective tones, which listeners generate when presented with a metrical rhythm. We tested whether musical expertise leads to an increased perception and representation of the hierarchical structure of a metrical rhythm. Musicians and musical novices were tested in a mismatch negativity (MMN) paradigm for their sensitivity to perceptual accents on tones of the same pulse level (metre‐congruent deviant) and on tones of a lower hierarchical level (metre‐incongruent deviant). The difference between these two perceptual accents was more pronounced in the MMNs of the musicians than in those of the non‐musicians. That is, musical expertise includes increased sensitivity to metre, specifically to its hierarchical structure. This enhanced higher‐order temporal pattern perception makes musicians ideal models for investigating neural correlates of metre perception and, potentially, of related abstract pattern perception. Finally, our data show that small differences in sensitivity to higher‐order patterns can be captured by means of an MMN paradigm.
Human papillomavirus prevalence, distribution and correlation to histopathological parameters in a large Swedish cohort of men with penile carcinoma
Authors: Kirrander Peter , Kolaric Aleksandra , Helenius Gisela , Windahl Torgny , Andrén Ove , Stark Jennifer Rider , Lillsunde‐Larsson Gabriella , Elgh Fredrik , Karlsson Mats 
Published: November 2010

Study Type – Aetiology (case series)Level of Evidence 4OBJECTIVE

To analyse the overall and type‐specific human papillomavirus (HPV) prevalence and distribution in penile carcinoma and determine the correlation to histopathological parameters.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

In this retrospective study, we analysed HPV status in 241 patients with penile carcinoma, treated at Örebro University Hospital, Örebro, Sweden, between 1984 and 2008. Age and date at diagnosis was recorded.
The tumour specimens were categorized according to the UICC 2002 TNM classification. A subset of patients was operatively staged with regard to lymph node status.
A commercially available Real Time PCR was used to detect 13 different types of HPV (6,11,16,18,31,33,35,45,51,52,56,58 and 59).

RESULTS

We excluded 25 patients due to low DNA quality. Of the remaining 216, 179 (82.9%) tumour specimens were HPV infected. The majority of cases positive for HPV (70.4%) were infected by a single‐type. The most frequent type was HPV 16 followed by HPV 18.
No significant association between HPV status and pathological tumour stage, grade or lymph node status was found.

CONCLUSION

The HPV prevalence found is higher than in most other studies, further strengthening HPV as an etiological agent in penile carcinoma. Furthermore, the high prevalence of HPV 16 and 18 raises the question of what potential impact current HPV vaccines that target these specific HPV types might have on penile carcinoma. No significant association between HPV status and histopathological parameters was found in the present study. Additional investigations are needed to draw final conclusions on the prognostic value of HPV status in penile carcinoma.
Relationship between premature ejaculation and genetic polymorphisms of the dopamine transporter gene (SLC6A3)
Authors: Safarinejad Mohammad Reza 
Published: November 2010

What’s known on the subject? and What does the study add? The process of ejaculation is highly influenced by genetic and neurobiological factors. Central dopaminergic drugs facilitate ejaculation. Genetic variation in SLC6A3 may alter the expression of dopamine transporter gene (DAT). This study evaluated the associations between genetic polymorphisms of the DAT and PE.A statistically significant association was observed between the presence of 9‐repeat allele and 9/10 genotype and PE. The presence of 7‐repeat allele had protective effect against PE.OBJECTIVE• To investigate the possible relationships between premature ejaculation (PE) polymorphisms in the dopamine transporter (DAT) gene (SLC6A3, DAT1), which has a polymorphic 40 base pair (40 bp) variable number of tandem repeats (VNTR) sequence in the 3′‐untranslated region (3′ VNTR).PATIENTS AND METHODS• Cohorts of 270 Iranian men with PE and 266 age‐matched healthy Iranian subjects were genotyped for the DAT1‐VNTR polymorphism.RESULTS• The 10‐repeat allele frequencies were similar in the control (90.2%) and patient groups (88.5%) (P = 0.8).• A statistically significant association was observed between the presence of the nine‐repeat allele and PE (chi‐squared test = 4.346, odds ratio [OR] = 2.46, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.57–3.15, P = 0.026).• The frequencies of the 9/10 genotype were also significantly higher in the PE patients than in normal controls (chi‐squared test = 4.466, OR = 2.47, 95% CI = 1.52–3.21, P = 0.028). The presence of the seven‐repeat allele had a protective effect against PE (chi‐squared test = 2.324, OR = 0.62, 95% CI = 0.47–0.89, P = 0.034).CONCLUSIONS• The findings of the present study suggest that DAT1‐VNTR polymorphisms resulting in higher dopamine concentrations were associated with vulnerability to PE.• Further studies are needed to replicate these results and to evaluate the role of inconsistency in the DAT genes and how this affects the development of PE.
Low pretreatment total testosterone (<3 ng/mL) predicts extraprostatic disease in prostatectomy specimens from patients with preoperative localized prostate cancer
Authors: Xylinas Evanguelos , Ploussard Guillaume , Durand Xavier , Fabre Alban , Salomon Laurent , Allory Yves , Vordos Dimitri , Hoznek Andras , Abbou Claude Clément , de la Taille Alexandre 
Published: November 2010

Study Type – Therapy (case series)  Level of Evidence 4OBJECTIVE

To investigate the relationship between pretreatment testosterone levels and pathological specimen characteristics, by prospectively examining serum androgen concentrations in a well‐studied cohort of patients who underwent radical prostatectomy (RP) for localized prostate cancer.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A total of 107 patients with clinically localized prostate cancer had an assay of total testosterone before laparoscopic RP at our institution.
The results were classified into two groups based on the total serum testosterone: group1, <3 ng/mL; group 2, ≥3 ng/mL.
Student’s t‐test was used to compare continuous variables, and Fisher’s exact test or the chi‐squared test was used to compare categorical variables.
Survival curves were established using the Kaplan–Meier method and compared using the log‐rank test. In all tests, P < 0.05 was considered to indicate statistical significance.

RESULTS

All patients had localized prostate cancer based on digital rectal examination (DRE) and preoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Groups 1 and 2 were similar in terms of age, body mass index, preoperative co‐morbidities (cardiovascular and diabetes mellitus), clinical stage of prostate cancer and preoperative PSA levels.
In pathological specimens, low total testosterone (<3 ng/mL) was an independent risk factor for high Gleason score (>7) and for locally advanced pathological stage (pT3 and pT4).
Higher preoperative testosterone correlated with disease confined to the gland.
There was no association between serum testosterone levels and surgical margin status, on the one hand, and biochemical recurrence on the other.

CONCLUSION

Low serum testosterone appears to be predictive of aggressive disease (Gleason score >7 and extraprostatic disease, pathological stage >pT2) in patients who underwent RP for localized prostate cancer.
Acute Atrial Dilatation Slows Conduction and Increases AF Vulnerability in the Human Atrium
Authors: RAVELLI FLAVIA , MASÈ MICHELA , DEL GRECO MAURIZIO , MARINI MASSIMILIANO , DISERTORI MARCELLO 
Published: November 2010

Stretch Slows Conduction in the Human Atrium. Introduction: The mechanisms by which atrial stretch favors the development of a substrate for atrial fibrillation (AF) are not fully understood. In this study, the role of stretch‐induced conduction changes in the creation of a proarrhythmic substrate has been investigated by quantifying the spatial distribution of local conduction velocities (CVs) in the human atrium during acute atrial dilatation.
Methods and Results: Electroanatomic mapping of right atrial activation was performed in 10 patients during coronary sinus pacing under control condition and during acute atrial dilatation. Atrial stretch was obtained by simultaneous atrioventricular (AV) pacing at a cycle length of 450–500 ms. Local CVs were accurately estimated by applying the principle of triangulation and spatially mapped over the whole right atrial endocardial surface. Simultaneous AV pacing significantly increased right atrial volume from 72.0 ± 29.0 to 86.3 ± 31.3 mL (P < 0.001). The 23% increase in atrial volume resulted in an overall decrease in atrial CV from 65.8 ± 5.9 to 55.2 ± 7.2 cm/s (P < 0.001) and an increased incidence of slow conduction sites or local conduction blocks from 10.3 ± 4.2% to 15.9 ± 7.7% (P < 0.01). Acute atrial dilatation concurrently increased AF vulnerability, with 6 of 10 patients developing AF episodes under stretch condition.
Conclusion: Quantification of stretch‐induced conduction changes in the human atrium is feasible by combining simultaneous AV pacing and CV map construction. Acute atrial dilatation results in conduction slowing and significant increase in AF vulnerability, suggesting the role of stretch‐induced conduction disturbances in the creation of a substrate for AF. (J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol, Vol. 22, pp. 394‐401)
Too Much Democracy? Primaries and Candidate Success in the 2006 Mexican National Elections
Authors: Bruhn Kathleen 
Published: November 2010

AbstractsDo primaries help political parties perform better in general elections, or do they undermine electoral performance by contributing to internal divisions and to the weakening of party organizations? This article examines the effect of holding a primary on the general election prospects of candidates, using cases from two of the three major parties in Mexico's 2006 national legislative elections. In both parties, primaries fail to systematically produce candidates with advantages in the general election, due largely to organizational deficits of the parties and low entry requirements for aspiring precandidates. Indeed, outside urban centers, where parties tend to be better organized, primaries actually seem to hurt party performance in subsequent general elections.
The Adaptation of the FSLN: Daniel Ortega's Leadership and Democracy in Nicaragua
Authors: Martí i Puig Salvador 
Published: November 2010

AbstractThis article explores the capacity of the Frente Sandinista de Liberación Nacional (FSLN) to adapt to a changing Nicaraguan political environment over the last three decades. It focuses on the FSLN's transformation from the 1980s until its recent return to power. The analysis uses the tools offered by studies on the transformation and adaptation of political parties in adverse contexts. It concentrates on the four key stages of the FSLN's transformation: the 1980s, the five-year period following the FSLN's defeat in the elections (1990–1995), the following decade in opposition (1996–2006), and the return to government. The key elements of the FSLN's adaptation relate to the centralization of party resources around the undisputed leadership of Daniel Ortega.