bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Current discharge management of acute coronary syndromes: baseline results from a national quality improvement initiative
Authors: Wai A. , Pulver L. K. , Oliver K. , Thompson A. 
Published: July 2010

AbstractBackground: Evidence–practice gaps exist in the continuum of care for patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS), particularly at hospital discharge.Aim: We aimed to describe the methodology and baseline results of the Discharge Management of Acute Coronary Syndromes (DMACS) project, focusing on the prescription of guideline‐recommended medications, referral to cardiac rehabilitation and communication between the hospital, patient and their primary healthcare professionals.Methods: DMACS employed Drug Use Evaluation methodology involving data collection, evaluation and feedback, and targeted educational interventions. Adult patients with ACS discharged during a 4‐month period were eligible to participate. Data were collected (maximum 50 patients) at each site through an inpatient medical record review, a general practitioner (GP) postal/fax survey conducted 14 days post discharge and a patient telephone survey 3 months post discharge.Results: Forty‐nine hospitals participated in the audit recruiting 1545 patients. At discharge, 57% of patients were prescribed a combination of antiplatelet agent(s), beta‐blocker, statin and angiotensin‐converting enzyme inhibitor and/or angiotensin II‐antagonist. At 3 months post discharge, 48% of patients reported using the same combination. Some 67% of patients recalled being referred to cardiac rehabilitation; of these, 33% had completed the programme. In total, 83% of patients had a documented ACS management plan at discharge. Of these, 90% included a medication list, 56% a chest pain action plan and 54% risk factor modification advice. Overall, 65% of GPs rated the quality of information received in the discharge summary as ‘very good’ to ‘excellent’.Conclusions: The findings of our baseline audit showed that despite the robust evidence base and availability of national guidelines, the management of patients with ACS can be improved. These findings will inform a multifaceted intervention strategy to improve adherence to guidelines for the discharge management of patients with ACS.
Estrogen + progestin therapy and cognition: A randomized placebo‐controlled double‐blind study
Authors: Alhola Paula , Tuomisto Hanna , Saarinen Reetta , Portin Raija , Kalleinen Nea , Polo‐Kantola Päivi 
Published: July 2010

AbstractAims:  The use of hormone therapy (HT) is a relevant and topical issue in the treatment of menopausal symptoms in women. Information regarding the effects of combination treatment with estrogen and progesterone as well as treatment timing on cognitive function is lacking and was evaluated in healthy pre‐ and postmenopausal women.Methods:  Sixteen premenopausal (45–51 years) and 16 postmenopausal (58–70 years) women were randomly assigned to receive either estrogen + progestin therapy (HT) or placebo (PL) for six months. The study was double‐blind. Cognitive performance was measured at baseline and follow up with tests of verbal and visuomotor functions, verbal and visual memory, and attention.Results:  In premenopausal women, cognitive attention, when compared to baseline, improved with HT but declined slightly with PL in the two‐choice reaction time task (P = 0.049), while PL was associated with better performance in tests of shared attention (P = 0.024) and auditory attention (P < 0.05). In postmenopausal women, HT was associated with improved performance in verbal episodic memory (P = 0.024) and a minor decline in auditory attention (P = 0.025).Conclusions:  HT, with estradiol valerate and norethisterone, in healthy women showed only minor effects on attention around the menopausal transition and on memory in postmenopause.
Long‐lasting modulation of synaptic plasticity in rat hippocampus after early‐life complex febrile seizures
Authors: Notenboom Robbert G. E. , Ramakers Geert M. J. , Kamal Amer , Spruijt Berry M. , De Graan Pierre N. E. 
Published: July 2010

AbstractA small fraction of children with febrile seizures appears to develop cognitive impairments. Recent studies in a rat model of hyperthermia‐induced febrile seizures indicate that prolonged febrile seizures early in life have long‐lasting effects on the hippocampus and induce cognitive deficits. However, data on network plasticity and the nature of cognitive deficits are conflicting. We examined three specific measures of hippocampal plasticity in adult rats with a prior history of experimental febrile seizures: (i) activity‐dependent synaptic plasticity (long‐term potentiation and depression) by electrophysiological recordings of Schaffer collateral/commissural‐evoked field excitatory synaptic potentials in CA1 of acute hippocampal slices; (ii) Morris water maze spatial learning and memory; and (iii) hippocampal mossy fiber plasticity by Timm histochemistry and quantification of terminal sprouting in CA3 and the dentate gyrus. We found enhanced hippocampal CA1 long‐term potentiation and reduced long‐term depression but normal spatial learning and memory in adult rats that were subjected to experimental febrile seizures on postnatal day 10. Furthermore, rats with experimental febrile seizures showed modest but significant sprouting of mossy fiber collaterals into the inner molecular layer of the dentate gyrus in adulthood. We conclude that enhanced CA1 long‐term potentiation and mild mossy fiber sprouting occur after experimental febrile seizures, without affecting spatial learning and memory in the Morris water maze. These long‐term functional and structural alterations in hippocampal plasticity are likely to play a role in the enhanced seizure susceptibility in this model of prolonged human febrile seizures but do not correlate with overt cognitive deficits.
Organization of central synapses by adhesion molecules
Authors: Tallafuss Alexandra , Constable John R. L. , Washbourne Philip 
Published: July 2010

AbstractSynapses are the primary means for transmitting information from one neuron to the next. They are formed during the development of the nervous system, and the formation of appropriate synapses is crucial for the establishment of neuronal circuits that underlie behavior and cognition. Understanding how synapses form and are maintained will allow us to address developmental disorders such as autism, mental retardation and possibly also psychological disorders. A number of biochemical and proteomic studies have revealed a diverse and vast assortment of molecules that are present at the synapse. It is now important to untangle this large array of proteins and determine how it assembles into a functioning unit. Here we focus on recent reports describing how synaptic cell adhesion molecules interact with and organize the presynaptic and postsynaptic specializations of both excitatory and inhibitory central synapses.
AMPA‐receptor trafficking and injury‐induced cell death
Authors: Beattie Michael S. , Ferguson Adam R. , Bresnahan Jacqueline C. 
Published: July 2010

AbstractAMPA receptors (AMPARs) are critical for synaptic plasticity, and are subject to alterations based on subunit composition and receptor trafficking to and from the plasma membrane. One of the most potent regulators of AMPAR trafficking is the pro‐inflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor (TNF)α, which is involved in physiological regulation of synaptic strength (Beattie et al., (2002) Science, 295, 2282–2285; Stellwagen and Malenka, (2006) Nature, 440, 1054–1059) and is also present at high concentrations after CNS injury. Here, we review evidence that TNF can rapidly alter the surface expression of AMPARs so that the proportion of Ca++‐permeable receptors is increased and that this increase, in combination with increased levels of extracellular glutamate after injury, plays an important role in enhancing excitotoxic cell death after CNS injury. Thus, the pathophysiological hijacking of a critical regulator of synaptic plasticity and homeostasis by the secondary injury cascade may represent a new therapeutic target for neuroprotection.
Synapse formation and maintenance by C1q family proteins: a new class of secreted synapse organizers
Authors: Yuzaki Michisuke 
Published: July 2010

AbstractSeveral C1q family members, especially the Cbln and C1q‐like subfamilies, are highly and predominantly expressed in the central nervous system. Cbln1, a member of the Cbln subfamily, plays two unique roles at parallel fiber (PF)–Purkinje cell synapses in the cerebellum: the formation and stabilization of synaptic contact, and the control of functional synaptic plasticity by regulating the postsynaptic endocytotic pathway. The delta2 glutamate receptor (GluD2), which is predominantly expressed in Purkinje cells, plays similar critical roles in the cerebellum. In addition, viral expression of GluD2 or the application of recombinant Cbln1 induces PF–Purkinje cell synaptogenesis in vitro and in vivo. Antigen‐unmasking methods were necessary to reveal the immunoreactivities for endogenous Cbln1 and GluD2 at the synaptic junction of PF synapses. We propose that Cbln1 and GluD2 are located at the synaptic cleft, where various proteins undergo intricate molecular interactions with each other, and serve as a bidirectional synaptic organizer.
Mechanisms underlying autoimmune synaptic encephalitis leading to disorders of memory, behavior and cognition: insights from molecular, cellular and synaptic studies
Authors: Moscato Emilia H. , Jain Ankit , Peng Xiaoyu , Hughes Ethan G. , Dalmau Josep , Balice‐Gordon Rita J. 
Published: July 2010

AbstractRecently, several novel, potentially lethal and treatment‐responsive syndromes that affect hippocampal and cortical function have been shown to be associated with auto‐antibodies against synaptic antigens, notably glutamate or GABA‐B receptors. Patients with these auto‐antibodies, sometimes associated with teratomas and other neoplasms, present with psychiatric symptoms, seizures, memory deficits and decreased levels of consciousness. These symptoms often improve dramatically after immunotherapy or tumor resection. Here we review studies of the cellular and synaptic effects of these antibodies in hippocampal neurons in vitro and preliminary work in rodent models. Our work suggests that patient antibodies lead to rapid and reversible removal of neurotransmitter receptors from synaptic sites, leading to changes in synaptic and circuit function that in turn are likely to lead to behavioral deficits. We also discuss several of the many questions raised by these and related disorders. Determining the mechanisms underlying these novel anti‐neurotransmitter receptor encephalopathies will provide insights into the cellular and synaptic bases of the memory and cognitive deficits that are hallmarks of these disorders, and potentially suggest avenues for therapeutic intervention.
Hypoglycaemia increases aldosterone in a dose‐dependent fashion
Authors: Adler G. K. , Bonyhay I. , Curren V. , Waring E. , Freeman R. 
Published: July 2010

Diabet. Med. 27, 1250–1255 (2010)AbstractAims  Intensive glycaemic control increases the incidence of hypoglycaemia. We sought to define the effects of hypoglycaemia on aldosterone, a hormone involved in cardiovascular injury and baroreflex impairment.Methods  To contrast the effects of hypoglycaemia and euglycaemia on aldosterone and plasma renin activity, in Study 1, we assessed hormone levels in 13 subjects who participated in euglycaemic (5.0 mmol/l) and hypoglycaemic (2.8 mmol/l) hyperinsulinaemic clamp protocols in random order. To determine the relationship between aldosterone and the depth of hypoglycaemia, in Study 2, we assessed hormone levels in an additional 13 subjects who participated in a 3‐h stepped hypoglycaemic hyperinsulinaemic clamp protocol; blood glucose was reduced in 0.55 mmol/l steps from 5.0 to 2.2 mmol/l. Subjects were healthy and consumed controlled sodium diets.Results  In Study 1, aldosterone increased approximately 2.5‐fold during hypoglycaemic hyperinsulinaemia, P < 0.001, but did not rise with euglycaemic hyperinsulinaemia. Plasma renin activity increased during both hyperinsulinaemic clamps; however, the increase was greater during hypoglycaemia (Δ = 1.5 ± 0.2 ng ml−1 h−1) vs. euglycaemia (Δ = 0.5 ± 0.1 ng ml−1 h−1), P < 0.005. In Study 2, aldosterone increased significantly at glucose levels of 2.8 mmol/l; this increase was amplified with glucose of 2.2 mmol/l. Aldosterone increases paralleled those of ACTH.Conclusions  Hypoglycaemia increases aldosterone in a dose‐dependent fashion. This increase is likely attributable to activation of the renin‐angiotensin‐aldosterone system and increases in ACTH. Because aldosterone activation of the mineralocorticoid receptor is implicated in the pathophysiology of cardiovascular injury, including vascular dysfunction, inflammation, baroreflex impairment and cardiac arrhythmias, these findings may be of relevance in individuals who experience hypoglycaemia.
Exports, Domestic Demand, and Economic Growth in China: Granger Causality Analysis
Authors: Tsen Wong Hock 
Published: July 2010

AbstractThis study examines Granger causality among exports, domestic demand, and economic growth in China using time‐series data over the period from 1978 to 2002. This study uses three measures for domestic demand, namely household consumption, government consumption, and investment. The results show bidirectional Granger causality among these variables, namely exports, domestic demand, and economic growth. Thus, there is a dynamic relationship among exports, domestic demand, and economic growth. Exports and domestic demand are both important for economic growth in China. Moreover, economic growth in China has an impact on its exports and domestic demand. A successful and sustained economic growth requires growth in both exports and domestic demand.
Productivity Spillovers from Foreign Direct Investment in Developing Countries: A Meta‐Regression Analysis
Authors: Wooster Rossitza B. , Diebel David S. 
Published: July 2010

AbstractThis paper reviews the empirical literature on technology spillovers from foreign direct investment (FDI) in developing countries. Our meta‐analysis uses a sample of 32 studies to determine what aspects of study design and data characteristics explain the magnitude, significance, and direction of spillovers from FDI. Results suggest that spillover effects are more pronounced when studies measure the effect of FDI spillovers on output, and are more likely to be significant and positive for Asian countries. Results also highlight the possibility that the documented spillover effects from FDI in developing countries may be partly a product of model misspecification.
Evaluating Projects in a Dynamic Economy: Some New Envelope Results
Authors: Li Chuan-Zhong , Löfgren Karl-Gustaf 
Published: July 2010

AbstractThis paper deals with the modern theory of social cost-benefit analysis in a dynamic economy. The theory emphasizes the role of a comprehensive, forward looking, dynamic welfare index within the period of the project rather than that of a project’s long-term consequences. However, what constitutes such a welfare index remains controversial in the recent literature. In this paper, we attempt to shed light on the issue by deriving three equivalent cost-benefit rules for evaluating a small project. In particular, we show that the direct change in a net national product (NNP) qualifies as a convenient welfare index without involving any other induced side effects. The project evaluation criterion thus becomes the present discounted value of the direct changes in NNP over the project period. We also illustrate the application of this theory in a few stylized examples.
Negotiating ‘solidarity’ and internationalism: the response of Polish trade unions to migration
Authors: Hardy Jane , Fitzgerald Ian 
Published: July 2010

ABSTRACTIn the context of massive outward migration after Poland's accession to the EU in 2004, this article explores the possibilities for cross‐border collaboration by Polish trade unions. The findings are based on interviews with the two main trade union/trade union federations, Solidarity and Ogolnopolskie Porozumnie Związków Zawodowych: All‐Poland Alliance of Trade Unions, at national, regional and sectoral levels. Examining the issues and challenges faced by Polish trade unions in terms of loss of membership and social capital, the article also evaluates the significance of Poland's status as a country of some inward migration. It is argued that cross‐border trade union collaboration has become an even more urgent project as the economic crisis intensifies competition in the labour market and increases the potential for xenophobia.
On Faithfully Knowing an Infinite God: Humility as an Intellectual Virtue in Gregory of Nyssa's Contra Eunomium II
Authors: PARDUE STEPHEN 
Published: July 2010

AbstractThis article explores the concept of intellectual humility, a crucial but undertreated dimension of Gregory of Nyssa's thought, first by focusing on a key section of Contra Eunomium II, and then by contrasting this account with contemporary versions of Kantian humility. While Gregorian and Kantian humility share similarities on the surface (e.g. both dwell on our inability to know the ‘essence’ of a thing), Gregory's vision of the virtue is formed through engagement with the biblical text and in the quest to know an infinite, self‐revealing God. In contrast to the flat resignation that characterizes Kantian versions of epistemic humility, Gregory's account of humility not only restrains but also empowers its practitioners in theological reflection.1
The moisturizing effect of a wheat extract food supplement on women’s skin: a randomized, double‐blind placebo‐controlled trial
Authors: Guillou S. , Ghabri S. , Jannot C. , Gaillard E. , Lamour I. , Boisnic S. 
Published: July 2010

SynopsisCeramides, specific lipid components of the skin, represent 35–40% of the intercellular cement binding cells together and contributing to skin hydration. A wheat extract rich in ceramides and digalactosyl‐diglycerides was developed by Hitex in two forms: wheat extract oil (WEO) and wheat extract powder (WEP). In vitro tests and two clinical studies demonstrated promising efficacy results with WEP on skin hydration. To confirm these early results, a double‐blind, randomized, placebo‐controlled study was carried out on 51 women aged 20–63 years with dry to very dry skin who received either 350 mg of WEO or placebo for 3 months. Evaluation of skin hydration on legs, arms and face, assessed at baseline (D0) and at study end (D84) was performed by the dermatologist using dermatological scores (dryness, roughness, erythema), skin hydration measurement (corneometry) and self‐assessment scores (Visual Analogue Scale: VAS). Perceived efficacy was noted by participants throughout the study; tolerability and overall acceptability of the study products were evaluated by the dermatologist and the participants at the end of study. Skin hydration was significantly increased between D0 and D84 on the arms (P < 0.001) and legs (P = 0.012) in the WEO group compared with placebo. Even if no significant statistical differences between groups were observed for the dermatological evaluation, skin dryness and redness tended to be reduced in the WEO group. Moreover, from D0 to D84, the VAS index had a tendency to increase in favour of WEO for the overall skin hydration (P = 0.084) indicating that participants perceived an improvement. The WEO capsules were perceived by participants as being more effective than placebo on all skin dryness signs. In conclusion, WEO capsules were well tolerated and appreciated. After 3 months’ treatment, a significant increase in skin hydration and an improvement in associated clinical signs were observed in women with dry skin.
Serum levels of IGF‐1 are related to human skin characteristics including the conspicuousness of facial pores
Authors: Sugiyama‐Nakagiri Y. , Naoe A. , Ohuchi A. , Kitahara T. 
Published: July 2010

SynopsisConspicuous facial pores are one type of serious aesthetic defects for many women. However, the mechanism(s) that underlie the conspicuousness of facial pores remains unclear. We previously characterized the epidermal architecture around facial pores that correlates with the appearance of those pores in various ethnic groups including Japanese. The goal of this study was to evaluate the possible relationships between facial pore size, the severity of impairment of epidermal architecture around facial pores and sebum output levels to investigate the possible role of IGF‐1 in the pathogenesis of conspicuous facial pores. The subjects consisted of 38 healthy Japanese women (aged 22–41 years). IGF‐1 was measured using immunoradiometric assay. Surface replicas were collected to compare pore sizes of cheek skin and horizontal cross‐section images of cheek skin were obtained non‐invasively from the same subjects using in vivo confocal laser scanning microscopy and the severity of impairment of epidermal architecture around facial pores was determined. The skin surface lipids of each subject were collected from their cheeks and lipid classes were determined using gas chromatography/flame ionization detection. The serum level of IGF‐1 correlated significantly with total pore area (R = 0.36, P < 0.05), with the severity of impairment of epidermal architecture around facial pores (R = 0.43, P < 0.05) and with sebum output levels (R = 0.41, P < 0.01). The sebum output levels correlated with total pore area (R = 0.32, P < 0.05). Our study found that serum levels of IGF‐1 are correlated with facial skin characteristics including facial pore size and with the severity of impairment of epidermal architecture around facial pores.
Genetic variants in RELN are associated with otosclerosis in a non‐European population from Tunisia
Authors: Khalfallah Ayda , Schrauwen Isabelle , Mnaja Malek , Fransen Erik , Lahmar Imed , Ealy Megan , Dhouib Leila , Ayadi Hammadi , Charfedine Ilhem , Driss Nabil , Ghorbel Abdelmonem , Smith Richard J.H. , Masmoudi Saber , Van Camp Guy 
Published: July 2010

SummaryOtosclerosis is a common form of conductive hearing loss, caused by an abnormal bone remodelling in the otic capsule. Both environmental and genetic factors have been implicated in the etiology of this disease. A recent genome wide association study identified two regions associated with otosclerosis, one on chr7q22.1, located in the RELN gene, and one on chr11q13.1. A second study in four European populations has replicated the association of the RELN gene with otosclerosis. To investigate the association of these loci with otosclerosis in a non‐European population, we tested 11 SNPs from the two regions in 149 unrelated Tunisian patients and 152 controls. Four SNPs were significantly associated with otosclerosis. Three SNPs are located in the RELN region and the last one is located in the region on chromosome 11. We also observed a significant interaction with gender for rs3914132. This suggests an influence of sex on the association of RELN with otosclerosis. A meta‐analysis showed that the disease‐associated alleles in the Tunisian sample are the same as in all previously reported associations. Our study provides additional evidence implicating RELN in the development of otosclerosis. Additional functional studies should determine the role of RELN in the physiopathology of this disease.