bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Ontogeny of the cranial system in Laonastes aenigmamus
Authors: Herrel Anthony , Fabre Anne‐Claire , Hugot Jean‐Pierre , Keovichit Kham , Adriaens Dominique , Brabant Loes , Van Hoorebeke Luc , Cornette Raphael 
Published: May 2012

AbstractRodents, together with bats, are among the ecologically most diverse and most speciose groups of mammals. Moreover, rodents show elaborate specializations of the feeding apparatus in response to the predominantly fore‐aft movements of the lower jaw. The Laotian rock rat Laonastes aenigmamus was recently discovered and originally thought to belong to a new family. The difficulties in classifying L. aenigmamus based on morphological characters stem from the fact that it presents a mixture of sciurognathous and hystricognathous characteristics, including the morphology of the jaw adductors. The origin of the unusual muscular organization in this species remains, however, unclear. Here, we investigate the development of the masticatory system in Laonastes to better understand the origin of its derived morphology relative to other rodents. Our analyses show that skull and mandible development is characterized by an overall elongation of the snout region. Muscle mass increases with positive allometry during development and growth, and so does the force‐generating capacity of the jaw adductor muscles (i.e. physiological cross‐sectional area). Whereas fetal crania and musculature are more similar to those of typical rodents, adults diverge in the elongation of the rostral part of the skull and the disproportionate development of the zygomaticomandibularis. Our data suggest a functional signal in the development of the unusual cranial morphology, possibly associated with the folivorous trophic ecology of the species.
Environmental factors fail to explain oviposition site use in the European common frog
Authors: Grözinger F. , Wertz A. , Thein J. , Feldhaar H. , Rödel M.‐O. 
Published: May 2012

AbstractA 7‐year monitoring of potential oviposition ponds of the European common frog Rana temporaria, in northern Bavaria, Germany, indicated that breeding ponds were not randomly used. Site fidelity could not consistently explain this pattern. Because amphibians are known to select oviposition sites according to certain habitat characteristics, we investigated pond parameters that may drive breeding site selection in that area. We recorded 44 abiotic and biotic parameters, including variables within‐ponds, predator presence, as well as habitat characteristics of the terrestrial area surrounding the ponds. However, multifactorial statistics such as non‐metric multidimensional scaling, hierarchical clustering and random forest algorithm as well as single‐factor comparisons could not highlight common habitat features of chosen ponds. The results of this study indicate that breeding site choice is more than a pure function of habitat characteristics, and that understanding the reproductive biology, even of such a widespread species as R. temporaria, needs more research effort.
Comparative study between atorvastatin and losartan on high fat diet‐induced type 2 diabetes mellitus in rats
Authors: Mourad Ahmed A. , Heeba Gehan H. , Taye Ashraf , El‐Moselhy Mohamed A. 
Published: May 2012

AbstractObesity is often associated with chronic inflammatory state which contributes to the development of insulin resistance (IR) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). This study investigated the effects of single and combined administration of atorvastatin (ATOR, lipid‐lowering drug) and losartan (LOS, angiotensin receptor antagonist) on metabolic disorders and inflammatory status that are implicated in the development of T2DM with the use of pioglitazone (PIO) as a standard antidiabetic drug. T2DM was induced in male rats by high‐fat diet (HFD) feeding for 16 weeks. Oral administrations of ATOR (10 mg/kg), LOS (20 mg/kg), PIO (3 mg/kg), their binary combinations, or vehicle were started in the last 4 weeks. Fasting serum glucose, oral glucose tolerance, fasting serum insulin, IR, serum lipid profile, serum TNF‐α and body composition index were determined. Results showed that all drugs and their combinations had positive impact effect on all measured parameters, and better results were achieved from binary drug combinations than administration of each drug alone. Combination of PIO with either ATOR or LOS provided better improvements on T2DM‐associated metabolic abnormalities and inflammatory status with respect to each drug alone. However, the most pronounced effects of drugs and their combinations regarding the above parameters were attributed to LOS + PIO combination. In conclusion, this study indicates that combination of ATOR + PIO and, in particular, LOS + PIO can be used as promising effective therapies in the management of HFD‐induced T2DM. This concept may be attributed to the combined effects of the respective monotherapies to improve lipid profile, insulin sensitivity, and TNF‐α level.
Psychological Constructs Underlying Farmers’ Decisions to Diversify or Specialise their Businesses – An Application of Theory of Planned Behaviour
Authors: Hansson Helena , Ferguson Richard , Olofsson Christer 
Published: May 2012

AbstractWe use the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) to explain how underlying psychological constructs influence farmers’ decisions to extend their farm businesses to income‐generating ventures outside conventional agricultural production. The analysis contrasts the influence of psychological constructs on this decision with those on decisions to specialise in a single farm enterprise or to have multiple farm enterprises. This is one of the first studies to introduce psychological constructs into the study of farm diversification. It is based on a sample of 929 Swedish farms participating in the official Swedish Farm Economic Survey. These data are supplemented with a detailed postal questionnaire to the participating farmers, generating a response rate of 73% and an effective sample size of 679 farmers and their businesses. Data are analysed with factor and multinomial logistic regression analyses. Results show that psychological constructs in TPB (attitude, subjective norm and perceived behavioural control) influence farmers’ decisions regarding the strategy they adopt. Attitude and subjective norm are found to be especially influential in these decisions. Given the prominent role agriculture still has in rural development policy, where the development of new ventures in farm businesses is perceived as the engine for rural economic growth and employment, these findings have clear policy implications.
Intra‐Aortic Balloon Counterpulsation in the Treatment of Infarction‐Related Cardiogenic Shock—Review of the Current Evidence
Authors: Buerke Michael , Prondzinsky Roland , Lemm Henning , Dietz Sebastian , Buerke Ute , Ebelt Henning , Bushnaq Hasan , Silber Rolf‐Edgar , Werdan Karl 
Published: May 2012

AbstractThe European ST‐elevated myocardial infarction (STEMI) guideline suggested the intra‐aortic balloon pump (IABP) with a recommendation level I and a level of evidence C as an effective measure in combination with balloon angioplasty in patients with cardiogenic shock (CS), stent implantation, and inotropic and vasopressor support. Similarly, upon mechanical complication due to myocardial infarction (MI), the guideline suggests that in patients with a ventricular septal defect or in most patients with acute mitral regurgitation, preoperative IABP implantation is indicated for circulatory support. The American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association STEMI guideline recommends the use of the IABP with a recommendation level I and a level of evidence B if CS does not respond rapidly to pharmacological treatment. The guideline notes that the IABP is a stabilizing measure for angiography and early revascularization. Even in MI complications, the use of preoperative IABP is recommended before surgery. Within this overview, we summarize the current evidence on IABP use in patients with CS complicated by MI. From our Cochrane data analysis, we conclude that in CS due to acute MI (AMI) treated with adjuvant systemic fibrinolysis, the IABP should be implanted. In patients with CS following AMI, treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), the IABP can be implanted, although data are not distinctive (i.e., indicating positive and negative effects). In the future, randomized controlled trials are needed to determine the use of IABP in CS patients treated with PCI. When patients with CS are transferred to a PCI center with or without thrombolysis, patients should receive mechanical support with an IABP. To treat mechanical MI complications—in particular ventricular septal defect—patients should be treated with an IABP to stabilize their hemodynamic situation prior to cardiac surgery. Similar recommendations are given in the German Austrian guidelines on treatment of infarction‐related CS patients (http://www.awmf.org/leitlinien/detail/ll/019‐013.html)
Five Days of No Anticoagulation or Antiplatelet Therapy and NovoSeven Administration in a HeartWare HVAD Patient
Authors: Saeed Diyar , Albert Alexander , Kamiya Hiroyuki , Maxhera Bujar , Westenfeld Ralf , Lichtenberg Artur 
Published: May 2012

AbstractPostoperative bleeding is the most common complication following the implantation of ventricular assist devices. This is a case report of a HeartWare HVAD patient with intractable bleeding following chest tube insertion necessitating massive blood transfusion and multiple thoracotomies. Anticoagulation and antiplatelet therapy were discontinued and intravenous NovoSeven was administered as last resort. Bleeding ceased immediately and no pump‐related issues were observed. However, thrombus formation in the right atrium and superior vena cava was detected.
Dihydroergotamine (DHE) Use During Gestation and the Risk of Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes
Authors: Bérard Anick , Kori Shashidhar 
Published: May 2012

Background.— Dihydroergotamine (DHE) is perceived to be associated with a higher risk of adverse pregnancy events, but it has significantly less vasoconstrictive and uterotonic effects compared with ergotamine, and has demonstrated no teratogenic effect in animals. The objectives of this study were to quantify the risk of major congenital malformations (MCMs), prematurity, low birth weight (LBW), and spontaneous abortions (SAs) associated with gestational use of DHE, triptans, and nonsteroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).Methods.— Four independent case–control analyses were conducted within the Quebec Pregnancy Registry: (1) MCM; (2) prematurity (<37 weeks of gestation); (3) LBW (birth weight <2500 g); (4) clinically detected SA. Exposure was defined dichotomously as use of DHE, triptan, and NSAIDs during pregnancy.Results.— Overall, 59,707 pregnant women met the eligibility criteria and were considered (53 [0.08%] used DHE, 139 [0.23%] triptans, and 2990 [5.01%] NSAIDs). Adjusting for potential confounders, gestational use of DHE was not significantly associated with the risk of MCM (odds ratio [OR]: 0.97; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.22‐4.28), LBW (OR: 1.41; 95%CI: 0.25‐7.80), or SA (OR: 1.97; 95% CI: 0.21‐18.57). DHE use was, however, increasing the risk of prematurity (OR: 4.18; 95% CI: 1.34‐12.99). In users of triptans, the OR for MCM was 1.49 (95% CI: 0.89‐2.52), prematurity 0.76 (95% CI: 0.34‐1.66), LBW 0.83 (95% CI: 0.31‐2.25), and SA 2.65 (95% CI: 1.57‐4.48). In users of NSAIDs, the OR for MCM was 1.20 (95% CI: 1.06‐1.36), prematurity 1.10 (95% CI: 0.95‐1.26), LBW 1.29 (95% CI: 1.08‐1.54), and SA 2.97 (95% CI: 2.63‐3.36).Conclusions.— This study showed that other than for prematurity, DHE use during pregnancy was similar to that of triptan use and was smaller than the risk associated with NSAID use.
Are you in or out? Leukocyte, ion, and neurotransmitter permeability across the epileptic blood–brain barrier
Authors: Janigro Damir 
Published: May 2012

SummaryThe credo that epileptic seizures can be initiated only by “epileptic” neurons has been recently challenged. The recognition of key astrocytic‐neuronal communication, and the close interaction and crosstalk between astrocytes and brain endothelial cells, has shifted attention to the blood–brain barrier (BBB) and the “neurovascular unit.” Therefore, the pursuit of mechanisms of seizure generation and epileptogenesis now includes investigations of cerebral blood flow and permeability of cerebral microvessels. For example, leukocyte adhesion molecules at the BBB have been proposed to play a role as an initiating factor for pilocarpine‐induced status epilepticus, and a viral infection model with a strong BBB etiology has been used to study epileptogenesis. Finally, the fact that in nonepileptic subjects seizures can be triggered by BBB disruption, together with the antiseizure effects obtained by administration of potent antiinflammatory “BBB repair” drugs, has increased the interest in neuroinflammation; both circulating leukocytes and resident microglia have been studied in this context. The dual scope of this review is the following: (1) outline the proposed role of BBB damage and immune cell activation in seizure disorders; and (2) explain how increased cerebrovascular permeability causes neuronal misfiring. The temporal sequence linking seizures to peripheral inflammation and BBB dysfunction remains to be clarified. For example, it is still debated whether seizures cause systemic inflammation or vice versa. The topographic localization of fundamental triggers of epileptic seizures also remains controversial: Are immunologic mechanisms required for seizure generation brain‐specific or is systemic activation of immunity sufficient to alter neuronal excitability? Finally, the causative role of “BBB leakage” remains a largely unresolved issue.
Are developmental dysplastic lesions epileptogenic?
Authors: Schwartzkroin Philip A. , Wenzel H. Jürgen 
Published: May 2012

SummaryCortical dysplasia of various types, reflecting abnormalities of brain development, have been closely associated with epileptic activities. Yet, there remains considerable discussion about if/how these structural lesions give rise to seizure phenomenology. Animal models have been used to investigate the cause–effect relationships between aberrant cortical structure and epilepsy. In this article, we discuss three such models: (1) the Eker rat model of tuberous sclerosis, in which a gene mutation gives rise to cortical disorganization and cytologically abnormal cellular elements; (2) the p35 knockout mouse, in which the genetic dysfunction gives rise to compromised cortical organization and lamination, but in which the cellular elements appear normal; and (3) the methylazoxymethanol‐exposed rat, in which time‐specific chemical DNA disruption leads to abnormal patterns of cell formation and migration, resulting in heterotopic neuronal clusters. Integrating data from studies of these animal models with related clinical observations, we propose that the neuropathologic features of these cortical dysplastic lesions are insufficient to determine the seizure‐initiating process. Rather, it is their interaction with a more subtly disrupted cortical “surround” that constitutes the circuitry underlying epileptiform activities as well as seizure propensity and ictogenesis.
Neuronal excitability and calcium/calmodulin‐dependent protein kinase type II: Location, location, location
Authors: Liu Xiao‐Bo , Murray Karl D. 
Published: May 2012

SummaryCalcium/calmodulin‐dependent protein kinase type II (CaMKII) is a highly abundant serine/threonine kinase comprising a significant fraction of total protein in mammalian forebrain and forming a major component of the postsynaptic density. CaMKII is essential for certain forms of synaptic plasticity and memory consolidation and this is mediated through substrate binding and intramolecular phosphorylation of holoenzyme subunits. CaMKII is multifunctional; it targets a variety of cellular substrates, and this diversity depends on holoenzyme subunit composition. CaMKII comprises homooligomeric and heterooligomeric complexes generated from four subunits (α, β, δ, and γ) encoded by separate genes that are further expanded by extensive alternative splicing to more than 30 different isoforms. Much attention has been paid to understanding the regulation of CaMKII function through its structural diversity and/or substrate specificity. However, given the importance of subunit composition to holoenzyme activity, it is likely that specificity of cellular expression of CaMKII isoforms also plays a major role in regulation of enzyme function. Herein we review the cellular colocalization of CaMKII isoforms with special regard to the cell‐type specificity of isoform expression in brain. In addition, we highlight the remarkable specificity of subcellular localization by the CaMKIIα isoform. In addition, we discuss the role that this cellular specificity of expression might play in propagating the type of recurrent neuronal activity associated with disorders such as temporal lobe epilepsy.
Common factors among Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and epilepsy: Possible role of the noradrenergic nervous system
Authors: Szot Patricia 
Published: May 2012

SummaryThe neurodegenerative disorders Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and Parkinson’s disease (PD) share in common the neuropathologic loss of locus coeruleus (LC) noradrenergic neurons. In addition, these two neurodegenerative disorders share two symptoms that define these disorders: cognitive impairment and depression. The hippocampus is a region that is known to play a role in cognition and depression, and the hippocampus receives sole noradrenergic innervation from LC neurons. However, it is unclear how the loss of LC noradrenergic neurons contributes to these common symptoms in these two disorders. Epilepsy is not considered a neurodegenerative disorder, but the hippocampus is severely affected in temporal lobe epilepsy. Of interest, cognitive impairment and depression are also common comorbid disorders in temporal lobe epilepsy. This article describes common symptoms among these three neurologic disorders and a possible role of the noradrenergic nervous system.
Neuroanatomical clues to altered neuronal activity in epilepsy: From ultrastructure to signaling pathways of dentate granule cells
Authors: Houser Carolyn R. , Zhang Nianhui , Peng Zechun , Huang Christine S. , Cetina Yliana 
Published: May 2012

SummaryThe dynamic aspects of epilepsy, in which seizures occur sporadically and are interspersed with periods of relatively normal brain function, present special challenges for neuroanatomical studies. Although numerous morphologic changes can be identified during the chronic period, the relationship of many of these changes to seizure generation and propagation remains unclear. Mossy fiber sprouting is an example of a frequently observed morphologic change for which a functional role in epilepsy continues to be debated. This review focuses on neuroanatomically identified changes that would support high levels of activity in reorganized mossy fibers and potentially associated granule cell activation. Early ultrastructural studies of reorganized mossy fiber terminals in human temporal lobe epilepsy tissue have identified morphologic substrates for highly efficacious excitatory connections among granule cells. If similar connections in animal models contribute to seizure activity, activation of granule cells would be expected. Increased labeling with two activity‐related markers, Fos and phosphorylated extracellular signal–regulated kinase, has suggested increased activity of dentate granule cells at the time of spontaneous seizures in a mouse model of epilepsy. However, neuroanatomical support for a direct link between activation of reorganized mossy fiber terminals and increased granule cell activity remains elusive. As novel activity‐related markers are developed, it may yet be possible to demonstrate such functional links and allow mapping of seizure activity throughout the brain. Relating patterns of neuronal activity during seizures to the underlying morphologic changes could provide important new insights into the basic mechanisms of epilepsy and seizure generation.
Synaptic connections of hilar basal dendrites of dentate granule cells in a neonatal hypoxia model of epilepsy
Authors: Sanchez Russell M. , Ribak Charles E. , Shapiro Lee A. 
Published: May 2012

SummaryNumerous animal models of epileptogenesis demonstrate neuroplastic changes in the hippocampus. These changes occur not only for the mature neurons and glia, but also for the newly generated granule cells in the dentate gyrus. One of these changes, the sprouting of mossy fiber axons, is derived predominantly from newborn granule cells in adult rats with pilocarpine‐induced temporal lobe epilepsy. Newborn granule cells also mainly contribute to another neuroplastic change, hilar basal dendrites (HBDs), which are synaptically targeted by mossy fibers in the hilus. Both sprouted mossy fibers and HBDs contribute to recurrent excitatory circuitry that is hypothesized to be involved in increased seizure susceptibility and the development of spontaneous recurrent seizures (SRS) that occur following the initial pilocarpine‐induced status epilepticus. Considering the putative role of these neuroplastic changes in epileptogenesis, a critical question is whether similar anatomic phenomena occur after epileptogenic insults to the immature brain, where the proportion of recently born granule cells is higher due to ongoing maturation. The current study aimed to determine if such neuroplastic changes could be observed in a standardized model of neonatal seizure‐inducing hypoxia that results in development of SRS. We used immunoelectron microscopy for the immature neuronal marker doublecortin to label newborn neurons and their HBDs following neonatal hypoxia. Our goal was to determine whether synapses form on HBDs from neurons born after neonatal hypoxia. Our results show a robust synapse formation on HBDs from animals that experienced neonatal hypoxia, regardless of whether the animals experienced tonic–clonic seizures during the hypoxic event. In both cases, the axon terminals that synapse onto HBDs were identified as mossy fiber terminals, based on the appearance of dense core vesicles. No such synapses were observed on HBDs from newborn granule cells obtained from sham animals analyzed at the same time points. This aberrant circuit formation may provide an anatomic substrate for increased seizure susceptibility and the development of epilepsy.
Kv1.1 and Kv1.2: Similar channels, different seizure models
Authors: Robbins Carol A. , Tempel Bruce L. 
Published: May 2012

SummaryVoltage‐gated K+ channels (Kv) represent the largest family of genes in the K+ channel family. The Kv1 subfamily plays an essential role in the initiation and shaping of action potentials, influencing action potential firing patterns and controlling neuronal excitability. Overlapping patterns with differential expression and precise localization of Kv1.1 and Kv1.2 channels targeted to specialized subcellular compartments contribute to distinctive patterns of neuronal excitability. Dynamic regulation of the components in these subcellular domains help to finely tune the cellular and regional networks. Disruption of the expression, distribution, and density of these channels through deletion or mutation of the genes encoding these channels, Kcna1 and Kcna2, is associated with neurologic pathologies including epilepsy and ataxia in humans and in rodent models. Kv1.1 and Kv1.2 knockout mice both have seizures beginning early in development; however, each express a different seizure type (pathway), although the channels are from the same subfamily and are abundantly coexpressed. Voltage‐gated ion channels clustered in specific locations may present a novel therapeutic target for influencing excitability in neurologic disorders associated with some channelopathies.