bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Novel cerebrovascular pathology in mice fed a high cholesterol diet
Authors: Franciosi Sonia , Gama Sosa Miguel A , English Daniel F , Oler Elizabeth , Oung Twethida , Janssen William GM , De Gasperi Rita , Schmeidler James , Dickstein Dara L , Schmitz Christoph , Gandy Sam , Hof Patrick R , Buxbaum Joseph D , Elder Gregory A 
Published: October 2009

Abstract

Background
Hypercholesterolemia causes atherosclerosis in medium to large sized arteries. Cholesterol is less known for affecting the microvasculature and has not been previously reported to induce microvascular pathology in the central nervous system (CNS).

Results
Mice with a null mutation in the low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) gene as well as C57BL/6J mice fed a high cholesterol diet developed a distinct microvascular pathology in the CNS that differs from cholesterol-induced atherosclerotic disease. Microvessel diameter was increased but microvascular density and length were not consistently affected. Degenerative changes and thickened vascular basement membranes were present ultrastructurally. The observed pathology shares features with the microvascular pathology of Alzheimer's disease (AD), including the presence of string-like vessels. Brain apolipoprotein E levels which have been previously found to be elevated in LDLR-/- mice were also increased in C57BL/6J mice fed a high cholesterol diet.

Conclusion
In addition to its effects as an inducer of atherosclerosis in medium to large sized arteries, hypercholesterolemia also induces a microvascular pathology in the CNS that shares features of the vascular pathology found in AD. These observations suggest that high cholesterol may induce microvascular disease in a range of CNS disorders including AD.
Efficacy of customised foot orthoses in the treatment of Achilles tendinopathy: study protocol for a randomised trial
Authors: Munteanu Shannon E , Landorf Karl B , Menz Hylton B , Cook Jill L , Pizzari Tania , Scott Lisa A 
Published: October 2009

AbstractBackgroundAchilles tendinopathy is a common condition that can cause marked pain and disability. Numerous non‐surgical treatments have been proposed for the treatment of this condition, but many of these treatments have a poor or non‐existent evidence base. The exception to this is eccentric calf muscle exercises, which have become a standard non‐surgical intervention for Achilles tendinopathy. Foot orthoses have also been advocated as a treatment for Achilles tendinopathy, but the long‐term efficacy of foot orthoses for this condition is unknown. This manuscript describes the design of a randomised trial to evaluate the efficacy of customised foot orthoses to reduce pain and improve function in people with Achilles tendinopathy.MethodsOne hundred and forty community‐dwelling men and women aged 18 to 55 years with Achilles tendinopathy (who satisfy inclusion and exclusion criteria) will be recruited. Participants will be randomised, using a computer‐generated random number sequence, to either a control group (sham foot orthoses made from compressible ethylene vinyl acetate foam) or an experimental group (customised foot orthoses made from semi‐rigid polypropylene). Both groups will be prescribed a calf muscle eccentric exercise program, however, the primary difference between the groups will be that the experimental group receive customised foot orthoses, while the control group receive sham foot orthoses. The participants will be instructed to perform eccentric exercises 2 times per day, 7 days per week, for 12 weeks. The primary outcome measure will be the total score of the Victorian Institute of Sport Assessment ‐ Achilles (VISA‐A) questionnaire. The secondary outcome measures will be participant perception of treatment effect, comfort of the foot orthoses, use of co‐interventions, frequency and severity of adverse events, level of physical activity and health‐related quality of life (assessed using the Short‐Form‐36 questionnaire ‐ Version two). Data will be collected at baseline, then at 1, 3, 6 and 12 months. Data will be analysed using the intention to treat principle.DiscussionThis study is the first randomised trial to evaluate the long‐term efficacy of customised foot orthoses for the treatment of Achilles tendinopathy. The study has been pragmatically designed to ensure that the study findings are generalisable to clinical practice.Trial registrationAustralian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry Number: ACTRN12609000829213.
Validation of AIDS‐related mortality in Botswana
Authors: Taffa Negussie , Will Julie C , Bodika Stephane , Packel Laura , Motlapele Diemo , Stein Ellen , Roels Thierry H , Kennedy Gail , Shenaaz El‐Halabi 
Published: October 2009

BackgroundMortality data are used to conduct disease surveillance, describe health status and inform planning processes for health service provision and resource allocation. In many countries, HIV‐ and AIDS‐related deaths are believed to be under‐reported in government statistics.MethodsTo estimate the extent of under‐reporting of HIV‐ and AIDS‐related deaths in Botswana, we conducted a retrospective study of a sample of deaths reported in the government vital registration database from eight hospitals, where more than 40% of deaths in the country in 2005 occurred. We used the consensus of three physicians conducting independent reviews of medical records as the gold standard comparison. We examined the sensitivity, specificity and other validity statistics.ResultsOf the 5276 deaths registered in the eight hospitals, 29% were HIV‐ and AIDS‐related. The percentage of HIV‐ and AIDS‐related deaths confirmed by physician consensus (positive predictive value) was 95.4%; however, the percentage of non‐HIV‐ and non‐AIDS‐related deaths confirmed (negative predictive value) was only 69.1%. The sensitivity and specificity of the vital registration system was 55.7% and 97.3%, respectively. After correcting for misclassification, the percentage of HIV‐ and AIDS‐‐related deaths was estimated to be in the range of 48.8% to 54.4%, depending on the definition.ConclusionImprovements in hospitals and within government offices are necessary to strengthen the vital registration system. These should include such strategies as training physicians and coders in accurate reporting and recording of death statistics, implementing continuous quality assurance methods, and working with the government to underscore the importance of using mortality statistics in future evidence‐based planning.
A Novel Synthetic Androgen Receptor Ligand, S42, Works as a Selective Androgen Receptor Modulator and Possesses Metabolic Effects with Little Impact on the Prostate
Authors: Min Liu , Yanase Toshihiko , Tanaka Tomoko , Fan WuQiang , Nomura Masatoshi , Kawate Hisaya , Okabe Taijiro , Takayanagi Ryoichi , Nawata Hajime 
Published: October 2009

AbstractWe identified a novel synthetic steroid, S42, as a promising candidate of selective androgen receptor (AR) modulator. Results of the whole-cell binding assay using COS-7 cells exogenously expressing various steroid receptors indicated that S42 specifically binds to AR and progesterone receptor. When orchiectomized Sprague Dawley rats were administered with S42 for 3 wk, the muscle weight of the levator ani was increased as markedly as that induced by 5α-dihydrotestosterone (DHT), but the weight of the prostate was not elevated at any doses in contrast to DHT. The plasma concentrations of gonadotropin and adiponectin, those down-regulated by DHT, were unaffected by S42. In addition, although the plasma triglyceride level was unaffected by DHT, it was significantly reduced by S42. This effect of S42 was associated with suppression of the SRBP-1c-mediated lipogenic and insulin-desensitizing pathway in the liver and visceral fat. Taken together, S42 works as an AR agonist in muscle and as an AR antagonist in the prostate, pituitary gland, and liver, accompanying beneficial potentials on lipid metabolism.
Poly(Adenosine 5′-Diphosphate-Ribose) Polymerase Inhibition Counteracts Multiple Manifestations of Experimental Type 1 Diabetic Nephropathy
Authors: Drel Viktor R. , Xu Weizheng , Zhang Jie , Pavlov Ivan A. , Shevalye Hanna , Slusher Barbara , Obrosova Irina G. 
Published: October 2009

AbstractThis study was aimed at evaluating the role for poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) in early nephropathy associated with type 1 diabetes. Control and streptozotocin-diabetic rats were maintained with or without treatment with one of two structurally unrelated PARP inhibitors, 1,5-isoquinolinediol (ISO) and 10-(4-methyl-piperazin-1-ylmethyl)-2H-7-oxa-1,2-diaza-benzo[de] anthracen-3-one (GPI-15427), at 3 mg/kg−1 · d−1 ip and 30 mg/kg−1 · d−1, respectively, for 10 wk after the first 2 wk without treatment. PARP activity in the renal cortex was assessed by immunohistochemistry and Western blot analysis of poly(ADP-ribosyl)ated proteins. Variables of diabetic nephropathy in urine and renal cortex were evaluated by ELISA, Western blot analysis, immunohistochemistry, and colorimetry. Urinary albumin excretion was increased about 4-fold in diabetic rats, and this increase was prevented by ISO and GPI-15427. PARP inhibition counteracted diabetes-associated increase in poly(ADP-ribose) immunoreactivities in renal glomeruli and tubuli and poly(ADP-ribosyl)ated protein level. Renal concentrations of TGF-β1, vascular endothelial growth factor, endothelin-1, TNF-α, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, lipid peroxidation products, and nitrotyrosine were increased in diabetic rats, and all these changes as well as an increase in urinary TNF-α excretion were completely or partially prevented by ISO and GPI-15427. PARP inhibition counteracted diabetes-induced up-regulation of endothelin (B) receptor, podocyte loss, accumulation of collagen-α1 (IY), periodic acid-Schiff-positive substances, fibronectin, and advanced glycation end-products in the renal cortex. In conclusion, PARP activation is implicated in multiple changes characteristic for early nephropathy associated with type 1 diabetes. These findings provide rationale for development and further studies of PARP inhibitors and PARP inhibitor-containing combination therapies.
Hypothalamic and Hindbrain Melanocortin Receptors Contribute to the Feeding, Thermogenic, and Cardiovascular Action of Melanocortins
Authors: Skibicka Karolina P. , Grill Harvey J. 
Published: October 2009

Abstract
Forebrain ventricular delivery of melanocortin receptor (MC3/4R) agonist increases energy expenditure and decreases food intake (FI). Because forebrain ventricular delivery provides ligand to various anatomically distributed MC3/4R-bearing nuclei, it is unclear which of the receptor subpopulations contributes to the feeding suppression and the sympathetic-thermogenic effects observed. The literature indicates that reexpression of MC4R in the paraventricular nucleus (PVH) affects the feeding but not the energetic phenotype of the MC4R knockout, suggesting that divergent MC4R populations mediate energy expenditure (hindbrain) and FI (hypothalamus) effects of stimulation. Not consistent with this view are data indicating that PVH sympathetic projection neurons express MC4Rs and that feeding effects are induced from hindbrain MC4R sites. Therefore, we hypothesize an opposing perspective: that stimulation of anatomically diverse MC3/4R-bearing nuclei triggers energetic as well as feeding effects. To test this hypothesis, ventricle subthreshold doses of MC3/4R agonist (5 and 10 pmol) were applied in separate experiments to six hindbrain and hypothalamic sites; core temperature (Tc), heart rate (HR), spontaneous activity (SPA), and FI were measured in behaving rats. Nucleus tractus solitarius and PVH stimulation increased Tc, HR, and SPA and decreased FI. Rostral ventrolateral medulla, parabrachial nucleus, and retrochiasmatic area stimulation increased Tc, HR, but not SPA, and decreased FI. The response profile differed to some extent for each nucleus tested, suggesting differential output circuitries for the measured parameters. Data are consistent with the view that energetic and feeding responses are not controlled by regionally divergent MC3/4Rs and can be elicited from multiple, anatomically distributed MC3/4R populations.
Water Adaptation Strategy in Anuran Amphibians: Molecular Diversity of Aquaporin
Authors: Ogushi Yuji , Akabane Gen , Hasegawa Takahiro , Mochida Hiroshi , Matsuda Manabu , Suzuki Masakazu , Tanaka Shigeyasu 
Published: October 2009

AbstractMost adult anuran amphibians except for the aquatic species absorb water across the ventral pelvic skin and reabsorb it from urine in the urinary bladder. Many terrestrial and arboreal species use a region in the posterior or pelvic region of the ventral skin that is specialized for rapid rehydration from shallow water sources or moist substrates. Periods of terrestrial activity can be prolonged by reabsorption of dilute urine from the urinary bladder. Aquaporin (AQP), a water channel protein, plays a fundamental role in these water absorption/reabsorption processes, which are regulated by antidiuretic hormone. Characterization of AQPs from various anurans revealed that the unique water homeostasis is basically mediated by two types of anuran-specific AQPs, i.e. ventral pelvic skin and urinary bladder type, respectively. The bladder-type AQP is further expressed in the pelvic skin of terrestrial and arboreal species, together with the pelvic skin-type AQP. In contrast, the pelvic skin-type AQP (AQP-x3) of the aquatic Xenopus has lost the ability of efficient protein production. The extra C-terminal tail in AQP-x3 consisting of 33 nucleotides within the coding region appears to participate in the posttranscriptional regulation of AQP-x3 gene expression by attenuating protein expression. The positive transcriptional regulation of bladder-type AQP in the pelvic skin and negative posttranscriptional regulation of pelvic skin-type AQP provide flexibility in the water regulation mechanisms, which might have contributed to the evolutionary adaptation of anurans to a wide variety of water environments.
Transgenic Mice Expressing Green Fluorescent Protein under the Control of the Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone Promoter
Authors: Alon Tamar , Zhou Ligang , Pérez Cristian A. , Garfield Alastair S. , Friedman Jeffrey M. , Heisler Lora K. 
Published: October 2009

Abstract
CRH is widely expressed in the brain and is of broad functional relevance to a number of physiological processes, including stress response, parturition, immune response, and ingestive behavior. To delineate further the organization of the central CRH network, we generated mice expressing green fluorescent protein (GFP) under the control of the CRH promoter, using bacterial artificial chromosome technology. Here we validate CRH-GFP transgene expression within specific brain regions and confirm the distribution of central GFP-producing cells to faithfully recapitulate that of CRH-expressing cells. Furthermore, we confirm the functional integrity of a population of GFP-producing cells by demonstrating their apposite responsiveness to nutritional status. We anticipate that this transgenic model will lend itself as a highly tractable tool for the investigation of CRH expression and function in discrete brain regions.
Rapid Regulation of KATP Channel Activity by 17β-Estradiol in Pancreatic β-Cells Involves the Estrogen Receptor β and the Atrial Natriuretic Peptide Receptor
Authors: Soriano Sergi , Ropero Ana B. , Alonso-Magdalena Paloma , Ripoll Cristina , Quesada Ivan , Gassner Birgit , Kuhn Michaela , Gustafsson Jan-Åke , Nadal Angel 
Published: October 2009

AbstractThe ATP-sensitive potassium (KATP) channel is a key molecule involved in glucose-stimulated insulin secretion. The activity of this channel regulates β-cell membrane potential, glucose- induced [Ca2+]i signals, and insulin release. In this study, the rapid effect of physiological concentrations of 17β-estradiol (E2) on KATP channel activity was studied in intact β-cells by use of the patch-clamp technique. When cells from wild-type (WT) mice were used, 1 nm E2 rapidly reduced KATP channel activity by 60%. The action of E2 on KATP channel was not modified in β-cells from ERα−/− mice, yet it was significantly reduced in cells from ERβ−/− mice. The effect of E2 was mimicked by the ERβ agonist 2,3-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)-propionitrile (DPN). Activation of ERβ by DPN enhanced glucose-induced Ca2+ signals and insulin release. Previous evidence indicated that the acute inhibitory effects of E2 on KATP channel activity involve cyclic GMP and cyclic GMP-dependent protein kinase. In this study, we used β-cells from mice with genetic ablation of the membrane guanylate cyclase A receptor for atrial natriuretic peptide (also called the atrial natriuretic peptide receptor) (GC-A KO mice) to demonstrate the involvement of this membrane receptor in the rapid E2 actions triggered in β-cells. E2 rapidly inhibited KATP channel activity and enhanced insulin release in islets from WT mice but not in islets from GC-A KO mice. In addition, DPN reduced KATP channel activity in β-cells from WT mice, but not in β-cells from GC-A KO mice. This work unveils a new role for ERβ as an insulinotropic molecule that may have important physiological and pharmacological implications.
Development and Characterization of SSR Markers and Their Use to Assess Genetic Relationships among Alfalfa Germplasms
Authors: He C. , Xia Z. L. , Campbell T. A. , Bauchan G. R. 
Published: October 2009

ABSTRACTSimple sequence repeat (SSR), or microsatellite markers, are codominant, abundant and hypervariable molecular markers from eukaryotic genomes that are being widely used in genetic mapping, phylogenetic studies, and marker‐assisted selection. Currently, the number of SSR markers available from alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) genomic libraries is limited. This study was conducted to identify additional SSR markers in the alfalfa genome and to evaluate their ability to separate the nine historically recognized progenitors of North American cultivated alfalfa (African, Chilean, Falcata, Flemish, Indian, Ladak, Peruvian, Turkistan, and Varia), as well as seven additional accessions of M. sativa ssp. sativa, falcata, and coerulea and the model legume M. truncatula Genomic DNA from the autotetraploid alfalfa germplasm W10 was used to develop 81 primer pairs, which amplified SSRs containing AC, AT, CT, CTT, GAT, and GGT motifs. The majority (96%) of the primer pairs were functional and 61 (78.2%) detected 2 to 11 polymorphic fragments among the accessions. A dendrogram was constructed using cluster analysis from these data, representing three main clusters: (i) diploid ssp. falcata; (ii) M. truncatula; and (iii) all remaining entries. Additional separation of some accessions [M. truncatula (‘Jemalong’), Ladak (‘Ladak’), Fall dormancy 11 (UC‐1465), Indian (Sirsa Type 9), Flemish (‘Dupuit’), Peruvian (‘Hairy Peruvian’), and African 2 (‘Moapa’)] was obtained through multiple correspondence analysis. These genomic alfalfa SSRs have excellent utility for polymorphic assessment with potential application for phylogenetic and genetic mapping studies of alfalfa.
Comparative Plant Growth and Development in two Cotton Rotations under Irrigated and Non‐Irrigated Conditions
Authors: Katsvairo Tawainga W. , Wright David L. , Marois James J. , Rich Jimmy R. , Wiatrak Pawel P. 
Published: October 2009

ABSTRACTIncorporating perennial grasses such as bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum Fluegge) to diversify the conventional two‐crop rotation of peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) and cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) prevalent in the U.S. Southeast (SE) is advocated. However, little is reported on growth and development for cotton grown in rotation with perennial grasses. Our objectives were to compare plant characteristics including height, leaf area index (LAI), chlorophyll meter readings (chlorophyll index), N uptake, weed densities, and residual soil nutrients in a conventional rotation of peanut‐cotton‐cotton vs. a bahiagrass‐bahiagrass‐peanut‐cotton rotation. Field studies were conducted in Quincy, FL from 2000 to 2006. Plant height, LAI and N, P, and K uptake were generally greater for cotton in the bahiagrass rotation compared to the conventional cotton/peanut rotation. Weed densities were reduced for cotton in the bahiagrass rotation. Residual nutrients at the end of the season including N, P, and K and soil organic matter (SOM) showed no differences between the rotations. In spite of the improvements in plant growth characteristics, rotating cotton with bahiagrass overall did not improve yield above the conventional rotation. Potential exists for greater cotton yield in the bahiagrass rotation once effective management practices have been identified.
Ancestral Landraces of Common Bean from the South of Europe and Their Agronomical Value for Breeding Programs
Authors: Rodiño A. Paula , Monteagudo A. Belén , De Ron Antonio M. , Santalla Marta 
Published: October 2009

ABSTRACTSelection among breeding lines has been widely used to identify important cultivars and favorable alleles for adaptation, and resistance to abiotic and biotic stress. The objective of this work was to study the variability among common bean breeding lines selected from ancestral landraces, to evaluate the reaction of these lines to anthracnose (ANT) rust, common bacterial blight (CBB), halo bacterial blight (HBB) and bean common mosaic virus (BCMV) and to study the introgression in ancestral landraces of Phaseolus vulgaris L. Fifty‐five breeding lines obtained by individual selection, 21 parents or ancestral landraces and six check cultivars were grown in four environments. Thirty morphological and agronomical traits, the reaction to five diseases, and allozyme and phaseolin profiles were determined. Significant differences among breeding lines were recorded for morphological and agronomical traits. The lines 0330‐02, 0452‐03, 0219‐06, 0323‐01, 0323‐13, and 0323‐15 would be useful genetic material to use in breeding programs for increasing seed yield. Thirty‐six breeding lines were tolerant or resistant to different diseases. The lines 0221‐14 and 0452‐03 are worthy of special mention because they had resistance to four diseases. Allozyme and phaseolin pattern studies indicated a predominance of Andean genetic material but 14 breeding lines presented intermediate characteristics between both Andean and Mesoamerican gene pools and may represent unique genetic recombination events. These genotypes could be of utility to breeders seeking to improve common bean. This work indicates the existence of lines with superior characteristics and favorable alleles that merit further evaluation in genetic studies.
Competitiveness of Agrostis Interspecific Hybrids in Turfgrass Swards
Authors: Hart Stephen E. , Belanger Faith C. , McCullough Patrick E. , Rotter David 
Published: October 2009

ABSTRACTTransgenic herbicide‐resistant cultivars of creeping bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera L.) have been developed and are being considered for commercial release. Concerns regarding transgenic species include potential for outcrossing of the crop, which may produce novel genotypes with increased weediness. Persistence and multiyear growth of interspecific hybrids between creeping bentgrass and velvet bentgrass (A. canina L.), colonial bentgrass (A. capillaris L.), dryland bentgrass (A. castellana Boiss. and Reut.), and redtop bentgrass (A. gigantea Roth) and the backcross progeny of the hybrids were compared with the parental species in field experiments. The plants were evaluated over 2 yr in residential Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.) and a low maintenance roadside turf of mixed species. With the exception of redtop bentgrass by creeping bentgrass interspecific hybrids, all interspecific hybrids between creeping bentgrass and colonial, dryland, and velvet bentgrasses were equally or less competitive relative to their parental species. Backcross progeny of interspecific hybrids, including those of redtop bentgrass by creeping bentgrass hybrids, were equally or less competitive than parental species. Bentgrasses that were highly competitive in residential turf were also competitive under roadside maintenance, suggesting bentgrasses have weediness potential regardless of management intensity.