bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Paradoxical Sleep Deprivation Influences Sexual Behavior in Female Rats
Authors: Andersen Monica L. , Alvarenga Tathiana A.F. , Guindalini Camila , Perry Juliana C. , Silva Andressa , Zager Adriano , Tufik Sergio 
Published: June 2009

ABSTRACT

Introduction
Sleep disturbances are a frequent complaint in women and are often attributed to hormonal fluctuations during the menstrual cycle. Rodents have been used as models to examine the effects of sleep deprivation on hormonal and behavioral changes. Among the many comorbidities common to sleep disorders, sexual behavior remains the least well studied.

Aim
To determine whether paradoxical sleep deprivation (PSD) can affect sexual receptivity (male acceptance) and proceptivity (male solicitation) behaviors in female rats.

Methods
Female Wistar rats were subjected to PSD or were maintained as controls. After this period, the estrous cycle (proestrus, estrus, and diestrus) was determined, and all females were placed with a sexually experienced male. In order to investigate the role of hormones in sexual behavior, we included additional groups that were artificially induced to be sexually receptive via administration of a combination of estradiol and progesterone.

Main Outcome Measurements
Receptivity and proceptivity behaviors, as well as progesterone and corticosterone concentrations were monitored.

Results
Selective sleep loss caused a significant increase in proceptivity and receptivity behaviors in females exclusively during the proestrus phase. The rejection response was increased in PSD rats during the estrus and diestrus phases, as compared with PSD-receptive and proestrus females. PSD reduced progesterone levels during the proestrus phase relative to the respective control group during the same phase of the estrous cycle. The PSD-proestrus females that displayed the most robust sexual response exhibited greater concentrations of corticosterone than PSD-diestrus females, with an absence of sexual solicitation behaviors.

Conclusions
PSD produced a distinct response in the hormonal profile that was consistent with the phase of the estrous cycle. These results show that sleep loss can affect sexual motivation and might lead to important clinical implications, including alterations in female physiology and reproductive abnormalities.
Party Size, Ideology, and Executive‐Level Representation in Advanced Parliamentary Democracies
Authors: FORESTIERE CAROLYN 
Published: June 2009

How do party size and ideology matter for executive‐level representation in parliamentary systems? This paper attempts to answer this question by providing and analyzing comparative data on 105 parties across 16 advanced parliamentary democracies. The electoral performance of each party is assessed, alongside the extent of each party's legislative and executive representation over time, from roughly 1945 to 1995. Two main conclusions are derived from the analysis. First, concerning party size, larger parties tend to be overrepresented in government‐level institutions while for smaller parties the evidence is mixed, since almost half of the smaller parties in the data set have never achieved executive‐level representation. Second, concerning party ideology, center parties have been largely overrepresented in executive institutions while left‐wing parties have been the most systematically underrepresented in the 16 countries.¿Qué tanto importan el tamaño del partido y su ideología para la representación a nivel ejecutivo en los sistemas parlamentarios? Este articulo trata de responder esta pregunta al proveer y analizar información comparativa de 105 partidos a través de 16 democracias parlamentarias avanzadas. La actuación de cada partido es evaluada junto al grado de la representación legislativa y ejecutiva a través del tiempo, aproximadamente desde 1945 hasta 1995. Dos conclusiones principales se derivan del análisis. Primero, en relación al tamaño del partido, los partidos grandes tienden a ser sobre‐representados en las instituciones al nivel del gobierno mientras que para partidos más pequeños la evidencia es mixta, ya que casi la mitad de los pequeños partidos en el conjunto de datos nunca han logrado representación a nivel ejecutivo. Segundo, en relación a la ideología, los partidos de centro han sido mayormente sobre‐representados en las instituciones del ejecutivo mientras que los partidos de izquierda han sido los más sistemáticamente sub‐representados en los 16 países.
Diabetic foot ulcer burden may be modified by high‐dose atorvastatin: A 6‐month randomized controlled pilot trial
Authors: JOHANSEN Odd Erik , BIRKELAND Kåre Inge , JØRGENSEN Anders Palmstrøm , ORVIK Elsa , SØRGÅRD Beate , TORJUSSEN Bjørn Rino , UELAND Thor , AUKRUST Pål , GULLESTAD Lars 
Published: June 2009

AbstractBackground:  Diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) are common complications of diabetes mellitus (DM), with a complex pathogenesis. Treatment is difficult and no single treatment with measurable clinical impact is available. In the present clinical pilot trial, we investigated whether statins could be of use against some of the pathogenic factors in DFUs.Methods:  Thirteen diabetic patients (10 men; 11 with Type 2 DM; mean age 64 years; mean duration of DM 18 years) with neuropathic DFUs <4 months were randomized to treatment with either 10 mg (six patients; six ulcers) or 80 mg (seven patients; nine ulcers) atorvastatin for 6 months in addition to conventional DFU care (i.e. prompt debridement, DFU pressure relief, and management of any underlying infection).Results:  There were no significant differences in background factors (i.e. HbA1c 8.9%, micro‐ and macrovascular complications, concomitant medications) or DFU characteristics (duration, surface area, grading) between the two groups. All ulcers in the group receiving 10 mg atorvastatin healed, compared with six of nine ulcers in the group receiving 80 mg atorvastatin (NS). However, two previously healed DFUs recurred and six new DFUs developed in the low‐dose group compared with none and one, respectively, in the high‐dose group (P = 0.048). There was a significant decrease in C‐reactive protein (−1.5 mg/L; P = 0.044) and a non‐significant trend towards beneficial effects on lipids and the ankle–arm blood pressure index in the high‐dose compared with the low‐dose group.Conclusions:  We observed a possible beneficial effect of 6‐months high‐dose atorvastatin on DFUs, which should be tested in appropriately sized prospective studies.
Optical coherence tomography is helpful in the diagnosis of foveal hypoplasia
Authors: Holmström Gerd , Eriksson Urban , Hellgren Kerstin , Larsson Eva 
Published: June 2009

Abstract.Purpose:  To investigate whether optical coherence tomography (OCT) is helpful in the diagnosis of foveal hypoplasia in children.Methods:  Children with albinism and aniridia were examined with Stratus OCT 3 software 4.0.1 (Carl Zeiss Meditec, Dublin, California, USA). A qualitative examination of the macular area was performed with a 128 A‐scans/second‐single‐scan. Macular thickness was measured quantitatively with an automatic fast macular map protocol. The average thickness/volume of the macula was presented as numerical values and as a false colour code in nine modified early treatment of diabetic retinopathy study (ETDRS) areas (A1–A9). A previously collected control group of children was used for comparison.Results:  Macular thickness in 13 children with albinism and three children with aniridia was measured with OCT. Comparison with healthy children in the same population was performed. Patients with albinism and aniridia had significantly thicker central macula (A1) and foveola than children in the control group.Conclusion:  OCT was found to be useful in the diagnosis of foveal hypoplasia in children.
Specific Therapeutic Schemes of Omeprazole Affect the Orientation of
Helicobacter pylori
Authors: Azevedo-Vethacke Marina , Garten Désirée , Groll Claudia , Schreiber Sören 
Published: June 2009

ABSTRACT

Until now, it has been unclear how proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) support
Helicobacter pylori
therapy. We tested whether the PPI omeprazole acts on the spatial orientation of
H. pylori
in the gastric mucus of infected Mongolian gerbils. Following repetitive PPI administration once daily but not following single doses or administration every 8 h, the bacterial spatial distribution changed, indicating a loss of orientation. Therefore, the therapeutic scheme of PPI administration may affect efficiency of treatment.
Inoculum Effect with Cefazolin among Clinical Isolates of Methicillin-Susceptible
Staphylococcus aureus
: Frequency and Possible Cause of Cefazolin Treatment Failure
Authors: Nannini Esteban C. , Stryjewski Martin E. , Singh Kavindra V. , Bourgogne Agathe , Rude Tom H. , Corey G. Ralph , Fowler Vance G. , Murray Barbara E. 
Published: June 2009

ABSTRACT

Methicillin (meticillin)-susceptible
Staphylococcus aureus
(MSSA) strains producing large amounts of type A β-lactamase (Bla) have been associated with cefazolin failures, but the frequency and impact of these strains have not been well studied. Here we examined 98 MSSA clinical isolates and found that 26% produced type A Bla, 15% type B, 46% type C, and none type D and that 13% lacked
blaZ
. The cefazolin MIC
90
was 2 μg/ml for a standard inoculum and 32 μg/ml for a high inoculum, with 19% of isolates displaying a pronounced inoculum effect (MICs of ≥16 μg/ml with 10
7
CFU/ml) (9 type A and 10 type C Bla producers). At the high inoculum, type A producers displayed higher cefazolin MICs than type B or C producers, while type B and C producers displayed higher cefamandole MICs. Among isolates from hemodialysis patients with MSSA bacteremia, three from the six patients who experienced cefazolin failure showed a cefazolin inoculum effect, while none from the six patients successfully treated with cefazolin showed an inoculum effect, suggesting an association between these strains and cefazolin failure (
P
= 0.09 by Fisher's exact test). In summary, 19% of MSSA clinical isolates showed a pronounced inoculum effect with cefazolin, a phenomenon that could explain the cases of cefazolin failure previously reported for hemodialysis patients with MSSA bacteremia. These results suggest that for serious MSSA infections, the presence of a significant inoculum effect with cefazolin could be associated with clinical failure in patients treated with this cephalosporin, particularly when it is used at low doses.
Stability of Peroxide Antimalarials in the Presence of Human Hemoglobin
Authors: Creek Darren J. , Ryan Eileen , Charman William N. , Chiu Francis C. K. , Prankerd Richard J. , Vennerstrom Jonathan L. , Charman Susan A. 
Published: June 2009

ABSTRACTPeroxide antimalarials, including artemisinin, are important for the treatment of multidrug-resistant malaria. These peroxides are known to react with iron or heme to produce reactive intermediates that are thought to be responsible for their antimalarial activities. This study investigated the potential interaction of selected peroxide antimalarials with oxyhemoglobin, the most abundant form of iron in the human body. The observed stability of artemisinin derivatives and 1,2,4-trioxolanes in the presence of oxyhemoglobin was in contrast to previous reports in the literature. Spectroscopic analysis of hemoglobin found it to be unstable under the conditions used for previous studies, and it appears likely that the artemisinin reactivity reported in these studies may be attributed to free heme released by protein denaturation. The stability of peroxide antimalarials with intact oxyhemoglobin, and reactivity with free heme, may explain the selective toxicity of these antimalarials toward infected, but not healthy, erythrocytes.
Lactococcus lactis
Expressing either
Staphylococcus aureus
Fibronectin-Binding Protein A or
Listeria monocytogenes
Internalin A Can Efficiently Internalize and Deliver DNA in Human Epithelial Cells
Authors: Innocentin Silvia , Guimarães Valeria , Miyoshi Anderson , Azevedo Vasco , Langella Philippe , Chatel Jean-Marc , Lefèvre François 
Published: May 2009

ABSTRACT

Lactococci are noninvasive bacteria frequently used as protein delivery vectors and, more recently, as in vitro and in vivo DNA delivery vehicles. We previously showed that a functional eukaryotic enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP) expression plasmid vector was delivered in epithelial cells by
Lactococcus lactis
producing
Listeria monocytogenes
internalin A (
L. lactis
InlA
+
), but this strategy is limited in vivo to transgenic mice and guinea pigs. In this study, we compare the internalization ability of
L. lactis
InlA
+
and
L. lactis
producing either the fibronectin-binding protein A of
Staphylococcus aureus
(
L. lactis
FnBPA
+
) or its fibronectin binding domains C and D (
L. lactis
CD
+
).
L. lactis
FnBPA
+
and
L. lactis
InlA
+
showed comparable internalization rates in Caco-2 cells, while the internalization rate observed with
L. lactis
CD
+
was lower. As visualized by conventional and confocal fluorescence microscopy, large clusters of
L. lactis
FnBPA
+
,
L. lactis
CD
+
, and
L. lactis
InlA
+
were present in the cytoplasm of Caco-2 cells after internalization. Moreover, the internalization rates of
Lactobacillus acidophilus
NCFM and of an NCFM mutant strain with the gene coding for the fibronectin-binding protein (
fbpA
) inactivated were also evaluated in Caco-2 cells. Similar low internalization rates were observed for both wild-type
L. acidophilus
NCFM and the
fbpA
mutant, suggesting that commensal fibronectin binding proteins have a role in adhesion but not in invasion.
L. lactis
FnBPA
+
,
L. lactis
CD
+
, and
L. lactis
InlA
+
were then used to deliver a eukaryotic eGFP expression plasmid in Caco-2 cells: flow cytometry analysis showed that the highest percentage of green fluorescent Caco-2 cells was observed after coculture with either
L. lactis
FnBPA
+
or
L. lactis
InlA

+

. Analysis of the in vivo efficiency of these invasive recombinant strains is currently in progress to validate their potential as DNA vaccine delivery vehicles.
Sab, a Novel Autotransporter of Locus of Enterocyte Effacement-Negative Shiga-Toxigenic
Escherichia coli
O113:H21, Contributes to Adherence and Biofilm Formation
Authors: Herold Sylvia , Paton James C. , Paton Adrienne W. 
Published: June 2009

ABSTRACT

Shiga-toxigenic
Escherichia coli
(STEC) strains cause serious gastrointestinal disease, which can lead to potentially life-threatening systemic complications such as hemolytic-uremic syndrome. Although the production of Shiga toxin has been considered to be the main virulence trait of STEC for many years, the capacity to colonize the host intestinal epithelium is a crucial step in pathogenesis. In this study, we have characterized a novel megaplasmid-encoded outer membrane protein in locus of enterocyte effacement (LEE)-negative O113:H21 STEC strain 98NK2, termed Sab (for STEC autotransporter [AT] contributing to biofilm formation). The 4,296-bp
sab
gene encodes a 1,431-amino-acid protein with the features of members of the AT protein family. When expressed in
E. coli
JM109, Sab contributed to the diffuse adherence to human epithelial (HEp-2) cells and promoted biofilm formation on polystyrene surfaces. A 98NK2
sab
deletion mutant was also defective in biofilm formation relative to its otherwise isogenic wild-type parent, and this was complemented by transformation with a
sab
-carrying plasmid. Interestingly, an unrelated O113:H21 STEC isolate that had a naturally occurring deletion in
sab
was similarly defective in biofilm formation. PCR analysis indicated that
sab
is present in LEE-negative STEC strains belonging to serotypes/groups O113:H21, O23, and O82:H8. These findings raise the possibility that Sab may contribute to colonization in a subset of LEE-negative STEC strains.
The Caspase 1 Inflammasome Is Not Required for Control of Murine Lyme Borreliosis
Authors: Liu Nengyin , Belperron Alexia A. , Booth Carmen J. , Bockenstedt Linda K. 
Published: June 2009

ABSTRACTThe contribution of the inflammasome to the development of immune responses and disease during infection with the Lyme disease spirochete,Borrelia burgdorferi, is not well defined. Host defense against the spirochete is severely impaired in mice deficient in the adaptor molecule myeloid differentiation antigen 88 (MyD88), which is required not only for Toll-like receptor-mediated responses but also for the production of the proforms of interleukin 1β (IL-1β) and IL-18. These cytokines are released in active forms after cleavage by the inflammasome-associated enzyme caspase 1. To investigate the contribution of the inflammasome to host defense againstB. burgdorferi, we examined Lyme borreliosis in mice deficient in either caspase 1 or apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a C-terminal caspase recruitment domain (ASC), a molecule upstream of caspase 1 in the inflammasome signaling cascade. We found that caspase 1-deficient mice had a mild transient elevation in pathogen burden and a trend toward an increase in the prevalence of arthritis early in infection, but these differences resolved by day 14 postinfection. Caspase 1 deficiency had no effect onB. burgdorferi-induced humoral immunity, T-cell responses, or the abilities of macrophages to ingest and degrade spirochetes. The absence of the ASC protein had no effect on the control of the spirochete or the development of immune responses and disease. These findings reveal that the caspase 1 inflammasome is not critical to host defense against the extracellular pathogenBorrelia burgdorferi.
Heat-Resistant Agglutinin 1 Is an Accessory EnteroaggregativeEscherichia coliColonization Factor
Authors: Bhargava Samhita , Johnson Brandon B. , Hwang Jennifer , Harris Tamia A. , George Anu S. , Muir Amanda , Dorff Justin , Okeke Iruka N 
Published: May 2009

ABSTRACTEnteroaggregativeEscherichia coli(EAEC) is an important cause of acute and persistent diarrhea. The defining stacked brick adherence pattern of Peruvian EAEC isolate 042 has previously been attributed to aggregative adherence fimbriae II (AAF/II), which confer aggregative adherence on laboratoryE. colistrains. EAEC strains also show exceptional autoaggregation and biofilm formation, other phenotypes that have hitherto been ascribed to AAF/II. We report that EAEC 042 carries the heat-resistant agglutinin (hra1) gene, also known ashek, which encodes an outer membrane protein. Like AAF/II, the cloned EAEC 042hra1gene product is sufficient to confer autoaggregation, biofilm formation, and aggregative adherence on nonadherent and nonpathogenic laboratoryE. colistrains. However, an 042hra1deletion mutant is not deficient in these phenotypes compared to the wild type. EAEC strain 042 produces a classic honeycomb or stacked brick pattern of adherence to epithelial cells. Unlike wild-type 042, thehra1mutant typically does not form a tidy stacked brick pattern on HEp-2 cells in culture, which is definitive for EAEC. Moreover, thehra1mutant is significantly impaired in theCaenorhabditis elegansslow kill colonization model. Our data suggest that the exceptional colonization of strain 042 is due to multiple factors and that Hra1 is an accessory EAEC colonization factor.
PHOTOELECTRON PHOTOION COINCIDENCE STUDY OF THE FRAGMENTATION OF VALENCE STATES OF CHF2–CH3+ IN THE RANGE 12–25 eV
Authors: ZHOU WEIDONG , CHIM RAY Y. L. , COLLINS D. J. , TUCKETT RICHARD P. 
Published: June 2009

Using vacuum ultraviolet radiation from a synchrotron source, threshold photoelectron photoion coincidence (TPEPICO) spectroscopy has been used to study the dissociative photoionisation of CHF 2– CH 3 in the photon energy from 11.8 eV to 24.8 eV. Combining with ab initio molecular orbital calculation, fragmentation process and fragmental mechanism of the valence states of parent ion are discussed. For single bond cleavage process, a statistical mechanism might govern the C – C bond cleavage, while the kinetic energy release derived from channel CHF 2– CH 3+ → CH 3– CHF ++ F + e- shows evidence for impulsive mechanism. A two-step increase of signal CF 2– CH 3+/ CHF 2– CH 2+ was observed. The two-step is due to the formation of ion CF 2– CH 3+/ CHF 2– CH 2+ through two different dissociation channels. Both computed molecular orbital character and related G2 dissociation energy support the assumption. The ionisation threshold of 12.02 ± 0.04 eV measured from the TPES and the appearance energies (AEs) identified from the ion yield curves are presented. New or refined upper limit values of enthalpy of formation at 298 K for ion CHF 2+, CF 2– CH 3+ and CHF – CH 3+ are derived.
A mechanistic performance model for superscalar out-of-order processors
Authors: Eyerman Stijn , Eeckhout Lieven , Karkhanis Tejas , Smith James E. 
Published: June 2009

A mechanistic model for out-of-order superscalar processors is developed and then applied to the study of microarchitecture resource scaling. The model divides execution time into intervals separated by disruptive miss events such as branch mispredictions and cache misses. Each type of miss event results in characterizable performance behavior for the execution time interval. By considering an interval's type and length (measured in instructions), execution time can be predicted for the interval. Overall execution time is then determined by aggregating the execution time over all intervals. The mechanistic model provides several advantages over prior modeling approaches, and, when estimating performance, it differs from detailed simulation of a 4-wide out-of-order processor by an average of 7%.
The mechanistic model is applied to the general problem of resource scaling in out-of-order superscalar processors. First, we use the model to determine size relationships among microarchitecture structures in a balanced processor design. Second, we use the mechanistic model to study scaling of both pipeline depth and width in balanced processor designs. We corroborate previous results in this area and provide new results. For example, we show that at optimal design points, the pipeline depth times the square root of the processor width is nearly constant. Finally, we consider the behavior of unbalanced, overprovisioned processor designs based on insight gained from the mechanistic model. We show that in certain situations an overprovisioned processor may lead to improved overall performance. Designs where a processor's dispatch width is wider than its issue width are of particular interest.
RING Domain E3 Ubiquitin Ligases
Authors: Deshaies Raymond J. , Joazeiro Claudio A.P. 
Published: June 2009

E3 ligases confer specificity to ubiquitination by recognizing target substrates and mediating transfer of ubiquitin from an E2 ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme to substrate. The activity of most E3s is specified by a RING domain, which binds to an E2∼ubiquitin thioester and activates discharge of its ubiquitin cargo. E2-E3 complexes can either monoubiquitinate a substrate lysine or synthesize polyubiquitin chains assembled via different lysine residues of ubiquitin. These modifications can have diverse effects on the substrate, ranging from proteasome-dependent proteolysis to modulation of protein function, structure, assembly, and/or localization. Not surprisingly, RING E3-mediated ubiquitination can be regulated in a number of ways. RING-based E3s are specified by over 600 human genes, surpassing the 518 protein kinase genes. Accordingly, RING E3s have been linked to the control of many cellular processes and to multiple human diseases. Despite their critical importance, our knowledge of the physiological partners, biological functions, substrates, and mechanism of action for most RING E3s remains at a rudimentary stage.