bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
A reduction in severe hypoglycaemia in type 1 diabetes in a randomized crossover study of continuous intraperitoneal compared with subcutaneous insulin infusion
Authors: Liebl A. , Hoogma R. , Renard E. , Geelhoed‐Duijvestijn P. H. L. M. , Klein E. , Diglas J. , Kessler L. , Melki V. , Diem P. , Brun J.‐M. , Schaepelynck‐Bélicar P. , Frei T. ,   for the European DiaPort Study Group
Published: September 2009

Aim: Continuous intraperitoneal insulin infusion (CIPII) with the DiaPort system using regular insulin was compared to continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) using insulin Lispro, to investigate the frequency of hypoglycemia, blood glucose control, quality of life, and safety.Methods: In this open, randomized, controlled, cross‐over, multinational, 12‐month study, 60 type 1 diabetic patients with frequent hypoglycemia and/or HbA1c > 7.0% with CSII were randomized to CIPII or CSII. The aim was to obtain the best possible blood glucose while avoiding hypoglycemia.Results: The frequency of any hypoglycemia was similar (CIPII 118.2 (SD 82.6) events / patient year, CSII 115.8 (SD 75.7) p = 0.910). The incidence of severe hypoglycemia with CSII was more than twice the one with CIPII (CIPII 34.8 events / 100 patient years, CSII 86.1, p = 0.013). HbA1c, mean blood glucose, and glucose fluctuations were not statistically different. Treatment‐related severe complications occurred mainly during CIPII: port infections (0.47 events / patient year), abdominal pain (0.21 events / patient year), insulin underdelivery (0.14 events / patient year). Weight gain was greater with CSII (+ 1.5 kg vs. − 0.1 kg, p = 0.013), quality of life better with CIPII.Conclusions: In type 1 diabetes CIPII with DiaPort reduces the number of severe episodes of hypoglycemia and improves quality of life with no weight gain. Because of complications, indications for CIPII must be strictly controlled. CIPII with DiaPort is an alternative therapy when CSII is not fully successful and provides an easy method of intraperitoneal therapy.
Dietary supplementation of tetradecylthioacetic acid increases feed intake but reduces body weight gain and adipose depot sizes in rats fed on high‐fat diets
Authors: Wensaas A. J. , Rustan A. C. , Rokling‐Andersen M. H. , Caesar R. , Jensen J. , Kaalhus O. , Graff B. A. , Gudbrandsen O. A. , Berge R. K. , Drevon C. A. 
Published: September 2009

Aim: The pan‐peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor (PPAR) ligand and fatty acid analogue tetradecylthioacetic acid (TTA) may reduce plasma lipids and enhance hepatic lipid metabolism, as well as reduce adipose tissue sizes in rats fed on high‐fat diets. This study further explores the effects of TTA on weight gain, feed intake and adipose tissue functions in rats that are fed a high‐fat diet for 7 weeks.Methods: The effects on feed intake and body weight during 7 weeks' dietary supplement with TTA (∼200 mg/kg bw) were studied in male Wistar rats fed on a lard‐based diet containing ∼40% energy from fat. Adipose tissue mass, body composition and expression of relevant genes in fat depots and liver were measured at the end of the feeding.Results: Despite higher feed intake during the final 2 weeks of the study, rats fed on TTA gained less body weight than lard‐fed rats and had markedly decreased subcutaneous, epididymal, perirenal and mesenteric adipose depots. The effects of TTA feeding with reduced body weight gain and energy efficiency (weight gain/feed intake) started between day 10 and 13. Body contents of fat, protein and water were reduced after feeding lard plus TTA, with a stronger decrease in fat relative to protein. Plasma lipids, including Non‐Esterified Fatty Acids (NEFA), were significantly reduced, whereas fatty acid β‐oxidation in liver and heart was enhanced in lard plus TTA‐fed rats. Hepatic UCP3 was expressed ectopically both at protein and mRNA level (>1900‐fold), whereas Ucp1 mRNA was increased ∼30‐fold in epididymal and ∼90‐fold in mesenteric fat after lard plus TTA feeding.Conclusion: Our data support the hypothesis that TTA feeding may increase hepatic fatty acid β‐oxidation, and thereby reduce the size of adipose tissues. The functional importance of ectopic hepatic UCP3 is unknown, but might be associated with enhanced energy expenditure and thus the reduced feed efficiency.
Significant reduction of fungal disease symptoms in transgenic lupin (Lupinus angustifolius) expressing the anti‐apoptotic baculovirus gene p35
Authors: Wijayanto Teguh , Barker Susan J. , Wylie Stephen J. , Gilchrist David G. , Cowling Wallace A. 
Published: September 2009

SummaryNarrow‐leafed lupin (NLL; Lupinus angustifolius) is a recently domesticated but anciently propagated crop with significant value in rotation with cereals in Mediterranean climates. However, several fungal pathogens, traditionally termed necrotrophs, severely affect broad‐acre production and there is limited genetic resistance in the NLL germplasm pool. Symptoms of many of these diseases appear as localized areas of dead cells exhibiting markers of programmed cell death. Based on our previous research, we hypothesized that engineered expression of the baculovirus anti‐apoptotic p35 gene might reduce symptoms of these diseases. Using Agrobacterium tumefaciens‐mediated transformation of a cultivar highly susceptible to several pathogens, 14 independent NLL lines containing both the p35 and bar genes were obtained (p35‐NLL). Integration and expression of the transgenes were confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), progeny testing, Southern blot, Northern blot and reverse transcriptase‐PCR analyses. Fecundity and nodulation were not altered in these lines. Third or fourth generation p35‐NLL lines were challenged with necrotrophic fungal pathogens (anthracnose in stem and leaf, and Pleiochaeta root rot and leaf brown spot) in controlled environment conditions. Several p35‐NLL lines had significantly reduced disease symptoms. Interestingly, as with natural resistance, no single line was improved for all three diseases which possibly reflecting spatial variation of p35 expression in planta. These data support an alternative molecular definition for ‘necrotrophic disease’ in plants and suggest new routes for achieving resistance against a range of pathogens.
ZFN‐induced mutagenesis and gene‐targeting in Arabidopsis through Agrobacterium‐mediated floral dip transformation
Authors: De Pater Sylvia , Neuteboom Leon W. , Pinas Johan E. , Hooykaas Paul J. J. , Van Der Zaal Bert J. 
Published: September 2009

SummaryZinc‐finger nucleases (ZFNs) are artificial restriction enzymes, custom designed for induction of double‐strand breaks (DSBs) at a specific locus. These DSBs may result in site‐specific mutagenesis or homologous recombination at the repair site, depending on the DNA repair pathway that is used. These promising techniques for genome engineering were evaluated in Arabidopsis plants using Agrobacterium‐mediated floral dip transformation. A T‐DNA containing the target site for a ZFN pair, that was shown to be active in yeast, was integrated in the Arabidopsis genome. Subsequently, the corresponding pair of ZFN genes was stably integrated in the Arabidopsis genome and ZFN activity was determined by PCR and sequence analysis of the target site. Footprints were obtained in up to 2% of the PCR products, consisting of deletions ranging between 1 and 200 bp and insertions ranging between 1 and 14 bp. We did not observe any toxicity from expression of the ZFNs. In order to obtain ZFN‐induced gene‐targeting (GT), Arabidopsis plants containing the target site and expressing the ZFN pair were transformed with a T‐DNA GT construct. Three GT plants were obtained from ∼3000 transformants. Two of these represent heritable true GT events, as determined by PCR, Southern blot analysis and sequencing of the resulting recombined locus. The third plant showed an ectopic GT event. No GT plants were obtained in a comparable number of transformants that did not contain the ZFNs. Our results demonstrate that ZFNs enhance site‐specific mutagenesis and gene‐targeting of Agrobacterium T‐DNA constructs delivered through floral dip transformation.
Competent Actors or Vulnerable Objects? Constructions of Children and State Intervention among Finnish Politicians in Relation to the Child Protection Act 1983 and 2006
Authors: Nygård Mikael 
Published: September 2009

AbstractThis article investigates constructions of children and state intervention among Finnish MPs during the parliamentary debates relating to the 1983 and 2006 enactments of the Child Protection Act. It seeks to illuminate the politicization of children within a parliamentary framework, and to illuminate the role of dominant discourses, ideas and ideological views in shaping child protection policy. The research data consist of the official transcriptions of speeches made by MPs during the preliminary debates relating to the 1983 and 2007 bills on child protection.The data were analysed by using qualitative content analysis. The results suggest that the notion of the child as an actor with individual rights was rather controversial among MPs in 1983. The core of this controversy consisted of whether or not parental authority should be weakened in favour of enhanced child agency, and whether it would be advisable to permit more intense public intervention in the family sphere. In the 2006 debate, by contrast, the idea of children's rights and agency had become an uncontested principle that impregnated most of the speakers' statements. However, this accentuation of the child's agency pro forma was accompanied by rather gloomy evaluations of the well‐being of contemporary families with children, including claims for more rigorous public actions in order to regulate family‐related risks. This resulted in a somewhat paradoxical situation where children's rights were emphasized, while at the same time stricter demands on public and adult control over children were presented.
Five‐year experience in the treatment of alopecia areata with DPC
Authors: El‐Zawahry BM , Bassiouny DA , Khella A , Zaki NS 
Published: September 2009

AbstractBackground  The effectiveness of Diphencyprone (DPC) in alopecia areata (AA) was demonstrated in several studies with highly variable response rates ranging from 5% to 85%.Objective  The response rate and variable factors affecting the prognosis were studied focusing on long‐term follow‐up with or without maintenance therapy.Methods  A total of 135 cases of AA were treated with DPC. Patients were divided into five groups according to the area of scalp affected: Grade 1 AA: 25–49% scalp affection; Grade 2 AA: 50–74% scalp affection; Grade 3 AA: 75–99% scalp affection; alopecia totalis and alopecia universalis. An initial response was defined as appearance of new terminal hair within treated sites. Excellent response was defined as terminal hair covering >75% of the scalp. Relapse meant >25% hair loss. Maintenance therapy meant ongoing therapy once every 1–4 weeks after excellent response. Follow‐up was performed to detect any relapse of AA.Results  Ninety‐seven patients continued therapy for ≥3 months. After an initial 3 month lag, cumulative excellent response was seen in 15 patients (15.4%), 47 patients (48.5%), 51 patients (52.6%) and 55 patients (55.7%) after 6, 12, 18 and 24 months respectively in a mean median time of 12 months. The only patient variable affecting the prognosis was baseline extent of AA. Excellent response was seen in 100%, 77%, 54%, 50% and 41% in Grade 1, Grade 2, Grade 3, AA totalis and AA universalis patients respectively. Side‐effects were few and tolerable. Hair fall >25% occurred in 17.9% of patients on maintenance and 57.1% of patients without maintenance therapy (P‐value = 0.025).Conclusion  Diphencyprone is an effective and safe treatment of extensive AA. A long period of therapy is needed and will increase the percentage of responders especially in alopecia totalis and universalis. Maintenance therapy is recommended to reduce the risk of relapse.
Chronic constriction injury induces aquaporin‐2 expression in the dorsal root ganglia of rats
Authors: Buffoli Barbara , Borsani Elisa , Rezzani Rita , Rodella Luigi F. 
Published: September 2009

AbstractAquaporins are a family of water channel proteins involved in water homeostasis in several tissues. Current knowledge of aquaporin expression in the nervous system is very limited. Therefore the first aim of this study was to assess, by immunohistochemistry and immunoblotting analysis, the presence and localization of aquaporin‐2 in the spinal cord and dorsal root ganglia of naïve adult rats. In addition, we evaluated aquaporin‐2 expression in response to chronic constriction injury of the sciatic nerve, a model of neuropathic pain. Our results showed that aquaporin‐2 expression was not detectable either in the spinal cord or the dorsal root ganglia of naïve rats. However, we showed for the first time an increase of aquaporin‐2 expression in response to chronic constriction injury treatment in small‐diameter dorsal root ganglia neurons but no expression in the lumbar spinal cord. These data support the hypothesis that aquaporin‐2 expression is involved in inflammatory neuropathic nerve injuries, although its precise role remains to be determined.
Children’s patterns of emotional reactivity to conflict as explanatory mechanisms in links between interpartner aggression and child physiological functioning
Authors: Davies Patrick T. , Sturge‐Apple Melissa L. , Cicchetti Dante , Manning Liviah G. , Zale Emily 
Published: September 2009

Background:  This paper examined children’s fearful, sad, and angry reactivity to interparental conflict as mediators of associations between their exposure to interparental aggression and physiological functioning.Methods:  Participants included 200 toddlers and their mothers. Assessments of interparental aggression and children’s emotional reactivity were derived from maternal surveys and a semi‐structured interview. Cortisol levels and cardiac indices of sympathetic nervous system (SNS) and parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) activity were used to assess toddler physiological functioning.Results:  Results indicated that toddler exposure to interparental aggression was associated with greater cortisol levels and PNS activity and diminished SNS activity. Toddler angry emotional reactivity mediated associations between interparental aggression and cortisol and PNS functioning. Fearful emotional reactivity was a mediator of the link between interparental aggression and SNS functioning.Conclusions:  The results are interpreted within conceptualizations of how exposure and reactivity to family risk organize individual differences in physiological functioning.
The association between prenatal cocaine exposure and physiological regulation at 13 months of age
Authors: Schuetze Pamela , Eiden Rina D. , Danielewicz Susan 
Published: September 2009

Background:  This study examined the association between prenatal cocaine exposure (PCE) and autonomic regulation at 13 months of age.Methods:  Measures of respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) were obtained from 156 (79 exposed, and 77 nonexposed) infants during baseline and during tasks designed to elicit positive (PA) and negative affect (NA).Results:  There was a significant suppression of RSA during the negative affect task for nonexposed infants but not for exposed infants. Maternal symptoms of depression or anxiety (MDA) did not mediate this association. However, gender and MDA did moderate this association such that exposed boys and exposed infants whose mothers had higher levels of MDA had an increase in RSA during a task designed to elicit NA rather than the typical pattern of RSA suppression.Conclusions:  These results suggest that there are several possible pathways from PCE to physiological dysregulation during late infancy.
Wilderness and future conservation priorities in Australia
Authors: Watson James E.M. , Fuller Richard A. , Watson Alexander W. T. , Mackey Brendan G. , Wilson Kerrie A. , Grantham Hedley S. , Turner Matthew , Klein Carissa J. , Carwardine Josie , Joseph Liana N. , Possingham Hugh P. 
Published: September 2009

AbstractAim  Most approaches to conservation prioritization are focused on biodiversity features that are already threatened. While this is necessary in the face of accelerating anthropogenic threats, there have been calls to conserve large intact landscapes, often termed ‘wilderness’, to ensure the long‐term persistence of biodiversity. In this study, we examine the consequences of directing conservation expenditure using a threat‐based framework for wilderness conservation.Location  The Australian continent.Methods  We measured the degree of congruence between the extent of wilderness and the Australian protected area network in 2000 and 2006, which was established using a threat‐based systematic planning framework. We also assessed priority areas for future reserve acquisitions identified by the Australian government under the current framework.Results  In 2000, 14% of Australia’s wilderness was under formal protection, while the protected area network covered only 8.5% of the continent, suggesting a historical bias towards wilderness protection. However, the expansion of the reserve system from 2000 to 2006 was biased towards non‐wilderness areas. Moreover, 90% of the wilderness that was protected over this period comprised areas not primarily designated for biodiversity conservation. We found a significant (P < 0.05) negative relationship between bioregions considered to be a priority for future reserve prioritization and the amount of wilderness they contain.Main conclusions  While there is an urgent need to overcome past biases in reserve network design so as to better protect poorly represented species and habitats, prioritization approaches should not become so reactive as to ignore the role that large, intact landscapes play in conserving biodiversity, especially in a time of human‐induced climate change. This can be achieved by using current or future threats rather than past threats to prioritize areas, and by incorporating key ecological processes and costs of acquisition and management within the planning framework.
Disentangling the effects of land use, shrub cover and climate on the invasion speed of native and introduced pines in grasslands
Authors: Boulant Nadine , Garnier Aurélie , Curt Thomas , Lepart Jacques 
Published: September 2009

AbstractAims  To determine how changes in land use, climate and shrub cover affect the invasion dynamics of native (Pinus sylvestris L.) and introduced (Pinus nigra Arn. subsp. nigra) pines in grasslands. To analyse how these factors interact and affect seedling recruitment, a bottleneck in the lifecycle of many trees. Such information is required to manage the dynamics of these species.Location  Grands Causses, calcareous plateaus (Southern France).Methods  We used both published and unpublished demographic and dispersal data to assess population growth and invasion speed of invading pines. A demographic and spatially explicit model, which included density dependence and stochasticity in dispersal, demography and environment, was run for different scenarios of sheep grazing pressure (nil, extensive or intensive), shrub cover (0, 10 or 20%) and drought frequency (past‐to‐present or future). For each scenario, population growth rate, invasion speed and elasticity of invasion speed to each demographic and dispersal parameter were computed.Results  Grazing was the main factor for limiting invasion speed. Shrub cover reduced tree spread under nil or extensive grazing pressure, but increased it under intensive grazing pressure. Although dry years led to nil seedling establishment rates, an increase in their frequency had surprisingly few effects on pine invasion speed. This last result remained unchanged when very dry years, inducing seedling, but also sapling mortality were introduced. In most environmental conditions, population growth rate and invasion speed were higher for the introduced than for the native pine. Elasticity analysis highlighted the importance of demographic parameters on invasion speed, notably adult and sapling survival.Main conclusion  Tree invasion speed may rely at least as much on human activities, like sheep grazing, tree cutting and non‐native trees introduction, as on changes in climate factors. Therefore, human activities need to be explicitly taken into account in the prediction and management of tree dynamics.
Interaction between renin–angiotensin and sympathetic nervous systems in a rat model of pressure overload cardiac hypertrophy
Authors: Rathore H. A. , Munavvar A. S. , Abdullah N. A. , Khan A. H. , Fathihah B. , NurJannah M. H. , Raisa N. A. , Anand Swarup K. R. L. , Abdullah M. H. , Salman I. M. , Johns E. J. 
Published: September 2009

Abstract 1 A raised cardiac workload activates neurohormones which will increase muscle mass and shift contractility to the right along the Frank‐Starling curve. 2 This study examined the interaction between the SNS and RAS in contributing to vascular responsiveness following the development of cardiac hypertrophy due to aortic banding. 3 Sprague Dawley rats (180–200 g) were assigned to one of six groups; Normal, Sham‐operated, Aortic Banded (AB), Aortic Banded treated with losartan (ABLOS), Aortic Banded treated with 6‐hydroxydopamine (ABSYMP) and Aortic banded treated with both losartan and 6‐hydroxydopamine (ABSYMPLOS). A constricting band was placed around the supra renal aorta on day zero with drug treatment from day 37 to day 44. Vasopressor responses to noradrenaline, phenylephrine, methoxamine and angiotensin II were measured on day 45. 4 The magnitudes of the MAP responses to all vasoactive agents, expressed as percentage changes, were similar in Normal and Sham groups, but reduced in the AB group. ABLOS group showed attenuated response to ANGII whereas all responses were enhanced in the ABSYM group. 5 A positive interaction between the two systems was observed with α1A‐adrenoceptors identified as a major component of SNS and AT1 receptors of RAS to induce vasopressor effects.