bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The effect of calcium and vitamin D supplementation on obesity in postmenopausal women: secondary analysis for a large-scale, placebo controlled, double-blind, 4-year longitudinal clinical trial
Authors: Zhou Jiapeng , Zhao Lan-Juan , Watson Patrice , Zhang Qin , Lappe Joan M 
Published: July 2010

Abstract

Background
It is undetermined whether calcium supplementation has an effect on obesity or body composition in postmenopausal women. The purpose of the study is to detect the effect of calcium supplementation on indices of obesity and body composition.

Methods
This is a secondary analysis of data from a population-based, double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized trial designed to determine the effects of calcium and vitamin D on osteoporotic fractures. The cohort included 1179 postmenopausal women who were randomly assigned into one of three groups: 1) supplemental calcium (1400 mg/d or 1500 mg/d) plus vitamin D placebo (Ca-only group); 2) supplemental calcium (1400 mg/d or 1500 mg/d) plus supplemental vitamin D3 (1100 IU/d) (Ca + D group); or, 3) two placebos (placebo group). After applying the exclusion criteria for this analysis, 870 subjects were included in this study. The primary outcomes for the present study were changes in body mass index, trunk fat, trunk lean, and percentage of trunk fat after calcium supplementation.

Results
Changes in trunk fat, trunk lean, and percentage of trunk fat were significantly different between the calcium intervention groups (Ca-only group or Ca + D group) and the placebo group during the trial (P < 0.05). The calcium intervention groups gained less trunk fat and maintained more trunk lean when compared to the placebo group. No significant difference was observed for body mass index between groups.

Conclusion
Calcium supplementation over four years has a beneficial effect on body composition in postmenopausal women.
Impaired vascular function after exposure to diesel exhaust generated at urban transient running conditions
Authors: Barath Stefan , Mills Nicholas L , Lundbäck Magnus , Törnqvist Håkan , Lucking Andrew J , Langrish Jeremy P , Söderberg Stefan , Boman Christoffer , Westerholm Roger , Löndahl Jakob , Donaldson Ken , Mudway Ian S , Sandström Thomas , Newby David E , Blomberg Anders 
Published: July 2010

Abstract

Background
Traffic emissions including diesel engine exhaust are associated with increased respiratory and cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Controlled human exposure studies have demonstrated impaired vascular function after inhalation of exhaust generated by a diesel engine under idling conditions.

Objectives
To assess the vascular and fibrinolytic effects of exposure to diesel exhaust generated during urban-cycle running conditions that mimic ambient 'real-world' exposures.

Methods
In a randomised double-blind crossover study, eighteen healthy male volunteers were exposed to diesel exhaust (approximately 250 μg/m3) or filtered air for one hour during intermittent exercise. Diesel exhaust was generated during the urban part of the standardized European Transient Cycle. Six hours post-exposure, vascular vasomotor and fibrinolytic function was assessed during venous occlusion plethysmography with intra-arterial agonist infusions.

Measurements and Main Results
Forearm blood flow increased in a dose-dependent manner with both endothelial-dependent (acetylcholine and bradykinin) and endothelial-independent (sodium nitroprusside and verapamil) vasodilators. Diesel exhaust exposure attenuated the vasodilatation to acetylcholine (P < 0.001), bradykinin (P < 0.05), sodium nitroprusside (P < 0.05) and verapamil (P < 0.001). In addition, the net release of tissue plasminogen activator during bradykinin infusion was impaired following diesel exhaust exposure (P < 0.05).

Conclusion
Exposure to diesel exhaust generated under transient running conditions, as a relevant model of urban air pollution, impairs vasomotor function and endogenous fibrinolysis in a similar way as exposure to diesel exhaust generated at idling. This indicates that adverse vascular effects of diesel exhaust inhalation occur over different running conditions with varying exhaust composition and concentrations as well as physicochemical particle properties. Importantly, exposure to diesel exhaust under ETC conditions was also associated with a novel finding of impaired of calcium channel-dependent vasomotor function. This implies that certain cardiovascular endpoints seem to be related to general diesel exhaust properties, whereas the novel calcium flux-related effect may be associated with exhaust properties more specific for the ETC condition, for example a higher content of diesel soot particles along with their adsorbed organic compounds.
Nociceptive Stimulation Induces Expression of Arc/Arg3.1 in the Spinal Cord with a Preference for Neurons Containing Enkephalin
Authors: Hossaini Mehdi , Jongen Joost LM , Biesheuvel Karla , Kuhl Dietmar , Holstege Jan C 
Published: July 2010

Background: In pain processing, long term synaptic changes play an important role, especially during chronic pain. The immediate early gene Arc/Arg3.1 has been widely implicated in mediating long-term plasticity in telencephalic regions, such as the hippocampus and cortex. Accordingly, Arc/Arg3.1 knockout (KO) mice show a deficit in long-term memory consolidation. Here, we identify expression of Arc/Arg3.1 in the rat spinal cord using immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization following pain stimuli. Results: We found that Arc/Arg3.1 is not present in naïve or vehicle treated animals, and is de novo expressed in dorsal horn neurons after nociceptive stimulation. Expression of Arc/Arg3.1 was induced in an intensity dependent manner in neurons that were located in laminae I (14%) and II (85%) of the spinal dorsal horn. Intrathecal injection of brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) also induced expression of Arc/Arg3.1. Furthermore, 90% of Arc/Arg3.1 expressing neurons also contained the activity marker c-Fos, which was expressed more abundantly. Preproenkephalin mRNA was found in the majority (68%) of the Arc/Arg3.1 expressing neurons, while NK-1 was found in only 19% and GAD67 mRNA in 3.6%. Finally, pain behavior in Arc/Arg3.1 KO mice was not significantly different from their wild type littermates after application of formalin or after induction of chronic inflammatory pain. Conclusions: We conclude that Arc/Arg3.1 is preferentially expressed in spinal enkephalinergic neurons after nociceptive stimulation. Therefore, our data suggest that Arc/Arg3.1 dependent long term synaptic changes in spinal pain transmission are a feature of anti-nociceptive, i.e. enkephalinergic, rather than pro-nociceptive neurons.
Identification of novel exons and transcribed regions by chimpanzee transcriptome sequencing
Authors: Wetterbom Anna , Ameur Adam , Feuk Lars , Gyllensten Ulf , Cavelier Lucia 
Published: July 2010

Abstract
Background
We profile the chimpanzee transcriptome by using deep sequencing of cDNA from brain and liver, aiming to quantify expression of known genes and to identify novel transcribed regions.

Results
Using stringent criteria for transcription, we identify 12,843 expressed genes, with a majority being found in both tissues. We further identify 9,826 novel transcribed regions that are not overlapping with annotated exons, mRNAs or ESTs. Over 80% of the novel transcribed regions map within or in the vicinity of known genes, and by combining sequencing data with de novo splice predictions we predict several of the novel transcribed regions to be new exons or 3' UTRs. For approximately 350 novel transcribed regions, the corresponding DNA sequence is absent in the human reference genome. The presence of novel transcribed regions in five genes and in one intergenic region is further validated with RT-PCR. Finally, we describe and experimentally validate a putative novel multi-exon gene that belongs to the ATP-cassette transporter gene family. This gene does not appear to be functional in human since one exon is absent from the human genome. In addition to novel exons and UTRs, novel transcribed regions may also stem from different types of noncoding transcripts. We note that expressed repeats and introns from unspliced mRNAs are especially common in our data.

Conclusions
Our results extend the chimpanzee gene catalogue with a large number of novel exons and 3' UTRs and thus support the view that mammalian gene annotations are not yet complete.
Regulatory T cells induced by Mycobacterium chelonae sensitization influence murine responses to bacille Calmette-Guérin
Authors: Ho Peiying , Wei Xing , Seah Geok Teng 
Published: July 2010

Abstract
5CD4+CD25+ cells in Mycobacterium chelonae-sensitized mice functionally suppress BCG-induced inflammation, providing one explanation for how immune priming by environmental mycobacteria affects subsequent BCG vaccination responses.
The efficacy of live Mycobacterium bovis BCG as a tuberculosis vaccine is highly varied globally. Differential sensitization to environmental mycobacteria prior to BCG vaccination may prime immune effects leading to this variation, but the precise immune mechanisms and cell types involved in this phenomenon are unknown. We hypothesized that pre-vaccination sensitization to environmental mycobacteria induces mycobacterium-specific Tregs that suppress responses to BCG. This was investigated by testing Treg responses following priming of BALB/c mice by i.p. immunization with heat-killed CHE. Such mice produced higher levels of IL-10 before and after intranasal, live BCG administration and had fewer lung inflammatory cells post-BCG, relative to nonsensitized mice. In CHE-sensitized mice, the percentage of splenic CD4+CD25+ cells expressing Foxp3 amongst total lymphocytes was not elevated significantly, but these cells limited nonspecific proliferation of CD4+CD25– effector cells upon coculture and promoted higher expression levels of CD103 and Foxp3 in response to BCG antigen stimulation than CD4+CD25+ cells from nonsensitized mice. In adoptive transfer experiments, naïve, WT mice receiving CD4+CD25+ cells from CHE-sensitized mice and then given live BCG intranasally had significantly elevated lung IL-10 levels, reduced frequencies of lung IL-2-producing cells, and lower lymphocyte numbers in the BAL. Therefore, CHE sensitization induced CD4+CD25+ Tregs with functional, suppressive activity on BCG responses in vitro and in vivo. Treg induction could therefore be one mechanism underlying how environmental mycobacteria priming modulates host responses to the BCG vaccine.
Pelvic vein incompetence influences pain levels in patients with lower limb varicosity
Authors: Asciutto G , Mumme A , Asciutto K C , Geier B 
Published: July 2010

Purpose To detect the influence of pelvic vein incompetence (PVI) on pain levels in patients with varicosity of the lower limb. Materials and methods Women of child-bearing age with symptomatic primary or recurrent varicosity of the greater saphenous vein (GSV) were prospectively included in two groups depending on the presence or absence of phlebographic signs of PVI. Pain assessment was carried out with the help of a visual analogue scale (VAS). Results Forty women were included in the study. Nineteen of them had phlebographic evidence of PVI (group A), whereas 21 were included in the control group (group B). Patients of group A reported a higher median total pain level than patients of group B (group A median 62, range 25–100; group B median 32, range 0–100; P = 0.001). In group A, patients experienced a median level of pain of 67.2 at the lower limb in the standing position (range 40–100) versus a median of 50.3 (range 36–81) in patients of group B ( P = NS). The median level of leg pain in the sitting position was 41.2 (range 0–67) in patients of group A and 38.1 (range 0–46) in women of group B ( P = NS). Pelvic pain level in the standing position was higher ( P = NS) in patients of group A (median 72.2, range 50–91), than in women of group B (median 20.1, range 0–41). In patients of group A, statistically significant ( P = 0.0001) higher VAS scores for pelvic pain level in sitting (group = A median 67.2, range 59–71; group B median 18.1 range 0–35) were reported. Conclusions In a small population of patients with GSV varicosity, overall pain levels were significantly higher in a subgroup of patients with phlebographic signs of PVI. This finding suggests that the presence of PVI might influence the intensity of varicosity symptoms.
Lifestyle factors and varicose veins: does cross-sectional design result in underestimate of the risk?
Authors: Ahti T M , Mäkivaara L A , Luukkaala T , Hakama M , Laurikka J O 
Published: July 2010

Objectives To assess whether smoking, alcohol drinking and dietary factors are linked with varicose veins. Methods A middle-aged general population of 4903 was studied, and prevalence rates at entry and five-year incidence of varicose veins were assessed. Lifestyle habits were recorded at entry and at the end of the follow-up. Results New varicose veins were significantly more common in individuals with regular alcohol intake, incidence odds ratio (OR) 1.5 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.05–2.3) in a multivariate analysis (of 2202 individuals). The association was particularly strong in women. Smokers had a higher incidence of varicose veins compared with non-smokers, OR 1.3 (95% CI: 0.9–1.8), but without statistical significance. Having daily meals of meat implied less new varicose veins than having 0–2 weekly meals of meat. Conclusion Alcohol was likely to increase the risk of varicose veins in women and smoking in both genders. These findings were seen in the follow-up design, but not when the data of these risk factors were compared with varicose veins prevalent at entry.
Comparison of stiffness and interface pressure during rest and exercise among various arm sleeves
Authors: Hirai M , Niimi K , Iwata H , Sugimoto I , Ishibashi H , Ota T , Nakamura H 
Published: July 2010

Objectives To compare the interface pressure during rest and exercise among various kinds of arm sleeves. Methods The interface pressure underneath nine different arm sleeves was measured during 10 maximal opening and closing movements of fingers using a pressure transducer (Air Pack Type Analyser) in 16 healthy volunteers. Furthermore, in order to evaluate the characteristics of each arm sleeve, the extensibility, stiffness and thickness were determined in vitro by several apparatuses. Results There was a significant correlation between stiffness and extensibility. The stiffness was significantly correlated with the pressure difference between muscle contraction and relaxation during exercise. The higher the value of stiffness, the greater the pressure amplitude during exercise. Conclusion Short-stretch arm sleeves characterized with a high level stiffness, including thick round- and flat-knitted arm sleeves, are more beneficial for the augmentation of muscle pumping than long-stretch arm sleeves, in the same way as short-stretch bandages or stockings applied to the leg.
Fatigue Initiation Modeling of 316LN Steel Based on Nonlocal Plasticity Theory
Authors: Schwartz Julien , Fandeur Olivier , Rey Colette 
Published: July 2010

Abstract
Nucleation of intragranular cracks during low cycle fatigue is governed by various micro-structural phenomena. Complex dislocation arrangements and rearrangements have been identified in several experimental studies carried out on cyclically loaded steel specimens. Different dislocation structures, such as vein, ladder, and/or cell structures, have been observed. They are related to an inhomogeneous localization of plastic strain, which is mostly accommodated by the ladder structures of dislocations, also named persistent slip bands. These regions of intensive slip generate on the material surface intrusions and extrusions, called persistent slip markings. The emergence of this rough relief leads to the initiation of fatigue cracks and can be considered as the first sign of fatigue damage. For a better comprehension of crack nucleation in 316LN stainless steel, low cycle fatigue tests and numerical simulations were performed. Specimens of 316LN steel with polished shallow notches were cycled with constant loading amplitude. In situ observations with a long distance microscope and scanning electron microscopy and electron back scattered diffraction analyses were used to observe fatigue crack initiation. Persistent slip markings have been identified. In parallel, a three-dimensional finite element model of crystalline plasticity, named Cristal-ECP, has been developed in both ABAQUS™ and CAST3M™ finite element codes. The numerical studies performed on various polycrystalline aggregates of 316LN steel have shown a heterogeneous localization of strain in bands. For a more precise computation and to introduce a grain size effect, geometrically necessary dislocations directly related and computed with the lattice curvature have been introduced in Cristal-ECP. The first simulations have shown a real influence of the geometrically necessary dislocations on the hardening slope and more heterogeneous mechanical fields.
Association of serum IGF1 with endothelial function: results from the population-based study of health in Pomerania
Authors: Empen Klaus , Lorbeer Roberto , Völzke Henry , Robinson Daniel M , Friedrich Nele , Krebs Alexander , Nauck Matthias , Reffelmann Thorsten , Ewert Ralf , Felix Stephan B , Wallaschofski Henri , Dörr Marcus 
Published: July 2010

ObjectiveIGF1 mediates multiple physiological and pathophysiological responses in the cardiovascular system. The aim of this study was to analyze the association between serum IGF1 as well as IGF-binding protein 3 (IGFBP3) levels and endothelial function measured by flow-mediated dilation (FMD).DesignCross-sectional population-based observational study.MethodsThe study population comprised 1482 subjects (736 women) aged 25–85 years from the Study of Health in Pomerania. Serum IGF1 and IGFBP3 levels were determined by chemiluminescence immunoassays. FMD measurements were performed using standardized ultrasound techniques. FMD values below the sex-specific median were considered low.ResultsIn males, logistic regression analyses revealed an odds ratio (OR) of 1.27 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.07–1.51;P=0.008) for decreased FMD for each decrement of IGF1s.d.after adjustment for major cardiovascular confounders. In females, no significant relationship between serum IGF1 and FMD was found (OR 0.88, CI 0.74–1.05;P=0.147). After exclusion of subjects with the current use of antihypertensive medication, these findings were similar (males: OR 1.40, CI 1.12–1.75;P=0.003; females: OR 0.95, CI 0.77–1.16;P=0.595). There was no association between serum IGFBP3 levels and FMD in both sexes.ConclusionsLow serum IGF1 levels are associated with impaired endothelial function in males. In women, serum IGF1 is not associated with endothelial function.
Evaluation of Renal Drug Dosing: Prescribing Information and Clinical Pharmacist Approaches
Authors: Dowling Thomas C. , Matzke Gary R. , Murphy John E. , Burckart Gilbert J. 
Published: July 2010

Study Objective. To characterize renal function parameters reported in United States Food and Drug Administration‐approved prescribing information (package inserts), to compare dosage recommendations for patients with impaired renal function between prescribing information and tertiary drug dosing references, and to evaluate renal function quantification methods most commonly used by clinical pharmacists to develop dosage regimens.Design. Retrospective analysis and Web‐based survey.Data Sources. Prescribing information for all new molecular entities (NMEs) approved from 1998–2007 in which dosing recommendations were proposed for patients with impaired renal function, drug monographs from four tertiary drug dosing references (Micromedex, Lexi‐Comp, Epocrates Rx, and American Hospital Formulary Service [AHFS] Drug Information) for all identified NMEs, and a Web‐based survey of 204 nephrology and critical care pharmacy practitioners.Measurements and Main Results. A total of 44 NMEs included renal dosing recommendations in their prescribing information. For all 44 NMEs, prescribing information was reviewed to determine methods to quantify renal function, units of measure reported, and use of chronic kidney disease terminology. The most common index of renal function was creatinine clearance; the Cockcroft‐Gault equation was specified in the prescribing information of 11 NMEs. Standardization for body weight was inconsistent, with prescribing information for four NMEs reporting renal function in ml/minute/1.73 m2. The prescribing information or tertiary sources did not mention use of estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) or the Modification of Diet in Renal Disease Study (MDRD) equation. Epocrates Rx provided the most abbreviated renal dosing information, whereas AHFS Drug Information was the most comprehensive, and Lexi‐Comp includes a renal function calculator. Nearly all (86%) clinical pharmacists indicated that automated eGFR is reported at their institutions, although they do not use these predictions for dosing in patients with impaired renal function, and their approaches to renal function estimation varied widely.Conclusion. Reporting of renal function methods and dosing recommendations for patients with impaired renal function requires standardization in order to ensure optimal dosing. Pharmacy clinicians do not substitute eGFR in place of creatinine clearance for renal dosing, which is consistent with current prescribing information. Studies are needed that will evaluate the validity of using eGFR to predict drug clearance and thereby generate dosage recommendations.