bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Endothelial nitric oxide synthase polymorphisms are associated with hypertension and cardiovascular disease in renal transplantation
Authors: BHANDARY USWANATHAN V , TSE WAI , YANG BINGMEI , KNOWLES MARK R , DEMAINE ANDREW G 
Published: March 2008

SUMMARY:Aim:  Nitric oxide (NO), produced by the polymorphic endothelial nitric oxide synthase (NOS3), plays an important role in endothelial function. The aim was to determine the effect of NOS3 polymorphisms on hypertension and cardiovascular disease (CVD) in renal allograft recipients.Methods:  Three polymorphisms of NOS3 were examined in 168 renal allograft recipients. A 27 base pair repeat sequence in intron 4 (NOS3 a/b), a single G→T substitution in exon 7 at nucleotide 894 and a T‐786C substitution in the promoter region were studied.Results:  Significant differences in the frequencies of the 894T and −786C alleles between allograft recipients and controls (n = 141) were demonstrated (894T: 40.5% vs 30.1%, P < 0.01; −786C: 45.2% vs 34.4%, P < 0.01). There was a significant excess of both the 894T and −786C alleles in hypertensive allograft recipients compared with normotensive allograft recipients and controls (894T: 41.7%, 35.7% and 30.1%, respectively, P < 0.025; −786C: 47.4%, 37.1% and 34.4%, respectively, P < 0.01), and in allograft recipients with CVD compared with those without CVD and controls (894T: 47.2%, 38.6% and 30.1%, respectively, P < 0.025; −786C: 54.2%, 42.8% and 34.4%, respectively, P < 0.01).Conclusion:  The 894T and −786C alleles of the NOS3 gene were significantly associated with both hypertension and CVD in renal allograft recipients.
Extracellular signal‐regulated kinase‐dependent interstitial macrophage proliferation in the obstructed mouse kidney
Authors: HAN YINGJIE , MASAKI TAKAO , HURST LYNETTE A , IKEZUMI YOHEI , TRZASKOS JAMES M , ATKINS ROBERT C , NIKOLIC‐PATERSON DAVID J 
Published: March 2008

SUMMARY:Aim:  A number of growth factors have been shown to induce proliferation of renal cell types in animal models of kidney disease. In vitro studies suggest that many such growth factors induce renal cell proliferation through the extracellular signal‐regulated kinase (ERK) pathway. The aim of this study was to determine the functional role of ERK signalling in cell proliferation in the obstructed kidney.Methods:  Unilateral ureteric obstruction was induced in C57BL/6J mice which then received an ERK inhibitor drug (U0126 100 mg/kg t.i.d.), vehicle (DMSO) or no treatment, starting at day 2 after unilateral ureteric obstruction surgery and continuing until animals were killed on day 5. Cell proliferation was assessed by uptake of bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU).Results:  In normal mice, phosphorylation (activation) of ERK (p‐ERK) was restricted to collecting ducts. Western blotting identified a marked increase in p‐ERK in the obstructed kidney in the no‐treatment and vehicle‐treated groups. Immunostaining showed strong p‐ERK staining in many tubules and in interstitial cells. U0126 treatment inhibited ERK phosphorylation as assessed by western blot and immunostaining. The number of BrdU+ cortical tubular cells was reduced by vehicle treatment but was not further changed by U0126 treatment. In contrast, interstitial cell proliferation in the obstructed kidney was unaltered by vehicle treatment, but this was significantly inhibited by U0126. This was associated with a reduction in interstitial macrophage accumulation, but no effect was seen upon interstitial accumulation of α‐SMA+ myofibroblasts. Renal fibrosis, as assessed by collagen deposition, was unaffected by U0126 or vehicle treatment.Conclusion:  These studies show that accumulation of interstitial macrophages in the obstructed kidney is, in part, dependent upon the ERK signalling pathway.
Omega‐3 fatty acid supplementation and total homocysteine levels in end‐stage renal disease patients
Authors: BEAVERS KRISTEN M. , BEAVERS DANIEL P. , BOWDEN RODNEY G. , WILSON RONALD L. , GENTILE MINDY 
Published: March 2008

SUMMARY:Aim:  Elevated total homocysteine (tHcy) levels are commonplace among end‐stage renal disease (ESRD) patients increasing risk for poor cardiovascular outcomes. Specifically, when plasma levels become significantly elevated, tHcy levels appear to contribute to vascular damage and premature atherosclerosis. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of an over‐the‐counter omega‐3 (n‐3) fatty acid supplementation on tHcy levels in ESRD patients undergoing chronic haemodialysis.Methods:  The present study was conducted using a double‐blind, permuted‐randomized and placebo‐controlled experimental protocol. ESRD patients were followed prospectively while supplementing n‐3 or corn oil (n‐6) prospectively for 6 months.Patients:  Sixty‐nine patients were recruited that had previously demonstrated compliance with dialysis and medication. Following a 12 h fast, participants donated 12 mL of blood for analysis of tHcy at baseline and at 6 months.Results:  The results of this study using regression models revealed no differences in age and gender regarding homocysteine levels at the post‐test with P‐values of 0.6818, 0.6709 and 0.3331 for each regression model. The study findings also revealed that daily administration of 6 g of n‐3 fatty acids containing 160 mg of eicosapentaenic acid (0.96 g/day) and 100 mg of docosahexaenoic acid (0.6 g/day) had no effect on tHcy levels when compared with control.Conclusion:  Potential reasons for this non‐significant result may be found in a dose–response relationship, advancement of disease progression in our sample population, or potentially the lack of a significant relationship between fish oil and tHcy. Future studies should address whether a dose–response relationship between n‐3 fatty acid supplementation and tHcy levels exists, and how stage of disease progression affects intervention success or failure.
D2 dopamine modulation of corticoaccumbens synaptic responses changes during adolescence
Authors: Benoit‐Marand Marianne , O'Donnell Patricio 
Published: March 2008

AbstractDopaminergic afferents from the ventral tegmental area (VTA) modulate information processing in the nucleus accumbens (NA), a brain region critical for motivation and reward mechanisms. In NA medium spiny neurons (MSNs) from young rats, D2 agonists have been shown to decrease the amplitude of corticoaccumbens synaptic responses. As several dopamine‐related functions change during adolescence, we assessed the D2 modulation of cortical inputs with whole‐cell recordings in slices obtained from adult and preadolescent rats. The D2 agonist quinpirole (5 µm) decreased synaptic response of NA MSNs to electrical cortical stimulation in slices from preadolescent rats. In slices from adult rats, however, quinpirole increased both the amplitude of evoked synaptic responses and the frequency of spontaneous synaptic events. These effects were blocked by the GABA‐A antagonist picrotoxin (50 µm), revealing a D2‐mediated decrease These results suggest that D2 receptors modulate NA neurons differently in young and adult rats, due to the emergence of a D2‐facilitated GABA component in corticoaccumbens responses during adolescence.
The histamine H1‐receptor mediates the motivational effects of novelty
Authors: Zlomuzica A. , Viggiano D. , De Souza Silva M. A. , Ishizuka T. , Carnevale U. A. Gironi , Ruocco L. A. , Watanabe T. , Sadile A. G. , Huston J. P. , Dere E. 
Published: March 2008

AbstractNovelty‐induced arousal has motivational effects and can reinforce behavior. The mechanisms by which novelty acts as a reinforcer are unknown. Novelty‐induced arousal can be either rewarding or aversive dependent on its intensity and the preceding state of arousal. The brain's histamine system has been implicated in both arousal and reinforcement. Histamine and histamine‐1‐receptor (H1R) agonists induced arousal and wakefulness in humans and rodents, e.g. by stimulating cortical acetylcholine (ACh) release. The H1R has also been implicated in processes of brain reward via interactions with the nigrostriatal‐ and mesolimbic dopamine (DA) systems. We asked whether the motivational effects of novelty‐induced arousal are compromised in H1R knockout (KO) mice. The H1R‐KO mice failed to develop a conditioned place‐preference induced by novel objects. Even though they still explore novel objects, their reinforcing value is diminished. Furthermore, they showed impaired novelty‐induced alternation in the Y‐maze. Rearing activity and emotional behavior in a novel environment was also altered in H1R‐KO mice, whereas object‐place recognition was unaffected. The H1R‐KO mice had higher ACh concentrations in the frontal cortex and amygdala (AMY). In the latter, the H1R‐KO mice had also increased levels of DA, but a lower dihydrophenylacetic acid/DA ratio. Furthermore, the H1R‐KO mice had also increased tyrosine hydroxylase immunoreactivity in the basolateral anterior, basolateral ventral and cortical AMY nuclei. We conclude that the motivational effects of novelty are diminished in H1R‐KO mice, possibly due to reduced novelty‐induced arousal and/or a dysfunctional brain reward system.
How to get more out of molecular fingerprints: practical tools for microbial ecology
Authors: Marzorati Massimo , Wittebolle Lieven , Boon Nico , Daffonchio Daniele , Verstraete Willy 
Published: March 2008

SummaryCommunity‐level molecular techniques are widely used in comparative microbial ecology to assess the diversity of microbial communities and their response to changing environments. These include among others denaturing and temperature gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE/TGGE), single‐strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP), length heterogeneity‐PCR (LH‐PCR), terminal‐restriction fragment length polymorphism (tRFLP) and 16S rRNA gene clone libraries. The amount of data derived from these techniques available in literature is continuously increasing and the lack of a universal way to interpret the raw fingerprint itself makes it difficult to compare between different results. Taking the DGGE technique as an example, we propose a setting‐independent theoretical interpretation of the DGGE pattern, based on a straightforward processing on three levels of analysis: (i) the range‐weighted richness (Rr) reflecting the carrying capacity of the system, (ii) the dynamics (Dy) reflecting the specific rate of species coming to significance, and (iii) functional organization (Fo), defined through a relation between the structure of a microbial community and its functionality. These Rr, Dy and Fo values, each representing a score to describe a microbial community, can be plotted in a 3D graph. The latter represents a visual ecological interpretation of the initial raw fingerprinting pattern.
The first record on the spider genus Trogloneta Simon in the southern hemisphere (Araneae, Mysmenidae), with descriptions of three new species from Brazil and remarks on the morphology
Authors: Brescovit Antonio D. , Lopardo Lara 
Published: March 2008

AbstractWe provide a taxonomic description of three new species of the spider genus Trogloneta from Brazil, providing the first record of this genus in the southern hemisphere. We also present the first detailed morphological study on the genus, describing for the first time its spinneret spigot morphology and its tracheal system, which are crucial for reconstructing the cladistic relationships of araneoid families. Some aspects of the male and female genitalia are also discussed. New diagnostic features are proposed for the genus. The respiratory system of Trogloneta resembles that of the mysmenid genera Maymena and Isela, with reduced booklungs and only one posterior spiracle leading to tracheae. The spinneret spigot arrangement in Trogloneta conforms to the typical araneoid spigot composition, with one major ampullate spigot separated by a deep furrow from the piriform field, and piriform spigots with reduced bases and interspersed with tartipores in the anterior lateral spinnerets. A third distinct field in the anterior lateral spinnerets comprising modified setae of unknown function is present in Trogloneta. This field seems to be unique for the genus. The typical shape of the male palpal cymbium, as well as the shape of the cymbial conductor could be synapomorphic for Trogloneta. Also, females of Trogloneta present accessory glands as part of their genitalic conformation, which have never been reported for mysmenids, and therefore might be also synapomorphic for the genus. This is the first mysmenid genus proposed to be haplogyne, further suggesting additional synapomorphies for the genus.
Union Mobilization: A Consideration of the Factors Affecting the Willingness of Union Members to Take Industrial Action
Authors: Buttigieg Donna M. , Deery Stephen J. , Iverson Roderick D. 
Published: March 2008

AbstractDrawing on mobilization theory, this article seeks to identify the factors that shape the willingness of union members to take industrial action. The study utilized data from a large‐scale survey (N = 1,111) carried out in a financial services union during the renegotiation of a collective bargaining contract. The results suggested that individuals were more willing to engage in industrial action when they experienced a sense of injustice or unfairness in the employment relationship and when they held a collectivist orientation to work. Moreover, their propensity to take industrial action was greater when they considered that their union was an effective instrument of power. Workplace representatives were also important, particularly when they were seen as being responsive to their members' needs in situations of perceived injustice. The implications for mobilization theory and for union strategy are discussed.
Paradigms in Industrial Relations: Original, Modern and Versions In‐between
Authors: Kaufman Bruce E. 
Published: March 2008

AbstractThis article argues that the industrial relations (IR) field has had two distinct paradigms — an original paradigm centred on the employment relationship, and a modern paradigm centred on unions and labour–management relations. In practice, IR scholars in the decades after the Second World War frequently adopted the former as a broad principle but followed the latter in research and teaching. The narrower labour–management paradigm has created a significant survival challenge for the IR field, given the marked long‐term decline in union density in most countries. I join with others in arguing that to survive and prosper in the years ahead, the field needs to return to an updated version of the original ‘employment relationship’ paradigm. To promote this end, I describe the major features of the original paradigm, including its core positive and normative principle. I also outline how this core principle provides the foundation for an integrative IR theory of the employment relationship, which the field greatly needs to move ahead.
Teachers are digikids too: the digital histories and digital lives of young teachers in English primary schools
Authors: Graham Lynda 
Published: March 2008

AbstractIn this article I consider the digital lives of a number of young teachers. Some are confident, competent movers in digital worlds, some are not. I wonder why, and look back at the teachers' digital histories to see whether ways in which they learned about digital worlds affects their lives now. I identify three different routes to learning about digital worlds, and describe these with representative stories. Two are serious solitary journeys, one self‐taught the other school‐taught. Most teachers in these groups use digital technologies for work and for the business of life. The third route is playful social. Teachers in this group have experienced learning about digital worlds with fellow enthusiasts and in playful contexts. These teachers use digital technologies for pleasure as well as the business of life and work. I argue that it is important that young teachers and student teachers be given time on courses to think about and discuss their own digital literacy histories.
AFTER CHALCEDON: THE ONENESS OF CHRIST AND THE DYOTHELITE MEDIATION OF HIS THEANDRIC UNITY
Authors: RICHES AARON 
Published: March 2008

AbstractThis article explores the differentiated unity of divinity and humanity in Christ through the dyothelitism of Maximus the Confessor and Constantinople III (680–681). The essay argues that the dyothelite doctrine makes concrete the communicatio idiomatum of difference in the unity of the Son's theandric prayer. Further, it suggests dyothelitism is the condition of the possibility of ecclesial participation in the unity of the Son's personhood, and therefore the means by which Christ continues his presence and work of salvation in the Church, which is his body.
TRANSCENDENCE AND EPISTEMOLOGY: EXPLORING TRUTH VIA POST‐SECULAR CHRISTIAN PLATONISM
Authors: TYSON PAUL G. 
Published: March 2008

AbstractWhere epistemology and transcendence are considered compatible, three approaches to truth are pursued. A Platonist approach sees true human knowledge as embedded in, and dependent on, transcendence; a neoplatonist Aristotelian approach remains Platonic in the above sense, and then sees ‘natural’ human knowledge as providing valid grounds for limited speculative knowledge about divine truths; proto‐modern Aristotelianism, however, approaches transcendence from an inherently naturalistic stance. This article endeavours to trace the collapse of metaphysical confidence inherent in the trajectory of modern epistemological foundationalism, through proto‐modern Aristotelianism, and suggests that post‐secular Christian Platonism can return a valid metaphysical confidence to us.
Temperament and character profile of patients with psoriasis
Authors: Kılıç A , Güleç MY , Gül Ü , Güleç H 
Published: March 2008

AbstractBackground  Psychosocial factors have been implicated as being important in the onset and/or exacerbation of psoriasis.1 The aim of this study is to examine both the personality factors of patients with psoriasis and the correlations between temperament and character dimensions.Material and methods  A total number of 105 psoriasis patients and 109 healthy individuals were enrolled in the study. Questionnaires including Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), and Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) were administered individually. Both groups were evaluated in terms of depression, anxiety and characteristic features by using these psychological tests and compared statistically. The relationship between psoriasis area and severity index (PASI) score and the BDI, BAI and TCI scales were also evaluated.Results  The mean BDI score of the psoriasis group were significantly higher than the control group. The psoriasis group had significantly higher scores of harm avoidance and lower scores of being self‐directedness than the control group. The duration of psoriasis and the PASI scores were not correlated with BDI and BAI scores.Conclusion  The current study shows that psoriasis patients have distinctive temperament and character dimensions when compared with the control group. We suggest that evaluation and treatment of psoriasis should also include psychosomatic approaches in clinical practice.
Psychiatric diagnosis – is it universal or relative to culture?
Authors: Canino Glorisa , Alegría Margarita 
Published: March 2008

Background: There is little consensus on the extent to which psychiatric disorders or syndromes are universal or the extent to which they differ on their core definitions and constellation of symptoms as a result of cultural or contextual factors. This controversy continues due to the lack of biological markers, imprecise measurement and the lack of a gold standard for validating most psychiatric conditions.Method: Empirical studies were used to present evidence in favor of or against a universalist or relativistic view of child psychiatric disorders using a model developed by Robins and Guze to determine the validity of psychiatric disorders.Results: The prevalence of some of the most common specific disorders and syndromes as well as its risk and protective factors vary across cultures, yet comorbid patterns and response to treatments vary little across cultures. Cross‐cultural longitudinal data on outcomes is equivocal.Conclusions: The cross‐cultural validity of child disorders may vary drastically depending on the disorder, but empirical evidence that attests for the cross‐cultural validity of diagnostic criteria for each child disorder is lacking. There is a need for studies that investigate the extent to which gene–environment interactions are related to specific disorders across cultures. Clinicians are urged to consider culture and context in determining the way in which children's psychopathology may be manifested independent of their views. Recommendations for the upcoming classificatory system are provided so that practical or theoretical considerations are addressed about how culture and ethnic issues affect the assessment or treatment of specific disorders in children.
Child and adolescent mental disorders: the magnitude of the problem across the globe
Authors: Belfer Myron L. 
Published: March 2008

Objective:  Describe objectively the global gaps in policy, data gathering capacity, and resources to develop and implement services to support child mental health.Methods:  Report on the World health Organization (WHO) child and adolescent mental health resources Atlas project. The Atlas project utilized key informants and was supplemented by studies that focused on policy. This report also draws on current epidemiological studies to provide a context for understanding the magnitude of the clinical problem.Results:  Current global epidemiological data consistently reports that up to 20% of children and adolescents suffer from a disabling mental illness; that suicide is the third leading cause of death among adolescents; and that up to 50% of all adult mental disorders have their onset in adolescence. While epidemiological data appears relatively uniform globally, the same is not true for policy and resources for care. The gaps in resources for child mental health can be categorized as follows: economic, manpower, training, services and policy. Key findings from the Atlas project include: lack of program development in low income countries; lack of any policy in low income countries and absent specific comprehensive policy in both low and high income countries; lack of data gathering capacity including that for country‐level epidemiology and services outcomes; failure to provide social services in low income countries; lack of a continuum of care; and universal barriers to access. Further, the Atlas findings underscored the need for a critical analysis of the ‘burden of disease’ as it relates to the context of child and adolescent mental disorders, and the importance of defining the degree of ‘impairment’ of specific disorders in different cultures.Conclusions:  The recent finding of substantial gaps in resources for child mental health underscores the need for enhanced data gathering, refinement of the economic argument for care, and need for innovative training approaches.