bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Lipopolysaccharide promotes and augments metal allergies in mice, dependent on innate immunity and histidine decarboxylase
Authors: Sato N. , Kinbara M. , Kuroishi T. , Kimura K. , Iwakura Y. , Ohtsu H. , Sugawara S. , Endo Y. 
Published: May 2007

SummaryBackground
Few adequate murine models exist for metal allergies, it being especially difficult to induce Ni allergy in mice.Objective
We examined the effect of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on allergies to Ni and other metals in mice.Methods
Ten days after sensitization with a metal salt and LPS, the ears were challenged with the same metal salt.Results
LPS+NiCl2 (1 mm) was effective at sensitizing mice to Ni, LPS being effective at very low concentrations whether injected intradermally or intraperitoneally. The ear‐swelling response to Ni was more severe and more rapid in C57BL/6 mice than in BALB/c mice. In mast‐cell‐deficient mice, TNF‐α‐deficient mice, and interestingly even in nude (T cell deficient) mice, NiCl2+LPS induced a Ni allergy similar in degree to that in the respective control mice, but it induced Ni allergy only weakly in TLR4‐mutant mice, macrophage‐depleted mice, and IL‐1‐deficient mice. The activity of the histamine‐forming enzyme histidine decarboxylase (HDC) in the ears increased in parallel with ear swelling, and HDC‐deficient mice were resistant to ear swelling. Challenge with NiCl2+LPS augmented ear swelling (vs. NiCl2 alone). LPS induced effective sensitization to other metals (Cr, Co, Pd, or Ag).Conclusions
These results indicate that in mice, LPS is a very important inducer of metal allergies, and potently promotes them (dependent on both innate immunity and HDC induction in cells other than mast cells). We discussed the idea that the bacterial environment is important for the establishment of metal allergies and for their provocation, and that the current thinking (including the contribution of T cells) should be reappraised in future studies.
Overexpression of suppressor of cytokine signalling‐5 augments eosinophilic airway inflammation in mice
Authors: Ohshima M. , Yokoyama A. , Ohnishi H. , Hamada H. , Kohno N. , Higaki J. , Naka T. 
Published: May 2007

SummaryBackground
Enhanced expression of the suppressor of cytokine signalling (SOCS)‐5 might be of therapeutic benefit for T‐helper type 2 (Th2) dominant diseases, as its expression is reported to result in a reduction of Th2 differentiation in vitro due to the inhibition of IL‐4 signalling.Objective
To investigate the regulatory role of SOCS‐5 in vivo, we explored the phenotype of an experimental asthma model developed in SOCS‐5 transgenic (Tg) mice.Methods
The SOCS‐5 Tg mice or wild‐type (WT) mice were sensitized and repeatedly challenged with ovalbumin (OVA). We examined bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), lung specimens, and airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) to methacholine.Results
The production of IFN‐γ by CD4+ T cells from unprimed SOCS‐5 Tg mice was significantly increased in comparison with unprimed wild‐type mice, indicating that SOCS‐5 Tg mice have a Th1‐polarizing condition under natural conditions. However, in an asthma model, significantly more eosinophils in the airways and higher levels of IL‐5 and IL‐13 in BALF were observed in the SOCS‐5 Tg than the wild‐type mice. AHR in the asthma model of SOCS‐5 Tg was also more enhanced than that of wild‐type mice. OVA‐stimulated CD4+ T cells from the primed SOCS‐5 Tg mice produced significantly more IL‐5 and IL‐13 than CD4+ T cells from wild‐type mice.Conclusion
Our results demonstrate that the overexpression of SOCS‐5 does not inhibit Th2 response, but rather augments the phenotype of the asthma model in vivo. This finding throws into question the therapeutic utility of using enhancement of SOCS‐5 expression for Th2‐dominant disease.
Turnover of passerine birds on islands in the Aegean Sea (Greece)
Authors: Foufopoulos Johannes , Mayer Gregory C. 
Published: April 2007

AbstractAim We wish to determine the effect of migratory status on turnover rates in island birds. Because turnover is influenced by factors other than migratory status, we also considered the influence of body size and physical characteristics of the islands inhabited on the probabilities of extinction and immigration.Location The Mediterranean islands of Delos, Astypalea, Paros, Naxos and Lesvos in the Aegean Sea, Greece.Methods The passerine birds of these islands were surveyed between 1954 and 1961 by G.E. Watson, and were resurveyed between 1988 and 1992. The effects of migratory status and body size on the probabilities of extinction and immigration were examined byG‐tests of linear trend in proportion, and analysis of variance, respectively. A combined analysis of migratory status, body size and physical characteristics of the islands was carried out using logistic regressions of the probabilities of extinction and immigration on these factors.Results Species number on each island changed little between surveys, with no island's species number changing by more than one species. Twelve population extinctions and 11 immigrations were recorded. The smallest island, Delos (6 km2), had the highest annualized relative turnover rate (1.08), while the four larger islands (96–1614 km2) had lower and mutually similar rates (0.21–0.27). Populations on higher elevation islands were less likely to go extinct. There is no evidence for an effect of body size on the probabilities of extinction or immigration. Migratory status affected extinction and immigration probabilities differently: migratory species were more likely to immigrate, but less likely to go extinct.Main conclusions The position of the Aegean islands along a major north–south flyway may account for the observed effects of migratory status. The annual passage of large numbers of migrants may, via the rescue effect, decrease the chances of extinction, while at the same time increasing the chances of colonization of unoccupied islands. The likelihood of both extinction and immigration involves a complex interaction between life‐history traits and island characteristics. The effects of migratory status will depend not only on consideration of vagility, vulnerability and stochasticity identified by previous authors, but also upon the location of the islands in relationship to migratory pathways.
Resilient forest faunal communities in South Africa: a legacy of palaeoclimatic change and extinction filtering?
Authors: Lawes Michael J. , Eeley Harriet A. C. , Findlay Nicola J. , Forbes Dale 
Published: April 2007

AbstractAim To examine the influence of climatic extinction filtering during the last glacial maximum (LGM;c.18,000 yrbp) and of the subsequent recolonization of forest faunas on contemporary assemblage composition in southern African forests.Location South Africa, Mozambique, Swaziland, Zimbabwe.Methods Data comprised presence/absence by quarter‐degree grid cell for forest‐dependent and forest‐associated birds, non‐volant mammals and frogs. Twenty‐one forest subregions were assigned to one of three previously identified forest types: Afrotemperate, scarp, and Indian Ocean coastal belt. Differences among forest types were examined through patterns and gradients of species richness and endemism, assemblage similarity, species turnover, and coefficients of species dispersal direction. The influence of contemporary environment on assemblage composition was investigated using partial canonical correspondence analysis. Several alternative biogeographical hypotheses for the recolonization of forest faunas were tested.Results Afrotemperate faunas are relatively species‐poor, have low species turnover, and are unsaturated and infiltrated by generalist species. In northern and central regions, communities are supplemented by recolonization from scarp forest refugia, and among frogs by autochthanous speciation in localized refugia. Scarp faunas are relatively species‐rich, contain many forest‐dependent species, have high species turnover, and overlap with coastal and Afrotemperate faunas. Coastal forests are relatively species‐rich with high species turnover.Main conclusions Afrotemperate communities were affected most by climatic extinction filtering events. Scarp forests were Afrotemperate refugia during the LGM and are a contemporary overlap zone between Afrotemperate and coastal forest. Coastal faunas derive from post‐LGM colonization along the eastern seaboard from tropical East African refugia. The greatest diversity is achieved in scarp and coastal forest faunas in northern KwaZulu–Natal province. This historical centre of diversity has influenced the faunal diversity of nearly all other forests in South Africa. The response of vertebrate taxa to large‐scale, historical processes is dependent on their relative mobility: forest birds best illustrate patterns resulting from post‐glacial faunal dispersal, while among mammals and frogs the legacy of climatic extinction filtering remains stronger.
Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in pediatric chronic myelogenous leukemia cases: Hacettepe experience
Authors: Unal Sule , Fidan Gulin , Tavil Betul , Çetin Mualla , Çetinkaya Duygu Uçkan 
Published: April 2007

Abstract: Recently, there are emerging reports on the beneficial effect of imatinib mesylate for pediatric CML patients; however, the general recommendation is that high‐risk CML patients with a human leukocyte antigen‐identical donor should be transplanted within the first 12 months after diagnosis. Herein, the data of 16 allogeneic HSCT in 14 children with CML were analyzed retrospectively. In the present study, three‐yr EFS was 54.1 ± 10.8% and three‐yr OS was found as 80.7 ± 12.5%.
Gene expression profile analysis of Drosophila melanogaster selected for resistance to environmental stressors
Authors: SØRENSEN J. G. , NIELSEN M. M. , LOESCHCKE V. 
Published: April 2007

AbstractHere, we report a detailed analysis of changes in gene expression in Drosophila melanogaster selected for ecologically relevant environmental stress resistance traits. We analysed females from seven replicated selection regimes and one control regime using whole genome gene expression arrays. When compared with gene expression profiles of control lines, we were able to detect consistent selection responses at the transcript level in each specific selection regime and also found a group of differentially expressed genes that were changed among all selected lines. Replicated selection lines showed similar changes in gene expression (compared with controls) and thus showed that 10 generations of artificial selection give a clear signal with respect to the resulting gene expression profile. The changes in gene expression in lines selected for increased longevity, desiccation and starvation resistance, respectively, showed high similarities. Cold resistance‐selected lines showed little differentiation from controls. Different methods of heat selection (heat survival, heat knock down and constant 30 °C) showed little similarity verifying that different mechanisms are involved in high temperature adaptation. For most individual selection regimes, and in the comparison of all selected lines and controls, the gene expression changes were exclusively in one direction, although the different selection regimes varied in the direction of response. The responses to selection restricted to individual selection regimes can be interpreted as stress specific, whereas the response shared among all selected lines can be considered as a general stress response. Here, we identified genes belonging to both types of responses to selection for stress resistance.
Development of Prey Capture in the Indian False Vampire BatMegaderma Lyra
Authors: Raghuram Hanumanthan , Marimuthu Granapathy 
Published: May 2007

AbstractWe studied development of prey capture, under captive conditions, on five newly weaned Indian false vampire batsMegaderma lyra. We tested the hypothesis that the young bats are able to improve the ability of hunting by trial and error. An additional hypothesis was that their rate of prey consumption and method of handling prey improve with age. We separated the juveniles from their mothers and observed them individually at different ages. At 58 d of age,M. lyraroosted 2 m above floor level, flew down only towards moving frogs, landed >1 m away from them and returned to roosts without showing attempt to capture. At day 60, bats roosted at 50‐cm heights, landed approx. 1 m away from frogs and moved towards them. Although bats intercepted frogs, their attempts to capture were still unsuccessful. At day 62, bats landed <1 m from frogs, made similar attempts and most of them were successful. Bats carried frogs, roosted at heights of 100 cm and started consuming. Numbers of jumps made by frogs and attempts made by bats during successful captures decreased with increase in age of bats. Furthermore, the distance between landing sites of bats and places where frogs stayed during landings decreased with advancement of age. Until 75 d of age,M. lyradevoured frogs with legs‐first on significantly more occasions. After 75 d, most of the consumptions started with heads of frogs, similar to adults. Duration of feeding on single frogs was significantly longer compared with that of mothers until young were 75‐d old. The study revealed that juveniles were inefficient on localization, rate of consumption, and handling prey at earlier ages (e.g. 60 d). They became efficient on these behavioural components at later age, i.e. after 75 d. Thus, the results were in accordance with both the hypotheses. Bats did not respond to stationary frogs.
Use of vegetation chemical signals for digging orientation in the subterranean rodent Ctenomys talarum (Rodentia: Ctenomyidae)
Authors: Schleich Cristian E. , Zenuto Roxana 
Published: May 2007

AbstractSensory modalities involved in the localization and selection of food represent critical information for understanding the foraging behavior of subterranean rodents. The objective of this study was to determine if a subterranean rodent that forages on aboveground plant parts, Ctenomys talarum, is able to detect the presence of odorous chemicals released by the plants into the soil to guide its excavation, as has been shown for subterranean species that forage on roots and bulbs. Individuals were introduced into an artificial Y‐maze, whose arms were filled with sandy soil in which plants either had or had not been growing (control). Digging activity exhibited in each soil type was recorded. The following plant species, present in the natural habitat of C. talarum, were used: Panicum racemosum (three different concentrations), Cortadeira sp., Margiricarpus pignatus, Ambrosia sp. and Raphanus sativus. The individuals allocated more time to excavation in the soil in which vegetation had been growing in comparison with the control for the five analysed plant species, except in the case of P. racemosum at its lowest concentration. The number of individuals that completed excavation in the tube‐containing soil in which plants had been growing was significantly higher than in the tube‐containing soil in which no plants had been growing, with the exception of P. racemosum at its lowest concentration and R. sativus. The results of the present study suggest that C. talarum have the ability to use olfaction to orient their digging while foraging even though members of this species consume mainly aboveground plant parts.
Inhibitory effect of Hemidesmus indicus and its active principle 2‐hydroxy 4‐methoxy benzoic acid on ethanol‐induced liver injury
Authors: Saravanan Nadana , Nalini Namasivayam 
Published: May 2007

AbstractThe study evaluates the inhibitory activity of ethanolic root extract of Hemidesmus indicus (H. indicus) and its active principle 2‐hydroxy 4‐methoxy benzoic acid (HMBA) on liver fibrotic markers and characteristics such as collagen content, matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) 2 and 9 in ethanol‐fed rats. Experimental groups were control, H. indicus (500 mg/kg body weight every day during the last 30 days), HMBA (200 μg/kg body weight every day during the last 30 days), alcohol (5 g/kg body weight by intragastric intubation everyday, i.e. throughout the experimental period of 60 days), alcohol plus H. indicus and alcohol plus HMBA. Ethanol administration significantly increased the levels of liver collagen and hydroxy proline content, cross‐linked fluorescence, shrinkage temperature and lipid peroxidation and significantly decreased the solubility of liver collagen and the ascorbic acid content when compared with control rats. On treatment with H. indicus and HMBA the ethanol‐fed rats showed significantly reduced levels of liver collagen and hydroxyproline content, cross‐linked fluorescence, shrinkage temperature and lipid peroxidation and enhanced solubility of liver collagen and ascorbic acid levels when compared with untreated ethanol‐fed rats. MMPs were extracted from the liver of control, H. indicus‐treated, HMBA‐treated, ethanol‐administered, ethanol with H. indicus‐coadministered and ethanol with HMBA‐coadministered rats. The inhibition was analyzed by gelatin zymography and the percentage of expression was determined by a gel documentation system. The activities of MMPs 2 and 9 were significantly increased in ethanol‐supplemented rats. Cotreatment of H. indicus/HMBA with ethanol showed significantly decreased activities of these enzymes when compared with those of the untreated rats. H. indicus/HMBA alone treatment showed no such significant alterations. Thus, our present study reveals the strong inhibitory activity of H. indicus and HMBA on the quantitative and qualitative properties of hepatic collagen and also MMPs involved in the extracellular matrix degradation during ethanol intoxication.
Sympathetic control of short‐term heart rate variability and its pharmacological modulation
Authors: Elghozi Jean‐Luc , Julien Claude 
Published: May 2007

AbstractThe static relationship between heart rate (HR) and the activity of either vagal or sympathetic nerves is roughly linear within the physiological range of HR variations. The dynamic control of HR by autonomic nerves is characterized by a fixed time delay between the onset of changes in nerve activity and the onset of changes in HR. This delay is much longer for sympathetically than for vagally mediated changes in HR. In addition, the kinetics of the HR responses shows the properties of a low‐pass filter with short (vagal) and long (sympathetic) time constants. These differences might be secondary to differences in nervous conduction times, width of synaptic cleft, kinetics of receptor activation and post‐receptor events. Because of the accentuated low‐pass filter characteristics of the HR response to sympathetic modulation, sympathetic influences are almost restricted to the very‐low‐frequency component of HR variability, but the chronotropic effects of vagal stimulation usually predominate over those of sympathetic stimulation in this frequency band. Oscillations in cardiac sympathetic nerve activity are not involved in respiratory sinus arrhythmia (high‐frequency component) and make a minor contribution to HR oscillations of approximately 10‐s period (low‐frequency component of approximately 0.1 Hz), at least in the supine position. In the latter case, HR oscillations are derived mainly from a baroreflex, vagally mediated response to blood pressure Mayer waves. Beta‐blockers and centrally acting sympathoinhibitory drugs share the ability to improve the baroreflex control of HR, possibly through vagal facilitation, which might be beneficial in several cardiovascular diseases.
Mortality of Department of Veterans Affairs Patients Undergoing Coronary Revascularization in Private Sector Hospitals
Authors: Vaughan‐Sarrazin Mary S. , Wakefield Bonnie , Rosenthal Gary E. 
Published: April 2007

Objective. A limitation of studies comparing outcomes of Veterans Affairs (VA) and private sector hospitals is uncertainty about the methods of accounting for risk factors in VA populations. This study estimates whether use of VA services is a marker for increased risk by comparing outcomes of VA users and other patients undergoing coronary revascularization in private sector hospitals.Data Sources. Males 67 years and older undergoing coronary artery bypass graft (CABG; n=687,936) surgery or percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI; n=664,124) during 1996–2002 were identified from Medicare administrative data. Patients using VA services during the 2 years preceding the Medicare admission were identified using VA administrative files.Study Design. Thirty‐, 90‐, and 365‐day mortality were compared in patients who did and did not use VA services, adjusting for demographic and clinical risk factors using generalized estimating equations and propensity score analysis.Results. Adjusted mortality after CABG was higher (p<.001) in VA users compared with nonusers at 30, 90, and 365 days: odds ratio (OR)=1.07 (95 percent confidence interval [CI], 1.03–1.11), 1.07 (95 percent CI, 1.04–1.10), and 1.09 (95 percent CI, 1.06–1.12), respectively. For PCI, mortality at 30 and 90 days was similar (p>.05) for VA users and nonusers, but was higher at 365 days (OR=1.09; 95 percent CI, 1.06–1.12). The increased risk of death in VA users was limited to patients with service‐connected disabilities or low incomes. Odds of death for VA users were slightly lower using samples matched by propensity scores.Conclusions. A small difference in risk‐adjusted outcomes for VA users and nonusers undergoing revascularization in private sector hospitals was found. This difference reflects unmeasured severity in VA users undergoing revascularization in private sector hospitals.
The Effect of Three‐Tier Formulary Adoption on Medication Continuation and Spending among Elderly Retirees
Authors: Huskamp Haiden A. , Deverka Patricia A. , Landrum Mary Beth , Epstein Robert S. , McGuigan Kimberly A. 
Published: April 2007

Objective. To assess the effect of three‐tier formulary adoption on medication continuation and spending among elderly members of retiree health plans.Data Sources. Pharmacy claims and enrollment data on elderly members of four retiree plans that adopted a three‐tier formulary over the period July 1999 through December 2002 and two comparison plans that maintained a two‐tier formulary during this period.Study Design. We used a quasi‐experimental design to compare the experience of enrollees in intervention and comparison plans. We used propensity score methods to match intervention and comparison users of each drug class and plan. We estimated repeated measures regression models for each class/plan combination for medication continuation and monthly plan, enrollee, and total spending. We estimated logit models of the probability of nonpersistent use, medication discontinuation, and medication changes.Data Collection/Extraction Methods. We used pharmacy claims to create person‐level drug utilization and spending files for the year before and year after three‐tier adoption.Principal Findings. Three‐tier formulary adoption resulted in shifting of costs from plan to enrollee, with relatively small effects on medication continuation. Although implementation had little effect on continuation on average, a small minority of patients were more likely to have gaps in use and discontinue use relative to comparison patients.Conclusions. Moderate cost sharing increases from three‐tier formulary adoption had little effect on medication continuation among elderly enrolled in retiree health plans with relatively generous drug coverage.