bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Has the sun set on κ3‐opioid receptors?
Authors: Connor Mark , Kitchen Ian 
Published: January 2006

μ‐Opioid receptor agonists are a mainstay of clinical analgesia, despite the significant unwanted effects and dependence liability associated with drugs like morphine. The quest for opioids that produce analgesia with fewer undesirable effects has lead to the putative identification of multiple opioid receptor subtypes, despite the identification of only four opioid‐related receptor genes. One such putative receptor subtype is the κ3 receptor, activation of which supposedly produces analgesia in animals. In the present issue of this Journal, Olianas and co‐workers have demonstrated that the prototypic κ3 agonist naloxone benzoylhydrazone is actually a partial agonist at the cloned μ, δ, and κ opioid receptors and an antagonist at opioid‐like NOP receptors. Together with a recent study that showed that high‐affinity naloxone benzoylhydrazone binding is abolished in triple μ/δ/κ receptor knockout mice, the present study provides strong evidence that in vivo effects attributed to κ3 receptor activation probably just reflect the combined actions of a particularly nonselective opioid drug. Indeed, molecular identification of any of the proposed subtypes of μ, δ, and κ opioid receptors has proven elusive, suggesting that it is perhaps time to retire the notion of opioid receptor subtypes until definitive evidence for their existence is provided.British Journal of Pharmacology (2006) 147, 349–350. doi:10.1038/sj.bjp.0706603
TC‐2559 excites dopaminergic neurones in the ventral tegmental area by stimulatingα4β2‐like nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in anaesthetised rats
Authors: Wang Yun , Sherwood John L , Miles Colin P , Whiffin Gary , Lodge David 
Published: January 2006

Thein vivoeffects of a selective partial agonist for neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChRs)α4β2 subtype, TC‐2559, characterised recently inin vitropreparations, have been profiled. The brain bioavailability of TC‐2559 and its effects on the spontaneous firing and bursting properties of the dopaminergic (DAergic) neurones recorded extracellularly in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) were studied following systemic administration in anaesthetised rats.Cumulative doses of TC‐2559 (0.021–1.36 mg kg−1, i.v.) increased both the firing and bursting activities of VTA DA neurones. The effect of bolus doses of TC‐2559 of 0.66 or 1.32 mg kg−1, i.v., was approximately equivalent to that of 0.0665 mg kg−1, i.v. nicotine.The excitation evoked by both nicotine and TC‐2559 was fully reversed by DHβE (0.39–0.77 mg kg−1, i.v.), anα4β2‐subtype‐preferring nicotinic antagonist, and application of nicotine after DHβE failed to evoke any excitation. MLA (0.23 mg kg−1, i.v.), anα7 selective antagonist, failed to alter TC‐2559‐evoked excitation and bursting activities, and a novelα7 agonist (PSAB‐OFP; 0.23 mg kg−1, i.v.) was also without effect.The present results indicated that TC‐2559 fully mimics nicotine by increasing both the excitability and bursting behaviour of VTA DA neurones, effects that are predominantly due to activation ofα4β2‐like nAChRs.TC‐2559 has been demonstrated to be a usefulin vivopharmacological tool for studying theα4β2 subtype of nicotinic receptor.British Journal of Pharmacology(2006)147, 379–390. doi:10.1038/sj.bjp.0706621
Role of NK1and NK2receptors in mouse gastric mechanical activity
Authors: Mulè Flavia , Amato Antonella , Vannucchi Maria Giuliana , Faussone‐Pellegrini Maria Simonetta , Serio Rosa 
Published: January 2006

The aim of the present study was to examine the role of NK1and NK2receptors in the control of mechanical activity of mouse stomach. In this view, the motor effects induced by NK1and NK2receptor agonists and antagonists were analyzed, measuring motility as intraluminal pressure changes in mouse‐isolated stomach preparations. In parallel, immunohistochemical studies were performed to identify the location of NK1and NK2receptors on myenteric neurons and smooth muscle cells.Substance P (SP) induced biphasic effects: a contraction followed by relaxation; neurokinin A (NKA) and [β‐Ala8]‐NKA(4−10), selective agonist of NK2receptors, evoked concentration‐dependent contractions, whereas [Sar9, Met(O2)11]‐SP, selective agonist of NK1receptors, induced concentration‐dependent relaxation.SR48968, NK2receptor antagonist, did not modify the spontaneous activity and reduced the contractile effects induced by tachykinins without affecting the relaxation. SR140333, NK1receptor antagonist, did not modify the spontaneous activity and antagonized the relaxant response to tachykinins, failing to affect the contractile effects.The relaxation to SP or to [Sar9, Met(O2)11]‐SP was abolished by tetrodotoxin (TTX) and significantly reduced byN‐nitro‐L‐arginine methyl ester (L‐NAME).NK2‐immunoreactivity (NK2‐IR) was seen at the level of the smooth muscle cells of both circular and longitudinal muscle layers. NK1‐immunoreactive (NK1‐IR) neurons were seen in the myenteric ganglia and NK1/nNOS double labeling revealed that some neurons were both NK1‐IR and nNOS‐IR.These results suggest that, in mouse stomach, NK1receptors, causing relaxant responses, are present on nitrergic inhibitory myenteric neurons, whereas NK2receptors, mediating contractile responses, are present at muscular level.British Journal of Pharmacology(2006)147, 430–436. doi:10.1038/sj.bjp.0706645
Preventing Catheter-Associated Bloodstream Infections: A Survey of Policies for Insertion and Care of Central Venous Catheters From Hospitals in the Prevention Epicenter Program
Authors: Warren David K. , Yokoe Deborah S. , Climo Michael W. , Herwaldt Loreen A. , Noskin Gary A. , Zuccotti Gianna , Tokars Jerome I. , Perl Trish M. , Fraser Victoria J. 
Published: January 2006

Objective.To determine the extent to which evidence-based practices for the prevention of central venous catheter (CVC)-associated bloodstream infections are incorporated into the policies and practices of academic intensive care units (ICUs) in the United States and to determine variations in the policies on CVC insertion, use, and care.Design.A 9-page written survey of practices and policies for nontunneled CVC insertion and care.Setting.ICUs in 10 academic tertiary-care hospitals.Participants.ICU medical directors and nurse managers.Results.Twenty-five ICUs were surveyed (1-6 ICUs per hospital). In 80% of the units, 5 separate groups of clinicians inserted 24%-50% of all nontunneled CVCs. In 56% of the units, placement of more than two-thirds of nontunneled CVCs was performed in a single location in the hospital. Twenty units (80%) had written policies for CVC insertion. Twenty-eight percent of units had a policy requiring maximal sterile-barrier precautions when CVCs were placed, and 52% of the units had formal educational programs with regard to CVC insertion. Eighty percent of the units had a policy requiring staff to perform hand hygiene before inserting CVCs, but only 36% and 60% of the units required hand hygiene before accessing a CVC and treating the exit site, respectively.Conclusion.ICU policy regarding the insertion and care of CVCs varies considerably from hospital to hospital. ICUs may be able to improve patient outcome if evidence-based guidelines for CVC insertion and care are implemented.
Magnetic resonance imaging, clinical manifestations, and management of Rathke's cleft cyst
Authors: Nishioka Hiroshi , Haraoka Jo , Izawa Hitoshi , Ikeda Yukio 
Published: January 2006

SummaryObjective  The management of Rathke's cleft cyst (RCC), particularly in patients with no symptoms or with only minor endocrinopathies, has not yet been established. We retrospectively analysed patients with RCC to elucidate correlations between the clinical manifestations, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings, histology and therapeutic outcomes.Methods  We retrospectively studied 37 patients with RCC, who underwent computed tomography (CT), MRI and endocrinological examinations, of whom 27 patients underwent surgical intervention.Results  The presence of frontal headaches and anterior pituitary dysfunction was unrelated to the cyst size but was more frequent in patients with high‐ and isointensity cysts on T1‐weighted images (WIs) than those with low‐intensity cysts (P = 0·0159 and P = 0·0249, respectively). All three patients with posterior pituitary dysfunction had a high‐intensity cyst on T1‐WI (P = 0·0385), whereas pituitary dysfunction was not observed in patients with a low‐intensity cyst on T1‐WI. In contrast to the excellent therapeutic outcomes with regard to visual disturbance and hyperprolactinaemia, recovery of pituitary dysfunction was rare; only three of nine patients with hypopituitarism showed improvement. Among six patients with histologically recognized intense chronic inflammation in the cyst wall, five patients had an RCC of T1 high intensity (P = 0·0161), two patients had distinct rim enhancement on MRI (P = 0·0060), all patients had frontal headaches (P = 0·0130), and four patients had associated hypopituitarism (P = 0·0243), none of which improved after surgical intervention.Conclusion  RCCs of high‐ and isointensity on T1‐weighted images, which contain mucous material within the cyst, may be associated with chronic inflammation that can potentially cause irreversible endocrine dysfunction. In asymptomatic patients with RCCs of these MR intensities, close follow‐up with precise endocrinological evaluation and gadolinium‐enhanced MRI is necessary to avoid occult progression of the inflammation.
The IGF‐I system and the renal and haemodynamic effects of losartan in normotensive patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: a randomized clinical trial
Authors: Zandbergen Adrienne A. M. , Lamberts Steven W. J. , Baggen Marinus G. A. , Janssen Joop A. M. J. L. , Boersma Eric , Bootsma Aart H. 
Published: January 2006

SummaryObjective  Losartan has been shown to protect the diabetic kidney, at least partly independent of changes in blood pressure. Imbalances in the IGF‐I system are associated with the development of diabetic nephropathy. We investigated whether renal as well as haemodynamic effects of losartan are associated with changes in the IGF‐I system in normotensive patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).Design and patients  This randomized, double‐blind placebo‐controlled clinical trial involved 74 normotensive patients with T2DM and microalbuminuria. Thirty‐eight patients were assigned to receive losartan and 36 patients were assigned to receive placebo for 10 weeks.Measurements  Serum levels of total and free IGF‐I, IGFBP‐3, creatinine and haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), as well as urinary albumin excretion rate, creatinine clearance and blood pressure, were measured prior to the start of treatment and after 10 weeks of treatment.Results  At baseline, serum levels of IGFBP‐3 were elevated and serum levels of free IGF‐I were reduced. Losartan tended to reduce IGFBP‐3 levels and to increase free IGF‐I levels, although neither effect was statistically significant. These effects were more pronounced in a subanalysis of 18 losartan‐treated patients with stable metabolic parameters, with a decrease in IGFBP‐3 from 133·2 to 122·6 nmol/l (P = 0·006) and an increase in free IGF‐I levels by 8% (ns). Serum levels of total IGF‐I were unaffected. The change in IGFBP‐3 was inversely correlated to the change in creatinine clearance (r = –0·4; P = 0·02). Total and free IGF‐I inversely correlated to systolic blood pressure (r = –0·46; P = 0·007 and r = 0·26; P = 0·14 respectively). Furthermore, changes in total IGF‐I and IGFBP‐3 correlated to changes in serum creatinine levels in the metabolically stable patients (r = 0·58, P = 0·02 and r = 0·6, P = 0·01, respectively). Changes in the IGF‐I system were unrelated to a reduction in microalbuminuria associated with losartan.Conclusions  Losartan lowered the elevated levels of IGFBP‐3, although only significantly in the metabolically stable patients. A tendency towards an increase in free IGF‐I levels was also observed, but this change was small and not statistically significant. These changes were not related to reduction in microalbuminuria, but might contribute to effects of losartan on creatinine clearance and blood pressure of losartan in normotensive patients with T2DM.
Effectiveness and tolerability of 3‐year lanreotide Autogel® treatment in patients with acromegaly
Authors: Caron Philippe , Cogne Muriel , Raingeard Isabelle , Bex‐Bachellerie Véronique , Kuhn Jean Marc 
Published: January 2006

SummaryObjective  During short‐term treatment, monthly subcutaneous injections of lanreotide Autogel® are effective in controlling GH/IGF‐1 hypersecretion and are well tolerated in patients with acromegaly. This study reports the effectiveness and the tolerability of lanreotide Autogel for at least 3 years in acromegalic patients.Patients  Fourteen patients (nine females, five males) were treated with titrated doses of lanreotide Autogel.Design  This clinical study was an extension of a previous trial. After three fixed‐dose lanreotide Autogel injections, treatment was adjusted according to mean GH and IGF‐I levels. After 3 years of treatment, patients were receiving 120 (n = 7), 90 (n = 2) and 60 mg (n = 4) monthly injections of lanreotide Autogel.Measurements  Acromegalic symptoms, GH and IGF‐1 concentrations were analysed at the end of lanreotide microparticle treatment, and after 4, 8, 12, 24, 30 and 36 months of lanreotide Autogel therapy. Tolerance and side‐effects were monitored throughout the 3‐year study.Results  Hormonal control (GH ≤ 2·5 µg/l and age‐ and sex‐normalized IGF‐1) was achieved in six (46%) patients. With the exception of an unrelated death due to pulmonary embolism, no patient withdrew from study. The number of patients reporting digestive adverse events was seven (12 episodes) for the fixed‐dose period, and four (eight episodes), two (six episodes) and one (three episodes) at the end of the first, second and third year of treatment, respectively. Persistent induration at the injection sites was reported by two patients, and histological findings were consistent with benign injection‐site granulomas. New cholelithiasis or sludge occurred in five (35%) patients during the lanreotide Autogel treatment.Conclusion  This 3‐year study shows that lanreotide Autogel is effective in controlling GH/IGF‐1 hypersecretion and is well tolerated during long‐term treatment of patients with acromegaly.
Low‐dose ACTH (1 µg) salivary test: a potential alternative to the classical blood test
Authors: Marcus‐Perlman Y. , Tordjman K. , Greenman Y. , Limor R. , Shenkerman G. , Osher E. , Stern N. 
Published: January 2006

SummaryObjectives  Salivary cortisol is unaffected by cortisol binding globulin (CBG) and hence allows CBG‐related variations in serum total cortisol to be bypassed. We assessed whether or not salivary cortisol can be used for the low‐dose (1 µg) ACTH test in subjects with presumed normal and elevated levels of CBG.Patients/methods  We measured serum and salivary cortisol responses to intravenous administration of 1 µg ACTH in 14 healthy volunteers, 14 ‘hyperoestrogenic’ women [in their first or early second trimester of pregnancy, using oral contraceptives (OC) or on hormone replacement therapy (HRT)] and 10 patients with secondary hypoadrenalism. Cortisol levels were recorded before as well as 30 and 60 min (+30; +60 min) after ACTH administration.Results  Baseline salivary cortisol did not differ significantly between the hypoadrenal and healthy patients (7·11 ± 1·4 and 12·13 ± 1·59 nmol/l; P = 0·48) but there was a significant difference between hypoadrenal and hyperoestrogenic patients (18·94 ± 3·44 nmol/l; P = 0·01). The largest difference between hypoadrenal patients and healthy individuals was observed at +30 min (9·16 ± 2·8, 52·65 ± 8·78 and 48·81 ± 6·9 nmol/l, in the hypoadrenal, healthy and hyperoestrogenic patients, respectively; P < 0·05). At this time‐point values < 24·28 nmol/l were found in all hypoadrenal patients and cortisol levels ≥ 27·6 nmol/l were found in 26 out of 28 healthy volunteers. ACTH‐stimulated serum cortisol but not salivary cortisol was significantly higher in hyperoestrogenic women than in the healthy volunteers at either +30 or +60 min.Conclusions  The salivary low‐dose ACTH test yields results that parallel the response of circulating cortisol to ACTH and may provide an alternative to the blood test, particularly in situations where increased CBG levels complicate the changes in serum cortisol levels.
Using Markov chain successional models backwards
Authors: SOLOW ANDREW R. , SMITH WOOLLCOTT K. 
Published: January 2006

Summary

Markov chains are commonly used to model succession in plant and animal communities. Once fitted to data, these models are typically used to address ecological issues concerning future successional states. In some situations it may be of interest to use the present successional state to reconstruct past conditions.
The properties of a time‐reversed Markov chain are reviewed and used to provide an expression for the conditional probability distribution of the most recent time that the chain was in a particular successional state given its present state.
The estimation of this conditional probability is discussed and a parametric bootstrap is described for constructing a confidence interval.
The calculations are illustrated using a published Markov chain model of succession in a rocky subtidal community.
Synthesis and applications. The term succession refers to the progressive changes over time in the state of an ecological community. Although most analyses of succession focus on characterizing the future, in some situations interest centres on reconstructing the past. For example, forensic entomologists are commonly interested in estimating time of death from the insect community present on a corpse. When succession can be modelled as a Markov chain, the results obtained here can be used for this kind of reconstruction.
Diversity, distribution and exchange of blood parasites meeting at an avian moving contact zone
Authors: REULLIER JULIEN , PÉREZ‐TRIS JAVIER , BENSCH STAFFAN , SECONDI JEAN 
Published: January 2006

AbstractResearch on contact zones has paid relatively little attention to host–parasite interactions, although these situations have important but different implications depending on whether one considers the host or the parasite's perspective. We investigated both the role of a host contact zone in parasite expansion and whether parasites could influence contact zone dynamics. We studied the diversity and the patterns of parasite exchange (genera Haemoproteus and Plasmodium) infecting two parapatric sibling passerines meeting at a moving contact zone in western Europe. We amplified and sequenced a fragment of the parasite cytochrome b gene. The expanding host harboured more diverse parasites, which might indicate a superior ability to face a diverse parasite fauna than the receding host. Prevalence was very high in both hosts, due to the frequent occurrence of two sister Haemoproteus lineages. Despite the recent movement of the contact zone, these two parasites fitted almost perfectly to the geographic range of their main host species. Yet, we found several cases of cross‐species infection in sympatric areas and evidences of asymmetrical spreading of parasites from the expanding host towards the receding host. Altogether, our results suggest that the host contact zone mainly acts as a barrier to parasite expansion even if recurrent host shifts are observed. Besides, they also support the idea that parasite‐mediated competition might contribute to the displacement of hosts’ contact zones, thereby emphasizing the role of parasitism on the population dynamics of sympatric species.
Contrasting phylogeographical patterns between mainland and island taxa of the Pinus luchuensis complex
Authors: CHIANG Y.‐C. , HUNG K.‐H. , SCHAAL B. A. , GE X.‐J. , HSU T.‐W. , CHIANG T.‐Y. 
Published: January 2006

AbstractSpecies whose geographical distribution encompasses both mainland and island populations provide an ideal system for examining isolation and genetic divergence. In this study, paternally transmitted chloroplast DNA (cpDNA) and maternally transmitted mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) were used to estimate population structure and phylogeography of Pinus luchuensis, a species found in eastern China (ssp. hwangshanensis), Taiwan (ssp. taiwanensis), and the Ryukyu Archipelago (ssp. luchuensis). Gene genealogies of both mtDNA and cpDNA reveal two major lineages. Molecular dating indicates that these lineages diverged before the colonization of P. luchuensis subspecies in Taiwan and the Ryukyu Archipelago. Both mtDNA and cpDNA show a lack of correspondence between molecular phylogeny and subspecies designation. Phylogeographical analysis suggests that paraphyly of the subspecies is the result of recent divergence rather than secondary contacts. In spite of the short divergence history of P. luchuensis on islands, the island populations show the same degree of genetic divergence as mainland populations. Low levels of genetic diversity in the mainland ssp. hwangshanensis suggest demographic bottlenecks. In contrast, the high heterogeneity of genetic composition for island populations is likely to be associated with a history of multiple colonization from the mainland. The spatial apportionment of organelle DNA polymorphisms is consistent with a pattern of stepwise colonization on island populations.
A ‘dirty’ business: testing the limitations of terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (TRFLP) analysis of soil fungi
Authors: AVIS PETER G. , DICKIE IAN A. , MUELLER GREGORY M. 
Published: January 2006

AbstractTerminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (TRFLP) is an increasingly popular method in molecular ecology. However, several key limitations of this method have not been fully examined especially when used to study fungi. We investigated the impact of spore contamination, intracollection ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region variation, and conserved restriction enzyme recognition loci on the results produced by TRFLP to characterize soil fungal communities. We find that (i) the potential for nontarget structures such as spores to contribute DNA to target sample extractions is high; (ii) multiple fragments (i.e. ‘extra peaks’) per PCR primer‐restriction enzyme combination can be detected that are caused by restriction enzyme inefficiency and intracollection ribosomal DNA ITS variation; and (iii) restriction enzyme digestion in conserved vs. variable gene regions leads to different characterizations of community diversity. Based on these results, we suggest that studies employing TRFLP need to include information from known, identified fungi from sites within which studies take place and not to rely only on TRFLP profiles as a short cut to fungal community description.