bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Effect of Initial Cumulus Morphology on Meiotic Dynamic and Status of Mitochondria in Horse Oocytes during IVM
Authors: Torner H , Alm H , Kanitz W , Goellnitz K , Becker F , Poehland R , Bruessow K‐P , Tuchscherer A 
Published: January 2007

ContentsThe aim of this investigation was to examine the chromatin configuration of the nucleus, pattern of mitochondrial aggregation and mitochondrial activity in parallel studies in the same horse oocytes. Horse oocytes recovered by ultrasound‐guided follicle aspirationin vivowere classified according to two main initial cumulus morphologies as having compact or expanded cumulus. The percentage of oocytes with a diplotene meiotic configuration at the time of recovery from the follicles was highest in compact oocytes. Oocytes with expanded cumulus layers at the time of recovery matured more rapidlyin vitroand reached a proportion >50% at the metaphase II stage (M 2) sooner duringin vitromaturation (IVM), than did compact oocytes. The mitochondrial aggregation pattern changed from finely distributed (Type 1) through crystalline (Type 2) to an aggregated, granulated appearance (Type 3) during IVM. The pattern of mitochondrial aggregation at the time of recovery was associated with the initial cumulus morphology of the oocyte, in that compact oocytes had a higher proportion of Type 1 aggregation, whereas expanded oocytes had a higher proportion of Type 3. The fluorescence intensity of metabolic active mitochondria, measured by fluorescence intensity (Em 570) per oocyte after MitoTracker CMTM Ros orange labelling, increased in the oocytes during IVM and depended on initial cumulus investment. Oocytes with the granulated type of aggregated mitochondria Type 3 had the highest level of metabolic activity and were in more progressed stages of meiosis (A 1–M 2). Oocytes initially having expanded layers of cumulus reached significantly higher levels of mitochondrial activity after IVM than did oocytes initially having compact cumuli. During resumption of meiosis the mitochondrial activity of oocytes with initially expanded cumulus increased continuously up to M 2, whereas in oocytes from compact cumulus–oocyte complex (COC), the activity declined after A 1/T 1 stages of meiosis.
Current United Kingdom sedation practice in pediatric intensive care
Authors: JENKINS IAN A. , PLAYFOR STEPHEN D. , BEVAN CLIFF , DAVIES GERALD , WOLF ANDREW R. 
Published: January 2007

SummaryBackground:  The aim of this study was to investigate the current practice of sedation, analgesia, and neuromuscular blockade in critically ill children on pediatric intensive care units (PICUs) in the UK and identify areas that merit further study.Methods:  Data were gathered in a prospective observational study of 338 critically ill children in 20 UK PICUs.Results:  There is considerable variation in clinical practice. A total of 24 different sedative and analgesic agents were used during the study. The most commonly used sedative and analgesic agents were midazolam and morphine. Four different neuromuscular blockers (NMBs) were used, most commonly vecuronium. There were differences in treatment between cardiac and noncardiac children, but there were a greater number of infants and neonates in the cardiac group. NMBs were used in 30% of mechanically ventilated patients. Withdrawal symptoms were reported in 13% of ventilated patients, relatively early in their stay; weaning sedative agents (‘tapering’) was apparently of no benefit. The use of clonidine in this setting was noted. Physical restraints were used in 7.4%. Propofol was used but in only 2.6% of patients, all over the age of 4 years, and not exceeding 2 mg·kg−1·h−1. No side effects attributable to ‘propofol syndrome’ were noted.Conclusions:  There is considerable heterogeneity of sedation techniques. NMBs are used in a large portion of this population. Withdrawal symptoms were associated with higher doses of sedation and greater lengths of stay and were not ameliorated by withdrawing sedation gradually (‘tapering’).
Factors affecting anastomotic complications following anterior resection in rectal cancer
Authors: Lyall A. , Mc Adam T. K. , Townend J. , Loudon M. A. 
Published: January 2007

AbstractObjective  Anastomotic complications following sphincter saving rectal surgery remains a significant clinical problem in rectal cancer surgery. Preoperative combined modality therapy followed by anterior resection with total mesorectal excision (TME) has become the preferred treatment paradigm for locally advanced rectal cancer. However, its impact on anastomotic complications has not been adequately evaluated. This study aimed to assess the relationship between the response of the primary tumour to neo‐adjuvant therapy with anastomotic complications and to evaluate the effect of other clinico‐pathological factors previously implicated, in this patient cohort.Method  A total of 119 consecutive patients with primary rectal cancer were assessed of which there were 87 anterior resections. A prospectively collected database was queried to determine the incidence of anastomotic complications, association with response to neo‐adjuvant therapy and other clinico‐pathological factors. Data were analysed with spss 14.0.Results  Anterior resection was performed in 87/111 (78.4%) patients of which 46/84 (56%) were low resections, with an abdominoperineal excision of rectum rate of 11/111 (9.9%). Anastomotic complications were seen as clinical leaks in 10/87 (11.5%) and late colo‐visceral fistulae in 2/87 (2.2%) patients. Subclinical/ radiological ‘leaks’ were quantified as 4/87 (4.5%). A good pathological response to neo‐adjuvant therapy was found to be strongly associated with anastomotic complications (P = 0.006). Presence of a perioperative cardiac event was the only other clinical factor associated with anastomotic complications (P = 0.004) in our study.Conclusion  Rectal cancer treated with neo‐adjuvant therapy and radical resection with TME for better local control may be associated with greater anastomotic complications particularly when a good pathological response is seen.
Unemployment and International Factor Movement in the Presence of Skilled and Unskilled Labor
Authors: Yabuuchi Shigemi 
Published: January 2007

AbstractWidespread unemployment has been observed in some developing countries. On the other hand, extensive movement of labor across countries has also been observed. Therefore, in order to examine the interaction between the domestic and international labor markets, this paper develops a model that includes unemployment, international factor movement, and the difference between skilled and unskilled labor. The model examines the effect of production subsidies on unemployment and evaluates their effectiveness as a possible policy in order to alleviate the problem of unemployment. Further, this paper investigates the effects of international factor movement on unemployment and welfare.
Brain neutral lipids mass is increased in α‐synuclein gene‐ablated mice
Authors: Barceló‐Coblijn Gwendolyn , Golovko Mikhail Y. , Weinhofer Isabella , Berger Johannes , Murphy Eric J. 
Published: January 2007

AbstractBecause α‐synuclein (Snca) has a role in brain lipid metabolism, we determined the impact that Snca deletion had on whole brain lipid composition. We analysed masses of individual phospholipid (PL) classes and neutral lipid mass as well as PL acyl chain composition in brains from wild‐type and Snca‐/‐ mice. Although total brain PL mass was not altered, cardiolipin and phosphatidylglycerol mass decreased 16% and 27%, respectively, in Snca‐/‐ mice. In addition, no changes were observed in plasmalogen or polyphosphoinositide mass. In ethanolamine glycerophospholipids and phosphatidylserine, docosahexaenoic acid (22 : 6n‐3) was decreased 7%, while 16 : 0 was increased 1.1‐fold and 1.4‐fold, respectively. Surprisingly, brain cholesterol, cholesteryl ester, and triacylglycerol mass were increased 1.1‐fold, 1.6‐fold, and 1.4‐fold, respectively in Snca‐/‐ mice. In isolated myelin, cholesterol mass was also increased 1.3‐fold, but because there was also a net increase in myelin PL mass, the cholesterol to PL ratio was unaltered. No changes in the expression of cholesterogenic enzymes were observed, suggesting these did not account for the observed changes in cholesterol. These data extend our previous results in astrocytes and kinetic studies in vivo demonstrating a role for Snca in brain lipid metabolism and demonstrate a clear impact on brain neutral lipid metabolism.
IL‐4 attenuates the neuroinflammation induced by amyloid‐β in vivo and in vitro
Authors: Lyons Anthony , Griffin Rebecca J , Costelloe Ceire E , Clarke Rachael M , Lynch Marina A 
Published: January 2007

AbstractIt has been shown that Aβ inhibits long‐term potentiation (LTP) in the rat hippocampus and this is accompanied by an increase in hippocampal concentration of IL‐1β. Aβ also increases microglial activation, which is the likely cell source of IL‐1β. Because IL‐4 attenuates the effects of IL‐1β in hippocampus, and microglial activation is inhibited by minocycline, we assessed the ability of both IL‐4 and minocycline to modulate the effects of Aβ on LTP and IL‐1β concentration. Following treatment with Aβ, IL‐4 or minocycline, rats were assessed for their ability to sustain LTP in perforant path‐granule cell synapses. We report that the Aβ‐induced inhibition of LTP was associated with increases in expression of MHCII, JNK phosphorylation and IL‐1β concentration, and that these changes were attenuated by treatment of rats with IL‐4 and minocycline. We also report that Aβ‐induced increases in expression of MHCII and IL‐1β were similarly attenuated by IL‐4 and minocycline in glial cultures prepared from neonatal rats. These data suggest that glial cell activation and the consequent increase in IL‐1β concentration mediate the inhibitory effect of Aβ on LTP and indicate that IL‐4, by down‐regulating glial cell activation, antagonizes the effects of Aβ.
Isolation and characterization of microsatellite markers for Araucaria angustifolia (Araucariaceae)
Authors: SCHMIDT A. B. , CIAMPI A. Y. , GUERRA M. P. , NODARI R. O. 
Published: January 2007

AbstractAraucaria angustifolia is a dioecious tree species that occurs in the southern part of Brazil. Because of the intense exploitation of the species due to its valuable wood, only 2% of the original population still remains. Twenty‐nine species‐specific and highly polymorphic microsatellite loci were developed from a genomic library enriched for AG/TC repeats. Levels of polymorphism were evaluated using a total of 16 adult trees from a natural population. An average of 8.1 alleles per locus was detected, and expected heterozygosity ranged from 0.63 to 0.72.
The motivational development of Norwegian nursing students over the college years
Authors: Bråten Ivar , Olaussen Bodil S. 
Published: January 2007

AbstractThis longitudinal research used cluster analysis to identify subgroups of nursing students that differed in terms of academic motivation. We termed the three distinct clusters that were identified: the positive motivation, moderate motivation and low profile cluster, respectively. More positively motivated students were found to report more use of not only deeper but also surface processing strategies. When we tracked the movement of all the students in terms of their cluster membership over two entire academic years, we found that many students lost some of their enthusiasm and engagement during their professional education. Still, some students managed to maintain relatively high levels of motivation and a few actually developed more adaptive motivation over time. As the decline in motivation was most pronounced during the first year of nursing education, motivational interventions aimed at maintaining and developing enthusiasm for and appreciation of the field of study may be particularly important during that period. Some implications for educational practice are discussed.
Development of hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with chronic hepatitis C who had a sustained virological response to interferon therapy: a multicenter, retrospective cohort study of 1124 patients
Authors: Kobayashi S. , Takeda T. , Enomoto M. , Tamori A. , Kawada N. , Habu D. , Sakaguchi H. , Kuroda T. , Kioka K. , Kim S. R. , Kanno T. , Ueda T. , Hirano M. , Fujimoto S. , Jomura H. , Nishiguchi S. , Seki S. 
Published: January 2007

AbstractBackground: Interferon (IFN) improves hepatic inflammation/fibrosis and reduces the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in patients with chronic hepatitis C (CH‐C). However, HCC develops in some patients who have a sustained virological response (SVR) to IFN therapy. We designed this study to establish a follow‐up protocol for patients with CH‐C who have SVR to IFN therapy.Methods: We retrospectively studied 1124 patients with CH‐C who received IFN.Results: HCC developed in 3.5% of patients with SVR to IFN. As compared with SVR patients without HCC, SVR patients with HCC were predominantly male (P=0.003), older at the initiation of IFN therapy (P=0.002), and at a more advanced histologic stage of disease (P<0.001). However, three of the 13 SVR HCC patients had mild fibrosis. The mean interval from IFN therapy to the detection of HCC in SVR HCC patients was 5.8 years and did not differ significantly from that in non‐SVR HCC patients (P=0.304). Although most patients with HCC received curative therapy, the prognosis of some SVR HCC patients was poor, probably because of insufficient follow‐up, resulting in delayed detection of HCC.Conclusions: SVR patients with CH‐C who are elderly, male, or have an advanced histologic stage are at a high risk for the development of HCC after IFN therapy. We recommend that SVR patients should be observed carefully for more than 10 years after the completion of IFN therapy, even if they only have early fibrosis.
Obesity did not diminish the efficacy of percutaneous ablation for hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Ohki Takamasa , Tateishi Ryosuke , Shiina Shuichiro , Sato Takahisa , Masuzaki Ryota , Yoshida Hideo , Kanai Fumihiko , Obi Shuntaro , Yoshida Haruhiko , Omata Masao 
Published: January 2007

AbstractBackground: Overweight and hepatic steatosis can increase the risk of hepatocarcinogenesis. In addition, overweight may affect the treatment efficacy of ultrasound‐guided percutaneous ablation. We evaluated the impact of overweight on the safety and efficacy of percutaneous ablation to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).Methods: We enrolled 743 patients with naïve HCC who were treated by percutaneous ablation including ethanol injection, microwave coagulation, and radiofrequency ablation (RFA) between 1995 and 2003. Patients were divided into two groups by body mass index (BMI): 219 overweight patients with BMI>25 kg/m2 and 524 control patients with BMI≤25 kg/m2. The effects of BMI on complications of percutaneous ablation, HCC recurrence, and overall survival were analyzed, together with others including tumor and liver function‐related factors.Results: The overweight group required a significantly larger number of sessions by RFA (P=0.01). Major complications were identified in 8.7% in the overweight group and 7.6% in the control group (P=0.94). There was no significant difference in cumulative recurrence rate and local tumor‐progression rate between the two groups (P=0.63 and 0.44). Cumulative survival rates at 1, 3, and 5 years were 95.4%, 75.7%, and 57.8%, respectively, in the overweight group and 94.1%, 78.0%, and 58.8% in the control group (P=0.99).Conclusions: The results indicated that overweight did not increase complications nor affect HCC recurrence and overall survival. However, the number of sessions of RFA was significantly greater in overweight patients, suggesting that overweight was associated with minor technical difficulties.
A prospective study of the microbiology of chronic venous leg ulcers to reevaluate the clinical predictive value of tissue biopsies and swabs
Authors: Davies Charlotte E. , Hill Katja E. , Newcombe Robert G. , Stephens Phil , Wilson Melanie J. , Harding Keith G. , Thomas David W. 
Published: January 2007

ABSTRACTThis study determined whether comprehensive microbiological analysis offered real predictive value in terms of healing outcome, and assessed the clinical usefulness of surface swabs vs. tissue biopsies for clinically noninfected leg wounds. The wound microflora of 70 patients with chronic venous leg ulcers was quantified after sampling by swabbing and biopsy. A highly significant association between wound surface area at 4 weeks and eventual healing at 6 months was found (p<0.001), although initial wound size, sex, height, and weight were not significant predictors of outcome (p>0.1). A significant association between healing and bacterial diversity in the wound as assessed by swab (p=0.023) was demonstrated. Furthermore, the bacterial density of wound surface area by swab (CFU/mL; p=0.018) or biopsy (CFU/g tissue; p=0.038) were shown to be independent predictors of nonhealing. Logistic regression showed that microbiological analysis of biopsies provided no additional prognostic information when compared with analysis of the surface microflora (p=0.27). Hence, if biopsies do not contribute significantly to patient management, their use should be discouraged in clinically noninfected wounds. Furthermore, independent predictors of healing, such as wound surface microbial diversity and density, could identify patients likely to have an unfavorable outcome and to whom resources should be targeted.
Supplemental l‐arginine enhances wound healing following trauma/hemorrhagic shock
Authors: Shi Han Ping , Wang Shen Ming , Zhang Guang Xin , Zhang Yun Jiang , Barbul Adrian 
Published: January 2007

ABSTRACTTo determine whether parenteral l‐arginine supplementation enhances the impaired wound healing of rats subjected to trauma/hemorrhagic shock. Impaired wound healing after trauma and shock has been documented experimentally and clinically. l‐arginine has been shown to enhance wound strength and collagen synthesis in rodents and humans. Its efficacy under conditions of impaired wound healing is less well defined. Forty‐eight male Lewis rats were used in this study. Using a well‐defined model, 24 rats underwent trauma/hemorrhagic shock before wounding. Twenty‐four untreated rats served as controls. All animals underwent a dorsal skin incision with implantation of polyvinyl‐alcohol sponges. Half of the animals in each group were assigned to receive 1 g/kg/day of l‐arginine by intraperitoneal injection in three divided doses, while the other half received saline injections only. Animals were sacrificed 10 days postwounding, and wound‐breaking strength (WBS) and wound sponge total hydroxyproline (OHP) and nitrite/nitrate (NOx) content were determined. Wound sponge RNA was collected and subjected to Northern blot analysis for procollagens I and III. Trauma/hemorrhage greatly decreased WBS with a concomitant diminution in collagen (OHP) deposition. l‐arginine significantly enhanced WBS (19%) and increased OHP (21%) levels in control animals as well as in rats subjected to trauma/hemorrhage (WBS +29%, OHP 40%) compared with their saline‐treated counterparts. Procollagen I and III mRNA levels were elevated by l‐arginine treatment in both trauma/hemorrhage and control rats. Arginine treatment had no effect on wound fluid and plasma NOx. The data demonstrate that the impaired healing subsequent to trauma/hemorrhage can be greatly alleviated by l‐arginine supplementation.
Histologic characterization of vaginal vs. abdominal surgical wound healing in a rabbit model
Authors: Abramov Yoram , Golden Barbara , Sullivan Megan , Botros Sylvia M. , Miller Jay‐James R. , Alshahrour Adeeb , Goldberg Roger P. , Sand Peter K. 
Published: January 2007

ABSTRACTWe aimed to compare the histologic characteristics of vaginal vs. abdominal surgical wound healing in the rabbit. Bilateral 6 mm full‐thickness circular segments were excised from the vagina and abdominal skin in 34 New Zealand white female rabbits. Animals were euthanized on the day of and 4, 7, 10, 14, 21, 28, and 35 days after wounding, and their wounds were evaluated using a modified scoring system. The inter‐ and intraobserver agreements of the scoring system were good (weighted κ 0.63 and 0.71, respectively). A transient fibrinous crust was evident in 75% of the abdominal and in none of the vaginal wound specimens on days 4–7 after wounding (p=0.01). Acute inflammation peaked at day 4 in both the vaginal and abdominal wounds, while chronic inflammation peaked at days 4–7 and 14–21 in the abdomen and vagina, respectively. Both neovascularization and the amount of granulation tissue peaked at days 4 and 7 in the vagina and abdomen, respectively. Maturation of granulation tissue and collagen deposition increased persistently in both tissues until postwounding day 35. Reepithelialization increased after wounding, and was completed by day 14 in both tissues. The surgical wound‐healing process in both the vagina and abdomen includes transient acute and chronic inflammation, fibroblast proliferation, and neovascularization, as well as progressive maturation of granulation tissue, reepithelialization, and collagen deposition. A transient fibrinous crust forms in the abdomen but not in the vagina 4–7 days after wounding. The modified histologic scoring system described here was found to be reliable and reproducible.
Protective Effects of the Whisky Congeners on Ethanol‐Induced Gastric Mucosal Damage
Authors: Goso Yukinobu , Ueno Masaki , Hotta Kyoko , Ishihara Kazuhiko 
Published: January 2007

Background: The ingestion of both ethanol and whisky can induce acute gastrointestinal bleeding. The effects of the congeners, substances other than ethanol in whisky, on the ethanol‐induced gastric mucosal damage were examined in the rat model.Methods: After the whisky congeners were intragastrically administered previous to or simultaneous with ethanol ingestion, the gastric damage was macroscopically and microscopically measured.Results: The simultaneous administration of the whisky congeners at a dose of 5 mg/kg body weight, which corresponds to the concentration of congeners contained in whisky, with 50% ethanol did not inhibit the hemorrhagic lesions, but inhibited them at a dose of 150 mg/kg. The treatment with the whisky congeners 30 minutes before the ethanol ingestion prevented the ethanol‐induced gastric damage in a dose‐dependent manner at 0.5 to 150 mg/kg. The butanol extract of the congeners revealed the strongest prevention compared with the ethyl acetate extract or the water fraction. The administration of indomethacin 60 minutes before the congener treatment partly inhibited the protective effects of the congeners, indicating the partial contribution of prostaglandins in this mechanism. The congeners did not prevent the mucosa by action as a “mild irritant” because the immunohistochemical studies using the antimucin monoclonal antibodies showed that no damage was induced by the administration of the congeners.Conclusion: The present results showed that the whisky congeners have a protective activity against ethanol‐induced gastric mucosal injury.