bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Death effector activation in the subventricular zone subsequent to perinatal hypoxia/ischemia
Authors: Romanko Michael J. , Zhu Changlian , Bahr Ben A. , Blomgren Klas , Levison Steven W. 
Published: August 2007

AbstractPerinatal hypoxia/ischemia (H/I) is the leading cause of neurological injury resulting from birth complications and pre‐maturity. Our studies have demonstrated that this injury depletes the subventricular zone (SVZ) of progenitors. In this study, we sought to reveal which cell death pathways are activated within these progenitors after H/I. We found that calpain activity is detected as early as 4 h of reperfusion and is sustained for 48 h, while caspase 3 activation does not occur until 8 h and peaks at 24 h post‐insult. Activated calpains and caspase 3 co‐localized within precursors situated in the lateral aspects of the SVZ (which coincides with progenitor cell death), whereas neither enzyme was activated in the medial SVZ (which harbors the neural stem cells that are resilient to this insult). These studies reveal targets for neuroprotective agents to protect precursors from cell death towards the goal of restoring normal brain development after H/I.
Transcellular biosynthesis of cysteinyl leukotrienes in rat neuronal and glial cells
Authors: Farias Santiago E. , Zarini Simona , Precht Thomas , Murphy Robert C. , Heidenreich Kim A. 
Published: August 2007

AbstractLeukotrienes are mediators of inflammation that belong to a family of lipids derived from arachidonic acid by the action of 5‐lipoxygenase. Leukotrienes have been detected in the central nervous system in association with different pathological events, but little is known about their biosynthesis or function in the brain. When rat neurons and glial cells in primary culture were stimulated with the calcium ionophore, no significant biosynthesis of leukotrienes was detected using liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS) techniques. However, when exogenous LTA4 was added to these cultured cells, both neurons and glia were able to synthesize LTC4. Activated neutrophils are known to supply LTA4 to other cells for transcellular biosynthesis of cysteinyl‐leukotrienes. Since neutrophils can infiltrate brain tissue after stroke or traumatic brain injury, we examined whether neutrophils play a similar role in the central nervous system. When peripheral blood neutrophils were co‐cultured with rat neurons, glia cells, and then stimulated with calcium ionophore, a robust production of LTC4, LTD4, and LTE4 was observed, revealing that neurons and glia can participate in the transcellular mechanism of leukotriene biosynthesis. The formation of LTC4 through this mechanism may be relevant in the genesis and progression of the inflammatory response as a result of brain injury.
Robust stimulation of TrkB induces delayed increases in BDNF and Arc mRNA expressions in cultured rat cortical neurons via distinct mechanisms
Authors: Yasuda Makoto , Fukuchi Mamoru , Tabuchi Akiko , Kawahara Masahiro , Tsuneki Hiroshi , Azuma Yuko , Chiba Yusuke , Tsuda Masaaki 
Published: August 2007

AbstractIn cultures of rat cortical neurons, we found that stimulation of tyrosine receptor kinase B (TrkB) with brain‐derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) induced a biphasic expression of BDNF exon IV–IX mRNA, which became obvious 1–3 h (primary induction) and 24–72 h (delayed induction) after the stimulation, and characterized the delayed induction in relation to the mRNA expression of activity‐regulated cytoskeleton‐associated protein (Arc). Withdrawal of BDNF from the medium after stimulation for 3 h allowed the delayed induction, which was caused at the transcriptional level and dependent upon the initial contact between exogenously added BDNF and TrkB, the effect of which was time‐ and dose‐dependent. The primary induction was controlled by the extracellular signal‐regulated kinase/mitogen‐activated protein kinase (ERK/MAPK) whereas the secondary induction by the calcium (Ca2+) signaling pathway. The enhanced Arc or Zif268 mRNA expression was controlled by activation of the ERK/MAPK pathway, both of which were repressed by blocking the binding of endogenously synthesized BDNF to TrkB. Thus, robust stimulation of TrkB autonomously induces delayed BDNF mRNA expression in an activity‐dependent manner in rat cortical neurons, resulting in the stimulation of Arc mRNA expression through endogenously synthesized BDNF, the process being orchestrated by the Ca2+ and ERK/MAPK signaling pathways.
PERMANENT GENETIC RESOURCES: Polymorphic microsatellite loci for Diachasma alloeum (Hymenoptera: Braconidae)
Authors: FORBES ANDREW A. , POWELL THOMAS H. Q. , LOBO NEIL F. , NOOR MOHAMED A. F. , FEDER JEFFREY L. 
Published: August 2007

AbstractHere, we report the isolation of 21 novel primers for amplification of microsatellite loci in Diachasma alloeum (Hymenoptera: Braconidae). Diachasma alloeum is a larval parasitoid of the apple maggot fly (Rhagoletis pomonella), which is an economically significant agricultural pest species and a textbook example of sympatric speciation via host‐plant shifting. These microsatellite markers will prove useful both for assessing genetic relationships between different host‐associated populations of D. alloeum, as well as for future R. pomonella biological control programmes. We also report the cross‐species amplification of several loci for Diachasmimorpha mellea and Diachasma ferrugineum, parasitoids of R. pomonella and R. cingulata, respectively.
PERMANENT GENETIC RESOURCES: Development of microsatellite markers for two nonviviparous mangrove species, Acanthus ilicifolius and Lumnitzera racemosa
Authors: GENG Q. F. , LIAN C. L. , TAO J. M. , HOGETSU T. 
Published: August 2007

AbstractEight and nine of microsatellite loci were isolated from two nonviviparous mangrove species, Acanthus ilicifolius and Lumnitzera racemosa, respectively. The number of alleles per locus ranged from two to eight in A. ilicifolius and two to nine in L. racemosa. The observed heterozygosities ranged from 0.200 to 0.875 in A. ilicifolius and from 0.025 to 0.350 in L. racemosa. These loci would be effective for analysing genetic diversity and population genetic structure of these two mangrove species.
Monovision: a review
Authors: Evans Bruce J. W. 
Published: August 2007

AbstractIn presbyopia, patients can no longer obtain clear vision at distance and near. Monovision is a method of correcting presbyopia where one eye is focussed for distance vision and the other for near. Monovision is a fairly common method of correcting presbyopia with contact lenses and has received renewed interest with the increase in refractive surgery. The present paper is a review of the literature on monovision. The success rate of monovision in adapted contact lens wearers is 59–67%. The main limitations are problems with suppressing the blurred image when driving at night and the need for a third focal length, for example with computer screens at intermediate distances. Stereopsis is impaired in monovision, but most patients do not seem to notice this. These limitations highlight the need to take account of occupational factors. Monovision could cause a binocular vision anomaly to decompensate, so the pre‐fitting screening should include an assessment of orthoptic function. Various methods have been used to determine which eye should be given the distance vision contact lens and the literature on tests of ocular dominance is reviewed. It is concluded that tests of blur suppression are most likely to be relevant, but that ocular dominance is not fixed but is rather a fluid, adaptive, phenomenon in most patients. Suitable patients can often be given trial lenses that allow them to experiment with monovision in real world situations and this can be a useful way of revealing the preferred eye for each distance. Of course, no patient should drive or operate machinery until successfully adapted to monovision. Surgically induced monovision is less easily reversed than contact lens‐induced monovision, and is only appropriate after a successful trial of monovision with contact lenses.
Technical Note: Dimensionless ray transference
Authors: Misson G. P. , Harris W. F. , Cardoso J. R. , Van Gool R. D. 
Published: August 2007

AbstractThe ray transference matrix completely characterises the first‐order optical nature of an optical system including the eye. It is in terms of the transference that quantitative analyses (for example, calculation of an average eye) can be performed. However, the fact that the entries of the transference do not have the same physical dimensions precludes the calculation of the usual scalar value (a Frobenius norm for example) for a change or difference between two optical systems. The purpose of this note is to show how to use the wavelength of the light as a natural unit of length to define a dimensionless transference and so make it possible to calculate a meaningful norm. In most practical applications, some components of the dimensionless transference may dominate unreasonably in the resulting norm in which case suitably weighted norms may be more appropriate. In an appendix, some of the issues are illustrated by application to a lens.
Mapping of error cells in clinical measure to symmetric power space
Authors: Abelman H. , Abelman S. 
Published: August 2007

AbstractDuring the refraction procedure, the power of the nearest equivalent sphere lens, known as the scalar power, is conserved within upper and lower bounds in the sphere (and cylinder) lens powers. Bounds are brought closer together while keeping the circle of least confusion on the retina. The sphere and cylinder powers and changes in these powers are thus dependent. Changes are depicted in the cylinder–sphere plane by error cells with one pair of parallel sides of negative gradient and the other pair aligned with the graph axis of cylinder power. Scalar power constitutes a vector space, is a meaningful ophthalmic quantity and is represented by the semi‐trace of the dioptric power matrix. The purpose of this article is to map to error cells for the following: coordinates of the dioptric power matrix, its principal powers and meridians and its entries from error cells surrounding powers in sphere, cylinder and axis. Error cells in clinical measure for conserved scalar power now contain more compensatory lens powers. Such cells and their respective mappings in terms of most scientific and alternate clinical quantities now image consistently not only to the cells from where they originate but also to each other.
A survey of the availability of state‐funded primary eye care in the UK for the very young and very old
Authors: Shah Rakhee , Evans Bruce J. W. , Edgar David 
Published: August 2007

AbstractBackground:  The National Health Service (NHS) provides General Ophthalmic Services (GOS) to eligible patients in the UK. Nearly all community optical practices have a contract with the NHS via local primary care organisations (primary care trusts in England) allowing the practices to provide NHS sight tests to eligible patients.Objective:  To determine the accessibility of GOS sight tests for certain groups of patient in the UK.Method:  A telephone survey was carried out to investigate the availability of GOS sight tests for two categories of eligible patient. A total of 200 primary eye care practices were randomly selected, of which 100 were telephoned to establish the availability of a sight test for a child aged 1 year whose mother is concerned due to the presence of a family history (parental) of strabismus. The other 100 practices were telephoned to investigate the availability of a sight test for a person aged 90 years who was described as having dementia.Results:  A total of 199 of the 200 practices provided GOS sight tests. The mean age at which practices declared that they start examining children was 3.1 years. Most (76%) practices recommended an eye examination for the 1‐year‐old child, but only 46% said that they would carry this out themselves. Of the other 100 practices telephoned across the country, 93% said that they could arrange an eye examination for the patient with dementia.Discussion:  Of the UK optical practices that participated in this study, 99.5% provide GOS sight tests. About half of these would not offer a GOS sight test to a 1‐year‐old child. It has been suggested that the GOS Terms of Service do not permit practitioners to exclude categories of patients from GOS services, although we argue that this interpretation is equivocal. Indeed, it is suggested that clinical and ethical reasons may sometimes require practitioners to decline to examine certain categories of patient. It is worrying that one quarter of practices did not recommend an eye examination for a young child with a family history of strabismus. It is hoped that a continuing education and training project will increase interest in paediatric optometry.
Technical Note: A comparison of central and peripheral intraocular pressure using rebound tonometry
Authors: Queirós A. , González‐Méijome J. M. , Fernandes P. , Jorge J. , Montés‐Micó R. , Almeida J. B. , Parafita M. A. 
Published: August 2007

AbstractPurpose:  To compare central and peripheral intraocular pressure (IOP) readings obtained with rebound tonometry.Methods:  Intraocular pressure was measured on the right eye of 153 patients (65 males, 88 females), aged from 21 to 85 years (mean ± S.D., 55.5 ± 15.2 years) with the ICare rebound tonometer at centre, and 2 mm from the limbus (in the nasal and temporal regions along the 0–180º corneal meridian).Results:  Intraocular pressure values obtained with the ICare were 14.9 ± 2.8; 14.1 ± 2.5 and 14.5 ± 2.7 mmHg at centre, nasal and temporal corneal locations, respectively. On average, nasal and temporal IOP readings were 0.75 and 0.37 mmHg lower than the central reading (p < 0.05 and p > 0.05, respectively). A highly significant correlation was found between central and peripheral measurements in nasal (r2 = 0.905; p < 0.001) and temporal (r2 = 0.879; p < 0.001) regions along the horizontal meridian. Almost 80% of patients presented nasal IOP values within ±1 mmHg of the central value.Conclusions:  Intraocular pressure values measured with the ICare® rebound tonometer on the nasal corneal region is slightly lower on average and highly correlated with IOP values recorded at corneal centre. Both nasal and temporal readings are in good agreement with central IOP, and could be used to obtain a reliable estimate of rebound IOP in corneas where central readings cannot be taken.
Run‐off transport of herbicides during natural and simulated rainfall and its reduction by vegetated filter strips
Authors: Pätzold S. , Klein C. , Brümmer G. W. 
Published: August 2007

AbstractThe efficiency of filter strips in protecting watercourses against herbicides in run‐off was evaluated in field experiments in western Germany. Surface run‐off caused by natural rainfall and related transport of metolachlor, terbuthylazine and pendimethalin were measured on plots of 40 m length without filter strips (F0), and after passing over three types of herbicide‐untreated field margin: 12 m conservation headland (CH12), 6 m (GF6) and 12 m grass strips (GF12). Run‐off was also measured after simulated rainfall on 7 m long plots without (F0) and with 3 m grass strips (GF3). All three herbicides were transported both in dissolved and in adsorbed forms; the partitioning depended on their water solubility with metolachlor and terbuthylazine mainly translocated in dissolved form (F0: highest mean concentrations for a natural run‐off event 721 and 220 μg L−1, respectively). Pendimethalin was predominantly transported in adsorbed form (maximum mean concentration 11.2 μg L−1). In the sediment, the highest mean herbicide contents in a single natural event (F0) accounted for 2294 μg kg−1 (metolachlor), 1317 μg kg−1 (terbuthylazine) and 5648 μg kg−1 (pendimethalin). The proportions of applied herbicide translocated were 0.3% (metolachlor), 0.2% (terbuthylazine) and 0.06% (pendimethalin; F0, natural rainfall). The extent of herbicide transport decreased with time but within this trend soil sealing, soil moisture and amount and intensity of rainfall increased losses. Compared with the F0 plots, the reduction of herbicide translocation after natural rainfall reached 80–83% (CH12), 80–88% (GF6) and >99% (GF12) over the 3‐year period. The 12 m grass strips allowed only one extreme run‐off event to pass through, thus providing a highly effective watercourse protection against herbicide pollution.
Effectiveness of palm and simulated geotextiles in reducing run‐off and inter‐rill erosion on medium and steep slopes
Authors: Smets T. , Poesen J. , Fullen M. A. , Booth C. A. 
Published: August 2007

AbstractPalm‐leaf geotextiles could be an effective and cheap soil conservation method with enormous global potential. However, there are very few data on the effectiveness of palm geotextiles in reducing soil erosion by water. This study investigates the effectiveness of two types of palm geotextiles and the effect of geotextile mesh size on infiltration, run‐off and inter‐rill erosion rate and soil surface roughness on a medium and steep slope. A well‐defined protocol was developed to conduct laboratory experiments. Rainfall was simulated for 90 min with an intensity (I) of 45 and 67 mm h−1 on an inter‐rill erosion plot, filled with an erodible sandy loam and having slope gradients (S) of 15 and 45%. Two palm‐leaf geotextiles (Borassus aethiopum and Brazilian Buriti Palm) and three simulated geotextiles (polyethylene tarpaulin) with different mesh sizes (1 × 1, 5 × 5 and 12 × 12 cm) were tested on a simulated fine tilth. Calculated k values from the Horton infiltration equation ranged from 0.025 to 0.145 and decreased linearly on both slopes with geotextile cover. Geotextiles are more effective in reducing the run‐off coefficient on a medium slope (15%) compared with that on a steep slope (45%), ranging from 76.4 to 17.9%. Mean b values from the mulch cover equation equalled 0.024 for a 15% slope and 0.045 for a 45% slope, indicating a higher effectiveness of geotextiles in reducing total inter‐rill soil loss on gentler slopes compared with commonly used mulches. Erosion‐induced soil surface roughness at the end of each experiment increased linearly with geotextile cover percentage and this increase was not significantly different between the two slope gradients.
Bracken effects on inorganic nitrogen leaching from an upland podzol
Authors: Smart R. P. , Calver L. J. , Crowe A. M. , Emmerson K. M. , Cresser M. S. 
Published: August 2007

AbstractLeaching of inorganic N species to stream waters from upland areas of the UK is increasing, reflecting the increases in atmospheric deposition of nitrogen species due to increased levels of vehicular emissions. Bracken cover in UK uplands is also increasing overall (Taylor, 1986), and the architectural nature of bracken has been shown to both increase deposition of atmospheric constituents to soils and change their chemical and physical nature. We have tested the nutrient status of upland podzols from the Lake District, Cumbria, UK, from under both moorland grass and bracken. The results show reduced levels of base cations and nitrate throughout the profile and decreases in the organic matter content of surface horizons as a consequence of bracken encroachment. We also report increased ammonium concentrations in lower soil horizons under bracken, possibly leading to increased leaching to stream waters. These results suggest either increased leaching of soil nutrients due to bracken encroachment or increased storage of nutrients within the bracken rhizome system. Results also suggest changes in either microbial activity or the microbial community of podzols, possibly due to the allelopathic nature of bracken. This may have caused changes in the soil nutrient dynamics, possibly accounting for some of the changes seen. We hypothesize that increased bracken cover within the British uplands has the potential to increase leaching of inorganic nitrogen to upland streams.
L‐Lactic Acid Secreted from Gastric Mucosal Cells Enhances Growth of Helicobacter pylori
Authors: Takahashi Tetsufumi , Matsumoto Tsukasa , Nakamura Masahiko , Matsui Hidenori , Tsuchimoto Kanji , Yamada Haruki 
Published: August 2007

AbstractBackground:  Helicobacter pylori mainly inhabit the mucus layer in the gastric mucosa. However, mechanisms involving H. pylori colonization and proliferation in gastric mucosa are not well established. This study focuses on elucidating the role of gastric mucosal cells on growth of H. pylori.Materials and methods:  H. pylori was co‐cultured with the murine gastric surface mucosal cells (GSM06), and the growth of H. pylori on the cells was assessed by enumerating the colony‐forming units (CFU). The H. pylori growth factor in the culture media conditioned by GSM06 cell was purified by HPLC, and the chemical structure of the growth factor was identified by analyses of 1H‐ and 13C‐NMR spectra.Results:  A marked increase in the number of CFU of H. pylori was observed in the GSM06 cells. The enhanced H. pylori growth was also observed when indirectly incubated with GSM06 cells through semi‐permeable membrane. In addition, culture media conditioned by GSM06 cell stimulated H. pylori growth approximately one thousand‐fold. By bioassay‐guided purification, the H. pylori growth factor was isolated from the conditioned medium of GSM06 cells and identified as l‐lactic acid. The H. pylori growth‐enhancing activity under microaerobic condition was well correlated with l‐lactic acid concentrations in the conditioned media.Conclusions:  This study demonstrates that l‐lactic acid secreted by gastric mucosal cells enhances the growth of H. pylori, and this l‐lactic acid‐dependent growth of H. pylori may be important to the long‐term colonization of H. pylori in the stomach.
Helicobacter pylori Inflammation, Immunity, and Vaccines
Authors: D’Elios Mario Milco , Andersen Leif P. 
Published: August 2007

Abstract Helicobacter pylori infects almost 50% of the world population and is the major cause of gastroduodenal diseases. H. pylori colonizes the gastric mucosa, activates Toll‐like and Nod‐like receptors, and usually elicits a T helper 1 (Th1) type of immune response, fully polarized in peptic ulcer patients. Among several bacterial factors, the neutrophil‐activating protein represents a key factor driving Th1 inflammation. A complex and fascinating balance between H. pylori and host factors takes part in the gastric niche and allows the majority of infected individuals to be without any symptom during their entire life. Novel insights into the innate and adaptive responses against H. pylori, dealing with regulatory T cells and cytokines, CTLA‐4 molecule, cholesterol glucosylation, and immune evasion have been elucidated during the past year and are discussed for the development of an effective vaccine.
Extragastric Manifestations of Helicobacter pylori Infection – Other Helicobacters
Authors: Bohr Ulrich R. M. , Annibale Bruno , Franceschi Francesco , Roccarina Davide , Gasbarrini Antonio 
Published: August 2007

AbstractToday there is evidence that Helicobacter pylori has a critical role in different extragastric diseases. The discovery of a number of other novel Helicobacter species has stimulated the research in different extragastric diseases, in which an infectious hypothesis is plausible. Enterohepatic Helicobacter species have been hypothesized to play a role in different disorders, including hepatocellular carcinoma, gallstones formation and cholangiocellular carcinoma, as well as enteric diseases and inflammatory bowel diseases. Concerning the extragastric manifestations of H. pylori infection, idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, and sideropenic anemia represent, based on the current data, the diseases in which the pathogenic link appears to be strongest. There is also an increasing evidence for a possible association of H. pylori with cardiovascular disease.