bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Could exercise be a new strategy to revert some patients with atrial fibrillation?
Authors: Gates P. , Al‐Daher S. , Ridley D. , Black A. 
Published: March 2009

AbstractBackground: This study is the result of the anecdotal observation that a number of patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) had noted reversion to sinus rhythm (SR) with exercise. We aimed to evaluate the potential role of exercise stress test (EST) for the reversion of AF.Methods: Patients with AF who were scheduled to undergo electrical cardioversion (DCR) underwent EST using a modified Bruce protocol.Results: Eighteen patients (16 male); aged 36–74 years (mean 58 years) were studied. Five patients (27.7%) had successful reversion with exercise (group 1). Thirteen patients remained in AF (group 2). No patient who failed to revert with exercise did so spontaneously before DCR 3 h to 7 months later (median 20 days). Comparison between group 1 and group 2 did not reveal any significant differenceConclusion: This small preliminary study suggests that in some patients it may be possible to revert AF to SR with exercise and avoid DCR and concomitant general anaesthesia. The authors suggest that a larger multicentre randomized trial is warranted to confirm or refute these initial results and if correct identify those who might benefit.
A novel method for identifying behavioural changes in animal movement data
Authors: Gurarie Eliezer , Andrews Russel D. , Laidre Kristin L. 
Published: March 2009

AbstractA goal of animal movement analysis is to reveal behavioural mechanisms by which organisms utilize complex and variable environments. Statistical analysis of movement data is complicated by the fact that the data are multidimensional, autocorrelated and often marked by error and irregular measurement intervals or gappiness. Furthermore, movement data reflect behaviours that are themselves heterogeneous. Here, we model movement data as a subsampling of a continuous stochastic processes, and introduce the behavioural change point analysis (BCPA), a likelihood‐based method that allows for the identification of significant structural changes. The BCPA is robust to gappiness and measurement error, computationally efficient, easy to implement and reveals structure that is otherwise difficult to discern. We apply the analysis to a GPS movement track of a northern fur seal (Callorhinus ursinus), revealing an unexpectedly complex diurnal behavioural profile, and demonstrate its robustness to the greater errors associated with the ARGOS tracking system. By informing empirical interpretation of movement data, we suggest that the BCPA can eventually motivate the development of mechanistic behavioural models.
Technical Improvements and Welfare under International Duopoly
Authors: Okawa Masayuki 
Published: March 2009

AbstractIt is now common wisdom that a free‐trading country with perfectly competitive markets might be hurt by its own technical improvement of that country's export industry, and that an improvement in the import‐competing industry never impoverishes the country if no commodity is inferior for that country. This paper examines the welfare effects of technical progress in a perfectly competitive industry and in an internationally duopolistic market in a two‐country, two‐good, one‐factor trading model. It will be shown that the above propositions are severely qualified in our setting with duopolistic industry.
Y27632, a Rho‐activated kinase inhibitor, normalizes dysregulation in alpha1‐adrenergic receptor‐induced contraction of Lyon hypertensive rat artery smooth muscle
Authors: Freitas Maria Regina , Eto Masumi , Kirkbride Jason A. , Schott Christa , Sassard Jean , Stoclet Jean‐Claude 
Published: March 2009

AbstractRhoA‐activated kinase (ROK) is involved in the disorders of smooth muscle contraction found in hypertension model animals and patients. We examined whether the α1‐adrenergic receptor agonist‐induced ROK signal is perturbed in resistance small mesentery artery (SMA) of Lyon genetically hypertensive (LH) rats, using a ROK antagonist, Y27632. Smooth muscle strips of SMA and aorta were isolated from LH and Lyon normotensive (LN) rats. After Ca2+‐depletion and pre‐treatment with phenylephrine (PE), smooth muscle contraction was induced by serial additions of CaCl2. In LH SMA Ca2+ permeated cells to a lesser extent as compared with LN SMA, while CaCl2‐induced contraction of LH SMA was greater than that of LN SMA, indicating a higher ratio of force to Ca2+ in LH SMA contraction (Ca2+ sensitization). No hyper‐contraction was observed in LH aorta tissues. Treatment of LH SMA with Y27632 restored both Ca2+ permeability and Ca2+‐force relationship to levels seen for LN SMA. In response to PE stimulation, phosphorylation of CPI‐17, a phosphorylation‐dependent myosin phosphatase inhibitor protein, and MYPT1 at Thr853, the inhibitory phosphorylation site of the myosin phosphatase regulatory subunit, was increased in LN SMA, but remained unchanged in LH SMA. These results suggest that the disorder in ROK‐dependent Ca2+ permeability and Ca2+‐force relationship is responsible for LH SMA hyper‐contraction. Unlike other hypertensive models, the ROK‐induced hyper‐contractility of LH SMA is independent of MYPT1 and CPI‐17 phosphorylation, which suggests that ROK‐mediated inhibition of myosin phosphatase does not affect SMA hyper‐contractility in LH SMA cells.
Dextropropoxyphene withdrawal from a French university hospital: impact on analgesic drug consumption
Authors: Gaubert Sabine , Vié Martine , Damase‐Michel Christine , Pathak Atul , Montastruc Jean‐Louis 
Published: March 2009

AbstractDextropropoxyphene is a weak opioid analgesic, widely used as a step 2 analgesic (according to WHO classification) in combination with peripheral analgesics, mainly paracetamol. Recent data have underlined its poor analgesic efficacy (in comparison with paracetamol), risks of serious adverse drug reactions (i.e. hepatic reactions, hallucinations, abuse, withdrawal symptoms, hypoglycaemia), possible lethality after overdose, its risk of accumulation in patients with renal failure or in elderly people and some pharmacokinetic insufficiencies (i.e. different half‐lives for dextropropoxyphene and paracetamol). Taking into account these data, the drug committee of the Toulouse University Hospital (France) decided to withdraw dextropropoxyphene from the hospital formulary since 1 June 2005. The aim of our study was to investigate the consequences of this withdrawal by comparing use of analgesic drugs in Toulouse University Hospital before (2004) and after (2006) dextropropoxyphene withdrawal (using defined daily dose for 1000 hospitalization‐days as the unit measure). Before withdrawal, dextropropoxyphene (in combination with paracetamol) was the second most used analgesic drug after paracetamol alone. After dextropropoxyphene withdrawal, total consumption of analgesic drugs decreased by 4.6% (2006 vs. 2004). There was a 28% decrease in consumption of step 2 analgesics [with an increase in oral tramadol and a slight decrease in codeine (in combination with paracetamol)]. During the same period, step 1 analgesic consumption increased by 11% (mainly paracetamol) and that of step 3 analgesics slightly decreased (−8%). These results show that dextropropoxyphene withdrawal was not associated with a marked switch in prescriptions towards other analgesic drugs. This paper underlines the interest of a hospital‐based drug committee to promote rational drug use. Finally, the present data allow us to discuss putative misuse of dextropropoxyphene.
Cell Types Obtained from the Epidural Space of Patients with Low Back Pain/Radiculopathy
Authors: Heavner James E. , Bosscher Hemmo A. , Wachtel Mitchell S. 
Published: March 2009

AbstractBackground:  We investigated if correlations exist between medical history, tissue abnormalities, and cell types retrieved from the epidural space of patients with chronic low back pain (LBP) and chronic radicular pain (RP).Methods:  Approval was obtained from the Institutional Review Board for the Protection of Human Subjects to study 191 patients undergoing epiduroscopy. Visual inspection was performed and abnormal areas were identified. A specimen obtained from the area using a cytology brush was processed by the Thin Prep technique. Patients were divided into four groups based on the presence or absence and intensity of LBP and RP. The gender and age of the patients were recorded, as was any history of prior back surgery. Areas of tissue abnormalities were rated according to changes in vascularity and amount of fat, fibrosis, and inflammation. Stenosis was assessed from magnetic resonance imaging or computerized tomography scan images. Cytologic assessments included notations of the presence or absence of erythrocytes, leukocytes, cell groups, lipocytes, spindled cells, and large round cells.Results:  There was a significant difference in the number of patients from whom big round cells were obtained who had a high degree of LBP compared with the number of patients who had a high degree of both LBP and RP.Conclusions:  The findings provide a foundation for future studies of cells obtained from similar patients with the goal of furthering the understanding of the pathogenesis of LBP/RP.
Effects of antisense oligodeoxynucleotide to type I collagen gene on hypertrophic scars in the transplanted nude mouse model
Authors: Xie Julin , Qi Shaohai , Yuan Jishan , Xu Yinbing , Li Tianzeng , Li Houdong , Liu Xusheng , Shu Bin , Liang Huizeng 
Published: March 2009

Background:  Antisense nucleic acids are effective in inhibiting harmful or uncontrolled gene expression. We had previously proved that the antisense DNA to type I collagen could effectively inhibit the synthesis of collagen type I in cultured hypertrophic scar fibroblasts, suggesting a potential role in anti‐scarring, but there are no published reports of its effect on scar in the transplanted nude mouse model.Aims:  To investigate the effects of antisense oligodeoxynucleotide (ASODN) to type I collagen gene on hypertrophic scars in the transplanted nude mouse model and clarify the potential of ASODN for the treatment of scars.Methods:  The nude mouse model of hypertrophic scar was created and subjected to daily injections with ASODN and Lipofectamine™ for 2 ,4 or 6 weeks. We then examined the scars for changes in histopathological characteristics. The effects of ASODN on type I collagen gene expression were examined by reverse transcription‐polymerase chain reaction and Western blots.Results:  The ASODN could remarkably alleviate the scar in the nude mouse model and consistently inhibit type I collagen gene expression at both the mRNA and protein levels.Conclusion:  ASODN was effective in downregulating type I collagen gene expression and could prove to be useful in the treatment of scars.
Dermal contributions to UVA‐induced oxidative stress in skin
Authors: Ou‐Yang Hao , Stamatas Georgios , Kollias Nikiforos 
Published: March 2009

Background: When the skin is exposed to solar irradiation, UVA photons interact with skin tissues and induce excessive reactive oxygen species, resulting in oxidative stress. We have shown in a previous study that in vivo chemiluminescence's measurement can be used to evaluate the overall level of UVA‐induced oxidative stress in human skin. However, the origin of the observed chemiluminescence signals remains unclear.Methods: UVA‐induced chemiluminescence measurements were conducted: (a) in vitro on collagen solutions and solid collagen sheet preparations, (b) ex vivo on human and mouse skin biopsies, and (c) in vivo on human skin of various constitutive pigmentation levels. Fluorescence was measured on collagen in vitro as well as on skin for the in vivo experiments.Results: We found in the in vitro experiments that UVA‐induced chemiluminescence increases with the presence of collagen cross‐links. When dermal sides were exposed to UVA irradiation, both mouse and human skin biopsies demonstrated significantly higher chemiluminescence levels than when epidermal sides were exposed to UVA. The amount of collagen cross‐links decreases slightly following UVA exposure, as shown both by in vivo fluorescence and by UVA‐induced chemiluminescence. Finally, there was less measurable UVA‐induced chemiluminescence in dark skin compared with light pigmented skin in vivo.Conclusions: The dermis is very sensitive to UVA photons. Dermal cross‐links are potential UVA sensitizers. The oxidative stress induced by UVA and measured by chemiluminescence may largely be attributed to the breakdown of dermal collagen cross‐links.
Spectrophotometric intracutaneous analysis as an early non‐invasive predictor of efficacy in the phototherapy of psoriasis
Authors: Novaković Ljubomir , Cotton Symon , Hawk John L. M. 
Published: March 2009

Background: Phototherapy is generally effective for psoriasis but individual responsiveness and optimal treatment duration for disease clearance are unpredictable. However, easy, rapid and non‐invasive plaque assessment by spectrophotometric intracutaneous analysis (SIAscopy), a novel multispectral skin imaging technique, may now make prediction feasible.Objectives: The early prediction of psoriatic plaque clearance during phototherapy by SIAscopy.Methods: Sixteen psoriatic plaques in 10 psoriasis patients were serially assessed SIAscopically during phototherapy for punctate dots representing the dilated papillary dermal blood vessels characteristic of active psoriasis, and the results compared with the clinical findings.Results: All plaques showing full SIAscopic clearance at early follow‐up also showed complete or almost complete clinical clearance, and remained the same thereafter. All showing no SIAscopic clearance at early follow‐up showed at most partial clinical clearance, and also remained the same thereafter. All showing only partial SIAscopic clearance at early follow‐up also showed just partial clinical clearance, but then generally progressed to full SIAscopic and clinical clearance.Conclusions: SIAscopy of psoriatic plaques at early follow‐up during patient phototherapy enables good prediction of likely later clinical clearance, thereby potentially avoiding unnecessary further treatment. A larger confirmatory study is now needed.
Oral vs. bath PUVA using 8‐methoxypsoralen for chronic palmoplantar eczema
Authors: Tzaneva Stanislava , Kittler Harald , Thallinger Christiane , Hönigsmann Herbert , Tanew Adrian 
Published: March 2009

Background: Both oral and bath PUVA with 8‐methoxypsoralen (8‐MOP) have been shown to be effective in the treatment of chronic palmoplantar eczema. However, most studies were retrospective and did not include longer follow‐up periods.Aim: To compare the therapeutic efficacy, tolerability and duration of remission after oral vs. bath PUVA using 8‐MOP in patients with chronic palmoplantar eczema.Methods: Twenty‐nine patients were randomly allocated to treatment with oral or bath PUVA. Treatment was given thrice weekly for a maximum of 20 weeks. The primary outcome measure was the improvement in eczema score at the end of treatment. After clearing patients were followed up until relapse or up to 40 months.Results: Overall, both PUVA modalities appeared comparably effective. However, after stratifying according to eczema type, significant differences in therapeutic outcome in general as well as in response to the two regimes were found. Dyshidrotic eczema responded better to both treatments (P=0.048) and remained longer in remission than hyperkeratotic eczema. Hyperkeratotic eczema cleared significantly better with oral than with bath PUVA (P=0.03).Conclusion: Oral PUVA is preferable for patients with hyperkeratotic eczema and bath PUVA for patients with dyshidrotic eczema.
Augmented heme oxygenase‐1 expression in areca quid chewing‐associated oral submucous fibrosis
Authors: Tsai C‐H , Yang S‐F , Lee S‐S , Chang Y‐C 
Published: March 2009

Objectives:  Heme oxygenase‐1 (HO‐1) is known as a stress‐inducible protein and functions as an antioxidant enzyme. HO‐1 is consistently and dramatically upregulated in a variety of fibrotic diseases. The aim of this study was to compare HO‐1 expression in normal human buccal mucosa and oral submucous fibrosis (OSF) specimens and further explore the potential mechanism that may lead to induce HO‐1 expression.Methods:  Twenty OSF specimens and 10 normal buccal mucosa were examined by immunohistochemistry. The mRNA levels of HO‐1 from fibroblasts cultured from OSF and normal buccal mucosa fibroblasts (BMFs) were evaluated by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. The effect of arecoline, the major areca nut alkaloid, was added to explore the potential mechanism that may lead to induce HO‐1 expression.Results:  Heme oxygenase‐1 expression was significantly higher in OSF specimens (P < 0.05) and expressed mainly by fibroblasts, endothelial cells, and inflammatory cells. OSF demonstrated significantly higher HO‐1 mRNA expression than BMFs (P < 0.05). Arecoline was also found to elevate HO‐1 mRNA and protein expression in a dose‐dependent manner (P < 0.05).Conclusions:  Taken together, the data presented here demonstrated that HO‐1 expression is significantly upregulated in OSF from areca quid chewers, and arecoline may be responsible for the enhanced HO‐1 expression in vivo.
New sequence‐tagged site molecular markers for identification of sex in Distichlis spicata
Authors: EPPLEY SARAH M. , O’QUINN ROBIN , BROWN ANNA L. 
Published: March 2009

AbstractSex‐linked molecular markers have become valuable tools for understanding sex ratio evolution and sex‐specific physiology in pre‐reproductive plants. To develop new accurate methods for sexing Distichlis spicata juveniles and nonflowering individuals, we converted a random amplified polymorphic DNA–polymerase chain reaction marker that co‐segregated with the female phenotype into a set of sequence‐tagged site markers. We tested the marker pair on known males and females from populations in Oregon and California. A single band was obtained for all female samples but never for males.
Nine polymorphic microsatellite loci from the psyllid Cacopsylla pruni (Scopoli), the vector of European stone fruit yellows
Authors: SAUVION NICOLAS , LACHENAUD OLIVIER , MONDOR‐GENSON GWENAELLE , RASPLUS JEAN‐YVES , LABONNE GÉRARD 
Published: March 2009

Abstract Cacopsylla pruni is the vector of European stone fruit yellows, a quarantine disease of Prunus trees. Nine polymorphic microsatellite markers were developed from enriched DNA libraries. Allelic variability was assessed in a collection of 149 females obtained from five localities covering a large geographical area in France. The number of detected alleles ranged from 8 to 37. Within the localities, observed and expected heterozygosities averaged across loci ranged from 0.39 to 0.55, and from 0.68 to 0.81, respectively. A heterozygote deficiency was detected for almost all loci, possibly due to a high null allele frequency. Other possible causes of the homozygote excess (mode of reproduction, inbreeding, assortative mating or Wahlund effect) are discussed. These variable microsatellite loci can provide tools to assess overall genetic variation in this important vector species. They will be used to search for population structure and migration patterns of C. pruni.
In Vivo Activity of the Pyrrolopyrazolyl-Substituted Oxazolidinone RWJ-416457
Authors: Hilliard Jamese J. , Fernandez Jeffrey , Melton John , Macielag Mark J. , Goldschmidt Raul , Bush Karen , Abbanat Darren 
Published: March 2009

ABSTRACTRWJ-416457 is an investigational pyrrolopyrazolyl-substituted oxazolidinone with activity against antibiotic-susceptible and -resistant gram-positive pathogens. Efficacies of RWJ-416457, linezolid, and vancomycin against methicillin-susceptibleStaphylococcus aureus(MSSA) and community-associated methicillin-resistantS. aureus(CA-MRSA) in murine skin and systemic infections were compared, as were efficacies againstStreptococcus pneumoniaein a lower respiratory infection. In staphylococcal systemic infections, RWJ-416457 was equipotent with to twofold more potent than linezolid, with 50% effective dose values ranging from 1.5 to 5 mg/kg of body weight/day. RWJ-416457 was two- to fourfold less potent than vancomycin against MSSA but up to fourfold more potent than vancomycin against CA-MRSA. In MSSA and CA-MRSA skin infections, RWJ-416457 demonstrated an efficacy similar to that of linezolid, reducing CFU/g skin approximately 1.0 log10at all doses tested; vancomycin yielded greater reductions than the oxazolidinones, with decreases in CFU/g skin of 3 log10(MSSA) and 2 log10(CA-MRSA). In the pneumococcal model, RWJ-416457 was two- to fourfold more potent than linezolid. The free-drug area under the concentration-time curves at 24 h (fAUC24) were similar for RWJ-416457 and linezolid. The half-life of RWJ-416457 was up to threefold longer than that of linezolid for all routes of administration. ThefAUC24/MIC ratio, the pharmacodynamic parameter considered predictive of oxazolidinone efficacy, was approximately twofold greater for RWJ-416457 than for linezolid. Since thefAUC values were similar for both compounds, the higherfAUC/MIC ratios of RWJ-416457 appear to result from its greater in vitro potency. These results demonstrate that RWJ-416457 is a promising new oxazolidinone with efficacy inS. aureusorS. pneumoniaemouse infection models.
Bactericidal Activity of the Combination of Levofloxacin with Rifampin in Experimental Prosthetic Knee Infection in Rabbits Due to Methicillin-Susceptible
Staphylococcus aureus
Authors: Muller-Serieys Claudette , Saleh Mghir Azzam , Massias Laurent , Fantin Bruno 
Published: March 2009

ABSTRACT

The combination of levofloxacin and rifampin has been recommended for the treatment of staphylococcal prosthetic infection. In a rabbit model of prosthetic knee infection due to a susceptible clinical strain of
Staphylococcus aureus
, the combination of levofloxacin and rifampin was bactericidal, significantly reduced bacterial titers in bone compared with levels for rifampin and controls (
P
< 0.05), sterilized 6 of 12 animals, and prevented the selection of resistant mutants that was observed with rifampin alone, validating clinical recommendations.
In Vivo and In Vitro Patterns of the Activity of Simocyclinone D8, an Angucyclinone Antibiotic from
Streptomyces antibioticus
Authors: Oppegard Lisa M. , Hamann Bree L. , Streck Kathryn R. , Ellis Keith C. , Fiedler Hans-Peter , Khodursky Arkady B. , Hiasa Hiroshi 
Published: March 2009

ABSTRACT

Simocyclinone D8 (SD8) exhibits antibiotic activity against gram-positive bacteria but not against gram-negative bacteria. The molecular basis of the cytotoxicity of SD8 is not fully understood, although SD8 has been shown to inhibit the supercoiling activity of
Escherichia coli
gyrase. To understand the mechanism of SD8, we have employed biochemical assays to directly measure the sensitivities of
E
.
coli
and
Staphylococcus aureus
type II topoisomerases to SD8 and microarray analysis to monitor the cellular responses to SD8 treatment. SD8 is a potent inhibitor of either
E
.
coli
or
S
.
aureus
gyrase. In contrast, SD8 exhibits only a moderate inhibitory effect on
S
.
aureus
topoisomerase IV, and
E
.
coli
topoisomerase IV is virtually insensitive to SD8. The antimicrobial effect of SD8 against
E
.
coli
has become evident in the absence of the AcrB multidrug efflux pump. As expected, SD8 treatment exhibits the signature responses to the loss of supercoiling activity in
E
.
coli
: upregulation of gyrase genes and downregulation of the topoisomerase I gene. Unlike quinolone treatment, however, SD8 treatment does not induce the SOS response. These results suggest that DNA gyrase is the target of SD8 in both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria and that the lack of the antibacterial effect against gram-negative bacteria is due, in part, to the activity of the AcrB efflux pump.