bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Metastatic esophageal carcinoma masquerading as inflammatory breast carcinoma
Authors: Nebesio Christy L. , Goulet Robert J. , Helft Paul R. , Billings Steven D. 
Published: October 2006

A 50‐year‐old Caucasian woman with a history of esophageal adenocarcinoma presented with a 3‐week history of right breast swelling and progressive erythema. Twenty‐two months prior to presentation, she had been diagnosed with adenocarcinoma of the esophagus (T3,N1,M1a) and underwent neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy followed by surgical resection.On physical examination, the right breast was red, swollen (40% larger than the contralateral breast), tender to palpation, and warm to the touch (Fig. 1). No mass was palpable. On the basis of the clinical findings, inflammatory breast carcinoma was suspected. A punch biopsy revealed a poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma with extensive involvement of dermal lymphatics (Fig. 2). The clinical and histologic differential diagnosis included inflammatory breast carcinoma vs. metastatic esophageal adenocarcinoma to the skin of the breast.The affected breast resembled inflammatory breast carcinoma with erythema and prominent edema. The edema resulted in partial inversion of the nippleimageWithin the reticular dermis and dermal lymphatics, there was a poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma. Many of the tumor cells had a signet ring morphology (hematoxylin and eosin, ×200)imageTo resolve this question, immunohistochemical stains for estrogen and progesterone receptors and CDX‐2 (BioGenex, San Ramon, CA, USA) were performed. CDX‐2 is an intestinal homeobox gene expressed in gastrointestinal epithelium and gastrointestinal tumors. The tumor nuclei were positive for CDX‐2 but negative for both steroid receptors (Fig. 3), confirming the diagnosis of metastatic esophageal adenocarcinoma.The tumor cells had strong nuclear immunoreactivity for CDX‐2 (CDX‐2 immunohistochemical stain, ×400)image
The role of cyclic‐AMP on arginase activity by a murine macrophage cell line (RAW264.7) stimulated with lipopolysaccharide from Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans
Authors: Sosroseno W. , Musa M. , Ravichandran M. , Fikri Ibrahim M. , Bird P. S. , Seymour G. J. 
Published: October 2006

Aims:  The aim of the present study was to determine the role of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) on arginase activity in a murine macrophage cell line (RAW264.7 cells) stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) from Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans.Materials and methods:  The cells were treated with A. actinomycetemcomitans LPS for 24 h. The effects of SQ22536 (an adenylyl cyclase inhibitor), ODQ (a guanylyl cyclase inhibitor), dibutyryl cAMP (a cAMP analog), 8‐bromo cyclic guanosine monophosphate (a cGMP analog), forskolin (an adenylyl cylase activator), and cycloheximide (a protein synthesis inhibitor) on arginase activity in A. actinomycetemcomitans LPS‐stimulated RAW264.7 cells were also determined. Arginase activity was assessed in LPS‐stimulated cells in the presence of 3‐isobutyl‐1‐methylxanthine (IBMX), siguazodan and rolipram [phosphodiesterase (PDE) inhibitors] as well as KT5720 [a protein kinase A (PKA) inhibitor].Results:  Arginase activity in A. actinomycetemcomitans LPS‐stimulated RAW264.7 cells was suppressed by SQ22536 but not ODQ. Enhancement of arginase activity was observed in the presence of cAMP analog or forskolin but not cGMP analog. Cycloheximide blocked arginase activity in the cells in the presence of cAMP analog or forskolin with or without A. actinomycetemcomitans LPS. IBMX augmented arginase activity in A. actinomycetemcomitans LPS‐stimulated cells. Rolipram (a PDE4 inhibitor) increased the levels of arginase activity higher than siguazodan (a PDE3 inhibitor) in the antigen‐stimulated cells. The effect of cAMP analog or forskolin on arginase activity in the presence or absence of A. actinomycetemcomitans LPS was blocked by the PKA inhibitor (KT5720).Conclusion:  The results of the present study suggest that A. actinomycetemcomitans LPS may stimulate arginase activity in murine macrophages (RAW264.7 cells) in a cAMP‐PKA‐dependent pathway.
Serotype‐specific polysaccharide of Streptococcus mutans contributes to infectivity in endocarditis
Authors: Nagata E. , Okayama H. , Ito H.‐O. , Yamashita Y. , Inoue M. , Oho T. 
Published: October 2006

Streptococcus mutans and other viridans streptococci have been implicated as major etiological agents of infective endocarditis. The serotype‐specific rhamnose‐glucose polysaccharide (RGP) of S. mutans has several biological functions that appear to be essential for the induction of infective endocarditis. The aim of this study was to examine the contribution of RGP to the infectivity of S. mutans in infective endocarditis using a rat model. The RGP‐defective mutant of S. mutans showed reduced ability to induce infective endocarditis compared to the parental strain. The ability of S. mutans to induce infective endocarditis was not consistent with the binding capacity of the organism to extracellular matrix proteins. The results suggest that S. mutans containing whole RGP is more virulent than the RGP‐defective mutant, and the RGP has an important role for the induction of infective endocarditis by S. mutans.
Xenotransplantation – ethics and regulation
Authors: Ellison Tracy 
Published: October 2006

Abstract:  Healthcare workers, researchers, and policy makers find themselves in challenging times, being required to make (often prompt) decisions in the face of novel ethical dilemmas. Moral theory may assist with decision‐making in complex areas of medicine such as the xenotransplantation of insulin‐producing cells to reverse diabetes. Moral theory attempts to capture intuitions about whether an action is right or wrong and it may gives us a deeper understanding of moral claims as it gives us an account as to why an action is good or bad. We may opt to choose different ethical frameworks such as consequentialism, principlism or a duty‐based approach, to assist with deciding a certain action in a particular scenario. The xenotransplantation of porcine insulin‐producing cells is a potential solution to the shortage of human tissue. It is crucial for the advancement of xenotransplantation that the benefits to society outweigh the risks and whilst there is enormous potential to assist mankind, there are unique bioethical challenges and dilemmas.New treatment strategies should be regulated appropriately to minimize risks to patients, their relatives and the wider community. There are specific regulations (such as those developed by the FDA) that provide a robust framework for the safe implementation of xenotransplantation and more generally applicable ones such as the Declaration of Helsinki. Xenotransplantation is either morally acceptable or not to an individual. Patients must ultimately decide as to whether they would accept a certain form of treatment or not, a decision which would take into account their religious beliefs and categorical objections. There is no point in developing a treatment option unless there is good patient support. To that end, a study was conducted to ascertain the acceptance of tissue from different animal sources, by diabetic patients in England and Australia. Interviews were conducted to ensure that patients’ views were reflected in their answers. There were 316 English and 195 Australian questionnaire respondents and the vast majority would accept human (85%, 94%), porcine (68%, 85%) or non‐human primate (67%, 82%) tissue, respectively. This study suggests that a large proportion of diabetic patients may accept a xenotransplantation product.
Prevalence of Genes Encoding Exfoliative Toxins among Staphylococcus hyicus Isolated in Russia and Germany
Authors: Kanbar T. , Voytenko A. V. , Alber J. , Lämmler C. , Weiss R. , Zschöck M. , Shilov I. A. , Dmitrenko O. A. , Gintsburg A. L. 
Published: October 2006

SummaryIn the present study, previously characterized Staphylococcus hyicus isolated in Russia (n = 23) and Germany (n = 17) were investigated for the prevalence of the exfoliative toxin encoding genes exhA, exhB, exhC and exhD by multiplex PCR resulting in the detection of exhD positive strains among the S. hyicus isolated from pigs with exudative epidermitis in Russia and the detection of exhC and exhD for one and two strains isolated from exudative epidermitis in Germany respectively. The toxin gene negative strains were generally isolated from apparently healthy pigs, from other animals and from specimens where the relation between the isolation of S. hyicus and the clinical symptoms remained unclear. Partial sequencing of the toxin genes of selected exhC and exhD positive strains and comparing the sequencing results with sequences of exhC and exhD reference strains revealed an almost complete identity. The results of the present study were in agreement with the findings of Andresen and Ahrens (J. Appl. Microbiol., 96, 2004, 1265) and Andresen (J. Vet. Rec., 157, 2005, 376) that the presented multiplex PCR could be used to investigate S. hyicus for toxinogenic potential and that there is an association between the presence of toxin genes in S. hyicus strains from exudative epidermitis. However, comparable with the S. hyicus strains isolated in Germany which were investigated previously by Andresen (J. Vet. Rec., 157, 2005, 376), exhD seems to predominate in S. hyicus strains from Russia.
Abundant distribution of TARP γ‐8 in synaptic and extrasynaptic surface of hippocampal neurons and its major role in AMPA receptor expression on spines and dendrites
Authors: Fukaya Masahiro , Tsujita Mika , Yamazaki Maya , Kushiya Etsuko , Abe Manabu , Akashi Kaori , Natsume Rie , Kano Masanobu , Kamiya Haruyuki , Watanabe Masahiko , Sakimura Kenji 
Published: October 2006

AbstractTransmembrane α‐amino‐3‐hydroxyl‐5‐isoxazolepropionate (AMPA) receptor regulatory proteins (TARPs) play pivotal roles in AMPA receptor trafficking and gating. Here we examined cellular and subcellular distribution of TARP γ‐8 in the mouse brain. Immunoblot and immunofluorescence revealed the highest concentration of γ‐8 in the hippocampus. Immunogold electron microscopy demonstrated dense distribution of γ‐8 on the synaptic and extrasynaptic surface of hippocampal neurons with very low intracellular labeling. Of the neuronal surface, γ‐8 was distributed at the highest level on asymmetrical synapses of pyramidal cells and interneurons, whereas their symmetrical synapses selectively lacked immunogold labeling. Then, the role of γ‐8 in AMPA receptor expression was pursued in the hippocampus using mutant mice defective in theγ‐8gene. In the mutant cornu ammonis (CA)1 region, synaptic and extrasynaptic AMPA receptors on dendrites and spines were severely reduced to 35–37% of control levels, whereas reduction was mild for extrasynaptic receptors on somata (74%) and no significant decrease was seen for intracellular receptors within spines. In the mutant CA3 region, synaptic AMPA receptors were reduced mildly at asymmetrical synapses in the stratum radiatum (67% of control level), and showed no significant decrease at mossy fiber–CA3 synapses. Therefore, γ‐8 is abundantly distributed on hippocampal excitatory synapses and extrasynaptic membranes, and plays an important role in increasing the number of synaptic and extrasynaptic AMPA receptors on dendrites and spines, particularly, in the CA1 region. Variable degrees of reduction further suggest that other TARPs may also mediate this function at different potencies depending on hippocampal subregions, input sources and neuronal compartments.
Improved outcome of facial nerve repair in rats is associated with enhanced regenerative response of motoneurons and augmented neocortical plasticity
Authors: Peeva Gergana P. , Angelova Srebrina K. , Guntinas‐Lichius Orlando , Streppel Michael , Irintchev Andrey , Schütz Ulrich , Popratiloff Anastas , Savaskan Nicolai E. , Bräuer Anja U. , Alvanou Athanasia , Nitsch Robert , Angelov Doychin N. 
Published: October 2006

AbstractWithin a recent study on the vibrissae motor performance after facial nerve repair in strains of blind (SD/RCS) and sighted (SD) rats we found that, despite persisting myotopic disorganization in the facial nucleus, the blind animals fully restored vibrissal whisking. Here we searched for morphological substrates of better recovery in the regenerating motoneurons and in the cerebral motor cortex. Expression analyses of the neurite growth‐related proteins f‐actin, neuronal class III β‐tubulin and plasticity‐related gene‐1, and stereological estimates of growth cone densities revealed a more vigorous regenerative response in the proximal nerve stump of blind SD/RCS rats compared with SD animals at 5–7 days after buccal nerve transection. Using c‐Fos immunoreactivity as a marker for neuronal activation, we found that the volume of the cortex acutely responding to nerve transection (facial muscles reactive volume, FMRV) in both hemispheres of intact sighted rats was twofold smaller than that measured in blind animals. One month after transection and suture of the right facial nerve (FFA) we found a twofold increase in the FMRV in both rat strains compared with intact animals. The FMRV in SD/RCS animals, but not in SD rats, returned to the values in intact rats 2 months after FFA. Our findings suggest that enhanced plasticity in the CNS and an augmented regenerative response of the injured motoneurons contribute to better functional recovery in blind rats.
Novel Drosophila two‐pore domain K+ channels: rescue of channel function by heteromeric assembly
Authors: Döring Frank , Scholz Henrike , Kühnlein Ronald P. , Karschin Andreas , Wischmeyer Erhard 
Published: October 2006

AbstractTen genes with essential structural features of two‐pore domain potassium channels were identified in the genome of Drosophila melanogaster. Two Drosophila two‐pore domain potassium subunits displayed substantial amino acid similarity to human TWIK‐related acid‐sensitive K+ (TASK) channels (38–43%), whereas all others were less than 26% similar to any human homolog. The cDNAs of Drosophila TASK (dTASK)‐6 and dTASK‐7 channels were isolated from adult fruit flies. In Northern blots dTASK transcripts were found predominantly in the head fraction of adult flies and whole‐mount brain in situ hybridizations showed strongly overlapping expression patterns of both dTASK isoforms in the antennal lobes. When heterologously expressed in Drosophila Schneider 2 cells, dTASK‐6 gave rise to rapidly activating K+‐selective currents that steeply depended on external pH. Structural elements in the extracellular M1–P1 loop of dTASK‐6 were found to be involved in proton sensation. In contrast to mammalian TASK channels, the pH sensitivity was independent of extracellular histidines adjacent to the GYG selectivity filter (His98). As revealed by mutational analysis, functional expression of dTASK‐7 was prevented by two nonconserved amino acids (Ala92‐Met93) in the pore domain. When these two residues were replaced by conserved Thr92‐Thr93, typical K+‐selective leak currents were generated that were insensitive to changes in external pH. Nonfunctional wildtype dTASK‐7 channels appeared to form heteromeric assemblies with dTASK‐6. Following cotransfection of dTASK‐6 and wildtype dTASK‐7 (or when engineered as concatemers), K+ currents were observed that were smaller in amplitude, harbored slower activation kinetics and were considerably less inhibited by local anesthetics as compared with dTASK‐6. Thus, pore‐loop residues in dTASK‐7 changed functional and pharmacological properties in heteromeric dTASK channels.
Leptin induces cyclooxygenase‐2 via an interaction with interleukin‐1β in the rat brain
Authors: Inoue Wataru , Poole Stephan , Bristow Adrian F. , Luheshi Giamal N. 
Published: October 2006

AbstractIn addition to its central effects on appetite regulation, leptin has been implicated in immune function and inflammation. Previous data suggested that leptin acts as an inflammatory signal within the brain, as exogenously administered leptin induced fever, a typical brain‐regulated inflammatory response. The present study aimed to delineate the inflammatory actions and cellular targets of leptin in the brain by examining its effects on the expression of interleukin (IL)‐1β and cyclooxygenase (COX)‐2, two important inflammatory components of the fever response. Intracerebroventricular injection of leptin (5 µg/rat) induced IL‐1β and COX‐2 mRNA and protein in the hypothalamus between 1 and 3 h after treatment as determined by reverse transcription‐polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry. Coinjection of IL‐1 receptor antagonist (100 µg/rat, intracerebroventricular) attenuated leptin‐induced COX‐2, whereas IL‐1 receptor antagonist had no effect on endogenous IL‐1β levels, suggesting that leptin induces COX‐2 via, at least partly, IL‐1β action. IL‐1β protein expression was induced in macrophages in the meningis and perivascular space after leptin treatment, whereas COX‐2 induction was observed in endothelial cells, indicating the roles for these non‐neuronal cells in mediating inflammatory actions of leptin. In addition, neutralization of endogenous circulating leptin with anti‐leptin antiserum attenuated intraperitoneal lipopolysaccharide (100 µg/kg)‐induced brain IL‐1β and COX‐2 upregulation, suggesting that leptin indeed acts as an inflammatory signal to the brain during systemic inflammation. These findings are in contrast to the effects of leptin on appetite regulation where it is believed to act primarily on neurons, thus presenting a distinct anatomical basis for the inflammatory and appetite regulatory actions of leptin in the brain.
Comparison of seizure phenotype and neurodegeneration induced by systemic kainic acid in inbred, outbred, and hybrid mouse strains
Authors: McLin Jessica Pilar , Steward Oswald 
Published: October 2006

AbstractWe assessed inbred, outbred and hybrid mouse strains for susceptibility to seizures and neurodegeneration induced by systemic administration of kainic acid (KA). Each strain showed a unique pattern of susceptibility to seizures as assessed by the dose necessary to induce continuous tonic clonic seizures, progression through six seizure levels, the number of mice that failed to satisfy seizure criteria, and seizure‐induced mortality. In general, the C57BL/6, ICR, FVB/N, and BALB/c strains were resistant to seizures while the C57BL/10, DBA/2 J, and F1 C57BL/6*CBA/J strains were vulnerable. Neuronal cell death was quantified in four subfields of the hippocampus: CA3, the hilus of the dentate gyrus, CA1, and the dentate granule cell layer. Neurodegeneration was also semiquantitatively assessed in other brain regions including the neocortex, striatum, thalamus, hypothalamus and amygdala. Although there was variability in the extent of cell death within strains, there were significant differences in the amount of hippocampal cell death between strains and also different patterns of neurodegeneration in affected brain areas. In general, the C57BL/6, C57BL/10, and F1 C57BL/6*CBA/J strains were resistant to neurodegeneration while the FVB/N, ICR and DBA/2 J strains were vulnerable. The BALB/c strain was unique in that neurodegeneration was confined to the hippocampus. Consistent with previous findings, the resistant neurodegeneration phenotype was dominant in an F1 cross of resistant and vulnerable inbred strains. Our results, using a large number of mouse strains, definitively demonstrate that a mouse strain's seizure phenotype is not related to its neurodegeneration phenotype.
Pattern motion selectivity in population responses of area 18
Authors: Schmidt Kerstin E. , Castelo‐Branco Miguel , Goebel Rainer , Payne Bertram R. , Lomber Stephen G. , Galuske Ralf A. W. 
Published: October 2006

AbstractIt is commonly believed that the complexity of visual stimuli represented by individual neurons increases towards higher cortical areas. However, even in early visual areas an individual neuron's response is influenced by stimuli presented outside its classical receptive field. Thus, it has been proven difficult to characterize the coding of complex stimuli at the level of single neurons. We therefore investigated population responses using optical imaging in cat area 18 to complex stimuli, plaids. Plaid stimuli are composed of two superimposed gratings moving in different directions. They may be perceived as either two separate surfaces or as a global pattern moving in intermediate direction to the components' direction of motion. We found that in addition to activity maps representing the individual components' motion, plaid stimuli produced activity distributions matching the predictions from a pattern‐motion model in central area 18. Thereby, relative component‐ and pattern‐like modulations followed the degree of psychophysical pattern bias in the stimulus. Thus, our results strongly indicate that area 18 exhibits a substantial response to pattern‐motion signals at the population level suggesting the presence of intrinsic or extrinsic mechanisms that allow for integration of motion responses from far outside the classical receptive field.
Altered processing of corollary discharge in thalamic lesion patients
Authors: Bellebaum Christian , Hoffmann Klaus‐Peter , Koch Benno , Schwarz Michael , Daum Irene 
Published: October 2006

AbstractAccumulating evidence suggests that thalamic nuclei relay corollary discharge information of saccadic eye movements, enabling the visual system to update the representation of visual space. The present study aimed to explore the effect of thalamic lesions in humans on updating‐related cortical processing. Event‐related potentials were recorded while four patients with impairments in using corollary discharge information and 12 healthy control subjects performed a saccadic double‐step task. In the experimental condition, which required the use of corollary discharge information, control subjects showed a pronounced positivity over the parietal cortex starting about 150 ms after first saccade onset, reflecting the updating process. In the patients, parietal processing related to updating was altered. Three patients showed evidence of reduced updating event‐related potential effects, consistent with a unilateral deficit in using corollary discharge information. In two patients, the event‐related potential topography differed significantly from the topography pattern observed in controls. Thalamic damage affects updating‐related processing, presumably due to insufficient transfer of saccade‐related information to parietal areas. This study thus provides further evidence for thalamic involvement in relaying corollary discharge information related to saccadic eye movements. Our data suggest that integration of corollary discharge and motor information occurs directly before the second saccade in a double‐step task.
Subthalamic nucleus lesions increase impulsive action and decrease impulsive choice − mediation by enhanced incentive motivation?
Authors: Uslaner Jason M. , Robinson Terry E. 
Published: October 2006

AbstractThe subthalamic nucleus (STN) is traditionally thought of as part of a system involved in motor control but recent evidence suggests that it may also play a role in other psychological processes. Here we examined the effects of STN lesions on two measures of impulsivity and found that STN lesions increased ‘impulsive action’ (produced behavioral disinhibition), as measured by performance on a differential reinforcement of low rates of responding task, but decreased ‘impulsive choice’ (impulsive decision making), as measured by a delay discounting task. In addition, amphetamine and food restriction increased ‘impulsive action’ and decreased ‘impulsive choice’ to a greater extent in STN‐lesioned animals than in sham controls. We speculate that these apparently discrepant effects may be because STN lesions enhance the incentive salience assigned to rewards. These findings suggest that the STN may serve as a novel target for the treatment of psychological disorders characterized by deficits in behavioral control, such as drug addiction and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.