bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The alteration of enterochromaffin cell, mast cell, and lamina propria T lymphocyte numbers in irritable bowel syndrome and its relationship with psychological factors
Authors: Lee Kwang Jae , Kim Yeong Bae , Kim Jang Hee , Kwon Hoek Chun , Kim Dong Kyu , Cho Sung Won 
Published: September 2008

AbstractBackground/Aims:  Psychological factors and subtle histopathological changes have been implicated in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). The aims of the present study were to investigate whether the numbers of enterochromaffin (EC) cells, mast cells, and lamina propria T lymphocytes are altered in IBS, and evaluate the relationship of such alterations with psychological factors.Methods:  Forty‐two consecutive IBS patients (M : F = 17:25, mean age 48 years) fulfilling the Rome III criteria and twelve asymptomatic healthy controls underwent rectal biopsy. Immunostaining was performed for EC cells, mast cells, and lamina propria T lymphocytes.Results:  The IBS group included five post‐infectious (PI) IBS and 37 non‐PI IBS patients. Significantly more EC cells, mast cells and lamina propria T lymphocytes were observed in PI IBS patients. Mast cells significantly increased in non‐PI IBS‐D (diarrhea) patients, but not in non‐PI IBS‐C (constipation) and non‐PI IBS‐M (mixed) patients. Enterochromaffin cell numbers were not significantly altered in non‐PI IBS patients. Anxiety and depression scores did not differ between IBS patients with and without abnormal increase in EC cell or mast cell counts, defined as more than the mean of controls + 2 standard deviations. Enterochromaffin cell, mast cell, or lamina propria T lymphocyte numbers were poorly correlated with anxiety and depression scores in the IBS group.Conclusions:  Enterochromaffin cells, mast cells, and lamina propria T lymphocytes significantly increase in PI IBS, whereas only mast cells significantly increase in non‐PI IBS‐D. Such histopathological changes do not seem to be directly associated with psychological factors.
Perindopril attenuates tubular hypoxia and inflammation in an experimental model of diabetic nephropathy in transgenic Ren‐2 rats
Authors: WIGGINS KATHRYN J , TIAUW VICTORIA , ZHANG YUAN , GILBERT RICHARD E , LANGHAM ROBYN G , KELLY DARREN J 
Published: September 2008

SUMMARY:Background:  Renal hypoxia plays a role in the development of diabetic nephropathy, and may be mediated by overactivity of the renin‐angiotensin‐aldosterone system (RAAS). In this study the localization of cellular hypoxia in an experimental model of diabetic nephropathy was assessed, and the effect of the angiotensin‐converting enzyme inhibitor perindopril on hypoxia evaluated.Methods:  Female Sprague–Dawley rats heterozygous for the Ren‐2 gene were randomized to three groups (n = 8 per group) – controls, diabetes or diabetes + perindopril. Diabetes was induced by injection of streptozotocin at 6 weeks of age. Perindopril was administered at a dose of 2 mg/kg daily from 6 weeks. Subjects were culled after 16 weeks. Areas of tissue hypoxia were localized using immunohistochemistry to detect pimonidazole uptake.Results:  Diabetic rat kidneys were characterized by increases in tubulointerstitial collagen deposition compared with controls. Tubular hypoxia was significantly greater in diabetic rats, indicated by a 2.5‐fold increase in the proportional area of pimonidazole immunostaining (P < 0.001). Immunohistochemical staining for pimonidazole co‐localized with osteopontin, and was associated with higher numbers of ED‐1‐positive cells (macrophages) within the tubulointerstitium. Treatment with perindopril ameliorated structural changes of diabetic nephropathy and reduced the amount of pimonidazole and ED‐1 immunostaining to levels similar to that of controls.Conclusion:  In diabetic Ren‐2 rats the development of diabetic nephropathy was associated with tubular hypoxia. Co‐localization of osteopontin with hypoxic cells suggests that tubular hypoxia may be involved in the pathogenesis of diabetic nephropathy. The degree of hypoxia and fibrosis was attenuated by treatment with perindopril.
Corticospinal inhibition of transmission in propriospinal‐like neurones during human walking
Authors: Iglesias Caroline , Nielsen Jens Bo , Marchand‐Pauvert Véronique 
Published: September 2008

AbstractIt is crucial for human walking that muscles acting at different joints are optimally coordinated in relation to each other. This is ensured by interaction between spinal neuronal networks, sensory feedback and supraspinal control. Here we investigated the cortical control of spinal excitation from ankle dorsiflexor afferents to quadriceps motoneurones mediated by propriospinal‐like interneurones. During walking and tonic contraction of ankle dorsiflexors and knee extensors while standing [at matched electromyography (EMG) levels], the effect of common peroneal nerve (CPN) stimulation on quadriceps motoneurones was tested by assessing averaged and rectified EMG activity, H‐reflexes [evoked by femoral nerve (FN) stimulation] and motor evoked potentials (MEPs) produced by transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). The biphasic EMG facilitation (CPQ‐reflex) produced by isolated CPN stimulation was enhanced during walking, and when CPN stimulation was combined with FN or TMS, the resulting H‐reflexes and MEPs were inhibited. The CPQ‐reflex was also depressed when CPN stimulation was combined with subthreshold TMS. The peripheral (in CPN and FN) and corticospinal volleys may activate inhibitory non‐reciprocal group I interneurones, masking spinal excitations to quadriceps motoneurones mediated by propriospinal‐like interneurones. It is proposed that the enhanced CPQ‐reflex produced by isolated CPN stimulation during walking cannot be fully explained by an increase in corticospinal and peripheral inputs, but is more likely caused by central facilitation of the propriospinal‐like interneurones from other sources. The corticospinal control of non‐reciprocal group I interneurones may be of importance for reducing reflex activity between ankle dorsiflexors and quadriceps during walking when not functionally relevant.
Opening of the blood–brain barrier during isoflurane anaesthesia
Authors: Tétrault Samuel , Chever Oana , Sik Attila , Amzica Florin 
Published: September 2008

AbstractIn order to produce its desired effect, anaesthesia acts upon neuronal elements by modifying membrane conductances and transmitter interactions. The effect of higher doses of isoflurane, widely used in clinical settings, on the permeability of the blood–brain barrier (BBB) is meanwhile ignored. In this study we investigated the integrity of the BBB during various levels of isoflurane anaesthesia (1% and 3%) in cats by monitoring the extravasation of Evans blue. Simultaneously we measured the electroencephalogram (EEG), with particular emphasis on its direct current (DC) component. High doses of anaesthetic (3%) broke down the BBB in the cortex and thalamus, while milder doses (1%) only opened the BBB in the thalamus. The fluorescent signal of Evans blue was visible over an extravascular length of 23 μm in the cortex and 25 μm in the thalamus, similar to the diffusion of the same dye when the BBB was disrupted with mannitol. The opening of the BBB was associated with (i) a positive DC shift in the EEG measured on the scalp and (ii) an evaluated increase in cerebral volume of 2–2.8%. The opening of the BBB by high doses of isoflurane brings into discussion hitherto unexplored effects of anaesthesia on the brain. The electrophysiological correlate provided by the DC component of the EEG constitutes a promising option for the assessment of the BBB integrity during human anaesthesia.
Mechanisms of platelet‐derived growth factor‐mediated neuroprotection – implications in HIV dementia
Authors: Peng Fuwang , Dhillon Navneet K. , Yao Honghong , Zhu Xuhui , Williams Rachel , Buch Shilpa 
Published: September 2008

AbstractPlatelet‐derived growth factor (PDGF) has been implicated in promoting survival and proliferation of immature neurons, and even protecting neurons from gp120‐induced cytotoxicity. However, the mechanisms involved in neuroprotection are not well understood. In the present study we demonstrate the role of phosphatidylinositol 3‐kinase (PI3K)/Akt signaling in PDGF‐mediated neuroprotection. Pharmacological inhibition of PI3K greatly reduced the ability of PDGF‐BB to block gp120 IIIB‐mediated apoptosis and cell death in human neuroblastoma cells. The role of Akt in PDGF‐mediated protection was further corroborated using a dominant‐negative mutant of Akt, which was able to block the protective effect of PDGF. We next sequentially examined the signals downstream of Akt in PDGF‐mediated protection in human neuroblastoma cells. In cells pretreated with PDGF prior to gp120 there was increased phosphorylation of both GSK‐3β and Bad, an effect that was inhibited by PI3‐kinase inhibitor. Nuclear translocation of NF‐κB, which lies downstream of GSK‐3β, however, remained unaffected in cells treated with PDGF. In addition to inducing phosphorylation of Bad, PDGF‐mediated protection also involved down‐regulation of the proapoptotic protein Bax. Furthermore, PDGF‐mediated protection also involved the inhibition of gp120‐induced release of mitochondrial cytochrome C. Our findings thus underscore the roles of both PI3K/Akt and Bcl family pathways in PDGF‐mediated neuroprotection.
C1 neurons in the rat rostral ventrolateral medulla differentially express vesicular monoamine transporter 2 in soma and axonal compartments
Authors: Sevigny C. P. , Bassi J. , Teschemacher A. G. , Kim K. S. , Williams D. A. , Anderson C. R. , Allen A. M. 
Published: September 2008

AbstractVesicular monoamine transporter 2 (VMAT2) packages biogenic amines into large dense core and synaptic vesicles for either somatodendritic or synaptic release from neurons of the CNS. Whilst the distribution of VMAT2 has been well characterized in many catecholaminergic cell groups, its localization amongst C1 adrenergic neurons in the medulla has not been examined in detail. Within the rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM), C1 neurons are a group of barosensitive, adrenergic neurons. Rostral C1 cells project to the thoracic spinal cord and are considered sympathetic premotor neurons. The majority of caudal C1 cells project rostrally to regions such as the hypothalamus. The present study sought to quantitate the somatodendritic expression of VMAT2 in C1 neurons, and to assess the subcellular distribution of the transporter. Immunoreactivity for VMAT2 occurred in 31% of C1 soma, with a high proportion of these in the caudal part of the RVLM. Retrograde tracing studies revealed that only two of 43 bulbospinal C1 neurons contained faint VMAT2‐immunoreactivity, whilst 88 ± 5% of rostrally projecting neurons were VMAT2‐positive. A lentivirus, designed to express green fluorescent protein exclusively in noradrenergic and adrenergic neurons, was injected into the RVLM to label C1 neurons. Eighty‐three percent of C1 efferents that occurred in close proximity to sympathetic preganglionic neurons within the T3intermediolateral cell column contained VMAT2‐immunoreactivity. These data demonstrate differential distribution of VMAT2 within different subpopulations of C1 neurons and suggest that this might reflect differences in somatodendritic vs. synaptic release of catecholamines.
Orexin (hypocretin) gene transfer diminishes narcoleptic sleep behavior in mice
Authors: Liu Meng , Thankachan Stephen , Kaur Satvinder , Begum Suraiya , Blanco‐Centurion Carlos , Sakurai Takeshi , Yanagisawa Masashi , Neve Rachael , Shiromani Priyattam J. 
Published: September 2008

AbstractGene transfer has proven to be an effective neurobiological tool in a number of neurodegenerative diseases, but it is not known if it can correct a sleep disorder. Narcolepsy is a neurodegenerative sleep disorder linked to the loss of neurons containing the neuropeptide orexin, also known as hypocretin. Here, a replication‐defective herpes simplex virus‐1 amplicon‐based vector was constructed to transfer the gene for mouse prepro‐orexin into mice with a genetic deletion of the orexin gene. After in vitro tests confirmed successful gene transfer into cells, the gene vector was delivered to the lateral hypothalamus of orexin knockout (KO) mice where the orexin peptide was robustly expressed in the somata and processes of numerous neurons, and the peptide product was detected in the cerebrospinal fluid. During the 4‐day life‐span of the vector the incidence of cataplexy declined by 60%, and the levels of rapid eye movement sleep during the second half of the night were similar to levels in wild‐type mice, indicating that narcoleptic sleep–wake behavior in orexin KO mice can be improved by targeted gene transfer.
The Stress‐Buffering Effects of Control on Task Satisfaction and Perceived Goal Attainment: An Experimental Study of the Moderating Influence of Desire for Control
Authors: Parker Stacey L. , Jimmieson Nerina L. , Amiot Catherine E. 
Published: September 2008

The purpose of the present study was to examine the extent to which Desire for Control (DFC) interacts with experimental manipulations of demand and control, and the consequences of these interactions on task satisfaction and perceived goal attainment (i.e. task performance and task mastery). It was expected that the proposed stress‐buffering effects of control would be evident only for individuals high in DFC. Moreover, it was anticipated that control may have a stress‐exacerbating effect for those low in DFC. These hypotheses were tested on a sample of 137 first year psychology students who participated in an in‐basket activity under low and high conditions of demand and control. Results revealed that the proposed stress‐buffering effect of control was found only for those high in DFC and a stress‐exacerbating effect of increased control was evident for those low in DFC on task performance and task mastery perceptions. Future research directions and the implications of these findings to applied settings are discussed.Cette recherche avait pour objet de voir dans quelle mesure le besoin de maîtriser la situation (DFC) interagit avec des manipulations expérimentales portant sur les exigences et le contrôle, ainsi que d’observer les conséquences de ces interactions sur la satisfaction liée à la tâche et à la réussite perçue (relative à la performance et à la maîtrise de la tâche). On a fait l’hypothèse que seuls les individus présentant un haut niveau de DFC verraient leur stress atténué par la possibilité de maîtriser la situation. En outre, on pensait que la maîtrise de la situation pouvait accroître le stress de ceux ayant un faible niveau de DFC. Ces hypothèses ont été mises à l’épreuve sur un échantillon de 137 étudiants de première année de psychologie qui subirent un in‐basket test dans des conditions de haut et de bas niveaux d’exigence et de contrôle. Les résultats montrent que l’atténuation du stress par la maîtrise de la situation n’existe que pour les hauts niveaux de DFC, alors qu’une maîtrise accrue stimule le stress chez les bas niveaux, aussi bien sur la perception de la performance que sur celle de la domination de la tâche. On propose des orientations pour de futures recherches et l’on réfléchit aux retombées de ces résultats sur la vie pratique.
A Cross‐Cultural Look at Assessment Center Practices: Survey Results from Western Europe and North America
Authors: Krause Diana E. , Thornton III George C. 
Published: September 2008

No recent survey documents assessment center (AC) practices across several countries. Therefore, we analyse AC practices in a sample of 97 organisations from nine countries in Western Europe and North America. We report findings regarding job analysis, dimensions, exercises, additional diagnostic methods, use of technology, assessor characteristics, contents and methods of assessor training, observational systems, information provided to participants, evaluation of participants’ reactions, data integration, characteristics of feedback, and features after the AC. Finally, we compare our results with prior findings to identify trends over time and point out features of ACs that could be improved.Face aux défis que soulèvent les centres d’évaluation (AC) dans les organisations internationales, nous proposons un modèle qui rend compte des variations transculturelles dans ces pratiques, variations relevant de données individuelles (la motivation et la qualification des experts en resources humaines), de conditions culturelles (le « contrôle de l’incertitude » et la « distance hiérarchique ») et de réalités institutionnelles (des differences dans le niveau officiel de collectivisme et des divergences en ce qui concerne les normes légales et les lois régissant l’emploi). Ce modèle est exploité pour expliquer les différences dans la planification, l’exécution et l’évaluation des AC dans des organisations situées dans neuf pays d’Europe de l’ouest et d’Amérique du nord. Nous mettons aussi en evidence des tendances sur le long terme dans les pratiques des AC et discutons de l’amélioration de ces pratiques et de l’orientation des futures recherches dans ce domaine.
A review on coping mechanisms against obesity bias in physical activity/education settings
Authors: Li W. , Rukavina P. 
Published: September 2008

SummaryObesity bias such as teasing or weight criticism during physical activity can lead to psychological or emotional damage for overweight or obese individuals. The literature indicates that the adverse effects of stigmatization on overweight or obese individuals can be mediated by coping mechanisms. However, little is known about how overweight or obese children and adolescents cope with weight stigma in physical activity/education settings. This paper provides a conceptual analysis of coping mechanisms through reviewing work on weight stigma in psychology literature and discusses the future research directions. The most promising areas for future research include conducting an in‐depth qualitative exploration of overweight or obese individuals' coping mechanisms against obesity bias and studying potential individual and situational factors as moderating variables in physical activity/education settings.
Generating Color Palettes using Intuitive Parameters
Authors: Wijffelaars Martijn , Vliegen Roel , Van Wijk Jarke J. , Van Der Linden Erik‐Jan 
Published: September 2008

AbstractColor is widely used in data visualization to show data values. The proper selection of colors is critical to convey information correctly. In this paper, we present a technique for generating univariate lightness ordered palettes. These are specified via intuitive input parameters that are used define the appearance of the palette: number of colors, hue, lightness, saturation, contrast and hue range. The settings of the parameters are used to generate curves through CIELUV color space. This color space is used in order to correctly translate the requirements in terms of perceptual properties to a set of colors. The presented palette generation method enables users to specify palettes that have these perceptual properties, such as perceived order, equal perceived distance and equal importance. The technique has been integrated in Magna View, a system for multivariate data visualization.
Animating Causal Overlays
Authors: Bartram Lyn , Yao Miao 
Published: September 2008

AbstractMost approaches to representing causality, such as the common causal graph, require a separate and static view, but in many cases it is useful to add the dimension of causality to the context of an existing visualization. Building on research from perceptual psychology that shows the perception of causality is a low‐level visual event derived from certain types of motion, we are investigating how to add animated causal representations, called visual causal vectors, onto other visualizations. We refer to these as causal overlays. Our initial experimental results show this approach has great potential but that extra cues are needed to elicit the perception of causality when the motions are overlaid on other graphical objects. In this paper we describe the approach and report on a study that examined two issues of this technique: how to accurately convey the causal flow and how to represent the strength of the causal effect.
Automatic Detection and Visualization of Distinctive Structures in 3D Unsteady Multi‐fields
Authors: Jänicke H. , Böttinger M. , Tricoche X. , Scheuermann G. 
Published: September 2008

AbstractCurrent unsteady multi‐field simulation data‐sets consist of millions of data‐points. To efficiently reduce this enormous amount of information, local statistical complexity was recently introduced as a method that identifies distinctive structures using concepts from information theory. Due to high computational costs this method was so far limited to 2D data. In this paper we propose a new strategy for the computation that is substantially faster and allows for a more precise analysis. The bottleneck of the original method is the division of spatio‐temporal configurations in the field (light‐cones) into different classes of behavior. The new algorithm uses a density‐driven Voronoi tessellation for this task that more accurately captures the distribution of configurations in the sparsely sampled high‐dimensional space. The efficient computation is achieved using structures and algorithms from graph theory. The ability of the method to detect distinctive regions in 3D is illustrated using flow and weather simulations.
Concurrent Viewing of Multiple Attribute‐Specific Subspaces
Authors: Sisneros Robert , Johnson C. Ryan , Huang Jian 
Published: September 2008

AbstractIn this work we present a point classification algorithm for multi‐variate data. Our method is based on the concept of attribute subspaces, which are derived from a set of user specified attribute target values. Our classification approach enables users to visually distinguish regions of saliency through concurrent viewing of these subspaces in single images. We also allow a user to threshold the data according to a specified distance from attribute target values. Based on the degree of thresholding, the remaining data points are assigned radii of influence that are used for the final coloring. This limits the view to only those points that are most relevant, while maintaining a similar visual context.
Quality Isosurface Mesh Generation Using an Extended Marching Cubes Lookup Table
Authors: Raman Sundaresan , Wenger Rephael 
Published: September 2008

AbstractThe Marching Cubes Algorithm may return degenerate, zero area isosurface triangles, and often returns isosurface triangles with small areas, edges or angles. We show how to avoid both problems using an extended Marching Cubes lookup table. As opposed to the conventional Marching Cubes lookup table, the extended lookup table differentiates scalar values equal to the isovalue from scalar values greater than the isovalue. The lookup table has 38= 6561 entries, based on three possible labels, ‘−’ or ‘=’ or ‘+’, of each cube vertex. We present an algorithm based on this lookup table which returns an isosurface close to the Marching Cubes isosurface, but without any degenerate triangles or any small areas, edges or angles.