bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Photoreceptor cell dysplasia in two Tippler pigeons
Authors: Moore P. A. , Munnell J. F. , Martin C. L. , Prasse K. W. , Carmichael K. P. 
Published: April 2004

AbstractTwo 12‐week‐old Tippler pigeons were evaluated for ocular abnormalities associated with congenital blindness. The pigeons were emaciated and blind. Biomicroscopy and direct and indirect ophthalmoscopy findings of the Tippler pigeons were normal with the exception of partially dilated pupils at rest. Scotopic (blue stimuli) and photopic monocular electroretinograms were extinguished in the blind Tippler pigeons. Histological and electron microscopy studies revealed reduced numbers of rods and cones, and an absence of the double cone complex. The photoreceptor cells’ outer segments were absent, and the inner segments were short and broad. The number of cell nuclei in the outer and inner nuclear layers was decreased, and the internal and external plexiform layers were reduced in width. Photoreceptor cell endfeet with developing synaptic ribbons were present in the external plexiform layer. Inflammatory cell and subretinal debris was not seen. The electroretinographic, histopathological, and ultrastructural findings of the blind Tippler pigeons support the diagnosis of a photoreceptor cell dysplasia.
Periocular sarcoid in a horse
Authors: Komáromy András M. , Andrew Stacy E. , Brooks Dennis E. , Detrisac Carol J. , Gelatt Kirk N. 
Published: April 2004

AbstractA periocular nodular sarcoid of the right upper and lower eyelids was diagnosed in an 11‐year‐old Thoroughbred mare. Computed tomography scan revealed the extent of the tumor. The mass was surgically debulked under general anesthesia, and the affected periocular region was injected intralesionally withBacillusof Calmette and Guerin (BCG). An emulsion of cell wall fractions was used, which has been modified to reduce the toxic and allergic effect, but retain the antitumor activity. In total, five injections were performed at 2‐week intervals. At follow‐up 7 months after the last BCG injection, the tumor was completely resolved. Two years after the last treatment, the horse remains tumor‐free.
Haematocrit and risk of development of Type 2 diabetes mellitus in middle‐aged Japanese men
Authors: Nakanishi N. , Suzuki K. , Tatara K. 
Published: April 2004

AbstractAims To investigate the association between haematocrit and risk of development of diabetes.Methods The study enrolled 2953 normoglycaemic [fasting plasma glucose (FPG) < 6.1 mmol/l and taking no hypoglycaemic medication] Japanese men aged 35–59 years and free of medication for hypertension and history of cardiovascular disease. FPG was measured at periodic annual health examinations from May 1994 through May 2001. Men in whom Type 2 diabetes mellitus (FPG ≥ 7.0 mmol/l or receiving hypoglycaemic medication) was found during repeated surveys were classified as having Type 2 diabetes.Results The estimated incidence rates for Type 2 diabetes during 7 years of follow‐up were 3.1%[95% confidence interval (CI) 1.6, 4.6], 4.6% (2.8, 6.4), 5.0% (3.2, 6.9), 6.4% (4.4, 8.5), and 11.5% (8.9, 14.2) for respective haematocrit levels of < 42.6, 42.6–44.0, 44.1–45.3, 45.4–46.8, and ≥ 46.9% (the log‐rank test:P < 0.001). After controlling for potential predictors of diabetes, the respective relative risks for Type 2 diabetes were 1.0 (reference), 1.52 (95% CI 0.81, 2.86), 1.24 (0.66, 2.31), 1.57 (0.86, 2.88), and 2.30 (1.30, 4.08) (Pfor trend = 0.002). From stratified analyses by presence or absence of a risk factor, a linear association of haematocrit level with risk of development of Type 2 diabetes was also observed.Conclusion These results indicate that haematocrit contributes to the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.
Long‐term effects of self‐management education for patients with Type 2 diabetes taking maximal oral hypoglycaemic therapy: a randomized trial in primary care
Authors: Goudswaard A. N. , Stolk R. P. , Zuithoff N. P. A. , De Valk H. W. , Rutten G. E. H. M. 
Published: April 2004

AbstractAims  Education is an essential part of the management of patients with Type 2 diabetes, but the long‐term effects are unclear and not well investigated in primary care.Methods  Fifty‐four patients (39–75 years) treated with maximal dosages of oral hypoglycaemic agents, needing to start insulin (HbA1c≥ 7.0%), were randomly allocated to a 6‐month educational programme by a diabetes nurse (DN group) or usual care (UC group). Main outcome measures were HbA1c, number of patients with HbA1c < 7.0%, and number of patients treated with insulin 18 months after baseline.Results  Six weeks after the intervention HbA1c levels had improved from 8.2 (1.1) to 7.2 (1.3) in the DN group, and from 8.8 (1.5) to 8.4 (1.7) in the UC group. Adjusted for baseline values, at 6 weeks HbA1c improved 0.7% (95% confidence interval 0.1, 1.4) more in DN than in UC. Of the patients in DN, 60% reached HbA1c < 7.0% compared with 17% in UC (P < 0.01). However, at 18 months there were no significant differences for HbA1c, number of patients with HbA1c < 7.0%, or number treated with insulin.Conclusions  Education was effective in improving glycaemic control and in delaying the need for insulin therapy in patients treated with maximal oral hypoglycaemic therapy. The reduced effect after 1 year was probably due to the discontinuation of the educational programme. Short‐term education should not be offered without regular reinforcements integrated into standard diabetes care.
Rosiglitazone improves insulin sensitivity, glucose tolerance and ambulatory blood pressure in subjects with impaired glucose tolerance
Authors: Bennett S. M. A. , Agrawal A. , Elasha H. , Heise M. , Jones N. P. , Walker M. , Wilding J. P. H. 
Published: April 2004

AbstractAims  To determine the effects of rosiglitazone on insulin sensitivity, glucose tolerance and ambulatory blood pressure when administered to subjects with persistent impaired glucose tolerance (IGT).Methods  Eighteen subjects with persistent IGT were randomized to receive rosiglitazone 4 mg twice daily or matching placebo for 12 weeks. Evaluation at baseline and at the end of treatment included measurement of whole body insulin sensitivity during a euglycaemic hyperinsulinaemic clamp and deriving an insulin sensitivity index. Changes in glucose and insulin concentration were determined after oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and mixed meal tolerance tests, and 24‐h ambulatory blood pressure was monitored.Results  Rosiglitazone significantly improved the insulin sensitivity index by 2.26 µg/kg per min per pmol/l relative to placebo (P = 0.0003). Four of nine subjects receiving rosiglitazone reverted to normal glucose tolerance and 5/9 remained IGT, although four of these had improved 2‐h glucose values. In the placebo group, 1/9 subjects progressed to Type 2 diabetes and 8/9 remained IGT. Following OGTT and meal tolerance test, glucose and insulin area under curve were reduced over 3 and 4 h, respectively. Compared with placebo, ambulatory blood pressure decreased significantly in the rosiglitazone group by 10 mmHg systolic (P = 0.0066) and 8 mmHg diastolic (P = 0.0126).Conclusions  Consistent with its effects in patients with Type 2 diabetes, rosiglitazone substantially improved whole body insulin sensitivity and the glycaemic and insulinaemic responses to an OGTT and meal tolerance test in subjects with persistent IGT. Furthermore, rosiglitazone reduced systolic and diastolic ambulatory blood pressure in these subjects.
Acute, local effects of iontophoresed insulin and C‐peptide on cutaneous microvascular function in Type 1 diabetes mellitus
Authors: Delaney C. , Shaw J. , Day T. 
Published: April 2004

AbstractAim  The aim of the present study was to demonstrate acute, local vasodilatatory effects of insulin and C‐peptide on cutaneous microvascular function in Type 1 diabetic subjects. There are no published data available examining physiological effects of C‐peptide delivered in this way.Methods  The study included 20 participants with C‐peptide‐deficient Type 1 diabetes mellitus. Cutaneous microvascular function was assessed on the forearm using laser Doppler velocimetry. Insulin, C‐peptide, acetylcholine (ACh), sodium nitroprusside (SNP) and saline were delivered through the skin using iontophoresis. The response was measured as percentage increase in flux above baseline.Results  C‐peptide delivered by iontophoresis produced a vasodilatatory response greater than the response to saline (289.5 ± 265.9% vs. 105.1 ± 163.6%, P = 0.003). The response to C‐peptide was also shown to be dose dependent. Further, the size of the response to C‐peptide correlated well with the size of the response to the endothelium‐dependent vasodilatator ACh (r = 0.666, P = 0.001) but not with the size of the response to the endothelium‐independent vasodilator SNP (r = 0.345, P > 0.05).Conclusions  Physiological effects of C‐peptide on cutaneous microvascular function could be demonstrated in individuals with Type 1 diabetes. The results support both physiological activity of C‐peptide and an endothelium‐dependent mechanism similar to that of ACh. The technique reported may be useful in investigating vasoactive actions of C‐peptide in a safe and non‐invasive way.
Normal weight promotes remission and low number of islet antibodies prolong the duration of remission in Type 1 diabetes
Authors: Schölin A. , Törn C. , Nyström L. , Berne C. , Arnqvist H. , Blohmé G. , Bolinder J. , Eriksson J. W. , Kockum I. , Landin‐Olsson M. , Östman J. , Karlsson F. A. , Sundkvist G. , Björk E. 
Published: April 2004

AbstractAim To identify clinical, immunological and biochemical factors that predict remission, and its duration in a large cohort of young adults with Type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM).Methods In Sweden, 362 patients (15–34 years), classified as Type 1 DM were included in a prospective, nation‐wide population‐based study. All patients were followed at local hospitals for examination of HbA1cand insulin dosage over a median period after diagnosis of 5 years. Duration of remission, defined as an insulin maintenance dose ≤ 0.3 U/kg/24 h and HbA1cwithin the normal range, was analysed in relation to characteristics at diagnosis.Results Remissions were seen in 43% of the patients with a median duration of 8 months (range 1–73). Sixteen per cent had a remission with a duration > 12 months. Among patients with antibodies (ab+), bivariate analysis suggested that adult age, absence of low BMI, high plasma C‐peptide concentrations, lack of ketonuria or ketoacidosis at diagnosis and low insulin dose at discharge from hospital were associated with a high possibility of achieving remission. Multiple regression showed that normal weight (BMI of 20–24.9 kg/m2) was the only factor that remained significant for the possibility of entering remission. In survival analysis among ab+remitters, a low number of islet antibodies, one or two instead of three or four, were associated with a long duration of remissions.Conclusion In islet antibody‐positive Type 1 DM, normal body weight was the strongest factor for entering remission, whilst a low number of islet antibodies was of importance for the duration.Diabet. Med. (2004)
The effect of spironolactone, cilazapril and their combination on albuminuria in patients with hypertension and diabetic nephropathy is independent of blood pressure reduction: a randomized controlled study
Authors: Rachmani R. , Slavachevsky I. , Amit M. , Levi Z. , Kedar Y. , Berla M. , Ravid M. 
Published: April 2004

AbstractObjective  The effect of spironolactone, cilazapril and their combination on albuminuria was examined in a randomized prospective study in female patients with diabetes and hypertension.Patients and methods  Sixty female diabetic patients aged 45–70 years with blood pressure (BP) 140–180/90–110 mmHg, serum creatinine (sCr) ≤ 160 µmol/l, HbA1c ≤ 10%, and albuminuria were treated by atenolol 12.5–75 mg/d and hydrochlorothiazide 6.25–25 mg/d. Titration‐to‐target helped to reach BP values ≤ 135/85 mmHg in 46 patients after 12 weeks. These patients were randomized to spironolactone 100 mg/d or cilazapril 5 mg/d for 24 weeks. Then both groups received spironolactone 50 mg/d and cilazapril 2.5 mg/d for 24 weeks. BP was stabilized by tapering the dose of the initial agents. Urinary albumin/creatinine ratio (ACR), BP, K+. sCr and HbA1c were assessed at baseline and at weeks 12, 16, 36 and 60.Results  The average BP at week 12 was 128 ± 4/81 ± 3 mmHg and remained constant, in both groups, throughout the study. ACR declined on spironolactone from a median value (range) of 452 (124–1571) to 216 (64–875) mg/g (P = 0.001), and on cilazapril to 302 (90–975) mg/g (P = 0.001). The difference between spironolactone and cilazapril was significant (P = 0.002). Combined treatment resulted in a further modest decline in ACR. Serum creatinine was unaltered by spironolactone and rose slightly (121 to 126 µmol/l, P = 0.02) on cilazapril.Conclusion  At the doses tested, spironolactone was superior to cilazapril in reducing albuminuria. Combined administration was more effective than either drug alone. These effects were independent of BP values. Hyperkalaemia was the main side‐effect.
Enzymatic Characterization of a Prokaryotic Urea Carboxylase
Authors: Kanamori Takeshi , Kanou Norihisa , Atomi Haruyuki , Imanaka Tadayuki 
Published: April 2004

ABSTRACT

We identified the first prokaryotic urea carboxylase (UCA) from a member of the alpha subclass of the class
Proteobacteria
,
Oleomonas sagaranensis
. This enzyme (
O. sagaranensis
Uca) was composed of 1,171 amino acids, and its N-terminal region resembled the biotin carboxylase domains of various biotin-dependent carboxylases. The C-terminal region of the enzyme harbored the Met-Lys-Met motif found in biotin carboxyl carrier proteins. The primary structure of the enzyme was 45% identical to that of the urea carboxylase domain of urea amidolyase from
Saccharomyces cerevisiae. O. sagaranensis
Uca did not harbor the allophanate hydrolase domain found in the yeast enzyme, but a separate gene with structural similarity was found to be adjacent to the
uca
gene. Purified recombinant
O. sagaranensis
Uca displayed ATP-dependent carboxylase activity towards urea (
V
max
= 21.2 μmol mg
−1
min
−1
) but not towards acetyl coenzyme A (acetyl-CoA) and propionyl-CoA, indicating that the gene encoded a bona fide UCA and not an acetyl-CoA or propionyl-CoA carboxylase. The enzyme also exhibited high levels of activity towards acetamide and formamide. Kinetic parameters of the enzyme reaction were determined with ATP, urea, acetamide, and formamide.
O. sagaranensis
could grow on urea, acetamide, and formamide as sole nitrogen sources; moreover, ATP-dependent urea-degrading activity was found in cells grown with urea but not in cells grown with ammonia. The results suggest that the UCA of this organism may be involved in the assimilation of these compounds as nitrogen sources. Furthermore, orthologues of the
O. sagaranensis uca
gene were found to be widely distributed among
Bacteria
. This implies that there are two systems of urea degradation in
Bacteria
, a pathway catalyzed by the previously described ureases and the UCA-allophanate hydrolase pathway identified in this study.
Characterization of the Alternative Sigma Factor σ
54
and the Transcriptional Regulator FleQ of
Legionella pneumophila
, Which Are Both Involved in the Regulation Cascade of Flagellar Gene Expression
Authors: Jacobi Sebastian , Schade Rüdiger , Heuner Klaus 
Published: April 2004

ABSTRACT

We cloned and analyzed
Legionella pneumophila
Corby homologs of
rpoN
(encoding σ
54
) and
fleQ
(encoding σ
54
activator protein). Two other genes (
fleR
and
pilR
) whose products have a σ
54
interaction domain were identified in the genome sequence of
L. pneumophila
. An
rpoN
mutant strain was nonflagellated and expressed very small amounts of the FlaA (flagellin) protein. Like the
rpoN
mutant, the
fleQ
mutant strain of
L. pneumophila
was also nonflagellated and expressed only small amounts of FlaA protein compared to the amounts expressed by the wild type. In this paper we show that the σ
54
factor and the FleQ protein are involved in regulation of flagellar gene operons in
L. pneumophila.
RpoN and FleQ positively regulate the transcription of FliM and FleN, both of which have a σ
54
-dependent promoter consensus sequence. However, they seemed to be dispensable for transcription of
flaA
,
fliA
, or
icmR
. Our results confirmed a recently described model of the flagellar gene regulation cascade in
L. pneumophila
(K. Heuner and M. Steinert, Int. J. Med. Microbiol.
293:
133-145, 2003). Flagellar gene regulation was found to be different from that of
Enterobacteriaceae
but seems to be comparable to that described for
Pseudomonas
or
Vibrio
spp.
The
bchU
Gene of
Chlorobium tepidum
Encodes the C-20 Methyltransferase in Bacteriochlorophyll
c
Biosynthesis
Authors: Maresca Julia A. , Maqueo Chew Aline Gomez , Ros Ponsatí Marta , Frigaard Niels-Ulrik , Ormerod John G. , Bryant Donald A. 
Published: April 2004

ABSTRACT

Bacteriochlorophylls (BChls)
c
and
d
, two of the major light-harvesting pigments in photosynthetic green sulfur bacteria, differ only by the presence of a methyl group at the C-20 methine bridge position in BChl
c
. A gene potentially encoding the C-20 methyltransferase,
bchU
, was identified by comparative analysis of the
Chlorobium tepidum
and
Chloroflexus aurantiacus
genome sequences. Homologs of this gene were amplified and sequenced from
Chlorobium phaeobacteroides
strain 1549,
Chlorobium vibrioforme
strain 8327
d
, and
C. vibrioforme
strain 8327
c
, which produce BChls
e
,
d
, and
c
, respectively. A single nucleotide insertion in the
bchU
gene of
C. vibrioforme
strain 8327
d
was found to cause a premature, in-frame stop codon and thus the formation of a truncated, nonfunctional gene product. The spontaneous mutant of this strain that produces BChl
c
(strain 8327
c
) has a second frameshift mutation that restores the correct reading frame in
bchU
. The
bchU
gene was inactivated in
C. tepidum
, a BChl
c
-producing species, and the resulting mutant produced only BChl
d
. Growth rate measurements showed that BChl
c
- and
d
-producing strains of the same organism (
C. tepidum
or
C. vibrioforme
) have similar growth rates at high and intermediate light intensities but that strains producing BChl
c
grow faster than those with BChl
d
at low light intensities. Thus, the
bchU
gene encodes the C-20 methyltransferase for BChl
c
biosynthesis in
Chlorobium
species, and methylation at the C-20 position to produce BChl
c
rather than BChl
d
confers a significant competitive advantage to green sulfur bacteria living at limiting red and near-infrared light intensities.
Restricted Mobility of Cell Surface Proteins in the Polar Regions of
Escherichia coli
Authors: de Pedro Miguel A. , Grünfelder Christoph G. , Schwarz Heinz 
Published: April 2004

ABSTRACT

The polar regions of the
Escherichia coli
murein sacculus are metabolically inert and stable in time. Because the sacculus and the outer membrane are tightly associated, we investigated whether polar inert murein could restrict the mobility of other cell envelope elements. Cells were covalently labeled with a fluorescent reagent, chased in dye-free medium, and observed by microscopy. Fluorescent material was more efficiently retained at the cell poles than at any other location. The boundary between high and low fluorescence intensity areas was rather sharp. Labeled material consisted mostly of cell envelope proteins, among them the free and murein-bound forms of Braun's lipoprotein. Our results indicate that the mobility of at least some cell envelope proteins is restrained at regions in correspondence with underlying areas of inert murein.
Identification and Characterization of a Linear-Plasmid-Encoded Factor H-Binding Protein (FhbA) of the Relapsing Fever Spirochete
Borrelia hermsii
Authors: Hovis Kelley M. , McDowell John V. , Griffin LaToya , Marconi Richard T. 
Published: April 2004

ABSTRACT

In North America, tick-borne relapsing fever (TBRF) is caused by the spirochete species
Borrelia hermsii
,
Borrelia parkeri
, and
Borrelia turicatae
. We previously demonstrated that some isolates of
B. hermsii
and
B. parkeri
are capable of binding factor H and that cell-bound factor H can participate in the factor I-mediated cleavage of C3b. Isolates that bound factor H expressed a factor H-binding protein (FHBP) that we estimated to be approximately 19 to 20 kDa in size and thus, pending further characterization, temporarily designated FHBP19. Until this report, none of the FHBPs of the TBRF spirochetes had been characterized. Here we have recovered the gene encoding the FHBP of
B. hermsii
YOR from a lambda ZAP II library and determined its sequence. The gene encodes a full-length protein of 22.7 kDa, which after processing is predicted to be 20.5 kDa. This protein, which we redesignate factor H-binding protein A (FhbA), is unique to
B. hermsii
. Two-dimensional pulsed-field gel electrophoresis and hybridization analyses revealed that the
B. hermsii
gene encoding FhbA is a single genetic locus that maps to a linear plasmid of approximately 220 kb. The general properties of FhbA were also assessed. The protein was found to be surface exposed and lipidated. Analysis of the antibody response to FhbA in infected mice revealed that it is antigenic during infection, indicating expression during infection. The identification and characterization of FhbA provides further insight into the molecular mechanisms of pathogenesis of the relapsing fever spirochetes.
Host Restriction of
Salmonella enterica
Serotype Typhimurium Pigeon Isolates Does Not Correlate with Loss of Discrete Genes
Authors: Andrews-Polymenis Helene L. , Rabsch Wolfgang , Porwollik Steffen , McClelland Michael , Rosetti Carlos , Adams L. Garry , Bäumler Andreas J. 
Published: April 2004

ABSTRACT

The definitive phage types (DT) 2 and 99 of
Salmonella enterica
serotype Typhimurium are epidemiologically correlated with a host range restricted to pigeons, in contrast to phage types with broader host ranges such as epidemic cattle isolates (DT104 and DT204). To determine whether phage types with broad host range possess genetic islands absent from host-restricted phage types, we compared the genomes of four pigeon isolates to serotype Typhimurium strain LT2 using a DNA microarray. Three of the four isolates tested caused fluid accumulation in bovine ligated ileal loops, but they had reduced colonization of liver and spleen in susceptible BALB/c mice and were defective for intestinal persistence in
Salmonella
-resistant CBA mice. The genomes of the DT99 and DT2 isolates were extremely similar to the LT2 genome, with few notable differences on the level of complete individual genes. Two large groups of genes representing the Fels-1 and Fels-2 prophages were missing from the DT2 and DT99 phage types we analyzed. One of the DT99 isolates examined was lacking a third cluster of five chromosomal genes (STM1555 to -1559). Results of the microarray analysis were extended using Southern analysis to a collection of 75 serotype Typhimurium clinical isolates of 24 different phage types. This analysis revealed no correlation between the presence of Fels-1, Fels-2, or STM1555 to -1559 and the association of phage types with different host reservoirs. We conclude that serotype Typhimurium phage types with broad host range do not possess genetic islands influencing host restriction, which are absent from the host-restricted pigeon isolates.