bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Manganese ethylene‐bis‐dithiocarbamate and selective dopaminergic neurodegeneration in rat: a link through mitochondrial dysfunction
Authors: Zhang Jing , Fitsanakis Vanessa A. , Gu Guangyu , Jing Deqiang , Ao Mingfang , Amarnath Venkataraman , Montine Thomas J. 
Published: March 2003

AbstractManganese ethylene‐bis‐dithiocarbamate (Mn‐EBDC) is the major active element of maneb, a pesticide linked to parkinsonism in certain individuals upon chronic exposure. Additionally, it has been shown to produce dopaminergic neurodegeneration in mice systemically coexposed to another pesticide, 1,1′‐dimethyl‐4,4′‐bipyridinium (paraquat). Here, we described a rat model in which selective dopaminergic neurodegeneration was produced by delivering Mn‐EBDC directly to the lateral ventricles. After establishing this model, we tested whether Mn‐EBDC provoked dopamine efflux in the striatum, a well‐known phenomenon produced by the mitochondrial inhibitor 1‐methyl‐4‐phenylpyridinium (MPP+), the active metabolite of 1‐methyl‐4‐phenyl‐1,2,3,6‐tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) that causes parkinsonism in humans, as well as in some animals. Finally, we investigated whether Mn‐EBDC directly inhibited mitochondrial function in vitro using isolated brain mitochondria. Our data demonstrated that Mn‐EBDC induced extensive striatal dopamine efflux that was comparable with that induced by MPP+, and that Mn‐EBDC preferentially inhibited mitochondrial complex III. As mitochondrial dysfunction is pivotal in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease (PD), our results support the proposal that exposure to pesticides such as maneb, or other naturally occurring compounds that inhibit mitochondrial function, may contribute to PD development.
Rhythmic changes in metabolism of dopamine in the chick retina: the importance of light versus biological clock
Authors: Zawilska Jolanta B. , Bednarek Aneta , Berezińska Małgorzata , Nowak Jerzy Z. 
Published: March 2003

AbstractRhythmic changes in dopamine (DA) content and metabolism were studied in retinas of chicks that were adapted to three different lighting conditions: 12‐h light : 12‐h dark (LD), constant darkness (DD) and continuous light (LL). Retinas of chicks kept under LD conditions exhibited light–dark‐dependent variations in the steady‐state level of DA and the two metabolites of DA, i.e. 3,4‐dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) and homovanilic acid (HVA). Concentrations of DA, DOPAC and HVA were high in light hours and low in dark hours of the LD illumination cycle. In retinas of chicks kept under DD, the content of DA, DOPAC and HVA oscillated in a rhythmic manner for 2 days, with higher values during the subjective light phase than during the subjective dark phase. The amplitudes of the observed oscillations markedly and progressively declined compared with the amplitudes recorded under the LD cycle. In retinas of chicks kept under LL conditions, levels of DA, DOPAC and HVA were similar to those found during the light phase of the LD cycle. Changes in the retinal contents of DA and HVA did not exhibit pronounced daily oscillations, while on the first day of LL the retinal concentrations of DOPAC were significantly higher during the subjective light phase than during the subjective dark phase. Acute exposure of chicks to light during the dark phase of the LD cycle markedly increased DA and DOPAC content in the retina. In contrast, light deprivation during the day decreased the retinal concentrations of DA and DOPAC. It is suggested that of the two regulatory factors controlling the level and metabolism of DA in the retina of chick, i.e. light and biological clock, environmental lighting conditions seem to be of major importance, with light conveying a stimulatory signal for the retinal dopaminergic cells.
Corticotropin‐releasing factor (CRF) rapidly suppresses apoptosis by acting upstream of the activation of caspases
Authors: Radulovic Marko , Hippel Cathrin , Spiess Joachim 
Published: March 2003

AbstractThe physiological role of the corticotropin‐releasing factor (CRF) family of peptides has recently been extended by emerging evidence of their cytoprotective effects. To determine whether CRF‐mediated cytoprotection is linked to caspase‐dependent apoptosis, the effect of CRF on the activation of caspases was investigated in detail in Y79 human retinoblastoma cells. The results presented here demonstrate that the cytoprotective effect of CRF against the actions of camptothecin (CT) was mediated by CRF receptor subtype 1, but not subtype 2. The observed CRF‐mediated cytoprotection involved rapid and pronounced suppression of proteolytic processing and activation of procaspase‐3, exerted even when CRF was added hours after the application of the cytotoxic agent. Surprisingly, activation of procaspase‐3 preceded activation of the initiator procaspases 2, 8, 9 and 10 during CT‐induced apoptosis of Y79 cells. The mechanism of the effect of CRF was examined using inhibitors of signalling pathways such as Wortmannin (Akt), cyclic AMP‐dependent protein kinase (PKA), extracellular signal‐regulated kinase (ERK), protein kinase c (PKC), p38 mitogen‐activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK), phospholipase c (PLC), nuclear factor‐κB (NF‐κΒ) and c‐jun N‐terminal kinase (JNK). The involvement of PKA in the mediation of the anti‐apoptotic effect of CRF has been established. Taken together, these results demonstrate for the first time that the cytoprotective effect of CRF involved suppression of pro‐apoptotic pathways at a site upstream of activation of procaspase‐3.
The Tat antagonist neomycin B hexa‐arginine conjugate inhibits gp‐120‐induced death of human neuroblastoma cells
Authors: Catani Maria Valeria , Corasaniti Maria Tiziana , Ranalli Marco , Amantea Diana , Litovchick Alexander , Lapidot Aviva , Melino Gerry 
Published: March 2003

AbstractSeveral patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) develop neurological complications, which are referred to as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)‐associated dementia (HAD). The HIV‐1 coat glycoprotein gp‐120 has been proposed as the major etiologic agent for neuronal loss reported postmortem in the brain of AIDS patients. Chemokine receptors may play a role in gp‐120‐triggered neurotoxicity, both in vitro and in vivo, thus being an intriguing target for developing therapeutic strategies aimed to prevent or reduce neuronal damage occurring during HIV infection. We have previously shown that human CHP100 neuroblastoma cells express CXCR4 and CCR5 chemokine receptors and that interaction between gp‐120 and these receptors contributes to cytotoxicity elicited by the protein. Here, we examined the neuroprotective potential of neomycin B hexa‐arginine conjugate (NeoR), a recently synthesized compound with anti‐HIV activity. We found that gp‐120‐triggered death is significantly reduced by NeoR, and this protective effect seems related to the ability of NeoR to interact with CXCR4 receptors. The ability of NeoR to cross the blood–brain barrier, as demonstrated in mice by systemic administration of the fluorescein conjugate drug, makes this compound a powerful and attractive therapeutic agent.
Patterns in midwives’ and expectant/new parents’ ways of relating to each other in ante‐ and postnatal consultations
Authors: Olsson Pia , Jansson Lilian 
Published: March 2003

Patterns in midwives’ and expectant/new parents’ ways of relating to each other in ante‐ and postnatal consultations Patterns in midwives’ and expectant/new parents’ ways of relating to each other in ante‐ and postnatal midwifery consultations were described by means of qualitative content analysis of 58 video‐recorded consultations in a Swedish primary care setting. The midwives appeared to steer the consultations by adopting a basic pattern and occasionally including other patterns. Of the five patterns disclosed, three were revealed as basic and named ‘the respectful gardener and her developing plants’, ‘the propagandist teacher and her ignorant pupils’ and ‘the steering inspector and the representatives of the population at disposal’. The midwives related in individually oriented ways in the first pattern while the latter two indicated generalized ways of relating. The expectant/new mothers were more active in the two additional patterns ‘the mediating counsellor and the discreet seekers of guidance’ and ‘the personal women‐friends’. The expectant/new fathers mostly had a minor role, only appearingly actively involved within the ‘gardener’ pattern. Midwives need to reflect over their ways of relating as these influence how expectant/new parents deal with the information given and their satisfaction with the care.
Are significant others able accurately to assess fatigue, exertion fatigue and types of fatigue in domiciliary heart patients?
Authors: Tiesinga Lucas J. , Dassen Theo W.N. , Halfens Ruud J.G. , Bernink Peter J.L.M. , Niemeijer Menco G. , van der Heijden Marion Y. , van den Heuvel Wim J.A. 
Published: March 2003

Although fatigue is recognized as a subjective and person‐related diagnosis both in patients and in healthy subjects, there have been no studies performed to show whether ‘significant others’ surrounding fatigued subjects are able to assess accurately the level of fatigue that exists in patients. The aim of this study is to investigate this issue.The following research questions are formulated: (i) To what degree do the assessments of fatigue and exertion fatigue given by significant others and patients agree? and (ii) To what degree do the assessments of types of fatigue given by significant others and patients agree?The method adopted employed a cross‐sectional design approach applied to domiciliary heart patients and their significant others. Data was gathered by questionnaire. Data collected from 64 selected patients and their significant others are used in the analyses. Measurement instruments used are the Dutch fatigue scale (DUFS), the Dutch exertion fatigue scale (DEFS), numerical rating scales for fatigue and exertion fatigue, types of fatigue and sociodemographic variables.The main conclusion of this study is that significant others are able to assess accurately patients' fatigue and exertion fatigue. At all three levels of measurement and analyses in this study — item‐level, scale‐level and assessment‐level — the paired absolute mean differences between patients and significant others for both the DUFS and DEFS are low. The measures of agreement —κ or Spearman's rank correlation coefficient and percentage agreement — are good and this degree of consensus increases from item‐level (DUFS & DEFS: moderate), scale‐level (DUFS & DEFS: substantial) to assessment‐level (DUFS: substantial; DEFS: almost perfect).Another conclusion of this study is that significant others are able to accurately estimate different types of fatigue. The measures of agreement among the indicators referring to the different types of fatigue ranged from moderate agreement (predominance and pattern) to substantial agreement (specificity and explicability) to almost perfect agreement (intensity).Furthermore, it may be concluded that both cohabiting significant others and noncohabitee family, friends and acquaintances may be seen as a potential and reliable human resource, providing professionals with fundamental information concerning patients' fatigue and exertion fatigue which may be used in their diagnostic process and treatment.
Effects of an implemented care policy on patient and personnel experiences of care
Authors: Lövgren G. , Eriksson S. , Sandman P.‐O. 
Published: March 2003

Effects of an implemented care policy on patient and personnel experiences of care A care policy was implemented within health care in the county of Västerbotten, Sweden. A questionnaire was administered before and after the implementation of the care policy to assess its effects. Patients within hospital care and primary health care described their experiences in a base‐line study (n=3950) in 1994 and a follow‐up study (n=2941) in 1996. On the same occasions personnel (n=2362 and 2310, respectively) answered the same questionnaire assessing what they thought their patients experienced. No significant positive effects of the implementation were seen by the patients. Fewer patients felt that they were understood when they talked about their problems, dared to express criticism or denied they were treated nonchalantly in the follow‐up study. The experiences of the personnel were in line with those of the patients concerning nonchalant treatment in the follow‐up study. Furthermore, fewer staff members thought that their patients felt they had adequate help with hygiene whilst more thought that their patients felt they were responded to in a loving way. One interpretation of the negative outcome is that organizational changes, strained resources and cuts in staffing during the 90s may have reduced the possibility of integrating the care policy in spite of an ambitious and extensive intervention.
Breast cancer patients' satisfaction with a spontaneous system of check‐up visits to a specialist nurse
Authors: Koinberg Inga‐Lill , Holmberg Lars , Fridlund Bengt 
Published: March 2003

Breast cancer patients' satisfaction with a spontaneous system of check‐up visits to a specialist nurseAim: To describe breast cancer patients' satisfaction with a spontaneous system of check‐up visits to a specialist nurse.Background: There is little evidence that routine follow‐up visits after breast cancer surgery influence survival or patient satisfaction. Consequently, there is a need to evaluate alternative follow‐up programmes.Sample: A strategic sample of 19 breast cancer patients, who were not involved in a routine follow‐up system but who had the possibility of contacting a specialist nurse when necessary, were interviewed.Method: A qualitative descriptive design inspired by the method of phenomenographic analysis was used.Findings: Five description categories and 606 statements showing similarities and differences in conceptions were obtained. The patients satisfaction with the knowledgeable and professional skills of the nurses was high.Confirmationandtrustwere important and necessary in order for the women with breast cancer to feel secure. Patients had a need forinformationandself‐care education.Accessibilityand early assessment by professional personnel or an oncology nurse were essential in a system without routine follow‐ups.Discussion: This study identifies key issues in a specialist nurse‐led check‐up system. The findings can be used for developing an education programme for women who have undergone breast cancer surgery. Additionally, the findings emphasize the need to introduce more flexible solutions to the follow‐up programmes, one alternative being specialist nurse‐led check‐ups.
Implementing assertive community care for patients with schizophrenia
Authors: Falk Kristin , Allebeck Peter 
Published: March 2003

Implementing assertive community care for patients with schizophrenia. A case study of co‐operation and collaboration between mental health care and social services The aim of this study was to describe the personal experiences of collaboration and co‐operation between staff from the community mental health and social services programmes in their daily work with schizophrenic patients. An additional aim was to generate the first step in a theory of how staff in the field of health care and social services manages to integrate their efforts on an individual and organizational level.The study group consisted of five members of a multidisciplinary team who had been working for 2 years with assertive outreach intensive clinical case management. Verbatim‐transcribed thematic interviews were analysed according to the comparative method for grounded theory. The analysis was focused on quality of interpersonal interaction between practitioners, representing different professions in community‐based mental health care, as well as the professional relationship to the patients/clients and their relatives. In the light of an individual and organizational perspective, different typologies of interpersonal interactions appeared. Three main variables were identified: collaborative relationship, co‐operative partnership and professional‐amateurism. Our findings on these qualitative differences in interpersonal relations should be taken into account in the continuing reorganization of the community health care services. This knowledge can also help in overcoming barriers between patients, professionals and organizations in the mental health services.
Characterization of 14 tetranucleotide microsatellite loci derived from Pacific herring
Authors: Olsen J. B. , Lewis C. J. , Kretschmer E. J. , Wilson S. L. , Seeb J. E. 
Published: March 2003

AbstractSpawning aggregations of Pacific herring (Clupea pallasi) often exhibit significant interannual variation in allele frequencies of neutral gene markers. We isolated 14 tetranucleotide microsatellites to examine hypothetical processes that may produce this unique genetic signal. We developed and tested primer pairs for each locus and then estimated locus variability in samples (n = 60) from two populations. The number of alleles per locus ranged from five to 49. The expected heterozygosity across loci and populations ranged from 0.20 to 0.96. These microsatellites will be useful for estimating genetic variation in herring on a fine geographical scale.
Characterization of 10 microsatellite loci for the deep‐sea coral Lophelia pertusa (Linnaeus 1758)
Authors: Le Goff M. C. , Rogers A. D. 
Published: March 2003

AbstractThe scleractinian coral, Lophelia pertusa, is distributed globally on continental slopes, mid‐oceanic ridges and in fjords. This species forms cold‐water reefs, which are associated with a diverse animal community. These communities are poorly understood but are currently under threat from human activities. Molecular markers are required to assess the spatial genetic population structure of this key species for management and conservation purposes. Ten polymorphic microsatellite loci were isolated for Lophelia pertusa using an enriched partial library technique. Nine loci showed significant differences from Hardy–Weinberg expected genotype frequencies, eight of which showed heterozygote deficiencies.
Isolation and characterization of seven tetranucleotide microsatellite loci from Atlantic northern bluefin tuna Thunnus thynnus thynnus
Authors: McDowell J. R. , Diaz‐Jaimes P. , Graves J. E. 
Published: March 2003

AbstractMicrosatellite‐enriched genomic libraries were obtained from the Atlantic northern bluefin tuna, Thunnus thynnus thynnus and seven tetranucleotide markers were successfully isolated and characterized from this library. These markers were found to have between 1 and 17 alleles in Atlantic northern bluefin tuna and heterozygosity ranged from 0 to 0.85. No deviations from the expectation of Hardy‐Weinburg equilibrium were found for any marker. Several of these markers amplify reliably in other tuna species.
Isolation of microsatellite loci from a rainforest tree, Elaeocarpus grandis (Elaeocarpaceae), and amplification across closely related taxa
Authors: Jones R. C. , McNally J. , Rossetto M. 
Published: March 2003

Abstract Elaeocarpus grandis (Blue Quandong) is a common rainforest tree with a widespread distribution across northeastern Australia, while the related species E. sp. Rocky Creek and E. williamsianus are more restricted in their distribution. Highly polymorphic markers are required to provide genetic information on these species, which will aid in developing effective conservation and management strategies. Eight microsatellite loci were isolated and characterized in E. grandis, and tested in the rare species and other species of the Elaeocarpaceae. Cross‐species transferability was most successful within Elaeocarpus, with six and eight loci transferring to E. sp. Rocky Creek and E. williamsianus, respectively.
Microsatellite loci from the Cunningham's Skink (Egernia cunninghami)
Authors: Stow A. J. 
Published: March 2003

AbstractSocial structuring and within‐group genetics are rarely studied in lizards, but are of considerable conservation importance. In particular, the impact of anthropogenic habitat fragmentation upon fine‐scale genetic patterns is largely unknown. This is being investigated for Egernia cunninghami, a species with generally low dispersal and high levels of within‐group relatedness. Estimating parentage in wild populations in which close relatives may be candidate parents requires high levels of exclusionary power. The five characterized loci possess 13–29 alleles, and high polymorphic information contents (0.800–0.917) and add greatly to the markers, cloned from related skinks, currently available.
Isolation and characterization of microsatellite markers from Zale galbanata (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) and amplification in other members of the genus
Authors: Caldas A. , Hawthorne D. J. , Barbosa P. 
Published: March 2003

AbstractThe noctuid moth Zale galbanata is described as feeding on maples (Acer sp.) in general, but its primary food plant is box elder (Acer negundo). We isolated five microsatellite loci to investigate the association of food plant use and the genetic similarity of populations in these moths. These markers are polymorphic to various degrees (5–13 alleles), and are presented here. Our initial tests show that some of these loci also work on other Zale species.
Isolation of polymorphic microsatellite loci from the red‐billed gull (Larus novaehollandiae scopulinus) and amplification in related species
Authors: Given A. D. , Mills J. A. , Baker A. J. 
Published: March 2003

AbstractWe describe the isolation and characterization of seven dinucleotide microsatellite loci developed from the red‐billed gull (Larus novaehollandiae scopulinus). Locus‐specific primers were used to genotype individuals from 13 populations of this subspecies as well as individuals from closely related subspecies from Australia and New Caledonia. The primers were tested successfully on other species of gulls and shorebirds. The number of alleles observed within the red‐billed gull ranged from three to 17, and observed heterozygosity varied from 0.359 to 0.787. These microsatellites are likely to be useful for studies of mating systems and population genetics in a wide range of gull species.
Polymorphic microsatellite loci in global populations of the marine coccolithophorid Emiliania huxleyi
Authors: Iglesias‐Rodríguez M. Débora , Sáez Alberto G. , Groben René , Edwards Keith J. , Batley Jacqueline , Medlin Linda K. , Hayes Paul K. 
Published: March 2003

AbstractThe marine coccolithophorid Emiliania huxleyi is an important component of the marine carbon cycle because bloom development results in the export of calcium carbonate from the ocean surface to the abyss. Laboratory and field studies demonstrate significant biogeographical, ecological, physiological and morphological plasticity in E. huxleyi and suggest high underlying genetic variability. Here we describe seven polymorphic microsatellite loci from the E. huxleyi genome and their degree of polymorphism in clonal isolates of different geographical origin. Our results indicate a high degree of genetic diversity within E. huxleyi.
Microsatellite loci in the Japanese subterranean termite, Reticulitermes speratus
Authors: Hayashi Yoshinobu , Kitade Osamu , Kojima Jun‐Ichi 
Published: March 2003

Abstract Reticulitermes
termites have such a cryptic life style and complex colony structure that polymorphic microsatellite markers are desired to investigate their population and colony structures. We successfully isolated seven microsatellite loci in
R. speratus
, the Japanese subterranean termite, five of which were polymorphic. These polymorphic loci had 2–8 alleles per locus and their observed heterozygosities ranged from 0.059 to 0.438. These five loci were also polymorphic in
R
.
kanmonensis
, distributed sympatrically with
R. speratus in the Kanmon Region, western Japan; the number of alleles per locus was 2–5, and observed heterozygosity was 0.176–0.625.