bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Cocaine‐ and Amphetamine‐Regulated Transcript is Present in Hypothalamic Neuroendocrine Neurones and is Released to the Hypothalamic‐Pituitary Portal Circuit
Authors: Larsen P. J. , Seier V. , Fink‐Jensen A. , Holst J. J. , Warberg J. , Vrang N. 
Published: March 2003

AbstractCocaine‐ and amphetamine‐regulated transcript (CART) is present in a number of hypothalamic nuclei. Besides actions in circuits regulating feeding behaviour and stress responses, the hypothalamic functions of CART are largely unknown. We report that CART immunoreactivity is present in hypothalamic neuroendocrine neurones. Adult male rats received a systemic injection of the neuronal tracer Fluorogold (FG) 2 days before fixation, and subsequent double‐ and triple‐labelling immunoflourescence analysis demonstrated that neuroendocrine CART‐containing neurones were present in the anteroventral periventricular, supraoptic, paraventricular (PVN) and periventricular nuclei of the hypothalamus. In the PVN, CART‐positive neuroendocrine neurones were found in all of cytoarchitectonically identified nuclei. In the periventricular nucleus, approximately one‐third of somatostatin cells were also CART‐immunoreactive. In the medial parvicellular subnucleus of the PVN, CART and FG coexisted with thyrotrophin‐releasing hormone, whereas very few of the corticotrophin‐releasing hormone containing cells were CART‐immunoreactive. In the arcuate nucleus, CART was extensively colocalized with pro‐opiomelanocortin in the ventrolateral part, but completely absent from neuroendocrine neurones of the dorsomedial part. To assess the possible role of CART as a hypothalamic‐releasing factor, immunoreactive CART was measured in blood samples from the long portal vessels connecting the median eminence with the anterior pituitary gland. Adult male rats were anaesthetized and the infundibular stalk exposed via a transpharyngeal approach. The long portal vessels were transected and blood collected in 30‐min periods (one prestimulatory and three poststimulatory periods). Compared to systemic venous plasma samples, baseline concentrations of immunoreactive CART were elevated in portal plasma. Exposure to sodium nitroprusside hypotension triggered a two‐fold elevation of portal CART42‐89 immunoreactivity throughout the 90‐min stimulation period. In contrast, the concentration of portal plasma CART immunoreactivity dropped in the vehicle infused rats. The current study provides further evidence that CART is a neuroendocrine‐releasing factor with a possible impact on anterior pituitary function during states of haemodynamic stress.
Therapeutic communication strategies used by Hong Kong mental health nurses with their Chinese clients
Authors: Arthur  , Chan  , Fung  , Wong  , Yeung  
Published: March 2003

Therapeutic communication is central to mental health nursing and through this process nurse‐client relationships can be enhanced. In Hong Kong, mental health nurses are educated in ‘western’ theories and strategies in using therapeutic communication and the field of communication is predominantly Eurocentric. However, the majority of people in Hong Kong are Chinese and little research has been conducted into how Hong Kong nurses communicate with their Chinese clients.This qualitative study focused on identifying the therapeutic communication strategies used by mental health nurses with Chinese clients in Hong Kong. Three case study vignettes with some of the characteristics of Chinese culture were developed to elicit information about the strategies that respondents used in therapeutic communication. The purposive sample of 20 comprised 10 admission ward nurses and 10 community nurses from two psychiatric hospitals. All participants had at least five years post­registration experience.Content analysis revealed categories of communication and theme clusters for the nurses’ response to the vignettes. The result showed a unique cultural influence emerged in communication patterns. In view of the scant nature of existing literature and studies in this area, this research provided some valuable data for further studies. Implications for mental health nursing education and practice in Hong Kong are raised, as are implications for nurses working in multicultural countries such as Australia, the UK and the USA, where there are significant numbers of Chinese clients who would benefit from nurses practising with a deeper understanding of communication strategies which are culturally bound.
Long‐term illness and patterns of medicine taking: are people with schizophrenia a unique group?
Authors: Marland G. R. , Cash K. 
Published: March 2003

Patients with schizophrenia relapse because of inadequate levels of medicine taking. Therefore, it seems logical to learn about the factors underpinning their medicine‐taking decisions. Further research is urgently needed to explore this area and thereby to refine models of practice, to promote therapeutic interactions with medicine. Existing research tends to share three common deficits.

It is grounded in the worldview of the psychiatrist not the patient.
It studies the influence of symptoms on compliance behaviour in isolation from other potential variables.
It overlooks the potential influence of the chronicity experience in general by examining schizophrenia outwith the context of other enduring illnesses.

Overall these deficits may combine to distort the influence of schizophrenic symptoms on medicine decision making and justify a coercive rather than an empowering approach. A pernicious self‐fulfilling spiral may be contributing to the problem of relapse in schizophrenia. Potentially the mental health nurse has a role in addressing this problem.
Obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome in hereditarygelsolin‐related amyloidosis
Authors: Kiuru Sari , Nieminen Tuula , Partinen Markku 
Published: March 2003

SummaryGelsolin‐related amyloidosis (AGel amyloidosis) is a rare autosomal dominant disorder, reported worldwide in kindreds carrying a G654A or G654T gelsolin gene mutation. The main clinical signs are cutis laxa, cranial and peripheral neuropathy, and corneal lattice dystrophy but heavy intermittent snoring also occurs. To evaluate whether sleep apnoea is present we performed nocturnal sleep recordings, cephalometric and spirometric analyses and multiple sleep latency tests (MSLT) in five snoring patients with a G654A gelsolin gene mutation. Four patients had obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSAS) with redundant oropharyngeal and hypopharyngeal soft tissues, macroglossia and cranial neuromuscular dysfunction. The fifth patient had hypersomnia without obstructive sleep apnoea. Nasal continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) was an effective treatment. This study presents the first evidence in favour of an association between AGel amyloidosis and OSAS, but further studies are needed to define the prevalence of OSAS and the pathogenetic roles of amyloid and variant gelsolin in its evolution.
Reversal of the sleep/wake cycle disorder of sleeping sickness after trypanosomicide treatment
Authors: Buguet Alain , Tapie Philippe , Bert Jacques 
Published: March 2003

SummaryTo determine whether the circadian disruption of the sleep/wake cycle observed in sleeping sickness, human African trypanosomiasis (HAT), can be reversed after trypanosomicide treatment, 10 Congolese patients infected by Trypanosoma brucei gambiense underwent 24‐h polysomnographic recordings before treatment with melarsoprol and after each of three weekly treatment sessions. Polysomnography consisted of a continuous recording of the electroencephalogram, electromyogram and electro‐oculogram on a Minidix Alvar polygraph. Sleep traces were analysed in 20‐sec epochs for wakefulness, REM sleep, and NREM sleep [stages 1, 2, 3, 4; stages 3 and 4 representing slow‐wave sleep (SWS)]. As previously described (Buguet et al. 1993), the 24‐h distribution of the sleep/wake cycle was disturbed proportionally to the severity of the illness. The overall amounts of each sleep/wake stage did not change after treatment. However, the patterns of occurrence of sleep episodes, REM sleep and SWS phases were determinant in the evaluation of treatment efficacy. The trypanosomicide action of melarsoprol led to a reduction in the number of sleep episodes, except in one patient whose health condition worsened during the third treatment session: sleep onset REM sleep phases (SOREMPs) decreased and the number of SWS episodes during a sleep episode increased. We conclude that in HAT, the reversibility of the sleep/wake cycle alteration and that of sleep structure constitute the basis for an evaluation of the healing process.
Scalp topography of the auditory evoked K‐complex in stage 2 and slow wave sleep
Authors: Cote Kimberly A. , De Lugt Duncan R. , Langley Susan D. , Campbell Kenneth B. 
Published: March 2003

SummaryDuring NREM sleep a very large amplitude wave‐form, known as the K‐complex, may be elicited upon presentation of an external stimulus. The present study compared the scalp distribution of a prominent negative wave peaking at about 550 ms and a later positive wave peaking between 900 and 1300 ms in stage 2 and slow wave sleep (SWS). Nine subjects spent a single night in the laboratory. They were presented with an 80 dB SPL 2000 Hz auditory tone pip every 15 s. The EEG was recorded from 29 electrode sites and referenced to the nose. A K‐complex was elicited on 34% of trials in stage 2 and on 46% of trials in SWS. A negative wave peaking at 330 ms was larger on trials in which the K‐complex was elicited than on trials in which it was not. The large amplitude N550 was readily observable on trials in which the K‐complex was elicited but could not be observed on trials in which it was not. The N550 was bilaterally symmetrical and was maximum over fronto–central areas of the scalp in both stage 2 and SWS. It inverted in polarity at the mastoid and inferior parietal regions. The scalp distribution of N550 significantly differed between stage 2 and SWS. It showed a sharper decline in amplitude over parietal and posterior–inferior areas of the scalp in stage 2 compared to SWS. A later P900 was maximum over centro–frontal areas of the scalp and was also bilaterally symmetrical. It showed a significantly sharper decline in amplitude over widespread inferior areas during SWS. Because the scalp maps of the N550 and P900 are different in stage 2 and SWS, their intracranial sources must also be different.
The impact of a nap opportunity during the night shift on the performance and alertness of 12‐h shift workers
Authors: Purnell M. T. , Feyer A.‐M. , Herbison G. P. 
Published: March 2003

SummaryThe purpose of this workplace evaluation was to assess the effects on performance, alertness and subsequent sleep of strategic napping on 12‐h overnight shifts. In a counterbalanced crossover design, 24 male aircraft maintenance engineers working in a forward rotating 12‐h shift pattern volunteered to take part in the study for two work weeks. During the experimental week, each subject was given the opportunity to take a 20‐min nap at work between 01:00 and 03:00 h on each of their two overnight shifts. On the control week no naps were taken on the night shifts. A computerized neurobehavioural test battery was employed to assess performance and subjective levels of fatigue at the beginning and end of each night shift, and pre‐ and postnap. Subjects were also asked to rate how near they had come to falling asleep while driving to and from work. The results revealed that taking a single 20‐min nap during the first night shift significantly improved speed of response on a vigilance task measured at the end of the shift compared with the control condition. On the second night shift there was no effect of the nap on performance. Taking a short nap during either night shift had no significant effect on subjective ratings of fatigue, the level of sleepiness reported while driving to and from work, or subsequent sleep duration and sleep quality. Overall the results suggest some promise for a short duration nap taken in the workplace to counteract performance deficits associated with the first night shift.
Evolution of sleep and sleep EEG after hemispheric stroke
Authors: Vock Jacqueline , Achermann Peter , Bischof Matthias , Milanova Milena , Müller Caroline , Nirkko Arto , Roth Corinne , Bassetti Claudio L. 
Published: March 2003

SUMMARYThe evolution of subjective sleep and sleep electroencephalogram (EEG) after hemispheric stroke have been rarely studied and the relationship of sleep variables to stroke outcome is essentially unknown. We studied 27 patients with first hemispheric ischaemic stroke and no sleep apnoea in the acute (1–8 days), subacute (9–35 days), and chronic phase (5–24 months) after stroke. Clinical assessment included estimated sleep time per 24 h (EST) and Epworth sleepiness score (ESS) before stroke, as well as EST, ESS and clinical outcome after stroke. Sleep EEG data from stroke patients were compared with data from 11 hospitalized controls and published norms. Changes in EST (>2 h, 38% of patients) and ESS (>3 points, 26%) were frequent but correlated poorly with sleep EEG changes. In the chronic phase no significant differences in sleep EEG between controls and patients were found. High sleep efficiency and low wakefulness after sleep onset in the acute phase were associated with a good long‐term outcome. These two sleep EEG variables improved significantly from the acute to the subacute and chronic phase. In conclusion, hemispheric strokes can cause insomnia, hypersomnia or changes in sleep needs but only rarely persisting sleep EEG abnormalities. High sleep EEG continuity in the acute phase of stroke heralds a good clinical outcome.
Periodic limb movement disorder of sleep in children
Authors: Crabtree Valerie Mclaughlin , Ivanenko Anna , O'Brien Louise Margaret , Gozal David 
Published: March 2003

SUMMARYTo characterize periodic limb movement disorder (PLMD) in a cohort of prepubertal children we examined sleep‐related identifiable differences between children with PLMD and attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), PLMD alone, and age‐matched controls. Children were selected from a chart review of all children referred to a pediatric sleep medicine center and from a community survey of 5–7‐year‐old‐children. Polysomnography (PSG) and parental report data from all children identified as having periodic limb movement index (PLMI) >5 were reviewed and compared with a cohort of age‐matched controls. A total of 8.4% of children in the clinic‐referred sample, and 11.9% of the children recruited from the community had PLMI >5. Of those, 44.4% were identified as having ADHD. Children with PLMD had significantly lower percentage of rapid eye movement (REM) than control children (P < 0.001). Children in the PLMD/ADHD group had a significantly greater number of arousals associated with PLM (PLMa) than children with PLMD only (P < 0.05). While a relationship between ADHD and PLMD was observed, it was weaker than previous reports (Chervin, R. D. et al. Sleep, 2002; 25: 213; Chervin, R. D. and Archbold, K. H. Sleep, 2001; 24: 313; Picchietti et al. J. Child Neurol., 1999; 13: 588; Picchietti et al. Mov. Disord., 1999; 14: 1000; Picchietti and Walters Sleep, 1999; 22: 297). Children in the PLMD/ADHD group were more likely to have PLMas than were children with PLMD only. We postulate that rather than a direct relationship between ADHD and PLMD, this link may be mediated by the presence of reduced REM sleep and more importantly by the sleep fragmentation associated with PLM‐induced arousals.
Pharmacokinetics of ketoprofen enantiomers after intravenous administration of racemate in camels: effect of gender
Authors: Al Katheeri N. A. , Wasfi I. A. , Lambert M. , Saeed A. , Khan I. A. 
Published: March 2003

The pharmacokinetics of ketoprofen (KP) enantiomers were studied in ten female and eight male camels after a single intravenous dose (2.0 mg/kg) of racemic KP. A high performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method was developed for the quantitation of the R‐ and S‐enantiomers without derivatization of the samples using a S,S‐Whelk‐01 chiral stationary phase column. The data collected (median and range) were as follows: the areas under the curve to infinity (AUC) (μg/mL per h) were 22.4 (13.5–29.7) and 19.8 (13.8–22.1) for R‐ and S‐KP, respectively, in female camels while the corresponding values in male camels were 16.0 (12.9–22.4) and 14.4 (11.0–19.3). In both sexes, the AUC for the R‐enantiomer was significantly larger than that of the S‐enantiomer. Total body clearances (Clt) were 44.6 (33.7–74.1) and 50.6 (45.2–72.4) mL/kg per h for R‐ and S‐KP, respectively, in female camels and were 62.8 (44.6–77.8) and 69.6 (51.8–91.1) mL/kg per h for R‐ and S‐KP, respectively, in male camels. In both sexes of camels, the Clt values for R‐KP were significantly lower than its corresponding antipode. The steady‐state volumes of distribution (Vss) were 97.9 (82.8–147.2) and 102.0 (90.1–169.0) mL/kg for R‐ and S‐KP, respectively, in female camels and were significantly different from each other, while the respective values in male camels were 151.5 (105.3–222.3) and 154.0 (114.7–229.0) mL/kg but were not significantly different from each other. The volumes of distribution (area) followed a similar pattern, where the values for R‐ and S‐KP in female camels were 118.5 (95.6–195.2) and 137.6 (115.8–236.2) mL/kg, respectively, and the respective values in male camels were 215.6 (119.1–270.1) and 229.1 (143.3–277.4) mL/kg.The elimination half‐lives (t1/2β) were 1.88 (1.42–2.34) h and 1.83 (1.67–2.26) h for R‐ and S‐KP, respectively, in female camels and were significantly different from each other, while the corresponding values in male camels were 2.11 (1.50–4.20) and 2.33 (1.52–3.83) h for R and S‐KP, respectively, but were not significantly different from each other. The mean residence time followed a similar pattern. All pharmacokinetic parameters for R‐ and S‐KP in female camels were significantly different from their corresponding values in male camels.The extent of protein binding for R‐ and S‐KP was evaluated in vitro by ultrafiltration. The extents of protein binding for R‐ and S‐KP were not significantly different from each other when each enantiomer was supplemented separately. However, when the enantiomers were supplemented together, protein binding of R‐KP was significantly higher than that of S‐KP in female but not in male camels.
Sequence, expression and reconstitution of an HCV genome from a British isolate derived from a single blood donation
Authors: Kumar U. , Tuthill T. , Thomas H. C. , Monjardino J. 
Published: March 2003

Morphological analysis of hepatitis C virus and development of antiviral drugs to eradicate this agent have been seriously hampered by the low viraemias observed during natural infection and the unavailability of a cell culture system for virus propagation. Recently a low‐grade hepatitis has been reported in chimpanzees after intrahepatic transfection of full‐length synthetic HCV RNA and successful infections shown to be critically dependent on the integrity and genetic homogeneity of the reconstituted clone. In this study we describe and characterize a full HCV RNA sequence derived from a case of chronic sporadic hepatitis. The genotype was shown to be 1a with a low level of intraclonal sequence heterogeneity, and processing of both structural and nonstructural proteins has been documented. The assembly of the full genome has also been achieved.The low level of intraclonal variation observed may reflect infection with a single isolate and the fact that cloning was performed on virus obtained from a single blood donation makes this clone a good candidate for future in vivo and in vitro transfection studies.
Therapy of chronic hepatitis B: current challenges and opportunities
Authors: Liaw Y.‐F. 
Published: March 2003

summary. Better understanding of hepatitis B virus (HBV) replication, natural history and the immunopathogenesis of chronic hepatitis B, together with the introduction of effective agents with different mechanisms of action are the basis for better therapeutic strategies against chronic hepatitis B. Among currently available drugs, interferon‐α and thymosin‐α1 have only modest efficacy (∼ 40%vs 9–20% in controls). In the past decade, lamivudine has dominated in the treatment of chronic HBV infection because it is easy to use, safe, and is effective in terms of hepatitis B e antigen and/or HBV‐DNA loss, ALT normalization, and improvement in histology. The response rate increases with increasing pretherapy alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels, suggesting that patients with stronger endogenous immune response against HBV have a better response to direct antiviral agents. Lamivudine is also beneficial in decompensated cirrhotics with HBV replication. Hepatitic flares may occur after stopping lamivudine therapy in nonresponders and also in responders. Therefore, prolonged therapy is usually required. However, tyrosine‐methionine‐aspartate‐aspartate (YMDD ) mutations conferring resistance to lamivudine start to emerge after 6–9 months of therapy, and hepatitis flare, even decompensation, may develop after viral breakthrough. Thus the benefits of long‐term lamivudine therapy must be balanced against the concern about YMDD mutations and the durability of treatment response. Adefovir dipivoxil, entecavir, emtricitabine, clevudine and other nucleoside/ nucleotide analogues have shown encouraging results and some agents appear effective in patients with YMDD mutants. Further development of new drugs and new strategies may help to improve treatment in the new century.
The impact of predation risk from small mustelids on prey populations
Authors: Norrdahl Kai , KorpimÄki Erkki 
Published: March 2003

ABSTRACTSmall mustelids are ‘snake‐like’ mammals adapted to hunt small rodents, which are their principal prey, in tunnels leaving practically no refuge for the prey. Prey rodents have adaptive behaviours to situations where the predation risk from mustelids is high, including reduced activity and escape by climbing. Small mustelids may affect prey population dynamics directly through killing (increased mortality) and/or indirectly through behavioural changes in prey as a response to the presence of mustelids (predation risk). The Predator‐Induced Breeding Suppression hypothesis (PIBS) states that a trade‐off between survival and reproduction should lead to delayed breeding under temporarily high predation risk, so that the mere presence of predators may reduce reproductive output. Current results suggest that small mustelids mainly affect prey population growth rate directly through killing. In many cyclic rodent populations, small mustelid predation is a major mortality factor, and experimental evidence supports the hypothesis that these predators drive prolonged summer declines in prey. In contrast, the evidence for PIBS is controversial. Experimental evidence shows that the indirect effects of small mustelids on prey populations are negligible during the best breeding season. However, in other seasons, the presence of predators may indirectly affect prey populations, although this has not been studied experimentally. Prey rodents may decrease mobility as a response to high predation risk by small mustelids, and this reduction in mobility decreases feeding. Reduced feeding affects the energy reserves of voles, and may delay maturation or lower the size of the first litter.