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These Findings (these + finding)
Selected AbstractsSize and phenotypic structure of microbial communities within soil profiles in relation to different playing areas on a UK golf courseEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF SOIL SCIENCE, Issue 5 2008M. D. Bartlett Summary Amenity turf accounts for up to 4% of land-use in urban areas, providing key refuges for both above- and below-ground biodiversity. Golf courses occupy the largest surface area of all sports facilities; however, only a limited amount of microbial ecology has been carried out to investigate differences in the size and structure of microbial communities of the soil. The soil microbial community is a key agent in nutrient cycling and delivery of other ecosystem goods and services; however, there has been little work focused on amenity turf ecosystems in the UK. A study of soil microbial community size and structure, on the range of playing areas maintained for the game of golf at a single golf course in relation to depth through the soil profile, was carried out. Soil from different playing areas showed significant differences in the size (measured using chloroform fumigation extraction) of the microbial community (P < 0.01), with a greater concentration of microbial biomass at 0,75 mm from the surface, compared with deeper zones (P < 0.01). Principal component analysis of phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) biomarkers indicated that the community structure was significantly different at 0,75 mm from the surface on all areas of the golf course investigated (P < 0.05, in all cases). The PLFA biomarkers consistently associated with such discrimination were 16:0 and 18:1,9 c. These findings suggest that there is a consistently larger and similarly structured microbial community associated with the surface thatch layer, commonly found in amenity turf. [source] Validity and Reliability of the Turkish Migraine Disability Assessment (MIDAS) QuestionnaireHEADACHE, Issue 8 2004Mustafa Erta Objectives.,The aim of this study is to assess the comprehensibility, internal consistency, patient-physician reliability, test-retest reliability, and validity of Turkish version of Migraine Disability Assessment (MIDAS) questionnaire in patients with headache. Background.,MIDAS questionnaire has been developed by Stewart et al and shown to be reliable and valid to determine the degree of disability caused by migraine. Design and Methods.,This study was designed as a national multicenter study to demonstrate the reliability and validity of Turkish version of MIDAS questionnaire. Patients applying to 17 Neurology Clinics in Turkey were evaluated at the baseline (visit 1), week 4 (visit 2), and week 12 (visit 3) visits in terms of disease severity and comprehensibility, internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and validity of MIDAS. Since the severity of the disease has been found to change significantly at visit 2 compared to visit 1, test-retest reliability was assessed using the MIDAS scores of a subgroup of patients whose disease severity remained unchanged (up to ±3 days difference in the number of days with headache between visits 1 and 2). Results.,A total of 306 patients (86.2% female, mean age: 35.0 ± 9.8 years) were enrolled into the study. A total of 65.7%, 77.5%, 82.0% of patients reported that "they had fully understood the MIDAS questionnaire" in visits 1, 2, and 3, respectively. A highly positive correlation was found between physician and patient and the applied total MIDAS scores in all three visits (Spearman correlation coefficients were R= 0.87, 0.83, and 0.90, respectively, P < .001). Internal consistency of MIDAS was assessed using Cronbach's , and was found at acceptable (>0.7) or excellent (>0.8) levels in both patient and physician applied MIDAS scores, respectively. Total MIDAS score showed good test-retest reliability (R= 0.68). Both the number of days with headache and the total MIDAS scores were positively correlated at all visits with correlation coefficients between 0.47 and 0.63. There was also a moderate degree of correlation (R= 0.54) between the total MIDAS score at week 12 and the number of days with headache at visit 2 + visit 3, which quantify headache-related disability over a 3-month period similar to MIDAS questionnaire. Conclusion.,These findings demonstrated that the Turkish translation is equivalent to the English version of MIDAS in terms of internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and validity. Physicians can reliably use the Turkish translation of the MIDAS questionnaire in defining the severity of illness and its treatment strategy when applied as a self-administered report by migraine patients themselves. [source] Leflunomide protects from T-cell,mediated liver injury in mice through inhibition of nuclear factor ,BHEPATOLOGY, Issue 5 2004Motoaki Imose Leflunomide is a novel immunosuppressive and anti-inflammatory agent for the treatment of autoimmune disease. The aim of this study was to investigate whether leflunomide protects from liver injury induced by concanavalin A (Con A), a T-cell,dependent model of liver damage. BALB/c mice were injected with 25 mg/kg Con A in the presence or absence of 30 mg/kg leflunomide. Liver injury was assessed biochemically and histologically. Levels of circulating cytokines and expressions of cytokine messenger RNA (mRNA) in the liver and the spleen were determined. Treatment with leflunomide markedly reduced serum transaminase activities and the numbers of dead liver cells. Leflunomide significantly inhibited increases in plasma tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-,) and interleukin 2 concentrations, and also reduced TNF-, mRNA expression in the liver after administration of Con A. These findings were supported by the results in which leflunomide administration decreased the number of T lymphocytes infiltrating the liver as well as inhibiting their production of TNF-,. Activation of nuclear factor ,B (NF-,B), which regulates TNF-, production, was inhibited in the liver of mice treated with leflunomide, resulting in a reduction of TNF-, production from lymphocytes infiltrating the liver. In conclusion, leflunomide is capable of regulating T-cell,mediated liver injury in vivo and that this event may depend on the decrease of TNF-, production in the liver through inhibition of NF-,B activation caused by leflunomide. (HEPATOLOGY 2004.) [source] Promoting breast health: older women's perceptions of an innovative intervention to enhance screeningINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF OLDER PEOPLE NURSING, Issue 2 2006Robin Y. Wood EdD Aims and objectives., This study is a continuation of prior funded research in which we tested the use of age and ethnically sensitive video breast health kits to increase knowledge about breast cancer and enhance the screening practices of breast self-examination and mammography among older Caucasian and African-American women. Background., Breast cancer is the most frequent cancer in women worldwide and accounts for 23% of all cancers. Mammography is currently the best procedure available for mass screening of breast cancer. However, underutilization of mammography is a problem among older women in the United States. Elders are at the greatest risk for developing and dying from breast cancer but they are the least likely group to be screened routinely with mammograms or to practice breast self-examination, particularly if they are African-American. Design., Participatory qualitative evaluation focus groups were used to assess the overall impact of the video kit intervention programme and to elucidate the quantitative findings of the original study. Methods., Four focus groups were conducted in two diverse settings with a purposive sample of 23 participants (N = 23). The overall sample was predominantly African-American (87%) with mean age of 71 ± 7.9 years and mean education completed of 12 ± 3.4 years. Results., Five major themes emerged from group discussions: usability and appeal of the intervention, fear and empowerment, personal relevance and intergenerational sharing, impact on screening behaviours, and story telling. Conclusions., Analyses suggest that customized media materials constructed especially for older African-American women empowered participants in this sample to action regarding their own breast health. Relevance to clinical practice., These findings may translate to global populations where risk is increasing but screening programmes are not widely available. Given that older women are historically difficult to access and impact, further design and evaluation of innovative and sensitive educational programmes such as the one described here are recommended. [source] Lived Experiences of Mothers Caring for Children With Thalassemia Major in ThailandJOURNAL FOR SPECIALISTS IN PEDIATRIC NURSING, Issue 1 2007Suksiri Prasomsuk ISSUES AND PURPOSE.,Thalassemic patients must be given continuous treatment throughout their lives due to the physical and psychological effects of their disorder; their families also are impacted. This qualitative study explored the lived experiences of 15 mothers of children with thalassemia major by conducting semistructured interviews; the data were analyzed utilizing content analysis. CONCLUSION.,Six themes were identified: lack of knowledge about thalassemia, psychosocial problems, concerns for the future, social support systems, financial difficulty, and the effectiveness of healthcare services. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS.,These findings suggest that a holistic, culturally sensitive nursing approach should be considered when caring for children with thalassemia. [source] Older caregivers' coping strategies and sense of coherence in relation to quality of lifeJOURNAL OF ADVANCED NURSING, Issue 6 2007Anna Kristensson Ekwall Abstract Aim., This paper reports a study to investigate coping strategies and sense of coherence in relation to gender, the extent of care, caregiving activities and health-related quality of life in a population-based sample of caregivers aged 75 and over. Background., Caring for another person can be stressful both emotionally, and caregiver burden may affect quality of life in a negative way for the carer. Caregivers' experience of burden may depend on for example, the behaviour of the person cared for, their own health and their sense of coherence. Older people take a great part of caregiving responsibility and thus understanding of their strain and coping is required. Methods., A postal survey was carried out in 2001 with 171 informal caregivers, aged 75 or older. The response rate was 47%. The questionnaire included the Short-Form 12, Carer's Assessment of Managing Index, and Sense of Coherence instrument. Results., Almost 70% of caregivers provided help every day. Higher health-related quality of life was predicted by using self-sustaining coping strategies and by high sense of coherence. Poor economic situation and demanding social and practical support predicted low scores. Conclusion., These findings could help identify those at risk of low quality of life due to caregiving, dysfunctional coping or lack of information about care. Early intervention, including education about alternative coping strategies and practical information, might allow caregivers better possibilities to continue caring with less negative effects on their lives. [source] Comparison of the effects of erdosteine and N-acetylcysteine on apoptosis regulation in endotoxin-induced acute lung injuryJOURNAL OF APPLIED TOXICOLOGY, Issue 4 2006Rezan Demiralay Abstract This study was carried out to investigate comparatively the frequency of apoptosis in lung epithelial cells after intratracheal instillation of endotoxin [lipopolysaccharide (LPS)] in rats and the role of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF- ,) on apoptosis, and the effects of erdosteine and N-acetylcysteine on the regulation of apoptosis. Female Wistar rats were given oral erdosteine (10,500 mg kg,1) or N-acetylcysteine (10,500 mg kg,1) once a day for 3 consecutive days. Then the rats were intratracheally instilled with LPS (5 mg kg,1) to induce acute lung injury. The rats were killed at 24 h after LPS administration. Lung tissue samples were stained with hematoxylin-eosin for histopathological assessments. The apoptosis level in the lung bronchial and bronchiolar epithelium was determined using the TUNEL (terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick endlabelling) method. Cytoplasmic TNF- , was evaluated by immunohistochemistry. Pretreatment with erdosteine and pretreatment with N-acetylcysteine at a dose of 10 mg kg,1 had no protective effect on LPS-induced lung injury. When the doses of drugs increased, the severity of the lung damage caused by LPS decreased. It was found that as the pretreatment dose of erdosteine was increased, the rate of apoptosis induced by LPS in lung epithelial cells decreased and this decrease was statistically significant in doses of 300 mg kg,1 and 500 mg kg,1. Pretreatment with N-acetylcysteine up to a dose of 500 mg kg,1 did not show any significant effect on apoptosis regulation. It was noticed that both antioxidants had no significant effect on the local production level of TNF- ,. These findings suggest that erdosteine could be a possible therapeutic agent for acute lethal lung injury and its mortality. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Investigating factors associated with nurses' attitudes towards perinatal bereavement care: a study in Shandong and Hong KongJOURNAL OF CLINICAL NURSING, Issue 16 2009Moon Fai Chan Aims., To explore nurses' attitudes towards perinatal bereavement care and to identify factors associated with these attitudes. Background., It is likely that the attitude of nursing staff can influence recovery from a pregnancy loss and that nurses with positive attitudes to bereavement care can help bereaved parents to cope during their grieving period. Design., Survey. Method., Data were collected through a structured questionnaire; 657 nurses were recruited from Obstetrics and Gynaecology units in Hong Kong and Shandong during 2006. Outcome measures included attitudes towards perinatal bereavement care, importance of hospital policy and training support for bereavement care. Results., The majority of nurses in this study had a positive attitude to bereavement care. Results show that only 21·6% (n = 141) of the nurses surveyed had bereavement-related training. In contrast, about 89·8% (n = 300) believed they needed to be equipped with relevant knowledge, skills and understanding in the care and support of bereaved parents and more than 88·5% (n = 592) would share their experiences with their colleagues and seek support when feeling under stress. A regression model showed that age, past experience in handling grieving parents, recent ranking and nurses' perceived attitudes to hospital policy and training provided for bereavement care were the factors associated with nurses' attitudes to perinatal bereavement care. Conclusions., Nurses in both cities emphasised their need for increased knowledge and experience, improved communication skills and greater support from team members and the hospital for perinatal bereavement care. Relevance to clinical practice., These findings may be used by nursing educators to educate their students on issues related to delivery of sensitive bereavement care in perinatal settings and to enhance nursing school curricula. [source] Analysis of opium use by students of medical sciencesJOURNAL OF CLINICAL NURSING, Issue 4 2006Jamshid Ahmadi MD Aims and objectives., To investigate the prevalence of opium use in university students. Background., University health professionals and authorities are very concerned about substance use among university students. Design., A survey with a representative sample of 2519 (1126 men and 1393 women) university students and opium use disorders assessed by means of DSM-IV criteria (Diagnostic Statistical Manual-IV Axis I during the year 2003). Findings., Mean age of the sample was 23·8 year and SD was 3·9. Of the students, 110 (4·4%) admitted using of opium once or more during their lives (9.1% of men and 0·6% of women; P < 0·01). Fifty (2%) were occasional opium user (4·2% of men and 0·2% of women; P < 0·01). Nineteen (0·8%) were current opium user (1·4% of men and 0·2% of women; P = 0·001). Mean age of opium users was higher than the remainder. Opium use was significantly related to gender (P = 0·001), and life stress (P = 0·04). Conclusion., These findings can be considered for preventive and therapeutic programmes, because early intervention during the formative university years may present an opportunity to reduce the risk of long-term problems, to decrease social and individual harm and also to promote public health of society. Relevance to clinical practice., These findings can be considered in clinical practice for detection and treatment of opioid abuse. [source] Exploratory factor analysis of the research and development culture index among qualified nursesJOURNAL OF CLINICAL NURSING, Issue 9 2005Bill Watson MSc Aims and objectives., This paper presents the exploratory factor analysis of a rating instrument for assessing the strength of organizational Research and Development (R&D) culture. Background., Despite nursing's limited research capacity, the discipline is capitalising upon opportunities to become involved in research and is making strong progress. Within the context of the debate on nursing research capacity, the R&D Culture Index was developed as a means of appraising R&D culture within health care organizations. Design., Factor analysis was carried out on data collected from 485 nursing staff. The method of extraction was Principal Components Analysis with oblique rotation. Methods., The Index was developed from the findings of qualitative research conducted with NHS staff. Eighteen items, encompassing the main themes from the data, were initially included in the Index. This pilot instrument was distributed to nursing staff within three different types of NHS Trust. Factor analysis resulted in rejection of two items and the analysis was repeated using the remaining 16 items. Results., Three latent factors were extracted accounting for 58·0% of the variance in the data. The factors were: R&D Support, describing the perceived support within the working environment for R&D activity; Personal R&D Skills and Aptitude, describing an individual's perception of their ability towards R&D activity; and Personal R&D Intention, describing an individual's willingness to engage in R&D activity. Each factor had good internal reliability, as did the overall index. Conclusion., The R&D Culture Index provides an efficient means of assessing the strength of an organization's R&D culture in a way that captures the role of the individual practitioner and the organizational environment. Relevance to practice., These findings suggest that the continuing promotion of R&D within health care organizations is dependent upon a multi-faceted approach that addresses the learning needs of the organization as well as those of the individual practitioners. [source] Berberine inhibits Staphylococcus Epidermidis adhesion and biofilm formation on the surface of titanium alloyJOURNAL OF ORTHOPAEDIC RESEARCH, Issue 11 2009Xiaoqing Wang Abstract Biofilm formed by Staphylococcus epidermidis (S. epidermidis) is a common cause of periprosthetic infection. Recently, we have discovered that berberine is bacteriostatic for S. epidermidis. The purpose of the present study was to examine the effect of berberine on S. epidermidis adhesion and biofilm formation on the surface of titanium alloy, which is a popular material for orthopedic joint prostheses. Three strains of S. epidermidis (ATCC 35984, ATCC 12228, and SE 243) were used for in vitro experiment. Direct colony counting showed that berberine significantly inhibited S. epidermidis adhesion on the titanium alloy disk in 2 h at the concentration of 45 µg/mL. When examined with crystal violet staining, confocal laser scanning microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy, we found that higher concentrations (>30 µg/mL) of berberine effectively prevented the formation of S. epidermidis biofilm on the surface of the titanium disk in 24 h. These findings suggest that berberine is a potential agent for the treatment of periprosthetic infection. © 2009 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 27:1487,1492, 2009 [source] Development and in-vivo evaluation of insulin-loaded chitosan phthalate microspheres for oral deliveryJOURNAL OF PHARMACY AND PHARMACOLOGY: AN INTERNATI ONAL JOURNAL OF PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCE, Issue 10 2007Udhumansha Ubaidulla Novel chitosan phthalate microspheres containing insulin were prepared by emulsion cross-linking technique. The feasibility of these microspheres as oral insulin delivery carriers was evaluated. The pH-responsive release behaviour of insulin from microspheres was analysed. The ability of chitosan phthalate-insulin microspheres to enhance intestinal absorption and improve the relative pharmacological availability of insulin was investigated by monitoring the plasma glucose and insulin level of streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats after oral administration of microspheres at insulin dose of 20 IU kg,1. In simulated gastric fluid (pH 2.0), insulin release from the microspheres was very slow. However, as the pH of the medium was changed to simulated intestinal fluid (pH 7.4), a rapid release of insulin occurred. The relative pharmacological efficacy for chitosan phthalate microspheres (18.66 ± 3.84%) was almost four-fold higher than the efficacy of the chitosan phthalate-insulin solution administration (4.08 ± 1.52%). Chitosan phthalate microspheres sustained the plasma glucose at pre-diabetic level for at least 16 h. These findings suggest that the microsphere is a promising carrier as oral insulin delivery system. [source] Reduced Cold Pain Tolerance in Chronic Pain Patients Following Opioid DetoxificationPAIN MEDICINE, Issue 8 2008Jarred Younger PhD ABSTRACT Objective., One potential consequence of chronic opioid analgesic administration is a paradoxical increase of pain sensitivity over time. Little scientific attention has been given to how cessation of opioid medication affects the hyperalgesic state. In this study, we examined the effects of opioid tapering on pain sensitivity in chronic pain patients. Design., Twelve chronic pain patients on long-term opioid analgesic treatment were observed in a 7- to 14-day inpatient pain rehabilitation program, with cold pain tolerance assessed at admission and discharge. The majority of participants were completely withdrawn from their opioids during their stay. Outcome Measures., We hypothesized that those patients with the greatest reduction in daily opioid use would show the greatest increases in pain tolerance, as assessed by a cold pressor task. Results., A linear regression revealed that the amount of opioid medication withdrawn was a significant predictor of pain tolerance changes, but not in the direction hypothesized. Greater opioid reduction was associated with decreased pain tolerance. This reduction of pain tolerance was not associated with opioid withdrawal symptoms or changes in general pain. Conclusions., These findings suggest that the withdrawal of opioids in a chronic pain sample leads to an acute increase in pain sensitivity. [source] Efficacy of Cognitive Nursing Intervention for Voice HearingPERSPECTIVES IN PSYCHIATRIC CARE, Issue 2 2007Margaret England PhD PROBLEM.,Many individuals who hear negative voices are troubled by their voices even when they adhere to prescribed neuroleptic medication regimens. At the same time, recent clinical trials provide evidence that structured, cognitive intervention can reduce distress tied to refractory auditory hallucinations and other psychiatric symptoms. PURPOSE.,The purpose of this randomized controlled trial was to determine whether usual care (UC), or usual care plus 12, 90-min episodes of cognitive nursing intervention (UC + CNI) led to sustained improvement in the psychiatric symptoms and self-esteem of 65 voice hearers assigned a diagnosis of schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. ANALYSIS AND FINDINGS.,Analysis of covariance with repeated measures procedures indicate that the 44 participants exposed to UC + CNI, were significantly more likely than the 21 participants exposed to UC only, to sustain significant improvement in psychiatric symptoms and self-esteem 1 year following treatment. IMPLICATIONS.,These findings provide encouragement for nurses to further develop and investigate cognitive strategies to treat psychiatric symptoms of voice hearers. [source] Human motor associative plasticity induced by paired bihemispheric stimulationTHE JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY, Issue 19 2009Satoko Koganemaru Paired associative stimulation (PAS) is an effective non-invasive method to induce human motor plasticity by the repetitive pairing of peripheral nerve stimulation and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) at the primary motor cortex (M1) with a specific time interval. Although the repetitive pairing of two types of afferent stimulation might be a biological basis of neural plasticity and memory, other types of paired stimulation of the human brain have rarely been studied. We hypothesized that the repetitive pairing of TMS and interhemispheric cortico-cortical projection or paired bihemispheric stimulation (PBS), in which the right and left M1 were serially stimulated with a time interval of 15 ms, would produce an associative long-term potentiation (LTP)-like effect. In this study, 23 right-handed healthy volunteers were subjected to a 0.1 Hz repetition of 180 pairings of bihemispheric TMS, and physiological and behavioural measures of the motor system were compared before, immediately after, 20 min after and 40 min after PBS intervention. The amplitude of the motor evoked potential (MEP) induced by the left M1 stimulation and its input,output function increased for up to ,20 min post-PBS. Fine finger movements were also facilitated by PBS. Spinal excitability measured by the H-reflex was insensitive to PBS, suggesting a cortical mechanism. The associative LTP-like effect induced by PBS was timing dependent, occurring only when the interstimulus interval was 5,25 ms. These findings demonstrate that using PBS in PAS can induce motor cortical plasticity, and this approach might be applicable to the rehabilitation of patients with motor disorders. [source] Haemodynamic responses to exercise, ATP infusion and thigh compression in humans: insight into the role of muscle mechanisms on cardiovascular functionTHE JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY, Issue 9 2008José González-Alonso The muscle pump and muscle vasodilatory mechanims are thought to play important roles in increasing and maintaining muscle perfusion and cardiac output during exercise, but their actual contributions remain uncertain. To evaluate the role of the skeletal muscle pump and vasodilatation on cardiovascular function during exercise, we determined leg and systemic haemodynamic responses in healthy men during (1) incremental one-legged knee-extensor exercise, (2) step-wise femoral artery ATP infusion at rest, (3) passive exercise (n= 10), (4) femoral vein or artery ATP infusion (n= 6), and (5) cyclic thigh compressions at rest and during passive and voluntary exercise (n= 7). Incremental exercise resulted in progressive increases in leg blood flow (,LBF 7.4 ± 0.7 l min,1), cardiac output ( 8.7 ± 0.7 l min,1), mean arterial pressure (,MAP 51 ± 5 mmHg), and leg and systemic oxygen delivery and . Arterial ATP infusion resulted in similar increases in , LBF, and systemic and leg oxygen delivery, but central venous pressure and muscle metabolism remained unchanged and MAP was reduced. In contrast, femoral vein ATP infusion did not alter LBF, or MAP. Passive exercise also increased blood flow (,LBF 0.7 ± 0.1 l min,1), yet the increase in muscle and systemic perfusion, unrelated to elevations in aerobic metabolism, accounted only for ,5% of peak exercise hyperaemia. Likewise, thigh compressions alone or in combination with passive exercise increased blood flow (,LBF 0.5,0.7 l min,1) without altering , MAP or . These findings suggest that the skeletal muscle pump is not obligatory for sustaining venous return, central venous pressure, stroke volume and or maintaining muscle blood flow during one-legged exercise in humans. Further, its contribution to muscle and systemic peak exercise hyperaemia appears to be minimal in comparison to the effects of muscle vasodilatation. [source] Effects of Natriuretic Peptides on Intracavernous Pressure and Blood Pressure in Conscious RatsTHE JOURNAL OF SEXUAL MEDICINE, Issue 10 2008Naoki Aizawa PhD ABSTRACT Introduction., Natriuretic peptides activate particulate guanylyl cyclases and have been shown to induce penile erection in rats, rabbits, and humans. Aim., We investigated the effects of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), and C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP) on intracavernous pressure (ICP) and systemic blood pressure (BP) in conscious, free-moving rats. Methods., ICP and BP were measured in male Sprague,Dawley rats after catheters were inserted into the crus corpus cavernosum and carotid artery, respectively. Natriuretic peptides were given by intravenous bolus (3, 10, and 30 nmol/kg) or continuous (0.1 and 1 nmol/kg/minute) administration. Main Outcome Measures., The number of animals with increases in ICP were determined. Amplitudes and durations of ICP responses and changes in BP were also evaluated. Results., More animals had multiple transient increases of ICP in response to ANP and BNP than to CNP. The increases in ICP were transient and appeared to be an "all or none" response. ANP and BNP decreased BP more than CNP, especially with bolus administration. Conclusions., These findings show that in rats, erectile responses can be initiated by ANP, BNP, and less effectively, by CNP. ANP and BNP have a high affinity for the natriuretic peptide receptor-A, suggesting that this receptor is involved in the responses. Aizawa N, Ishizuka O, Ogawa T, Mizusawa H, Igawa Y, Nishizawa O, and Andersson K-E. Effects of natriuretic peptides on intracavernous pressure and blood pressure in conscious rats. J Sex Med 2008;5:2312,2317. [source] ORIGINAL RESEARCH,BASIC SCIENCE: Enhancement of Both EDHF and NO/cGMP Pathways Is Necessary to Reverse Erectile Dysfunction in Diabetic RatsTHE JOURNAL OF SEXUAL MEDICINE, Issue 3 2005Javier Angulo PhD ABSTRACT Aims and Methods., Phosphodiesterase 5 (PDE5) inhibitors are less effective in the treatment of erectile dysfunction (ED) in diabetic men than in nondiabetic patients. We have evaluated the effects of sildenafil, a PDE5 inhibitor that enhances the nitric oxide (NO)/cGMP pathway, calcium dobesilate (DOBE), which potentiates endothelium-derived hyperpolarizing factor (EDHF)-mediated responses and the combination of both on erectile responses elicited by cavernosal nerve electrical stimulation (CNES) in a rat model of ED after 8 weeks of streptozotocin-induced diabetes. Results., After 8 weeks of diabetes, erectile responses to CNES were significantly decreased in diabetic animals compared with nondiabetic time controls. While intravenous administration of sildenafil (0.3 mg/kg) or DOBE (10 mg/kg), individually, enhanced erectile responses in nondiabetic rats (214.7 ± 34.1% and 268.5 ± 30.1% of control response at 1 Hz, respectively), each failed to significantly enhance erectile responses in diabetic rats. Only when administered in combination did DOBE and sildenafil markedly potentiate erectile responses in these animals (380.1 ± 88.6% of control response at 1 Hz), completely restoring erectile function. Conclusions., These findings emphasize the importance of NO/cGMP and EDHF pathways for normal erectile function. They also give support to the in vitro observation that diabetes impairs NO and EDHF-dependent responses, precluding the complete recovery of erectile function with PDE5 inhibitors and explaining the relatively poor clinical response of diabetic men with ED to PDE5 inhibition. Finally, our study suggests that a pharmacological approach that combines enhancement of NO/cGMP and EDHF pathways could be necessary to treat ED in many diabetic men. [source] Markers of the Hepatic Component of the Metabolic Syndrome as Predictors of Mortality in Renal Transplant RecipientsAMERICAN JOURNAL OF TRANSPLANTATION, Issue 1 2010D. M. Zelle Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a leading cause of mortality in renal transplant recipients (RTRs). Metabolic syndrome (MS) is highly prevalent in RTRs. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is considered the hepatic component of MS. We investigated associations of NAFLD markers with MS and mortality. RTRs were investigated between 2001 and 2003. NAFLD markers, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) and alkaline phosphatase (AP) were measured. Bone and nonbone fractions of AP were also determined. Death was recorded until August 2007. Six hundred and two RTRs were studied (age 52 ± 12 years, 55% men). At baseline 388 RTRs had MS. Prevalence of MS was positively associated with liver enzymes. During follow-up for 5.3[4.5,5.7] years, 95 recipients died (49 cardiovascular). In univariate Cox regression analyses, GGT (HR = 1.43[1.21,1.69], p < 0.001) and AP (HR = 1.34[1.11,1.63], p = 0.003) were associated with mortality, whereas ALT was not. Similar associations were found for cardiovascular mortality. Adjustment for potential confounders, including MS, diabetes and traditional risk factors did not materially change these associations. Results for nonbone AP mirrored that for total AP. ALT, GGT and AP are associated with MS. Of these three enzymes, GGT and AP are associated with mortality, independent of MS. These findings suggest that GGT and AP are independently related to mortality in RTRs. [source] Synaptonemal complex formation: where does it start?BIOESSAYS, Issue 10 2005Kiersten A. Henderson The synaptonemal complex is a prominent, evolutionarily conserved feature of meiotic prophase. The assembly of this structure is closely linked to meiotic recombination. A recent study in budding yeast reveals an unexpected role in centromere pairing for a protein component of the synaptonemal complex, Zip1.1 These findings have implications for synaptonemal complex formation. BioEssays 27:995,998, 2005. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source] Eosinophil granule-derived major basic protein induces IL-8 expression in human intestinal myofibroblastsCLINICAL & EXPERIMENTAL IMMUNOLOGY, Issue 1 2000G. T. Furuta Eosinophil infiltration occurs in a variety of allergic and inflammatory diseases. The release of preformed mediators from eosinophils may contribute to inflammatory responses. We investigated the ability of eosinophil-derived major basic protein and eosinophil-derived neurotoxin to stimulate production of IL-8 from intestinal myofibroblasts. Intestinal myofibroblasts (18-Co cells) were incubated with major basic protein, eosinophil-derived neurotoxin, or a synthetic analogue of major basic protein, poly- l -arginine. Immunoreactive IL-8 was measured by ELISA and IL-8 mRNA levels were analysed by Northern blot or reverse transcription-polymerase chain assay. Major basic protein induced IL-8 mRNA production and release of significant levels of IL-8 immunoreactive protein. By contrast, eosinophil-derived neurotoxin stimulated little IL-8 release. The induction of IL-8 mRNA by poly- l -arginine was significantly inhibited by actinomycin D. These findings demonstrate a novel interaction between eosinophils and intestinal fibroblasts that may be involved in the pathogenesis of diseases associated with tissue eosinophilia. [source] | ||||||||||||||||