Maximum parsimony xor haplotyping by sparse dictionary selection.

Background: Xor-genotype is a cost-effective alternative to the genotype sequence of an individual. Recent methods developed for haplotype inference have aimed at finding the solution based on xor-genotype data. Given the xor-genotypes of a group of unrelated individuals, it is possible to infer the haplotype pairs for each individual with the aid of a small number of regular genotypes.

Publication trends in Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's Archives of Pharmacology: focus on pharmacology in Egypt.

In a previous analysis of the country of origin of papers published in Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's Archives of Pharmacology, a major shift toward contributions from emerging market countries, was noticed in comparison of 2010 to 2001 publications. Repeating such analysis for 2012 publications in the journal confirmed this trend. An interesting new trend was the emerging presence of papers from a variety of Islamic countries including Egypt.

Effects of electromagnetic field exposure on the heart: a systematic review.

The use of electrical devices has gradually increased throughout the last century, and scientists have suggested that electromagnetic fields (EMF) generated by such devices may have harmful effects on living creatures. This work represents a systematic review of collective scholarly literature examining the effects of EMFs on the heart. Although most works describing effects of EMF exposure have been carried out using city electric frequencies (50-60 Hz), a consensus has not been reached about whether long- or short-term exposure to 50-60 Hz EMF negatively affects the heart.

Role of rostral ventrolateral medullary ERK/JNK/p38 MAPK signaling in the pressor effects of ethanol and its oxidative product acetaldehyde.

Background: We tested the hypothesis that alterations of the phosphorylation/dephosphorylation profile of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) in the rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM) underlie the pressor response elicited by ethanol (EtOH) microinjection into the RVLM of spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs). The studies were extended to determine whether acetaldehyde (ACA), the primary oxidative product of EtOH, replicates the molecular effects of EtOH within the RVLM and the consequent pressor response.

Methods: Effects of EtOH or ACA on blood pressure (BP) were evaluated in the absence or presence of selective JNK (SP600125), ERK (PD98059), p38 (SB203580), or ser/thr phosphatases (okadaic acid [OKA]) inhibitor.

Involvement of cannabinoid CB1 receptors in the antinociceptive effect of dipyrone.

Cannabinoid CB1 receptors have been implicated in the antinociceptive effect of paracetamol. In the current study, we examined whether blockade of CB1 receptors prevent the analgesic activity of dipyrone, in a similar way to paracetamol. Hot-plate and tail-flick tests were used to assess the antinociceptive activity in mice.

Cardiovascular autonomic modulation by nitric oxide synthases accounts for the augmented enalapril-evoked hypotension in ethanol-fed female rats.

In this study, we investigated the role of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) isoforms in the enhanced enalapril-evoked hypotension in ethanol-fed female rats by examining the effect of the selective inhibitors of eNOS [N(5)-(1-iminoethyl)-l-ornithine; l-NIO], nNOS (N(ω)-propyl-l-arginine; NPLA), or iNOS (1400W) inhibition on the cardiovascular effects of enalapril in ethanol- (5% w/v) fed rats and in their pair-fed controls. In liquid diet-fed control rats, enalapril- (10 mg/kg) evoked hypotension was abolished by l-NIO (20 mg/kg), but not by NPLA (1 mg/kg) or 1400W (5 mg/kg), suggesting a preferential role for eNOS in this response. Enalapril had no effect on spectral indices of hemodynamic variability or +dP/dtmax (myocardial contractility).

Determination of reference values for urinary neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin in premature infants.

Background: The aim of this study is to determine the reference values of urinary neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (uNGAL) in healthy very preterm infants.

Method: The study was performed on 30 preterm infants whose gestational ages (GA) were between 28 and 34 weeks. They were divided into three groups according to the GA as group 1: GA 28-29 weeks, group 2: 30-32 weeks and group 3: 33-34 weeks.

Nicotine paradoxically affects the facilitatory effect of ovarian hormones on the adenosine receptor-mediated renal vasodilation.

We tested the hypothesis that nitric oxide synthase (NOS) and/or heme oxygenase (HO) modulate the hormonally-dependent nicotine interaction with adenosine receptor-mediated renal vasodilations. Vasodilations caused by 5'-N-ethylcarboxamidoadenosine (NECA) in phenylephrine-preconstricted perfused kidneys were reduced in ovariectomized (OVX) rats and restored to sham levels after treatment with estrogen (E2), medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) or their combination. The facilitatory action of E2 or MPA was abolished after blockade of their respective receptors by ICI-182780 and mifepristone, or inhibition of NOS (N(ω)-nitro-L-arginine-methyl ester, L-NAME) but not HO (zinc protoporphyrin, ZnPP).

Urinary neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin as an early biomarker for prediction of acute kidney injury in preterm infants.

Background: Our aims are to determine whether the urinary neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (uNGAL) can predict acute kidney injury (AKI) development in nonseptic and nonasphyxiated but critically ill preterm infants.

Methods: Fifty preterm infants, gestational age (GA) between 28 and 34 weeks, were included in this case control study. Blood and urine samples were taken for blood urea nitrogen, serum creatinine, and uNGAL on postnatal (PN) days 1 and 7.

Designing DNA barcodes orthogonal in melting temperature by simulated annealing optimization.

Molecular barcode arrays are widely employed in the analysis of large strain libraries, whereby probes linked to unique oligonucleotides ("antitags") are used to detect selected DNA targets ("tags") by highly specific hybridization. One of the major problems for such screen designs is thus insuring a high degree of probe-target specificity and a low level of nonspecific binding (in sum, "orthogonality") across the entire tag population ("collection"). Several approaches have been previously proposed for designing orthogonal DNA tags by-among others-focusing on their individual or pair-wise structures, such as Smith Waterman sequence similarity, the widely used nearest neighbor method, and full thermodynamic estimates of sequences.

Reference intervals of serum cystatin C for determining cystatin C-based glomerular filtration rates in preterm neonates.

Objective: The aim of this study is to determine the reference values of serum Cystatin C (CysC) and CysC-based estimated glomerular filtration rate (GFR) on the 3rd and 30th day of life in comparison with serum creatinine (Cr) and Cr-based estimated GFR.

Methods: This prospective study was performed on 52 preterm neonates whose gestational ages were between 28 and 34 weeks. Preterm neonates were divided into three groups according to the gestational age as follows: gestational week of 28-29 (group 1), gestational week of 30-32 (group 2) and gestational week of 33-34 (group 3).

Castration of the Vietnamese pot-bellied boar: 8 cases.

Surgical techniques for castration of the Vietnamese pot-bellied boar and outcome are described. Vietnamese pot-bellied pig (VPBP) boars (n = 8) were admitted for castration. Data retrieved from medical records (2002-2011) for these pigs included signalment, history, reason for castration, perioperative management, surgical technique, and complications.

Chemoprotective effect of ascorbic acid, α-tocopherol, and selenium on cyclophosphamide-induced toxicity in the rat ovarium.

Objective: The aim of the study was to evaluate the protective efficacy of ascorbic acid, α-tocopherol, and selenium by measuring the glutathione (GSH) levels and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and growth differentiation factor-9 (GDF-9) expression in the ovarian tissues of rats treated with cyclophosphamide (CP) therapy.

Methods: Female Wistar rats were divided into 5 groups of 6 rats each: (I) control, (II) only CP, (III) CP + ascorbic acid, (IV) CP + α-tocopherol, and (V) CP + selenium. Immunohistochemical stainings and GSH protocol were then applied.

The treatment of segmental bone defects in rabbit tibiae with vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-loaded gelatin/hydroxyapatite "cryogel" scaffold.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of a novel hydroxyapatite containing gelatin scaffold--with and without local vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) administration--as the synthetic graft material in treatment of critical-sized bone defects. An experimental nonunion model was established by creating critical-sized (10 mm. in length) bone defects in the proximal tibiae of 30 skeletally mature New Zealand white rabbits.

Nitric oxide synthase/K+ channel cascade triggers the adenosine A(2B) receptor-sensitive renal vasodilation in female rats.

Adenosine A2B-receptors mediate the adenosine-evoked renal vasodilations in male rats. Here, we tested whether this finding could be replicated in female renal vasculature and whether K(+) hyperpolarization induced by nitric oxide synthase (NOS) and/or heme oxygenase (HO) accounts for adenosine A2B receptor-sensitive renal vasodilations. In phenylephrine-preconstricted perfused kidneys, vasodilations caused by the adenosine analog 5'-N-ethylcarboxamidoadenosine (NECA, 1.

Apelin effects on blood pressure and RAS in DOCA-salt-induced hypertensive rats.

Apelin, a novel multifunctional peptide implicated in the regulation of the cardiovascular system, including blood pressure and cardiac function control, has been postulated to be involved in the pathophysiology of hypertension and hypertensive heart disease. The aim of this study was to investigate, for the first time, whether the effects of apelin's chronic application might be involved in deoxycorticosterone acetate-salt-induced hypertensive rats (DOCA-salt rats). In this study, 8-10-week-old male Wistar rats were divided into four groups: control, control + apelin, DOCA-salt rats, DOCA-salt rats + apelin.

Clinical use of antimicrobial regional limb perfusion in horses: 174 cases (1999-2009).

Objective: To describe the clinical use of regional limb perfusion with antimicrobials (A-RLP), complications, and outcome in a large series of patients.

Design: Retrospective case series.

Animals: 174 horses.

Topiramate reduces blood-brain barrier disruption and inhibits seizure activity in hyperthermia-induced seizures in rats with cortical dysplasia.

We investigated the effects of topiramate (TPM), a novel broad spectrum anticonvulsant, on seizure severity, survival rate and blood-brain barrier (BBB) integrity during hyperthermic seizures in rats with cortical dysplasia (CD). Offsprings of irradiated mothers were used in this study. To show the functional and morphological alterations in BBB integrity, quantitative analysis of Evans blue (EB) extravasation, immunohistochemistry and electron microscopic assessment of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) permeability were performed.

Phosphorus-nitrogen compounds. Part 24. Syntheses, crystal structures, spectroscopic and stereogenic properties, biological activities, and DNA interactions of novel spiro-ansa-spiro- and ansa-spiro-ansa-cyclotetraphosphazenes.

The reactions of octachlorocyclotetraphosphazene, N(4)P(4)Cl(8), with N(2)O(2) donor-type aminopodands (1a, 1b, 1g, and 1h) afforded two kinds of derivatives, namely, spiro-ansa-spiro (sas) (2a, 2b, 2g, and 2h) and ansa-spiro-ansa (asa) (3a and 3b) phosphazenes. The partly substituted sas phosphazenes (2a and 2b) reacted with excess pyrrolidine and morpholine in tetrahydrofuran to produce the tetrapyrrolidino (2c and 2d) and morpholino (2e and 2f) derivatives. The reactions of the asa phosphazenes (3a and 3b) with excess pyrrolidine and morpholine produced gem-2-trans-6-dichloropyrrolidinophosphazenes (3c and 3d) and -morpholinophosphazenes (3e and 3f).

46,XX, der(15),t(Y;15)(q12;p11) karyotype in an azoospermic male.

We report on a Yq/15p translocation in a 23-year-old infertile male referred for Klinefelter Syndrome testing, who had azoospermia and bilateral small testes. Hormonal studies revealed hypergonadotropic hypogonadism. Conventional cytogenetic procedures giemsa trypsin giemsa (GTG) and high resolution banding (HRB) and molecular cytogenetic techniques Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization (FISH) performed on high-resolution lymphocyte chromosomes revealed the karyotype 46,XX, t(Y;15)(q12;p11).

Serum cystatin C predicts acute kidney injury in preterm neonates with respiratory distress syndrome.

Background: We aimed to compare serum cystatin C levels (sCysC) in preterm neonates with respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) with a control group and to investigate whether it could be used as a predictor for acute kidney injury (AKI).

Methods: sCysC was measured in 62 neonates with RDS (n = 28) and control neonates without RDS (n = 34), whose gestational ages (GA) were between 27 and 29 weeks (subgroup 1) and 30-32 weeks (subgroup 2). AKI was defined as oliguria and/or increase of serum creatinine.

Differential modulation by vascular nitric oxide synthases of the ethanol-evoked hypotension and autonomic dysfunction in female rats.

We recently reported that chronic exposure to ethanol lowers blood pressure (BP) via altering cardiac contractility and autonomic control in female rats. In this investigation we conducted pharmacological and molecular studies to elucidate the role of constitutive and inducible nitric oxide synthase (NOS) in these hemodynamic effects of ethanol. Changes caused by selective inhibition of eNOS [N(5)-(1-iminoethyl)-l-ornithine; l-NIO], nNOS (N(ω)-propyl-l-arginine; NPLA), or iNOS (1400W) in BP, heart rate (HR), myocardial contractility index (dP/dt(max)), and power spectral indices of hemodynamic variability were evaluated in telemetered female rats receiving ethanol (5%, w/v) or control liquid diet for 8 weeks.