bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comparative Cost of Selective Screening To Prevent Transmission of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Compared With the Attributable Costs of MRSA Infection
Authors: Gavaldà Laura , Masuet Cristina , Beltran Juan , Garcia Maria , Garcia Delia , Sirvent Josep M. , Ramon Josep M.
Published: October 2006

The annual cost of a screening program to detect methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in a teaching hospital in Spain was €10,261. The average cost per MRSA infection was €2,730; therefore, the cost of the program would be covered if it only prevented 4 infections per year (11% of the total number of MRSA infections at our hospital).
Outbreak of Bloodstream Infection With the Mold Phialemonium Among Patients Receiving Dialysis at a Hemodialysis Unit
Authors: Clark Thomas , Huhn Gregory D. , Conover Craig , Cali Salvatore , Arduino Matthew J. , Hajjeh Rana , Brandt Mary E. , Fridkin Scott K.
Published: October 2006

Background

Molds are a rare cause of disseminated infection among dialysis patients.

Objective.

We evaluated a cluster of intravascular infections with the mold Phialemonium among patients receiving hemodialysis at the same facility in order to identify possible environmental sources and prevent further infection.

Design.

Environmental assessment and case-control study.

Setting.

A hemodialysis center affiliated with a tertiary care hospital.

Methods.

We reviewed surveillance and clinical microbiology records and performed a blood culture survey for all patients. The following data for case patients were compared with those for control patients: underlying illness, dialysis characteristics, medications, and other possible exposure for 120 days prior to infection. Environmental assessment of water treatment, dialysis facilities, and heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems of the current and previous locations of the dialysis center was performed. Samples were cultured for fungus; Phialemonium isolates were confirmed by sequencing of DNA. Investigators observed dialysis access site disinfection technique.

Results.

Four patients were confirmed as case patients, defined as a patient having intravascular infection with Phialemonium species; 3 presented with fungemia, and 1 presented with an intravascular graft infection. All case patients used a fistula or graft for dialysis access, as did 12 (75%) of 16 of control patients (P = .54). Case and control patients did not differ in other dialysis characteristics, medications received, physiologic findings, or demographic factors. Phialemonium species were not recovered from samples of water or dialysis machines, but were recovered from the condensation drip pans under the blowers of the HVAC system that supplied air to the dialysis center. Observational study of 21 patients detected suboptimal contact time with antiseptic agents used to prepare dialysis access sites.

Conclusion.

The report of this outbreak adds to previous published reports of Phialemonium infection occurring in immunocompromised patients who likely acquired infection in the healthcare setting. Recovery of this mold from blood culture should be considered indicative of infection until proven otherwise. Furthermore, an investigation into possible healthcare-related environmental reservoirs should be considered.
Optimal Bandaging of Smallpox Vaccination Sites to Decrease the Potential for Secondary Vaccinia Transmission Without Impairing Lesion Healing
Authors: Talbot Thomas R. , Peters Jody , Yan Lihan , Wright Peter F. , Edwards Kathryn M.
Published: October 2006

Objective.

To assess the optimal method for covering smallpox vaccination sites to prevent transmission of vaccinia.

Design.

Randomized, nonblinded clinical trial.

Setting.

Tertiary care medical center.

Participants.

Vaccinia-naive and vaccinia-experienced volunteers.

Interventions.

After vaccination, study participants were randomized to receive 1 of 3 types of bandage: gauze, occlusive with gauze lining, or foam. Vaccination sites were assessed every 3 to 5 days until the lesion healed. During each visit, specimens were obtained from the vaccination site, the bandage surface before removal, and the index finger contralateral to the vaccination site and were cultured for vaccinia. Time to lesion healing was assessed.

Results.

All 48 vaccinia-naive and 47 (87%) of 54 vaccinia-experienced participants developed a vesicle or pustule at the injection site 6-11 days after vaccination. Fourteen (14%) of 102 participants had bandage cultures positive for vaccinia. All but 1 of these vaccinia-positive cultures were of a bandage from participants randomized to the gauze bandage group, and all but 3 were of bandages from vaccinia-naive participants. No finger-specimen cultures were positive for vaccinia. One episode of neck autoinoculation occurred in a vaccinia-naive individual who had vaccinia recovered from his gauze bandage on multiple visits. The foam bandage was associated with more local adverse effects (skin irritation and induration). The time to healing did not differ among the bandage groups.

Conclusions.

The potential for transmission of vaccinia from a vaccination site is greater if the site is covered by gauze than if it is covered by occlusive or foam bandages. Use of an occlusive bandage with a gauze lining is the best choice for coverage of smallpox vaccination sites because of a reduced potential for vaccinia transmission and a lower reactogenicity rate. Bandage choice did not affect vaccination lesion healing.
Ethnicity and Other Possible Risk Factors for Candidemia at 3 Tertiary Care University Hospitals in Hawaii
Authors: Fujitani Shigeki , Ricardo-Dukelow M. , Kamiya Toru , Sullivan Loretta , Low Lewis
Published: October 2006

A total of 108 cases of candidemia detected in 3 tertiary care university hospitals in Hawaii between January 2001 and December 2002 were retrospectively reviewed. Candida albicans, Candida glabrata, and Candida tropicalis accounted for 28% of the cases. Mortality among Filipino patients was significantly higher than that among other ethnic groups (71% vs 48%; P<.05).
Outbreak of Endophthalmitis After Cataract Surgery: The Importance of the Quality of the Surgical Wound
Authors: Hugonnet Stéphane , Dosso André , Dharan Sasi , Martin Yves , Herrero Maria-Luisa , Régnier Carole , Pittet Didier
Published: October 2006

Postoperative endophthalmitis is a rare but potentially devastating condition. We investigated an outbreak of 8 cases of endophthalmitis in patients who underwent phakectomy performed by a single surgeon from January through September 2004. The outbreak was traced to damaged surgical blades, and it highlights the importance of the quality of the surgical wound.
Nosocomial Outbreak of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Endophthalmitis
Authors: Mateos I. , Valencia R. , Torres M. J. , Cantos A. , Conde M. , Aznar J.
Published: October 2006

We describe an outbreak of nosocomial endophthalmitis due to a common source, which was determined to be trypan blue solution prepared in the hospital's pharmacy service. We assume that viable bacteria probably gained access to the trypan blue stock solution during cooling after autoclaving. The temporal cluster of Pseudomonas aeruginosa endophthalmitis was readily perceived on the basis of clinical and microbiological findings, and an exogenous source of contamination was unequivocally identified by means of DNA fingerprinting.
The physiological status and mortality associated with otter-trawl capture, transport, and captivity of an exploited elasmobranch, Squalus acanthias
Authors: Mandelman John W. , Farrington Marianne A.
Published: October 2006

Mandelman, J. M., and Farrington, M. A. 2007. The physiological status and mortality associated with otter-trawl capture, transport, and captivity of an exploited elasmobranch, Squalus acanthias. ICES Journal of Marine Science, 64: 122–130. To assess the physiological responses and associated mortality in spiny dogfish (Squalus acanthias) following capture in an otter trawl and exposure to additional conditions, blood samples were obtained subsequent to three sampling intervals: capture (T1), transport (T2), and captivity (T3). The results indicate that marked differences existed in blood chemistry at each sampling interval. Acid–base parameters (vascular pH, pO2, pCO2), serum Ca2+ and Cl−, and haematocrit were maximally disrupted at T1, but progressively resolved to presumed basal values by T3. Concentrations of whole-blood lactate, plasma total protein, additional sera electrolytes (Na+, K+, Mg2+), and BUN (urea) were maximally compromised at T2, but also recovered by T3. In contrast, serum glucose levels were similar at T1 and T2 but rose to peak levels by T3. Although blood parameters were substantially altered, dogfish mortality was low (2 out of 34; 5.9%), suggesting a strong degree of resilience to compounded stressors associated with capture, transport, and captivity.
Sensitivity analysis and parameter selection for detecting aggregations in acoustic data
Authors: Burgos Julian M. , Horne John K.
Published: October 2006

Burgos, J. M., and Horne, J. K. 2007. Sensitivity analysis and parameter selection for detecting aggregations in acoustic data. ICES Journal of Marine Science, 64: 160–168. A global sensitivity analysis was conducted on the algorithm implemented in the Echoview ® software to detect and describe aggregations in acoustic backscatter. Multiple aggregation detections were performed using walleye pollock (Theragra chalcogramma) data from the eastern Bering Sea. Walleye pollock form distinct aggregations and dense and diffuse layers. In each aggregation detection, input parameters defining minimum size, density, and distance to other aggregations were selected at random using a Latin hypercube sampling design. Sensitivity was quantified by testing for correlation among input parameters and a series of aggregation descriptors. In all, 336 correlation tests were performed, corresponding to a combination of seven detection input parameters, eight aggregation descriptors, and six transects. Among these, 181 tests were significant, indicating sensitivity between input parameters and aggregation descriptors. The aggregation-detection algorithm is sensitive to changes in threshold and minimum size, but less sensitive to changes in the connectivity criterion among aggregations.
Age, growth, and reproduction of the roughskin skate, Dipturus trachyderma, from the southeastern Pacific
Authors: Licandeo Roberto , Cerna Francisco , Céspedes Renato
Published: October 2006

Licandeo, R., Cerna, F., and Céspedes, R. 2007. Age, growth, and reproduction of the roughskin skate, Dipturus trachyderma, from the southeastern Pacific. ICES Journal of Marine Science, 64: 141–148. Age, growth, and reproductive parameters of the roughskin skate, Dipturus trachyderma, in the southeastern Pacific are reported. Age was estimated by counting the growth rings of thin sections of vertebral centra from 201 fish (61–253 cm total length, LT). No systematic ageing bias was observed, and the precision of growth ring counts indicated a high level of reproducibility. Marginal increment analysis supported the hypothesis of annual deposition of growth rings, which form during winter. The oldest female and male were 26 and 25 y, respectively. Von Bertalanffy parameters for combined sexes based on length-at-age data were L∞=257.7 cm LT, K=0.081 y−1 and t0=–1.363 y. Skates from the southernmost areas attained a larger mean size than those from more northern areas, and females reached a larger adult size than males. Males began the maturation process at ∼186 cm LT, indicated by the abrupt enlargement of the claspers. Developed oviducal glands, uteri, and ovaries indicated that females began to mature at 200 cm LT. The length and age at which 50% of the population matured were 215 cm LT and 17 y for females and 195 cm LT and 15 y for males. The youngest mature female and male D. trachyderma were 15 and 13 y, respectively. The ovarian fecundity ranged from 28 to 68 follicles. Females carrying egg cases were found in March and July. Dipturus trachyderma is slow-growing, long-lived, attains large size, matures late, and has low fecundity, life history characteristics that make it highly susceptible to exploitation.
Hollow-core photonic bandgap fibre: new light guidance for new science and technology
Authors: Benabid F
Published: October 2006

We review the progress made on the fabrication and applications of hollow-core photonic crystal fibres (HC-PCFs). The mechanism of the light guidance in these fibres is described along with their dispersion properties. We review the HC-PCF fabrication, the different results achieved in the fields of laser-induced particle guidance, low-threshold stimulated Raman scattering in hydrogen (vibrational and rotational), laser frequency metrology and quantum optics. Finally, we show the different new prospects opened up by these fibres.
ALKALINE EARTH PORCELAINS POSSESSING LOW DIELECTRIC LOSS*
Authors: Rigterink M. D. , Grisdale R. O.
Published: October 2006

Abstract

Alkaline earth porcelains have been prepared from mixtures of clay, flint, and synthetic fluxes consisting of clay calcined with at least three alkaline earth oxides. These porcelains possess excellent dielectric properties, have low coefficients of thermal expansion, are white, and are especially valuable as bases for deposited carbon resistors for which they were developed. Their characteristics make it probable that other uses will be found for materials of this type.

An illustrative composition is 50.0% Florida kaolin, 15.0%, flint (325 mesh), 35.0% calcine (200 mesh). The composition of the calcine is 40.0% Florida kaolin, 15.0% MgCO3, 15.0% CaCO3, 15.0% SrCo3, 15.0% BaCO3, calcined at 1200°C. The electrical properties of this body at 1 mc. are Q at 25°C., 2160; Q at 250°C., 280; Q at 350°C. 90; specific resistance at 150°C, 1013.5 ohm‐cm. and at 300°C. 1010.7 ohm‐cm.
Exposure of young children working on Mexican tobacco plantations to organophosphorous and carbamic pesticides, indicated by cholinesterase depression
Authors: Gamlin J. , Romo P. Diaz , Hesketh T.
Published: October 2006

Background  Organophosphorous (OP) and carbamic pesticides are used in large quantities on tobacco plantations in Nayarit State, Mexico, where up to 3000 children and their families work. OP and carbamic pesticides are easily inhaled or absorbed through the skin and children may be particularly vulnerable to pesticides because of their smaller body mass, their height and more regular hand‐ mouth contact. The aim of this study is to assess the effect of pesticide exposure on acetylcholinesterase levels of very young migrant Mexican tobacco workers and younger siblings.

Methods  Blood samples were collected from 160 children aged 0–14 years during harvest (exposure) and from 62 children in their home communities 6–9 months after harvest (baseline). Samples were tested for cholinesterase corrected for haemoglobin and ambient temperature.

Results  Fifteen per cent of children had depression scores ranging from −40% to 190% of their baseline levels. Thirty‐three per cent of children had depression scores of at least 15% and 86% of children were anaemic.

Conclusion  These results suggest that very young children are exposed to potentially harmful and toxic amounts of pesticides while working. Further research is needed to assess the actual acute and chronic health impacts of such exposures.
Antibody reactivity to heat shock protein 70 and inner ear-specific proteins in patients with idiopathic sensorineural hearing loss
Authors: Tebo A E , Szankasi P , Hillman T A , Litwin C M , Hill H R
Published: October 2006

Deafness is attributable to autoimmunity in a subset of adult patients with sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) of unknown aetiology. To determine the roles of self-antigens in the pathogenesis of idiopathic SNHL, we analysed antibody responses to the inner ear-specific proteins, cochlin and β-tectorin as well as the non-specific heat shock protein 70 (HSP70). Recombinant cochlin and β-tectorin proteins were used in a qualitative Western blot assay for the detection of antigen-specific IgG antibodies in 58 patients with idiopathic SNHL and 28 healthy blood donors. In the same study cohort, we also used a Western blot assay to assess IgG antibody responses to the recombinant human HSP70. Of the 58 patient samples analysed, 19 tested positive to the HSP70, eight to cochlin and one to β-tectorin, giving a prevalence of 33, 14 and 2%, respectively. Only one patient sample was reactive for HSP70, cochlin and β-tectorin, seven of the remaining eight cochlin IgG antibody-positive samples were monospecific. Thus, cochlin-specific antibodies were observed predominantly in HSP70 IgG-negative patients demonstrating an additive value for testing this antibody response in patients with idiopathic SNHL.
Baseline values and change in the soil, and implications for monitoring
Authors: Lark R. M. , Bellamy P. H. , Kirk G. J. D.
Published: October 2006

The soil is subject to change, and this must be monitored and understood. There are various circumstances in which the change in a soil property will depend in part on the baseline value that was first measured. Such a relationship may allow us to estimate change with greater precision, but it will also reflect in part the statistical phenomenon of regression to the mean. In this paper, we describe two approaches to the analysis of how change in a variable depends on its baseline values. These methods allow for the effect of regression to the mean. We discuss their applicability to the problems of soil monitoring, and we illustrate one of them by means of a case study on change in the organic carbon content of the soils of England and Wales.
Mechanistic links between climate and fisheries along the east coast of the United States: explaining population outbursts of Atlantic croaker (Micropogonias undulatus)
Authors: HARE JONATHAN A. , ABLE KENNETH W.
Published: October 2006

Climate has been linked to variation in marine fish abundance and distribution, but often the mechanistic processes are unknown. Atlantic croaker (Micropogonias undulatus) is a common species in estuarine and coastal areas of the mid‐Atlantic and southeast coasts of the U.S. Previous studies have identified a correlation between Atlantic croaker abundance and winter temperatures in Chesapeake Bay, and have determined thermal tolerances of juveniles. Here we re‐examine the hypothesis that winter temperature variability controls Atlantic croaker population dynamics. Abundance indices were analyzed at four life history stages from three regions along the east coast of the U.S. Correlations suggest that year‐class strength is decoupled from larval supply and is determined by temperature‐linked, overwinter survival of juveniles. Using a relation between air and water temperatures, estuarine water temperature was estimated from 1930 to 2002. Periods of high adult catch corresponded with warm winter water temperatures. Prior studies indicate that winter temperature along the east coast is related to the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO); variability in catch is also correlated with the NAO, thereby demonstrating a link between Atlantic croaker dynamics, thermal limited overwinter survival, and the larger climate system of the North Atlantic. We hypothesize that the environment drives the large‐scale variability in Atlantic croaker abundance and distribution, but fishing and habitat loss decrease the resiliency of the population to periods of poor environmental conditions and subsequent weak year classes.
Bottom‐up forcing and the decline of Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus) in Alaska: assessing the ocean climate hypothesis
Authors: TRITES ANDREW W. , MILLER ARTHUR J. , MASCHNER HERBERT D. G. , ALEXANDER MICHAEL A. , BOGRAD STEVEN J. , CALDER JOHN A. , CAPOTONDI ANTONIETTA , COYLE KENNETH O. , LORENZO EMANUELE DI , FINNEY BRUCE P. , GREGR EDWARD J. , GROSCH CHESTER E. , HARE STEVEN R. , HUNT GEORGE L. , JAHNCKE JAIME , KACHEL NANCY B. , KIM HEY‐JIN , LADD CAROL , MANTUA NATHAN J. , MARZBAN CAREN , MASLOWSKI WIESLAW , MENDELSSOHN ROY , NEILSON DOUGLAS J. , OKKONEN STEPHEN R. , OVERLAND JAMES E. , REEDY‐MASCHNER KATHERINE L. , ROYER THOMAS C. , SCHWING FRANKLIN B. , WANG JULIAN X. L. , WINSHIP ARLISS J.
Published: October 2006

Declines of Steller sea lion (Eumetopias jubatus) populations in the Aleutian Islands and Gulf of Alaska could be a consequence of physical oceanographic changes associated with the 1976–77 climate regime shift. Changes in ocean climate are hypothesized to have affected the quantity, quality, and accessibility of prey, which in turn may have affected the rates of birth and death of sea lions. Recent studies of the spatial and temporal variations in the ocean climate system of the North Pacific support this hypothesis. Ocean climate changes appear to have created adaptive opportunities for various species that are preyed upon by Steller sea lions at mid‐trophic levels. The east–west asymmetry of the oceanic response to climate forcing after 1976–77 is consistent with both the temporal aspect (populations decreased after the late 1970s) and the spatial aspect of the decline (western, but not eastern, sea lion populations decreased). These broad‐scale climate variations appear to be modulated by regionally sensitive biogeographic structures along the Aleutian Islands and Gulf of Alaska, which include a transition point from coastal to open‐ocean conditions at Samalga Pass westward along the Aleutian Islands. These transition points delineate distinct clusterings of different combinations of prey species, which are in turn correlated with differential population sizes and trajectories of Steller sea lions. Archaeological records spanning 4000 yr further indicate that sea lion populations have experienced major shifts in abundance in the past. Shifts in ocean climate are the most parsimonious underlying explanation for the broad suite of ecosystem changes that have been observed in the North Pacific Ocean in recent decades.
Historical fluctuations in spawning location of anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus) and sardine (Sardina pilchardus) in the Bay of Biscay during 1967–73 and 2000–2004
Authors: BELLIER EDWIGE , PLANQUE BENJAMIN , PETITGAS PIERRE
Published: October 2006

The spatial extent of small pelagic fish spawning habitat is influenced by environmental factors and by the state of the adult population. In return, the configuration of spawning habitat affects recruitment and therefore the future structure of the adult population. Interannual changes in spatial patterns of spawning reflect variations in adult population structures and their environment. The present study describes the historical changes in the spatial distribution of spawning of anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus) and sardine (Sardina pilchardus) in the Bay of Biscay during two periods: 1967–72 and 2000–2004. Using data from egg surveys conducted in spring, the spatial distributions of anchovy and sardine eggs are characterized by means of geostatistics. For each survey, a map of probability of egg presence is constructed. The maps are then compared to define (1) recurrent spawning areas, (2) occasional spawning areas and (3) unfavourable spawning areas during each period. Sardine spawning habitat is generally fragmented and appears spatially limited by the presence of cold bottom water. It is confined to coastal or shelf break refuge areas in years of restricted spawning extent. For anchovy, recurrent spawning sites are found in Gironde and Adour estuaries whilst spawning can extend further offshore in years of more intense spawning. For both species, the mean pattern of spawning has changed between 1967–72 and 2000–2004. Noticeably, the spatial distribution of anchovy eggs in spring has expanded northward. This trend possibly results from changes in environmental conditions during the last four decades.
UV effects on stoichiometry and PUFAs of Selenastrum capricornutum and their consequences for the grazer Daphnia magna
Authors: LEU EVA , FÆRØVIG PER J. , HESSEN DAG O.
Published: October 2006

1. The effect of ultraviolet (UV) radiation (280–400 nm) on fatty acid composition and elemental ratios of carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) of a unialgal culture of the chlorophyte Selenastrum capricornutum was investigated. Algae were cultured in the presence or absence of UV radiation and were subsequently fed to Daphnia magna to assess potential effects of UV on zooplankton fatty acid composition, growth and reproduction.

2. Algal growth rate was substantially reduced by UV radiation, probably because of a severe inhibition of photosynthetic efficiency (measured as optimal quantum yield).

3. Algae exposed to UV radiation had a significantly reduced content of 18 : 1 n‐9, while C18 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) were higher under UV radiation. These observations point at an increased demand for and synthesis of PUFAs under UV stress.

4. The C : P and N : P ratios showed a remarkable decrease in UV‐exposed cells primarily owing to an increased uptake of P. The nutritional quality in terms of both fatty acid composition and stoichiometry was therefore higher in the UV treatment relative to the control.

5. Despite the UV‐induced changes in nutritional quality of S. capricornutum, no significant effects on D. magna growth or reproduction were detected. The fatty acid composition of Daphnia fed on UV irradiated algae showed a significantly lower content of 18 : 1 n‐9, but no changes in the essential PUFAs.
Conifer stem growth at the altitudinal treeline in response to four years of CO2 enrichment
Authors: HANDA I. TANYA , KÖRNER CHRISTIAN , HÄTTENSCHWILER STEPHAN
Published: October 2006

Northern latitude and upper altitude climatic treelines have received increasing attention given their potential sensitivity to atmospheric and climate change. While greater radial stem growth at treeline sites in recent decades has been attributed largely to increasing temperature, rising atmospheric CO2 concentration may also be contributing to this growth stimulation. Tree ring increments of mature Larix decidua and Pinus uncinata were measured over 4 years in a free air CO2 enrichment experiment at treeline in the Swiss Central Alps (2180 m a.s.l.). In addition, a one‐time defoliation treatment in the second year (2002) of the experiment was used to simulate one of the common natural insect outbreak events. In response to elevated atmospheric CO2, Larix showed a cumulative 4‐year growth response of+41%, with particularly strong responses in the third and fourth year. This increase in radial stem wood growth was the result of more latewood production, in particular, the formation of larger tracheids, rather than a greater number of cells. In contrast, Pinus showed no change in ring width to elevated [CO2], neither in each of the treatment years, nor in the cumulative response over 4 years, although an increase in tracheid size was observed in the third year. Defoliation led to a pronounced decrease in annual ring width of both species, marked in particular by less latewood production, in the treatment, as well as subsequent years. There was no significant interaction between defoliation and CO2 enrichment. Although Pinus showed no growth response to CO2, the positive growth response observed in Larix after 4 years of CO2 enrichment implies that the sensitivity of treeline trees to global change may not be purely temperature driven. We conclude that the open sparse canopy in the treeline ecotone favours the indeterminate growth strategy of the early successional Larix when neither weather nor carbon are limiting, whereas the later successional Pinus does not show any indication of more vigorous growth under future higher atmospheric CO2 concentrations.
Ecophysiological controls over the net ecosystem exchange of mountain spruce stand. Comparison of the response in direct vs. diffuse solar radiation
Authors: URBAN OTMAR , JANOUŠ DALIBOR , ACOSTA MANUEL , CZERNÝ RADEK , MARKOVÁ IRENA , NAVRÁTIL MARTIN , PAVELKA MARIAN , POKORNÝ RADEK , ŠPRTOVÁ MIRKA , ZHANG RUI , ŠPUNDA VLADIMÍR , GRACE JOHN , MAREK MICHAL V.
Published: October 2006

Cloud cover increases the proportion of diffuse radiation reaching the Earth's surface and affects many microclimatic factors such as temperature, vapour pressure deficit and precipitation. We compared the relative efficiencies of canopy photosynthesis to diffuse and direct photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) for a Norway spruce forest (25‐year‐old, leaf area index 11 m2 m−2) during two successive 7‐day periods in August. The comparison was based on the response of net ecosystem exchange (NEE) of CO2 to PPFD. NEE and stomatal conductance at the canopy level (Gcanopy) was estimated from half‐hourly eddy‐covariance measurements of CO2 and H2O fluxes. In addition, daily courses of CO2 assimilation rate (AN) and stomatal conductance (Gs) at shoot level were measured using a gas‐exchange technique applied to branches of trees. The extent of spectral changes in incident solar radiation was assessed using a spectroradiometer.

We found significantly higher NEE (up to 150%) during the cloudy periods compared with the sunny periods at corresponding PPFDs. Prevailing diffuse radiation under the cloudy days resulted in a significantly lower compensation irradiance (by ca. 50% and 70%), while apparent quantum yield was slightly higher (by ca. 7%) at canopy level and significantly higher (by ca. 530%) in sun‐acclimated shoots. The main reasons for these differences appear to be (1) more favourable microclimatic conditions during cloudy periods, (2) stimulation of photochemical reactions and stomatal opening via an increase of blue/red light ratio, and (3) increased penetration of light into the canopy and thus a more equitable distribution of light between leaves.

Our analyses identified the most important reason of enhanced NEE under cloudy sky conditions to be the effective penetration of diffuse radiation to lower depths of the canopy. This subsequently led to the significantly higher solar equivalent leaf area compared with the direct radiation. Most of the leaves in such dense canopy are in deep shade, with marginal or negative carbon balances during sunny days. These findings show that the energy of diffuse, compared with direct, solar radiation is used more efficiently in assimilation processes at both leaf and canopy levels.
The history of FEIBA: a lifetime of success in the treatment of haemophilia complicated by an inhibitor
Authors: NÉGRIER C. , GOMPERTS E. D. , OLDENBURG J.
Published: October 2006

Summary.  The development of alloantibodies that inhibit the function of factor VIII (FVIII) or factor IX (FIX) is the most serious complication associated with the treatment of haemophilia. Bleeding events in patients with high‐titre inhibitors generally cannot be managed with factor replacement therapy and require alternative strategies for haemostatic support. For over 30 years, the activated prothrombin complex concentrate (aPCC) FEIBA has been used to bypass the need for FVIII and FIX and control bleeding in inhibitor patients. Several large clinical studies have shown that FEIBA provides effective haemostasis in at least 80% of acute bleeding episodes and is well tolerated. Current limitations of bypassing therapy include a lack of laboratory assays to monitor treatment and an unpredictable haemostatic effect.
FEIBA safety and tolerability profile
Authors: GOMPERTS E. D.
Published: October 2006

Summary.  The activated prothrombin complex concentrate, FEIBA, has been used for more than 30 years to treat or prevent bleeding episodes in haemophilia patients with high‐titre alloantibodies or individuals with autoantibodies to factor VIII. Rigorous plasma screening combined with robust viral inactivation and removal have enhanced the viral safety of the current commercially available FEIBA vapour‐heated formulation and minimized the risk of pathogen transmission associated with plasma‐derived therapeutics. Furthermore, when FEIBA is used according to the recommended dosing guidelines, clinical data show it is safe and well tolerated and has a very low risk of thrombotic adverse events.
The use of FEIBA for surgery in patients with haemophilia and inhibitors
Authors: KRAUT E. H.
Published: October 2006

Summary.  The availability of bypassing therapy has made it possible to safely and effectively perform minor, major, and dental surgical procedures on patients with haemophilia and inhibitors. Several case series of surgery in patients with factor VIII or IX inhibitors offer guidance with regard to appropriate FEIBA dosage regimens and provide predicted rates of success. Development of laboratory assays to monitor therapeutic efficacy, together with a better understanding of the causes of treatment resistance, will advance the future role of surgery in inhibitor patients.
The use of multidirectional cross‐sectional tomography for localizing an odontome
Authors: JOHNSON JOANNA , WHAITES ERIC J. , SHEEHY EVELYN C.
Published: October 2006

Background.  A 7‐year old boy was referred with retained maxillary right primary central and lateral incisors. Radiographic exam revealed a large calcified radio‐opaque mass overlying the roots of these primary teeth preventing the permanent teeth from erupting.

Case Report.  The purpose of this paper is to describe the pre‐operative use of multi‐directional cross‐sectional tomography in establishing the relationship between a large complex odontome that was preventing the eruption of a maxillary permanent central incisor.

Conclusion.  Low dose, multi‐directional cross‐sectional tomography was beneficial in visualisation of the precise relationship between the large complex odontome and the unerupted permanent incisor. This allowed correct judgement of the position on the odontome prior to its surgical removal.
Longitudinal scintigraphic study of parotid and submandibular gland function after total body irradiation in children and adolescents
Authors: BÅGESUND MATS , RICHTER SVEN , RINGDÉN OLLE , DAHLLÖF GÖRAN
Published: October 2006

Objective. Total body irradiation (TBI) and cyclophosphamide (CY) during allogeneic stem cell transplantation (ASCT) cause salivary gland dysfunction in children. The aim of this investigation was to study the scintigraphic functional changes over time of the parotid and submandibular glands in children and young adults one year after treatment with CY and TBI at ASCT.

Methods. Salivary gland scintigraphy (SGS) was performed before ASCT, and 3–6 months and 12 months after ASCT. The three male patients who fulfilled the scintigraphic study had a mean age (± SD) of 17.3 ± 9.8 years at ASCT.

Results. The parotid secretion capacity (SPar) was 83.5 ± 3.2% before ASCT and 48.5 ± 25.8% during the next 3–6 months (P < 0.05). The SPar did not increase (48.1 ± 12.4%) during the rest of the first year after ASCT. The submandibular emptying capacity (SSub) was 91.3 ± 12.9% before ASCT and 35.4 ± 2.3% after 3–6 months (P < 0.05). The SSub was 87.9 ± 17.9% one year after ASCT.

Conclusions. The parotid glands were more sensitive to irradiation since they did not recover lost capacity to secrete saliva, while the submandibular glands recovered the secretion capacity at the one‐year follow‐up.
Treatment of extrusive luxation by intentional replantation
Authors: MARTINS WILSON DENIS , WESTPHALEN VANIA PORTELA DITZEL , PERIN CAMILA PAIVA , DA SILVA NETO ULISSES XAVIER , WESTPHALEN FERNANDO HENRIQUE
Published: October 2006

Background.  The accepted treatment for extrusive luxation is repositioning of the extruded tooth at the earliest possible opportunity.

Case report.  Repositioning was not possible in a patient who presented for treatment 4 days after the accident, and therefore, an intentional replantation was performed instead. The tooth was carefully extracted, the blood clot removed from the alveolus and the tooth was then replanted.

Conclusion.  Intentional replantation involves the deliberate removal of a tooth and its reinsertion into the alveolus almost immediately afterwards. It is now an accepted endodontic procedure. The favourable outcome of this case suggests that intentional replantation of severely extruded teeth may be a treatment option in cases where the tooth cannot be repositioned and if treatment conditions are adequately followed.
Mutations in Mycobacterium tuberculosis Rv0444c, the gene encoding anti‐SigK, explain high level expression of MPB70 and MPB83 in Mycobacterium bovis
Authors: Saïd‐Salim Battouli , Mostowy Serge , Kristof Arnold S. , Behr Marcel A.
Published: October 2006

It has recently been advanced that Mycobacterium tuberculosis sigma factor K (SigK) positively regulates expression of the antigenic proteins MPB70 and MPB83. As expression of these proteins differs between M. tuberculosis (low) and Mycobacterium bovis (high), this study set out to determine whether M. bovis lacks a functional SigK repressor (anti‐SigK). By comparing genes near sigK in M. tuberculosis H37Rv and M. bovis AF2122/97, we observed that Rv0444c, annotated as unknown function, had variable sequence in M. bovis. Analysis of in vitro mpt70/mpt83 expression and Rv0444c sequencing across M. tuberculosis complex (MTC) members revealed that high‐level expression was associated with a mutated Rv0444c. Complementation of M. bovis bacillus Calmette‐Guerin Russia, a high producer of MPB70/MPB83, with wild‐type Rv0444c resulted in a significant decrease in mpb70/mpb83 expression. Conversely, a M. tuberculosis H37Rv mutant which expressed sigK but not Rv0444c manifested the M. bovis phenotype of high‐level MPB70/MPB83 expression. Further support that Rv0444c encodes the anti‐SigK was obtained by yeast two‐hybrid studies, where the N‐terminal region of Rv0444c‐encoded protein interacted with SigK. Together these findings indicate that Rv0444c encodes the regulator of SigK (RskA) and mutations in this gene explain high‐level MPT70/MPT83 expression by certain MTC members.
Leaving on the lights: host‐specific derepression of Mycobacterium tuberculosis gene expression by anti‐sigma factor gene mutations
Authors: Husson Robert N.
Published: October 2006

Regulation of transcription by alternative sigma factors is a strategy widely used by bacteria to adapt to changes in environmental conditions. For several pathogenic bacteria, alternative sigma factor‐regulated gene expression is critical for virulence. The activity of many alternative sigma factors is in turn controlled by regulatory proteins that transduce and integrate environmental signals. In this issue of Molecular Microbiology, Said‐Salim et al. demonstrate high‐level expression of genes encoding major protein antigens in the bovine subspecies of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, in contrast to low‐level expression in the human subspecies. Having previously suggested that SigK regulates the expression of these genes, the authors found that the high‐expressers have point mutations in Rv0444c, a gene adjacent to sigK, and provided evidence that this gene encodes an anti‐sigma factor whose function is abrogated by these mutations. These findings not only demonstrate an adaptive mechanism of potential importance in tuberculosis immunity and pathogenesis, but also raise interesting questions regarding the origin of these mutations and their effects on anti‐sigma factor function.
Nutrient‐dependent enhancement of rectal sensitivity in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
Authors: Simrén M. , Agerforz P. , Björnsson E. S. , Abrahamsson H.
Published: October 2006

Abstract  Food‐related gastrointestinal symptoms are common in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), but the mechanisms behind this are unclear. Enhanced colorectal sensitivity after duodenal lipid administration in IBS patients has been demonstrated. However, the effects of a regular meal on colorectal sensitivity in these patients and the importance of the composition of the meal are not known. On two separate days, 10 IBS patients and 11 controls randomly received a liquid meal (800 kcal), containing 60% calories from fat (fatty meal) or carbohydrate (carbohydrate meal). Using a barostat rectal sensitivity was assessed during four separate distension sequences before, immediately after and 30 and 60 min after the meal. In the patients, the discomfort (P = 0.04) and the pain thresholds (P = 0.007) were gradually reduced after the fatty meal, whereas only a tendency in the same direction was seen after the carbohydrate meal. In patients VAS ratings for pain increased after the fatty meal (P = 0.03), but not after carbohydrates. In the controls, sensory thresholds were not affected by the meals. In IBS, a liquid meal enhances rectal sensitivity, and this seems to be partly nutrient dependent as a fatty meal has more pronounced effects than a carbohydrate meal. This might be of relevance for their postprandial symptoms.
Genetic life history effects on juvenile survival in bluegill
Authors: NEFF B. D. , LISTER J. S.
Published: October 2006

Foraging behaviour under the risk of predation has important consequences on an individual's survivorship and fitness. In bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus), we have recently shown that offspring sired by males of alternative life histories differ in their foraging behaviour. Specifically, offspring sired by ‘cuckolder’ males take fewer risks during foraging than do offspring sired by ‘parental’ males. This behavioural difference can have important consequences on the fitness of the two life histories and thus the underlying evolutionary mechanism. Here, we examine the consequences of this behavioural variation on growth rate, condition and survivorship during early development of juveniles. We used split in vitro fertilization to generate maternal half‐sibs that differed in sire life history. The resulting 18 455 larvae from 50 families were released into a microcosm with safe and risky foraging areas for approximately 2 months. A total of 262 juveniles (1.4%) survived of which parentage was unambiguously determined using microsatellite genetic markers for 254 (97%). Although we found significant dam effects, there was no difference in apparent growth rate or condition of juveniles sired by males of the two life histories. Of the 25 paired half‐sib families, 15 had higher survivorship when sired by a cuckolder male, seven had higher survivorship when sired by a parental male and three had no surviving offspring from either sire. Thus, although growth was similar between the two offspring types, survivorship was not. Combining the differential survivorship estimate with paternity data from natural nests and the frequency of males adopting each life history, we calculated that the cuckolder life history has 1.87 times higher fitness than the parental life history. As such, the life histories likely are not governed by a genetic polymorphism.
Pilot study on the correlation of optical coherence tomography with histology in celiac disease and normal subjects
Authors: Masci Enzo , Mangiavillano Benedetto , Albarello Luca , Mariani Alberto , Doglioni Claudio , Testoni Pier Alberto
Published: October 2006

Background and Aim:  Celiac disease (CD) is a common condition but often it goes unrecognized because characteristic histopathological abnormalities must be found to confirm the diagnosis. A way is needed to select patients who need biopsy of the duodenal mucosa to detect CD. No data are currently available on the use of in vivo optical coherence tomography (OCT), during real‐time endoscopic imaging, in the small intestine and, particularly, in the diagnosis of CD. The aim of the present study was to test the utility of OCT in patients undergoing esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) for histological diagnosis.

Methods:  Eighteen patients with suspected CD (positive for antigliadin, antiendomysial and antitransglutaminase antibodies) and 22 dyspeptic subjects (negative for these antibodies) who were also examined by EGD, were prospectively enrolled. OCT scans of descending duodenum were taken during diagnostic EGD, with biopsies of the same duodenal area. OCT images and histological specimens were evaluated blindly, analysis being done independently by a gastroenterologist and a pathologist. Three patterns of intestinal villous morphology were considered (1, no atrophy; 2, mild atrophy; 3, marked atrophy).

Results:  Concordance was total between OCT and histology for villi morphology in both patients and normal subjects.

Conclusions:  OCT appears to be a promising method for correctly identifying villous atrophy; it may help in selecting patients for intestinal biopsies, considering the limited usefulness of endoscopic criteria, and may also help the endoscopist to perform target biopsies in mucosal areas where the villi are damaged or absent, considering that CD often causes patchy mucosal lesions.
Increased serum gamma‐glutamyl‐transpeptidase concentration is associated with nonalcoholic steatosis and not with cholestasis in patients with chronic hepatitis C
Authors: Benini Federica , Pigozzi Marie Graciella , Baisini Ornella , Romanini Laura , Ahmed Hafez , Pozzi Alessandro , Ricci Chiara , Lanzini Alberto
Published: October 2006

Background and Aim:  Increased pretreatment gamma‐glutamyl‐transpeptidase (γGT) is common in patients with chronic hepatitis C and with little or no alcohol consumption. The mechanism involved in this phenomenon is unclear, and the aim of this study was to investigate factors associated with increased γGT levels, specifically looking at the role of cholestasis that frequently accompanies hepatitis C.

Methods:  Fifty patients with chronic hepatitis C enrolled in two trials of antiviral treatment, 25 with normal and 25 with elevated pretreatment γGT levels, were retrospectively selected. In addition to the common liver function and virological tests, other values measured were serum bile acid concentration and composition by gas‐chromatography as a sensitive index of cholestasis, and liver biopsy scores for cholestasis and steatosis in addition to siderosis, fibrosis and inflammation.

Results:  Total mean serum bile acid concentration was 11.6 ± 1.4 μmol/L and 8.5 ± 1.2 μmol/L (not significant) in patients with elevated and with normal γGT, respectively, and individual bile acid composition was similar in the two groups. By univariate analysis, serum γGT level was linearly related to total serum bile acid (P < 0.05) and to cholestasis score (P < 0.001) among other variables, but steatosis score (P < 0.001) and Knodell score (P < 0.04) were the only variables independently associated with elevated serum γGT level by multivariate analysis.

Conclusions:  Increased serum γGT level in patients with chronic hepatitis C is associated with liver steatosis and fibrosis, and indicates more advanced liver disease rather than reflecting the cholestasis that often accompanies this condition.