bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Pharmacokinetics and Acid‐suppressive Effects of Esomeprazole in Infants 1–24 Months Old With Symptoms of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease
Authors: Omari Taher , Davidson Geoffrey , Bondarov Patrik , Nauclér Emma , Nilsson Catarina , Lundborg Per
Published: March 2009

Objectives:

To evaluate the pharmacokinetics and acid‐suppressive effects of esomeprazole in infants with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

Patients and Methods:

In this single‐blind, randomized, parallel‐group study, 50 infants 1 to 24 months old with symptoms of GERD, and ≥5% of time with intraesophageal pH <4 during 24‐hour dual pH monitoring, received oral esomeprazole 0.25 mg/kg (n = 26) or 1 mg/kg (n = 24) once daily for 1 week. Intraesophageal and intragastric pH were recorded at 1 week, and blood samples were taken for pharmacokinetic analysis.

Results:

At baseline, mean percentages of time with intragastric pH >4 and intraesophageal pH <4 were 30.5% and 11.6%, respectively, in the esomeprazole 0.25 mg/kg group and 28.6% and 12.5% in the esomeprazole 1 mg/kg group. After 1 week of treatment, times with intragastric pH >4 were 47.9% and 69.3% in the esomeprazole 0.25 mg/kg and 1 mg/kg groups, respectively (P < 0.001 vs baseline), and times with intraesophageal pH <4 were 8.4% (P < 0.05 vs baseline) and 5.5% (P < 0.001 vs. baseline), respectively. The mean number of acid reflux episodes of >5 minutes duration decreased from 6 at baseline to 3 and 2 with esomeprazole 0.25 mg/kg and 1 mg/kg, respectively. The geometric mean AUC0–t of esomeprazole were 0.24 and 1.79 μmol · h/L for the 0.25 mg/kg and 1 mg/kg dosages of esomeprazole, respectively. Both esomeprazole dosages were well tolerated.

Conclusions:

Oral treatment with esomeprazole 0.25 mg/kg and 1 mg/kg was well tolerated and provided dose‐related acid suppression, dose‐related exposure to esomeprazole, and decreased esophageal acid exposure in infants 1–24 months old with GERD.
Antibodies to Escherichia coli Outer Membrane Porin C in the Absence of Anti–Saccharomyces cerevisiae Antibodies and Anti‐neutrophil Cytoplasmic Antibodies Are an Unreliable Marker of Crohn Disease and Ulcerative Colitis
Authors: Davis Michael K , Andres Joel M , Jolley Christopher D , Novak Donald A , Haafiz Allah B , González‐Peralta Regino P
Published: March 2009

Objectives:

Antibodies to Escherichia coli outer membrane porin C (anti‐OmpC), Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and neutrophil‐specific nuclear antigens are associated with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in children and young adults. We hypothesized that anti‐OmpC, in the absence of anti–S cerevisiae antibodies (ASCA) and antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA), is an assay that overestimates the presence of Crohn disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC).

Patients and Methods:

A retrospective review of patients evaluated at our institution between January 2002 and June 2006 revealed that 170 had serodiagnostic immunological assays performed as part of an evaluation for possible IBD. The assays were screened for a pattern in which anti‐OmpC was present in the absence of ASCA and ANCA.

Results:

Seven patients between 3 and 20 years of age were discovered to be positive for anti‐OmpC but negative for ASCA and ANCA. These patients were determined to have significant medical conditions without combined radiographic, endoscopic, or histological evidence of IBD. Despite the reported 85% positive predictive value of anti‐OmpC for IBD, none of the 7 patients with isolated anti‐OmpC had a diagnosis of CD or UC.

Conclusions:

Anti‐OmpC, in the absence of ASCA and ANCA, is a serological pattern noted in a subset of medically complex cases in children and young adults without CD or UC.
Clinical Pattern of Celiac Disease Is Still Changing
Authors: Garampazzi Andrea , Rapa Anna , Mura Serena , Capelli Antonella , Valori Anna , Boldorini Renzo , Oderda Giuseppina
Published: March 2009

The clinical presentation of celiac disease in children changed in the last decades of the 20th century. To ascertain whether changes are still in progress, we analyzed symptoms at presentation and age at diagnosis in 307 children receiving diagnoses of celiac disease for the past 20 years. The prevalence of typical forms of celiac disease decreased in the past decade, particularly in the past 5 years (from 76% in 1987–1990 to 44%, P < 0.0001). Age at diagnosis (5.9 y, P = 0.01) and silent forms (10.6%, P = 0.003) have significantly increased in the past 5 years. Histological examination showed decreased subtotal and increased partial villous atrophy prevalence (P = 0.02).
Liver Histology of Children With Chronic Hepatitis Treated With Interferon‐α Alone or in Combination With Lamivudine
Authors: Kuloğlu Zarife , Krsaçloğlu Ceyda Tuna , Kansu Aydan , Erden Esra , Girgin Nurten
Published: March 2009

Aim:

To evaluate histological changes with interferon monotherapy or interferon plus lamivudine combination therapy in children with hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)–positive chronic hepatitis B.

Patients and Methods:

31 children aged 2–13 years were randomly treated with interferon (IFN) (group 1, n = 16) or IFN plus simultaneously started lamivudine (group 2, n = 15). IFN‐α2a was given 9 MU/m2 3 times per week for 6 months in each group; lamivudine was given 4 mg · kg−1 · day−1 for 24 months. Liver biopsy specimens were evaluated according to the Knodell score before therapy and after 24 months of therapy. Histological response was defined as a decrease in the histological activity index (HAI) score by at least 2 points. Efficacy of therapy was evaluated at 24 months of therapy in all children.

Results:

Alanine aminotransferase normalization, HbeAg, and hepatitis B virus DNA clearance were not different. Complete response and histological response were 37.5%/62.5% and 40%/46.7% in groups 1 and 2, respectively (P = NS). At baseline and at 24 months of therapy, total HAI and components of HAI were not different in the 2 groups. In comparison with baseline, a significant decrease in scores of periportal ± bridging necrosis was observed in group 1 (P = 0.01); periportal ± bridging necrosis, intralobular degeneration, focal necrosis, and necroinflammation scores significantly decreased in group 2 (P = 0.04 and P = 0.02) at 24 months of therapy.

Conclusions:

The addition of lamivudine to IFN‐α did not increase the effectiveness of the treatment in terms of complete and histological responses. Both therapies seemed to be effective in the regression of periportal ± bridging necrosis. In addition, combination therapy was also effective in the regression of intralobular degeneration, focal necrosis, and necroinflammatory activity index.
Effect of food on the pharmacokinetics of the oral phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitor udenafil for the treatment of erectile dysfunction
Authors: Kim Tae‐Eun , Kim Bo‐Hyung , Kim Jung‐Ryul , Lim Kyoung Soo , Hong Jang Hee , Kim Kyu‐pyo , Kim Hwa‐Sook , Shin Sang‐Goo , Jang In‐Jin , Yu Kyung‐Sang
Published: March 2009

WHAT IS ALREADY KNOWN ABOUT THIS SUBJECT

• Udenafil is a newly marketed phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitor.

• Udenafil is safe and well tolerated in healthy subjects, and effective as treatment for erectile dysfunction.

• The effect of food on the pharmacokinetics of PDE5 inhibitors varies.

WHAT THIS STUDY ADDS

• This is the first study to determine the effect of food on the pharmacokinetics of udenafil.

• Food generally does not affect the bioavailability of udenafil, although a low‐fat diet shows a tendency to decreases the absorption rate of udenafil.

AIMS

Udenafil is a cyclic guanosine 3′,5′‐monophosphate‐specific phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitor developed for the treatment of erectile dysfunction. The aim was to evaluate the effect of food on the pharmacokinetics of udenafil.

METHODS

An open, randomized, three‐way crossover study was conducted. Fifteen healthy male volunteers received a single 200‐mg oral dose of udenafil while fasting, after a low‐fat meal, and after a high‐fat meal separated by 7‐day washout periods. Serial blood samples were taken up to 48 h after oral administration.

RESULTS

Under fasting conditions, udenafil was rapidly absorbed and tmax was observed typically 1.5 h after administration. The mean tmax values after a low‐fat meal and a high‐fat meal were 2.6 and 2.1 h, respectively. The ratios (90% confidence intervals) of the geometric means compared with the fasting condition for Cmax and AUClast were 0.79 (0.70, 0.90) and 0.96 (0.89, 1.03) in the low fat‐fed condition, respectively, and 1.01 (0.89, 1.15) and 1.03 (0.96, 1.11), respectively, in the high fat‐fed condition.

CONCLUSIONS

The tmax of udenafil was delayed under the fed conditions. However, although the Cmax was reduced by approximately 21% in the low fat‐fed state, overall bioavailability was not affected when taken with food.
Risk factors of adverse reactions to food in German adults
Authors: Soost S. , Leynaert B. , Almqvist C. , Edenharter G. , Zuberbier T. , Worm M.
Published: March 2009

Background
Allergic diseases have been increasing during the last decades. Previous studies suggest an impact of a variety of risk factors on the prevalence of food hypersensitivity.

Objective
Data of a cross‐sectional population‐based survey were analysed to study the prevalence of food hypersensitivity in females and males adjusted for age and education.

Methods
A population aged 18–79 years from a representative, randomly sampled survey studying 13 300 inhabitants from Germany (Berlin) was analysed. The Berlin study data were weighted with regard to age, sex, education and allergic diseases such as atopic dermatitis, rhinoconjunctivitis and asthma. Instruments for evaluation included mailed questionnaires, structured telephone interviews, physical examinations, detection of total IgE, skin prick tests and double‐blind, placebo‐controlled food challenge tests (DBPCFC).

Results
Three thousand two hundred and twenty‐seven questionnaires were evaluated. The data show a significantly higher risk of self‐reported symptoms in the female group, among persons with higher education and in the age group of 18–39 years. Among individuals with clinical symptoms, females were at lower risk of having positive skin prick tests [aOR=0.32; 95% CI (0.21–0.50); P<0.01] and having a raised total IgE [aOR=0.37; 95% CI (0.24–0.56); P<0.01], but showed a higher risk of non‐IgE and IgE‐mediated food hypersensitivity [aOR=2.27; 95% CI (1.31–3.93); P<0.01] than males. Based on weighted data, the point prevalence of adverse reactions to food resulted in 3.3% [95% CI (2.4–4.5%)] for women and 1.8% [95% CI (1.2–2.7%)] for men after DBPCFC.

Conclusion
From a general population survey conducted in Germany, we determined that women are at greater risk of having symptoms of food allergy and also at greater risk of having DBPCFC‐confirmed symptomatic food allergy. However, among individuals with symptoms of food allergy, men have a higher prevalence of food‐specific IgE‐sensitization and of raised total IgE than women.
The low prevalence of allergic disease in Eastern Europe
Authors: Kramer M. S. , Matush L. , Bogdanovich N. , Dahhou M. , Platt R. W. , Mazer B.
Published: March 2009

Background
The prevalence of allergic disease is known to be low in Eastern Europe.

Objective
To assess the association of suspected risk factors, including several closely linked to the hygiene hypothesis, with allergic symptoms and atopic sensitization in young school‐aged children.

Methods
Observational study of 13 889 Belarusian children followed up at age 6.5 years in the Promotion of Breastfeeding Intervention Trial (PROBIT). Allergic symptoms and diseases were based on parental responses to the International Study of Asthma and Allergy in Childhood questionnaire, and prick tests to five common inhalant allergens were performed using standard methods.

Results
Significantly increased risks of wheezing and hayfever symptoms in the past 12 months, and of recurrent itchy rash were observed in boys, children with a positive first‐degree family atopic history, and those who had received probiotics (especially as prophylaxis with antibiotic use). Pet ownership, contact with farm animals, the presence and number of younger and (especially) older siblings, and residency in rural areas of Western Belarus were associated with reduced risks. Maternal postnatal smoking was associated with wheezing and hayfever symptoms, while the duration of exclusive breastfeeding was not protective against any of the studied outcomes. The risk factors for allergic symptoms were similar in children with positive skin‐prick tests to those in the overall cohort.

Conclusion
Many of the risk and protective factors we identified are consistent with those reported in Western countries and with the hygiene hypothesis. Further research on dietary and other environmental and genetic factors is necessary to understand the low prevalence of allergic disease in Belarus and other Eastern European countries.
Prevalence of allergic rhinitis in 3–6‐year‐old children in Wuhan of China
Authors: Kong W‐J , Chen J‐J , Zheng Z‐Y , Shi Q‐M , Zhou Y.
Published: March 2009

Background
Only a few prevalence studies of allergic rhinitis (AR) have been reported in China. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of AR in a population of 3–6‐year‐old children in Wuhan, China.

Methods
Sixteen kindergartens in Wuhan City were randomly selected; for each kindergarten, there were three classes from three grades (top, middle and bottom grade, 3–6 years old, respectively). Questionnaires generated by the authors were distributed and filled out by parents of the selected children, with a telephone interview subsequently. Skin prick test (SPT) was carried out on the children after a written consent was signed by the parents.

Results
A total of 1211 (89.5%) valid questionnaires were returned for evaluation. The adjusted current prevalence of AR in 3–6‐year‐old children was 10.8% with the diagnostic criterion of nasal symptoms(+) and SPTs(+). In the SPTs(+) children, the most common inhalant allergen was house dust mites (94.7%), followed by moulds (28.4%). The prevalence of AR was higher in males than that in females (13.0% vs. 7.7%, P<0.05). 15.8% and 23.2% of AR children were sensitive to egg and milk, respectively. The percentage of children sensitive to both inhalant and food allergens was 27.4%.

Conclusions
We found an unexpectedly high prevalence of diagnosed AR in 3–6‐year‐old children within the investigated population. Dust mite was the most important allergen source for 3–6‐year‐old children in Wuhan.
Neurocognitive consequences of surgery and radiotherapy for tumours of the pituitary
Authors: Tooze Alana , Gittoes Neil J. , Jones Christopher A. , Toogood Andrew A.
Published: March 2009

The management of patients with pituitary tumours requires a multidisciplinary approach utilizing a number of different treatment modalities that can impact upon pituitary function and may disrupt important areas of cerebral tissue that are important for normal neurocognitive function. Patients frequently report problems with memory and sustained attention that impact upon normal day‐to‐day life. At present it is unclear whether any causal link exists between treatments for pituitary tumours and abnormalities of memory and higher mental function.

The domains of function affected in patients with pituitary tumours are memory and executive functions, which are involved in the control and direction of lower level, more automatic functions such as attention and motor skills. The evidence for disruption in these modalities is stronger for memory than for executive function. This may be due to variability in study design, insufficient tests and the potential inclusion of fundamentally different tumour types.

The purpose of this review is to examine the available evidence to determine whether pituitary disease, its management, or subsequent complications are responsible for any neuropsychological deficits in pituitary patients. Furthermore we address methodological issues that may account for the apparent disparate neurocognitive data that exist in this patient group.
Remote sensing of sun‐induced fluorescence to improve modeling of diurnal courses of gross primary production (GPP)
Authors: DAMM ALEXANDER , ELBERS JAN , ERLER ANDRÉ , GIOLI BENIAMINO , HAMDI KARIM , HUTJES RONALD , KOSVANCOVA MARTINA , MERONI MICHELE , MIGLIETTA FRANCO , MOERSCH ANDRÉ , MORENO JOSE , SCHICKLING ANKE , SONNENSCHEIN RUTH , UDELHOVEN THOMAS , Van Der LINDEN SEBASTIAN , HOSTERT PATRICK , RASCHER UWE
Published: March 2009

Terrestrial gross primary production (GPP) is an important parameter to explore and quantify carbon fixation by plant ecosystems at various scales. Remote sensing (RS) offers a unique possibility to investigate GPP in a spatially explicit fashion; however, budgeting of terrestrial carbon cycles based on this approach still remains uncertain. To improve calculations, spatio‐temporal variability of GPP must be investigated in more detail on local and regional scales. The overarching goal of this study is to enhance our knowledge on how environmentally induced changes of photosynthetic light‐use efficiency (LUE) are linked with optical RS parameters. Diurnal courses of sun‐induced fluorescence yield (FSyield) and the photochemical reflectance index of corn were derived from high‐resolution spectrometric measurements and their potential as proxies for LUE was investigated. GPP was modeled using Monteith's LUE‐concept and optical‐based GPP and LUE values were compared with synoptically acquired eddy covariance data. It is shown that the diurnal response of complex physiological regulation of photosynthesis can be tracked reliably with the sun‐induced fluorescence. Considering structural and physiological effects, this research shows for the first time that including sun‐induced fluorescence into modeling approaches improves their results in predicting diurnal courses of GPP. Our results support the hypothesis that air‐ or spaceborne quantification of sun‐induced fluorescence yield may become a powerful tool to better understand spatio‐temporal variations of fluorescence yield, photosynthetic efficiency and plant stress on a global scale.
17β‐Oestradiol Indirectly Inhibits Thyrotrophin‐Releasing Hormone Expression in the Hypothalamic Paraventricular Nucleus of Female Rats and Blunts Thyroid Axis Response to Cold Exposure
Authors: Uribe R. M. , Zacarias M. , Corkidi G. , Cisneros M. , Charli J‐L. , Joseph‐Bravo P.
Published: March 2009

Energy expenditure and thermogenesis are regultated by thyroid and sex hormones. Several parameters of hypothalamic‐pituitary‐thyroid (HPT) axis function are modulated by 17β‐oestradiol (E2) but its effects on thyrotrophin‐releasing hormone (TRH) mRNA levels remain unknown. We evaluated, by in situ hybridisation and Northern bloting, TRH expression in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVN) of cycling rats, 2 weeks‐ovariectomised (OVX) and OVX animals injected s.c. during 1–4 days with E2 (5, 50, 100 or 200 μg/kg) (OVX‐E). Serum levels of E2, thyroid‐stimulating hormone (TSH), prolactin, corticosterone and triiodothyronine (T3) were quantified by radioimmunoassay. Increased serum E2 levels were observed after 4 days injection of 50 μg/kg E2 (to 68.5 ± 4.8 pg/ml) in OVX rats. PVN‐TRH mRNA levels were slightly higher in OVX than in virgin females at dioestrous 1 or pro‐oestrous, decreasing proportionally to increased serum E2 levels. E2 injections augmented serum T3, prolactin, and corticosterone levels. Serum TSH levels augmented with 4 days 50 μg/kg E2, but not with the higher doses that enhanced serum T3 levels. Exposure to cold for 1 h resulted in marked HPT axis activation in OVX rats, increasing the levels of TRH mRNA along the rostro‐caudal PVN areas, as well as serum TSH, T3, corticosterone and prolactin levels. By contrast, no significant changes in any of these parameters were observed in cold‐exposed OVX‐E (50 μg/kg E2) rats. Very few PVN‐TRHergic neurones expressed the oestrogen receptor type‐α, suggesting that the effects of E2 on PVN‐TRH expression are indirect, most probably as a result of its multiple modulatory effects on circulating hormones and their receptor sensitivity. The blunted response of OVX‐E rats to cold coincides with the effects of E2 on the autonomic nervous system and increased cold tolerance.
Autoantibodies in chronic hepatitis C virus infection and their association with disease profile
Authors: Williams M. J. , Lawson A. , Neal K. R. , Ryder S. D. , Irving W. L. ,   on behalf of the Trent HCV Group
Published: March 2009

Summary.  Autoantibodies are commonly detected in chronic hepatitis C (HCV) but their significance remains uncertain. We assessed the prevalence of anti‐nuclear (ANA) and anti‐smooth muscle (ASM) antibodies within a cohort of 963 treatment‐naïve HCV patients. We also assessed for differences between autoantibody‐positive and autoantibody‐negative patients in demographics, markers of disease activity and response to anti‐viral treatment. One hundred and seventy‐two patients (17.9%) had at least one autoantibody, of which were 104 (10.8%) ASM, 54 (5.6%) ANA and 14 (1.5%) positive for both. Autoantibody‐positive patients were older (43 vs 39 years, P = 0.001) caused by an age‐related increase in ANA (but not ASM). There were no differences in gender, alcohol intake, ethnicity or viral genotype. The presence of autoantibodies, and specifically ASM, was associated with an increase in interface hepatitis score amongst men (1.1 vs 0.8, P = 0.005) but no difference in other necroinflammatory measures, liver function tests or immunoglobulins (Ig). There was no difference in initial fibrosis stage or rate of fibrosis progression. Autoantibodies did not affect response to anti‐viral treatment. We conclude that autoantibodies are frequent in HCV infection. Anti‐nuclear antibodies increase with age, whereas ASM antibodies are associated with interface hepatitis in men. Neither autoantibody carries increased risk of fibrosis progression or failure of therapy.
Inhibition of intracellular hepatitis C virus replication by nelfinavir and synergistic effect with interferon‐α
Authors: Toma S. , Yamashiro T. , Arakaki S. , Shiroma J. , Maeshiro T. , Hibiya K. , Sakamoto N. , Kinjo F. , Tateyama M. , Fujita J.
Published: March 2009

Summary.  Liver diseases associated with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection have become the major cause of mortality in patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection since the introduction of highly active anti‐retroviral therapy. HCV‐related liver disease is more severe in HIV‐infected patients than in non‐HIV‐infected patients, but the standard therapies used to treat chronic hepatitis C in HCV/HIV coinfected patients are the same as those for patients infected with HCV alone. HIV protease inhibitors might have potential to down‐regulate HCV load of HCV/HIV coinfected patients. In this study, we evaluated the effects of nelfinavir on intracellular HCV replication using the HCV replicon system. We constructed an HCV replicon expressing a neomycin‐selectable chimeric firefly luciferase reporter protein. Cytotoxicity and apoptosis induced by nelfinavir were assessed and synergism between nelfinavir and interferon (IFN) was calculated using CalcuSyn analysis. Nelfinavir dose‐dependently repressed HCV replication at low concentrations (IC50, 9.88 μmol/L). Nelfinavir failed to induce cytotoxicity or apoptosis at concentrations that inhibited HCV replication. Clinical concentrations of nelfinavir (5 μmol/L) combined with IFN showed synergistic inhibition of HCV replication in our replicon model. Our results suggest that the direct effects of nelfinavir on the HCV subgenome and its synergism with IFN could improve clinical responses to IFN therapy in HCV/HIV coinfected patients.
Opening Pandora's box: comparative studies of genetic mating systems reveal reproductive complexity
Authors: WILSON ANTHONY B.
Published: March 2009

Genetic analyses of realized reproductive success have fundamentally changed our understanding of mating behaviour in natural systems. While behavioural ecologists have long been interested in what factors influence mating behaviour, early studies were limited to direct observations of matings and thus provided an incomplete picture of reproductive activity. Genetic assessments of parentage have revolutionized the study of reproductive behaviour, revealing that many individuals engage in extra‐pair copulations (Griffith et al. 2002) and that social mating partners frequently invest substantial resources into raising offspring that are unrelated to one or both of them (Avise et al. 2002). While these findings have changed the way we think about reproductive behaviour, most investigations of genetic parentage have been restricted to single populations at a single point in time, obscuring spatial and/or temporal variation in mating behaviour and limiting our ability to determine how environmental changes can lead to shifts in mating strategies. In this issue of Molecular Ecology, Mobley & Jones (2009) compare genetic mating behaviour across five populations of Syngnathus floridae (Fig. 1), a widespread species of pipefish distributed along the Gulf‐ and Atlantic Coasts of North America. The authors document how genetic mating behaviour varies across space in S. floridae and identify correlations between reproductive variation and particular ecological characteristics. Mobley & Jones’ paper is one of an increasing number of studies which address the question of how ecological variables influence mating behaviour, and highlights how our understanding of mating system variation and evolution is likely to expand through the wider application of high‐throughput parentage assessment in a comparative context.

A pregnant male dusky pipefish (Syngnathus floridae) in its natural habitat. Photo credit: Joe O’Hop.

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Environmental, demographic, and genetic mating system variation among five geographically distinct dusky pipefish (Syngnathus floridae) populations
Authors: MOBLEY KENYON B. , JONES ADAM G.
Published: March 2009

Genetic mating systems are expected to vary among and within populations in response to environmental and demographic factors. Despite the fact that mating system variation theoretically can have profound effects on important evolutionary processes such as sexual selection, extensive intraspecific surveys of geographical variation in mating systems are rare. We used microsatellite markers to characterize genetic mating systems of dusky pipefish, Syngnathus floridae, from five populations distributed from the mid‐Atlantic Coast to the Western Gulf of Mexico. We also measured a number of environmental and demographic variables to examine correlations between the ecological setting and mating behaviour. Our results show that dusky pipefish are polygynandrous throughout their USA distribution, but they exhibit a wide range of quantitative variation in male mating behaviour. In addition, these five populations varied substantially with respect to environmental and demographic variables, and some of these were significantly correlated with aspects of the genetic mating system. While causal relationships cannot be firmly diagnosed from this type of comparative study, our results do identify several ecological factors, such as water temperature, adult sex ratio, and seagrass biomass, which should be considered in future experimental and comparative work. Overall, this study confirms the expectation that geographical variation in mating systems is widespread and shows that the dusky pipefish is an excellent model for continued research into the factors affecting mating systems in nature.
Bias in studies of heterozygosity and mate choice
Authors: SLATE JON
Published: March 2009

A key question for molecular and behavioural ecologists who study mating systems is to understand why, in many species, females choose to mate with extra‐pair males. Recently a possible explanation, ‘genetic compatibility’, has gained increasing empirical support (for a comprehensive review, see Kempenaers 2007). Genetic compatibility hypotheses assume that females seek extra‐pair mates with alleles that complement their own. Typically, this will be achieved by mating with a male of a different genotype than her own, in order to maximise the heterozygosity of her offspring. Because numerous studies have indicated positive associations between heterozygosity and fitness (see Coltman & Slate 2003), it follows that mating with ‘compatible’ males will result in heterozygous, and therefore fit, offspring. Most empirical support for genetic compatibility has been obtained with microsatellite markers that have first been used to assess parentage and then to estimate relatedness and/or individual heterozygosity. A problem with this approach is a possible bias that favours the detection of extra‐pair paternity when the extra‐pair male has a genotype different from that of the female and her social mate. This in turn could lead to the erroneous conclusion that extra‐pair males are less related to the female than within‐pair males. In this issue of Molecular Ecology, Wetzel & Westneat 2009 (hereafter W&W), use simulation studies to assess the extent of this bias, using parameter estimates obtained from recent empirical data. They identify two forms of bias that may affect tests of the genetic compatibility hypothesis, and provide guidelines on how these biases may be avoided.
Fog interception by Sequoia sempervirens (D. Don) crowns decouples physiology from soil water deficit
Authors: SIMONIN KEVIN A. , SANTIAGO LOUIS S. , DAWSON TODD E.
Published: March 2009

Although crown wetting events can increase plant water status, leaf wetting is thought to negatively affect plant carbon balance by depressing photosynthesis and growth. We investigated the influence of crown fog interception on the water and carbon relations of juvenile and mature Sequoia sempervirens trees. Field observations of mature trees indicated that fog interception increased leaf water potential above that of leaves sheltered from fog. Furthermore, observed increases in leaf water potential exceeded the maximum water potential predicted if soil water was the only available water source. Because field observations were limited to two mature trees, we conducted a greenhouse experiment to investigate how fog interception influences plant water status and photosynthesis. Pre‐dawn and midday branchlet water potential, leaf gas exchange and chlorophyll fluorescence were measured on S. sempervirens saplings exposed to increasing soil water deficit, with and without overnight canopy fog interception. Sapling fog interception increased leaf water potential and photosynthesis above the control and soil water deficit treatments despite similar dark‐acclimated leaf chlorophyll fluorescence. The field observations and greenhouse experiment show that fog interception represents an overlooked flux into the soil–plant–atmosphere continuum that temporarily, but significantly, decouples leaf‐level water and carbon relations from soil water availability.
Ozone suppresses soil drying‐ and abscisic acid (ABA)‐induced stomatal closure via an ethylene‐dependent mechanism
Authors: WILKINSON SALLY , DAVIES WILLIAM J.
Published: March 2009

Elevated atmospheric ozone concentrations (70 ppb) reduced the sensitivity of stomatal closure to abscisic acid (ABA) in Leontodon hispidus after at least 24 h exposure (1) when detached leaves were fed ABA, and (2) when intact plants were sprayed or injected with ABA. They also reduced the sensitivity of stomatal closure to soil drying around the roots. Such effects could already be occurring under current northern hemisphere peak ambient ozone concentrations. Leaves detached from plants which had been exposed to elevated ozone concentrations generated higher concentrations of ethylene, although leaf tissue ABA concentrations were unaffected. When intact plants were pretreated with the ethylene receptor binding antagonist 1‐methylcyclopropene, the stomatal response to both applied ABA and soil drying was fully restored in the presence of elevated ozone. Implications of ethylene's antagonism of the stomatal response to ABA under oxidative stress are discussed. We suggest that this may be one mechanism whereby elevated ozone induces visible injury in sensitive species. We emphasize that drought linked to climate change and tropospheric ozone pollution, are both escalating problems. Ozone will exacerbate the deleterious effects of drought on the many plant species including valuable crops that respond to this pollutant by emitting more ethylene.
The plasma membrane Na+/H+ antiporter SOS1 is essential for salt tolerance in tomato and affects the partitioning of Na+ between plant organs
Authors: OLÍAS RAQUEL , ELJAKAOUI ZAKIA , LI JUN , DE MORALES PAZ ALVAREZ , MARÍN‐MANZANO MARI CARMEN , PARDO JOSE M. , BELVER ANDRÉS
Published: March 2009

We have identified a plasma membrane Na+/H+ antiporter gene from tomato (Solanum lycopersicum), SlSOS1, and used heterologous expression in yeast to confirm that SlSOS1 was the functional homolog of AtSOS1. Using post‐transcriptional gene silencing, we evaluated the role played by SlSOS1 in long‐distance Na+ transport and salt tolerance of tomato. Tomato was used because of its anatomical structure, more complex than that of Arabidopsis, and its agricultural significance. Transgenic tomato plants with reduced expression of SlSOS1 exhibited reduced growth rate compared to wild‐type (WT) plants in saline conditions. This sensitivity correlated with higher accumulation of Na+ in leaves and roots, but lower contents in stems of silenced plants under salt stress. Differential distribution of Na+ and lower net Na+ flux were observed in the xylem sap in the suppressed plants. In addition, K+ concentration was lower in roots of silenced plants than in WT. Our results demonstrate that SlSOS1 antiporter is not only essential in maintaining ion homeostasis under salinity, but also critical for the partitioning of Na+ between plant organs. The ability of tomato plants to retain Na+ in the stems, thus preventing Na+ from reaching the photosynthetic tissues, is largely dependent on the function of SlSOS1.
Temperature‐induced lipocalin is required for basal and acquired thermotolerance in Arabidopsis
Authors: CHI WEN‐TZU , FUNG RAYMOND W. M. , LIU HSIANG‐CHIN , HSU CHING‐CHI , CHARNG YEE‐YUNG
Published: March 2009

Plant temperature‐induced lipocalins (TILs) have been shown to be responsive to heat stress (HS), but the nature of this response was unknown. In this study, a reverse genetic approach was taken to elucidate the role of Arabidopsis TIL1 (At5g58070) in thermotolerance. A T‐DNA knock‐out line of TIL1 (til1‐1) showed severe defects in basal (BT) and acquired thermotolerance (AT), which could be complemented by introducing the wild‐type gene. However, over‐expression of TIL1 did not significantly enhance thermotolerance in transgenic plants. TIL1 is peripherally associated with plasma membrane. Transcriptomic analysis showed that the heat shock response in til1‐1 seedlings was about the same as in the wild‐type plants except the expression of TIL1. The level of TIL1 did not affect the temperature threshold for heat shock protein induction. Ion leakage analysis revealed no significant difference in membrane stability between the wild‐type and til1‐1 seedlings. These results suggest that TIL1 is not involved in regulating membrane fluidity or stability. Nevertheless, the mutant plants were also more sensitive than the wild type to tert‐butyl hydroperoxide, a reagent that induces lipid peroxidation. Taken together, these data indicate that TIL1 is an essential component for thermotolerance and probably functions by acting against lipid peroxidation induced by severe HS.
Rootstock‐mediated changes in xylem ionic and hormonal status are correlated with delayed leaf senescence, and increased leaf area and crop productivity in salinized tomato
Authors: ALBACETE ALFONSO , MARTÍNEZ‐ANDÚJAR CRISTINA , GHANEM MICHEL EDMOND , ACOSTA MANUEL , SÁNCHEZ‐BRAVO JOSÉ , ASINS MARÍA J. , CUARTERO JESÚS , LUTTS STANLEY , DODD IAN C. , PÉREZ‐ALFOCEA FRANCISCO
Published: March 2009

Tomato crop productivity under salinity can be improved by grafting cultivars onto salt‐tolerant wild relatives, thus mediating the supply of root‐derived ionic and hormonal factors that regulate leaf area and senescence. A tomato cultivar was grafted onto rootstocks from a population of recombinant inbred lines (RILs) derived from a Solanum lycopersicum × Solanum cheesmaniae cross and cultivated under moderate salinity (75 mm NaCl). Concentrations of Na+, K+ and several phytohormones [abscisic acid (ABA); the cytokinins (CKs) zeatin, Z; zeatin riboside, ZR; and the ethylene precursor 1‐aminocyclopropane‐1‐carboxylic acid (ACC)] were analysed in leaf xylem sap in graft combinations of contrasting vigour. Scion leaf area correlated with photosystem II (PSII) efficiency (Fv/Fm) and determined fruit productivity. Xylem K+ (but not Na+), K+/Na+, the active CK Z, the ratio with its storage form Z/ZR and especially the ratio between CKs and ACC (Z/ACC and Z + ZR/ACC) were positively loaded into the first principal component (PC) determining both leaf growth and PSII efficiency. In contrast, the ratio ACC/ABA was negatively correlated with leaf biomass. Although the underlying physiological mechanisms by which rootstocks mediate leaf area or chlorophyll fluorescence (and thus influence tomato salt tolerance) seem complex, a putative potassium–CK interaction involved in regulating both processes merits further attention.
The fou2 mutation in the major vacuolar cation channel TPC1 confers tolerance to inhibitory luminal calcium
Authors: Beyhl Diana , Hörtensteiner Stefan , Martinoia Enrico , Farmer Edward E. , Fromm Jörg , Marten Irene , Hedrich Rainer
Published: March 2009

The SV channel encoded by the TPC1 gene represents a Ca2+‐ and voltage‐dependent vacuolar cation channel. Point mutation D454N within TPC1, named fou2 for fatty acid oxygenation upregulated 2, results in increased synthesis of the stress hormone jasmonate. As wounding causes Ca2+ signals and cytosolic Ca2+ is required for SV channel function, we here studied the Ca2+‐dependent properties of this major vacuolar cation channel with Arabidopsis thaliana mesophyll vacuoles. In patch clamp measurements, wild‐type and fou2 SV channels did not exhibit differences in cytosolic Ca2+ sensitivity and Ca2+ impermeability. K+ fluxes through wild‐type TPC1 were reduced or even completely faded away when vacuolar Ca2+ reached the 0.1‐mm level. The fou2 protein under these conditions, however, remained active. Thus, D454N seems to be part of a luminal Ca2+ recognition site. Thereby the SV channel mutant gains tolerance towards elevated luminal Ca2+. A three‐fold higher vacuolar Ca/K ratio in the fou2 mutant relative to wild‐type plants seems to indicate that fou2 can accumulate higher levels of vacuolar Ca2+ before SV channel activity vanishes and K+ homeostasis is impaired. In response to wounding fou2 plants might thus elicit strong vacuole‐derived cytosolic Ca2+ signals resulting in overproduction of jasmonate.
Judging respiratory specimen acceptability for AFB microscopy: visual vs. microscopic screening
Authors: Khan Mishal S. , Dar Osman , Tahseen Sabira , Godfrey‐Faussett Peter
Published: March 2009

Objectives  To investigate whether visual assessment or microscopic grading of the cellular composition of specimens is a better strategy to screen specimen quality for tuberculosis (TB) diagnosis.

Methods  About 2643 specimens were collected from TB suspects at the Federal TB centre in Pakistan. Specimens were classified as sputum or saliva visually and microscopically using the criteria proposed by McCarter and Robinson, Van Scoy, Geckler et al., Murray and Washington and Bartlett. The acid‐fast bacilli (AFB)‐positivity of specimens was also assessed.

Results  Despite being the least ‘technical’ and time consuming, visual assessment rejected the lowest proportion of AFB‐positive specimens (0.3%). Most microscopic grading criteria, particularly those that considered the squamous epithelial cell count, rejected a large proportion of specimens (30–66%), of which a sizeable fraction contained AFB (6–12%).

Conclusions  Our results indicate that visual assessment by trained technicians is more effective and suitable than microscopic grading for screening specimens for TB diagnosis. TB control resources could be better allocated to optimizing visual screening than investing in more ‘strict’ microscopic grading tools.
Increased CXCL‐13 levels in human African trypanosomiasis meningo‐encephalitis
Authors: Courtioux Bertrand , Pervieux Lynda , Vatunga Gedeao , Marin Benoit , Josenando Théophile , Jauberteau‐Marchan Marie‐Odile , Bouteille Bernard , Bisser Sylvie
Published: March 2009

Objectives  To determine the role of the B‐cell attracting chemokine CXCL‐13, which may initiate B‐cell trafficking and IgM production in diagnosing HAT meningo‐encephalitis.

Methods  We determined CXCL‐13 levels by ELISA on paired sera and CSF of 26 patients from Angola and of 16 controls (six endemic and ten non‐endemic). Results were compared to standard stage determination markers and IgM intrathecal synthesis.

Results  CXCL‐13 levels in patients’ sera had a median value of 386.6 pg/ml and increased levels were associated with presence of trypanosomes in the CSF but not with other stage markers. CXCL‐13 levels in patients’ CSF had a median value of 80.9 pg/ml and increased levels were associated with all standard stage determination markers and IgM intrathecal synthesis.

Conclusion  CXCL‐13 levels in CSF increased significantly during the course of HAT. Hence the value of CXCL‐13 for diagnosis, follow‐up or as a marker of disease severity should be tested in a well‐defined cohort study.
Long‐term study of fluticasone propionate aqueous nasal spray in acute and maintenance therapy of nasal polyposis
Authors: Jankowski R. , Klossek J.‐M. , Attali V. , Coste A. , Serrano E.
Published: March 2009

Background:  Topical steroids are first‐line medication to control nasal polyposis (NP), a disease with long‐term clinical course.

Objective:  The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of fluticasone propionate aqueous nasal spray (FPANS) 200 μg twice a day (bd) after 1 month of treatment, and to compare FPANS 200 μg bd and FPANS 200 μg once a day (od) in maintenance and long‐term treatment.

Methods:  Double‐blind, placebo‐controlled, 8‐month study with three treatment periods (1‐month acute period followed with 1‐month maintenance period and 6‐month follow‐up period) was carried out. Group 1 received FPANS 200 μg bd, during acute, maintenance and follow‐up periods, Group 2 received FPANS 200 μg bd during acute period and FPANS 200 μg od during maintenance and follow‐up periods, and Group 3 received placebo during acute and maintenance periods and FPANS 200 μg bd during follow‐up period. Endpoints were change from baseline in clinic peak nasal inspiratory flow (PNIF), domiciliary evening PNIF, intensity of symptoms and polyposis grade.

Results:  After acute period and maintenance periods, FPANS 200 μg bd was significantly more effective than placebo on all endpoints and more effective than FPANS 200 μg od after 1‐month maintenance period on clinic PNIF, evening PNIF, obstruction, percentage of days with no sense of smell and percentage of nights with no disturbances. The two doses were similar on other endpoints. After the 6‐month follow‐up period, there was no difference between the two doses of FPANS at all efficacy endpoints. The safety profile of FPANS did not highlight any new or unanticipated adverse events.

Conclusion:  The study demonstrated the efficacy of FPANS 200 μg bd in acute treatment and FPANS 200 μg od as a sufficient dose to maintain a long‐term efficacy in the treatment for NP.
Nasopharyngeal aspirate cytokine levels 1 yr after severe respiratory syncytial virus infection
Authors: Pino Maria , Kelvin David J. , Bermejo‐Martin Jesus F. , Alonso Ana , Matías Vanesa , Tenorio Alberto , Rico Lucia , Eiros Jose M. , Castrodeza J. , Blanco‐Quiros Alfredo , Ardura Julio , De Lejarazu Raul Ortiz
Published: March 2009

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection is an important cause of recurrent wheezing in infants. Nevertheless, the link between RSV infection and wheezing has yet to be elucidated at the molecular level. Here, we present a preliminary study on the evolution of the immune response in the respiratory tract at long‐term after RSV infection. Twenty‐seven immune mediators were profiled in nasopharyngeal aspirates (NPAs) obtained from 20 children hospitalized due to a severe infection by RSV at discharge from hospital and again 1 yr later. The same mediators were profiled in parallel in NPAs from 12 healthy controls. In the year following discharge, 85% (17/20) of children of the RSV group suffered at least one episode of wheezing documented by the pediatrician. On the contrary, wheezing episodes were observed only in 25% (3/12) of children in the control group. While most of the mediators profiled returned to normal levels by 1 yr after discharge from hospital, RSV children showed a persistent nasal hyper‐secretion of VEGF, G‐CSF, IL‐10, IL‐6, IFN‐γ, IL‐7 and IL‐13. In previous works VEGF, IL‐10 and IFN‐γ have been put in relation with the pathogenesis of post‐virus induced asthma. G‐CSF, IL‐6, IL‐7 and IL‐13 are increased in respiratory and plasma samples of asthmatic patients. Here, we evidence for the first time a persistent elevation of these mediators as late as 1 yr after severe RSV disease resolution, reinforcing their possible implication in the pathogenesis of wheezing.
Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteremia over a 10‐year period: multidrug resistance and outcomes in transplant recipients
Authors: Johnson L.E. , D'Agata E.M.C. , Paterson D.L. , Clarke L. , Qureshi Z.A. , Potoski B.A. , Peleg A.Y.
Published: March 2009

Abstract: Aim. Transplant recipients are at risk for hospital‐acquired infections (HAIs), including those caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Of all HAIs, bloodstream infection (BSI) remains one of the most life‐threatening.

Methods. Over a 10‐year period, we studied 503 patients, including 149 transplant recipients, with pseudomonal BSI from the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Trends in antimicrobial susceptibility, risk factors for multidrug resistance (MDR), and outcomes were compared between transplant and non‐transplant patients.

Results. Resistance to all antibiotic classes was significantly greater in pseudomonal blood culture isolates from transplant compared with non‐transplant patients (P<0.001). Of isolates from transplant recipients (n=207), 43% were MDR, compared with 18% of isolates from non‐transplant patients (n=391) (odds ratio [OR] 3.47; 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.34–5.14, P<0.001). Among all patients, independent risk factors for MDR P. aeruginosa BSI included previous transplantation (OR 2.38; 95% CI 1.51–3.76, P<0.001), hospital‐acquired BSI (OR 2.41; 95% CI 1.39–4.18, P=0.002), and prior intensive care unit (ICU) admission (OR 2.04; 95% CI 1.15–3.63, P=0.015). Mortality among transplant recipients was 42%, compared with 32% in non‐transplant patients (OR 1.55; 95% CI 0.87–2.76, P=0.108). For transplant recipients, onset of BSI in the ICU was the only independent predictor of mortality (OR 8.00; 95% CI 1.71–37.42, P=0.008).

Conclusions. Transplant recipients are at greater risk of MDR P. aeruginosa BSI, with an appreciable mortality. Future management must concentrate on the implementation of effective preventative strategies.