bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Developments in the field of allergy in 2011 through the eyes of Clinical and Experimental Allergy
Authors: Arshad S. H. , Dharmage S. C. , Ferreira F. , Fixman E. D. , Gadermaier G. , Hauser M. , Sampson A. P. , Teran L. M. , Wallner M. , Wardlaw A. J. 
Published: November 2012

SummaryAs in previous years, we felt it would be of value to our readership to summarize the new information provided by the authors who have published in Clinical and Experimental Allergy in 2011 and set this in the context of recent advances in our understanding of the pathogenesis and management of allergic disease in all its many manifestations. In 2011, about 210 articles were published in Clinical and Experimental Allergy including editorials, reviews, opinion articles, guidelines, letters, book reviews and of course at the heart of the journal, papers containing original data. As before, this review is divided into sections based on the way the journal is structured, although this year we have grouped together all the papers dealing with mechanisms of allergic disease, whether they involve patients (clinical mechanisms), pure in vitro studies (basic mechanisms) or animal models (experimental models), as we felt this was a more coherent way to deal with the subject. In the field of asthma and rhinitis, the relationship between airway inflammation and airway dysfunction was of perennial interest to investigators, as were phenotypes and biomarkers. Aspirin hypersensitivity appeared in studies in several papers and there was new interest in asthma in the elderly. The mechanisms involved in allergic disease describe advances in our understanding of T cell responses, the relationship between inflammation and disease, mast cell and basophil activation, steroid resistance and novel therapies. In the section dealing with epidemiology, studies seeking to identify risk factors for allergic disease including vitamin D are prominent, as once again are studies investigating gene–environment interactions. The clinical allergy section focuses on drug allergy, food allergy and immunotherapy. The area of oral immunotherapy for food allergy is well covered and we were grateful to Stephen Durham for guest editing an outstanding special issue on immunotherapy in the centenary year of Leonard Noon's pioneering work. Lastly, in the field of allergens, the interest in component‐resolved diagnosis continues to grow and there are also articles describing important novel cultivars and the effect of food processing on the allergenic properties of foods. Another terrific year, full of important and high‐quality work,which the journal has been proud to bring to the allergy community.
PRRT2 c.649dupC Mutation Derived from De Novo in Paroxysmal Kinesigenic Dyskinesia
Authors: Li Hong‐Fu , Ni Wang , Xiong Zhi‐Qi , Xu Jianfeng , Wu Zhi‐Ying 
Published: November 2012

SummaryAimsPRRT2 was recently identified as a causative gene for paroxysmal kinesigenic dyskinesia (PKD), and the c.649dupC mutation was shown to be a “high frequency” mutation. This mutation was also identified in many sporadic cases. This might be attributed to the incomplete penetrance of c.649dupC. Alternatively, c.649dupC might derive from de novo. The aim of this study is to elucidate the possibility concerning de novo mutagenesis of PRRT2 mutations in PKD.MethodsNine sporadic Chinese PKD patients including one Mongolian patient were recruited. Direct sequencing of PRRT2 was performed in them and their parents. Haplotype analysis was conducted to confirm the biological relationship.ResultsA novel mutation, c.133_136delCCAG, was identified in one Han patient and his unaffected mother. The c.649dupC mutation was detected in another Han patient and his unaffected father. To our interest, c.649dupC was detected in the Mongolian patient but not in his parents. Haplotype analysis confirmed the biological relationship among the trio. No mutations were identified in the remaining six patients.ConclusionThese findings demonstrate the heterogeneity of PKD, and the de novo mutagenesis of PRRT2 gene might indicate the genetic instability of this region.
Treatment satisfaction in the Sensor‐Augmented Pump Therapy for A1C Reduction 3 (STAR 3) trial
Authors: Peyrot M. , Rubin R. R. ,   STAR 3 Study Group
Published: November 2012

AbstractAimTo identify insulin delivery system perceptions that contributed to improvements in overall satisfaction with insulin therapy (treatment satisfaction) that were larger in those using sensor‐augmented pump therapy than those using multiple daily injections with self monitoring of blood glucose.MethodsThe Sensor‐Augmented Pump Therapy for A1C Reduction 3 (STAR 3), a randomized 12‐month clinical trial, compared sensor‐augmented pump therapy to multiple daily injections + self monitoring of blood glucose in adult and paediatric patients. The Insulin Delivery System Rating Questionnaire measured perceptions of convenience, problems, interference with daily activities, blood glucose monitoring burden, social burden, clinical efficacy, diabetes worries and psychological well‐being, as well as treatment satisfaction. We conducted separate multiple regression analyses for the 334 adult patients and 147 paediatric patients and their caregivers to assess the independent associations (P < 0.05) between change from baseline to follow‐up in user perceptions and treatment satisfaction.ResultsIncreased convenience was associated with improved treatment satisfaction in all user groups. Reduced interference with daily activities (caregivers), reduced social burden (adults) and increased efficacy (both) also were associated with improved treatment satisfaction.ConclusionsTreatment satisfaction among children was primarily a function of convenience, while perceived clinical efficacy was also a primary determinant among adults, reflecting different emphases on the treatment process itself vs. treatment consequences. Among adult patients and caregivers, improved treatment satisfaction was also a function of reductions in social burden and interference with daily activities (respectively), reflecting concern with the broader psychosocial impact of sensor‐augmented pump therapy on their lives.
Risk sharing in the Middle East and North Africa
Authors: Balli Faruk , Basher Syed Abul , Louis Rosmy Jean 
Published: November 2012

AbstractThis study investigates welfare gains and channels of risk sharing among 14 Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) countries, including the oil‐rich Gulf region and the resource‐scarce economies such as Egypt, Morocco and Tunisia. The results show that for the 1992–2009 period, the overall welfare gains across MENA countries were higher than those documented for the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) nations. In the Gulf region, the amount of factor income smoothing does not differ considerably when output shocks are longer lasting rather than transitory, whereas the amount smoothed by savings increases remarkably when shocks are longer lasting. In contrast, both factor income flows and international transfers respond more to permanent shocks than to transitory shocks in the non‐oil MENA countries. The results also show that a significant portion of shocks is smoothed via remittance transfers in the economically less‐developed MENA countries, but not in the oil‐rich Gulf and OECD countries. Finally, for the overall MENA region, a large part of the shock remains unsmoothed, suggesting that more market integration is needed to remedy the weak link of incomplete risk sharing.
Cellular neuroanatomy of rat presubiculum
Authors: Simonnet Jean , Eugène Emmanuel , Cohen Ivan , Miles Richard , Fricker Desdemona 
Published: November 2012

AbstractThe presubiculum, at the transition from the hippocampus to the cortex, is a key area for spatial information coding but the anatomical and physiological basis of presubicular function remains unclear. Here we correlated the structural and physiological properties of single neurons of the presubiculum in vitro. Unsupervised cluster analysis based on dendritic length and form, soma location, firing pattern and action potential properties allowed us to classify principal neurons into three major cell types. Cluster 1 consisted of a population of small regular spiking principal cells in layers II/III. Cluster 2 contained intrinsically burst firing pyramidal cells of layer IV, with a resting potential close to threshold. Cluster 3 included regular spiking cells of layers V and VI, and could be divided into subgroups 3.1 and 3.2. Cells of cluster 3.1 included pyramidal, multiform and inverted pyramidal cells. Cells of cluster 3.2 contained high‐resistance pyramidal neurons that fired readily in response to somatic current injection. These data show that presubicular principal cells generally conform to neurons of the periarchicortex. However, the presence of intrinsic bursting cells in layer IV distinguishes the presubicular cortex from the neighbouring entorhinal cortex. The firing frequency adaptation was very low for principal cells of clusters 1 and 3, a property that should assist the generation of maintained head direction signals in vivo.
A new look at saponite formation and its implications for early animal records in the Ediacaran of South China
Authors: Huang J. , Chu X. , Lyons T. W. , Planavsky N. J. , Wen H. 
Published: November 2012

AbstractAcanthomorphic acritarch fossils, including some interpreted to be the fossils of the earliest animal embryos, first appear in the lower Doushantuo Formation of the Yangtze Gorges area (YGA). Further, the complete paleontological and geochemical record for the YGA has played a central role in defining the global biological and geochemical backdrop that presaged and witnessed the dawn of diverse animal life. Despite the importance of the YGA in our understanding of Neoproterozoic Earth history, basic aspects about its depositional history remain debated. Foremost among the controversies, extensively studied sections in the YGA were recently tied to deposition in an alkaline lake, casting new but contentious light on the environments of early animal evolution and the broader significance of geochemical records from the YGA. Arguments for a lacustrine setting hinged on the presence of trioctahedral clays (saponite–corrensite). However, this clay type commonly forms in other environments, including the weathering profiles of mafic and ultramafic volcanics. Using a coupled geochemical and sedimentological approach, we argue that the trioctahedral clays in the lower Doushantuo of the YGA are better explained as weathering products from a regional mafic‐to‐ultramafic hinterland delivered by rivers to a shelf or lagoon in the Yangtze Gorges Basin. These novel provenance relationships for YGA sediments and associated clays are consistent with a marine setting for the early animal records and must factor in our current understanding of the broader geochemical fabric of the Doushantuo Formation.
Drought's legacy: multiyear hydraulic deterioration underlies widespread aspen forest die‐off and portends increased future risk
Authors: Anderegg William R. L. , Plavcová Lenka , Anderegg Leander D. L. , Hacke Uwe G. , Berry Joseph A. , Field Christopher B. 
Published: November 2012

AbstractForest mortality constitutes a major uncertainty in projections of climate impacts on terrestrial ecosystems and carbon‐cycle feedbacks. Recent drought‐induced, widespread forest die‐offs highlight that climate change could accelerate forest mortality with its diverse and potentially severe consequences for the global carbon cycle, ecosystem services, and biodiversity. How trees die during drought over multiple years remains largely unknown and precludes mechanistic modeling and prediction of forest die‐off with climate change. Here, we examine the physiological basis of a recent multiyear widespread die‐off of trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides) across much of western North America. Using observations from both native trees while they are dying and a rainfall exclusion experiment on mature trees, we measure hydraulic performance over multiple seasons and years and assess pathways of accumulated hydraulic damage. We test whether accumulated hydraulic damage can predict the probability of tree survival over 2 years. We find that hydraulic damage persisted and increased in dying trees over multiple years and exhibited few signs of repair. This accumulated hydraulic deterioration is largely mediated by increased vulnerability to cavitation, a process known as cavitation fatigue. Furthermore, this hydraulic damage predicts the probability of interyear stem mortality. Contrary to the expectation that surviving trees have weathered severe drought, the hydraulic deterioration demonstrated here reveals that surviving regions of these forests are actually more vulnerable to future droughts due to accumulated xylem damage. As the most widespread tree species in North America, increasing vulnerability to drought in these forests has important ramifications for ecosystem stability, biodiversity, and ecosystem carbon balance. Our results provide a foundation for incorporating accumulated drought impacts into climate–vegetation models. Finally, our findings highlight the critical role of drought stress accumulation and repair of stress‐induced damage for avoiding plant mortality, presenting a dynamic and contingent framework for drought impacts on forest ecosystems.
Comparison of alteplase (tissue plasminogen activator) high‐dose vs. low‐dose protocol in restoring hemodialysis catheter function: The ALTE‐DOSE study
Authors: Yaseen Obead , El‐Masri Maher M. , El Nekidy Wasim S. , Soong Derrick , Ibrahim Mohammed , Speirs John W. , Kadri Albert 
Published: November 2012

AbstractHemodialysis catheter (HDC) dysfunction due to thrombosis is common, and dysfunction incidence can reach up to 50% within 1 year of use. Although administration of intraluminal alteplase (tissue plasminogen activator [tPA]) is the standard of practice to pharmacologically restore HDC function, there are no evidence‐based guidelines concerning the optimal tPA dose. The purpose of this study was to compare the efficacy of 1.0‐mg vs. 2.0‐mg tPA dwell protocols in restoring the HDC function in thrombotic dysfunctional catheters. A retrospective, single‐center study was conducted on two independent cohorts of patients; the first (n = 129) received 2.0 mg tPA/catheter lumen, while the second (n = 108) received 1.0 mg tPA/catheter lumen. Kaplan–Meier and Cox regression analyses were performed to compare the catheter survival time between patients who received 1.0 mg tPA and those who received 2.0 mg tPA. Catheter removal occurred in 25 (19.4%) of those catheters treated with 1.0 mg tPA compared with 11 (10.2%) of catheters treated with 2.0 mg tPA (P = 0.05). The hazard ratio (HR) for catheter removal was 2.75 (95% confidence interval [95%CI] = 1.25–6.04) for the 1.0‐mg tPA cohort compared with the 2.0‐mg tPA cohort. Correction added on 3 December 2012, after first online publication: The tPA cohort values were changed. Female gender (HR = 2.51; 95%CI = 1.20–5.27) and age (HR = 0.96; 95%CI = 0.94–0.98) were also associated with catheter survival. Our findings suggest that treatment of dysfunctional HDC with 2.0‐mg tPA dwells is superior to 1.0‐mg tPA dwells.
Comparing the nine‐item Shared Decision‐Making Questionnaire to the OPTION Scale – an attempt to establish convergent validity
Authors: Scholl Isabelle , Kriston Levente , Dirmaier Jörg , Härter Martin 
Published: November 2012

AbstractBackgroundWhile there has been a clear move towards shared decision‐making (SDM) in the last few years, the measurement of SDM‐related constructs remains challenging. There has been a call for further psychometric testing of known scales, especially regarding validity aspects.ObjectiveTo test convergent validity of the nine‐item Shared Decision‐Making Questionnaire (SDM‐Q‐9) by comparing it to the OPTION Scale.DesignCross‐sectional study.Setting and participantsData were collected in outpatient care practices. Patients suffering from chronic diseases and facing a medical decision were included in the study.MethodsConsultations were evaluated using the OPTION Scale. Patients completed the SDM‐Q‐9 after the consultation. First, the internal consistency of both scales and the inter‐rater reliability of the OPTION Scale were calculated. To analyse the convergent validity of the SDM‐Q‐9, correlation between the patient (SDM‐Q‐9) and expert ratings (OPTION Scale) was calculated.ResultsA total of 21 physicians provided analysable data of consultations with 63 patients. Analyses revealed good internal consistency of the SDM‐Q‐9 and limited internal consistency of the OPTION Scale. Inter‐rater reliability of the latter was less than optimal. Association between the total scores of both instruments was weak with a Spearman correlation of r = 0.19 and did not reach statistical significance.DiscussionBy the use of the OPTION Scale convergent validity of the SDM‐Q‐9 could not be established. Several possible explanations for this result are discussed.ConclusionThis study shows that the measurement of SDM remains challenging.
A Child Killer and Interwar Penal Policy Tensions
Authors: Brookes Michael , Wilson David 
Published: November 2012

AbstractThis article explores interwar penal policy tensions through a case study of Harold Jones, a sexually sadistic double child‐killer. Reports by two reforming Prison Commissioners of that period – Alexander Paterson and Dr W. Norwood East – are used to develop the case study. Their different approaches to understanding Jones's offences reflect their conflicting views on the aetiology of crime, the purpose of imprisonment and how to address offending behaviour. This shaped the extent to which they were prepared to act as an advocate for Jones and whether or not he should be released. It also influenced their views on the operational management of prisons and brought them into conflict with other administrators, managers and commentators of that period, as the prison service moved slowly out of its Victorian origins and responded to the demands of the times.
All‐trans‐retinoic acid ameliorates experimental allergic encephalomyelitis by affecting dendritic cell and monocyte development
Authors: Zhan Xiao‐Xia , Liu Yu , Yang Jin‐Feng , Wang Guang‐You , Mu Lili , Zhang Tong‐Shuai , Xie Xiao‐Li , Wang Jing‐Hua , Liu Yu‐Mei , Kong Qing‐Fei , Li Hu‐Lun , Sun Bo 
Published: November 2012

SummaryExperimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE) can be induced in animal models by injecting the MOG35–55 peptide subcutaneously. Dendritic cells (DCs) that are located at the immunization site phagocytose the MOG35–55 peptide. These DCs mature and migrate into the nearest draining lymph nodes (dLNs), then present antigen, resulting in the activation of naive T cells. T helper type 1 (Th1) and Th17 cells are the primary cells involved in EAE progression. All‐trans‐retinoic acid (AT‐RA) has been shown to have beneficial effects on EAE progression; however, whether AT‐RA influences DC maturation or mediates other functions is unclear. In the present study, we showed that AT‐RA led to the down‐regulation of MHC class II, CD80 (B7‐1) and CD86 (B7‐2) expressed on the surface of DCs that were isolated from dLNs or spleen 3 days post‐immunization in an EAE model. Changes to DC function influenced Th1/Th17 subset polarization. Furthermore, the number of CD44+ monocytes (which might trigger EAE progression) was also significantly decreased in dLNs, spleen, subarachnoid space and the spinal cord parenchyma after AT‐RA treatment. These findings are the first to demonstrate that AT‐RA impairs the antigen‐presenting capacity of DCs, leading to down‐regulation of pathogenic Th1 and Th17 inflammatory cell responses and reducing EAE severity.
Sialoadhesin – a macrophage‐restricted marker of immunoregulation and inflammation
Authors: O'Neill Alexander S. G. , van den Berg Timo K. , Mullen Gregory E. D. 
Published: November 2012

SummarySialoadhesin (Sn, also known as Siglec‐1 and CD169) is a macrophage‐restricted cell surface receptor that is conserved across mammals. Sn is a member of the sialic acid‐binding IgG‐like lectin (Siglec) family of proteins characterized by affinity to specifically sialylated ligands, and under normal conditions is expressed on subsets of macrophages in secondary lymphoid tissues, such as lymph node and spleen. However, Sn‐positive macrophages can also be found in a variety of pathological conditions, including (autoimmune) inflammatory infiltrates and tumours. Sn has been shown to contribute to sialylated pathogen uptake, antigen presentation and lymphocyte proliferation, and to influence both immunity and tolerance. This review presents Sn as a macrophage‐specific marker of inflammation and immunoregulation with the potential to becoming an important biomarker for immunologically active macrophages and a target for therapy.
Reduction of malaria transmission by transgenic mosquitoes expressing an antisporozoite antibody in their salivary glands
Authors: Sumitani M. , Kasashima K. , Yamamoto D. S. , Yagi K. , Yuda M. , Matsuoka H. , Yoshida S. 
Published: November 2012

AbstractWe have previously developed a robust salivary gland‐specific expression system in transgenic Anopheles stephensi mosquitoes. To establish transgenic mosquito lines refractory to Plasmodium falciparum using this system, we generated a transgenic mosquito harbouring the gene encoding an anti‐P. falciparum circumsporozoite protein (PfCSP) single‐chain antibody (scFv) fused to DsRed in a secretory form (mDsRed‐2A10 scFv). Fluorescence microscopy showed that the mDsRed‐2A10 scFv was localized in the secretory cavities and ducts of the salivary glands in a secreted form. To evaluate P. falciparum transmission‐blocking in a rodent malaria model, a transgenic Plasmodium berghei line expressing PfCSP in place of PbCSP (PfCSP/Pb) was constructed. The PfCSP/Pb parasites were able to bind to the mDsRed‐2A10 scFv in the salivary glands of the transgenic mosquitoes. Importantly, the infectivity of the transgenic mosquitoes to mice was strongly impaired, indicating that the parasites had been inactivated. These results suggest that salivary gland‐specific expression of antisporozoite molecules could be a promising strategy for blocking malaria transmission to humans.
Medical appointment no‐shows associated with poor glycaemic control among Taiwanese aborigines
Authors: Jyun‐You Liou , Chia‐Fen Mu , Chao‐Yu Hsu 
Published: November 2012

AbstractObjectiveTo determine whether diabetes control is less optimal in Taiwanese aborigines and identify the risk factors associated with poor glycaemic control.DesignCross‐sectional analysis of data from Taiwan Diabetes Shared Care ProgramSettingA rural hospital in central Taiwan.MethodsPatients enrolled in Diabetes Shared Care Program in 2010 were surveyed. The average HbA1c in 2010 was compared between the aboriginal and non‐aboriginal groups. Age, gender, body mass index and disease duration were selected to represent biological factors. Combined with the existence of geographic barrier to medical service and rate of medical appointment no‐shows, multivariate linear regression model was applied to determine the predictive power of each factor to glycaemic status.ResultsOnly 26% of patients achieved average HbA1c of less than 7%. The average HbA1c of the aboriginal group is significantly higher than that of the non‐aboriginal group (8.73% versus 7.93%, P < 0.001). However, in multivariate linear regression model, racial background was no longer a risk factor for poor glycaemic control. Medical appointment no‐shows was found as the most significant risk factor for poor glycaemic control (b = 1.48, P < 0.001).ConclusionTaiwanese aboriginal diabetes patients as a group have poorer glycaemic control than the non‐aboriginal group. Medical appointment no‐shows may significantly contribute to the development of hyperglycaemia among Taiwanese aborigines.