bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Comparison between major histocompatibility complex class II tetramer staining and surface expression of activation markers for the detection of allergen‐specific CD4+ T cells
Authors: Bonvalet M. , Wambre E. , Moussu H. , Horiot S. , Kwok W. W. , Louise A. , Ebo D. , Hoarau C. , Van Overtvelt L. , Baron‐Bodo V. , Moingeon P. 
Published: March 2011

Cite this as: M. Bonvalet, E. Wambre, H. Moussu, S. Horiot, W. W. Kwok, A. Louise, D. Ebo, C. Hoarau, L. Van Overtvelt, V. Baron‐Bodo and P. Moingeon, Clinical & Experimental Allergy, 2011 (41) 821–829.SummaryBackground
Major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II tetramers (tetramers) allow to detect allergen‐specific CD4+ T cells at a single‐cell level. Limits to this technology include HLA restriction and the need to identify immunodominant T cell epitopes.Objective
Assessing the expression of various activation markers following allergen stimulation to replace tetramer staining.Methods
Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from 25 birch pollen, grass pollen or house dust mite allergic individuals were stimulated with peptide mixes encompassing immunodominant epitopes from corresponding major allergens. After 2 weeks of in vitro amplification, cells were stained with both the appropriate tetramer and antibodies directed to CD25, CD30, CD39, CD69, CD137, CD154, GITR, HLA‐DR and ICOS, before FACS analysis.Results
Following allergen stimulation, percentages of tetramer+ cells among CD4+ CD154+ cells range from 5% to 87%, depending upon donors. As for CD154, a large inter‐individual variability is observed in terms of surface expression for all activation markers tested in allergen‐stimulated PBMCs. T cells reactive with either tetramers (0.4–10.4% CD4+ T cells) or anti‐marker antibodies (2.2–32.7% CD4+ T cells), but not both, are observed, reflecting the presence of anergic as well as non‐specifically activated cells. Tetramer+/marker+, tetramer+/marker− and tetramer−/marker+ cells were compared for their capacity to express cytokines, demonstrating that only the former represent bona fide allergen‐specific activated CD4+ T cells, based upon a higher expression of cytokines or corresponding genes in presence of the allergen.Conclusion and Clinical Relevance
No strict correlation exists between tetramer staining and the expression of multiple activation markers in stimulated CD4+ T cells. Dual staining allows to discriminate functional tetramer+/marker+ vs. anergic (tetramer+/marker−) allergen‐specific T cells or non‐specifically activated (tetramer−/marker+) T cells. Combining tetramer staining with the detection of activation markers helps understanding patient heterogeneity regarding specific CD4+ T cell responses. This approach has immediate relevance for monitoring immune changes induced during specific immunotherapy.
Multichannel estimation of frequency‐department Q from VSP data1
Authors: Harris P. E. , Kerner C. , White R. E. 
Published: March 2011

AbstractA Method of estimating attenauation from the first arrivals of VSP data is presented. The motivation is the desire to investigate the effects of scattering on wave propagation, and particularly the apparent attenuation and associated phase delay due to fine layering (the O'Doherty‐Anstey effect).In order to take account of the frequency dependence of the predicted scattering attenuation, and to provide robust statistics for the estimates, a beam‐forming method is used to measure the attenuation. This simularaneously estimates the slowness and polarization angle of the different wave modes, and results in attenuation measurements which are largely free of interference from reflected and mode‐converted energy. By working in the frequency domain and measuring amplitude decay with depth, the frequency dependence of the attenuation is also accounted for. The beam‐forming algorithm works in two passes, the first of which estimates slownesses and polarization angles over a small depth range, while the second uses the information from the first pass over a larger depth range to estimate attenuation.An approximate error analysis of the method shows that the standard variance of the estimated Q values is proportional to Q2 and the data quality (measured by its spectral coherence), and inversely proportional to the square of the analysis depth range and the square of the frequency. Hence the depth resolution is traded against the stability of the results.The method is applied to a zero‐offset three‐component VSP. The data are of good quality, with a bandwidth ranging from 180 Hz in the shallow part to 100 Hz in the deepest part. Stable results were obtained using a 450 m depth range. Above about 50 Hz, there is little evidence of frequency dependence in the attenuation. There is a clear division in depth into layers of higher and lower attenuation, with values of Q typically between 50 and 200. Below 50 Hz, however, attenuation increases rapidly with decreasing frequency throughout the depth range, with values of Q of less than 10 at 15 Hz. This behaviour appears anomalous since on physical grounds we expect very high values of Q at low frequency, and we have no explanation for these observations.
Impacts of multiple extreme winter warming events on sub‐Arctic heathland: phenology, reproduction, growth, and CO2flux responses
Authors: BOKHORST S. , BJERKE J. W. , STREET L. E. , CALLAGHAN T. V. , PHOENIX G. K. 
Published: March 2011

AbstractExtreme weather events can have strong negative impacts on species survival and community structure when surpassing lethal thresholds. Extreme, short‐lived, winter warming events in the Arctic rapidly melt snow and expose ecosystems to unseasonably warm air (for instance, 2–10 °C for 2–14 days) but upon return to normal winter climate exposes the ecosystem to much colder temperatures due to the loss of insulating snow. Single events have been shown to reduce plant reproduction and increase shoot mortality, but impacts of multiple events are little understood as are the broader impacts on community structure, growth, carbon balance, and nutrient cycling. To address these issues, we simulated week‐long extreme winter warming events – using infrared heating lamps and soil warming cables – for 3 consecutive years in a sub‐Arctic heathland dominated by the dwarf shrubsEmpetrum hermaphroditum, Vaccinium vitis‐idaea(both evergreen) andVaccinium myrtillus(deciduous). During the growing seasons after the second and third winter event, spring bud burst was delayed by up to a week forE. hermaphroditumandV. myrtillus, and berry production reduced by 11–75% and 52–95% forE. hermaphroditumandV. myrtillus, respectively. Greater shoot mortality occurred inE. hermaphroditum(up to 52%),V. vitis‐idaea(51%), andV. myrtillus(80%). Root growth was reduced by more than 25% but soil nutrient availability remained unaffected. Gross primary productivity was reduced by more than 50% in the summer following the third simulation. Overall, the extent of damage was considerable, and critically plant responses were opposite in direction to the increased growth seen in long‐term summer warming simulations and the ‘greening’ seen for some arctic regions. Given the Arctic is warming more in winter than summer, and extreme events are predicted to become more frequent, this generates large uncertainty in our current understanding of arctic ecosystem responses to climate change.
Is productivity of mesic savannas light limited or water limited? Results of a simulation study
Authors: WHITLEY RHYS J. , MACINNIS‐NG CATRIONA M. O. , HUTLEY LINDSAY B. , BERINGER JASON , ZEPPEL MELANIE , WILLIAMS MATHEW , TAYLOR DANIEL , EAMUS DEREK 
Published: March 2011

AbstractA soil–plant–atmosphere model was used to estimate gross primary productivity (GPP) and evapotranspiration (ET) of a tropical savanna in Australia. This paper describes model modifications required to simulate the substantial C4 grass understory together with C3 trees. The model was further improved to include a seasonal distribution of leaf area and foliar nitrogen through 10 canopy layers. Model outputs were compared with a 5‐year eddy covariance dataset. Adding the C4 photosynthesis component improved the model efficiency and root‐mean‐squared error (RMSE) for total ecosystem GPP by better emulating annual peaks and troughs in GPP across wet and dry seasons. The C4 photosynthesis component had minimal impact on modelled values of ET. Outputs of GPP from the modified model agreed well with measured values, explaining between 79% and 90% of the variance and having a low RMSE (0.003–0.281 g C m−2 day−1). Approximately, 40% of total annual GPP was contributed by C4 grasses. Total (trees and grasses) wet season GPP was approximately 75–80% of total annual GPP. Light‐use efficiency (LUE) was largest for the wet season and smallest in the dry season and C4 LUE was larger than that of the trees. A sensitivity analysis of GPP revealed that daily GPP was most sensitive to changes in leaf area index (LAI) and foliar nitrogen (Nf) and relatively insensitive to changes in maximum carboxylation rate (Vcmax), maximum electron transport rate (Jmax) and minimum leaf water potential (ψmin). The modified model was also able to represent daily and seasonal patterns in ET, (explaining 68–81% of variance) with a low RMSE (0.038–0.19 mm day−1). Current values of Nf, LAI and other parameters appear to be colimiting for maximizing GPP. By manipulating LAI and soil moisture content inputs, we show that modelled GPP is limited by light interception rather than water availability at this site.
Mobilisation of epistaxis patients – a prospective, randomised study documenting a safe patient care regime
Authors: Kristensen Vibeke G , Nielsen Annette L , Gaihede Michael , Boll Birgitte , Delmar Charlotte 
Published: March 2011

Objective.  The project aimed at determining whether patients admitted to hospital for the treatment of epistaxis can be mobilised instead of the conventional regime of bed rest without increasing the risks of new bleeding episodes.Background.  A survey of nursing regimes for epistaxis patients has shown that patients were prescribed bed rest in 11 of 16 hospital departments. This prescription has been based on the assumption that bed rest reduces the risk of renewed bleeding. There is no scientific documentation of the need for bed rest demonstrating any reduced risks of new bleeding episodes. However, these patients are generally older and sustain an increased risk of further complications related to bed rest itself.Design.  The study was a prospective, randomised 1:1 parallel‐group trial with 100 participants admitted to our department for the treatment of epistaxis.Methods.  Participants were randomly assigned to mobilisation or bed rest. Further, general demographic baseline data were registered including treatment modalities, hypertension, haemophilic disorders, anticoagulant therapy and diabetes.Results.  In the study group (mobilisation), 21 participants experienced new bleeding episodes against 29 maintaining haemostasis. In the control group (immobilisation), 24 participants experienced new bleeding episodes against 26. The odds ratio for bleeding when mobilised was 0·784 with a confidence interval of (0·356–1·728). Thus, there was no statistically significant evidence that mobilisation increased the risk of new bleeding episodes.Conclusion.  There was no statistical evidence to support the practice of bed rest to reduce the risk of renewed bleeding episodes in patients with primary epistaxis. This suggested that these patients can be mobilised without any increased risk of new haemorrhage.Relevance to clinical practice.  Mobilisation during hospital stay can maintain patients’ levels of functionality, which will prevent both complications of bed rest and loss of self‐esteem.
Is anybody listening? A qualitative study of nurses’ reflections on practice
Authors: Huntington Annette , Gilmour Jean , Tuckett Anthony , Neville Stephen , Wilson Denise , Turner Catherine 
Published: March 2011

Aim and objectives.  To explore nurses’ perceptions of the reality of practice based on data from the Nurses and Midwives e‐cohort Study which examined the workforce characteristics, work–life balance and health of nurses.Background.  Recruitment and retention of the nursing workforce is of international concern as demands increase due to demographic changes, political pressure and community expectations, in a climate of economic constraint.Design.  Qualitative analysis of data from a cohort of Australian, New Zealand and UK nurses.Method.  Of the 7604 participants in the electronic cohort, 1909 provided qualitative comments of which 162 related to nursing practice; thematic analysis resulted in four high order themes. The analytical discussion is structured around ‘care’ as the organising construct.Results.  Four themes emerged: ‘embodied care’ which discusses the impact of work on the nurse’s physical and emotional health; ‘quantity/quality care’ which addresses increasing pressures of work and ability to provide quality care; ‘organisational (non)care’ raising the seeming lack of support from management; and ‘(un)collegial/self care’ where bullying and professional relationships were raised.Conclusions.  Issues raised by participants have been discussed in the nursing literature for several years yet nurses still experience these negative aspects of nursing. It appears there is a significant gap between what is known about the practice environment, recommendations for change and change occurring: the management equivalent of the theory–practice gap, resulting in nurses intending to leave the profession.Relevance to clinical practice.  Research demonstrates that a well‐qualified, stable nursing workforce improves quality of health care and health outcomes. Changing the work environment and fostering a positive workplace culture seems fundamental to supporting the retention of nurses, that this is not occurring in some areas in the current climate is a concern for the profession and those responsible for the provision of care.
Electronic medical record system at an opioid agonist treatment programme: study design, pre‐implementation results and post‐implementation trends
Authors: Kritz Steven , Brown Jr Lawrence S. , Chu Melissa , John‐Hull Carlota , Madray Charles , Zavala Roberto , Louie Ben 
Published: March 2011

AbstractRationale  Electronic medical record (EMR) systems are commonly included in health care reform discussions. However, their embrace by the health care community has been slow.Methods  At Addiction Research and Treatment Corporation, an outpatient opioid agonist treatment programme that also provides primary medical care, HIV medical care and case management, substance abuse counselling and vocational services, we studied the implementation of an EMR in the domains of quality, productivity, satisfaction, risk management and financial performance utilizing a prospective pre‐ and post‐implementation study design.Results  This report details the research approach, pre‐implementation findings for all five domains, analysis of the pre‐implementation findings and some preliminary post‐implementation results in the domains of quality and risk management. For quality, there was a highly statistically significant improvement in timely performance of annual medical assessments (P < 0.001) and annual multidiscipline assessments (P < 0.0001). For risk management, the number of events was not sufficient to perform valid statistical analysis.Conclusions  The preliminary findings in the domain of quality are very promising. Should the findings in the other domains prove to be positive, then the impetus to implement EMR in similar health care facilities will be advanced.
A high‐definition native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis system for the analysis of membrane complexes
Authors: Ladig Roman , Sommer Maik S. , Hahn Alexander , Leisegang Matthias S. , Papasotiriou Dimitrios G. , Ibrahim Mohamed , Elkehal Rajae , Karas Michael , Zickermann Volker , Gutensohn Michael , Brandt Ulrich , Klösgen Ralf Bernd , Schleiff Enrico 
Published: March 2011

SummaryNative polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) is an important technique for the analysis of membrane protein complexes. A major breakthrough was the development of blue native (BN‐) and high resolution clear native (hrCN‐) PAGE techniques. Although these techniques are very powerful, they could not be applied to all systems with the same resolution. We have developed an alternative protocol for the analysis of membrane protein complexes of plant chloroplasts and cyanobacteria, which we termed histidine‐ and deoxycholate‐based native (HDN‐) PAGE. We compared the capacity of HDN‐, BN‐ and hrCN‐PAGE to resolve the well‐studied respiratory chain complexes in mitochondria of bovine heart muscle and Yarrowia lipolytica, as well as thylakoid localized complexes of Medicago sativa, Pisum sativum and Anabaena sp. PCC7120. Moreover, we determined the assembly/composition of the Anabaena sp. PCC7120 thylakoids and envelope membranes by HDN‐PAGE. The analysis of isolated chloroplast envelope complexes by HDN‐PAGE permitted us to resolve complexes such as the translocon of the outer envelope migrating at approximately 700 kDa or of the inner envelope of about 230 and 400 kDa with high resolution. By immunodecoration and mass spectrometry of these complexes we present new insights into the assembly/composition of these translocation machineries. The HDN‐PAGE technique thus provides an important tool for future analyses of membrane complexes such as protein translocons.
Androgenetic alopecia and insulin resistance: are they truly associated?
Authors: Fattah Nermeen S. A. Abdel , Darwish Yasser W. 
Published: March 2011

AbstractBackground Controversies exist regarding the association of androgenetic alopecia (AGA) with insulin resistance. Are they truly associated, or is insulin resistance just related to aging, obesity, or to the presence of metabolic syndrome?Objective To assess insulin resistance in young nonobese patients with AGA with and without metabolic syndrome.Methods The study included four equally distributed groups of age‐, sex‐, and body mass index‐matched young, nonobese subjects: 30 patients with AGA and metabolic syndrome (group 1); 30 patients with AGA and no metabolic syndrome (group 2); 30 patients with metabolic syndrome and no AGA (group 3); and 30 healthy controls (group 4). Insulin resistance based on fasting insulin levels and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA‐IR) was assessed in all groups.Results Twenty‐three patients in group 1, four patients in group 2, 25 patients in group 3, and three healthy controls had insulin resistance with statistically significant differences in fasting insulin and HOMA‐IR levels between all groups, between groups 1 and 2, groups 1 and 4, groups 2 and 3, and groups 3 and 4. No significant differences existed between groups 2 and 4 or groups 1 and 3. Correlations between insulin resistance parameters, age of patients, disease duration, and stages of AGA in males and females revealed nonsignificant differences.Conclusions Patients with metabolic syndrome, with or without AGA, were significantly more insulin resistant compared with patients with AGA with no metabolic syndrome and with healthy subjects and, therefore, no true association exists between AGA and insulin resistance.
Successful treatment of Nocardia actinomycetoma with meropenem and amikacin combination therapy
Authors: Ameen Mahreen , Vargas Felipe , Arenas Roberto , Mercado Elsa Vásquez del 
Published: March 2011

AbstractBackground  Actinomycetomas are chronic, granulomatous, subcutaneous infections caused by the traumatic inoculation of actinomycetes bacteria into the skin which produces nodular lesions with draining sinuses and discharging grains. Actinomycetomas can cause profound disability, and despite long‐term chemotherapy, treatment failure is common.Aims  We investigated the efficacy of a novel drug regimen for the treatment of a severe case of Nocardia actinomycetoma of the leg.Material and Methods  A 31‐year‐old man was treated with an initial three‐week parenteral course of meropenem and amikacin combination therapy followed by long term oral sulphonamides.Results  Treatment was well‐tolerated with no adverse effects, and there was complete clinical and microbiological cure with no recurrence.Conclusion  Meropenem and amikacin combination therapy represents an important addition to the currently available treatments for actinomycetomas.
Infectivity and Sporulation of Phytophthora ramorum on Northern Red Oak and Chestnut Oak
Authors: Tooley Paul W. , Browning Marsha , Leighty Robert M. 
Published: March 2011

AbstractWe evaluated the effect of moisture period on foliar disease development by Phytophthora ramorum on 2‐ to 3‐year‐old northern red oak (Quercus rubra) and chestnut oak (Q. prinus). We also determined the propensity of P. ramorum to form sporangia and chlamydospores on these two host species. Leaves were dip‐inoculated with ca. 5000 sporangia/ml of P. ramorum isolate Pr‐6 and incubated at 100% relative humidity in dew chambers in darkness for up to 6 days. Several plants were removed each day to a greenhouse, and foliar infection was evaluated on day 7. Sporangia were collected over a 7‐day period from diseased foliage in a mist tent. A significant relationship between moisture period and disease incidence was found for both tree species. Chestnut oak exhibited significantly greater disease incidence and severity compared with northern red oak. However, sporulation levels were larger in northern red oak over the 7‐day period of sporangia collection, and northern red oak also produced significantly greater numbers of sporangia per square centimetre of lesion area compared with chestnut oak. Chlamydospore production in diseased leaves sampled 1 month following moist incubation was also significantly greater for northern red oak compared with chestnut oak. Knowledge of P. ramorum sporulation capacity in relation to disease incidence and severity on Eastern US oak species will help determine the potential for epidemic development should the pathogen become established in this region.
The Effect of Experimental Infectious Mastitis on Leukocyte Subpopulations and Cytokine Production in Non‐lactating Ewes
Authors: Waller K. Persson , Colditz I. G. 
Published: March 2011

SummaryThe interactions between leukocytes and cytokines during the acute response to intramammary infections in the dry mammary gland of sheep were studied. Dry ewes were experimentally infected in one udder half with either Staphylococcus aureus or Escherichta coli, or infused with saline as control. Udder secretion samples, blood samples and udder tissue samples were collected before and 4, 8 and 24 h after infections/infusions. Total and differential leukocyte counts were calculated in both blood and mammary secretions, and flow cytometry was used to detect the presence of CD4+, CD8+, WC1+, IL‐2R+, CD18+ or L‐selectin+ lymphocytes, CD18+ or L‐selectin + neutrophils, and CD14+ leukocytes. Moreover, the concentrations of interleukin‐1β+ (IL‐1β), interleukin‐8 (IL‐8) and granulocyte‐macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM‐CSF) in udder secretions were measured using ELISA, and RT‐PCR was used to detect the presence of corresponding cytokine mRNA in udder tissue biopsies. The results suggest an association between the concentrations of IL‐1β, IL‐8 and the intensity of neutrophil infiltration of the infected gland. Immunologically relevant changes in proportions of lymphocyte subpopulations might also occur in the acute phase of the inflammatory reaction of the udder. Greater cellular and cytokine responses to E. coli infection may have contributed to the milder clinical picture and more rapid resolution of infection than that seen for S. aureus. Enhancing the production of pro‐inflammatory cytokines may improve defence against bacterial mastitis.