bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Methodical approaches in the identification of areas with a potential risk of infection by bird schistosomes causing cercarial dermatitis
Authors: Kolářová L. , Horák P. , Skírnisson K. 
Published: January 2010

AbstractLarval stages (cercariae) of schistosomatid flukes represent the causative agents of swimmer's itch (cercarial dermatitis), a waterborne allergic disease. Cercariae of bird schistosomes are the most frequently reported agent. Recent studies on parasite behaviour in mammals showed that infections by cercariae can be linked to more than skin syndromes. Despite the failure of complete development in mammals, bird schistosomes can escape from the skin and migrate transitorily in the hosts. These findings brought novel insights into the fate and potential pathogenic effect of the parasites in non-compatible hosts, including humans. Cercarial dermatitis occurs globally and recently is considered to be re-emerging; however, there are no data on the number of afflicted persons per year. This might be explained by a relatively low interest in human skin infections arising after bathing in fresh water. In addition, the real occurrence of bird schistosomes in the field is known only for a few areas. The paucity of epidemiological/biogeographical data is probably caused by difficulties associated with detection of the parasites in intermediate and definitive hosts. Therefore, based on personal experience and data available in the literature, we have summarized methodological approaches enabling the detection of bird schistosomes in various hosts and environments.
Deficits in facial, body movement and vocal emotional processing in autism spectrum disorders
Authors: Philip R. C. M. , Whalley H. C. , Stanfield A. C. , Sprengelmeyer R. , Santos I. M. , Young A. W. , Atkinson A. P. , Calder A. J. , Johnstone E. C. , Lawrie S. M. , Hall J. 
Published: January 2010

BackgroundPrevious behavioural and neuroimaging studies of emotion processing in autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) have focused on the use of facial stimuli. To date, however, no studies have examined emotion processing in autism across a broad range of social signals.MethodThis study addressed this issue by investigating emotion processing in a group of 23 adults with ASD and 23 age- and gender-matched controls. Recognition of basic emotions (‘happiness’, ‘sadness’, ‘anger’, disgust' and ‘fear’) was assessed from facial, body movement and vocal stimuli. The ability to make social judgements (such as approachability) from facial stimuli was also investigated.ResultsSignificant deficits in emotion recognition were found in the ASD group relative to the control group across all stimulus domains (faces, body movements and voices). These deficits were seen across a range of emotions. The ASD group were also impaired in making social judgements compared to the control group and this correlated with impairments in basic emotion recognition.ConclusionsThis study demonstrates that there are significant and broad-ranging deficits in emotion processing in ASD present across a range of stimulus domains and in the auditory and visual modality; they cannot therefore be accounted for simply in terms of impairments in face processing or in the visual modality alone. These results identify a core deficit affecting the processing of a wide range of emotional information in ASD, which contributes to the impairments in social function seen in people with this condition.
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation in older people – a review
Authors: Lannon R , O'Keeffe ST 
Published: January 2010

SummarySurvival to discharge after in-hospital cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is about 20% in those aged 65–69 years, declining with advancing age to about 10% in those aged 90 years or more. There are conflicting reports on whether or not advanced age, independent of the severity of acute and chronic illness, is a determinant of outcome. Recognition that the outcome of CPR in hospital patients is often poor has prompted extensive debate regarding the appropriate use of this procedure. In particular, there has been concern about unnecessary CPR in extended-care and hospice settings. Conversely, there has also been evidence that doctors and families may be prone to underestimate the quality of life and likelihood of benefit from CPR in older people and to make resuscitation decisions without considering the preferences of older people themselves. Recent guidelines have attempted to strike a balance between ensuring patient participation whenever possible but without offering illusory choices where CPR is very unlikely to succeed.
Long lengths of stay, large numbers, and trends of the Black-tailed GodwitLimosa limosain rice fields during spring migration
Authors: MASERO JOSÉ A. , SANTIAGO-QUESADA FRANCISCO , SÁNCHEZ-GUZMÁN JUAN M. , VILLEGAS AUXILIADORA , ABAD-GÓMEZ JOSÉ M. , LOPES RICARDO J. , ENCARNAÇÃO VITOR , CORBACHO CASIMIRO , MORÁN RICARDO 
Published: January 2010

SummaryRice fields provide functional wetlands for declining shorebirds and other waterbirds around the world, but fundamental aspects of their stopover ecology in rice fields remain unknown. We estimated the length of stay of Black-tailed GodwitsLimosa limosamigrating through rice fields, and showed the international importance of Extremadura’s rice fields (south-west Spain) for this Near Threatened shorebird species. Overall, large numbers of Black-tailed Godwits en route to their breeding grounds had long lengths of stay in the rice fields (34.7 ± 1.7, 14.4 ± 2.0 and 8.3 ± 1.2 days in godwits radio-tagged in late January, early February, and late February, respectively). The long lengths of stay of godwits in rice fields, together with some aspects of their feeding ecology, suggest that rice fields are suitable staging habitats, and therefore they could play an important role as buffer habitats against the loss or degradation of natural wetlands. Extremadura’s rice fields supported at least 14% of the declining Western European population of Black-tailed Godwit, and its increasing number in south-west Spain probably reflects a population shift towards the northern part of the winter range. We strongly suggest the inclusion of Extremadura’s rice fields as a Special Protection Area for birds under the European Union Directive on the conservation of wild birds.
Population Pharmacokinetic–Pharmacodynamic Modeling of Epidural Anesthesia
Authors: Olofsen Erik , Burm Antonius G. L. , Simon Mischa J. G. , Veering Bernadette Th. , van Kleef Jack W. , Dahan Albert 
Published: January 2010

Background
In previous studies, the authors reported on the absorption and disposition kinetics of levobupivacaine and ropivacaine. The current study was designed to develop a population pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic model capable of linking the kinetic data to the analgesic effects of these local anesthetics (i.e., sensory neural blockade).

Methods
A disposition compartmental model was fitted to concentration data of the intravenously administered deuterium-labeled anesthetics, and a model consisting of two parallel absorption compartments and the identified disposition compartments was fitted to concentration data of the concomitantly epidurally administered unlabeled anesthetics. The epidural segments were modeled by individual central and peripheral absorption compartments and effect sites, which were fitted to the simultaneously acquired pinprick data. A covariate model incorporated the effects of age.

Results
The threshold for epidural anesthesia increased from the lower to the higher segments. The central effect compartment equilibration half-lives were approximately 15 min for levobupivacaine and 25 min for ropivacaine. For levobupivacaine, age reduced the equilibration half-lives at all segments; for ropivacaine, age increased the anesthetic sensitivity at segments T12 and higher.

Conclusions
A population pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic model was developed that quantitatively described sensory blockade during epidural anesthesia, including the effects of age. The model may be useful to individualize dose requirements, to predict the time course of sensory blockade, and to study new local anesthetics.
Sleep Disturbances after Posterior Scoliosis Surgery with an Intraoperative Wake-up Test Using Remifentanil
Authors: Rehberg Sebastian , Weber Thomas P. , Van Aken Hugo , Theisen Marc , Ertmer Christian , Bröking Katrin , Schulte Tobias , Osada Nani , Asemann Dominique , Bullmann Viola 
Published: January 2010

Background
The intraoperative wake-up test is a standard procedure for early recognition of neurologic complications after posterior correction of idiopathic scoliosis. In this prospective, single-blinded cohort study, the impact of the wake-up test and the opioid used for anesthesia on the quality of the patients' sleep after scoliosis surgery was investigated up to 12 months postoperatively.

Methods
Patients were classified into three groups: posterior instrumentation with wake-up test using remifentanil, anterior instrumentation without wake-up test using sufentanil, and posterior instrumentation with wake-up test using sufentanil. The quality of sleep was assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index questionnaire preoperatively as well as 3, 6, and 12 months postoperatively. In addition, data were collected on patients' age, weight, and sex, as well as the duration of the operation and anesthesia, amount of blood loss, specific opioid dosages, and wake-up test times. Statistical analysis was conducted using the Mann-Whitney, Kruskal-Wallis, and Wilcoxon tests.

Results
There were no differences between groups with regard to baseline characteristics. No explicit recall was assessed through all groups. At 3 and 6 months postoperatively, the sleep quality in the posterior-remifentanil group was significantly poorer than preoperatively and compared with the anterior- and posterior-sufentanil groups. No significant differences in wake-up test times between groups undergoing posterior instrumentation occurred.

Conclusions
This study suggests that patients undergoing scoliosis surgery with an intraoperative wake-up test using remifentanil had impaired sleep quality that lasted up to 6 months postoperatively. No deterioration in sleep quality was observed with sufentanil. Large randomized trials are now needed to confirm these preliminary results.
Effect of Nitrous Oxide Anesthesia on Plasma Homocysteine and Endothelial Function
Authors: Myles Paul S. , Chan Matthew T. V. , Kaye David M. , McIlroy David R. , Lau Chung-Wai , Symons Joel A. , Chen Shaohui 
Published: January 2010

Background
Endothelial function is impaired with hyperhomocysteinemia. Plasma homocysteine is increased by nitrous oxide anesthesia. The current study was designed to determine whether endothelial function is impaired after surgery and whether this is made worse by exposure to nitrous oxide.

Methods
The authors studied 59 patients with cardiovascular disease undergoing noncardiac surgery. Patients were randomly allocated to nitrous oxide-based anesthesia (n = 25) or nitrous oxide-free anesthesia (control, n = 34). Endothelial function was measured by flow-mediated dilation of the brachial artery before and 24 h after surgery. In addition, blood was drawn at both time points for the measurements of plasma homocysteine, folate, L-arginine, L-citrulline, asymmetric dimethylarginine, and nitrate concentrations.

Results
The median duration of general anesthesia was 4.5 h. Patients had significantly lower flow-mediated dilation after surgery (5.1 +/- 3.3 to 3.0 +/- 4.1%; P = 0.001). Duration of anesthesia affected endothelial function. In the nitrous oxide group, there was an inverse correlation with flow-mediated dilation (r = -0.60, P = 0.004), but in the control group, there was a positive correlation (r = 0.61, P < 0.001). When compared with control, nitrous oxide exposure was associated with a significant increase in postoperative homocysteine (mean difference, 4.9 microm; 95% confidence interval, 2.8-7.0 microm; P < 0.0005) and decrease in flow-mediated dilation (3.2%; 95% confidence interval, 0.1-5.3%; P = 0.001). Nitrous oxide exposure was not associated with change in nitric oxide substrates.

Conclusions
Nitrous oxide-based anesthesia increased plasma homocysteine and significantly impaired endothelial function in patients undergoing noncardiac surgery. Nitrous oxide-based anesthesia could be a risk factor for postoperative cardiovascular morbidity.
Detecting Awareness in Children by Using an Auditory Intervention
Authors: Davidson Andrew J. , Sheppard Suzette J. , Engwerda Anneke L. , Wong Aaron , Phelan Lauren , Ironfield Craig M. , Stargatt Robyn 
Published: January 2010

Background
The incidence of awareness has been reported to be higher in children than in adults. Accurately assessing awareness in children is difficult, and the lack of a specific measure of awareness makes it difficult to determine exactly how many and why children are aware. The aim of this study was to determine the incidence and timing of awareness in children by using auditory stimuli applied during anesthesia.

Methods
Three easily identified animal noises were played repeatedly through headphones during three specific phases of anesthesia in 539 children aged 5-12 yr. Children were not told that this would happen. Awareness was determined with a structured interview on days 1 and 3 after the anesthetic. All positive responses were sent to four adjudicators for assessment, and awareness was defined as having occurred if all adjudicators agreed that the child was aware.

Results
Five hundred children were interviewed at least once after the anesthetic. Thirty-five reports were sent to the adjudicators, and one child was classified as aware. This child was deemed to be aware even though he did not report hearing an animal.

Conclusions
The incidence of awareness in this study is less than reported previously.
Fluoropolymer-based Emulsions for the Intravenous Delivery of Sevoflurane
Authors: Fast Jonathan P. , Perkins Mark G. , Pearce Robert A. , Mecozzi Sandro 
Published: January 2010

Background
The intravenous delivery of halogenated volatile anesthetics has been previously achieved using phospholipid-stabilized emulsions, e.g., Intralipid. However, fluorinated volatile anesthetics, such as sevoflurane, are partially fluorophilic and do not mix well with classic nonfluorinated lipids. This effect limits the maximum amount of sevoflurane that can be stably emulsified in Intralipid to 3.5% vol/vol. This is a significant limitation to the potential clinical use of Intralipid-based emulsions.

Methods
The authors prepared a 20% vol/vol sevoflurane emulsion using a novel fluorinated surfactant and tested its effectiveness and therapeutic index by administering it to male Sprague-Dawley rats via intravenous injection into the jugular vein. The median effective dose to induce anesthesia (ED50), the median lethal dose (LD50), and the therapeutic index (LD50/ED50) were determined. Anesthesia was measured by loss of the forepaw righting reflex.

Results
The ED50 and LD50 values were found to be 0.41 and 1.05 ml emulsion/kg body weight, respectively. These lead to a therapeutic index of 2.6, which compares favorably with previously determined values of emulsified isoflurane, as well as values for propofol and thiopental.

Conclusions
A novel semifluorinated surfactant was able to considerably increase the maximum amount of stably emulsified sevoflurane compared with Intralipid. These formulations can be used to rapidly induce anesthesia with bolus dosing from which recovery is smooth and rapid.
Diploid male production in a leaf‐cutting ant
Authors: ARMITAGE SOPHIE , BOOMSMA JACOBUS , BAER BORIS 
Published: January 2010

1. In haplodiploid social insects where males are haploid and females are diploid, inbreeding depression is expressed as the production of diploid males when homozygosity at the sex‐determining locus results in the production of diploid individuals with a male phenotype. Diploid males are often assumed to have reduced fitness compared with their haploid brothers.2. While studying the reproductive biology of a leaf‐cutting ant, Atta sexdens, in Gamboa, Republic of Panama, we detected the presence of a larger male morph. Using microsatellite markers we were able to confirm that the large male morph was diploid in 87% of cases.3. We infer that the Gamboa population of A. sexdens experiences inbreeding depression because diploid males were found in three out of five mature colonies. However, their frequencies were relatively low because queens were multiply mated and our estimates suggest that many diploid male larvae may not survive to adulthood.4. We measured two traits potentially linked to male reproductive success: sperm length and sperm number, and showed that diploid males produced fewer but longer sperm. These results provide indirect evidence that diploid male reproductive success would be reduced compared with haploid males if they were able to copulate.5. We conclude that diploid male production is likely to affect the fitness of A. sexdens queens with a matched mating, as these males are produced at the cost of workers and, if the colony survives to reach mature size, also gynes.
Trophic level modulates carabid beetle responses to habitat and landscape structure: a pan‐European study
Authors: VANBERGEN ADAM J. , WOODCOCK BEN A. , KOIVULA MATTI , NIEMELÄ JARI , KOTZE D. JOHAN , BOLGER TOM , GOLDEN VALERIE , DUBS FLORENCE , BOULANGER GUILLAUME , SERRANO JOSE , LENCINA JOSÉ LUÍS , SERRANO ARTUR , AGUIAR CARLOS , GRANDCHAMP ANNE‐CATHERINE , STOFER SILVIA , SZÉL GYÖZÖ , IVITS EVA , ADLER PETRA , MARKUS JOCHUM , WATT ALLAN D. 
Published: January 2010

1. Anthropogenic pressures have produced heterogeneous landscapes expected to influence diversity differently across trophic levels and spatial scales.2. We tested how activity density and species richness of carabid trophic groups responded to local habitat and landscape structure (forest percentage cover and habitat richness) in 48 landscape parcels (1 km2) across eight European countries.3. Local habitat affected activity density, but not species richness, of both trophic groups. Activity densities were greater in rotational cropping compared with other habitats; phytophage densities were also greater in grassland than forest habitats.4. Controlling for country and habitat effects, we found general trophic group responses to landscape structure. Activity densities of phytophages were positively correlated, and zoophages uncorrelated, with increasing habitat richness. This differential functional group response to landscape structure was consistent across Europe, indicated by a lack of a country × habitat richness interaction. Species richness was unaffected by landscape structure.5. Phytophage sensitivity to landscape structure may arise from relative dependency on seed from ruderal plants. This trophic adaptation, rare in Carabidae, leads to lower phytophage numbers, increasing vulnerability to demographic and stochastic processes that the greater abundance, species richness, and broader diet of the zoophage group may insure against.
Patients with Wegener’s granulomatosis demonstrate a relative deficiency and functional impairment of T‐regulatory cells
Authors: Morgan Matthew D. , Day Clara J. , Piper Karen P. , Khan Naeem , Harper Lorraine , Moss Paul A. , Savage Caroline O. S. 
Published: January 2010

SummaryAn increased proportion of CD4+ CD25+ T cells has been reported in Wegener’s granulomatosis (WG) and may represent an accumulation of regulatory T cells (Treg). CD25 is also expressed on recently activated effector T cells. We have determined the relative proportion of these subsets in a large patient cohort. The fraction of Treg in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients and healthy controls was determined by assessment of Foxp3 expression on CD4+ CD25+ T cells. The functional activity of Treg was determined by their ability to suppress proliferation and cytokine production in response to proteinase‐3. Although WG patients demonstrated an increased fraction of CD4+ CD25+ T cells, the percentage of Foxp3‐positive cells was decreased. In addition, the percentage of Treg was inversely related to the rate of disease relapse. CD4+ CD25hi T cells were able to suppress T‐cell proliferation to proteinase‐3 in healthy controls and anti‐neutrophil cytoplasm antibody (ANCA)‐ negative patients (at time of sampling) but not in ANCA‐positive patients. In patients with active disease, an increased proportion of CD4+ Foxp3+ cells was associated with a more rapid disease remission. Patients with WG demonstrate abnormalities in the number and function of Treg and this is most pronounced in those with most active disease. This information is of value in understanding the pathogenesis and potential treatment of this disease.
PD‐1 signalling in CD4+ T cells restrains their clonal expansion to an immunogenic stimulus, but is not critically required for peptide‐induced tolerance
Authors: Konkel Joanne E. , Frommer Friederike , Leech Melanie D. , Yagita Hideo , Waisman Ari , Anderton Stephen M. 
Published: January 2010

SummaryThe ultimate outcome of T‐cell recognition of peptide–major histocompatibility complex (MHC) complexes is determined by the molecular context in which antigen presentation is provided. The paradigm is that, after exposure to peptides presented by steady‐state dendritic cells (DCs), inhibitory signals dominate, leading to the deletion and/or functional inactivation of antigen‐reactive T cells. This has been utilized in a variety of models providing peptide antigen in soluble form in the absence of adjuvant. A co‐inhibitory molecule of considerable current interest is PD‐1. Here we show that there is the opportunity for the PD‐1/PD‐L1 interaction to function in inhibiting the T‐cell response during tolerance induction. Using traceable CD4+ T‐cell receptor (TCR) transgenic cells, together with a blocking antibody to disrupt PD‐1 signalling, we explored the roles of PD‐1 in the induction of tolerance versus a productive immune response. Intact PD‐1 signalling played a role in limiting the extent of CD4+ T‐cell accumulation in response to an immunogenic stimulus. However, PD‐1 signalling was not required for either the induction, or the maintenance, of peptide‐induced tolerance; a conclusion underlined by successful tolerance induction in TCR transgenic cells genetically deficient for PD‐1. These observations contrast with the reported requirement for PD‐1 signals in CD8+ T‐cell tolerance.
The Toll‐like receptor 2 (TLR2) ligand FSL‐1 is internalized via the clathrin‐dependent endocytic pathway triggered by CD14 and CD36 but not by TLR2
Authors: Shamsul Haque M. , Hasebe Akira , Iyori Mitsuhiro , Ohtani Makoto , Kiura Kazuto , Zhang Diya , Totsuka Yasunori , Shibata Ken‐ ichiro 
Published: January 2010

SummaryLittle is known of how Toll‐like receptor (TLR) ligands are processed after recognition by TLRs. This study was therefore designed to investigate how the TLR2 ligand FSL‐1 is processed in macrophages after recognition by TLR2. FSL‐1 was internalized into the murine macrophage cell line, RAW264.7. Both chlorpromazine and methyl‐β‐cyclodextrin, which inhibit clathrin‐dependent endocytosis, reduced FSL‐1 uptake by RAW264.7 cells in a dose‐dependent manner but nystatin, which inhibits caveolae‐ and lipid raft‐dependent endocytosis, did not. FSL‐1 was co‐localized with clathrin but not with TLR2 in the cytosol of RAW264.7 cells. These results suggest that internalization of FSL‐1 is clathrin dependent. In addition, FSL‐1 was internalized by peritoneal macrophages from TLR2‐deficient mice. FSL‐1 was internalized by human embryonic kidney 293 cells transfected with CD14 or CD36 but not by the non‐transfected cells. Also, knockdown of CD14 or CD36 in the transfectants reduced FSL‐1 uptake. In this study, we suggest that (i) FSL‐1 is internalized into macrophages via a clathrin‐dependent endocytic pathway, (ii) the FSL‐1 uptake by macrophages occurs irrespective of the presence of TLR2, and (iii) CD14 and CD36 are responsible for the internalization of FSL‐1.