bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Vancomycin Control Measures at a Tertiary-Care Hospital: Impact of Interventions on Volume and Patterns of use
Authors: Singer Mary V. , Haft Rachel , Barlam Tamar , Aronson Mark , Shafer Amy , Sands Kenneth E. 
Published: September 2009

ABSTRACTOBJECTIVE: Evaluate vancomycin prescribing patterns in a tertiary-care hospital before and after interventions to decrease vancomycin utilization.DESIGN: Before/after analysis of interventions to limit vancomycin use.SETTING: 420-bed academic tertiary-care center.INTERVENTIONS: Educational efforts began August 10, 1994, and involved lectures to medical house staff followed by mailings to all physicians and posting of guidelines for vancomycin use on hospital information systems. Active interventions began November 15, 1994, and included automatic stop orders for vancomycin at 72 hours, alerts attached to the medical record, and, for 2 weeks only, computer alerts to physicians following each vancomycin order. Parenteral vancomycin use was estimated from the hospital pharmacy database of all medication orders. Records of a random sample of 344 patients receiving van-comycin between May 1, 1994, and April 30, 1995, were reviewed for an indication meeting published guidelines.RESULTS: Vancomycin prescribing decreased by 22% following interventions, from 8.5 to 6.8 courses per 100 discharges (P<.05). The estimated proportion of van-comycin ordered for an indication meeting published guidelines was 36.6% overall, with no significant change following interventions. However, during the 2 weeks that computer alerts were in place, 60% of vancomycin use was for an approved indication.CONCLUSIONS: Parenteral vancomycin prescribing decreased significantly following interventions, but the majority of orders still were not for an indication meeting published guidelines. Further improvement in the appropriateness of vancomycin prescribing potentially could be accomplished by more aggressive interventions, such as computer alerts, or by targeting specific aspects of prescribing patterns.
First Report of Laurel Wilt Disease Caused by Raffaelea lauricola on Sassafras in Florida and South Carolina
Authors: Smith J. A. , Dreaden T. J. , Mayfield A. E. , Boone A. , Fraedrich S. W. , Bates C. 
Published: September 2009

Laurel wilt disease, caused by Raffaelea lauricola (T.C. Harr., Fraedrich & Aghayeva sp. nov.), which is a fungal symbiont of the nonnative redbay ambrosia beetle (Xyleborus glabratus Eichhoff), has caused widespread mortality of native redbay (Persea borbonia (L.) Spreng) in Georgia, South Carolina, and Florida since 2002. The disease has been noted on other species in the Lauraceae including sassafras in Georgia (1), and more recently, on avocado and camphor in Florida (4). Since 2005, wilted shoots, branch dieback, and tree death have been observed in sassafras trees (Sassafras albidum (L.)) in Liberty, McIntosh, Chatham, Effingham, Bulloch, Evans, and Screven counties in Georgia; Bamberg, Beaufort, Charleston, Colleton, Hampton, and Orangeburg counties in South Carolina; and Putnam County in Florida. Symptomatic sassafras trees ranged from 1 to 12 m high and 2.5 to 25 cm in diameter at breast height. In contrast to red bay trees that retain wilted foliage, symptomatic sassafras defoliate rapidly as trees wilt and die. Multiple symptomatic ramets originating from a common root system have been observed. Removal of bark from stem and root sections from wilted trees revealed black-to-brownish staining in the sapwood, characteristic of laurel wilt. Wood chips from symptomatic areas of branches and roots were surface sterilized and plated on cycloheximide-streptomycin malt agar as previously described (1) and R. lauricola was routinely isolated. Small subunit (18S) sequences from rDNA were amplified by PCR and sequenced using primers NS1 and NS4 (3) for isolates from sassafras from Florida and South Carolina. BLASTn searches revealed homology to Raffaelea sp. C2203 (GenBank Accession No. EU123076, 100% similarity) described by Fraedrich et al. (1) from redbay and later named R. lauricola (2). The small subunit rDNA sequences for these isolates have been deposited into GenBank ( http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/Genbank/index.html ) and assigned Accession Nos. EU980448 (Florida) and GQ329704 (South Carolina). Koch's postulates have been completed with R. lauricola on this host previously (1). Laurel wilt on sassafras often was geographically isolated from other symptomatic hosts in Georgia and South Carolina and appears to occur on this host independently of proximity to redbay. Further studies to determine the epidemiology of laurel wilt on sassafras, potential resistance, and impact on sassafras life history and distribution are needed. Given the clonal nature of sassafras, the disease would appear to have the potential to move through roots of trees once established in a stand. References: (1) S. W Fraedrich et al. Plant Dis. 92:215, 2008. (2) T. C. Harrington et al. Mycotaxon 104:399, 2008. (3) M. A. Innis et al. PCR Protocols, A Guide to Methods and Applications. Academic Press, San Diego, CA, 1990. (4) J. A. Smith et al. Plant Dis. 93:198, 2009.
Role of fine needle aspiration cytology in the diagnosis and management of Warthin’s tumour of the salivary glands
Authors: Viguer J. M. , Vicandi B. , Jiménez‐Heffernan J. A. , López‐Ferrer P. , González‐Peramato P. , Castillo C. 
Published: September 2009

J. M. Viguer, B. Vicandi, J. A. Jiménez‐Heffernan, P. López‐Ferrer, P. González‐Peramato and C. Castillo Role of fine needle aspiration cytology in the diagnosis and management of Warthin’s tumour of the salivary glandsObjective:  Local excision surgical procedures and non‐surgical conservative management are considered alternatives to superficial parotidectomy in the treatment and management of Warthin’s tumour (WT). Such therapeutic alternatives demand accurate diagnosis. In order to determine whether fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) is capable of rendering such a minimally invasive diagnosis, we evaluated its accuracy and diagnostic parameters in a large series of histologically proven cases of WT.Methods:  A cytohistological study of 116 salivary tumours from 110 patients (four WT were bilateral) with a histological or cytological diagnosis of WT.Results:  Histology confirmed the cytological diagnosis in 103 of 114 tumours (90.4%). Two tumours were incorrectly diagnosed on cytology as WT. In 11 cases of WT there was an erroneous or non‐representative cytological diagnosis. The sensitivity was 90.4%, and positive predictive value 98.1%. Regarding malignancy, there were three misdiagnoses. One tumour diagnosed as WT was a low‐grade mucoepidermoid carcinoma. Two cases considered ‘suspicious of squamous cell carcinoma’ corresponded to WT. After review, 81.3% of the cases of WT were considered typical and 18.7% non‐typical; all misdiagnoses were in the latter group. Cytological difficulties could be divided into three areas: (i) absence of one or more diagnostic components; (ii) ‘squamoid’ pattern; and (iii) mucinous metaplasia. Degenerated oncocytes were present in 65% of cases.Conclusions:  FNAC offers the possibility of a reliable diagnosis of WT. Pathologists must pay attention to the squamous appearance of degenerated oncocytes. Cytology, when coupled with clinical and image findings, may permit conservative tumour management.
The use of p63 as an effective immunomarker in the diagnosis of pulmonary squamous cell carcinomas on de‐stained bronchial lavage cytological smears
Authors: Uke M. , Rekhi B. , Ajit D. , Jambhekar N. A. 
Published: September 2009

M. Uke, B. Rekhi, D. Ajit and N. A. Jambhekar The use of p63 as an effective immunomarker in the diagnosis of pulmonary squamous cell carcinomas on de‐stained bronchial lavage cytological smearsObjectives:  A diagnosis in pulmonary onco‐cytopathology primarily necessitates distinguishing small cell carcinoma (SCLC) from non‐small cell carcinoma (NSCLC), which includes squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma. Lately, p63 antibody has been used for distinguishing squamous cell carcinoma from SCLC and adenocarcinoma. We present an analysis of p63 expression in cytological smears from 100 bronchial lavage specimens comprising 51 cases of SCLC and 49 cases of NSCLC.Methods:  A single Papanicolaou‐stained conventional smear was de‐stained and re‐fixed with cold acetone and methanol for immunocytochemical staining with p63 antibody. Staining results were graded as 0 (nil), 1+ (focal), 2+ (moderate, diffuse) and 3+ (strong, diffuse).Results:  Out of 100 cases, 21 were cytologically diagnosed as squamous cell carcinoma. Twenty of these showed 2+ or 3+ p63 positivity, whereas one, which was adenocarcinoma on histology, showed 1+ staining. Of seven cases cytologically diagnosed as adenocarcinoma, six showed no p63 staining, whereas one, which was squamous cell carcinoma on histology, showed 1+ staining. All 48 cases cytologically diagnosed as SCLC were confirmed as such on histology and showed no p63 staining. Four cases were cytologically designated as poorly differentiated carcinomas, of which three showed no p63 staining and one showed 3+ staining. The former three were found to be SCLC on histology while the latter was squamous cell carcinoma. The remaining 20 cases were cytologically designated as NSCLC. Of these, eight showed no p63 staining, whereas 10 showed 1+ and two showed 2+ staining. The former eight were adenocarcinoma on histology and the latter two were squamous cell carcinoma. The 10 cases that showed 1+ p63 staining were adenocarcinomas (n = 5), squamous cell carcinoma (n = 4) and NSCLC, not otherwise specified (n = 1). Positive staining was seen in normal basal cells, which acted as an internal control. Overall sensitivity of p63 for squamous cell carcinoma was 100% and specificity was 90.4%.Conclusions:  p63 immunostaining on processed cytology smears can be used to help identify squamous cell carcinoma. Its diffuse expression was specific for squamous cell carcinoma while focal staining was also seen in adenocarcinoma.
On the climate and weather of mountain and sub‐arctic lakes in Europe and their susceptibility to future climate change
Authors: THOMPSON R. , VENTURA M. , CAMARERO L. 
Published: September 2009

Summary1. The complex terrain and heterogeneous nature of the mountain environment coupled with remoteness from major centres of human activity makes mountains challenging locations for meteorological investigations. Mountainous areas tend to have more varied and more extreme weather than lowlands.2. The EMERGE program has the primary aim of assessing the status of remote mountain and sub‐arctic lakes throughout Europe for the first time. In this study, we describe the main features of the climate, ice‐cover durations and recent temperature trends of these areas. The main weather characteristics of European mountain and sub‐arctic lakes are their cold temperatures and year‐round precipitation. Mean annual temperatures are generally close to 0 °C, and maximum summer temperatures reasonably close to 10 °C.3. Maritime versus continental settings determine the main differences in annual‐temperature range among lake districts (10.5 °C in Scotland to 26.7 °C in Northern Finland), and a similar factor for ice‐cover duration. Radiation ranges from low (120 W m−2) in the high latitude sub‐arctic and high (237 W m−2) in the southern ranges of the Pyrenees and Rila. Similarly, precipitation is high in the main Alpine chain (250 cm year−1 in the Central Southern Alps) and low in the continental sub‐arctic (65 cm year−1 in Northern Finland).4. The main temporal patterns in air temperature follow those of the adjacent lowlands. All the lake districts warmed during the last century. Spring temperature trends were highest in Finland; summer trends were weak everywhere; autumn trends were strongest in the west, in the Pyrenees and western Alps; while winter trends varied markedly, being high in the Pyrenees and Alps, low in Scotland and Norway and negative in Finland.5. Two new, limnological case studies on Lake Redon, in the Pyrenees, highlight the sensitivity of remote lakes to projected changes in the global climate. These two case studies involve close linkages between extreme chemical‐precipitation events and synoptic wind‐patterns, and between thermocline behaviour and features of the large‐scale circulation.6. Individual lakes can be ultra‐responsive to climate change. Even modest changes in future air temperatures will lead to major changes in lake temperatures and ice‐cover duration and hence probably affect their ecological status.
Biological activity of aryl hydrocarbon receptor ligands in sediments from remote European lakes
Authors: BORONAT SUSANNA , GARCIA‐REYERO NATÀLIA , FONTS ROGER , FERNÁNDEZ PILAR , GRIMALT JOAN O. , PIÑA BENJAMIN 
Published: September 2009

Summary1. Sediment extracts from 63 European remote lakes were tested for the presence of ligands of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), using a yeast‐based bioassay. The lakes belong to different European mountain regions in Central Norway, Scotland, Piedmont (Italy), Tyrol (Austria and Italy) and the Julian Alps (Slovenia).2. AhR ligand activity varied about 40‐fold among the examined lakes, with Scotland having the highest proportion of lakes with high AhR ligand activity, whereas samples with low AhR ligand activity predominate in the Julian Alps.3. AhR ligand activity in sediment samples correlated with the concentration of several environmentally relevant compounds, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, hexachlorobenzene and several polychlorobiphenyl ether congeners. These correlations suggest an anthropogenic origin for the detected AhR ligands, rather than being generated from natural processes.4. We conclude that pollutants deposited in remote lakes by atmospheric processes are active AhR ligands at the concentrations found in these lakes. Given the high toxicity associated with ectopic activation of AhR in different animal systems, this activity may represent a significant risk for the exposed fauna.
Ecological thresholds in European alpine lakes
Authors: CATALAN JORDI , BARBIERI M. GRAZIA , BARTUMEUS FREDERIC , BITUŠÍK PETER , BOTEV IVAN , BRANCELJ ANTON , COGĂLNICEANU DAN , MANCA MARINA , MARCHETTO ALDO , OGNJANOVA‐RUMENOVA NADJA , PLA SERGI , RIERADEVALL MARIA , SORVARI SANNA , ŠTEFKOVÁ ELENA , STUCHLÍK EVŽEN , VENTURA MARC 
Published: September 2009

Summary1. Species assemblages of diatoms, rotifers, chydorids, planktonic crustaceans and chironomids were studied in 235 alpine lakes in the Alps, Pyrenees, Tatras (Western Carpathians), Retezat (Southern Carpathians) and Rila Mountains (Balkans).2. For all taxonomic groups we found a hierarchical structure in the community assemblage using distinct scales of lake clustering (number ofk‐means groups) based on species composition similarity (Hellinger distance). We determined the optimal partition in assemblage types (i.e. number of lake clusters) for each taxonomic group by maximising the sum of the taxon indicative value (IndVal) and performed discriminant analyses, using environmental variables not conditioned by geographical patterns. Relevant environmental variables differed among and within taxonomic groups. Therefore the assemblages respond to a complex environmental mosaic, with the exception of diatom assemblages, which followed an acid–base gradient.3. The significant environmental variables could be grouped into four general factors: lake size, tropho‐dynamic status, acid–base balance and ice‐cover duration (i.e., altitudinal gradient). Lake size was significant for the highest number of assemblage types; however, the most significant factor differed among taxonomic groups: acid–base balance for diatoms, lake size for rotifers, ice‐cover duration for chydorids and planktonic crustaceans and tropho‐dynamic status for chironomids. No single environmental typology accounted for the assemblage structure of all taxonomic groups.4. However, defining ecological thresholds as values within environmental gradients at which the rate of change in assemblages is accelerated relative to points distant from that threshold, we were able to find specific threshold values for each of the four main general environmental factors identified, which were relevant across several taxonomic groups: 3 ha for lake area; 0.6 mg L−1for dissolved organic carbon; 190 days for ice‐cover duration and 200 μeq L−1for acid neutralising capacity. Above and below these values ecosystem organisation change substantially. They have direct applications in establishing lake typologies for environmental quality and biodiversity conservation programmes, and in improving predictions about global change impacts.
Trace elements in alpine and arctic lake sediments as a record of diffuse atmospheric contamination across Europe
Authors: CAMARERO L. , BOTEV I. , MURI G. , PSENNER R. , ROSE N. , STUCHLIK E. 
Published: September 2009

Summary1. We surveyed the distribution of several trace elements in contemporary and pre‐industrial sediment s in 275 lakes in alpine and arctic lake districts across Europe including the Pyrenees, Alps, the Rila Mountains, Retezat, Julian Alps, Tatras, Scottish mountains, Central Norway and Greenland.2. Sediment cores were collected at the deepest part of each lake and analysed at two depths (surface sediment and at 15–17 cm depth) for Ti, Pb, Cd, Zn, Cu, As, Hg and Se.3. The concentrations of trace elements found in the lakes included in the survey are comparable to those reported in aquatic sediments receiving higher contamination loads. With the exception of Greenland, a large percentage of lakes showed enrichment factors for most elements well above 1.5, indicating atmospheric contamination. The influence of contamination has increased the co‐distribution of trace elements in sediments, with the exception of As.4. Pb is the element that shows the highest contamination level at the European scale, followed by Hg and As. Zn, Cd, Cu and Se contamination is detectable to a lower degree.5. The Tatra Mountains and Scotland seem to be most affected. Natural mechanisms leading to the formation of highly organic, metal‐binding sediments may be the cause of the high levels in Scotland, whereas those in the Tatras appear to be due to elevated deposition.6. The Retezat and Central Norway appear to be least polluted.7. In the Alps, enrichments in Pb, Hg and Zn are higher in southern than in central areas suggesting a flux of these pollutants from the south. In the Pyrenees, the high natural levels of As are remarkable. Metal enrichments in the Rila Mountains are comparable to those in the Tatras, but concentrations are much lower.8. In general terms, the increase in trace elements in modern with respect to pre‐industrial sediments reflects the history of a long range contamination affecting the remotest locations in Europe.
Similar breakdown rates and benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages on native and Eucalyptus globulus leaf litter in Californian streams
Authors: LAĆAN IGOR , RESH VINCENT H. , McBRIDE JOE R. 
Published: September 2009

Summary1. Eucalyptus globulus, a tree species planted worldwide in many riparian zones, has been reported to affect benthic macroinvertebrates negatively. Although there is no consensus about the effects of Eucalyptus on aquatic macrobenthos, its removal is sometimes proposed as a means of ecological restoration.2. We combined the sampling of macroinvertebrates with measurement of the colonisation of leaf packs in mesh bags, to examine the effects of riparian Eucalyptus and its litter on benthic macroinvertebrates in three small streams in California, U.S.A. Each stream included one reach bordered by Eucalyptus (E‐site) and a second bordered by native vegetation (N‐site).3. The macrobenthos was sampled and two sets of litter bags were deployed at each site: one set with Eucalyptus litter (Euc‐bags) and one with mixed native tree litter (Nat‐bags) containing Quercus, Umbellularia, Acer and Alnus. Bags were exposed for 28, 56 and 90 days and this experiment was repeated in the autumn, winter and spring to account for effects of changing stream flow and insect phenology.4. Litter input (average dry mass: 950 g m−2 year−1 in E‐sites versus 669 g m−2 year−1 in N‐sites) was similar, although in‐stream litter composition differed between E‐ and N‐sites. Litter broke down at similar rates in Euc‐bags and Nat‐bags (0.0193 day−1 versus 0.0134 day−1), perhaps reflecting the refractory nature of some of the leaves of the native trees (Quercus agrifolia).5. Summary metrics for macroinvertebrates (taxon richness, Shannon diversity, pollution tolerance index) did not differ significantly between the E and N sites, or between Euc‐bags and Nat‐bags. No effect of exposure time or site was detected by ordination of the taxa sampled. However, distinct seasonal ordination clusters were observed in winter, spring and autumn, and one of the three streams formed a separate cluster.6. The presence of Eucalyptus was less important in explaining the taxonomic composition of the macrobenthos than either ‘season’ or ‘stream’. Similarly, these same two factors (but not litter species) also helped explain the variation in leaf breakdown. We conclude that patches of riparian Eucalyptus and its litter have little effect on stream macrobenthos in this region.
Utilization of semi‐natural grassland through integrated generation of solid fuel and biogas from biomass. II. Effects of hydrothermal conditioning and mechanical dehydration on anaerobic digestion of press fluids
Authors: Richter F. , Graß R. , Fricke T. , Zerr W. , Wachendorf M. 
Published: September 2009

AbstractA procedure (Integrated Generation of Solid Fuel and Biogas from Biomass, IFBB) was developed which uses a screw press to separate the readily digestible constituents of mature grassland biomass into a press fluid for conversion into biogas and a fibrous press cake for processing into a solid fuel. Effects of mechanical dehydration and prior hydrothermal conditioning at different temperatures (5, 60 and 80°C) on concentrations of organic compounds in the press fluid and on methane production in batch experiments were evaluated for five semi‐natural grasslands typical of mountain areas of Germany. Results show that the crude protein concentration of the press fluids was higher and crude fibre concentration was lower than that of the parent material (herbage conserved as silage). Digestion tests in batch fermenters showed that the methane yield of the press fluids was double [397–426 normal litre (NL) kg−1 volatile solids (VS) after 13 d] that of the whole‐crop grassland silage (218 NL kg−1 VS after 27 d) but no consistent effect of higher temperature during conditioning was observed. Within 13 d of fermentation the decomposition of the organic matter (OM) that occurred in the press fluids was 0·90, whereas after 27 d of fermentation more than 0·40 of the OM remained undigested in the whole‐crop silage, pointing at a marked reduction in retention time for anaerobic digestion of press fluids in continuous systems. Press fluids produced 0·90 of the maximum methane yield after 4 to 7 d compared with 19 days for the whole‐crop silage.