bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Behaviour and physiology shape the growth accelerations associated with predation risk, high temperatures and southern latitudes in Ischnura damselfly larvae
Authors: Stoks Robby , Swillen Ine , De Block Marjan 
Published: April 2012

Summary1. To better predict effects of climate change and predation risk on prey animals and ecosystems, we need studies documenting not only latitudinal patterns in growth rate but also growth plasticity to temperature and predation risk and the underlying proximate mechanisms: behaviour (food intake) and digestive physiology (growth efficiency). The mechanistic underpinnings of predator‐induced growth increases remain especially poorly understood.2. We reared larvae from replicated northern and southern populations of the damselfly Ischnura elegans in a common garden experiment manipulating temperature and predation risk and quantified growth rate, food intake and growth efficiency.3. The predator‐induced and temperature‐induced growth accelerations were the same at both latitudes, despite considerably faster growth rates in the southern populations. While the higher growth rates in the southern populations and the high rearing temperature were driven by both an increased food intake and a higher growth efficiency, the higher growth rates under predation risk were completely driven by a higher growth efficiency, despite a lowered food intake.4. The emerging pattern that higher growth rates associated with latitude, temperature and predation risk were all (partly or completely) mediated by a higher growth efficiency has two major implications. First, it indicates that energy allocation trade‐offs and the associated physiological costs play a major role both in shaping large‐scale geographic variation in growth rates and in shaping the extent and direction of growth rate plasticity. Secondly, it suggests that the efficiency of energy transfer in aquatic food chains, where damselfly larvae are important intermediate predators, will be higher in southern populations, at higher temperatures and under predation risk. This may eventually contribute to the lengthening of food chains under these conditions and highlights that the prey identity may determine the influence of predation risk on food chain length.
Genetic variation in anti‐herbivore chemical defences in an invasive plant
Authors: Wang Yi , Siemann Evan , Wheeler Gregory S. , Zhu Lin , Gu Xue , Ding Jianqing 
Published: April 2012

Summary1. Plants produce a variety of secondary metabolites such as flavonoids or tannins that vary in effectiveness against different herbivores. Because invasive plants experience different herbivore interactions in their introduced versus native ranges, they may vary in defence chemical profiles.2. We subjected tallow tree (Triadica sebifera) seedlings from native (China) and introduced (US) populations to induction by leaf clipping or one of three Chinese caterpillars (two generalists and one specialist). We measured the concentrations of five flavonoids and four tannins in leaves produced before or after damage. We measured growth of caterpillars fed these leaves from plants of each induction treatment or undamaged controls.3. Plants from introduced populations had higher flavonoids and lower tannins than plants from native populations, especially in new leaves following induction. Caterpillar responses to changing chemical concentrations varied in direction and strength, so overall performance varied from significantly lower (generalist Grammodes geometrica), unchanged (generalist Cnidocampa flavescens), to significantly higher (specialist Gadirtha inexacta) on introduced populations.4. Synthesis. Together, such a trade‐off in secondary metabolism in invasive plants and the effect on herbivores suggest divergent selection may favour different chemical defences in the introduced range where co‐evolved natural enemies, especially specialists, are absent.
Marginal public health gain of screening for colorectal cancer: modelling study, based on WHO and national databases in the Nordic countries
Authors: Sigurdsson Johann A. , Getz Linn , Sjönell Göran , Vainiomäki Paula , Brodersen John 
Published: April 2012

AbstractAims  To estimate the potential gain of national screening programmes for colorectal cancer (CRC) by stool occult blood testing in the Nordic countries, with comparative reference to the burden of other causes of premature death.Methods  Implementation of national screening programmes for CRC was modelled among people 55–74 years in accordance with the 2011 Cochrane review of biannual screening, using the faecal occult blood test (FOBT) for 10 years, resulting in 15% relative risk reduction in CRC deaths among all those invited [intention‐to‐treat; relative risk 0.85; confidence interval (CI) 0.78 to 0.92]. Our calculations are based on the World Health Organization and national databanks on death causes (ICD‐10) and the mid‐year number of inhabitants in the target group. For Finland, Denmark, Norway and Sweden, we used data for 2009. For Iceland, due to the population's small size, we calculated mean mortality for the period 2005–2009.Results  Invitation to a CRC screening programme for 10 years could influence 0.5–0.9% (95%CI 0.4–1.2) of all deaths in the age group 65–74 years. Among the remaining 99% of premature deaths, around 50% were caused by lung cancer, other lung diseases, cardiovascular diseases and accidents, with some national variations.Conclusions and implications  Establishment of a screening programme for CRC for people aged 55–74 can be expected to affect only a minor proportion of all premature deaths in the Nordic setting. From a public health perspective, prioritizing preventive strategies targeting more prevalent causes of premature death may be a superior approach.
Host‐jump drives rapid and recent ecological speciation of the emergent fungal pathogen Colletotrichum kahawae
Authors: SILVA DIOGO N. , TALHINHAS PEDRO , CAI LEI , MANUEL LUZOLO , GICHURU ELIJAH K. , LOUREIRO ANDREIA , VÁRZEA VÍTOR , PAULO OCTÁVIO S. , BATISTA DORA 
Published: April 2012

AbstractEcological speciation through host‐shift has been proposed as a major route for the appearance of novel fungal pathogens. The growing awareness of their negative impact on global economies and public health created an enormous interest in identifying the factors that are most likely to promote their emergence in nature. In this work, a combination of pathological, molecular and geographical data was used to investigate the recent emergence of the fungus Colletotrichum kahawae. C. kahawae emerged as a specialist pathogen causing coffee berry disease in Coffea arabica, owing to its unparalleled adaptation of infecting green coffee berries. Contrary to current hypotheses, our results suggest that a recent host‐jump underlay the speciation of C. kahawae from a generalist group of fungi seemingly harmless to coffee berries. We posit that immigrant inviability and a predominantly asexual behaviour could have been instrumental in driving speciation by creating pleiotropic interactions between local adaptation and reproductive patterns. Moreover, we estimate that C. kahawae began its diversification at <2200 bp leaving a very short time frame since the divergence from its sibling lineage (c. 5600 bp), during which a severe drop in C. kahawae’s effective population size occurred. This further supports a scenario of recent introduction and subsequent adaptation to C. arabica. Phylogeographical data revealed low levels of genetic polymorphism but provided the first geographically consistent population structure of C. kahawae, inferring the Angolan population as the most ancestral and the East African populations as the most recently derived. Altogether, these results highlight the significant role of host specialization and asexuality in the emergence of fungal pathogens through ecological speciation.
Nafamostat mesilate, a noncalcium compound, as an anticoagulant, induces calcium‐dependent haemolysis when infused with packed erythrocytes
Authors: Fujita H. , Sakuma R. , Fujimoto S. , Hazama Y. , Ohtake C. , Moriyama A. , Kuhara K. , Nishimura S. 
Published: April 2012

Background: Nafamostat mesilate (NM), a protease inhibitor, is available for acute pancreatitis and disseminated intravascular coagulopathy and is used as an anticoagulant for haemodialysis in Japan. Co‐infusion of red cell concentrates (RCC) and intravenous drugs is usually contraindicated. Because of limited venous access, adherence to the guidelines may be compromised in some clinical settings. Therefore, we investigated the influence of co‐infusion of RCC and various anticoagulants on haemolysis in vitro.Methods: We investigated the effect of co‐incubation of RCC and various anticoagulant drugs [NM, gabexate mesilate (GM), heparin] in packed erythrocytes. We evaluated haemolysis using lactate dehydrogenase and free haemoglobin. In addition, we also evaluated the influence of co‐incubation on phosphatidylserine (PS) expression on the erythrocyte membrane.Results: GM and NM induced haemolysis in a dose‐dependent manner, which was inhibited by removal of citrate and pretreatment with the calcium chelator, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid. In a dynamic experiment using an infusion pump, NM not only induced haemolysis during co‐infusion with RCC but also elevated PS expression dependent on extracellular calcium.Conclusion: NM and GM induce haemolysis in packed erythrocytes in the presence of citrate that is dependent on extracellular calcium.
Direct volumetric flow cytometric quantitation of CD34+ stem and progenitor cells
Authors: Gutensohn K. , Nikolitsis A. , Gramatzki M. , Spitzer D. , Buwitt‐Beckmann U. , Humpe A. 
Published: April 2012

Objectives: In this study, we compared a classic single‐platform (SP) method applying beads for enumeration of CD45+ or CD34+ cells with a new device allowing direct volumetric measurements of stem and progenitor cells.Background: Following apheresis and cyropreservation, the precise enumeration of CD34+ cells as key parameter of graft quality is mandatory for the clinical course after transplantation. Currently, flow cytometry with SP technique represents the ‘gold standard’ for such determinations.Methods/Materials: Fresh samples, 14 from mobilised peripheral blood (PB), 9 from apheresis products (AP) and 13 samples from frozen‐thawed (FT) haematopoietic progenitor cell grafts, were analysed for CD34+ cells, CD45+ cells, and in frozen‐thawed samples for viability by a bead‐based flow cytometric method and in parallel by a direct, volumetric flow cytometric method.Results: Comparison of CD34+ analyses revealed a significant correlation (P < 0·01) for each material between both techniques with r = 0·95 (PB), r = 0·933 (AP) and r = 0·929 (FT). Also, for analysis of CD45+ cells µL−1, the measured numbers evaluated with the different techniques did not significantly differ for all three materials analysed. In frozen‐thawed samples, the analysis of viability was comparable for both techniques.Conclusions: The results of this study demonstrate that a direct volumetric analysis of CD34+ cells µL−1 or CD45+ cells µL−1 is feasible. This technique represents a simple and economical approach for standardisation of progenitor and stem cell analyses.
Malnutrition in young children of rural Burkina Faso: comparison of survey data from 1999 with 2009
Authors: Beiersmann C. , Bountogo M. , Tiendrébeogo J. , Louis V. R. , Gabrysch S. , Yé M. , Jahn A. , Müller O. 
Published: April 2012

AbstractObjective  For measurement of progress towards the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) 1, reliable data on nutrition indicators of specific countries are essential. Malnutrition is also the main determinant for childhood mortality, which is addressed in MDG 4.Methods  In the health and demographic surveillance area of Kossi Province in north‐western Burkina Faso, nutritional parameters were compared in two cohorts of young children of the same age range from eight villages. Surveys took place in June and December of the year 1999 and 2009. A multivariate model was used to control for confounding variables.Results  For the 1999 study, data were analysed for 179 and 197 children who took part in the June and December survey respectively. In 2009, corresponding data were analysed for 460 and 409 children. Prevalence of underweight was highest in December 1999 (42.6%) and lowest in December 2009 (34.1%). After adjustment for age, sex and village, there was a slight but not always significant improvement in the z‐scores of weight‐for‐age, weight‐for‐length, length‐for‐age, and mid‐arm circumference over time.Conclusions  The findings from this study confirm the still unacceptable high prevalence of malnutrition in young children of rural sub‐Saharan Africa (SSA). Progress in the reduction of malnutrition remains slow on this continent making it rather unlikely that the corresponding MDGs will be achieved. Large‐scale multi‐sectoral community‐based interventions are urgently needed for a sustainable improvement of child health in SSA.
Susceptibility status of malaria vectors to insecticides commonly used for malaria control in Tanzania
Authors: Kabula Bilali , Tungu Patrick , Matowo Johnson , Kitau Jovin , Mweya Clement , Emidi Basiliana , Masue Denis , Sindato Calvin , Malima Robert , Minja Jubilate , Msangi Shandala , Njau Ritha , Mosha Franklin , Magesa Stephen , Kisinza William 
Published: April 2012

AbstractObjective  The aim of the study was to monitor the insecticide susceptibility status of malaria vectors in 12 sentinel districts of Tanzania.Methods  WHO standard methods were used to detect knock‐down and mortality in the wild female Anopheles mosquitoes collected in sentinel districts. The WHO diagnostic doses of 0.05% deltamethrin, 0.05% lambdacyhalothrin, 0.75% permethrin and 4% DDT were used.Results  The major malaria vectors in Tanzania, Anopheles gambiae s.l., were susceptible (mortality rate of 98–100%) to permethrin, deltamethrin, lambdacyhalothrin and DDT in most of the surveyed sites. However, some sites recorded marginal susceptibility (mortality rate of 80–97%); Ilala showed resistance to DDT (mortality rate of 65% [95% CI, 54–74]), and Moshi showed resistance to lambdacyhalothrin (mortality rate of 73% [95% CI, 69–76]) and permethrin (mortality rate of 77% [95% CI, 73–80]).Conclusions  The sustained susceptibility of malaria vectors to pyrethroid in Tanzania is encouraging for successful malaria control with Insecticide‐treated nets and IRS. However, the emergency of focal points with insecticide resistance is alarming. Continued monitoring is essential to ensure early containment of resistance, particularly in areas that recorded resistance or marginal susceptibility and those with heavy agricultural and public health use of insecticides.
Long‐term effects of malaria prevention with insecticide‐treated mosquito nets on morbidity and mortality in African children: randomised controlled trial
Authors: Louis Valérie R. , Bals Joëlle , Tiendrebéogo Justin , Bountogo Mamadou , Ramroth Heribert , De Allegri Manuela , Traoré Corneille , Beiersmann Claudia , Coulibaly Boubacar , Yé Maurice , Jahn Albrecht , Becher Heiko , Müller Olaf 
Published: April 2012

AbstractObjective  The objective is to investigate the effect of malaria control with insecticide‐treated mosquito nets (ITNs) regarding possible higher mortality in children protected during early infancy, due to interference with immunity development, and to assess long‐term effects on malaria prevalence and morbidity.Methods  Between 2000 and 2002, a birth cohort was enrolled in 41 villages of a malaria holoendemic area in north‐western Burkina Faso. All neonates (n = 3387) were individually randomised to ITN protection from birth (group A) vs. ITN protection from age 6 months (group B). Primary outcome was all‐cause mortality. In 2009, a survey took place in six sentinel villages, and in 2010, a census was conducted in all study villages.Results  After a median follow‐up time of 8.3 years, 443/3387 (13.1%) children had migrated out of the area and 484/2944 (16.4%) had died, mostly at home. Long‐term compliance with ITN protection was good. There were no differences in mortality between study groups (248 deaths in group A, 236 deaths in group B; rate ratio 1.05, 95% CI: 0.889–1.237, P = 0.574). The survey conducted briefly after the rainy season in 2009 showed that more than 80% of study children carried asexual malaria parasites and up to 20% had clinical malaria.Conclusion  Insecticide‐treated mosquito net protection in early infancy is not a risk factor for mortality. Individual ITN protection does not sufficiently reduce malaria prevalence in high‐transmission areas. Achieving universal ITN coverage remains a major challenge for malaria prevention in Africa.
Intubation of the morbidly obese patient: GlideScope® vs. Fastrach™
Authors: YDEMANN M. , ROVSING L. , LINDEKAER A. L. , OLSEN K. S. 
Published: April 2012

BackgroundSeveral potential problems can arise from airway management in morbidly obese patients, including difficult mask ventilation and difficult intubation. We hypothesised that endotracheal intubation of morbidly obese patients would be more rapid using the GlideScope® (GS) (Verathon Inc Corporate Headquarters, Bothell, WA, USA) than with the Fastrach™ (FT) (The Laryngeal Mask Company Ltd, Le Rocher, Victoria, Mahe, Seychelles).MethodsOne hundred patients who were scheduled for bariatric surgery were randomised to tracheal intubation using either a GS or an FT. The inclusion criteria were age 18–60 years and a body mass index of ≥ 35 kg/m2. The primary end point was intubation time, and if intubation was not achieved after two attempts, the other method was used for the third attempt.ResultsThe mean intubation time was 49 s using the GS and 61 s using the FT (P = 0.86). A total of 92% and 84% of the patients were intubated on the first attempt using the GS and the FT, respectively. One tracheal intubation failed on the second attempt when the GS was used, and five failed on the second attempt when the FT was used. There were no incidents of desaturation and no differences between the groups in terms of mucosal damage or intubation difficulty. We experienced one oesophageal intubation using GS and six oesophageal intubations in five patients using FT. There was no difference between the pain scores or incidence of post‐operative hoarseness associated with the two intubation techniques.ConclusionNo significant difference between the two methods was found. The GS and the FT may therefore be considered to be equally good when intubating morbidly obese patients.
Lung elastance and transpulmonary pressure can be determined without using oesophageal pressure measurements
Authors: STENQVIST O. , GRIVANS C. , ANDERSSON B. , LUNDIN S. 
Published: April 2012

IntroductionThe aim of the present study was to demonstrate that lung elastance and transpulmonary pressure can be determined without using oesophageal pressure measurements.MethodsStudies were performed on 13 anesthetized and sacrificed ex vivo pigs. Tracheal and oesophageal pressures were measured and changes in end‐expiratory lung volume (ΔEELV) determined by spirometry as the cumulative inspiratory‐expiratory tidal volume difference. Studies were performed with different end‐expiratory pressure steps [change in end‐expiratory airway pressure (ΔPEEP)], body positions and with abdominal load.ResultsA PEEP increase results in a multi‐breath build‐up of end‐expiratory lung volume. End‐expiratory oesophageal pressure did not increase further after the first expiration, constituting half of the change in ΔEELV following a PEEP increase, even though end‐expiratory volume continued to increase. This resulted in a successive left shift of the chest wall pressure–volume curve. Even at a PEEP of 12 cmH2O did the end‐expiratory oesophageal (pleural) pressure remain negative.ConclusionsA PEEP increase resulted in a less than expected increase in end‐expiratory oesophageal pressure, indicating that the chest wall and abdomen gradually can accommodate changes in lung volume. The rib cage end‐expiratory spring‐out force stretches the diaphragm and prevents the lung from being compressed by abdominal pressure. The increase in transpulmonary pressure following a PEEP increase was closely related to the increase in PEEP, indicating that lung compliance can be calculated from the ratio of the change in end‐expiratory lung volume and the change in PEEP, ΔEELV/ΔPEEP.
Haemodynamic stability and pulmonary shunt during spontaneous breathing and mechanical ventilation in porcine lung collapse
Authors: VIMLÁTI L. , LARSSON A. , HEDENSTIERNA G. , LICHTWARCK‐ASCHOFF M. 
Published: April 2012

BackgroundWe investigated the haemodynamic stability of a novel porcine model of lung collapse induced by negative pressure application (NPA). A secondary aim was to study whether pulmonary shunt correlates with cardiac output (CO).MethodsIn 12 anaesthetized and relaxed supine piglets, lung collapse was induced by NPA (−50 kPa). Six animals resumed spontaneous breathing (SB) after 15 min; the other six animals were kept on mechanical ventilation (MV) at respiratory rate and tidal volume (VT) that corresponded to SB. All animals were followed for 135 min with blood gas analysis and detailed haemodynamic monitoring.ResultsHaemodynamics and gas exchange were stable in both groups during the experiment with arterial oxygen tension (PaO2)/inspired fraction of oxygen (FiO2) and pulmonary artery occlusion pressure being higher, venous admixture (Qva/Qt) and pulmonary perfusion pressure being lower in the SB group. CO was similar in both groups, showing slight decrease over time in the SB group. During MV, Qva/Qt increased with CO (slope: 4.3 %min/l; P < 0.001), but not so during SB (slope: 0.55 %min/l; P = 0.16).ConclusionsThis porcine lung collapse model is reasonably stable in terms of haemodynamics for at least 2 h irrespective of the mode of ventilation. SB achieves higher PaO2/FiO2 and lower Qva/Qt compared with MV. During SB, Qva/Qt seems to be less, if at all, affected by CO compared with MV.
Early removal of urinary catheter leads to greater post‐void residuals in patients with thoracic epidural
Authors: ZAOUTER C. , WUETHRICH P. , MICCOLI M. , CARLI F. 
Published: April 2012

BackgroundA recent study showed that the removal of a bladder catheter is safe in presence of thoracic epidural analgesia (TEA). However, the ability to void satisfactorily can be affected. The aim of this investigation is to determine whether patients with TEA are able to recover the micturition process.MethodsOn the morning after the surgery patients were randomised into two groups: the early removal group (ERG) (n = 101), with the bladder catheter removed at the same time, and the standard group (SG) (n = 104), where the bladder catheter was kept as long as TEA was functioning (on average 3–5 days after surgery). Following the first micturition, patients underwent regular ultrasound scanning of the bladder until a post‐void residual (PVR) less than 200 ml was reached.ResultsAll of the patients in the ERG and in the SG started to void and recovered satisfactorily their ability to void, reaching a PVR < 200 ml without requiring a transurethral catheterisation. However, the length of time to reach a PVR < 200 ml in the ERG was significantly longer compared with the SG (345 min ± 169 vs. 207 min ± 122, P < 0.0001).ConclusionIn the presence of TEA, the removal of the bladder catheter on the morning after surgery leads to a transient impairment of the lower urinary tract function with no need for re‐catheterisation.