bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Role of increased CD8/CD28null T cells and alternative co-stimulatory molecules in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Authors: Hodge G , Mukaro V , Reynolds P N , Hodge S 
Published: July 2011

Summary
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a chronic inflammatory lung disease; it is a leading cause of death and existing treatments have no proven disease-modifying effect. The mechanisms underlying this resistance are largely unknown, but suggest the presence of some self-maintaining pathogenic process, possibly initiated by cigarette smoking, that prevents the normal resolution of inflammation. We have previously reported increased production of proinflammatory cytokines and granzyme b by CD8+ T cells in COPD; costimulatory receptor/ligand interactions required include CD80:86/CD28, B7-1/CTLA4, 4-1BB/1BBL and OX40/OX40L. We hypothesized that a dysregulated expression/function of these molecules may play a role in inflammatory/autoimmune components of COPD. We analysed T cell co-stimulatory molecules in blood from 34 controls, 15 smokers and 48 COPD subjects. We assessed the potential functional relevance of CD8/CD28null cells in COPD by measuring their production of proinflammatory cytokines, co-stimulatory molecules, granzyme and perforin. A smoke-exposed murine model was applied to investigate the relative expression of CD8/CD28null T cells in blood, lung tissue and airway. CD8/CD28null cells were increased in both current- and ex-smoker COPD groups; these cells expressed significantly more interferon (IFN)-γ, OX40, 4-1BB, CTLA4, granzyme and perforin when stimulated than CD8/CD28+ T cells. There were no changes in CD4/CD28null T cells. In mice exposed to cigarette smoke for 12 weeks, CD8/CD28null T cells were significantly increased in the airway with a trend for an increase in lung tissue and blood. Increased production of proinflammatory cytokines and expression of alternative co-stimulatory molecules by CD8/CD28null T cells may play a role in inflammatory or autoimmune responses in COPD and identify therapeutic targets.
Cytological diagnosis of filarial infection in an endemic area where screening and prophylaxis is in place
Authors: Singh P. , Anshu  , Gangane N. 
Published: July 2011

P. Singh, Anshu and N. GanganeCytological diagnosis of filarial infection in an endemic area where screening and prophylaxis is in placeObjective:  Filariasis has a worldwide distribution. However, the disease is often overlooked or misdiagnosed because of its unusual presentations and there may be false‐negative results in endemic areas. This study was carried out to assess the role of cytology in the demonstration of filarial parasites in an area where screening and prophylaxis are in place.Methods:  This study was carried out in Wardha district in central India, which is endemic for filarial infection. A total of 9182 smears of cases undergoing cytological evaluation were routinely screened at the time of reporting for the presence of adult filarial worm, microfilarial larvae or their fertilized and unfertilized eggs, irrespective of their original clinical diagnosis.Results:  Microfilariae were found incidentally in fine needle aspiration (FNA) smears of patients presenting with other clinical conditions. Smears of seven cases were found to be positive for microfilaria. Four cases presented with subcutaneous nodules in the upper arm, two cases were seen incidentally in axillary lymph node aspirates and microfilariae were found in the pleural fluid in one case. Another case was suspected to have breast cancer, but aspirates from the axillary area showed lymphatic obstruction considered to be due to filariasis.Conclusion:  FNA cytology is an inexpensive, simple and easy procedure for detecting microfilariae. Detection of microfilariae may not be common even in endemic areas as screening and prophylaxis is routinely performed, and patients may show atypical presentations such as subcutaneous nodules. We believe that careful screening of FNAs, especially those from subcutaneous swellings, as well as serous fluids, is very important in a filariasis‐endemic zone.
Major changes in forest carbon and nitrogen cycling caused by declining sulphur deposition
Authors: Oulehle Filip , Evans Christopher D. , Hofmeister Jenyk , Krejci Radovan , Tahovska Karolina , Persson Tryggve , Cudlin Pavel , Hruska Jakub 
Published: July 2011

AbstractSulphur (S) and nitrogen (N) deposition are important drivers of the terrestrial carbon (C) and N cycling. We analyzed changes in C and N pools in soil and tree biomass at a highly acidified spruce site in the Czech Republic during a 15 year period. Total S deposition decreased from 5 to 1.1 g m−2 yr−1 between 1995 and 2009, whereas bulk N deposition did not change. Over the same period, C and N pools in the Oa horizon declined by 116 g C and 4.2 g N m−2 yr−1, a total decrease of 47% and 42%, respectively. This loss of C and N probably originated from organic matter (OM) that had accumulated during the period of high acid deposition when litter decomposition was suppressed. The loss of OM from the Oa horizon coincided with a substantial leaching (1.3 g N m−2 yr−1 at 90 cm) in the 1990s to almost no leaching (<0.02 g N m−2 yr−1) since 2006. Forest floor net N mineralization also decreased. This had consequences for spruce needle N concentration (from 17.1 to 11.4 mg kg−1 in current needles), an increase in litterfall C/N ratio (from 51 to 63), and a significant increase in the Oi + Oe horizon C/N ratio (from 23.4 to 27.3) between 1994 and 2009/2010. Higher forest growth and lower canopy defoliation was observed in the 2000s compared to the 1990s. Our results demonstrate that reducing S deposition has had a profound impact on forest organic matter cycling, leading to a reversal of historic ecosystem N enrichment, cessation of nitrate leaching, and a major loss of accumulated organic soil C and N stocks. These results have major implications for our understanding of the controls on both N saturation and C sequestration in forests, and other ecosystems, subjected to current or historic S deposition.
Directional climate change and potential reversal of desertification in arid and semiarid ecosystems
Authors: Peters Debra P. C. , Yao Jin , Sala Osvaldo E. , Anderson John P. 
Published: July 2011

AbstractOur objective was to determine if long‐term increases in precipitation can maintain grasslands susceptible to desertification, and initiate a reversal of historic regime shifts on desertified shrublands. Perennial grass production and species richness in a multi‐year wet period were hypothesized to be greater than expected based on precipitation in a sequence of dry years. These responses were expected to differ for grasslands and shrublands with different dominant species and topo‐edaphic properties. Long‐term trends in desertification were documented using vegetation maps beginning in 1858, 1915, 1928, and 1998). These trends were compared with herbaceous and woody species responses to a sequence of dry (1994–2003) and wet years (2004–2008) for two grassland (uplands, playas) and three desertified shrubland types (honey mesquite, creosotebush, tarbush) in the Chihuahuan Desert. Analyses showed that both types of grasslands decreased in spatial extent since 1858 whereas areas dominated by mesquite or creosotebush increased. Production of upland grasslands in the wet period was greater than expected based on responses during the dry period whereas the relationships between species richness and precipitation was the same for both periods. Precipitation was not important to responses in playa grasslands in either period. For all ecosystem types, the production response in wet years primarily was an increase in herbaceous plants, and the most pronounced responses occurred on sandy sites (upland grasslands, mesquite shrubland). Results suggest that multiple wet years are needed to initiate a sequence of grass establishment and survival processes that can maintain upland grasslands without management inputs and lead to a state change reversal in desertified shrublands. Restoration strategies need to take advantage of opportunities provided by future climates while recognizing the importance of ecosystem type.
Eating difficulties among patients 3 months after stroke in relation to the acute phase
Authors: Medin Jörgen , Windahl Jenny , von Arbin Magnus , Tham Kerstin , Wredling Regina 
Published: July 2011

medin j., windahl j., von arbin m., tham k. & wredling r. (2012) Eating difficulties among patients 3 months after stroke in relation to the acute phase. Journal of Advanced Nursing68(3), 580–589.AbstractAim.  This paper is a report of a study comparing eating difficulties among patients 3 months after stroke in relation to the acute phase.Background.  There is limited knowledge of patients with eating problems early after stroke, hence the progress of eating abilities needs to be further explored.Method.  From March 2007 to June 2008 36 stroke patients with 2–7 eating difficulties or problems with reduced alertness or swallowing in the acute phase were included. Eating difficulties were detected using a structured protocol of observation of meals. In addition, stroke severity (National Institute of Health Stroke Scale), functional status (Barthel Index), unilateral neglect (Line Bisection test and Letter Cancellation test), psychological well‐being (The Well‐being Questionnaire‐12), nutritional status (Mini Nutritional Assessment) and oral status (Revised Oral Assessment Guide) were assessed.Results.  There were 36 participants (58% female) with a median age of 74·5 years. The proportion of eating difficulties decreased significantly from the acute phase to the 3‐month follow‐up in ‘sitting position’, ‘managing food on the plate’ and ‘manipulating food in the mouth’ and increased regarding inadequate food consumption. Improvements were shown at 3 months in stroke severity, functional status, nutritional status and neglect. Oral status and psychological well‐being remained unchanged.Conclusion.  The majority of eating problems persisted 3 months after stroke despite a marked improvement in most of the physical functions. The unchanged psychological well‐being and sustained problems with food consumption indicate that factors other than physical function should be taken into account regarding eating difficulties poststroke.
Observations on the flight paths of the day‐flying mothVirbia lamaeduring periods of mate location: do males have a strategy for contacting the pheromone plume?
Authors: Cardé Ring T. , Cardé Anja M. , Girling Robbie D. 
Published: July 2011

Summary1. To maximize the probability of rapid contact with a female’s pheromone plume, the trajectories of male foraging flights might be expected to be directed with respect to wind flow and also to be energetically efficient.2. Flights directed either upwind, downwind, or crosswind have been proposed as optimal strategies for rapid and/or energetically efficient plume contact. Other possible strategies are random and Lévy walks, which have trajectories and turn frequencies that are not dictated by the direction of wind flow.3. The planar flight paths of males of the day‐active mothVirbia lamaewere recorded during the customary time of its sexual activity.4. We found no directional preference in these foraging flights with respect to the direction of contemporaneous wind flow, but, because crosswind encompasses twice the possible orientations of either upwind or downwind, a random orientation is in effect ade factocrosswind strategy.5. A crosswind preference should be favoured when the plume extends farther downwind than crosswind, and this strategy is realized byV. lamaemales by a random orientation of their trajectories with respect to current wind direction.
Nursing research capacity building in a Spanish hospital: an intervention study
Authors: Corchon Silvia , Portillo Mari Carmen , Watson Roger , Saracíbar Maribel 
Published: July 2011

Aims and objectives.  To evaluate a contextually framed intervention to increase nursing research capacity among clinical nurses in a Spanish hospital.Background.  In Spain, there has been a paucity of nursing research and a lack of nursing research culture. Currently, with the European Convergence of educational programmes and qualifications, there is a growing interest in promoting nursing research in this country.Design.  A quasi‐experimental design.Methods.  Using a control (n = 81) and an intervention group (n = 89) of nurses, pre‐ and postintervention data were collected from both groups to evaluate the impact of the intervention at three times. The intervention, implemented over one year, consisted of the establishment of a mentors’ network and an educational programme with research courses and journal clubs. Data collection methods included questionnaires, objective tests and scales.Results.  The nursing research capacity of the hospital developed moderately after the intervention, with an increase in participants’ research capability (knowledge, skills and attitudes) and a decrease in some of the inhibiting factors identified in the context.Conclusions.  A new comprehensive and contextually framed intervention to develop nursing research capacity has been designed, implemented and evaluated in a hospital. It contributed to the development of the nursing research culture in the context.Relevance to clinical practice.  An increase in nursing research activity could improve the quality of nursing care through the incorporation of research evidence in practice. This intervention could be used as a model in other hospitals, and it should be evaluated in other contexts.
Neighbour interactions strengthen with increased soil resources in a northern hardwood forest
Authors: Baribault Thomas W. , Kobe Richard K. 
Published: July 2011

Summary1. The relationship between soil resource availability and competitive interactions remains unclear in forest ecosystems. If competition shifts from below‐ground to above‐ground across soil resource gradients, then competitive interactions should constrain growth across soil fertility levels. Alternatively, competition may be less important under stressful conditions associated with low soil resources.2. We developed individual‐based growth models as functions of local tree neighbourhood and measurements of soil resources for 10 common tree species from sites established across a soil resource gradient in north‐west Lower Michigan, USA. We hypothesized that tree growth should increase with soil resource availability (rarely measured at local scales), but decrease with the density, size and proximity of neighbouring trees.3. Correlations of growth to neighbourhood effects were strongest for species occupying primarily high‐resource sites. Correlations of growth to soil resources were positive for species associated with high and intermediate fertility. In contrast, correlations of growth to soil water were negative for species associated with low fertility, suggesting that competitiveness of these species decreased with higher soil resources and concomitant decreases in irradiance.4. Relationships between mean site‐level tree growth and soil resources were much stronger than individual growth–local resource relationships. Weaker species‐specific, individual‐level trends likely arose from limited species distributions across each soil resource domain.5. Synthesis. Neighbourhood interactions were more prevalent in species associated with high soil fertility sites, where canopy transmission of irradiance was low. For species dominant at low fertility, where canopy transmission of irradiance was relatively high, neighbourhood interactions were absent or negligible. The growth of intermediate‐fertility species was negatively correlated with soil water, but decreasing site‐level canopy openness with soil water suggests that these species were out‐competed for irradiance as soil resources increased. Thus, irradiance likely mediated the stronger competitive interactions at higher‐fertility sites.
The relationship between challenging behaviour, burnout and cognitive variables in staff working with people who have intellectual disabilities
Authors: Mills S. , Rose J. 
Published: July 2011

AbstractBackground  There is evidence to suggest a relationship between the way in which staff perceive challenging behaviour and burnout in staff working with people with intellectual disabilities (ID) and challenging behaviour. However, the evidence of a direct link is equivocal and it is possible that a number of different variables mediate this relationship. The aim of the study is to confirm whether there is a relationship between challenging behaviour and staff burnout, and in addition, to test whether staff perceptions about challenging behaviour mediate this relationship.Method  Seventy‐eight staff completed measures of burnout, challenging behaviour and perceptions about challenging behaviour. The perceptions explored included beliefs about the timeline of behaviour, staff's perception of whether they themselves have control over the behaviour, beliefs about clients' ability to control the behaviour and staff's negative emotional responses.Results  Significant positive correlations were found between challenging behaviour and burnout, challenging behaviour and cognitive variables, and cognitive variables and burnout. Regression analyses demonstrated that negative emotions mediate the relationship between challenging behaviour and burnout.Conclusions  The results show evidence that there is a relationship between challenging behaviour and burnout that is mediated by negative emotion, namely the fear of potential assault.
Utility of the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI) in psychiatric outpatients with intellectual disabilities
Authors: Wieland J. , Wardenaar K. J. , Fontein E. , Zitman F. G. 
Published: July 2011

AbstractBackground  Diagnostics and care for people with intellectual disabilities (ID) and psychiatric disorders need to be improved. This can be done by using assessment instruments to routinely measure the nature and severity of psychiatric symptoms. Up until now, in the Netherlands, assessment measures are seldom used in the psychiatric care for this population. The objective of the present paper is to evaluate the use of the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI), a widely used standardised questionnaire in general psychiatry, in a well‐defined sample of people with borderline intellectual functioning or mild ID diagnosed with one or more psychiatric disorders.Methods  A total of 224 psychiatric outpatients with either borderline intellectual functioning or mild ID participated in this study. All participants were new patients of Kristal, Centre for Psychiatry and Intellectual Disability in the Netherlands, in the period between 1 April 2008 and 1 October 2009. All participants were assessed by a multidisciplinary team, including a certified psychiatrist. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM‐IV‐TR) criteria were applied. The mean total intelligence quotient was measured with the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS‐III). The BSI was administered in an assisted fashion. Utility and psychometric properties of the BSI were investigated. Internal consistency coefficients (Cronbach's alphas) were computed. Bivariate correlations between the sub‐scales were computed to assess differentiation between the scales. Mean sub‐scale scores were compared between different DSM‐IV‐TR subgroups to investigate the discriminant abilities of the scales. A confirmatory factor analysis was conducted.Results  The results suggest that the BSI is practically useful. Internal consistencies ranged from 0.70 to 0.96 and thus are considered good to adequate. Sub‐scale inter‐correlations showed there is a degree of differentiation between the sub‐scales. Discriminant validity was shown for the sub‐scales depression, anxiety and phobic anxiety. Confirmatory factor analysis showed that the underlying structure of the BSI could be described by the same nine‐factor model as reported in previous studies.Conclusions  As a result of the psychometric properties illustrated, this study supports the use of the BSI as a screener for psychopathology and a general outcome measure in people with ID.
Duty of care and autonomy: how support workers managed the tension between protecting service users from risk and promoting their independence in a specialist group home
Authors: Hawkins R. , Redley M. , Holland A. J. 
Published: July 2011

AbstractBackground  In the UK those paid to support adults with intellectual disabilities must manage two potentially conflicting duties that are set out in policy documents as being vital to their role: protecting service users (their duty of care) and recognising service users' autonomy. This study focuses specifically on the support of people with the genetically determined condition, Prader–Willi syndrome (PWS). Due to the behaviours associated with PWS, the support of this group of people vividly illustrates the tension between respect for autonomy and duty of care. This article explores how support workers working in a residential group home managed their competing duties of managing risk and promoting independence in practice.Methods  An ethnographic study, comprising of qualitative observations, semi‐structured interviews and documentary analysis, was undertaken to investigate the work of support workers in a UK residential group home specialising in the support of adults diagnosed with PWS. The study focused on how support workers attempted to reconcile the tension between protecting service users from the risks associated with the syndrome and acknowledging service users' autonomy by enabling independence.Results  Findings demonstrate that risk was central to the structure of care delivery at the group home and support workers often adhered to standardised risk management procedures. The organisation also required support workers to promote service users' independence and many thought acknowledging service users' autonomy through the promotion of their independence was important. To manage tensions between their differing duties, some support workers deviated from standardised risk management procedures to allow service users a degree of independence.Conclusions  There is a tension between the duty of care and the duty to recognise autonomy at the level of service delivery in residential homes. Support workers attempt to manage this tension; however, further work needs to be done by both residential services and policy makers to facilitate the reconciliation of the duty of care with the duty to recognise service users' autonomy in practice.