bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Acute Emergence of Elizabethkingia meningoseptica Infection among Mechanically Ventilated Patients in a Long-Term Acute Care Facility
Authors: Weaver Kingsley N. , Jones Roderick C. , Albright Rosemary , Thomas Yolanda , Zambrano Carlos H. , Costello Michael , Havel Janet , Price Joel , Gerber Susan I. 
Published: November 2009

Objective.To describe an outbreak of infection associated with an infrequently implicated pathogen, Elizabethkingia meningoseptica, in an increasingly prominent setting for health care of severely ill patients, the long-term acute care hospital.Design.Outbreak investigation.Setting.Long-term acute care hospital with 55 patients, most of whom were mechanically ventilated.Methods.We defined a case as E. meningoseptica isolated from any patient specimen source from December 2007 through April 2008, conducted an investigation of case patients, obtained environmental specimens, and performed microbiologic testing.Results.Nineteen patients had E. meningoseptica infection, and 8 died. All case patients had been admitted with respiratory failure that required mechanical ventilation. Among the 8 individuals who died, the time from collection of the first specimen positive for E. meningoseptica to death ranged from 6 to 43 days (median, 16 days). Environmental sampling was performed on 106 surfaces; E. meningoseptica was isolated from only one swab. Three related pulsed-field gel electrophoresis patterns were identified in patient isolates; the environmental isolate yielded a fourth, unrelated pattern.Conclusion.Long-term acute care hospitals with mechanically ventilated patients could serve as an important transmission setting for E. meningoseptica. This multidrug-resistant bacterium could pose additional risk when patients are transferred between long-term acute care hospitals and acute care hospitals.
Insertion and use of the LMA Supreme™ in the prone position*
Authors: López A. M. , Valero R. , Brimacombe J. 
Published: November 2009

SummaryWe investigated whether insertion of an LMA Supreme™ and its use for maintenance of anaesthesia is feasible in the prone position. Forty adult patients positioned themselves prone and were given propofol until the Bispectral Index was < 50. A size‐4 LMA Supreme was inserted by experienced anaesthetists. Ease of insertion, ease of ventilation, efficacy of seal, ease of gastric tube insertion, blood staining, postoperative sore throat, and other complications were recorded. Insertion was successful at the first and second attempt in 37 (92.5%) and 3 (7.5%) patients, respectively. The mean (SD) insertion time was 21 (15) s. Oropharyngeal leak pressure was greater in females than males (29 (4) vs 25 (4) cmH2O, respectively, p = 0.01). Adequate ventilation was achieved in all patients. Gastric tube placement was successful in all patients. The frequency of blood staining and sore throat was 7.5% each. No other complications were noted. We conclude that use of the LMA Supreme in the prone position by experienced users is feasible.
Cocaine‐related admissions to an intensive care unit: a five‐year study of incidence and outcomes
Authors: Galvin S. , Campbell M. , Marsh B. , O’Brien B. 
Published: November 2009

SummaryCocaine misuse is increasing and it is evidently considered a relatively safe drug of abuse in Ireland. To address this perception, we reviewed the database of an 18‐bed Dublin intensive care unit, covering all admissions from 2003 to 2007. We identified cocaine‐related cases, measuring hospital mortality and long‐term survival in early 2009. Cocaine‐related admissions increased from around one annually in 2003–05 to 10 in 2007. Their median (IQR [range]) age was 25 (21–35 [17–47]) years and 78% were male. The median (IQR [range]) APACHE II score was 16 (11–27 [5–36]) and length of intensive care stay was 5 (3–9 [1–16]) days. Ten patients died during their hospital stay. A further five had died by the time of follow‐up, a median of 24 months later. One was untraceable. Cocaine toxicity necessitating intensive care is increasingly common in Dublin. Hospital mortality in this series was 52%. These findings may help to inform public attitudes to cocaine.
Successful correction of murine sickle cell disease with reduced stem cell requirements reinforced by fractionated marrow infusions
Authors: Felfly Hady , Trudel Marie 
Published: November 2009

SummaryMinimal criteria requirements of stem cell replacement, conditioning regimen and modalities of infusion essential for cure of sickle cell disease (SCD) by bone marrow(BM)/stem cell transplantation or gene therapy must be established prior to clinical trials. The threshold of normal BM/stem cells for therapeutic correction of this red blood cell disorder was evaluated in the SAD murine SCD model from peripheral donor white blood cells. From 11 groups of stable chimeric SAD mice (5–92%) analyzed over ∼2 years, mice with ∼16% normal donor stem cells showed improvement of haematological and erythroid responses. Mice in the 26% chimeric group and above demonstrated substantial amelioration of organ pathologies with generalized decreased iron deposits, fibrosis and reached normal lifespan. Subsequently, the minimal myelosuppression concurrently with number and timing of infusions and number of BM cells was determined to reach therapeutic threshold in SAD mice. Higher myelosuppression (2 Gy vs. 1 Gy) and cell number in single infusion led to increased chimerism. Importantly, administration of three‐equivalent cell subdoses within 28 h of mild myelosuppression resulted in 100% recipient engraftment at therapeutic levels. These studies established the long‐term therapeutic chimeric threshold of normal white blood cells at ∼26% and determined the minimal fractionated BM/stem cell doses concomitant with mild myelosuppression for significant correction of SCD in SAD mice.
Advances in the management and understanding of autoimmune lymphoproliferative syndrome (ALPS)
Authors: Teachey David T. , Seif Alix E. , Grupp Stephan A. 
Published: November 2009

SummaryAutoimmune lymphoproliferative syndrome (ALPS) is a disorder of T cell dysregulation caused by defective Fas‐mediated apoptosis. Patients with ALPS can develop a myriad of clinical manifestations including lymphadenopathy, hepatosplenomegaly, autoimmunity and increased rates of malignancy. ALPS may be more common that originally thought, and testing for ALPS should be considered in patients with unexplained lymphadenopathy, hepatosplenomegaly, and/or autoimmunity. As the pathophysiology of ALPS is better characterized, a number of targeted therapies are in preclinical development and clinical trials with promising early results. This review describes the clinical and laboratory manifestations found in ALPS patients, as well as the molecular basis for the disease and new advances in treatment.
Ontogeny of escape swimming performance in the spotted salamander
Authors: Landberg Tobias , Azizi Emanuel 
Published: November 2009

Summary 1. The life stage suffering the highest predation rate is expected to have the highest escape performance unless developmental or functional constraints interfere. Peak aquatic escape performance in ephemeral pond‐breeding amphibians is expected to develop early in the larval period, and metamorphosis is expected to reduce or completely disrupt aquatic escape performance. In anurans, exceptionally low escape performance during metamorphosis creates selection favouring rapid metamorphosis – which minimizes the time individuals spend in the vulnerable transition between tadpole and frog. 2. We investigated the development of aquatic escape performance in the spotted salamander, Ambystoma maculatum (Shaw, 1802), from embryonic development through metamorphosis. We expected performance to peak early in the larval period as hatchlings face high rates of predation but embryos must first develop escape behaviours. We also tested whether escape performance during metamorphosis was intermediate, as predicted by tail fin resorption, or lower than larvae and adults indicating a major physiological disruption. 3. Escape performance shows a complex ontogeny that is first positively influenced by embryonic and early larval development and then negatively correlated with tail resorption and body size. Escape distance was the only performance metric not affected by life stage. In contrast, both escape velocity and duration showed ontogenetic peaks early in the larval period with the lowest performance found in early embryos and adults and intermediate performance during metamorphosis. 4. This pattern suggests that metamorphosis does not impose a major physiological disruption on escape performance. Because spotted salamanders do not pass through a frog‐like ‘ontogenetic performance valley’ during metamorphosis, they may be less subject than anurans to selection favouring rapid metamorphosis. 5. Functional implications of phenotypic variation should be considered in an ontogenetic framework because the relationship between body size and escape performance can be reversed on either side of an ontogenetic performance peak. The assumption that metamorphosis radically disrupts basic functions such as predator evasion does not seem universally warranted and suggests examination of ontogenetic performance trajectories in a diversity of animals with complex life cycles.
Contribution of acidification and eutrophication to declines in species richness of calcifuge grasslands along a gradient of atmospheric nitrogen deposition
Authors: Stevens Carly J. , Thompson Ken , Grime J. Philip , Long Christopher J. , Gowing David J. G. 
Published: November 2009

Summary 1. Atmospheric deposition of nitrogen (N) is a global problem resulting in negative consequences for biodiversity due to direct toxicity, increases in invasive species, increased susceptibility to environmental stresses and soil‐mediated effects of acidification and eutrophication. 2. Reductions in plant species richness related to N deposition have been observed in a number of habitats including calcifuge (acid) grasslands but the mechanisms of this decline have not been fully investigated. We test the hypotheses that along a large‐scale gradient of N deposition there is (i) an increase in species tolerant of low pH conditions as a result of soil acidification and (ii) an increase in competitive and nitrophilic species as a result of soil eutrophication. As competitive species can occur in low pH habitats, both of these hypotheses could be true. 3. Using plant characteristics, we examined changes in vegetation species composition along the gradient of N deposition in the UK. Mean C–S–R signatures were used to identify the competitive response of plant communities together with Ellenberg N (nitrogen) scores to identify increases in nitrophilic species. Ellenberg R (reaction, pH) scores were used to identify change in response to soil pH together with an index of soil acidity preference developed using regional survey data. 4. Mean C–S–R signatures showed no significant correlation with N deposition, nor did mean Ellenberg N scores. Ellenberg R scores and the index of soil acidity preference showed significant relationships with N deposition indicating an increased dominance of acid‐tolerant species. 5. The results suggest that soil acidification as opposed to eutrophication and consequent competition between species is contributing to shifts in species composition and diversity linked to N deposition in calcifuge grasslands. Soil acidification may be leading to reduced nutrient availability preventing the effects of N addition from being apparent.
Morphological diversity and ecological similarity: versatility of muscular and skeletal morphologies enables ecological convergence in shrews
Authors: Young Rebecca L. , Sweeney Michael J. , Badyaev Alexander V. 
Published: November 2009

Summary 1. Ecological convergence in morphology among taxa of distinct evolutionary histories is a common illustration of the efficacy of natural selection. Ecological convergence is often enabled by functional redundancy of complex morphological structures, such that modification of existing morphologies in response to similar functional requirements can lead to the development and evolution of morphological diversity. Thus, studies of the mechanisms that enable the development of similar adaptations in taxa with distinct morphologies provide important insights into both the evolution of past adaptations and patterns of future evolutionary divergence. 2. Here, we examine mechanisms that have enabled ecological convergence in foraging morphology among four geographically isolated and morphologically distinct populations of shrews: south‐eastern Arizona and north‐central New Mexico populations of the montane shrews (Sorex monticolus) and northern California and north‐central Montana populations of the vagrant shrew (S. vagrans). 3. We show that despite overlap in diet, populations had distinct skeletal and muscular morphologies of the mandible. This association between ecological convergence and morphological uniqueness among populations was enabled by versatility of foraging morphologies that generated similar functional outputs. 4. In addition, we found that populations exhibited unique skeletal and muscular correlations with diet suggesting that distinct muscular and morphological components of the complex foraging apparatus can be used for a particular resource. This result corroborates a previous finding that extensive modularity in mandibular development allows diverse morphologies to generate equivalent functions and utilize similar resources across taxa. 5. Synthesis. We conclude that the observed functional and ecological convergences resulted from population‐specific musculoskeletal interactions, and suggest that the differences in skeletal and muscular morphologies observed among these populations reflect evolved differences in plasticity of the skeletal and muscular components of the mandible.
Selection on offspring size among environments: the roles of environmental quality and variability
Authors: Monro Keyne , Sinclair‐Taylor Tane , Marshall Dustin J. 
Published: November 2009

Summary 1. How mothers balance the trade‐off between offspring size and number to maximize maternal fitness has long been of interest to ecologists seeking to understand the evolution of offspring size. Predictions of the optimal offspring size depend fundamentally on the relationship between offspring size and offspring performance, which may in turn vary with environmental conditions. 2. Selection for larger offspring is expected to intensify as environmental quality deteriorates. Models also predict that variable selection on offspring size may favour the evolution of larger offspring than those favoured when selection is constant, or of strategies of variable offspring provisioning (e.g. bet‐hedging, plasticity). To date, there is mixed empirical support for the first expectation and few tests of the second. Given, however, that offspring size effects are often estimated under controlled laboratory conditions that presumably downplay their strength and variability, we may not yet understand how selection shapes offspring size in nature. 3. We examined several relationships between offspring size and performance in controlled (laboratory) and natural (field) environments over time for a colonial marine invertebrate, Bugula neritina, and assessed the variability of these relationships by doing so for replicate cohorts. We further developed a simple optimality model to examine whether predictions of the optimal offspring size were similar (or similarly variable) across environments. 4. We found that selection on offspring size varied substantially among laboratory and field environments, and among cohorts in the latter. In the laboratory, our model consistently predicted that mothers should maximize their fecundity by producing the smallest possible offspring. In the field, however, the predicted optimal offspring size varied from the smallest possible size to the largest possible size for different cohorts. 5. Our study suggests that laboratory estimates of offspring size effects, though often necessary, may not always reflect the direction or variability of selection on offspring size under natural conditions. The optimal offspring size for mothers in nature may be an ever‐shifting target that shapes provisioning strategies such as bet‐hedging or plasticity in offspring size.
Preferences for steaming of vegetables
Authors: Rennie C. , Wise A. 
Published: November 2009

AbstractBackground:  Steaming retains vitamins and phytochemicals in vegetables better than boiling; thus, it is important to promote this cooking method. The present study aimed to determine what vegetable would be best to use in a campaign to promote steaming.Methods:  Carrots, broccoli and green cabbage were boiled, steamed or microwave steamed. Untrained assessors (n = 50) evaluated the sensory properties of appearance, texture, taste and overall acceptability using a hedonic rating test on a scale from 1–9. Average scores for overall acceptability were calculated for each type of cooking according to the assessors’ usual cooking method.Results:  For all features, steaming and microwave steaming were rated significantly higher than boiling for broccoli (for acceptability 6.2 and 7.1 versus 5.1; P < 0.001), whereas carrots were similarly considered better for flavour and overall acceptability. Generally, cabbage was rated lower for all features, with no differences amongst the cooking methods (4.9–5.2 for acceptability). Only two of twenty‐one subjects who usually boil vegetables preferred the boiled vegetables in the present study.Conclusions:  Generally, steaming and microwave steaming were preferred for certain vegetables, even by those who normally boil them. Barriers to change need to be considered when planning the promotion of steaming as a regular method of cooking vegetables, although it may be more convincing to use vegetables such as broccoli that are perceived as being most acceptable when steamed.
Child‐care environment and dietary intake of 2‐ and 3‐year‐old children
Authors: Gubbels J. S. , Kremers S. P. J. , Stafleu A. , Dagnelie P. C. , De Vries N. K. , Thijs C. 
Published: November 2009

AbstractBackground:  Previous research has shown that children in child‐care do not comply with dietary intake recommendations (i.e. either exceeding or not meeting recommendations), which may be attributable to specific features of the child‐care environment. The present study explored the relationship between the social and physical child‐care (day‐care) environment and dietary intake of 2‐ and 3‐year‐olds in Dutch child‐care centres.Methods:  The dietary intake of 135 children, aged 2 and 3 years, who were in child‐care was assessed by observing randomly selected children at three meals (morning snack, lunch and afternoon snack) to determine dietary intake (i.e. saturated fat, dietary fibre and energy intake). The environment was observed using the Environment and Policy Assessment and Observation checklist, a structured instrument assessing the physical and social environment.Results:  Children consumed a mean of 486 kJ (116 kcal) during the morning snack, 2043 kJ (488 kcal) during lunch and 708 kJ (169 kcal) during the afternoon snack. There were some gender and age differences in dietary intake. Several environmental factors (e.g. serving style and staff’s model dietary behaviour) were significantly associated with the children’s dietary intake.Conclusions:  Overall, energy intake was in the upper range of recommended intake for children in child‐care. The associations of several environmental factors with dietary intake stress the importance of the child‐care environment for children’s dietary behaviour. Intervening in this setting could possibly contribute to the comprehensive prevention of childhood obesity.
Microstructural characterization of nanocrystalline gold particles supported on CoCr2O4
Authors: MAŁECKA M.A. , KĘPIŃSKI L. 
Published: November 2009

SummaryThis work presents results of high‐resolution transmission electron microscope investigations of microstructure evolution of Au/CoCr2O4 catalyst subjected to various chemical treatments (reduction in hydrogen, reaction of propane oxidation and reaction of CO oxidation). Crystallites of CoCr2O4 support have octahedral or truncated octahedral shape and exhibit well‐developed faces, mostly (111). No change in the support morphology was noticed in catalyst samples after various chemical treatments. Small (∼8 nm) nanocrystals of gold supported on crystalline CoCr2O4 were observed for the fresh sample. The nanoparticles grow at the surface of CoCr2O4 as thin, disk‐like crystallites, in the preferred (111)Au∥(111)CoCr2O4 epitaxial orientation. Further treatment in hydrogen and in reaction conditions (CO and propane oxidation) did not change noticeably the size of Au particles, but modified slightly their shape. A main reason why Au particles retain small size despite heat treatment is their epitaxial contact with the CoCr2O4 support established during the catalyst preparation.
Maternal allergic disease does not affect the phenotype of T and B cells or the immune response to allergens in neonates
Authors: Rindsjö E. , Joerink M. , Johansson C. , Bremme K. , Malmström V. , Scheynius A. 
Published: November 2009

To cite this article: Rindsjö E, Joerink M, Johansson C, Bremme K, Malmström V, Scheynius A. Maternal allergic disease does not affect the phenotype of T and B cells or the immune response to allergens in neonates. Allergy 2010; 65: 822–830.AbstractBackground:  It is hypothesized that the in utero environment in allergic mothers can affect the neonatal immune responses. The aim of this study was to analyse the effect of maternal allergic disease on cord blood mononuclear cell (CBMC) phenotype and proliferative responses upon allergen stimulation.Methods:  Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from 12 allergic and 14 nonallergic mothers and CBMC from their children were analysed. In the mothers, we determined cell proliferation, production of IL‐4 and expression of FOXP3 in response to allergen stimulation. In the children, we evaluated cell proliferation and FOXP3 expression following allergen stimulation. Furthermore, expression of different homing markers on T cells and regulatory T cells and maturity of the T cells and B cell subsets were evaluated directly ex vivo.Results:  The timothy‐ and birch‐allergic mothers responded with increased proliferation and/or IL‐4 production towards timothy and birch extract, respectively, when compared to nonallergic mothers. This could not be explained by impairment of FOXP3+ regulatory T cells in the allergic mothers. CBMC proliferation and FOXP3 expression in response to allergens were not affected by the allergic status of the mother. Also, phenotype of T cells, FOXP3+ regulatory T cells and B cells was not affected by the allergic status of the mother.Conclusion:  Our results suggest that maternal allergic disease has no effect on the neonatal response to allergens or the phenotype of neonatal lymphocytes. The factors studied here could, however, still affect later development of allergy.