bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Effect of probiotic mix (Bifidobacterium bifidum, Bifidobacterium lactis, Lactobacillus acidophilus) in the primary prevention of eczema: a double‐blind, randomized, placebo‐controlled trial
Authors: Kim Ji Yeun , Kwon Jung Hyun , Ahn So Hyun , Lee Sang Il , Han Young Shin , Choi Young Ok , Lee Soo Young , Ahn Kang Mo , Ji Geun Eog 
Published: October 2009

Kim JY, Kwon JH, Ahn SH, Lee SI, Han YS, Choi YO, Lee SY, Ahn KM, Ji GE. Effect of probiotic mix (Bifidobacterium bifidum, Bifidobacterium lactis, Lactobacillus acidophilus) in the primary prevention of eczema: a double‐blind, randomized, placebo‐controlled trial. Pediatr Allergy Immunol 2010: 21: e386–e393. © 2009 John Wiley & Sons A/SControversy exists regarding the preventive effect of probiotics on the development of eczema or atopic dermatitis. We investigated whether supplementation of probiotics prevents the development of eczema in infants at high risk. In a randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled trial, 112 pregnant women with a family history of allergic diseases received a once‐daily supplement, either a mixture of Bifidobacterium bifidum BGN4, B. lactis AD011, and Lactobacillus acidophilus AD031, or placebo, starting at 4–8 wks before delivery and continuing until 6 months after delivery. Infants were exclusively breast‐fed during the first 3 months, and were subsequently fed with breastmilk or cow’s milk formula from 4 to 6 months of age. Clinical symptoms of the infants were monitored until 1 yr of age, when the total and specific IgE against common food allergens were measured. A total of 68 infants completed the study. The prevalence of eczema at 1 yr in the probiotic group was significantly lower than in the placebo group (18.2% vs. 40.0%, p = 0.048). The cumulative incidence of eczema during the first 12 months was reduced significantly in probiotic group (36.4% vs. 62.9%, p = 0.029); however, there was no difference in serum total IgE level or the sensitization against food allergens between the two groups. Prenatal and postnatal supplementation with a mixture of B. bifidum BGN4, B. lactis AD011, and L. acidophilus AD031 is an effective approach in preventing the development of eczema in infants at high risk of allergy during the first year of life.
Validation and clinical feasibility of nitrogen washin/washout functional residual capacity measurements in children
Authors: OLEGÅRD C. , SØNDERGAARD S. , PÅLSSON J. , LUNDIN S. , STENQVIST O. 
Published: October 2009

Background: The functional residual capacity (FRC) is an important parameter in pediatric respiratory monitoring but it is difficult to assess in the clinical setting. We have introduced a modified N2 washout method utilizing a change of FIO2 of 0.1 for FRC measurement in adult respiratory monitoring. This study validated the algorithm in a pediatric lung model and investigated the stability and feasibility in a pediatric peri‐operative and intensive care setting.Methods: The lung model was ventilated in combinations of ventilatory modes, CO2 production, model FRC and respiratory rates. Sixteen children from 10 days to 5 years were studied peri‐operatively with controlled ventilation using a Mapleson D system and in the intensive care unit using a Servo‐i ventilator in a supported spontaneous mode. FRC was measured during stable metabolic, respiratory and circulatory periods at positive end expiratory pressure of 3–4 and 7–8 cmH2O.Results: In the model and in the clinical setting, we found an excellent agreement between washout and washin measurements of FRC as well as acceptable coefficients of repeatability.Conclusion: FRC was satisfactorily measured by a modified N2 algorithm and may be included as a monitoring variable in pediatric respiratory care. Pediatric FRC monitoring demands strictly stable conditions as measurements are performed close to the limits of the monitor's specifications.
Pharmacokinetics after an intravenous single dose of the opioid ketobemidone in children
Authors: LUNDEBERG S. , STEPHANSON N. , LAFOLIE P. , OLSSON G. L. , STILLER C.‐O. , EKSBORG S. 
Published: October 2009

Background:Ketobemidone is often used as an alternative to morphine in children in the Scandinavian countries. The aim of this clinical trial was to explore the pharmacokinetics of ketobemidone in children because these properties have not been reported previously.Methods:Thirty children, newborn to 10 years, scheduled for elective surgery were included in the trial. Ketobemidone hydrochloride was administered as a single intravenous bolus dose and ketobemidone and norketobemidone concentrations were measured by LC‐MS over 8 h. Pharmacokinetic parameters were determined using compartmental methods.Results:Six children were excluded from pharmacokinetic analysis because of incomplete blood sampling. The values of ketobemidone clearance (l/h/kg) given as median (range) were 0.84 (0.29–3.0) in Group A (0–90 days), 0.89 (0.55–1.35) in Group B (1–2.5 years) and 0.74 (0.50–0.99) in Group C (7–10 years). The corresponding values for apparent volume of distribution (l/kg) were 4.4 (3.7–6.9) (Group A), 2.6 (2.0–5.6) (Group B) and 3.9 (2.7–5.0 (Group C), and for elimination half‐life (h) 3.0 (1.4–8.9) (Group A), 2.0 (1.2–4.7) (Group B) and 3.7 (2.4–6.9) (Group C), respectively. In the two neonates the elimination half‐life was almost 9 h. The metabolite norketobemidone did not reach levels above the limit of quantification (0.07 ng/ml) in any of the patients.Conclusion:The pharmacokinetic parameters of ketobemidone in children older than 1 month appear to be similar to those in adults. Because of the large interindividual variability of the pharmacokinetics in neonates, further studies especially in this age group are warranted.
Age‐dependent mutational effects curtail the evolution of senescence by antagonistic pleiotropy
Authors: MOORAD J. A. , HALL D. W. 
Published: October 2009

AbstractOne of the two main hypotheses to account for ageing is antagonistic pleiotropy (AP). This model requires alleles that increase vital rates (reproduction or survival) at early age at the expense of vital rates at late age. An important focus of evolutionary studies has been to assess the relative abundance of AP‐type aging alleles that arise through mutation. Here, we develop theory that predicts that senescence per se reduces the probability that these alleles arise by mutation. A direct result is that these mutations should arise with extremely low frequencies in already senescing populations. This has profound implications for the evolution of life histories because it implies that the adaptive evolution of aging via AP will experience negative feedback. This theory also clarifies the previously inexplicable epistatic patterns of genetic covariance across age‐specific vital rates that are observed in mutation accumulation experiments. We show that this epistasis is an emergent property of aging.
Routes to indirect fitness in cooperatively breeding vertebrates: kin discrimination and limited dispersal
Authors: CORNWALLIS C. K. , WEST S. A. , GRIFFIN A. S. 
Published: October 2009

AbstractHamilton demonstrated that the evolution of cooperative behaviour is favoured by high relatedness, which can arise through kin discrimination or limited dispersal (population viscosity). These two processes are likely to operate with limited overlap: kin discrimination is beneficial when variation in relatedness is higher, whereas limited dispersal results in less variable and higher average relatedness, reducing selection for kin discrimination. However, most empirical work on eukaryotes has focused on kin discrimination. To address this bias, we analysed how kin discrimination and limited dispersal interact to shape helping behaviour across cooperatively breeding vertebrates. We show that kin discrimination is greater in species where the: (i) average relatedness in groups is lower and more variable; (ii) effect of helpers on breeders reproductive success is greater; and (iii) probability of helping was measured, rather than the amount of help provided. There was also an interaction between these effects with the correlation between the benefits of helping and kin discrimination being stronger in species with higher variance in relatedness. Overall, our results suggest that kin discrimination provides a route to indirect benefits when relatedness is too variable within groups to favour indiscriminate cooperation.
Path analysis of natural selection via survival and fecundity across contrasting environments in Avena barbata
Authors: LATTA R. G. , McCAIN C. 
Published: October 2009

AbstractWe employed path analysis to analyse natural selection through two major fitness components in each of three contrasting environments. Using a randomized block design, 188 Recombinant Inbred Lines (RILs) derived from a cross between contrasting ecotypes of Avena barbata were planted in common gardens in the greenhouse, and in two field sites typical of each ecotype’s native habitat. Individuals were monitored for germination phenology, early growth, survival, final size, flowering phenology, reproductive allocation, fecundity and lifetime reproductive success. The variance/covariance matrix of the RIL (genotype) means was fit to a path model in which total fitness was made up of survival and fecundity (of survivors) components. In the greenhouse, all fitness variation was determined by fecundity variation (with no mortality), which was itself primarily determined by reproductive allocation mediated by date of first flowering. By contrast, in the field, early growth was the major determinant of survival, and final size was the major determinant of fecundity. Both components of fitness affected lifetime reproductive success equally in the field. Thus the major difference between greenhouse and field seems to be a shift from selection on allocation patterns in adults, to selection on resource acquisition, especially at earlier life stages. The pattern of selection was similar in the two field sites, despite the contrasting environments.
Localization of Vesicular Glutamate Transporter 2 mRNA in the Dorsal Root Ganglion of the Pigeon (Columba Livia)
Authors: Atoji Y. , Islam M. R. 
Published: October 2009

SummaryOur previous study showed localization of glutamate receptor 1 (GluR1) mRNA in neurons of the pigeon spinal cord, suggesting glutamatergic input from intrinsic and extrinsic origins. The present study examined localization of vesicular glutamate transporter 2 (VGLUT2) mRNA to confirm an extrinsic origin of glutamatergic neurons in the dorsal root ganglion (DRG). GluR1 and GluR2 mRNAs were examined in DRG and spinal cord to seek projection regions from VGLUT2 mRNA‐expressing neurons. VGLUT2 mRNA was expressed in most DRG neurons and labelling intensity varied from weakly to intensely. Intense VGLUT2 mRNA expression was mainly seen in medium to large neurons. GluR1 and GluR2 mRNAs were expressed in the dorsal horn and GluR2 mRNA signal was also seen in the marginal nucleus. The results suggest that the pigeon DRG has an extrinsic glutamatergic origin that project to the dorsal horn and marginal nucleus of the spinal cord.
Loss of photic entrainment at low illuminances in rats with acute photoreceptor degeneration
Authors: Boudard Domitille L. , Mendoza Jorge , Hicks David 
Published: October 2009

AbstractIn several species, an acute injection of N‐methyl‐N‐nitrosourea (MNU) induces a retinal degeneration characterized principally by a rapid loss of the outer nuclear layer, the other layers remaining structurally intact. It has, however, also been reported that down‐regulation of melanopsin gene expression is associated with the degeneration and is detectable soon after injection. Melanopsin is expressed by a small subset of intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells and plays an important role in circadian behaviour photoentrainment. We injected MNU into Long Evans rats and investigated the ability of animals to entrain to three light/dark cycles of different light intensities (300, 15 and 1 lux). Control animals entrained their locomotor activity rhythms to the three cycles. In contrast, MNU‐treated animals could only entrain properly to the 300 lux cycle. For the 15 lux cycle, their phase angle was much altered compared with control animals, and for the 1 lux cycle, MNU‐injected animals were unable to photoentrain and exhibited an apparent free‐run activity pattern with a period of 24.3 h. Subsequent to behavioural studies the animals were killed and rod, cone, melanopsin expression and melanopsin‐expressing cells were quantified. Rod and cone loss was almost complete, melanopsin protein was reduced by 83% and melanopsin‐expressing cells were reduced by 37%. Our study provides a comprehensive model of photoreceptor degeneration at the adult stage and a simple and versatile method to investigate the relation between retinal photoreceptors and the circadian system.
Top‐down modulation of auditory processing: effects of sound context, musical expertise and attentional focus
Authors: Tervaniemi M , Kruck S , De Baene W , Schröger E , Alter K , Friederici A. D. 
Published: October 2009

AbstractBy recording auditory electrical brain potentials, we investigated whether the basic sound parameters (frequency, duration and intensity) are differentially encoded among speech vs. music sounds by musicians and non‐musicians during different attentional demands. To this end, a pseudoword and an instrumental sound of comparable frequency and duration were presented. The accuracy of neural discrimination was tested by manipulations of frequency, duration and intensity. Additionally, the subjects’ attentional focus was manipulated by instructions to ignore the sounds while watching a silent movie or to attentively discriminate the different sounds. In both musicians and non‐musicians, the pre‐attentively evoked mismatch negativity (MMN) component was larger to slight changes in music than in speech sounds. The MMN was also larger to intensity changes in music sounds and to duration changes in speech sounds. During attentional listening, all subjects more readily discriminated changes among speech sounds than among music sounds as indexed by the N2b response strength. Furthermore, during attentional listening, musicians displayed larger MMN and N2b than non‐musicians for both music and speech sounds. Taken together, the data indicate that the discriminative abilities in human audition differ between music and speech sounds as a function of the sound‐change context and the subjective familiarity of the sound parameters. These findings provide clear evidence for top‐down modulatory effects in audition. In other words, the processing of sounds is realized by a dynamically adapting network considering type of sound, expertise and attentional demands, rather than by a strictly modularly organized stimulus‐driven system.
Diversity and host specificity of the Verminephrobacter–earthworm symbiosis
Authors: Lund Marie B. , Davidson Seana K. , Holmstrup Martin , James Sam , Kjeldsen Kasper U. , Stahl David A. , Schramm Andreas 
Published: October 2009

SummarySymbiotic bacteria of the genus Verminephrobacter (Betaproteobacteria) were detected in the nephridia of 19 out of 23 investigated earthworm species (Oligochaeta: Lumbricidae) by 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). While all four Lumbricus species and three out of five Aporrectodea species were densely colonized by a mono‐species culture of Verminephrobacter, other earthworm species contained mixed bacterial populations with varying proportions of Verminephrobacter; four species did not contain Verminephrobacter at all. The Verminephrobacter symbionts could be grouped into earthworm species‐specific sequence clusters based on their 16S rRNA and RNA polymerase subunit B (rpoB) genes. Closely related host species harboured more closely related symbionts than did distantly related hosts. Co‐diversification of the symbiotic partners could not be demonstrated unambiguously due to the poor resolution of the host phylogeny [based on histone H3 and cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene sequence analyses]. However, there was a pattern of symbiont diversification within four groups of closely related hosts. The mean rate of symbiont 16S rRNA gene evolution was determined using a relaxed clock model, and the rate was calibrated with paleogeographical estimates of the time of origin of Lumbricid earthworms. The calibrated rates of symbiont 16S rRNA gene evolution are 0.012–0.026 substitutions per site per 50 million years and thus similar to rates reported from other symbiotic bacteria.
Tactics‐Based Behavioural Planning for Goal‐Driven Rigid Body Control
Authors: Zickler Stefan , Veloso Manuela 
Published: October 2009

Abstract Controlling rigid body dynamic simulations can pose a difficult challenge when constraints exist on the bodies' goal states and the sequence of intermediate states in the resulting animation. Manually adjusting individual rigid body control actions (forces and torques) can become a very labour‐intensive and non‐trivial task, especially if the domain includes a large number of bodies or if it requires complicated chains of inter‐body collisions to achieve the desired goal state. Furthermore, there are some interactive applications that rely on rigid body models where no control guidance by a human animator can be offered at runtime, such as video games. In this work, we present techniques to automatically generate intelligent control actions for rigid body simulations. We introduce sampling‐based motion planning methods that allow us to model goal‐driven behaviour through the use of non‐deterministic Tactics that consist of intelligent, sampling‐based control‐blocks, called Skills. We introduce and compare two variations of a Tactics‐driven planning algorithm, namely behavioural Kinodynamic Rapidly Exploring Random Trees (BK‐RRT) and Behavioural Kinodynamic Balanced Growth Trees (BK‐BGT). We show how our planner can be applied to automatically compute the control sequences for challenging physics‐based domains and that is scalable to solve control problems involving several hundred interacting bodies, each carrying unique goal constraints.
Theoretical rhetoric about migration networks: A case of a journey of Bangladeshi workers to Malaysia
Authors: Ahsan Ullah AKM 
Published: October 2009

AbstractThis paper analyses the routes that Bangladeshi migrant workers take to get to Malaysia. This paper also tests the basic tenets and the applicability of networks theory with the empirical reality on the routes. In order to test it, the route negotiated by Bangladeshi migrant workers from Bangladesh to Malaysia is considered. Network theory proposes that migration, in terms of reduction of costs and mitigation of risks, is facilitated by networks.Data demonstrate that majority of the respondents had incurred exorbitant costs on their migration. To get to their destination, half of the respondents took around a month, a quarter of them took between one and two months, while a person traveling in a normal way could make the same air journey safely in three hours. En route they suffered many other severe adversities: such as starvation, maltreatment, and were forced to pass through deep jungles. Thus, this study directly challenges the theory by illustrating that despite their access to networks, their migration was marked by a lengthy, painful, and hazardous journey.
Multicultural Challenges in Korea: the Current Stage and a Prospect
Authors: Kim Nam‐Kook 
Published: October 2009

AbstractThis paper examines the recent challenges of cultural diversity in the Republic of Korea and predicts possible developments in the future. I explain the current stage of development in the Korean society towards multiculturalism through a three‐stage framework: tolerance, legalization of non‐discrimination, and multiculturalism. Each stage of development will be analysed through several sub measures. To better understand Korea’s unique situation, I also contrast two different perspectives, namely, state top‐down and society bottom‐up explanations. I will counter the claim of the state‐initiated instrumental multiculturalism thesis that assumes a proactive Korean government’s initiative to control immigration and adopt multicultural policy as a strategy to compensate for a labour shortage. This paper will instead argue from the liberal democracy thesis. Democratization in Korea has confirmed the relevance of liberal democracy thesis, which presupposes two conditions: the increasing demand for cultural rights by minorities and liberal constitutional government’s inevitable acceptance of such demands. Unlike the claim of state‐initiated instrumental multiculturalism, strong voices of NGOs in civil society since the mid‐1990s have influenced the development of a multiculturalism friendly atmosphere. The Korean government has also been under the pressure of political correctness toward the inevitable acceptance of cultural diversity with the deepening of democratic consolidation as well as globalization.
New peptidic active ingredient to reduce discomfort and painful sensations in sensitive skin
Authors: Pauly Gilles , Moussou Philippe , Contet‐Audonneau Jean‐Luc , Danoux Louis , Freis Olga , Sabadotto Mélanie , Benoit Isabelle , Misery Laurent , Rathjens Andreas 
Published: October 2009

IFSCC Magazines, 12 (2009) (1) 25–30Approximately 40% of the population (all skin categories and phototypes) complain of sensitive skin. Sensitive skin is healthy but overresponsive, meaning it reacts faster and more intensely to several parameters including environmental factors such as temperature changes and the sun, use of cosmetic products, and certain medicines. It experiences discomfort, tingling, burning and intolerance to certain types of products, a condition referred to as neurosensitivity characterized by a lower threshold of tolerance. Currently, all of the causes are not known but an increase in the permeability of the stratum corneum and an exaggeration of the nerve response are considered to be involved in the phenomenon of sensitive skin. Lifestyle factors including tobacco, alcohol, stress, fatigue and emotions also have an effect. A new synthetic tetrapeptide, N‐acetyl‐L‐tyrosyl‐L‐prolyl‐L‐phenylalanyl‐L‐phenylalaninamide (Ac‐YPFF‐NH2), mimicking a natural opioid peptide was developed with the aim to decrease skin nerve ending stimulation. This tetrapeptide was demonstrated in vitro to reduce cutaneous overreactivity by decreasing release of calcitonin gene‐related peptide from sensory neurons via an agonist effect on the μ opioid receptors and in vivo to improve the comfort of sensitive skin by decreasing unpleasant sensations and pain induced by heat and capsaicin. This tetrapeptide targeting an exaggerated nerve response helps to relieve sensitive skin by normalizing the tolerance threshold for environmental factors or certain topically applied uncomfortable products or skincare treatments.Keywords:  Calcitonin gene‐related peptide, μ opioid receptor, nerve endings, peptide, sensitive skin
Down syndrome health screening – the Fife model
Authors: Jones Jill , Hathaway Dorothy , Gilhooley Mary , Leech Amanda , MacLeod Susan 
Published: October 2009

Accessible summary

People with Down syndrome have their own health needs which may be different from those of the general population.
We wanted to know if we could pick up these health needs by inviting people to a regular clinic
We found that by coming to the clinic to have their health checked, some people found out about a health need that they might not have known about otherwise.

SummaryPeople with Down syndrome have a greater risk of developing a range of health problems, including cardiac problems, thyroid disorders, sensory impairments, reduced muscle tone (hypotonia) and Alzheimer’s disease. Despite this increased risk, regular screening is not typically offered to individuals with Down syndrome.A multidisciplinary health screening clinic was set up by a Community Learning Disability Team in Fife to offer regular health screening to people with Down syndrome. The format of the clinic, outcomes after 18 months and future service developments are discussed.