bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Species responses to fire, climate and human impact at tree line in the Alps as evidenced by palaeo‐environmental records and a dynamic simulation model
Authors: Colombaroli Daniele , Henne Paul D. , Kaltenrieder Petra , Gobet Erika , Tinner Willy 
Published: September 2010

Summary 1. We use high‐resolution records of macroscopic charcoal and plant remains from sediments of a lake in the Swiss Alps (Gouillé Rion, 2343 m a.s.l.) to reconstruct local fire variability and vegetation dynamics over the last 12 000 years. 2. Species response to fire variability and to summer temperature was obtained by combining regression analyses between contiguous series of plant macrofossils, macroscopic charcoal and an available reconstruction of past summer temperature. 3. With a dynamic landscape vegetation model (LandClim), we simulated fire regimes using two levels of ignition frequency and moisture availability to disentangle the role of climate vs. humans on fire occurrence. The simulation results show that human disturbance was relevant in controlling the fire variability and are in agreement with pollen evidence of human impact from previous studies from Gouillé Rion. 4. Our results show that fire is a natural disturbance agent in the tree line ecotone. Biomass availability controlled the fire regime until increased land use and anthropogenic fire during the past 4000 years changed species composition and vegetation structure close to the tree line. 5. Important species at the tree line ecotone such as Pinus cembra greatly benefitted from periods with temperature above the modern mean July temperature, if anthropogenic fire disturbance was not too severe, such as during the Bronze Age (c. 4000 cal. years bp). 6. When mean July temperatures were lower than modern mean July values, Juniperus nana and Larix decidua were at an advantage over P. cembra. With increasing anthropogenic fire, open lands with J. nana replaced L. decidua and P. cembra forest stands. 7. Synthesis. Fire activity was low to moderate during the early and mid‐Holocene. Intensified land use coupled with fire occurrence since the Bronze Age (c. 4000 cal. years bp) had a larger impact on species composition near the tree line than climate change. Although climate change will alter vegetation composition, future dynamics of mountain forests will be co‐determined by anthropogenic fire. For example, high fire variability may impede upslope establishment of forests in response to climatic warming as expected for this century, with serious implications for forest diversity.
Evaluation of fungal flora in normal and diseased canine ears
Authors: Campbell Jacquelyn J. , Coyner Kimberly S. , Rankin Shelley C. , Lewis Thomas P. , Schick Anthea E. , Shumaker Amy K. 
Published: September 2010

AbstractThis study was undertaken to characterize otic fungal flora encountered in normal dogs, atopic dogs with no clinical or cytological evidence of otitis and dogs with otitis externa. Forty‐two normal dogs, 23 atopic dogs and 32 dogs with otitis were included in the study. Samples for otic fungal culture and cytology were obtained from all animals, for a total of 194 ears. Sixty‐seven ear samples (34%) were culture positive for saprophytic fungal organisms, as follows: 43 (64%)Penicilliumspecies, 13 (19%)Aspergillusspecies and the remaining 17% comprised of various other saprophytic fungal organisms. Cytological evidence of saprophytic fungal colonization or infection was not found in any animal. There was no relationship between positive saprophytic fungal culture and any study group. Thirty‐three ear samples (17%) were positive forMalassezia pachydermatis. Cytological findings ofMalasseziawere significantly associated with positive culture forMalassezia(P = 0.006 left ear;P = 0.019 right ear). Furthermore, increased numbers ofMalassezialed to a higher chance of positive culture (P = 0.003 left ear;P = 0.008 right ear; McNemar’s test).Malassezia pachydermatiswas more likely to be cultured from ears with increased cerumen.Ear type (erect or pendulous) was not significantly associated with positive culture forMalasseziaor saprophytic fungal organisms. There was no relationship between positiveMalasseziaculture and any study group; however,Malasseziawas more likely to be cultured from individual dogs in the atopic or otitis groups that also had other dermatological signs consistent with allergic dermatitis and/or pyoderma (P = 0.031 left ear;P = 0.005 right ear).
Transfusion has no effect on recurrence in hepatitis C after liver transplantation
Authors: RICE M. J. , WENDLING A. , FIRPI R. J. , HEMMING A. W. , NELSON D. R. , SCHWAB W. K. , GRAVENSTEIN N. , MOREY T. E. 
Published: September 2010

Background: The literature suggests that blood product transfusions have a negative impact on the survival of liver transplant patients. We investigated the impact of intraoperative blood product usage on the survival of liver transplantation patients being transplanted for hepatitis C‐related end‐stage liver disease. In addition, we analyzed a potentially more sensitive metric, namely disease recurrence and fibrosis progression, obtained from follow‐up liver biopsies.Methods: We retrospectively studied 194 consecutive patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) undergoing liver transplantation. To investigate the effect of red blood cell (RBC) or platelet transfusions on post‐transplant HCV recurrence, hepatic biopsy data from 4 months and 1 year after transplantation were studied. In addition, survival data were analyzed.Results: There was no effect of intraoperative RBC or platelet transfusion on either 1‐ or 5‐year patient survival following liver transplantation. There was no difference in HCV disease recurrence or progression of hepatic fibrosis at 4 months or 1 year attributable either to RBC or to platelet transfusion.Conclusion: This study was not able to confirm an effect on the survival of HCV‐infected liver transplant patients related to intraoperative transfusion of RBCs or platelets. In addition, these transfusions had no effect on HCV recurrence or fibrosis progression. This is not to condone a liberal transfusion practice, but rather to reassure that when clinically indicated, transfusion does not have a significant impact on patient survival or disease recurrence in HCV‐infected liver transplant patients.
Nematode species distribution patterns at the Håkon Mosby Mud Volcano (Norwegian Sea)
Authors: Portnova Daria , Mokievsky Vadim , Soltwedel Thomas 
Published: September 2010

AbstractThe Håkon Mosby Mud Volcano (HMMV) is a methane seep that is densely populated by the bacteria Beggiatoa spp. as well as by tubeworms of the Family Siboglinidae. Analyses of samples from seven stations located in five different habitats (bare sediments, bacterial mats, siboglinid fields, sediments with small patches of siboglinids and areas of ‘normal’ sea floor) revealed differences in the density and species‐level diversity of nematode communities. Total densities increased from stations inside the mud volcano and on its rim towards the ‘normal’ areas outside the volcano. Nematode species diversity was similar in samples from the siboglinid fields and the bare HMMV sediments. However, the sediment with patches of siboglinids collected outside the volcano was characterised by a diverse nematode community comprising 47 species, whereas the control sediments without siboglinids yielded only 27 species. The nematode assemblage at the bacterial mat site included only two identified species, Halomonhystera disjuncta and Sabatieria ornata, with H. disjuncta being strongly dominant. Terschellingia distlamphida, S. ornata and Aponema ninae dominated nematode communities at the siboglinid fields and in bare HMMV sediments. Species dominating at stations inside the caldera were found in comparable low densities in the sediment with siboglinid patches collected outside the volcano, but were missing in the background samples, where species of Endeolophos, Acantholaimus and Desmoscolex were dominant. Species diversity generally decreased with sediment depth. A subsurface‐dwelling nematode community was observed in the siboglinid fields and the bare sediments. Background sediments showed a sharp decline with 18–20 species at 0–2 cm versus three species at 3–5 cm sediment depth. The trophic composition of the nematode fauna at the HMMV showed a prevalence of deposit feeders at almost all stations, whereas background sediments exhibited a uniform distribution of non‐selective and selective deposit feeders and epistrate feeders. The high percentage of deposit feeders inside the mud volcano could be related to the grain‐size distribution and the significantly higher bacterial biomass compared to the control sediments.
Anatomy of the distal tibiofibular syndesmosis in adults: a pictorial essay with a multimodality approach
Authors: Hermans John J. , Beumer Annechien , De Jong Ton A. W. , Kleinrensink Gert‐Jan 
Published: September 2010

AbstractA syndesmosis is defined as a fibrous joint in which two adjacent bones are linked by a strong membrane or ligaments. This definition also applies for the distal tibiofibular syndesmosis, which is a syndesmotic joint formed by two bones and four ligaments. The distal tibia and fibula form the osseous part of the syndesmosis and are linked by the distal anterior tibiofibular ligament, the distal posterior tibiofibular ligament, the transverse ligament and the interosseous ligament. Although the syndesmosis is a joint, in the literature the term syndesmotic injury is used to describe injury of the syndesmotic ligaments. In an estimated 1–11% of all ankle sprains, injury of the distal tibiofibular syndesmosis occurs. Forty percent of patients still have complaints of ankle instability 6 months after an ankle sprain. This could be due to widening of the ankle mortise as a result of increased length of the syndesmotic ligaments after acute ankle sprain. As widening of the ankle mortise by 1 mm decreases the contact area of the tibiotalar joint by 42%, this could lead to instability and hence early osteoarthritis of the tibiotalar joint. In fractures of the ankle, syndesmotic injury occurs in about 50% of type Weber B and in all of type Weber C fractures. However, in discussing syndesmotic injury, it seems the exact proximal and distal boundaries of the distal tibiofibular syndesmosis are not well defined. There is no clear statement in the Ashhurst and Bromer etiological, the Lauge‐Hansen genetic or the Danis‐Weber topographical fracture classification about the exact extent of the syndesmosis. This joint is also not clearly defined in anatomical textbooks, such as Lanz and Wachsmuth. Kelikian and Kelikian postulate that the distal tibiofibular joint begins at the level of origin of the tibiofibular ligaments from the tibia and ends where these ligaments insert into the fibular malleolus. As the syndesmosis of the ankle plays an important role in the stability of the talocrural joint, understanding of the exact anatomy of both the osseous and ligamentous structures is essential in interpreting plain radiographs, CT and MR images, in ankle arthroscopy and in therapeutic management. With this pictorial essay we try to fill the hiatus in anatomic knowledge and provide a detailed anatomic description of the syndesmotic bones with the incisura fibularis, the syndesmotic recess, synovial fold and tibiofibular contact zone and the four syndesmotic ligaments. Each section describes a separate syndesmotic structure, followed by its clinical relevance and discussion of remaining questions.
Oxytocin to augment labour during home births: an exploratory study in the urban slums of Dhaka, Bangladesh
Authors: Moran AC , Wahed T , Afsana K 
Published: September 2010

Please cite this paper as: Moran A, Wahed T, Afsana K. Oxytocin to augment labour during home births: an exploratory study in the urban slums of Dhaka, Bangladesh. BJOG 2010;117:1608–1615.Objective  In Bangladesh, the majority of women give birth at home. There is anecdotal evidence that unqualified allopathic practitioners (UAPs) administer oxytocin at home births to augment labour pain. The objective is to explore the use of oxytocin to augment labour pain during home births in an urban slum in Dhaka, Bangladesh.Design  Cross‐sectional survey.Setting  KamrangirChar slum, Dhaka, Bangladesh.Population  Married women with a home birth or who experienced labour at home in the 6 months prior to the survey (n = 463) were interviewed. Twenty‐seven UAPs were interviewed to validate women’s responses.Methods  Bivariate and multivariate logistic regressions were used to identify significant predictors of oxytocin use.Main outcome measures  Reported use of oxytocin to augment labour pain.Results  Forty‐six percent of women reported using medicine or other treatments to augment labour pain, 131 of whom reported using oxytocin (28% of total). Traditional birth attendants were the predominant decision‐makers of when to use oxytocin. The medication was provided by a UAP who administered the drug via saline infusion or intramuscular injection. Higher education, lower parity, reported long labour (more than 12 hours), and knowledge of and positive attitudes towards oxytocin were significantly associated with oxytocin use after controlling for other factors. In the validation exercise, there was agreement about the use of oxytocin to augment labour in 22 of 27 cases (82%).Conclusions  About one‐third of women used oxytocin to augment labour pain. This practice has implications for health education as well as future research to assess the impact on adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes.
Strengthening HIV services for pregnant women: an opportunity to reduce maternal mortality rates in Southern Africa/sub‐Saharan Africa
Authors: Moodley J , Pattinson RC , Baxter C , Sibeko S , Abdool Karim Q 
Published: September 2010

Please cite this paper as: Moodley J, Pattinson R, Baxter C, Sibeko S, Abdool Karim Q. Strengthening HIV services for pregnant women: an opportunity to reduce maternal mortality rates in Southern Africa/sub‐Saharan Africa. BJOG 2011;118:219–225.Reliable data from South Africa emanating from WHO recommendations for the Safe Motherhood programme underscores HIV/AIDS as the most common cause of maternal deaths. The strengthening of HIV services for pregnant women especially in countries with a high burden of HIV infection will reduce HIV‐related and un‐related maternal mortality rates. High‐quality and complete data on maternal deaths is a critical foundation for reliably monitoring temporal trends in maternal deaths, and causes thereof, but needs substantial strengthening in many resource‐constrained settings.HIV/AIDS is an increasing contributor to direct and indirect causes of maternal deaths in sub‐Saharan Africa. A review of published data on maternal deaths and its association with HIV shows that reliable data come from the Confidential Enquiries into Maternal Deaths from South Africa, population‐based surveys in sentinel populations, and facility‐based data. Despite an increase in knowledge of the HIV status of pregnant women and the initiation of antiretroviral treatment, reversals in trends towards increased maternal deaths are not being observed. The strengthening of HIV services provides an opportunity to alter HIV epidemic trajectories and reduce maternal deaths.
Ammonium chloride and tunicamycin are novel toxins for dopaminergic neurons and induce Parkinson’s disease‐like phenotypes in medaka fish
Authors: Matsui Hideaki , Ito Hidefumi , Taniguchi Yoshihito , Takeda Shunichi , Takahashi Ryosuke 
Published: September 2010

J. Neurochem. (2010) 115, 1150–1160.AbstractPerturbations in protein folding and degradation are key pathological mechanisms in neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson’s disease (PD). Recent evidence suggests that mishandling of proteins may play an important role in the pathogenesis of PD. We have utilized medaka fish to monitor the effects of injecting neurotoxins into the CSF space. In this study, ammonium chloride, tunicamycin, and lactacystin were tested for their ability to disturb lysosomal proteolysis, N‐glycosylation in the endoplasmic reticulum, and proteasomal degradation, respectively. All of the substances tested induced selective loss of dopaminergic neurons, movement disorders and inclusion bodies. Among them, the features of the inclusion bodies that developed after ammonium chloride injection mimicked those of PD: co‐localization of ubiquitin and phosphorylated α‐synuclein, as well as the presence of LC3 protein in the inclusion bodies. Our study demonstrated that medaka fish are useful for examining the effects of environmental toxins and lysosome inhibition, and lysosome inhibitors may be factors in the development of PD.
On the Chvátal rank of linear relaxations of the stable set polytope
Authors: Holm Eugenia , Torres Luis M. , Wagler Annegret K. 
Published: September 2010

AbstractWe study the Chvátal rank of two linear relaxations of the stable set polytope, the edge constraint and the clique constraint stable set polytope. For some classes of graphs whose stable set polytope is given by 0/1‐valued constraints only, we present either the exact value of the Chvátal rank or upper bounds (of the order of their largest cliques and stable sets), which improve the bounds previously known from the literature (of the order of the graph itself).
U–Pb zircon geochronology of coesite‐bearing eclogites from the southern Dulan area of the North Qaidam UHP terrane, northwestern China: spatially and temporally extensive UHP metamorphism during continental subduction
Authors: ZHANG J. X. , MATTINSON C. G. , YU S. Y. , LI J. P. , MENG F. C. 
Published: September 2010

AbstractCoesite‐bearing eclogites from >100 km2in the southern Dulan area, North Qaidam Mountains (NQM) of western China, contain zircon that records protolith crystallization and ultra high pressure (UHP) metamorphism. Sensitive High‐Resolution Ion Microprobe (Mass Spectrometer) and Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry U–Pb analyses from cathodoluminescence (CL)‐dark zircon cores in a coesite‐bearing eclogite yield an upper intercept age of 838 ± 50 Ma, and oscillatory zoned cores in a kyanite‐bearing eclogite gave a weighted mean206Pb/238U age of 832 ± 20 Ma. These zircon cores yield steep heavy rare earth element (HREE) slopes and negative Eu anomalies that suggest a magmatic origin. Thus,c. 835 Ma is interpreted as the eclogite protolith age. Unzoned CL‐grey or ‐bright zircon and zircon rims from four samples yield weighted mean ages of 430 ± 4, 438 ± 2, 446 ± 10 and 446 ± 3 Ma, flat HREE patterns without Eu anomalies, and contain inclusions of garnet, omphacite, rutile, phengite and rare coesite. These ages are interpreted to record 16 ± 5 Myr of UHP metamorphism. These new UHP ages overlap the age range of both eclogite and paragneiss from the northern Dulan area, suggesting that all UHP rock types in the Dulan area belong to the same tectonic unit. Our results are consistent with slow continental subduction, but do not match oceanic subduction and diapiric exhumation UHP model predictions. These new data suggest that, similar to eclogites in other HP/UHP units of the NQM and South Altyn Tagh, protoliths of the eclogites in the Dulan area formed in a continental setting during the Neoproterozoic, and then subducted to mantle depth together with continental materials during the Early Palaeozoic.
A Novel, Innovative Ovine Model of Chronic Ischemic Cardiomyopathy Induced by Multiple Coronary Ligations
Authors: Schmitto Jan D. , Mokashi Suyog A. , Lee Lawrence S. , Laurence Rita , Schotola Hanna , Coelho‐Filho Otavio , Rajab Taufiek K. , Kwong Raymond , Bolman III R. Morton , Quintel Michael , Cohn Lawrence H. , Chen Frederick Y. 
Published: September 2010

AbstractHeart failure is one of the fastest‐growing epidemics worldwide in health care today. Although a wide variety of animal models exist to create chronic heart failure, there are few truly successful, reproducible models with ischemic dilation and mitral regurgitation. Six healthy sheep (36 ± 5 kg) underwent multiple, strategic coronary artery ligations on the left ventricle (LV). Six to eight ligations were performed transmurally on three of four segments of the LV: anterior, lateral, and posterior. Side branches of the left anterior descending and circumflex arteries were ligated to create multiple, patchy areas of myocardial infarction. Cardiac global and regional systolic function was assessed by echocardiography and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The extent, the characteristics, and the location of the myocardial infarction were qualitatively and quantitatively assessed by late gadolinium enhancement imaging. The overall mortality rate was 16.7% (1/6 animals). Animals who survived showed a significantly reduced ejection fraction (mean 60 ± 5% to 28 ± 7%; P < 0.05); additionally, two out of the remaining five (40%) animals developed mild to moderate mitral regurgitation quantified by cardiac MRI. Furthermore, each animal developed clinical signs of heart failure (tachycardia, dyspnea, and tachypnea) consistent with global, dilated cardiomyopathy noted on MRI. Creating and reproducing a model of global, ischemic cardiomyopathy with functional mitral regurgitation is an arduous task. We have developed a promising model of ischemic heart failure using multiple ligations, which mimics the sequelae of human cardiomyopathy. Our proposed model is highly effective, reproducible, and may be used for experimental research on heart failure (cardiac assist devices, heart transplant, etc.).
Latency to first seizure after temporal lobectomy predicts long‐term outcome
Authors: Buckingham Sarah E. , Chervoneva Inna , Sharan Ashwini , Zangaladze Andro , Mintzer Scott , Skidmore Christopher , Nei Maromi , Evans James , Pequignot Edward , Sperling Michael R. 
Published: September 2010

SummaryPurpose:  Temporal lobectomy is a well‐established treatment for refractory temporal lobe epilepsy, yet many patients experience at least one seizure postoperatively. Little is known about the prognostic significance of the time from surgery to first seizure relapse in predicting long‐term outcome.Methods:  In a retrospective analysis of patients who reported at least one complex partial seizure (CPS) or generalized tonic–clonic seizure (GTCS) after anterior temporal lobectomy (n = 268), we used a nominal response logistic model to predict the odds ratio (OR) of a seizure outcome based on length of the latency period from surgery to first postoperative seizure. A modified Engel outcome class scheme was used. We controlled for factors known to influence postoperative outcome, including history of tonic–clonic seizures, intelligence quotient (IQ), preoperative seizure frequency, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings, and history of febrile convulsions.Results:  In the univariate analysis, the latency from surgery to the first postoperative disabling seizure was significantly associated with long‐term outcome. Longer latency was associated with higher odds of being seizure‐free or improved (modified Engel’s classes 1, 2, and 3) relative to the unimproved state (class 4) (p < 0.001, 0.001 and 0.004, respectively). Conversely, a shorter latency increased the likelihood of achieving the worst prognosis (class 4) relative to class 1 (p < 0.001). Multivariate analysis yielded similar results.Discussion:  Latency to the first postoperative seizure predicts long‐term outcome, with short latencies portending poor prognosis and long latencies portending a good prognosis. This information can be used for patient counseling and may influence decisions regarding reoperation.