bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Comparison of Clinical Associations and Laboratory Abnormalities in Children With Moderate and Severe Dehydration
Authors: Hayajneh Wail A , Jdaitawi Hussein , Al Shurman Abdullah , Hayajneh Yaseen A 
Published: February 2010

ABSTRACTObjectives:To search for possible early clinical associations and laboratory abnormalities in children with severe dehydration in northern Jordan.Patients and Methods:We prospectively evaluated 251 children with acute gastroenteritis. Dehydration assessment was done following a known clinical scheme. Probable clinical associations and laboratory abnormalities were examined against the preassigned dehydration status.Results:Children with severe dehydration had significantly more hypernatremia and hyperkalemia, less isonatremia, and higher mean levels of urea, creatinine, and glucose (P < 0.005). Receiver operating characteristic curves showed statistically significant area under the curve values for laboratory variables. These area under the curve values were 0.991 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.980–1.001) for serum urea, 0.862 (95% CI 0.746–0.978) for sodium, 0.850 (95% CI 0.751–0.949) for creatinine, 0.69 (95% CI 0.555–0.824) for potassium, and 0.684 (95% CI 0.574–0.795) for glucose (P < 0.05 for all). Certain independent serum cutoff levels of urea, creatinine, sodium, glucose, and potassium had high negative predictive value (100%), whereas other cutoff values for each, except potassium, had high positive predictive value (100%) for severe dehydration. Historic clinical characteristics of patients did not correlate to dehydration degree.Conclusions:Serum urea, creatinine, sodium, potassium, and glucose were useful independently in augmenting clinical examination to diagnose the degree of dehydration status among children presenting with gastroenteritis. Serum urea performed the best among all. On the contrary, none of the examined historical clinical patterns could be correlated to the dehydration status. Larger and multicenter studies are needed to validate our results and to examine their impact on final outcomes.
Fatty Acid Profile Comparisons in Human Milk Sampled From the Same Mothers at the Sixth Week and the Sixth Month of Lactation
Authors: Szabó Éva , Boehm Günther , Beermann Christopher , Weyermann Maria , Brenner Hermann , Rothenbacher Dietrich , Decsi Tamás 
Published: February 2010

ABSTRACTObjectives:To compare fatty acid composition of human milk at 2 different stages of lactation and investigate the relation between trans isomeric and long‐chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFAs) in human milk at the sixth month of lactation.Subjects and Methods:We investigated human milk samples obtained at the sixth week and sixth month of lactation from 462 mothers who participated in a large birth cohort study. Fatty acid composition of human milk lipids was determined by high‐resolution capillary gas‐liquid chromatography.Results:Fat contents of human milk increased significantly between the sixth week and sixth month of lactation (1.63 [2.06] and 3.19 [3.14], g/100 mL; median [interquartile range], P < 0.001). Percentage contributions to human milk fatty acid composition of nearly all polyunsaturated fatty acids also increased significantly (linoleic acid: 10.09 [4.41] and 11.01 [4.53], arachidonic acid: 0.46 [0.32] and 0.48 [0.23], α‐linolenic acid: 0.69 [0.42] and 0.75 [0.41], and docosahexaenoic acid: 0.17 [0.23] and 0.23 [0.15], % wt/wt, P < 0.001). Values of the 18‐carbon trans octadecenoic acid (C18:1n‐7/9t) significantly inversely correlated to linoleic acid (r = −0.24, P < 0.001), α‐linolenic acid (r = −0.19, P < 0.001), and arachidonic acid (r = −0.43, P < 0.001). In contrast, we found no correlation between the 16‐carbon trans hexadecenoic acid (C16:1n‐7t) and the same LCPUFAs.Conclusions:Data obtained in the present study indicate increasing fat contents with stable or increasing percentage contribution of LCPUFAs in human milk samples between the sixth week and at the sixth month of lactation, and the availability of 18‐carbon trans isomeric fatty acids is inversely associated to the availability of several LCPUFAs in human milk at the sixth month of lactation.
Reflux Events Detected by pH‐MII Do Not Determine Fundoplication Outcome
Authors: Rosen Rachel , Levine Phillip , Lewis Jessica , Mitchell Paul , Nurko Samuel 
Published: February 2010

ABSTRACTBackground:Because of complications and its invasive nature, fundoplication is often a treatment of last resort for children with gastroesophageal reflux. Gastroesophageal reflux testing does not always predict who will benefit from antireflux surgery. Furthermore, there are no studies to determine whether a higher preoperative reflux burden, including acid and nonacid reflux, is associated with an improved postfundoplication outcome. The aim of the study was to determine predictors of fundoplication outcome including acid and nonacid reflux burden.Patients and Methods:We retrospectively reviewed preoperative pH‐multichannel intraluminal impedance tracings and medical records of 34 patients who underwent fundoplication. Patients were categorized as improved or not improved, and the demographic and reflux characteristics were compared between groups. Multivariate analysis was performed to determine predictors of outcome.Results:No single reflux marker, including the number of acid, nonacid, total events, or the percentage of time that reflux was in the esophagus, predicted fundoplication outcome (P > 0.1). Neither a positive symptom index nor a positive symptom sensitivity index predicted postoperative improvement (P > 0.4). Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis failed to reveal an ideal value to maximize sensitivity for either the symptom index or the symptom sensitivity index.Conclusions:pH‐ multichannel intraluminal impedance testing may not be a useful tool in predicting fundoplication outcome.
Childhood Autoimmune Liver Disease: Indications and Outcome of Liver Transplantation
Authors: Chai Pei Fan , Lee Way Seah , Brown Rachel M , McPartland Jo L , Foster Katharine , McKiernan Patrick J , Kelly Deirdre A 
Published: February 2010

ABSTRACTBackground:Graft rejection and disease recurrence are well‐recognized complications of liver transplantation (LT) for autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) and autoimmune sclerosing cholangitis (AISC). We describe indications and outcome of LT for childhood AIH and AISC.Patients and Methods:Twenty‐year retrospective review of a cohort of children (n = 101) with AIH, AISC, or AIH/sclerosing cholangitis overlap syndrome from a single center.Results:AIH type 1 (AIH1, n = 67) was more common than AIH type 2 (AIH2, n = 18), AISC (n = 8), or overlap syndrome (n = 8). Overall, 18 patients (18%) required LT, the indications being failure of medical therapy (n = 16) and fulminant liver failure (n = 2). Patients with AIH who required LT had a more prolonged prothrombin time at presentation compared with those who did not undergo transplantation (P = 0.01). Patients with AIH1 who received LT had a lower aspartate transaminase (P = 0.009) and alanine transaminase (P = 0.02) levels at initial diagnosis compared with those with AIH1 who did not undergo transplantation. Post‐LT, 11 patients (61%) had 18 episodes of rejection, most were steroid sensitive. Disease recurrence was observed in 7 patients (39%, median duration post‐LT 33 months), more common in AIH2 (80% recurrence rate), and those taking cyclosporine (71%, 5/7 patients) compared with those taking tacrolimus (18%, 2/11 patients; P < 0.05) and in 3 of 3 children who did not have maintenance steroids post‐LT. The overall 5‐ and 7‐year post‐LT survival rate was 94% and 88%, respectively.Conclusions:LT is a good therapeutic option for progressive AIH and AISC, although recurrence of the primary autoimmune process limits the outcome.
A New Model of Chronic Hapten‐induced Colitis in Young Rats
Authors: Fitzpatrick Leo R , Meirelles Katia , Small Jeffrey S , Puleo Frances J , Koltun Walter A , Cooney Robert N 
Published: February 2010

ABSTRACTAim and Objectives:Chronic models of inflammatory bowel disease are lacking in preadult rodents. The primary goal of our study was to develop a chronic model of hapten‐induced intestinal inflammation and fibrosis in young rats. Second, we aimed to determine the profiles of key Th‐1, Th‐2, and Th‐17 proinflammatory and profibrotic cytokines, during the progression of colitis in young rats.Materials and Methods:Chronic hapten‐induced colitis was induced by the administration of intracolonic 2,4,6‐trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS) in young Wistar rats (postnatal days 23, 35, 48, and 59). After 1, 3, or 4 cycles of TNBS, rats were euthanized and the colons were removed for the measurement of macroscopic, histologic, and biochemical parameters of colitis.Results:Young rats developed moderate to severe colitis in the distal colon, without significant morbidity or mortality. Macroscopic severity, histologic pathology, and colonic weights increased progressively with repeated TNBS administration. Cobblestone‐like ulceration and fibrosis was evident in the colon, particularly after 4 cycles of TNBS. There was a unique cytokine pattern associated with colitis in young rats. Interleukin (IL)‐12 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)‐α peaked during the earlier postnatal time points (days 28 and 54) and then declined after repetitive administration of the hapten (day 67). In contrast, IL‐13 and IL‐17 were consistently elevated after administration of TNBS to the colon of young rats.Conclusions:A new model of colitis was established in young rats, which has a unique pattern of Th‐1, Th‐2, and Th‐17 cytokine induction. This chronic TNBS model may be useful for studying the development of inflammation and fibrosis in preadult animals.
Pulmonary allergic responses augment interleukin‐13 secretion by circulating basophils yet suppress interferon‐α from plasmacytoid dendritic cells
Authors: Schroeder J. T. , Bieneman A. P. , Chichester K. L. , Breslin L. , Xiao H. , Liu M. C. 
Published: February 2010

SummaryBackground
Allergic inflammatory processes may have the capacity to propagate systemically through the actions of circulating leucocytes. Consequently, basophils from allergic individuals are often ‘primed’, as evidenced by their hyperresponsiveness in vitro. IFN‐α secreted predominantly by plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs), suppresses basophil priming for IL‐13 production in vitro.Objective
This study sought in vivo correlates arising during experimental allergen challenge that support an ‘axis‐interplay’ between basophils and pDCs.Methods
Using segmental allergen challenge (SAC) in the lung, the immune responses of both cell types from the blood were investigated in volunteers (n=10) before and 24 h after allergen exposure. These responses were then correlated with inflammatory parameters measured in bronchoalveolar lavage fluids (BALF).Results
In the blood, SAC significantly augmented IL‐13 secretion by basophils induced by IL‐3 (P=0.009), yet reduced IFN‐α secreted by pDCs stimulated with CpG (P=0.018). Both parameters were negatively correlated (P=0.0015), at least among those subjects that secreted the latter. Circulating basophil IL‐13 responses further correlated with post‐SAC bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) parameters including IL‐13 protein (P=0.04), basophil (P=0.051), eosinophil (P=0.0018), and total cell counts (P<0.003). Basophil and IL‐13 levels in BAL correlated likewise (P=0.0002).Conclusions
These results support a mechanism of immune regulation whereby an allergen reduces innate immune responses and IFN‐α production by pDCs, resulting in an enhanced inflammation and basophil cytokine production at sites of allergen exposure. Cite this as: J. T. Schroeder, A. P. Bieneman, K. L. Chichester, L. Breslin, H. Xiao and M. C. Liu, Clinical & Experimental Allergy, 2010 (40) 745–754.
Nonlinear climate change and Andean feedbacks: an imminent turning point?
Authors: BUSH M. B. , HANSELMAN J. A. , GOSLING W. D. 
Published: February 2010

AbstractA 370 000‐year paleoecological record from Lake Titicaca provides a detailed record of past climate change in which interglacial periods are seen to have some elements of commonality, but also some key differences. We advance a conceptual feedback model to account for the observed changes that includes previously ignored lake effects. Today Lake Titicaca serves to warm the local environment by about 4–5 °C and also to increase rainfall. We observe that as water levels in the lake are drawn down due to warm, dry, interglacial conditions, there is a possible regional cooling as the lake effect on local microclimates diminishes. Positive feedback mechanisms promote drying until much of the lake basin is reduced to salt marsh. Consequently, the usual concept of upslope migration of species with warming would not be applicable in the Altiplano. If, as projected, the next century brings warmer and drier conditions than those of today, a tipping point appears to exist within ca. 1–2 °C of current temperatures, where the relatively benign agricultural conditions of the northern Altiplano would be replaced by inhospitable arid climates. Such a change would have profound implications for the citizens of the Bolivian capital, La Paz.
Personality, space use and tick load in an introduced population of Siberian chipmunks Tamias sibiricus
Authors: Boyer Nelly , Réale Denis , Marmet Julie , Pisanu Benoît , Chapuis Jean‐Louis 
Published: February 2010

Summary 1. Although behaviours can contribute to the heterogeneity in parasite load among hosts, links between consistent individual differences in behaviour and parasitic infection have received little attention. We investigated the role of host activity and exploration on hard tick infestations of marked individuals in a population of Siberian chipmunks Tamias sibiricus introduced in a suburban French forest over 3 years. 2. Individual activity‐exploration profiles were assessed from 106 hole‐board tests on 73 individuals, and chipmunks’ trappability and trap diversity were used respectively as indices of their activity‐exploration and space use on a sub‐sample of 60 individuals. At each capture, we counted the total number of ticks per head of chipmunk. 3. We found significant and consistent individual differences in activity‐exploration, trappability, trap diversity and tick load, and could estimate individual indices for these four variables, corrected for confounding effects of year, season, body mass and sex. 4. Using a path analysis, we found an indirect effect of activity‐exploration on tick load: tick load increased with space use, which in turn was positively affected by trappability in the field. Trappability was itself positively related to activity‐exploration in the hole board. Habitat type affected tick load, independently of behavioural traits. A second path model revealed a lack of either direct or indirect influence of tick loads on chipmunks’ personality and trappability. 5. Our results show that host personality‐related patterns in space use can lead to a non‐random parasite distribution among hosts.
Mixed conditional logistic regression for habitat selection studies
Authors: Duchesne Thierry , Fortin Daniel , Courbin Nicolas 
Published: February 2010

Summary 1. Resource selection functions (RSFs) are becoming a dominant tool in habitat selection studies. RSF coefficients can be estimated with unconditional (standard) and conditional logistic regressions. While the advantage of mixed‐effects models is recognized for standard logistic regression, mixed conditional logistic regression remains largely overlooked in ecological studies. 2. We demonstrate the significance of mixed conditional logistic regression for habitat selection studies. First, we use spatially explicit models to illustrate how mixed‐effects RSFs can be useful in the presence of inter‐individual heterogeneity in selection and when the assumption of independence from irrelevant alternatives (IIA) is violated. The IIA hypothesis states that the strength of preference for habitat type A over habitat type B does not depend on the other habitat types also available. Secondly, we demonstrate the significance of mixed‐effects models to evaluate habitat selection of free‐ranging bison Bison bison. 3. When movement rules were homogeneous among individuals and the IIA assumption was respected, fixed‐effects RSFs adequately described habitat selection by simulated animals. In situations violating the inter‐individual homogeneity and IIA assumptions, however, RSFs were best estimated with mixed‐effects regressions, and fixed‐effects models could even provide faulty conclusions. 4. Mixed‐effects models indicate that bison did not select farmlands, but exhibited strong inter‐individual variations in their response to farmlands. Less than half of the bison preferred farmlands over forests. Conversely, the fixed‐effect model simply suggested an overall selection for farmlands. 5. Conditional logistic regression is recognized as a powerful approach to evaluate habitat selection when resource availability changes. This regression is increasingly used in ecological studies, but almost exclusively in the context of fixed‐effects models. Fitness maximization can imply differences in trade‐offs among individuals, which can yield inter‐individual differences in selection and lead to departure from IIA. These situations are best modelled with mixed‐effects models. Mixed‐effects conditional logistic regression should become a valuable tool for ecological research.
Candida glabrata tryptophan‐based pigment production via the Ehrlich pathway
Authors: Brunke Sascha , Seider Katja , Almeida Ricardo Sergio , Heyken Antje , Fleck Christian Benjamin , Brock Matthias , Barz Dagmar , Rupp Steffen , Hube Bernhard 
Published: February 2010

SummaryPigments contribute to the pathogenicity of many fungi, mainly by protecting fungal cells from host defence activities. Here, we have dissected the biosynthetic pathway of a tryptophan‐derived pigment of the human pathogen Candida glabrata, identified key genes involved in pigment production and have begun to elucidate the possible biological function of the pigment. Using transcriptional analyses and a transposon insertion library, we have identified genes associated with pigment production. Targeted deletion mutants revealed that the pigment is a by‐product of the Ehrlich pathway of tryptophan degradation: a mutant lacking a tryptophan‐upregulated aromatic aminotransferase (Aro8) displayed significantly reduced pigmentation and a recombinantly expressed version of this protein was sufficient for pigment production in vitro. Pigment production is tightly regulated as the synthesis is affected by the presence of alternative nitrogen sources, carbon sources, cyclic AMP and oxygen. Growth of C. glabrata on pigment inducing medium leads to an increased resistance to hydrogen peroxide, an effect which was not observed with a mutant defective in pigmentation. Furthermore, pigmented yeast cells had a higher survival rate when exposed to human neutrophils and caused increased damage in a monolayer model of human epithelia, indicating a possible role of pigmentation during interactions with host cells.
Isolation of a gibberellin 20‐oxidase cDNA from and characterization of its expression in chrysanthemum
Authors: Miao H. , Jiang B. , Chen S. , Zhang S. , Chen F. , Fang W. , Teng N. , Guan Z. 
Published: February 2010

With 5 figures and 1 table AbstractA PCR strategy was used to isolate a full‐length GA20‐oxidase cDNA from chrysanthemum. The gene putatively encodes a 377 residue polypeptide, which shares 87% homology with lettuce GA20ox. A Southern blot analysis indicated that the hexaploid chrysanthemum genome probably contains several GA20ox copies. The DgGA20ox gene is expressed in the leaf, stem, flower and root, but most strongly in the young leaf. The application of the GA biosynthesis inhibitor paclobutrazol to the fourth internode increased the expression of DgGA20ox, while exogenously applied GA3 decreased it. This supports the commonly observed phenomenon that the expression level of GA20ox genes is regulated by the local level of physiologically active GA. The relevance of the DgGA20ox in relation to chrysanthemum breeding was discussed as well.
Genetic diversity in wild soybean (Glycine soja Sieb. and Zucc.) accessions from southern islands of Korean peninsula
Authors: Lee J.‐D. , Shannon J. G. , Vuong T. D. , Moon H. , Nguyen H. T. , Tsukamoto C. , Chung G. 
Published: February 2010

With 2 figures and 3 tables AbstractKorea is a centre of genetic diversity for both cultivated [Glycine max (L.) Merr] and wild (Glycine soja Sieb. and Zucc.) soybeans. Wild soybean is native to some of the 3 000 islands surrounding the Korean peninsula. The objective of this study was to estimate genetic diversity of wild soybeans collected from 24 inhabited islands off the southern coast of Korea. Forty simple sequence repeat markers covering the 20 soybean chromosomes were used to estimate genetic diversity among 66 wild accessions collected from 24 islands. Accessions collected from the islands were similar to the Korean mainland accessions for diversity index. Molecular variation between island and mainland populations was about 8% (P = 0.001) and 91.6% within wild soybean populations. Genetic variation (P = 0.001) among and within the island wild soybean populations was 9.8% and 90.2%, respectively. Wild soybeans from the islands may be specifically adapted to the adverse conditions such as wind, flooding, salt and drought and may have useful genes tolerance to various abiotic stresses and resistance to biotic traits.
Marker‐assisted selection for pre‐harvest sprouting tolerance and leaf rust resistance in bread wheat
Authors: Kumar J. , Mir R. R. , Kumar N. , Kumar A. , Mohan A. , Prabhu K. V. , Balyan H. S. , Gupta P. K. 
Published: February 2010

With 2 figures and 3 tables AbstractThe present study was undertaken for developing a pre‐harvest sprouting (PHS) tolerant and leaf rust resistant wheat genotype using marker‐assisted selection (MAS). A major quantitative trait locus (QTL) (QPhs.ccsu‐3A.1) for PHS tolerance (PHST) identified by us earlier was introgressed into HD2329, which is an elite but PHS susceptible cultivar, and carried two Lr genes (Lr24 + Lr28) earlier introgressed by us using MAS. In each backcross generation, foreground selection for PHS QTL was exercised using flanking markers (gwm155 and wmc153), and background selection was performed using 61 simple sequence repeat loci spread over the whole genome. During backcrossing, the desirable alleles of Lr24 and Lr28, were also tracked using linked SCAR markers. Seven BC3F3 progenies having desirable PHST QTL and Lr genes, and showing up to 93.44% genetic similarity with the recipient parent were selected. These lines exhibited high level of PHST (PHS score 2–4) and resistance against leaf rust under artificial conditions. The study demonstrated successful application of MAS for targeted pyramiding of QTL/genes for more than one trait into an improved wheat cultivar.