bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Ageing and Toll-like receptor expression by innate immune cells in chronic human schistosomiasis
Authors: Comin F , Speziali E , Martins-Filho O A , Caldas I R , Moura V , Gazzinelli A , Correa-Oliveira R , Faria A M C 
Published: October 2009

Summary
There has been no systematic study of the immune response of individuals aged over 60 years living in Schistosomiasis mansoni-endemic areas, although senescence is reportedly associated with susceptibility to infection and progressive decline in immune function. We have shown previously, in two endemic areas in Minas Gerais, Brazil, that the frequency of individuals aged over 60 years with chronic schistosomiasis is no longer negligible. Moreover, several elderly individuals who have always lived in these endemic areas stay protected from infection. An important question for studies of ageing and disease control in developing countries is which differences in the immunological profile of these negatively tested (non-infected) individuals can account for their resistance to either infection or reinfection. We show, in the present study, that non-infected (negative) elderly individuals develop innate immune mechanisms of protection that replace the age-associated decline in T cell function. Non-infected elderly individuals from endemic areas of schistosome infection present an increase in the frequency of the natural killer (NK) CD56low subset of NK cells expressing Toll-like receptors (TLR)-1, -2, -3 and -4 as determined by flow cytometry analysis. In addition, the proportion of dendritic cells expressing TLR-1 is elevated as well as the frequency of monocytes expressing TLR-1 and -4. These results suggest that TLR expression by cells of the innate immune system may be related to the negative status of infection in some elderly individuals who are constantly exposed to S. mansoni. Developing mechanisms of protection from infection may represent a biomarker for healthy ageing in this population.
Anti-oxidized low-density lipoprotein antibodies in myeloperoxidase–positive vasculitis patients preferentially recognize hypochlorite-modified low density lipoproteins
Authors: Slot M C , Theunissen R , van Paassen P , Damoiseaux J G M C , Cohen Tervaert J W 
Published: October 2009

Summary
Many patients surviving vasculitis are prone to accelerated atherosclerosis and often have enhanced levels of antibodies to oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL). To measure anti-oxLDL antibodies, oxidation of LDL is achieved with copper (Cu) or malondialdehyde (MDA). Because, in vivo, LDL may be oxidized with myeloperoxidase (MPO) or its product hypochlorite, we measured anti-hypochlorite LDL antibodies in patients with vasculitis, haemodialysis patients and healthy controls. A newly developed enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to detect antibodies to oxLDL as modified by hypochlorite. Results are compared with data obtained by standard LDL oxidation using MDA–LDL or Cu–LDL as substrate. Results were compared between anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV) patients (n = 93), haemodialysis (HD) patients (n = 59) and healthy controls (HC; n = 43). Furthermore, patients with MPO–ANCA-associated vasculitis (n = 47) were compared with patients with proteinase 3 (PR3)–ANCA associated vasculitis (n = 46). Optimal cut-off points were determined by receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Anti-oxLDL antibodies are enhanced in AAV patients (MDA–LDL and hypochlorite–LDL) and in HD patients (hypochlorite–LDL), when compared to HC. Furthermore, patients with MPO–ANCA-associated vasculitis had higher levels of antibodies to hypochlorite–LDL than patients with PR3–ANCA-associated vasculitis. Our newly developed assay, in which hypochlorite–LDL is used as substrate, seems a more sensitive assay than traditional assays to measure oxLDL antibodies. Furthermore, our results suggest that enhanced MPO-mediated LDL oxidation occurs in patients with MPO–ANCA.
Lung macrophages from bacille Calmette–Guérin-vaccinated guinea pigs suppress T cell proliferation but restrict intracellular growth ofM. tuberculosisafter recombinant guinea pig interferon-γ activation
Authors: Jeevan A , Majorov K , Sawant K , Cho H , McMurray D N 
Published: October 2009

SummaryThe guinea pig model of low-dose pulmonary tuberculosis has been used to study the pathogenesis of infection as well as the mechanisms of bacille Calmette–Guérin (BCG) vaccine-induced resistance. We investigated the function of lung cells from naive and BCG-vaccinated guinea pigs after enzymatic digestion of lung tissue with collagenase and DNase I. The total lung digest cells proliferated poorly to purified protein derivative (PPD) but comparatively better to ConA as assessed by [3H]-thymidine uptake. However, the non-adherent population obtained after plastic adherence of lung digests showed an enhanced response to concanavalin A (ConA) and PPD. Therefore, proliferation to ConA and PPD of nylon wool-purified T cells co-cultured with peritoneal (PMøs), alveolar (AMøs) or lung macrophages (LMøs) was assessed. Co-cultures of lung T cells and PMøs showed maximum proliferation to PPD, whereas proliferation was suppressed significantly by the addition of AMøs or LMøs. The response of T cells to ConA was unaffected in co-cultures. Incubation of co-cultures with recombinant guinea pig interferon-γ (rgpIFN-γ) did not reverse the suppression. In contrast, rgpIFN-γ-treated plastic adherent LMøs that were non-specific esterase-positive were capable of reducing the intracellular growth of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Similarly, total, non-adherent and adherent lung digest cells from BCG-vaccinated guinea pigs showed IFN-γ and tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α mRNA expression in response to ConA, lipopolysaccharide or PPD by reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction followed by release of TNF protein but not IFN. These studies indicate that rgp-IFN-γ-treated lung tissue macrophages from BCG-vaccinated guinea pigs are defective for inducing antigen-specific proliferation in T cells, but control the intracellular accumulation of virulent M. tuberculosis.
Acute HIV infection: the impact of anti-retroviral treatment on cellular immune responses
Authors: Hicks C B , Gay C , Ferrari G 
Published: October 2009

SummaryOTHER ARTICLE PUBLISHED IN THIS MINI-REVIEW SERIES ON INFECTIOUS DISEASECongenital cytomegalovirus infection: 50 years on. Clin Exp Immunol 2007; 149: doi:10.1111/j.1365-2249.2007.03454.xThe overall value of initiating anti-retroviral therapy during the acute phase of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection remains unclear. From a clinical perspective, the lack of data from controlled randomized clinical trials limits understanding of long-term effects of treatment on the clinical course of HIV infection. Based on available data, the impact of anti-retroviral therapy during acute infection on the immune response against HIV-1 is not particularly encouraging. Recent observations on the very early depletion of lymphocyte reservoirs in the gastrointestinal tract may partially explain the limited benefit of anti-retroviral therapy initiated during the acute phase of HIV-1 infection. This may also help to explain the dichotomy between early observations demonstrating apparent immunological benefit with early anti-retroviral treatment that were associated none the less with inability to control viral replication following treatment interruption.
Contemporary climate change in the Sonoran Desert favors cold‐adapted species
Authors: KIMBALL SARAH , ANGERT AMY L. , HUXMAN TRAVIS E. , VENABLE D. LAWRENCE 
Published: October 2009

AbstractImpacts of long‐term climate shifts on the dynamics of intact communities within species ranges are not well understood. Here, we show that warming and drying of the Southwestern United States over the last 25 years has corresponded to a shift in the species composition of Sonoran Desert winter annuals, paradoxically favoring species that germinate and grow best in cold temperatures. Winter rains have been arriving later in the season, during December rather than October, leading to the unexpected result that plants are germinating under colder temperatures, shifting community composition to favor slow growing, water‐use efficient, cold‐adapted species. Our results demonstrate how detailed ecophysiological knowledge of individual species, combined with long‐term demographic data, can reveal complex and sometimes unexpected shifts in community composition in response to climate change. Further, these results highlight the potentially overwhelming impact of changes in phenology on the response of biota to a changing climate.
Does dispersal control population densities in advection‐dominated systems? A fresh look at critical assumptions and a direct test
Authors: Downes Barbara J. , Lancaster Jill 
Published: October 2009

Summary 1. In advection‐dominated systems (both freshwater and marine), population dynamics are usually presumed to be dominated by the effects of migrants dispersing by advection, especially over the small spatial scales at which populations can be studied, but few studies have tested this presumption. We tested the hypothesis that benthic densities are controlled by densities of dispersers for two aquatic insects in upland streams. 2. Our study animals were two species of caddisflies (Hydropsychidae), which become sedentary filter‐feeders following settlement onto substrata. Densities of dispersers in the drift (advective dispersal) were quantified using nets placed along the upstream edges of riffles, where the latter abruptly abutted a slower, upstream run. Settlement was estimated at each site using brick pavers, half of which had been fenced to prevent colonization of their top surfaces by walking hydropsychids, thus allowing us to distinguish also the mode of movement during settlement. 3. First through fifth instars of two species, Smicrophylax sp. AV2 and Asmicridea sp. AV1, were abundant and showed disparate results. Drift and settlement were relatively strongly related for Smicrophylax. The best fit lines were shown by second and third instars settling on plain bricks, suggesting that drift played a strong role in settlement, but that some drifters dropped to the bottom and located substrata by walking. Quantile regression suggested that drift sets limits to settlement in this species and that settlement success was highly variable. In contrast, settlement by Asmicridea was poorly related to drift; settlers were mainly individuals re‐dispersing within sites. 4. Smicrophylax densities appear to be controlled by dispersal from upstream, but benthic density of Asmicridea is more likely linked to local demography. Our data demonstrate the dangers of assuming that supposedly drift‐prone species can all be modelled in the same way. Alternative models emphasizing little or different kinds of movement should be considered. Variability in oviposition coupled with weak dispersal, for example, is a viable alternative hypothesis to explain variation in benthic density along channels. Moreover, the constraints on settlement of Smicrophylax show that immigrants into sites can be in short supply, an hypothesis rarely considered in stream research.
Socialism in soil? The importance of mycorrhizal fungal networks for facilitation in natural ecosystems
Authors: Van Der Heijden Marcel G. A. , Horton Thomas R. 
Published: October 2009

Summary 1. Almost all plants are engaged in symbiotic relationships with mycorrhizal fungi. These soil fungi can promote plant growth by supplying limiting nutrients to plant roots in return for plant assimilates. 2. Many mycorrhizal fungi are not host specific and one fungal individual can colonize and interconnect a considerable number of plants. The existence of these so‐called mycorrhizal networks implies that fungi have the potential to facilitate growth of other plants and distribute resources among plants irrespective of their size, status or identity. In this paper, we explore the significance of mycorrhizal fungal networks for individual plants and for plant communities. 3. We address the following questions: (i) are all plant species benefitting from mycorrhizal networks, (ii) is benefit dependent on the size or age of a plant, (iii) is fungal support related to the relative dominance of plants in a community, (iv) are there host dependent barriers and physiological constraints for support and (v) what is the impact of mycorrhizal networks on plant–plant interactions and plant community dynamics? Moreover, using a review of published studies, we test whether mycorrhizal networks facilitate growth of small seedlings that establish between or near larger plants. 4. We found 60 cases where seedling species were grown together with larger plants with or without mycorrhizal fungal networks. Mycorrhizal networks promoted seedling growth in 48% of the cases (for 21 seedling species), while negative effects (25%) and no effects (27%) were also common. Seedlings associating with ectomycorrhizal fungi benefitted in the majority of the cases while effects on seedlings associating with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi were more variable. Thus, the facilitative effects of mycorrhizal fungal networks depend on seedling species identity, mycorrhizal identity, plant species combinations and study system. We present a number of hypothetical scenarios that can explain the results based on cost–benefit relationship of individual members in a network. 5.
Synthesis. Overall, this review shows that mycorrhizal networks play a key role in plant communities by facilitating and influencing seedling establishment, by altering plant–plant interactions and by supplying and recycling nutrients.
Bargaining and trust: the effects of 36‐h total sleep deprivation on socially interactive decisions
Authors: ANDERSON CLARE , DICKINSON DAVID L. 
Published: October 2009

SummaryAlthough it is well known that sleep loss results in poor judgement and decisions, little is known about the influence of social context in these processes. Sixteen healthy young adults underwent three games involving bargaining (‘Ultimatum’ and ‘Dictator’) and trust, following total sleep deprivation (TSD) and during rested wakefulness (RW), in a repeated‐measures, counterbalanced design. To control for repeatability, a second group (n = 16) was tested twice under RW conditions. Paired anonymously with another individual, participants made their simple social interaction decisions facing real monetary incentives. For bargaining, following TSD participants were more likely to reject unequal‐split offers made by their partner, despite the rejection resulting in a zero monetary payoff for both participants. For the trust game, participants were less likely to place full trust in their anonymous partner. Overall, we provide novel evidence that following TSD, the conflict between personal financial gain and payoff equality is focused upon avoidance of unfavourable inequality (i.e. unfairness). This results in the rejection of unfair offers at personal monetary cost, and the lack of full trust which would expose one to being exploited in the interaction. As such, we suggest that within a social domain decisions may be more influenced by emotion following TSD, which has fundamental consequences for real‐world decision‐making involving social exchange.
Amphibian chytridiomycosis in Japan: distribution, haplotypes and possible route of entry into Japan
Authors: GOKA KOICHI , YOKOYAMA JUN , UNE YUMI , KUROKI TOSHIRO , SUZUKI KAZUTAKA , NAKAHARA MIRI , KOBAYASHI AREI , INABA SHIGEKI , MIZUTANI TOMOO , HYATT ALEX D. 
Published: October 2009

AbstractA serious disease of amphibians caused by the chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis was first found in Japan in December 2006 in imported pet frogs. This was the first report of chytridiomycosis in Asia. To assess the risk of pandemic chytridiomycosis to Japanese frogs, we surveyed the distribution of the fungus among captive and wild frog populations. We established a nested PCR assay that uses two pairs of PCR primers to amplify the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of a ribosomal RNA cassette to detect mild fungal infections from as little as 0.001 pg (1 fg) of B. dendrobatidis DNA. We collected swab samples from 265 amphibians sold at pet shops, 294 bred at institutes and 2103 collected at field sites from northern to southwestern Japan. We detected infections in native and exotic species, both in captivity and in the field. Sequencing of PCR products revealed 26 haplotypes of the B. dendrobatidis ITS region. Phylogenetic analysis showed that three of these haplotypes were specific to the Japanese giant salamander (Andrias japonicus) and appeared to have established a commensal relationship with this native amphibian. Many other haplotypes were carried by alien amphibians. The highest genetic diversity of B. dendrobatidis was found in the American bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana). Some strains of B. dendrobatidis appeared to be endemic to Japanese native amphibians, but many alien strains are being introduced into Japan via imported amphibians. To improve chytridiomycosis risk management, we must consider the risk of B. dendrobatidis changing hosts as a result of anthropogenic disturbance of the host‐specific distribution of the fungus.
Bronchopulmonary dysplasia and brain white matter damage in the preterm infant: a complex relationship
Authors: Gagliardi Luigi , Bellù Roberto , Zanini Rinaldo , Dammann Olaf 
Published: October 2009

SummaryWe analysed the relationship between bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) and brain white matter damage (WMD) in very preterm infants, adjusting for common risk factors and confounders. We studied a cohort of infants <32 weeks gestational age (GA) and <1500 g, admitted to 12 hospitals in Northern Italy in 1999–2002. The association between BPD and WMD was estimated by generalised estimating equations and conditional logistic models, adjusting for centre, GA, propensity score for prolonged ventilation and other potential confounders. Directed acyclic graphs (DAG) were used to depict the underlying causal structure and guide analysis.Of the 1209 infants reaching 36 weeks, 192 (15.8%) developed BPD (supplemental oxygen at 36 weeks) and 88 (7.3%) ultrasound‐defined WMD (cystic periventricular leukomalacia). In crude analysis, BPD was a strong risk factor for WMD [odds ratio (OR) = 5.9]. With successive adjustments, the OR progressively decreased to 3.88 when adjusting for GA, to 2.72 adding perinatal risk factors, and further down to 2.16 [95% confidence interval 1.1, 3.9] when ventilation was also adjusted for. Postnatal factors did not change the OR. Significant risk factors for WMD, in addition to BPD, were a low GA, a lower Apgar score, a higher illness severity score, ventilation and early‐onset sepsis, while antenatal steroids, being small for GA, and surfactant were associated with a reduced risk.In conclusion, our data suggest that BPD is associated with an increased risk of WMD; most of the effect is due to shared risk factors and causal pathways. DAGs helped clarify the complex confounding of this scenario.
Trends in birth size and macrosomia in Queensland, Australia, from 1988 to 2005
Authors: Lahmann Petra H. , Wills Rachael‐Anne , Coory Michael 
Published: October 2009

SummaryThe objectives of this study were to explore temporal changes in birth measures in Queensland, Australia, and examine whether secular trends are similar to those in other countries. This study used data from the Queensland Perinatal Data Collection, including singleton livebirths (n = 831 375) from 1988 to 2005. Recorded birthweight (BW, g), birth length (BL, cm), gestational age (weeks), maternal age, ethnic origin and calculated ponderal index (PI, kg/m3) were used. Temporal trends were assessed over the intervals 1988–2005 for BW and 2001–2005 for BW, BL and PI.Mean BW increased during the 17‐year interval by ∼1.9 g/year at a relatively low rate compared with reports from other countries. The proportion of high BW infants (≥4000 g) rose by 0.8% per year. Stratification by Indigenous status indicated that the increase in mean BW and prevalence of high BW was confined to non‐Indigenous newborns only. The secular increase in BW was further modified by gestational age, and maternal age. The increase in BW was larger in term infants (4.2 g/year) than in preterm infants (1.8 g/year), and larger in infants of younger mothers than in those of older mothers (5.0 g/year vs. 3.1 g/year). There were no trends in mean BL and mean PI at birth from 2001 to 2005. In Queensland, mean BW increased moderately in the last 17 years, as did the proportion of high BW infants. The trend in rising BW remained after controlling for other perinatal characteristics. Birth measures per se and related trends differed by Indigenous status and warrant further investigation.
Drought, ozone, ABA and ethylene: new insights from cell to plant to community
Authors: WILKINSON SALLY , DAVIES WILLIAM J 
Published: October 2009

ABSTRACTRecent reports show ethylene‐dependent reductions in stomatal sensitivity to abscisic acid (ABA) under ozone stress. These changes reduce stomatal control of plant water loss in drying soil. Here we review evidence that ABA and ethylene, and interactions between these two stress‐induced hormones, control many of the responses of intact plants to drought and ozone stress, with emphasis on effects on stomata and shoot growth. We draw attention to convergent signalling and response pathways induced by ozone and drought that can increase production of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and nitric oxide (NO). Stomatal responses to a wider range of stresses and developmental cues may also be controlled via the same sets of signalling pathways. Other hormones, or effectors such as xylem/apoplastic pH or changes in plant water status, also play a role in signalling within and between organs. We discuss the implications, for crops, natural ecosystems and water catchment processes, of ethylene's antagonism of the stomatal response to ABA, against a back‐drop of predictions for reduced precipitation and increasing ozone pollution, as part of global climate change and increasing urbanization and industrial development.