bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Allergy to rodents: an update
Authors: Jeal H. , Jones M. 
Published: September 2010

SummaryAllergy to rodents in the workplace is an important occupational health problem affecting research, pharmaceutical and toxicological sectors and can have a serious impact on employees working in this area. Despite measures to reduce aeroallergen exposures to rodents in the workplace, there are few signs that this occupational health problem is declining. Rodent allergens are well characterized and exposure–response relationships have been demonstrated to be complex. More recently, the importance of rodent allergens outside of the workplace has been demonstrated in several studies of individuals with asthma. This review focuses on rodent allergy both in the workplace and in the home and examines the complex exposure–response relationships between allergen exposure and sensitization and asthma. Risk factors for rodent allergy and mechanisms of tolerance to rodent allergens are discussed. Cite this as: H. Jeal and M. Jones, Clinical & Experimental Allergy, 2010 (40) 1593–1601.
Caesarean sections and risk of wheezing in childhood and adolescence: data from two birth cohort studies in Brazil
Authors: Menezes A. M. B. , Hallal P. C. , Matijasevich A. M. , Barros A. J. D. , Horta B. L. , Araujo C. L. P. , Gigante D. P. , Santos I. S. , Minten G. , Domingues M. R. , Dumith S. C. , Barros F. C. 
Published: September 2010

Cite this as: A. M. B. Menezes,P. C. Hallal, A. M. Matijasevich,A. J. D. Barros, B. L. Horta, C. L. P. Araujo,D. P. Gigante, I. S. Santos, G. Minten,M. R. Domingues, S. C. Dumith and F. C. Barros, Clinical & Experimental Allergy, 2011 (41) 218–223.SummaryBackground
There is evidence from two meta‐analyses that children born through caesarean section (C‐section) may have an increased risk of developing asthma compared with those born through vaginal delivery.Objective
To evaluate the association between mode of delivery and wheezing (current and persistent) in childhood and adolescence, in two birth cohort studies in Brazil.Methods
The outcome variable was based on the International Study of Allergy and Asthma questionnaire, which collects information about wheezing within the 12 months before the interview. Persistent wheezing was defined when it was present in more than one follow‐up at different ages, in the 1993 cohort. The questions were asked to mothers when children were aged 4 years (1993 and 2004 cohorts) and directly to cohort participants at 11 and 15 years (1993 cohort). Mode of delivery was collected by the research team of each cohort when children were born.Results
Response rates in the last follow‐up visit of the 1993 and 2004 cohorts were 85% and 92%, respectively. The prevalence of current wheezing increased from 20% to 28% at 4 years from 1993 to 2004; at 11 and 15 years, the prevalence was around 14% and 12%, in the 1993 cohort. The proportion of C‐sections increased from 30.5% to 45% between 1993 and 2004. In each cohort, the prevalence of current wheezing was similar among children born through vaginal and C‐section. The risk for persistent wheezing in the 1993 cohort was higher among girls born through C‐section than boys.Conclusion
Despite the increase in the proportion of C‐section in two cohorts in Southern Brazil, we found no evidence of an association between mode of delivery and the subsequent risk of wheezing. Among girls, although there was no statistical significance, the risk was higher for those born by C‐section, especially regarding persistent wheezing.
Rapid migration of thymic emigrants to the colonic mucosa in ulcerative colitis patients
Authors: Elgbratt K , Kurlberg G , Hahn-Zohric M , Hörnquist E Hultgren 
Published: September 2010

SummaryInflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is associated with imbalances of the local intestinal immune responses, with dysregulated CD4+ T cells contributing to the chronic inflammation. Having demonstrated altered T cell maturation in the thymus in two different mouse models of colitis, we set out to investigate whether abnormalities in T cell maturation is present in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) or Crohn's disease (CD). Specimens were obtained from peripheral blood (CD; n = 14, UC; n = 22), colon and small intestinal specimens (CD; n = 6, UC; n = 13). As controls, peripheral blood specimens were obtained from healthy volunteers, patients with adenocarcinomas (n = 18) and colonic specimens from patients with adenocarcinomas (n = 14). Recent thymic emigrants were estimated by analysis of the normalized ratio of T cell receptor excision circles (TRECs) by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The frequency of naive- and proliferating T lymphocytes and markers of extrathymic T cell maturation in the mucosa was analyzed by flow cytometry and real time-PCR. TREC levels in peripheral blood T lymphocytes were similar between IBD patients and controls. In contrast, UC patients demonstrated significantly increased levels of TRECs both in intraepithelial and lamina propria lymphocytes from the colonic mucosa compared to patients with adenocarcinomas and CD. However, markers for extrathymic T cell maturation in the mucosa were not different between controls and IBD patients. The increased TREC levels in mucosal but not peripheral blood lymphocytes in UC patients in the absence of increased extrathymic maturation in situ in the mucosa together demonstrate that recent thymic emigrants are recruited rapidly to the inflamed mucosa of these patients.
Increased morbidity and mortality in murine cytomegalovirus-infected mice following allogeneic bone marrow transplant is associated with reduced surface decay accelerating factor expression
Authors: El-Amouri I S , Bani-Ahmad M , Tang-Feldman Y , Lin F , Ko C , Pomeroy C , Oakley O R 
Published: September 2010

SummaryInfection with cytomegalovirus (CMV) remains a significant cause of morbidity and mortality following allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (allo-BMT). The manifestations of CMV infection can range from neurological and haematological abnormalities to diminished graft survival and, in extreme cases, death. Many clinical studies have shown a direct correlation between cytomegalovirus infection and increased morbidity and mortality post allo-BMT, yet the exact mechanism is not well understood. Although driven primarily by T cell responses, the role of complement activation in acute and chronic graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) has also become more evident in recent years. The present studies were performed to examine the effects of murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV) infection on decay accelerating factor (DAF) and MCMVs role in exacerbating morbidity and mortality post-allo-BMT. Mice infected previously with a sublethal dose of MCMV (1 × 105 plaque-forming units) have reduced expression of DAF on lung tissues and lymphocytes following allo-BMT. More importantly, mortality rates post-allo-BMT in recipient DAF knock-out mice receiving wild-type bone marrow are increased, similar to wild-type MCMV-infected recipient mice. Similarly, DAF knock-out mice showed greater intracellular interferon (IFN)-γ production by lung CD8 T cells, and infection with MCMV further exacerbated both intracellular IFN-γ production by CD8 T cells and mortality rates post-allo-BMT. Together, these data support the hypothesis that MCMV infection augments morbidity and mortality post-allo-BMT by reducing surface DAF expression.
Seasonal patterns of parasitism and differential susceptibility among species in macrolepidopteran assemblages on Salix nigra (Marsh) and Acer negundo L.
Authors: BARBOSA PEDRO , CALDAS ASTRID 
Published: September 2010

Abstract 1. Previous research has demonstrated that parasitism of larval macrolepidoptera on Acer negundo (box elder) is greater than that of larvae on Salix nigra.2. In this study, percentage larval parasitism of species on box elder and black willow was calculated for distinct portions of the season, to determine if the higher levels of parasitism on box elder resulted from greater parasitism during a particular portion of the season.3. Larval parasitism was higher on box elder regardless of the portion of the season; however, the seasonal pattern of parasitism differed for each tree species, i.e. late‐season box elder parasitism increased and late‐season black willow parasitism decreased relative to early‐ and mid‐season parasitism.4. The degree to which higher levels of parasitism were associated with host and parasitoid traits such as average larval abundance, number of species, type of host, and parasitoid species load of macrolepidoptera, as well as average number of species of parasitoids during each portion of the season was determined.5. In addition, the possibility that differences in the pattern of parasitism on box elder and black willow were caused by the presence of a greater number of numerically dominant parasitoid species in late‐season box elder was investigated.6. None of the variables, other than type of host species, were associated with higher levels of parasitism in late‐season box elder.7. Late‐season, single‐tree species on box elder (i.e. species that occurred only on box elder) were more heavily parasitised, compared with dual‐tree species. This difference was not observed earlier in the season nor on black willow.8. Further, single‐tree species on late‐season box elder included three numerically dominant species that suffered significantly greater larval parasitism than any other type of species on either of the two trees.9. This study supported previous predictions, that suggested the importance of larval coloration: there was a higher proportion of green larvae among the most highly parasitised host species, i.e. single‐tree, numerically dominant species.
Life‐history, genotypic, and environmental correlates of clutch size in the Glanville fritillary butterfly
Authors: SAASTAMOINEN MARJO 
Published: September 2010

Abstract1. Glanville fritillary butterfly (Melitaea cinxia) females lay up to 10 clutches of 50–300 eggs in their lifetime. Clutch size is an important life‐history trait as larval group size affects survival throughout larval development.2. Two experiments were carried out in a large population cage in the field to investigate the life‐history and environmental correlates of clutch size.3. Clutch size decreased with the cumulative number of eggs laid previously, increased with both female body weight and the number of days between consecutive clutches.4. Genotypic differences among females in the glycolytic enzyme phosphoglucose isomerase had a significant influence on clutch size, partly because females of particular genotypes were able to initiate oviposition earlier in the day and thereby take advantage of the most favourable environmental conditions for oviposition.5. Factors influencing clutch size were partly different in two summers, indicating the modulating effect of prevailing environmental conditions on reproductive performance.
Seasonal phenotypic plasticity of wing melanisation in the cabbage white butterfly, Pieris rapae L. (Lepidoptera: Pieridae)
Authors: STOEHR ANDREW M. , GOUX HIPPOLYTE 
Published: September 2010

Abstract 1. Effective thermoregulation is crucial for the fitness of small flying insects. Phenotypic plasticity of the ventral hindwing of pierid butterflies is widely recognised as adaptive for effective thermoregulation. Butterflies eclosing in cooler environments have more heavily melanised wings that absorb solar radiation, thus allowing flight under these cool conditions.2. Many pierids also exhibit phenotypic plasticity of dorsal forewing melanisation but in this case, cooler environments reduce melanisation. It has been hypothesised that this plasticity is also adaptive because it increases solar reflection from the wing surfaces onto the body in certain basking postures.3. The degree of seasonal variation in ventral hindwing and dorsal forewing melanisation of wild‐caught Pieris rapae was quantified to determine if it shows patterns of plasticity similar to that documented for other Pieris species.4. Male wing melanisation on both wing surfaces shows the characteristic seasonal, adaptive plasticity. However, only some dorsal forewing pattern elements of females conformed to the predictions of the hypothesis of adaptive dorsal forewing melanisation. Sexual dimorphism of wing pattern plasticity may result from, and/or affect, sexual dimorphism of behaviour and physiology of these butterflies.
Arthropod community diversity and trophic structure: a comparison between extremes of plant stress
Authors: TROTTER R. TALBOT , COBB NEIL S. , WHITHAM THOMAS G. 
Published: September 2010

Abstract 1. Previous studies have shown that plant stress and plant vigour impact the preference and performance of many insect species. Global climate‐change scenarios suggest that some regions such as continental interiors may become increasingly subject to severe drought. In combination, these two issues suggest that drought‐driven plant stress may impact insect communities on a landscape scale. While there have been many population studies relating plant stress to the life history of individual herbivore species, far less is known about how plant stress affects entire communities.2. To study the effect of plant stress on arthropod communities, arthropods were sampled from the canopies of pinyon pines (Pinus edulis) growing at sites with a history of chronically high environmental stress (e.g. lower water potentials, soil moisture, and reduced growth rates), and those growing under more favourable conditions. Sampling in these environments yielded >59 000 arthropods, representing 287 species from 14 orders and 80 families, and revealed three major community patterns.3. First, chronic stress significantly altered community composition. Second, trees growing under high stress supported about 1/10th the number of arthropods, and roughly half the species as trees growing under more favourable conditions. Third, of the 33 abundant herbivore species that exhibited a significantly skewed distribution towards either high‐ or low‐stress trees, 73% were skewed with higher numbers on low‐stress trees.4. The pattern of potentially reduced arthropod diversity and abundance on stressed pines observed in this study may further compound the loss of species resulting from the recent, landscape‐scale drought‐induced mortality of pines in the southwestern USA.
Fit for succession – community structure and life strategies of leafhoppers in urban brownfields
Authors: STRAUSS BARBARA , BIEDERMANN ROBERT 
Published: September 2010

Abstract 1. Urban brownfields offer an excellent opportunity to study successional processes. Changes in the frequencies of biological traits during succession are of particular interest. They shed light on the general reasons why species emerge and vanish during the course of succession.2. Leafhopper (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha) occurrence data (3763 species observations) of 194 species were studied. Data was collected on 246 brownfield plots, aged 0–40 years, in two cities in Northern Germany.3. Four categorical traits were studied: host‐plant type, phagy, dormancy, and voltinism. In these traits, two aspects were analysed: (1) changes in trait category frequencies during succession, and (2) distribution of trait categories (i) within the brownfield species pool versus the German species pool and (ii) within species observations.4. Trait categories showed clear successional trends. Young successional stages were related to feeding on herbs, polyphagy, egg overwintering, and two generations per year.5. By analysing combinations of two traits, species could be assigned to four functional groups: species associated with young, intermediate and old sites, and one group indifferent to site age. The pioneer group comprised the least number of species, but the highest number of observations.6. Categories associated with young site age were over‐represented in the brownfield species pool. Moreover, within this already biased species pool, species with pioneer trait categories occurred with higher frequency. For the slow colonisers among leafhoppers, brownfields seem to be habitats that are hard to exploit.
Reproductive strategies of two forms of flightless males in a non‐pollinating fig wasp under partial local mate competition
Authors: WANG ZHEN‐JI , PENG YAN‐QIONG , COMPTON STEPHEN G. , YANG DA‐RONG 
Published: September 2010

1. The underlying basis of alternative male reproductive strategies is either genetic or environmental. Several non‐pollinating fig wasp lineages have dimorphic males, typically with winged males that disperse from natal figs to mate and flightless males that seek mating opportunities in natal figs.2. Walkerella sp. from Ficus benjamina has dark and pale wingless males. Observations and experiments in Xishuangbanna, Southern China found that (i) the sex ratio of Walkerella sp. did not vary with foundress number or brood size. (ii) The frequency of dark males increased with brood size and foundress number and they were absent from figs with a single foundress. This produced a higher proportion of dark males at higher densities. (iii) Males of both morphs fought, but injuries to dark males were more frequent. (iv) Dark males were more likely to disperse away from their natal figs and (v) they were more resistant to dehydration.3. Responses to selection are constrained by the genetic options available. Consequently, selection pressures acting on different lineages can produce similar outcomes that are achieved in different ways. Walkerella species lack winged males, but dark males display some of their features, dispersing from natal figs and displaying appropriate physiological and behavioural adaptations. However, dark males also displayed increased levels of damage from fighting – a feature unlikely to be shared with the winged males of other species.
Partial local mate competition in the wasp Trichogramma euproctidis: the role of emergence sex ratio on female mating behaviour
Authors: MARTEL VÉRONIQUE , DOYON JOSÉE , BOIVIN GUY 
Published: September 2010

1. Parasitic wasps with structured populations are generally assumed to follow the local mate competition (LMC) model: females lay only the minimal number of sons necessary to inseminate all daughters in the emergence patch, and increase this number when faced with additional broods from unrelated females. After emergence, daughters mate with local males before dispersing for host location and oviposition. The main predictions from the model have been verified for many species.2. Conflicting evidence exists on the status of the egg parasitoids Trichogramma regarding their on‐patch versus off‐patch mating. Although the life‐history traits of several species indicate that mating must occur on the emergence patch, recent data suggest that mating could occur outside the natal patch.3. In this study, we measured the level of off‐patch mating in the egg parasitoid Trichogramma euproctidis using two isofemale lines in a greenhouse experiment. The impact of the sex ratio on the level of off‐patch mating was also tested.4. The overall off‐patch mating proportion was 40.5% with a range between 0 and 85.7%, and was influenced by the sex ratio on the emergence patch: the more males available at emergence, the less off‐patch mating occurring.5. The mating structure of this species can be described as partial LMC.
The impact of an ant–aphid mutualism on the functional composition of the secondary parasitoid community
Authors: SANDERS DIRK , FRANK VAN VEEN F. J. 
Published: September 2010

1. Mutualistic and antagonistic interactions, although often studied independently, may affect each other, and food web dynamics are likely to be determined by the two processes working in concert.2. The structure, and hence dynamics, of food webs depends on the relative abundances of generalist and specialist feeding guilds. Secondary parasitoids of aphids can be divided into two feeding guilds: (i) the more specialised endoparasitoids, which attack the primary parasitoid larvae in the still living aphid, and (ii) the generalist ectoparasitoids, which attack the pre‐pupa of the primary or secondary parasitoid in the mummified aphid.3. We studied the effect of an ant–aphid mutualism on the relative abundance of these two functional groups of secondary parasitoids. We hypothesised that generalists will be negatively affected by the presence of ants, thus leading to a greater dominance of specialists.4. We manipulated the access of ants (Lasius niger) to aphid colonies in which we placed parasitised aphids. Aphid mummies were collected and reared to determine the levels of endo‐ and ecto‐secondary parasitism.5. When aphids were attended by L. niger the proportion of secondary parasitism by ectoparasitoids dropped from 26 to 8% of the total number of parasitised aphids, with Pachyneuron aphidis most strongly affected, while endoparasitoids as a group did not respond. However, among these Syrphophagus mamitus profited from ant attendance becoming the dominant secondary parasitoid, while parasitisation rates of Alloxysta and Phaenoglyphis declined.6. The shift to S. mamitus as dominant secondary parasitoid in ant‐attended aphid colonies is likely due to the behavioural plasticity of this species in response to ant aggression, and a release from tertiary parasitism by generalist ectoparasitoids.7. The reduction of secondary parasitism by generalist ectoparasitoids reduces the potential for apparent competition among primary parasitoids with consequences for the dynamics of the wider food web.
Intestinal effects of α‐glucosidase inhibitors: absorption of nutrients and enterohormonal changes
Authors: GÖKE B. , HERRMANN C. , GÖKE R. , FEHMANN H. C. , BERGHÖFER P. , RICHTER G. , ARNOLD R. 
Published: September 2010

AbstractThe present paper addresses the question how α‐glucosidase inhibitors affect glucose homeostasis. To facilitate this already established data on the effects of induced malabsorption on gut hormones such as gastric inhibitory polypeptide (GIP) in connection with preliminary findings which deal with the new incretin hormone glucagon‐like peptide 1 (7–36) amide (GLP‐1) are discussed. To emphasize the possibly important impact of a regulated GLP‐1 release in response to glucosidase inhibitor treatment we evaluate the recently introduced concept of ‘glucose competence’ of pancreatic β‐cells.The slowing of nutrient (i.e. glucose) absorption by therapeutic means (for example, arcabose) could supplement a new approach in the treatment of type 2 diabetics which would utilize the well‐preserved insulinotropic activity of GLP‐1 in these patients, its glucagon‐lowering effect, and its possible inhibition of gastric emptying rates, the latter helping to reduce the requirement for rapid insulin secretory responses as is intended while using α‐glucosidase inhibitor treatment.
The use of acarbose in the prevention and treatment of hypoglycaemia
Authors: LEFEBVRE P. J. , SCHEEN A. J. 
Published: September 2010

AbstractThis paper reviews the use of acarbose in the prevention and treatment of hypoglycaemia. In diet‐or sulfonylurea‐treated patients, acarbose may reduce the incidence of late postprandial hypoglycaemia. In insulin‐treated patients, acarbose treatment usually requires reduction of the insulin dose; one study has shown that 100 mg acarbose at night significantly reduces the incidence of mid‐evening and nocturnal hypoglycaemia. Several studies have suggested acarbose to be a useful adjunct to the management of reactive hypoglycaemia in the non‐diabetic patients. Long‐term prospective studies are still needed to document this last indication of acarbose or other α‐glycosidase inhibitors.