bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
A comparison of enterococcal genotypes from the human mouth and cheese
Authors: Williams S.C. , Wade W.G. 
Published: March 2010

Aim  The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of enterococci in saliva, from within infected root treated teeth, and in British‐produced cheeses. An additional aim was to determine if similar enterococcal genotypes were found within these three groups.Methodology  Seventy four samples were collected from the three groups and cultured on Chromocult® enterococci agar. The cultured bacteria were then identified using the Rapid ID 32 Strep kit (bioMerieux). DNA was then extracted from the enterococcal isolates, and genotyping performed by means of repetitive extragenic palindromic (REP) PCR with REP1R‐DT and REP‐2DT primers. Strains were assigned to clonal types by means of the GelCompar software analysis of REP‐PCR profiles.Results  Enterococci were isolated from 8 of 50 saliva samples, and from 4 of 15 root canal samples, and from seven of nine cheese samples. Sixteen isolates were identified as E. faecalis, one isolate was identified as E. faecium, one isolate was identified as E. durans, and one isolate identified as E. avium. REP‐PCR revealed nine clonal types within E. faecalis. The same clonal types were found in samples from saliva, from the root canal, and from British‐produced cheeses.Conclusions  The prevalence of enterococci in the oral cavity was found to be 12%. The prevalence in the infected previously treated root canal was 27%. Enterococci was isolated from seven out of nine British cheeses investigated. The same clonal types of E. faecalis were recovered from saliva, from in the previously treated infected root canal and from British‐produced cheese's. It would be of interest to investigate the prevalence of E. faecalis in the oral cavity from people that do not eat cheese due to the fact of medical reasons or through choice, to see if there is any difference in the prevalence found.
Apical fit of initial K‐files in maxillary molars assessed by micro‐computed tomography
Authors: Paqué F. , Zehnder M. , Marending M. 
Published: March 2010

Paqué F, Zehnder M, Marending M. Apical fit of initial K‐files in maxillary molars assessed by micro‐computed tomography. International Endodontic Journal, 43, 328–335, 2010.AbstractAim  To two‐ and three‐dimensionally assess the fit of the first K‐file binding at working length after a crown‐down canal procedure.Methodology  Twelve maxillary molars with fully developed roots and four separate root canals were selected. Canals were pre‐flared using ProFile 0.04 instruments to three quarters of estimated working length (WL). WL was electronically determined using an ISO 06 K‐file. Progressively larger K‐files were inserted passively to WL. The first binding file was termed initial apical file (IAF). On micro‐computed tomography (μCT) scans, cross‐sectional areas of IAFs and canals and the largest and smallest root canal diameters were measured 1 mm from instrument tips. Volumes of the apical 2 mm of the instruments and corresponding root canal sections were calculated, and file binding was assessed.Results  IAF sizes ranged from ISO‐size 0.08–0.30 and were lowest in second mesiobuccal and highest in palatal canals. Files bound in the apical 2 mm in 96% of the canals. The mean canal area filled by the instruments 1 mm from the tip was below 40% in all canal types, the filled volume below 50% (anova, P > 0.05). The mean ratio (±SD) between largest and smallest canal diameter was 3.0 ± 2.6 for first mesiobuccal, 3.3 ± 2.6 for second mesiobuccal, 4.1 ± 3.5 for distobuccal and 1.6 ± 0.4 for palatal canals, indicating oval to flattened cross‐sections.Conclusions  Two‐ and three‐dimensional analysis of μCT scans revealed that whilst IAFs bound in the apical area, their fit was poor, because their shape does not correspond to maxillary molar canal anatomy.
Pattern of antibiotic prescription in the management of endodontic infections amongst Spanish oral surgeons
Authors: Segura‐Egea J. J. , Velasco‐Ortega E. , Torres‐Lagares D. , Velasco‐Ponferrada M. C. , Monsalve‐Guil L. , Llamas‐Carreras J. M. 
Published: March 2010

Segura‐Egea JJ, Velasco‐Ortega E, Torres‐Lagares D, Velasco‐Ponferrada MC, Monsalve‐Guil L, Llamas‐Carreras JM. Pattern of antibiotic prescription in the management of endodontic infections amongst Spanish oral surgeons. International Endodontic Journal, 43, 342–350, 2010.AbstractAim  To identify antibiotic prescription practices in the treatment of endodontic infections amongst Spanish oral surgeons.Methodology  Members of the Spanish Oral Surgery Society (SECIB) were surveyed on antibiotic prescription on six different pulpal and periapical diagnoses. A total of 200 questionnaires were delivered with 127 returned (64%).Results  The average duration of antibiotic therapy was 7.0 ± 1.0 days. Ninety five percent of respondents selected amoxicillin as the first choice antibiotic in patients with no medical allergies, alone (34%) or associated to clavulanate (61%). The first drug of choice for patients with an allergy to penicillins was clindamycin 300 mg (65%), followed by azithromycin (15%) and metronidazole‐spiramycin (13%). For cases of irreversible pulpitis, 86% of respondents prescribed antibiotics. For the scenario of a necrotic pulp, acute apical periodontitis and no swelling, 71% prescribed antibiotics. Almost 60% of respondents prescribed antibiotics for necrotic pulps with chronic apical periodontitis and a sinus tract; in this clinical situation, odontologists prescribed more frequently antibiotics compared to stomatologists (P = 0.0080; odds ratio = 8.0; C. I. 95% = 1.7–37.1).Conclusions  The majority of the members of the SECIB were selecting the appropriate antibiotic for use in endodontic infections, but there are still many who are prescribing antibiotics inappropriately. The use of antibiotics for minor infections, or in some cases in patients without infections, could be a major contributor to the world problem of antimicrobial resistance.
Habitats of relict terrestrial snails in southern Siberia: lessons for the reconstruction of palaeoenvironments of full‐glacial Europe
Authors: Horsák Michal , Chytrý Milan , Pokryszko Beata M. , Danihelka Jiří , Ermakov Nikolai , Hájek Michal , Hájková Petra , Kintrová Kateřina , Kočí Martin , Kubešová Svatava , Lustyk Pavel , Otýpková Zdenka , Pelánková Barbora , Valachovič Milan 
Published: March 2010

AbstractAim Shells of fossil molluscs are important for palaeoecological reconstructions. However, the habitat requirements of snail species typical of central European full‐glacial loess sediments are poorly known because most of them became very rare or extinct in Europe. The recent discovery of an almost complete extant assemblage of such species in mountainous regions of central Asia enables more precise characterization of their habitats, which may significantly improve reconstructions of Pleistocene environments.Location Altai Mountains, Russia.Methods Terrestrial snail assemblages, vegetation composition and selected environmental variables were recorded at 118 sites along a gradient of climatic continentality in the Russian Altai. Habitat characteristics of sites where species typical of the full‐glacial period occurred were described using a classification tree.Results Seven of the eight species that are typical of central European full‐glacial loess sediments were found in the study area. They were confined to cool areas with January mean temperatures below −17 °C, but occurred mainly in sheltered habitats with a warmer microclimate, such as scrub or open woodland.Pupilla loessicaandVallonia tenuilabrishad the broadest habitat range, occurring from woodland to dry steppe. Unexpectedly,Columella columella,Pupilla alpicola,Vertigo genesii,V. parcedentataandV. pseudosubstriatawere found mainly in wooded fens and shrubby tundra rather than in open steppe. Most of these seven species were recorded in base‐rich wooded fens. Very dry open steppe habitats usually supported no snails.Main conclusions Habitat ranges of the studied snails in the Altai indicate that the full‐glacial landscapes of central European lowlands that harboured these species were not completely dominated by open and dry loess steppe. Most probably they contained a significant component of shrubby vegetation, patches of wet habitats, and probably also areas of woodland at sites with a favourable mesoclimate.
Species associations in an old‐growth temperate forest in north‐eastern China
Authors: Wang Xugao , Wiegand Thorsten , Hao Zhanqing , Li Buhang , Ye Ji , Lin Fei 
Published: March 2010

Summary 1. Studying the spatial pattern of plants may provide significant insights into processes and mechanisms that maintain species richness. We used data from a fully mapped 25‐ha temperate forest plot at Changbaishan (CBS), north‐eastern China, to conduct a community‐wide assessment of the type and frequency of intra‐ and interspecific spatial association patterns. We analysed complex scale effects in the patterning of large trees of 15 common species. First, we tested for overall spatial patterning at 6, 30 and 50 m neighbourhoods and classified the types of bivariate association patterns at these spatial scales (analysis 1). We then explored small‐scale (0–20 m) association patterns conditioning on the larger‐scale pattern (analysis 2) and tested for positive large‐scale (50–250 m) association patterns (analysis 3). 2. Analysis 1 provided ample evidence for non‐random spatial patterning, and the type and frequency of spatial association patterns changed with scale. Trees of most species pairs co‐occurred less than expected by chance and positive associations were rare in local neighbourhoods. Analysis 2 revealed a separation of scales in which significant small‐scale interactions faded away at distances of 10–15 m. One third of all species pairs showed significant and mostly negative bivariate small‐scale association, which occurred more often than expected by chance between species sharing attributes such as family, fruit type and habitat association. This suggests the occurrence of competitive interactions. Analysis 3 showed that only 8% of all species pairs co‐occurred at large scales. 3. Comparison of our results with an analogous study conducted in the species‐rich tropical forest at Sinharaja, Sri Lanka, revealed several structural similarities including the dominance of segregation and partial overlap in the overall patterning (analysis 1) and the separation of scales (analysis 2). However, species pairs at CBS showed considerably more significant negative small‐scale associations (31% vs. 6% at Sinharaja). 4. Synthesis. The techniques presented here allow for a detailed analysis of the complex spatial associations in species‐rich forests and have the potential to reveal indicative patterns that may allow researchers to discriminate among competing hypotheses of community assemblage and dynamics. However, this will require comparative studies involving a large number of plots.
Competition increases with abiotic stress and regulates the diversity of biological soil crusts
Authors: Bowker Matthew A. , Soliveres Santiago , Maestre Fernando T. 
Published: March 2010

Summary 1. The stress‐gradient hypothesis (SGH) predicts that the frequency of facilitative and competitive interactions will vary inversely across abiotic stress gradients, with facilitation being more common when abiotic stress is high. The effect of competition intensity on species richness is generally thought to be negative, but tests along true stress gradients are lacking. This body of research has primarily focused on vascular plants and could be well informed by broadening to other communities. 2. We report the first regional‐scale test of the SGH using biological soil crusts dominated by mosses and lichens, a key multi‐functional community of arid and semi‐arid ecosystems worldwide. We examined the intensity of facilitative or competitive interactions at the level of the community and among species pairs along an aridity gradient. Along this gradient we also examined the relationship between competition intensity and species richness. 3. All evidence strongly suggested that negative species interactions are prevalent in this study system and much more common than expected by chance. At the community scale, we found that abiotic stress associated with aridity was positively related to and explained 6–56% of the variance in indicators of facilitation or competition, dependent on the index and algorithm used. Despite this intriguing contradiction of the SGH at the whole community scale, we found scant dependency of species‐level interactions upon abiotic stress. However, the sign and intensity of these interactions proved to be species‐specific. We also found that the relationship between competition and species richness, usually negatively affected by competition, was positively related to richness at low abiotic stress, and negatively related to richness at high abiotic stress. 4. Synthesis. We propose that the response of species interactions to stress gradients may partially depend upon the particular modes of facilitation and competition, in addition to type of stressor and life‐history strategies of species involved. We also hypothesize that because stress can act as a filter, a greater number of species interactions are possible under low stress conditions. We believe that this may render intransitivity dominant over niche segregation and expansion, potentially resulting in positive effects of competition on species richness in low stress situations.
Assessment of nutritional status of patients waiting for liver transplantation
Authors: Ferreira Lívia G. , Anastácio Lucilene R. , Lima Agnaldo S. , Correia Maria I.T.D. 
Published: March 2010

Ferreira LG, Anastácio LR, Lima AS, Correia MITD. Assessment of nutritional status of patients waiting for liver transplantation.  Clin Transplant 2011: 25: 248–254. © 2010 John Wiley & Sons A/S.Abstract:  Patients with advanced liver disease have several risk factors to develop nutritional deficiencies. Accurate nutritional assessment is a real challenge because many of the traditionally measured parameters of nutritional status vary with severity of liver disease independently of nutritional status. The objective of this study was to compare different tools used to assess the nutritional status of patients waiting for a liver transplant. Patients were nutritionally assessed by SGA, anthropometry, handgrip dynamometry and biochemical tests. Clinical variables were cross analyzed with the nutritional assessment methods. There were 159 patients followed. Malnutrition ranged from 6.3% to 80.8% according to the different methods used. Agreement among all the methods was low (K < 0.26). Malnutrition prevalence according to different nutritional assessment tools did not differ among this group of patients in relation to the etiology of liver disease (p > 0.05) but increased with the more advanced stages of disease according to the Child‐Pugh score. Only SGA showed significant relationships with clinical variables (Child‐Pugh scores, p < 0.05; presence of ascites and/or edema, p < 0.01; and encephalopathy, p < 0.01). The various methods used showed great variability of results, lack agreement among them, and only SGA showed correlation with the progression of liver disease.
Low rainfall‐induced shift in leaf trait relationship within species along a semi‐arid sandy land transect in northern China
Authors: Wei H. , Wu B. , Yang W. , Luo T. 
Published: March 2010

AbstractIt is unclear whether the shift in leaf traits between species of high‐ and low‐rainfall sites is caused by low rainfall or by species replacement, because leaf traits vary substantially among species and sites. Our objective was to test if the within‐species relationship between specific leaf area (SLA) and leaf N concentration (Nmass) shifts across a rainfall gradient in the semi‐arid sandy lands of northern China. Data for SLA and Nmass of dominant species and related canopy and soil variables were collected from 33 plots along a rainfall transect (270–390 mm) having similar temperatures in the Mu Us, Inner Mongolia. We further investigated the generality of Mu Us data using 12 additional plots in the southeastern Qaidam Basin, Qinghai. Artemisia ordosica is a widespread species in both regions. Across and within species, the positive SLA–Nmass relationship shifted between two plant groups in the lowest rainfall plots (270 mm) and other higher rainfall plots (320–390 mm), which was confirmed by additional data from Qinghai. For A. ordosica populations, leaf area index (LAI) decreased and Nmass increased with decreasing rainfall, while the foliage N pool and SLA varied little. Rainfall was the limiting factor that determined variations in Nmass and LAI. Accordingly, Nmass/SLA ratios continually increased with decreasing LAI along the rainfall gradient (r = −0.76, P < 0.001). Results indicate a low rainfall‐induced shift in the SLA–Nmass relationship associated with changes in LAI and foliage N pool, suggesting a link between leaf characteristics and ecosystem function.
Supplemental ultraviolet‐B and ozone: impact on antioxidants, proteome and genome of linseed (Linum usitatissimum L. cv. Padmini)
Authors: Tripathi R. , Sarkar A. , Pandey Rai S. , Agrawal S. B. 
Published: March 2010

AbstractThe present investigation used Linum usitatissimum L. cv. Padmini (linseed), under field conditions in open‐top chambers, to evaluate the interactive effects of supplemental ultraviolet‐B (sUV‐B; ambient +7.2 kJ·m−2·d−1) and ozone (O3; ambient +10 ppb). Treatment of plants with sUV‐B and O3, individually or in combination, caused several changes in enzymatic and non‐enzymatic components of the antioxidant defence system. Photo‐oxidative damage caused by sUV‐B and O3, included lipid peroxidation, changed protein profiles and caused DNA strand breakage. One‐dimensional gel electrophoresis revealed that proteins of 222.24 and 50.5 kDa are specific and appear after sUV‐B and O3 exposure, and could be used as indicator proteins. Effects of sUV‐B and O3 given separately are more detrimental as compared to combined treatment. Mutational and structural alterations in linseed DNA after these stresses were also examined using RAPD with ten different primers. The study concluded that both stresses, i.e. sUV‐B and O3, are phytotoxic, causing significant changes in metabolites, antioxidants, the leaf proteome and the genome of linseed, but their interactive effect was always less than additive.
Improvement of Fertility in Artificially Inseminated Ewes Following Vaginal Treatment with Misoprostol Plus Terbutaline Sulphate
Authors: Horta AEM , Barbas JP , Marques CC , Baptista MC , Vasques MI , Pereira RM , Mascarenhas RD , Cavaco‐Gonçalves S 
Published: March 2010

ContentsThe effect of vaginal administration of misoprostol plus terbutaline sulphate 6 h prior to artificial insemination (AI) upon the site of AI (vaginal or cervical) and fertility was studied using a total of 87 estrous synchronized Serra da Estrela ewes (control n = 42 and treated n = 45). Artificial insemination was performed using refrigerated semen at 54–55 h after sponge removal. Lambing rate (fertility) and prolificacy were compared between control and treated ewes. The effect of the site of semen deposition on fertility was also evaluated. Prolificacy rate was not different between control (1.5) and treated (1.59) ewes. The proportion of cervical AI achieved in control (45.2%) and treated (37.8%) ewes was not significantly different. Overall, fertility was significantly lower in control than in treated ewes (42.9% vs 64.4%; p < 0.04). Fertility following vaginal AI was significantly lower for control for than treated ewes (30.4% vs 60.7%; p < 0.03) but the difference was smaller and not significant for cervical AI (control 57.9% vs 70.6%). It was concluded that vaginal administration of misoprostol plus terbutaline sulphate 6 h prior to artificial insemination did not affect the proportion of cervical inseminations but significantly improved the fertility of treated ewes. Although needing confirmation, it was hypothesized that drugs might have induced local secretory modifications leading to an increase of cervical ability to retain more viable spermatozoa for fertilization.
N‐acetyl‐L‐cysteine inhibits bleomycin‐induced interleukin‐8 secretion by bronchial epithelial cells
Authors: Gon Yasuhiro , Hashimoto Shu , Nakayama Tomoko , Matsumoto Ken , Koura Toshiya , Takeshita Ikuko , Horie Takashi 
Published: March 2010

Objective:Bleomycin (BLM) has proven effective for the treatment of cancers, but the most serious dose‐limiting side‐effect is the development of pulmonary toxicity. Although the precise mechanism in the pathogenesis of BLM‐induced lung injury has not been determined, oxygen radicals and neutrophils are indicated to play a key role in it. Interleukin‐8 (IL‐8) is thought to be an important mediator of the pathogenesis of acute lung injury.Methodology:The IL‐8 production from bronchial epithelial cell line, BEAS‐2B cells was measured by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assays for IL‐8.Results:The concentrations of IL‐8 were reportedly elevated in BLM‐induced lung injury, suggesting the involvement of IL‐8 in the pathogenesis of BLM‐induced lung injury. In the present study, we showed that BLM induced the expression of IL‐8 protein and mRNA in BEAS‐2B cells, and N‐acetyl‐L‐cysteine (NAC) inhibited IL‐8 expression. In addition, the structurally unrelated anti‐oxidant, pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC) also effectively inhibited BLM‐induced IL‐8 production.Conclusion:These results suggest that anti‐oxidant‐sensitive mechanism might be involved in the inhibition of IL‐8 secretion by BLM‐stimulated bronchial epithelial cells and that NAC might be useful for the treatment of BLM‐induced lung injury.
Parasympathetic neurotransmission in rabbit isolated bronchus is modulated at prejunctional sites via endothelinBreceptor stimulation
Authors: McKay Karen O. , Johnson Peter R. A. , Black Judith L. , Armour Carol L. 
Published: March 2010

Objective:The aim of this study was to investigate the mechanism involved in endothelin‐induced potentiation of the response to parasympathetic nerve stimulation.Methodology:We used autoradiographic and functional studies in rabbit isolated bronchi.Results:Autoradiography revealed dense binding sites for radiolabelled endothelin‐3 over bronchial parasympathetic ganglia. The contractile response of the bronchus to electrical field stimulation was significantly potentiated by endothelin‐3, endothelin‐1, sarafotoxin S6c and BQ‐3020 to 326 ± 53%, 293 ± 63%, 514 ± 119% and 655 ± 178%, respectively, of control values. The endothelin‐3‐induced potentiation of neurally evoked responses was not affected by the presence of propranolol, phentolamine or hexamethonium. The potentiation was also unaltered by pretreatment with the endothelinAreceptor antagonist BQ‐123 (3 μmol/L), but was significantly reduced in the presence of the combined endothelinA/endothelinBreceptor antagonist PD 145065, indicating that the potentiation was mediated via endothelinBreceptors. Confirmation of endothelinBreceptor involvement in the neuropotentiation was obtained by demonstration of a significant amelioration of the potentiation in the presence of the endothelinBreceptor selective antagonist BQ‐788, and after endothelinBreceptor desensitization by the endothelinBreceptor selective agonist sarafotoxin S6b.Conclusions:These results suggest that the endothelin‐induced potentiation of parasympathetic neural responses in the rabbit bronchus is mediated via endothelinBreceptor activation.