bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Do assembly history effects attenuate from species to ecosystem properties? A field test with wood‐inhabiting fungi
Authors: Dickie Ian A. , Fukami Tadashi , Wilkie J. Paula , Allen Robert B. , Buchanan Peter K. 
Published: December 2011

Ecology Letters (2011)AbstractAssembly history, or the order of species arrival, can have wide‐ranging effects on species, communities and ecosystems. However, it remains unclear whether assembly history primarily affects individual species, with effects attenuating at the level of communities and ecosystems or, alternatively, has consistent effect sizes across increasing levels of ecological organisation. We address this question using a field‐based manipulation of assembly history of wood‐inhabiting fungi. The largest effect sizes were observed for the frequency of some individual species, and mean effect sizes were lower for community metrics of fungi immigrating from the regional species pool. There was little evidence, however, of attenuation in effect sizes at the ecosystem level (carbon, nitrogen, decomposition) in comparison to the species or community level. These results indicate that assembly history can have strong effects on ecosystem properties even under natural levels of environmental variability.
Gender Differences in Entrepreneurial Propensity*
Authors: Koellinger Philipp , Minniti Maria , Schade Christian 
Published: December 2011

AbstractUsing data from representative population surveys in 17 countries, we find that the lower rate of female business ownership is primarily due to women's lower propensity to start businesses rather than to differences in survival rates across genders. We show that women are less confident in their entrepreneurial skills, have different social networks and exhibit higher fear of failure than men. After controlling for endogeneity, we find that these variables explain a substantial part of the gender gap in entrepreneurial activity. Although, of course, their relative importance varies significantly across countries, these factors appear to have a universal effect.
Estimating the Allele Frequency of Autosomal Recessive Disorders through Mutational Records and Consanguinity: The Homozygosity Index (HI)
Authors: Gialluisi Alessandro , Pippucci Tommaso , Anikster Yair , Ozbek Ugur , Medlej‐Hashim Myrna , Mégarbané Andre , Romeo Giovanni 
Published: December 2011

SummaryIn principle mutational records make it possible to estimate frequencies of disease alleles (q) for autosomal recessive disorders using a novel approach based on the calculation of the Homozygosity Index (HI), i.e., the proportion of homozygous patients, which is complementary to the proportion of compound heterozygous patients P(CH). In other words, the rarer the disorder, the higher will be the HI and the lower will be the P(CH). To test this hypothesis we used mutational records of individuals affected with Familial Mediterranean Fever (FMF) and Phenylketonuria (PKU), born to either consanguineous or apparently unrelated parents from six population samples of the Mediterranean region. Despite the unavailability of precise values of the inbreeding coefficient for the general population, which are needed in the case of apparently unrelated parents, our estimates of q are very similar to those of previous descriptive epidemiological studies. Finally, we inferred from simulation studies that the minimum sample size needed to use this approach is 25 patients either with unrelated or first cousin parents. These results show that the HI can be used to produce a ranking order of allele frequencies of autosomal recessive disorders, especially in populations with high rates of consanguineous marriages.
Autoreactive‐Aβ antibodies promote APP β‐secretase processing
Authors: Deng Juan , Hou Huayan , Giunta Brian , Mori Takashi , Wang Yan‐Jiang , Fernandez Frank , Weggen Sascha , Araki Wataru , Obregon Demian , Tan Jun 
Published: December 2011

J. Neurochem. (2012) 120, 732–740.AbstractSeveral prior investigations of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) patients have indicated naturally occurring autoantibodies against amyloid‐β (Aβ) species are produced. Although many studies have focused on the relative concentrations or binding affinities of autoantibodies against Aβ‐related proteins in AD and aging, data regarding their functional properties are limited. It is generally believed that these antibodies act to aid in clearance of Aβ. However, as antibodies which bind to Aβ also typically bind to the parent amyloid precursor protein (APP), we reasoned that certain Aβ‐targeting autoantibodies may bind to APP thereby altering its conformation and processing. Here we show for the first time, that naturally occurring Aβ‐reactive autoantibodies isolated from AD patients, but not from healthy controls, promote β‐secretase activity in cultured cells. Furthermore, using monoclonal antibodies to various regions of Aβ, we found that antibodies generated against the N‐terminal region, especially Aβ1‐17, dose dependently promoted amyloidogenic processing of APP viaβ‐secretase activation. Thus, this property of certain autoantibodies in driving Aβ generation could be of etiological importance in the development of sporadic forms of AD. Furthermore, future passive or active anti‐Aβ immunotherapies must consider potential off‐target effects resulting from antibodies targeting the N‐terminus of Aβ, as co‐binding to the corresponding region of APP may actually enhance Aβ generation.
Visual Three‐Dimensional Representation of Beat‐to‐Beat Electrocardiogram Traces During Hemodiafiltration
Authors: Rodriguez‐Fernandez Rodrigo , Infante Oscar , Perez‐Grovas Héctor , Hernandez Erika , Ruiz‐Palacios Patricia , Franco Martha , Lerma Claudia 
Published: December 2011

AbstractThis study evaluated the usefulness of the three‐dimensional representation of electrocardiogram traces (3DECG) to reveal acute and gradual changes during a full session of hemodiafiltration (HDF) in end‐stage renal disease (ESRD) patients. Fifteen ESRD patients were included (six men, nine women, age 46 ± 19 years old). Serum electrolytes, blood pressure, heart rate, and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) were measured before and after HDF. Continuous electrocardiograms (ECGs) obtained by Holter monitoring during HDF were used to produce the 3DECG. Several major disturbances were identified by 3DECG images: increase in QRS amplitude (47%), decrease in T‐wave amplitude (33%), increase in heart rate (33%), and occurrence of arrhythmia (53%). Different arrhythmia types were often concurrent and included isolated supraventricular premature beats (N = 5), atrial fibrillation or atrial bigeminy (N = 2), and isolated premature ventricular beats (N = 6). Patients with decrease in T‐wave amplitude had higher potassium and BUN (both before HDF and total removal) than those without decrease in T‐wave amplitude (P < 0.05). Concurrent acute and gradual ECG changes during HDF are identified by the 3DECG, which could be useful as a preventive and prognostic method.
Development of an ethidium monoazide–enhanced internally controlled universal 16S rDNA real‐time polymerase chain reaction assay for detection of bacterial contamination in platelet concentrates
Authors: Patel Poorvi , Garson Jeremy A. , Tettmar Kate I. , Ancliff Siobhan , McDonald Carl , Pitt Tyrone , Coelho Juliana , Tedder Richard S. 
Published: December 2011

BACKGROUND: Bacterial contamination of platelet (PLT) concentrates remains a problem for blood transfusion services. Culture‐based bacterial screening techniques are available but offer inadequate speed and sensitivity. Alternative techniques based on polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification have been described but their performance is often compromised by traces of bacterial DNA in reagents.STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Universal 16S rDNA primers were used to develop a real‐time PCR assay (TaqMan, Applied Biosystems) and various reagent decontamination strategies were explored. Detection sensitivity was assessed by spiking PLT concentrates with known concentrations of 13 different organisms.RESULTS: Restriction enzyme digestion, master mix ultrafiltration, and use of alternative Taq polymerases all reduced the level of reagent DNA contamination to some extent but all proved unreliable. In contrast, ethidium monoazide (EMA) treatment of the PCR master mix followed by photoactivation was reliable and effective, permitting a full 40 amplification cycles, and totally eliminated contamination without compromising assay sensitivity. All 13 organisms were efficiently detected and the limit of detection for Escherichia coli–spiked PLTs was approximately 1 colony‐forming unit/mL. Coamplification of human mitochondrial DNA served to confirm efficient nucleic acid extraction and the absence of PCR inhibition in each sample. One of five automated extraction platforms evaluated was found to be contamination free and capable of high‐throughput processing.CONCLUSION: Cross‐linking of EMA to DNA via photoactivation solved the previously intractable problem of reagent contamination and permitted the development of a high‐sensitivity universal bacterial detection system. Trials are ongoing to assess the suitability of the system for high‐throughput screening of PLT concentrates.
The microbiologic safety of umbilical cord blood transfusion for children with severe anemia in Mombasa, Kenya
Authors: Hassall Oliver W. , Thitiri Johnstone , Fegan Greg , Pole Lewa , Mwarumba Salim , Denje Douglas , Wambua Kongo , Lowe Brett , Parry Christopher M. , Mandaliya Kishor , Maitland Kathryn , Bates Imelda 
Published: December 2011

BACKGROUND: Severe anemia requiring blood transfusion is common in hospitalized young children in sub‐Saharan Africa but blood is often in short supply. Umbilical cord blood may be a useful source of blood if microbiologic safety concerns can be addressed.STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Cord blood, donated on the labor ward at the provincial hospital in Mombasa, was cultured soon after collection (screening culture) and after a period of storage (poststorage culture). Conventional blood transfused to children at the hospital was cultured only at the time of issue (poststorage culture). Maternal sera (cord blood) and conventional blood donations were also screened for transfusion‐transmitted infection.RESULTS: At poststorage culture, the overall contamination rate of cord blood was one‐third that of conventional blood (13/449 vs. 38/434; odds ratio [OR], 0.31; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.15‐0.61) and for bacteria of high pathogenic potential it was half that of conventional blood (4/449 vs. 7/434; OR, 0.55; 95% CI, 0.12‐2.18). Screening cultures were positive in 50% (2/4) of cord blood packs where an organism of high pathogenic potential was isolated at poststorage culture. Cord blood donors had a lower seroreactivity than conventional donors for human immunodeficiency virus (OR, 0.63; 95% CI, 0.29‐1.18), hepatitis B virus (OR, 0.32; 95% CI, 0.16‐0.59), and hepatitis C virus (OR, 0.20; 95% CI, 0.24‐0.76). For syphilis, initial seroreactivity in cord blood donors was 3.8% compared to 1.8% in conventional blood donors (OR, 2.10; 95% CI, 1.15‐3.60) but was 0.5% after retesting.CONCLUSION: With respect to bacterial contamination and seroreactivity for transfusion‐transmitted infection, the safety of cord blood in Mombasa compares favorably with conventional blood. Clinical trials of cord blood transfusion are justified.
Predominant recurrence polarity among 928 adult international bipolar I disorder patients
Authors: Baldessarini R. J. , Undurraga J. , Vázquez G. H. , Tondo L. , Salvatore P. , Ha K. , Khalsa H.‐M. K. , Lepri B. , Ha T. H. , Chang J. S. , Tohen M. , Vieta E. 
Published: December 2011

Baldessarini RJ, Undurraga J, Vázquez GH, Tondo L, Salvatore P, Ha K, Khalsa H‐MK, Lepri B, Ha TH, Chang JS, Tohen M, Vieta E. Predominant recurrence polarity among 928 adult international bipolar I disorder patients.Objective:  To test the hypothesis that patients with bipolar disorder (BPD) differ demographically and clinically within subgroups based on the predominant‐polarity of major recurrences.Method:  We tested factors for association with predominantly (≥2 : 1) depressive vs. mania‐like episodes with 928 DSM‐IV type‐I BPD subjects from five international sites.Results:  Factors preliminarily associated with predominant‐depression included: electroconvulsive treatment, longer latency‐to‐BPD diagnosis, first episode depressive or mixed, more suicide attempts, more Axis‐II comorbidity, ever having mixed‐states, ever married, and female sex. Predominant‐mania was associated with: initial manic or psychotic episodes, more drug abuse, more education, and more family psychiatric history. Of the 47.3% of subjects without polarity‐predominance, risks for all factors considered were intermediate. Expanding the definition of polarity‐predominance to ≥51% added little, but shifting mixed‐states to ‘predominant‐depression’ increased risk of suicidal acts from 2.4‐ to 4.5‐fold excess over predominant‐mania–hypomania, and suicidal risk was associated continuously with increasing proportions of depressive or mixed episodes.Conclusion:  Subtyping by predominant‐polarity yielded predictive associations, including the polarity of first episodes and risk of suicide attempts. Such subtyping may contribute to improve planning of clinical care and to biological studies of BPD.
Evaluation of surface roughness as a function of multiple blasting processing variables
Authors: Valverde Guilherme B. , Jimbo Ryo , Teixeira Hellen S. , Bonfante Estevam A. , Janal Malvin N. , Coelho Paulo G. 
Published: December 2011

AbstractObjectivesThis study evaluated the effect of implant surface blasting variables, such as blasting media size, velocity, and surface coverage and their two‐ and three‐way interaction in surface roughness parameters.Material and methodsMachined, grade IV titanium‐alloy implants (n = 180) had their surfaces treated by a combination of 36 different blasting protocols according to the following variables: aluminum oxide blasting media particle size (50, 100, and 150 μm); velocity (75, 100, 125, and 150 m/s), and surface coverage (5, 15, 25 g/in.2) (n = 5 per blasting protocol). A single 0.46 inch nozzle of the blaster was pointed at the threaded area and spaced 0.050 inches away. Surface topography (n = 5 measurements per implant) was assessed by scanning electron microscopy. Roughness parameters Sa, Sq, Sdr, and Sds were evaluated by optical interferometry. A GLM statistical model evaluated the effects of blasting variables on the surface parameters, and their two‐ and three‐way interaction (P < 0.05). Statistical inferences for Sa and Sq were performed after a log10 transformation to correct for data skewness.ResultsPrior to the log10 transformation, Sa and Sq values for all processing groups ranged from ~0.5 to ~2.6 μm and from ~0.75 to 4 μm, respectively. Statistical inferences showed that Sa, Sq, and Sdr values were significantly dependent on blasting media, velocity, and surface coverage (all P < 0.001). Media × velocity, media × coverage, and media × velocity × coverage also significantly affected Sa, Sq, and Sdr values (P < 0.002). The highest levels were obtained with 100 μm blasting media, coverage for 5 g/in.2, and velocity of 100 m/s. No significant differences were observed for Sds (P > 0.15).ConclusionsThe blasting variables produced different surface topography features and knowledge of their interaction could be used to tailor a desired implant surface configuration.
The use of masks and respirators to prevent transmission of influenza: a systematic review of the scientific evidence
Authors: bin‐Reza Faisal , Lopez Chavarrias Vicente , Nicoll Angus , Chamberland Mary E. 
Published: December 2011

Please cite this paper as: bin‐Reza et al. (2012) The use of masks and respirators to prevent transmission of influenza: a systematic review of the scientific evidence. Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses 6(4), 257–267.There are limited data on the use of masks and respirators to reduce transmission of influenza. A systematic review was undertaken to help inform pandemic influenza guidance in the United Kingdom. The initial review was performed in November 2009 and updated in June 2010 and January 2011. Inclusion criteria included randomised controlled trials and quasi‐experimental and observational studies of humans published in English with an outcome of laboratory‐confirmed or clinically‐diagnosed influenza and other viral respiratory infections. There were 17 eligible studies. Six of eight randomised controlled trials found no significant differences between control and intervention groups (masks with or without hand hygiene; N95/P2 respirators). One household trial found that mask wearing coupled with hand sanitiser use reduced secondary transmission of upper respiratory infection/influenza‐like illness/laboratory‐confirmed influenza compared with education; hand sanitiser alone resulted in no reduction. One hospital‐based trial found a lower rate of clinical respiratory illness associated with non‐fit‐tested N95 respirator use compared with medical masks. Eight of nine retrospective observational studies found that mask and/or respirator use was independently associated with a reduced risk of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). Findings, however, may not be applicable to influenza and many studies were suboptimal. None of the studies established a conclusive relationship between mask/respirator use and protection against influenza infection. Some evidence suggests that mask use is best undertaken as part of a package of personal protection especially hand hygiene. The effectiveness of masks and respirators is likely linked to early, consistent and correct usage.
Disaster-related injury and predictors of health complaints after exposure to a natural disaster: an online survey
Authors: Marres Geertruid M H , Leenen Luke P H , de Vries Jolanda , Mulder Paul G H , Vermetten Eric 
Published: December 2011

ObjectivesTo study short- and long-term effects of experiencing a disaster in repatriated injured survivors and the differential effect of injury, need for medical treatment, loss of loved ones and danger to life on both physical and mental health.DesignProspective online study.SettingOpen online survey among Dutch survivors of the 2004 Asian tsunami.ParticipantsOf the estimated total of 464 Dutch survivors, the authors recruited 144 unique respondents (59 men and 85 women) with a total of 175 assessments made in various time periods.Main outcome measuresHealth outcomes were Symptom Checklist 90 (SCL-90), Impact of Event Scale (original version, in Dutch) and Beck Depression Inventory II. Correlations were calculated with socio-demographic as well as disaster-related factors: physical injury, medical care, loss of loved ones and duration of threat to life. Assessments were clustered in four post-disaster time periods (0–3, 4–6, 7–30 and 31–48 months).ResultsAcross these periods, SCL-90 scores were significantly higher than the reference population (p<0.001), with a significant linear downward trend between the groups over time (p=0.001). The same pattern occurred for the Impact of Event Scale (p<0.001) and the Beck Depression Inventory II (p=0.002). Physical injury, medical care or loss of loved ones was not associated with higher total SCL-90 scores or somatic subscores. Both duration of threat to life and female sex were correlated with all measured outcome parameters.ConclusionsExposure to the 2004 Asian tsunami had significant short- and long-term impacts on health complaints in a group of repatriated Dutch tsunami victims. Cross-sectionally, there was a trend towards recovery over 4 years, although 22% still reported high psychological and physical distress 4 years post-disaster. Duration of danger to life and female sex were associated with more physical and mental health complaints. In this study, neither disaster-related injury nor loss of loved ones resulted in negative health outcomes.
Manchester triage in acute pulmonary embolism: can it unmask the grand impersonator?
Authors: Paiva L , Providencia R , Faustino A , Barra S , Botelho A , Leitao-Marques A M 
Published: December 2011

BackgroundAcute pulmonary embolism (PE) is associated with high mortality risk. Early diagnosis is difficult because of non-specific clinical presentation and delay in imaging confirmation. Manchester Triage (MT) prioritises patients on the basis of illness severity and potentially recognises those with higher mortality risk. No studies of the role and impact of MT on rapid PE diagnosis and in-hospital mortality (IHM) have been carried out.ObjectiveTo assess the appropriateness of MT in this set of patients presenting acutely to the emergency department (ED), and to determine whether it assists in a rapid diagnosis, acts as a protective triage tool and affects short-term mortality.MethodsSingle-centre retrospective study of 176 consecutive patients with PE, assessed by MT in the ED between January 2006 and October 2010 (mean age 70.5±15.7 years, 38.6% men). The primary outcome measure was all-cause IHM.ResultsIHM was seen in 30 (17%) patients. More than half of the patients with PE (54%) were classified as target time for first medical observation (MOb) ≤10 min. 73.3% of IHM occurred in this group (p=0.020) with several increased markers of illness severity. MOb ≤10 min was not associated with faster PE imaging confirmation. The average door-to-diagnosis time (PEDx) was 26.8±36.8 h and PEDx >17.0 h was associated with higher IHM (p=0.017). On multivariate analysis, thrombolysis and MOb ≤10 min were included in an IHM predictor model.ConclusionMT has high sensitivity in identifying patients with PE at risk. Those patients assigned as MOb ≤10 min have increased markers of illness severity and higher IHM. MT acts as a protective system in this challenging set and should be used as a patient's first assessment, aiding the emergency medical team to recognise those in need of urgent assessment and treatment.
Forty years of spruce–fir stand development following herbicide application and precommercial thinning in central Maine, USA
Authors: Olson Matthew G. , Wagner Robert G. , Brissette John C. 
Published: December 2011

We examined the development of a 33-year experiment in spruce–fir stands that received nine herbicide treatments (applied aerially in 1977), with and without precommercial thinning (PCT) (applied in 1986). We tested two commonly held assumptions about the long-term effects of herbicide and PCT in mixedwood stands managed for softwoods: (i) herbicide release produces stands dominated by softwoods and (ii) PCT promotes both softwood dominance and merchantable volume. All herbicides were effective at releasing balsam fir ( Abies balsamea (L.) Mill.) and spruce ( Picea spp.) from overtopping shrubs and hardwoods that had naturally regenerated following clearcut harvesting in 1970. Glyphosate (Roundup), triclopyr amine (Garlon 3A), 2,4,5-T, and a mixture of 2,4,5-T and 2,4-D herbicide treatments were all effective at shifting long-term species composition to softwood dominance after 30 years, irrespective of the rates applied. Herbicide-treated stands that did not receive PCT were overstocked with softwoods for at least 24 years and produced less than half of the merchantable softwood volume by 40 years than herbicide-treated stands that received PCT. Intolerant hardwoods dominated untreated stands for all 33 years of the experiment. When unsprayed plots received PCT, however, they produced stands at 40 years that were compositionally and structurally indistinguishable from those that had received both herbicide and PCT treatments. Results from this experiment clearly demonstrated that early herbicide application, regardless of type and rate of herbicide, created softwood-dominated mixedwood stands over the long term and that PCT more than doubled merchantable softwood volume within 25 years of application.