bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Prescription of respiratory medication without an asthma diagnosis in children: a population based study
Authors: Zuidgeest Mira GP , van Dijk Liset , Smit Henriette A , van der Wouden Johannes C , Brunekreef Bert , Leufkens Hubert GM , Bracke Madelon 
Published: February 2008

AbstractBackgroundIn pre-school children a diagnosis of asthma is not easily made and only a minority of wheezing children will develop persistent atopic asthma. According to the general consensus a diagnosis of asthma becomes more certain with increasing age. Therefore the congruence between asthma medication use and doctor-diagnosed asthma is expected to increase with age. The aim of this study is to evaluate the relationship between prescribing of asthma medication and doctor-diagnosed asthma in children age 0–17.MethodsWe studied all 74,580 children below 18 years of age, belonging to 95 GP practices within the second Dutch national survey of general practice (DNSGP-2), in which GPs registered all physician-patient contacts during the year 2001. Status on prescribing of asthma medication (at least one prescription for beta2-agonists, inhaled corticosteroids, cromones or montelukast) and doctor-diagnosed asthma (coded according to the International Classification of Primary Care) was determined.ResultsIn total 7.5% of children received asthma medication and 4.1% had a diagnosis of asthma. Only 49% of all children receiving asthma medication was diagnosed as an asthmatic. Subgroup analyses on age, gender and therapy groups showed that the Positive Predictive Value (PPV) differs significantly between therapy groups only. The likelihood of having doctor-diagnosed asthma increased when a child received combination therapy of short acting beta2-agonists and inhaled corticosteroids (PPV = 0.64) and with the number of prescriptions (3 prescriptions or more, PPV = 0.66). Both prescribing of asthma medication and doctor-diagnosed asthma declined with age but the congruence between the two measures did not increase with age.ConclusionIn this study, less than half of all children receiving asthma medication had a registered diagnosis of asthma. Detailed subgroup analyses show that a diagnosis of asthma was present in at most 66%, even in groups of children treated intensively with asthma medication. Although age strongly influences the chance of being treated, remarkably, the congruence between prescribing of asthma medication and doctor-diagnosed asthma does not increase with age.
Chemopreventive effects of celecoxib are limited to hormonally responsive mammary carcinomas in the neu-induced retroviral rat model
Authors: Woditschka Stephan , Haag Jill D , Mau Bob , Lubet Ronald A , Gould Michael N 
Published: February 2008

Abstract
Introduction
While current breast cancer chemoprevention strategies using selective estrogen response modulators and aromatase inhibitors are quite successful, their effects are limited to hormonally responsive breast cancer. Hormonally nonresponsive breast cancer (including estrogen receptor-negative cancer) is associated with poor prognosis for patients, and few chemoprevention agents exist for this type of cancer. The cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitor celecoxib (Celebrex®) is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug and as such is a potential candidate for the prevention of hormonally nonresponsive breast cancer.

Methods
The chemopreventive effects of celecoxib were evaluated in the neu-induced retroviral rat mammary carcinogenesis model, to assess the efficacy of celecoxib on hormonally responsive and hormonally nonresponsive mammary carcinomas.

Results
Dietary celecoxib at 1,200 mg/kg diet was highly efficacious in the prevention of hormonally responsive mammary carcinomas in intact rats, decreasing tumor multiplicity by 56% (P < 0.0001) and by 74% (P = 0.0002) in two independent experiments. No significant effect was found, however, on hormonally nonresponsive mammary carcinomas of ovariectomized rats. Treatment with a combination diet, consisting of tamoxifen at 2 mg/kg diet and celecoxib at 1,200 mg/kg diet, reduced tumor multiplicity by 72% (P = 0.0002) in intact rats. This reduction was not statistically different from that observed with celecoxib alone. Furthermore, long-term treatment with celecoxib was not associated with reductions in tumor volume in either intact rats or ovariectomized rats. In contrast, tamoxifen treatment and the combination regimen caused significant reductions in tumor volumes in intact rats (P = 0.01 and P = 0.004, respectively). Consistent with these data, decreases in proliferation and increases in apoptosis were detected in tamoxifen-treated and combination diet-treated tumors. No such modulations were observed in celecoxib-treated tumors.

Conclusion
The chemopreventive effects of celecoxib appear to be limited to modulations in multiplicity of hormonally responsive mammary carcinomas. The fact that no synergistic or additive effects were observed in combination diet-treated rats raises the question of whether celecoxib is suitable for the prevention of hormonally nonresponsive breast cancer or for use in combination therapy with selective estrogen response modulators or aromatase inhibitors.
Withholding and withdrawing life-sustaining treatment: a comparative study of the ethical reasoning of physicians and the general public
Authors: Rydvall Anders , Lynöe Niels 
Published: February 2008

Abstract
Background
Our objective was to investigate whether a consensus exists between the general public and health care providers regarding the reasoning and values at stake on the subject of life-sustaining treatment.

Methods
A postal questionnaire was sent to a random sample of members of the adult population (n = 989) and to a random sample of intensive care doctors and neurosurgeons (n = 410) practicing in Sweden in 2004. The questionnaire was based on a case involving a severely ill patient and presented arguments for and against withholding and withdrawing treatment, and providing treatment that might hasten death.

Results
Approximately 70% of the physicians and 51% of the general public responded. A majority of doctors (82.3%) stated that they would withhold treatment, whereas a minority of the general public (40.2%) would do so; the arguments forwarded (for instance, belief that the first task of health care is to save life) and considerations regarding quality of life differed significantly between the two groups. Most physicians (94.1%) and members of the general public (77.7%) were prepared to withdraw treatment, and most (95.1% of physicians and 82% of members of the general public) agreed that sedation should be provided.

Conclusion
There are indeed considerable differences in how physicians and the general public assess and reason in critical care situations, but the more hopelessly ill the patient became the more the groups' assessments tended to converge, although they prioritized different arguments. In order to avoid unnecessary dispute and miscommunication, it is important that health care providers be aware of the public's views, expectations, and preferences.
Recombinant activated factor VIIa for the treatment of bleeding in major abdominal surgery including vascular and urological surgery: a review and meta-analysis of published data
Authors: von Heymann Christian , Jonas Sven , Spies Claudia , Wernecke Klaus-Dieter , Ziemer Sabine , Janssen Detlev , Koscielny Jürgen 
Published: February 2008

Abstract
Background
The purpose of this study was to determine the role of recombinant activated factor VII (rFVIIa) in abdominal, vascular, and urological surgery.

Methods
We conducted meta-analyses of case series and placebo-controlled studies reporting on the treatment or prophylaxis of bleeding with rFVIIa regarding 'reduction or cessation of bleeding', 'mortality', and 'thromboembolism'.

Results
All case reports (n = 15 case reports and 17 patients) documented an effect of rFVIIa in the treatment of bleeding. A meta-analysis of 10 case series revealed a reduction or cessation of bleeding in 39 out of 50 patients after administration of rFVIIa (estimated mean effect 73.2%, 95% confidence interval [CI] 51.0% to 95.4%) and a mean probability of survival of 53.0% (95% CI 26.4% to 79.7%). Among the rFVIIa responders, 19 out of 29 patients (66%) survived versus 1 out of 10 rFVIIa nonresponders (P = 0.003). Six out of 36 patients from the case series had a thromboembolic complication (estimated mean probability 16.5%, 95% CI 1.2% to 31.8%). Compared with a meta-analysis of eight placebo-controlled studies, no increased risk of thromboembolism was seen after administration of rFVIIa.

Conclusion
The meta-analysis of case series showed that, in a mean of 73% patients, rFVIIa achieved at least a reduction of bleeding and that the probability of survival is increased in patients responding to rFVIIa. rFVIIa was not associated with an increased risk of thromboembolism compared with placebo.
Liver-Specific Hepatocyte Nuclear Factor-4α Deficiency: Greater Impact on Gene Expression in Male than in Female Mouse Liver
Authors: Holloway Minita G. , Miles Gregory D. , Dombkowski Alan A. , Waxman David J. 
Published: February 2008

AbstractHepatocyte nuclear factor (HNF)-4α is a liver-enriched transcription factor that regulates numerous liver-expressed genes including several sex-specific cytochrome P450 genes. Presently, a liver-specific HNF4α-deficient mouse model was used to characterize the impact of liver HNF4α deficiency on a global scale using 41,174 feature microarrays. A total of 4994 HNF4α-dependent genes were identified, of which about 1000 fewer genes responded to the loss of HNF4α in female liver as compared with male liver. Sex differences in the impact of liver HNF4α deficiency were even more dramatic when genes showing sex-specific expression were examined. Thus, 372 of the 646 sex-specific genes characterized by a dependence on HNF4α responded to the loss of HNF4α in males only, as compared with only 61 genes that responded in females only. Moreover, in male liver, 78% of 508 male-specific genes were down-regulated and 42% of 356 female-specific genes were up-regulated in response to the loss of HNF4α, with sex specificity lost for 90% of sex-specific genes. This response to HNF4α deficiency is similar to the response of male mice deficient in the GH-activated transcription factor signal transducer and activator of transcription 5b (STAT5b), where 90% of male-specific genes were down-regulated and 61% of female-specific genes were up-regulated, suggesting these two factors cooperatively regulate liver sex specificity by mechanisms that are primarily active in males. Finally, 203 of 648 genes previously shown to bind HNF4α near the transcription start site in mouse hepatocytes were affected by HNF4α deficiency in mouse liver, with the HNF4α-bound gene set showing a 5-fold enrichment for genes positively regulated by HNF4α. Thus, a substantial fraction of the HNF4α-dependent genes reported here are likely to be direct targets of HNF4α.
Maternal antibodies reduce costs of an immune response during development
Authors: Grindstaff Jennifer L. 
Published: February 2008

SUMMARYYoung vertebrates are dependent primarily on innate immunity and maternally derived antibodies for immune defense. This reliance on innate immunity and the associated inflammatory response often leads to reduced growth rates after antigenic challenge. However, if offspring have maternal antibodies that recognize an antigen, these antibodies should block stimulation of the inflammatory response and reduce growth suppression. To determine whether maternal and/or offspring antigen exposure affect antibody transmission and offspring growth, female Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica) and their newly hatched chicks were immunized. Mothers were immunized with lipopolysaccharide (LPS), killed avian reovirus vaccine (AR), or were given a control, phosphate-buffered saline, injection. Within each family, one-third of offspring were immunized with LPS, one-third were immunized with AR, and one-third were given the control treatment. Maternal immunization significantly affected the specific types of antibodies that were transmitted. In general, immunization depressed offspring growth. However, offspring immunized with the same antigen as their mother exhibited elevated growth in comparison to siblings immunized with a different antigen. This suggests that the growth suppressive effects of antigen exposure during development can be partially ameliorated by the presence of maternal antibodies, but in the absence of specific maternal antibodies, offspring are dependent on more costly innate immune defenses. Together, the results suggest that the local disease environment of mothers prior to reproduction significantly affects maternal antibody transmission and these maternal antibodies may allow offspring to partially maintain growth during infection in addition to providing passive humoral immune defense.
Finding females: pheromone-guided reproductive tracking behavior by male Nereis succinea in the marine environment
Authors: Ram Jeffrey L. , Fei Xubo , Danaher S. Michelle , Lu Shiyong , Breithaupt Thomas , Hardege Jörg D. 
Published: February 2008

SUMMARY
Pheromones trigger reproductive responses of many marine organisms, but little is known about how pheromones mediate mate-finding behavior in the marine environment. This paper investigates whether the tetrapeptide nereithione (cysteine-glutathione disulfide), known to be released by females of the polychaete Nereis succinea to trigger spawning in male N. succinea, can also be used at lower concentrations to guide males to the females. Low concentrations of pheromone elicited increased swim speed and turning left or right 84% of the time. Animals sometimes weaved back and forth, or in other cases swam straight along the trails an average of 8.1±1.2 cm before veering off. At higher concentrations, the males circled frequently, often encountering 10–20 cm of pheromone trail before swimming away. Male responses to nereithione were modeled by computer simulation, taking into account arousal of swim speed, activation of turning,speed of response and its decay, etc. In the model, low concentrations(&lt;10–8 mol l–1) of pheromone significantly increased the number of encounters with the pheromone trail, an average following of simulated trails of 10.5±3.6 cm, and a significant increase in the frequency of encountering a virtual female on the trail(ANOVA, P&lt;0.001). The model supports the hypothesis that a pheromone can have a dual function, with low concentration pheromone trails being used by male N. succinea to find females and increase their likelihood of mating whereas high concentrations of the same pheromone trigger the spawning behavior itself.
Insulin regulates aging and oxidative stress in Anopheles stephensi
Authors: Kang Mi-Ae , Mott Tiffany M. , Tapley Erin C. , Lewis Edwin E. , Luckhart Shirley 
Published: February 2008

SUMMARY
Observations from nematodes to mammals indicate that insulin/insulin-like growth factor signaling (IIS) regulates lifespan. As in other organisms, IIS is conserved in mosquitoes and signaling occurs in multiple tissues. During bloodfeeding, mosquitoes ingest human insulin. This simple observation suggested that exogenous insulin could mimic the endogenous hormonal control of aging in mosquitoes, providing a new model to examine this phenomenon at the organismal and cellular levels. To this end, female Anopheles stephensi mosquitoes were maintained on diets containing human insulin provided daily in sucrose or three times weekly by artificial bloodmeal. Regardless of delivery route, mosquitoes provided with insulin at 1.7×10–4 and 1.7×10–3 μmol l–1, doses 0.3-fold and 3.0-fold higher than non-fasting blood levels, died at a faster rate than controls. In mammals, IIS induces the synthesis of reactive oxygen species and downregulates antioxidants, events that increase oxidative stress and that have been associated with reduced lifespan. Insulin treatment of mosquito cells in vitro induced hydrogen peroxide synthesis while dietary supplementation reduced total superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and manganese SOD activity relative to controls. The effects of insulin on mortality were reversed when diets were supplemented with manganese (III) tetrakis (4-benzoic acid) porphyrin(MnTBAP), a cell-permeable SOD mimetic agent, suggesting that insulin-induced mortality was due to oxidative stress. In addition, dietary insulin activated Akt/protein kinase B and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) in the mosquito midgut, suggesting that, as observed in Caenorhabditis elegans, the midgut may act as a `signaling center' for mosquito aging.
Thoracic vibrations in stingless bees (Melipona seminigra):resonances of the thorax influence vibrations associated with flight but not those associated with sound production
Authors: Hrncir Michael , Gravel Anne-Isabelle , Schorkopf Dirk Louis P. , Schmidt Veronika M. , Zucchi Ronaldo , Barth Friedrich G. 
Published: February 2008

SUMMARYBees generate thoracic vibrations with their indirect flight muscles in various behavioural contexts. The main frequency component of non-flight vibrations, during which the wings are usually folded over the abdomen, is higher than that of thoracic vibrations that drive the wing movements for flight. So far, this has been concluded from an increase in natural frequency of the oscillating system in association with the wing adduction. In the present study, we measured the thoracic oscillations in stingless bees during stationary flight and during two types of non-flight behaviour, annoyance buzzing and forager communication, using laser vibrometry. As expected, the flight vibrations met all tested assumptions for resonant oscillations: slow build-up and decay of amplitude; increased frequency following reduction of the inertial load; and decreased frequency following an increase of the mass of the oscillating system. Resonances, however, do not play a significant role in the generation of non-flight vibrations. The strong decrease in main frequency at the end of the pulses indicates that these were driven at a frequency higher than the natural frequency of the system. Despite significant differences regarding the main frequency components and their oscillation amplitudes, the mechanism of generation is apparently similar in annoyance buzzing and forager vibrations. Both types of non-flight vibration induced oscillations of the wings and the legs in a similar way. Since these body parts transform thoracic oscillations into airborne sounds and substrate vibrations, annoyance buzzing can also be used to study mechanisms of signal generation and transmission potentially relevant in forager communication under controlled conditions.
The sound field generated by tethered stingless bees (Melipona scutellaris): inferences on its potential as a recruitment mechanism inside the hive
Authors: Hrncir Michael , Schorkopf Dirk Louis P. , Schmidt Veronika M. , Zucchi Ronaldo , Barth Friedrich G. 
Published: February 2008

SUMMARYIn stingless bees, recruitment of hive bees to food sources involves thoracic vibrations by foragers during trophallaxis. The temporal pattern of these vibrations correlates with the sugar concentration of the collected food. One possible pathway for transfering such information to nestmates is through airborne sound. In the present study, we investigated the transformation of thoracic vibrations into air particle velocity, sound pressure, and jet airflows in the stingless bee Melipona scutellaris. Whereas particle velocity and sound pressure were found all around and above vibrating individuals, there was no evidence for a jet airflow as with honey bees. The largest particle velocities were measured 5 mm above the wings(16.0±4.8 mm s–1). Around a vibrating individual, we found maximum particle velocities of 8.6±3.0 mm s–1(horizontal particle velocity) in front of the bee's head and of 6.0±2.1 mm s–1 (vertical particle velocity) behind its wings. Wing oscillations, which are mainly responsible for air particle movements in honey bees, significantly contributed to vertically oriented particle oscillations only close to the abdomen in M. scutellaris(distances ⩽5 mm). Almost 80% of the hive bees attending trophallactic food transfers stayed within a range of 5 mm from the vibrating foragers. It remains to be shown, however, whether air particle velocity alone is strong enough to be detected by Johnston's organ of the bee antenna. Taking the physiological properties of the honey bee's Johnston's organ as the reference, M. scutellaris hive bees are able to detect the forager vibrations through particle movements at distances of up to 2 cm.
Food intake and fuel deposition in a migratory bird is affected by multiple as well as single-step changes in the magnetic field
Authors: Henshaw Ian , Fransson Thord , Jakobsson Sven , Lind Johan , Vallin Adrian , Kullberg Cecilia 
Published: February 2008

SUMMARYRecent studies have shown that migratory thrush nightingales (Luscinia luscinia) experimentally treated with multiple changes of the magnetic field simulating a journey to their target stopover area in northern Egypt,increased fuel deposition as expected in preparation to cross the Sahara desert. To investigate the significance of food intake on the body mass changes observed, in the work described here we analysed food intake of the nightingales under study in those earlier experiments. Furthermore, to study whether a single change in the magnetic field directly to northern Egypt is sufficient to provide information for fuelling decisions, we performed a new experiment, exposing thrush nightingales trapped in Sweden, directly to a magnetic field of northern Egypt. Our results show that an experimentally induced magnetic field of northern Egypt, close to the barrier crossing,triggers the same response in fuel deposition as experiments with multiple changes of the magnetic field simulating a migratory journey from Sweden to Egypt, suggesting that migratory birds do not require successive changes in field parameters to incorporate magnetic information into their migratory program. Furthermore, irrespective of experimental set up (single or multiple changes of the magnetic field parameters) increase in food intake seems to be the major reason for the observed increase in fuelling rate compared with control birds, suggesting that geomagnetic information might trigger hormonal changes in migratory birds enabling appropriate fuelling behaviour during migration.