bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Interactive effects of warming and species loss on model Antarctic microbial food webs
Authors: NEWSHAM K. K. , GARSTECKI T. 
Published: February 2007

SummaryPredicting the effects of warming and species loss on ecosystems are two significant challenges currently facing ecologists. However, little is known of the interactive effects of these two factors. We hence tested whether or not warming and species loss interact to influence productivity and dissolved nitrogen concentrations in model Antarctic microbial food webs. Food webs, consisting of a uniform bacterial community and mixtures of six, four, two and zero bacterivorous flagellate species, drawn randomly from a pool of six flagellate species isolated from an Antarctic freshwater lake, were grown in soil extract suspension medium held in microcosms for 252 h. Half of the microcosms were kept at 4 °C and half were warmed to 8 °C over the first 36 h and then held at this temperature.After 252 h there were significant interactive effects of flagellate species loss and warming on the abundance of bacterial prey and the concentration of ammonium in the medium: bacterial abundances were reduced by 75% and NH4‐N concentrations were doubled in mixtures inoculated with six and four flagellate species, compared with those inoculated with two species, but only in warmed microcosms. This difference in response was apparently largely owing to the absence ofBodo saltansandSpumella putida, species with high grazing activities and growth rates, from most replicates of the warmed two species mixtures.Evidence for an apparent complementarity effect was also found, withB. saltansandSpongomonas uvellagrowing more rapidly at 4 °C in mixtures of six species than in those of four species.Data from a separate experiment, in which the flagellate species were grown in single‐species culture under food‐saturated conditions, confirmed that the logarithmic growth rates ofB. saltansandS. putidawere the highest of each of the six species at both 4 °C and 8 °C.We broadly conclude from our data that random species loss from food webs or communities is likely to alter their responses to environmental change, largely owing to interspecific differences in responses to change.
CD27 expression discriminates between regulatory and non‐regulatory cells after expansion of human peripheral blood CD4+ CD25+ cells
Authors: Duggleby Richard C. , Shaw Tovah N. F. , Jarvis Lorna B. , Kaur Gurman , Hill Gaston J. S. 
Published: February 2007

SummaryIt is clear that regulatory T cells (Treg) have an important role in preventing autoimmunity and modulating responses to pathogens. Full characterization of Treg cell function in human patients would be greatly facilitated by practical methods for expanding Treg in vitro. Methods for expansion have been reported but whether expression of surface and intracellular markers associated with freshly isolated Treg following expansion correlates with the maintenance of function is unclear. Our aim was to investigate the various methods of expansion and to correlate regulatory activity with expression of these markers. We show that, of the markers associated with freshly isolated Treg, only CD27 expression correlated with regulatory activity and could be used to isolate cells with regulatory activity from lines expanded from CD4+ CD25+ cells. Also, cells expressing high levels of the transcription factor forkhead box P3 (Foxp3) were confined to the CD27+ population within these lines. Expression of CD27 by cells in lines expanded from CD4+ CD25– cells varied depending on the stimulus used for expansion, but these lines did not have significant regulatory activity even when the CD27+ cells were tested. Analysis of synovial CD4+ CD25+ cells from reactive arthritis patients revealed that they were predominantly CD27 positive. This also applied to CD25high and CD25intermediate CD4+ cells, despite their reported different abilities to regulate. We conclude that, whilst CD27 is useful for identifying Treg in the cell lines obtained after expansion of CD4+ CD25+ cells, its expression may not reliably identify the Treg cell population in other T‐cell populations such as those found in joints.
Randomized controlled trial of mineral trioxide aggregate and formocresol for pulpotomy in primary molar teeth
Authors: Aeinehchi M. , Dadvand S. , Fayazi S. , Bayat‐Movahed S. 
Published: February 2007

AbstractAim  To compare the outcome after 6 months of the application of formocresol (FC) or mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) during pulpotomy in primary molar teeth.Methodology  A maximum of 126 children (aged 5–9 years) with carious primary teeth that required pulpotomy were selected. Following randomization, a standard pulpotomy preparation was undertaken, and the coronal pulp removed and bleeding arrested. In the FC group, cotton balls, soaked in FC, were placed for 5 min, and then the pulp chamber was filled with Zonalin, a pulpotomy agent. In the MTA group, a 1‐mm‐thick paste of MTA was used as a pulpotomy agent. The crowns in both groups were restored with amalgam or glass ionomer. The teeth of 100 patients were evaluated and compared clinically and radiographically after 3 and 6 months.Results  No signs of clinical failure were observed at the 3‐ and 6‐month follow‐up appointments in either group. There were no significant differences in the radiographic findings of the teeth and surrounding tissue at the 3‐month follow‐up. However, at the 6‐month follow‐up, significantly more cases (P = 0.036) with root resorption were seen in the FC group; no cases of resorption occurred amongst the MTA cases. The surrounding tissue showed radiographic signs of post‐treatment disease in four FC cases; none was seen in the MTA cases.Conclusion  After 6 months, pulpotomy with MTA was associated with fewer cases of root resorption and post‐treatment disease. MTA appears to be a reliable alternative material for pulpotomy in primary molar teeth.
The influence of irrigating solutions on the accuracy of the electronic apex locator facility in the Tri Auto ZX handpiece
Authors: Erdemir A. , Eldeniz A. U. , Ari H. , Belli S. , Esener T. 
Published: February 2007

AbstractAim  To determine the influence of various irrigating solutions on the accuracy of the electronic apex locator facility in the Tri Auto ZX handpiece.Methodology  One hundred and forty teeth with single canals and mature apices, scheduled for extraction for either periodontal or prosthetic reasons in 76 patients were used. Following informed written consent local anaesthesia was administered, access cavities were prepared and pulp tissue removed. The teeth were then randomly divided into seven groups according to the irrigating solutions used. The root canal length measurements were completed using the Tri Auto ZX handpiece with automatic reverse function in the presence of one or other of the following solutions: 0.9% saline, 2.5% NaOCl, 3% H2O2, 0.2% chlorhexidine, 17% EDTA, Ultracaine® D‐S or in the absence of an irrigating solution (control). Files were immobilized in the access cavity with composite resin. After extraction, the apical regions of the teeth were exposed and the file tips examined under a stereomicroscope. Distances between the file tips and the apical constriction were measured (mm) and analysed using a one‐way anova and post hoc Tukey test.Results  Mean distances from the apical constriction to the file tip were longer in the 0.9% saline group (P < 0.05). There was no statistically significant difference on file tip position between the other solutions.Conclusions  Tri Auto ZX gave reliable results with all irrigating solutions apart from in the presence of 0.9% saline.
Whole saliva in X‐linked hypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia
Authors: LEXNER MICHALA ORON , BARDOW ALLAN , HERTZ JENS MICHAEL , ALMER LIS , NAUNTOFTE BIRGITTE , KREIBORG SVEN 
Published: February 2007

Background.  X‐linked hypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia (HED) is the most common type of ectodermal dysplasia. Identification of female carriers of X‐linked HED can be difficult because of varying degrees of clinical symptoms due to the X‐chromosome inactivation. This is the first study about whole saliva flow and composition in males affected by HED and female carriers all confirmed by molecular genetic analysis.Hypothesis and aim.  As salivary glands derive from ectoderm, we hypothesized that whole saliva flow and composition are altered in males affected by HED and female carriers.Design.  Saliva flow and composition were examined in a group of affected males and in a group of female carriers, all confirmed by molecular genetic analysis, and compared with healthy male and female controls.Results.  Affected males and female carriers had reduced whole saliva flow and saliva with high concentrations of most inorganic salivary constituents as well as total protein. However, affected males and female carriers seemed to have reduced amylase activity and concentration relative to their total protein concentration.Conclusion.  Saliva flow and composition may be used as part of a comprehensive clinical examination to identify potential female carriers of HED.
Vitamin D status and parathyroid hormone levels in relation to blood pressure: a population‐based study in older men and women
Authors: Snijder M. B. , Lips P. , Seidell J. C. , Visser M. , Deeg D. J. H. , Dekker J. M. , Van Dam R. M. 
Published: February 2007

Abstract.Background.  Evidence is accumulating that the vitamin D endocrine system has physiological functions beyond bone health including a role in the regulation of blood pressure. Effects of poor vitamin D status on blood pressure may be mediated by elevated parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels.Aim.  To evaluate whether serum 25‐hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] and PTH levels are independently associated with blood pressure in a population‐based study of older men and women.Methods.  Subjects were participants of the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam, aged 65 years and older. In 1205 participants, serum 25(OH)D and PTH levels were determined and diastolic and systolic blood pressure were measured. Linear and logistic regression analyses were performed with adjustments for age, sex, region, season, lifestyle factors (physical activity, smoking, alcohol intake), and waist circumference.Results.  Serum 25(OH)D was not significantly associated with diastolic (beta 0.00, P = 0.98) or systolic (beta 0.06, P = 0.11) blood pressure. In contrast, higher ln‐PTH levels were significantly associated with higher diastolic (beta 1.93, P = 0.03) and systolic (beta 4.67, P = 0.01) blood pressure. Higher PTH levels were associated with a substantially higher prevalence of hypertension (OR 2.00, 95% CI 1.31–3.06 for the highest versus the lowest quartile), whereas 25(OH)D showed no significant association (OR 0.89, 95% CI 0.47–1.69 for the lowest versus the highest 25(OH)D category).Conclusion.  These results indicate that PTH is a potentially modifiable determinant of blood pressure in the general elderly population. Serum 25(OH)D, however, was not associated with blood pressure, possibly due to the relatively high levels in our population.
Secular trends in cardiovascular risk factors: an age‐period cohort analysis of 6 98 954 health examinations in 1 81 350 Austrian men and women
Authors: Ulmer H. , Kelleher C. C. , Fitz‐Simon N. , Diem G. , Concin H. 
Published: February 2007

Abstract.Objectives.  It is well established that morbidity and mortality patterns in cardiovascular diseases vary strongly over time, yet the determinants of such trends remain poorly understood. To assess the potential contribution of secular or cross‐generation patterns, we evaluated birth cohort‐related trends across the 20th century of risk factors in a large database of Austrian men and women.Subjects and setting.  Trends in risk factors were investigated for 1 81 350 adults aged 20–79 years born between 1905 and 1975 undergoing 6 98 954 health examinations between 1985 and 2005 as participants of the Vorarlberg Health Monitoring and Promotion Programme.Results.  There was clear evidence of cohort‐related shifts in all risk factors. Total serum cholesterol and triglyceride declined markedly, particularly in the youngest cohorts, as did systolic and diastolic blood pressure in both men and women. By contrast, fasting glucose showed a strong rising tendency in both sexes and at all ages, most markedly in young males. Average glucose levels were between 4 and 15 mg dL−1 higher in individuals at the same age born 20 years later. In males, body weight expressed in kg m−2 (body mass index) was increasing as well; however, in women, patterns were most marked at the 90th percentile.Conclusion.  These findings provide strong evidence of population wide secular shifts and suggest that in addition to period influences, most probably through treatment intervention and lifestyle change, determinants across the life‐course are programming shifts from childhood onwards.
Train driving efficiency and safety: examining the cost of fatigue
Authors: DORRIAN JILLIAN , HUSSEY FRANK , DAWSON DREW 
Published: February 2007

AbstractThis study investigated the effects of fatigue on train driving using data loggers on 50 locomotives operated by pairs of male train drivers (24–56 years) on an Adelaide–Melbourne corridor. Drivers’ work history was used to calculate a fatigue score using Fatigue Audit Interdyne Software. Trains were assigned to one of three groups, based on drivers’ maximum fatigue score: low (n = 15), moderate (n = 22) or high (n = 13) fatigue. Changes in driving parameters at different fatigue levels were investigated. A significant (P < 0.05) increase in fuel use was observed. Drivers in the moderate fatigue group used 4% more, and drivers in the high group used 9% more fuel than drivers in the low group. As these trains run daily, taking horsepower into account, this represents an approximate extra weekly cost of AUD$3512 using high compared with low fatigue drivers. High fatigue‐group drivers used less throttle and dynamic brake and engaged in more heavy brake and maximum speed violations. Comparison of three, 100 km track sub‐sections with undulating, flat, and hilly grade indicated that fuel use increases occurred primarily during the undulating sub‐section, and heavy brake and maximum speed violations occurred primarily in the flat sub‐section. Fatigued driving becomes less well‐planned, resulting in reduced efficiency (e.g. increased fuel consumption) and safety (e.g. braking and speeding violations). Fatigue may manifest differentially depending on track grade. In certain areas, fatigue will cause increased fuel use and economic cost, and in others, reduced safety through driving violations. These factors should be carefully examined in future railway operator research.
Meta‐analysis of sleep changes in control groups of insomnia treatment trials
Authors: BÉLANGER LYNDA , VALLIÈRES ANNIE , IVERS HANS , MOREAU VINCENT , LAVIGNE GILLES , MORIN CHARLES M. 
Published: February 2007

SummaryA meta‐analysis assessing the magnitude of sleep changes from baseline in placebo‐treated (psychological and pharmacological placebo) and untreated groups issued from independent trials was conducted. Comparisons were then performed to assess if the magnitude of sleep changes in the placebo control groups were significantly different than those of the untreated group. Medline, PsychInfo and Current Contents databases (1990–2004) were searched for primary insomnia treatment studies using a randomized controlled parallel‐group design. Effect sizes were computed for each end‐point variable based on subjective (patient‐reported) and polysomnographic measures. Thirty‐four studies (n = 1392 subjects) met inclusion criteria; twenty‐three used a pharmacological placebo (n = 1163), four used a psychological placebo (n = 81), and seven used a waitlist condition (n = 148). Between‐group comparisons were performed using a random effects model analysis. Significant pre–post changes were observed in the pharmacological placebo condition on several sleep parameters, both on objectively and subjectively measured outcomes [objective and subjective sleep onset latency (SOL) and total sleep time (TST) and subjective wake after sleep onset]. Although a tendency was observed for objective SOL, only the changes on subjective SOL and TST in the pharmacological placebo condition were significantly different from the corresponding changes in the untreated group. No differences were significant for the psychological placebo groups. Although the present findings suggest that sleep may significantly change in response to a pharmacological placebo, conclusions remain tentative because of possible confounds that may arise when comparing groups issued from different trials. Further research directly comparing placebo groups and untreated groups from the same randomized trials remains necessary.
The nature of spontaneous sleep across adulthood
Authors: CAMPBELL SCOTT S. , MURPHY PATRICIA J. 
Published: February 2007

SummaryThe decline in sleep quality that often accompanies aging is thought to be the consequence of alterations in both circadian and homeostatic processes widely assumed to be responsible for sleep/wake regulation. A number of experimental approaches have been used to examine various aspects of age‐related sleep changes, but none has examined spontaneous sleep across the entire 24‐h day. Using the ‘disentrainment’ protocol, we studied such sleep in young, middle‐aged and older adults. All subjects exhibited polyphasic sleep patterns, characterized by relatively short intervals of both sleep and waking. Whereas, the average duration of major nighttime sleep was significantly shorter in middle‐aged and older subjects than in young adults, daytime napping was essentially unaffected by age. Comparisons of sleep and circadian variables between age groups suggest differential effects on sleep of the two regulatory processes, with changes in homeostatic drive preceding those of the circadian component. These findings add to a surprisingly scant literature on the longitudinal decline in sleep quality associated with aging.
Lowering dialysate temperature improves sleep and alters nocturnal skin temperature in patients on chronic hemodialysis
Authors: PARKER KATHY P. , BAILEY JAMES L. , RYE DAVID B. , BLIWISE DONALD L. , VAN SOMEREN EUS J. W. 
Published: February 2007

SummaryHemodialysis (HD) induces physiological changes that may affect the ability to dissipate heat and adversely affect sleep. We studied the effects of altering dialysate temperature on polysomnographic measures of nocturnal sleep and the time course of proximal skin temperature. The sample included seven stable HD patients. The three‐phase randomized trial was conducted in a research facility. After one acclimatization night, subjects were readmitted in the evening on two additional occasions for 42 h and received HD the next morning in the warm condition (dialysate 37 °C) and cool condition (dialysate 35 °C) in random order. Continuous proximal skin temperature (axillary, Tax) and polysomnographic measures of sleep were recorded the nights before and after HD was administered. Highly significant findings included that the time course of Tax was markedly affected by dialysis temperature. There was a greater drop of Tax in the early morning following the warm condition than during the baseline nights or in the cool condition. Logistic regression indicated that the odds for the occurrence of sleep and its deeper stages were strongly and positively associated with Tax. Time of sleep onset was earlier in the cool condition (P = 0.03) with trends toward longer total sleep times (P = 0.09) and shorter rapid‐eye‐movement latencies (P = 0.09). These observations suggest that the use of cool dialysate during HD may improve nocturnal sleep by decreasing sympathetic activation and sustaining the normally elevated nocturnal skin temperature until later into the morning hours.
The association between sleep duration, body mass index and metabolic measures in the Hordaland Health Study
Authors: BJORVATN BJØRN , SAGEN INA MARIE , ØYANE NICOLAS , WAAGE SIRI , FETVEIT ARNE , PALLESEN STÅLE , URSIN REIDUN 
Published: February 2007

SummarySeveral studies show that short self‐reported sleep duration is associated with elevated body mass index (BMI). Short sleep duration may change appetite hormones, but whether this also influences metabolic measures like cholesterol and triglycerides is less clear. Furthermore, obesity is linked to increases in blood pressure, and recently, short sleep duration has been shown to be an independent risk factor for hypertension. This is a population‐based cross‐sectional study (The Hordaland Health Study). A subgroup of 8860 subjects, aged 40–45 years, answered a sleep questionnaire. Body weight, height and blood pressure were measured, and non‐fasting blood samples were collected and analyzed for total cholesterol, HDL‐cholesterol and triglycerides. Sleep duration was divided into the following subgroups: <5, 5–5.99, 6–6.99, 7–7.99, 8–8.99 and ≥9 h. The results show that short sleep duration was associated with elevated BMI and increased prevalence of obesity. Similar to BMI, levels of cholesterol, triglycerides, systolic and diastolic blood pressure were higher in subjects with short sleep duration. This co‐variation seemed to be attributed to variables like gender, smoking and BMI. In conclusion, our study confirms a clear association between short sleep duration and elevated BMI and obesity. Furthermore, levels of total cholesterol, HDL‐cholesterol, triglycerides and blood pressure were associated with sleep duration.
Measurement properties and hierarchical item structure of the Epworth Sleepiness Scale in Parkinson's disease
Authors: HAGELL PETER , BROMAN JAN‐ERIK 
Published: February 2007

SummaryThe aim of this work was to evaluate the measurement properties and hierarchical item structure of the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). Data were taken from a cross‐sectional study regarding fatigue and sleep‐related aspects of PD. One hundred and eighteen consecutive patients with neurologist‐diagnosed PD without significant co‐morbidities (54% men; mean age, 64 years; mean PD duration, 8.4 years) from four Swedish neurological outpatient clinics participated. The ESS displayed good data quality with few missing items (0–2.5%): good reliability (Cronbach's alpha, 0.84), marginal floor and no ceiling effects (1.7% and 0% respectively), and differentiated between those reporting problems staying awake during the past month and those who did not. Item–total correlations, factor and Rasch analyses indicated that items tap a single underlying construct. Rasch analysis supported basic rating scale assumptions and demonstrated an item hierarchy similar to that previously found in patients with other sleep disorders. Gaps in the levels of sleep propensity covered by ESS items and their response options were identified at the higher and lower ends of the underlying sleepiness continuum. This study provides an evidence base for using the ESS in PD by demonstrating good psychometric properties and a stable hierarchical item structure. However, addition of new items and use of Rasch scoring has potential to further enhance the clinical usefulness of the ESS.