bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Prolonged sevoflurane inhalation therapy for status asthmaticus in an infant
Authors: WATANABE KAZUHIRO , MIZUTANI TARO , YAMASHITA SOICHIRO , TATEKAWA YUKIHIRO , JINBO TAKAHIRO , TANAKA MAKOTO 
Published: March 2008

SummaryA 3‐month‐old boy with retractive breathing from his birth was scheduled for a rigid bronchoscopic examination. Anesthesia was induced and maintained with sevoflurane. The examination revealed a slight laryngomalacia which was not compatible with his severe symptom. During the procedure, no respiratory deterioration occurred. He was once extubated in the operating room, however, developed severe desaturation immediately. He was reintubated at the scene and returned to the ward being mechanically ventilated and sedated. The next day, his respiratory condition worsened gradually. Conventional drugs including theophylline, corticosteroid and beta adrenergic agonist did not improve his deleterious condition. He became bradycardic and was on the verge of circulatory collapse as his lungs were unable to ventilate. Then, we commenced inhalation of sevoflurane using a standard anesthesia machine, which relieved him from ventilatory crisis. Although there were some difficulties in using anesthesia machine in the ICU, we could successfully manage mechanical ventilation. After the beginning of sevoflurane inhalation, his condition improved gradually. Discontinuation of sevoflurane was difficult and it took 94 h to wean from sevoflurane inhalation. Despite long duration of inhalation, no adverse effects of sevoflurane were observed except transient mild increase in liver transaminase. There have been very few reports on application of sevoflurane inhalation for such a long period in infants with bronchospasm. Moreover, measured serum fluoride concentration (24.2 μmol·l−1) during inhalation was well below harmful level. Sevoflurane inhalation is worth attempting and safe to treat life‐threatening bronchospasm even in infants.
Experience with remifentanil–sevoflurane balanced anesthesia for abdominal surgery in neonates and children less than 2 years
Authors: MICHEL FABRICE , LANDO ANNIE , AUBRY CHRISTINE , ARNAUD SOPHIE , MERROT THIERRY , MARTIN CLAUDE 
Published: March 2008

SummaryBackground:  Few data report remifentanil use in the neonatal population. We described here our experience with remifentanil–sevoflurane balanced anesthesia in neonates and children less than 2 years who underwent general anesthesia for abdominal surgery.Methods:  We retrospectively studied the pattern of remifentanil infusion associated with sevoflurane inhalation in preterm neonates (PTN; n = 18) (born before 37 weeks of gestation and <45 weeks of postmenstrual age), full‐term neonates (FTN; n = 21) (born after 37 weeks of gestation and less than 29 days old) and older children up to 2 years (CUT; n = 24). We recorded heart rate (HR), mean arterial pressure (MAP), mean remifentanil dose and sevoflurane concentration before incision and at 5, 10, 20, 30, 45, 60, 90, and 105 min after incision.Results:  We observed that remifentanil doses used during surgery were lower in PTN than in both FTN and CUT and lower in FTN than in CUT. This was because of a progressive decrease in remifentanil dose during anesthesia in PTN and FTN. Conversely, remifentanil doses increased in CUT during anesthesia. Sevoflurane concentrations were higher in CUT group than in PTN and FTN groups. MAP and HR did not vary in the three groups during anesthesia.Conclusions:  Remifentanil–sevoflurane anesthesia can be used for general anesthesia in neonates. We observed that anesthetists used lower doses of remifantanil and lower concentrations of sevoflurane in neonates compared with the older children.
Effects of head posture on the oral, pharyngeal and laryngeal axis alignment in infants and young children by magnetic resonance imaging
Authors: VIALET RENAUD , NAU ANDRÉ , CHAUMOÎTRE KATHIA , MARTIN CLAUDE 
Published: March 2008

SummaryBackground:  Objective anatomical studies supporting the different recommendations for laryngoscopy in infants and young children are scarce. The objective of this study was to measure by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) the consequences of head extension on the oral, pharyngeal and laryngeal axes in infants and young children.Methods:  Thirty patients (age: 33 ± 28 months; weight 14 ± 9 kg), under general inhalated anesthesia delivered via a laryngeal mask airway, were studied in two anatomic positions: head in the resting position and in simple extension. The following measurements were made on each scan: the face and the neck axes, the pharyngeal axis, the laryngeal axis, and the line of vision of glottis. The various angles between these axes were defined: δ angle between line of vision and laryngeal axis, and β angle between pharyngeal axis and laryngeal axis. From an anatomical point of view, laryngoscopy and passage of a naso‐tracheal tube would be facilitated if these angles are narrow.Results:  Placing the patient from the resting position into extension led to a narrowing of the angle δ but a widening of the angle β.Conclusions:  In infants and young children, under general anesthesia and with a laryngeal mask airway in place, just a slight head extension improves alignment of the line of vision of the glottis and the laryngeal axis (narrowing of angle δ) but worsened the alignment of the pharyngeal and laryngeal axes (widening of angle β).
A hotspot for cold crenarchaeota in the neuston of high mountain lakes
Authors: Auguet Jean‐Christophe , Casamayor Emilio O. 
Published: March 2008

SummaryWe have surveyed the first 1 m of 10 oligotrophic high mountain lakes in the Central Pyrenees (Spain) for both abundance and predominant phylotypes richness of the archaeaplankton assemblage, using CARD‐FISH and 16S rRNA gene sequencing respectively. Archaea inhabiting the air‐water surface microlayer (neuston) ranged between 3% and 37% of total 4,6‐diamidino‐2‐phenylindole (DAPI) counts and were mainly Crenarchaeota of a new freshwater cluster distantly related to the Marine Group 1.1a. Conversely, most of the Archaea from the underlying waters (the remaining first 1 m integrated) were mainly Euryarchaeota of three distantly related branches ranging between 0.4% and 27% of total DAPI counts. Therefore, a consistent qualitative and quantitative spatial segregation was observed for the two main archaeal phyla between neuston and underlying waters at a regional scale. We also observed a consistent pattern along the lakes surveyed between lake area, lake depth and water residence time, and the archaeal enrichment in the neuston: the larger the lake the higher the proportion of archaea in the neuston as compared with abundances from the underlying waters (n = 10 lakes; R2 > 0.80; P < 0.001, in all three cases). This is the first report identifying a widespread non‐thermophilic habitat where freshwater planktonic Crenarchaeota can be found naturally enriched. High mountain lakes offer great research opportunities to explore the ecology of one of the most enigmatic and far from being understood group of prokaryotes.
Vibrio cholerae non‐O1, non‐O139 strains isolated before 1992 from Varanasi, India are multiple drug resistant, contain intSXT, dfr18 and aadA5 genes
Authors: Mohapatra Harapriya , Mohapatra Saswat S. , Mantri Chinmay K. , Colwell Rita R. , Singh Durg V. 
Published: March 2008

SummaryIn this study, we report the presence of the SXT element and Class I integron in Vibrio cholerae non‐O1, non‐O139 strains isolated from Varanasi, India. Isolates were resistant to cotrimoxazole, trimethoprim and/or streptomycin, furazolidone and ampicillin. None contained plasmids. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and DNA sequencing revealed the presence of antibiotic resistance gene cassettes, aadA1, aadA2, aadA5 and dfrA15, in the Class I integron and SXT, an integrative conjugative element containing dfr18, sulII and strAB, in three and six of the isolates respectively. Conjugation experiments, followed by PCR analysis of transconjugants, provided evidence for the transferable nature of intSXT and associated antibiotic resistance gene cassettes. This is the first report of the occurrence of SXT ICE, dfr18, sulII, strAB and aadA5 genes in environmental V. cholerae non‐O1, non‐O139 strains from Varanasi, India, that had been isolated before 1992.
Shell disease in crustaceans – just chitin recycling gone wrong?
Authors: Vogan Claire L. , Powell Adam , Rowley Andrew F. 
Published: March 2008

SummaryThe exoskeletons of aquatic crustaceans and other arthropods contain chitin, a biopolymer of β‐(1,4)‐linked N‐acetylglucosamine together with associated proteins. Despite the vast amounts of chitin within such animals little is found in sediments and open water because microorganisms rapidly degrade this following its loss after moulting or upon the animals' death. Shell disease syndrome is a worldwide disease condition that affects a wide range of crustaceans. It comes about as a result of bacterial degradation of the exoskeleton leading to unsightly lesions and even death if the underlying tissues become infected. There are at least two potential forms of the disease; one that appears to centre around chitin degradation and an additional form termed ‘epizootic’ shell disease, in which chitin degradation is of less significance. This account reviews our current understanding of the causative agents of this syndrome, assesses the potential economic consequences of the disease, and critically examines whether it is associated with anthropogenic disturbances including pollution. Overall, despite extensive studies during the last few decades, the potential links between faecal, heavy metal and insecticide pollution and shell disease are still unclear.
Prokaryotic diversity of arctic ice shelf microbial mats
Authors: Bottos Eric M. , Vincent Warwick F. , Greer Charles W. , Whyte Lyle G. 
Published: March 2008

SummaryThe prokaryotic diversity and respiratory activity of microbial mat communities on the Markham Ice Shelf and Ward Hunt Ice Shelf in the Canadian high Arctic were analysed. All heterotrophic isolates and > 95% of bacterial 16S rRNA gene clone library sequences from both ice shelves grouped within the phyla Bacteroidetes, Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria. Clone library analyses showed that the bacterial communities were diverse and varied significantly between the two ice shelves, with the Markham library having a higher estimated diversity (Chao1 = 243; 105 operational taxonomic units observed in 189 clones) than the Ward Hunt library (Chao1 = 106; 52 operational taxonomic units observed in 128 clones). Archaeal 16S rRNA gene clone libraries from both ice shelves were dominated by a single Euryarchaeota sequence, which appears to represent a novel phylotype. Analyses of community activity by radiorespiration assays detected metabolism in mat samples from both ice shelves at temperatures as low as −10°C. These findings provide the first insight into the prokaryotic biodiversity of Arctic ice shelf communities and underscore the importance of these cryo‐ecosystems as a rich source of microbiota that are adapted to extreme cold.
Community structures of actively growing bacteria shift along a north‐south transect in the western North Pacific
Authors: Taniguchi Akito , Hamasaki Koji 
Published: March 2008

SummaryBacterial community structures and their activities in the ocean are tightly coupled with organic matter fluxes and thus control ocean biogeochemical cycles. Bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU), halogenated nucleoside and thymidine analogue, has been recently used to monitor actively growing bacteria (AGB) in natural environments. We labelled DNA of proliferating cells in seawater bacterial assemblages with BrdU and determined community structures of the bacteria that were possible key species in mediating biochemical reactions in the ocean. Surface seawater samples were collected along a north‐south transect in the North Pacific in October 2003 and subjected to BrdU magnetic beads immunocapture and PCR‐DGGE (BUMP‐DGGE) analysis. Change of BrdU‐incorporated community structures reflected the change of water masses along a north‐south transect from subarctic to subtropical gyres in the North Pacific. We identified 25 bands referred to AGB as BrdU‐incorporated phylotypes, belonging to Alphaproteobacteria (5 bands), Betaproteobacteria (1 band), Gammaproteobacteria (4 bands), Cytophaga‐Flavobacterium‐Bacteroides (CFB) group bacteria (5 bands), Gram‐positive bacteria (6 bands), and Cyanobacteria (4 bands). BrdU‐incorporated phylotypes belonging to Vibrionales, Alteromonadales and Gram‐positive bacteria appeared only at sampling stations in a subtropical gyre, while those belonging to Roseobacter‐related bacteria and CFB group bacteria appeared at the stations in both subarctic and subtropical gyres. Our result revealed phylogenetic affiliation of AGB and their dynamic change along with north‐south environmental gradients in open oceans. Different species of AGB utilize different amount and kinds of substrates, which can affect the change of organic matter fluxes along transect.
The odd behaviour of carbonic anhydrase in the terrestrial cyanobacterium Nostoc flagelliforme during hydration–dehydration cycles
Authors: Ye Changpeng , Gao Kunshan , Giordano Mario 
Published: March 2008

SummaryThe terrestrial cyanobacterium Nostoc flagelliforme, inhabiting arid areas, withstands prolonged periods of dehydration. How dehydration and occasional wetting affect inorganic C acquisition in this organism is not well known. As inorganic C acquisition in cyanobacteria often involves carbonic anhydrases (CA), we studied the effect of cycles of hydration and dehydration on the extracellular and intracellular CA activities, at the pH values presumably associated with dew or rain wetting. The external CA of N. flagelliforme (or of the microorganismal consortium of which N. flagelliforme is the main component) is activated by hydration, especially at low pH, and it may facilitate inorganic C acquisition when N. flagelliforme colonies are wetted by dew. Internal CA is present in dry colonies and is rapidly inactivated upon rehydration, therefore an anaplerotic role for this enzyme is proposed.
Integron‐associated gene cassettes in Halifax Harbour: assessment of a mobile gene pool in marine sediments
Authors: Koenig J. E. , Boucher Yan , Charlebois Robert L. , Nesbø Camilla , Zhaxybayeva Olga , Bapteste Eric , Spencer Matthew , Joss Michael J. , Stokes H. W. , Doolittle W. F. 
Published: March 2008

SummaryThe integron/gene cassette systems identified in bacteria comprise a class of genetic elements that allow adaptation by acquisition of gene cassettes. Integron gene cassettes have been shown to facilitate the spread of drug resistance in human pathogens but their role outside a clinical setting has not been explored extensively. We sequenced 2145 integron gene cassettes from four marine sediment samples taken from the vicinity of Halifax Nova Scotia, Canada, increasing the number of gene cassettes obtained from environmental microbial communities by 10‐fold. Sequence analyses reveals that the majority of these cassettes encode novel proteins and that this study is consistent with previous claims of high cassette diversity as we estimate a Chao1 diversity index of ∼3000 cassettes from these samples. The functional distribution of environmental cassettes recovered in this study, when compared with that of cassettes from the only other source with significant sampling (Vibrio genomes) suggests that alternate selection regimes might be acting on these two gene pools. The majority of cassettes recovered in this study encode novel, unknown proteins. In instances where we obtained multiple alleles of a novel protein we demonstrate that non‐synonymous versus synonymous substitution rates ratios suggest relaxed selection. Cassette‐encoded proteins with known homologues represent a variety of functions and prevalent among these are isochorismatases; proteins involved in iron scavenging. Phylogenetic analysis of these isochorismatases as well as of cassette‐encoded acetyltransferases reveals a patchy distribution, suggesting multiple sources for the origin of these cassettes. Finally, the two most environmentally similar sample sites considered in this study display the greatest overlap of cassette types, consistent with the hypothesis that cassette genes encode adaptive proteins.
The NprA nitroreductase required for 2,4‐dinitrophenol reduction in Rhodobacter capsulatus is a dihydropteridine reductase
Authors: Pérez‐Reinado Eva , Roldán María Dolores , Castillo Francisco , Moreno‐Vivián Conrado 
Published: March 2008

SummaryThe Rhodobacter capsulatus nprA gene codes for a putative nitroreductase. A recombinant His6‐NprA protein was overproduced in Escherichia coli and purified by affinity chromatography. This protein contained FMN and showed nitroreductase activity with a wide range of nitroaromatic compounds, such as 2‐nitrophenol, 2,4‐dinitrophenol, 2,6‐dinitrophenol, 2,4,6‐trinitrophenol (picric acid), 2,4‐dinitrobenzoate and 2,4‐dinitrotoluene, and with the nitrofuran derivatives nitrofurazone and furazolidone. NADPH was the main electron donor and the ortho nitro group was preferably reduced to the corresponding amino derivative. The apparent Km values of NprA for NADPH, 2,4‐dinitrophenol, picric acid and furazolidone were 40 μM, 78 μM, 72 μM and 83 μM, respectively, at pH and temperature optima (pH 6.5, 30°C). Escherichia coli cells overproducing the NprA protein were much more sensitive to the prodrug 5‐(aziridin‐1‐yl)‐2,4‐dinitrobenzamide (CB1954) used in cancer therapy than non‐transformed cells. NprA showed the highest activity with the quinonoid form of 6,7‐dimethyl‐7,8‐dihydropterine as substrate, so that NprA may be involved in the synthesis of tetrahydrobiopterin in R. capsulatus. Expression of a transcriptional nprA–lacZ gene fusion was induced by phenylalanine or tyrosine, but not by other amino acids like glutamate or alanine. Furthermore, both nitroreductase activity and phenylalanine assimilation were inhibited in vivo by ammonium. A mutant defective in the nprA gene showed better growth rate with Phe or Tyr as nitrogen source than the wild‐type strain, although both strains showed similar growth in media with Glu or without added nitrogen. These results suggest that the NprA nitroreductase may act in vivo as a dihydropteridine reductase involved in aromatic amino acids metabolism.
Large bowel obstruction and perforation secondary to endometriosis complicated by a ventriculoperitoneal shunt
Authors: Shaw A. , Lund J. N. , Semeraro D. , Cartmill M. , Reynolds J. R. , Tierney G. M. 
Published: March 2008

AbstractA 36‐year‐old lady, with a past medical history of hydrocephalus requiring a ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt, was admitted with symptoms and signs of large bowel obstruction. Her condition worsened and she underwent laparotomy, where she had faecal peritonitis secondary to a perforated sigmoid colon. The shunt was contaminated with faeces leading to postoperative shunt infection and meningitis. Histology of the resected sigmoid colon revealed endometriosis at the site of perforation. Endometriosis is a rare cause of large bowel obstruction and literature review has found only two other cases of perforation because of endometriosis not associated with pregnancy. No case has been reported involving the concurrent surgical management of a contaminated VP shunt. We discuss the rarity of large bowel perforation and obstruction because of endometriosis, and the complications and management of VP shunts.
A selective approach to restorative proctocolectomy without ileostomy: a single centre experience
Authors: Lovegrove R. E. , Symeonides P. , Tekkis P. P. , Goodfellow P. B. , Shorthouse A. J. 
Published: March 2008

AbstractObjective  A single surgeon series on complications and functional outcomes following restorative proctocolectomy (RPC) is presented.Method  An ethically‐approved database was used to collect data on all patients undergoing RPC at a single institution. Patient demographics, operative details, complications and functional outcomes were assessed. The impact of ileostomy omission on outcomes was also assessed.Results  Two hundred patients undergoing RPC between 1987 and 2006 were included. There were 122 (61.0%) males and the mean age at surgery was 37.6 years. A J pouch was constructed in 199 (99.5%) patients and an ileostomy omitted in 160 (80.0%). Since adopting a selective policy after the 36th consecutive patient in the series, only 9 (5.5%) patients have had an ileostomy constructed at the time of pouch construction. Complications occurred in 112 (56.3%) patients, with anastomotic stricture (20.6%) and pouchitis (28.6%) being the most common. Anastomotic stricture was more common in those patients receiving an ileostomy (43.6%vs 15.0%, P < 0.001), as were pouch‐cutaneous fistulae (5.1%vs 0.6%, P = 0.039) and pelvic sepsis (15.4%vs 5.0%, P = 0.023). Functional outcomes were good, with median 24‐h stool frequency of five motions at 1 year. There was increased urgency to defaecate which in part may be due to a significant decline in the use of antidiarrhoeal medication during follow up.Conclusions  Selective omission of a covering ileostomy in most cases can produce good results following RPC with no increase in the risk of septic complications or pouch failure, and a decreased risk of anastomotic stricture, with maintenance of good function in the majority.
Effect of raisin consumption on oxidative stress and inflammation in obesity
Authors: Rankin J. W. , Andreae M. C. , Oliver Chen C.‐Y. , O’Keefe S. F. 
Published: March 2008

Aim: Oxidative stress can initiate increased inflammation that elevates risk for cardiovascular disease. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of daily consumption of raisins on markers of oxidative stress, inflammation and endothelial activation in response to an acute high‐fat meal in overweight individuals.Methods: Seventeen overweight men and women consumed 90 g raisins or isocaloric placebo (264 kcal/day) for 14 days in a randomized, crossover design while following a low‐flavonoid diet. The oxidative [urinary 8‐iso‐prostaglandin‐F2α(8‐epi PGF2α) and serum oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC)], inflammatory (serum C‐reactive protein and interleukin‐6), endothelial (serum soluble intercellular adhesion molecule‐1 and soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule‐1, sVCAM‐1) and metabolic [free fatty acids (FFAs), triacylglycerol, glucose and insulin] response to four high‐fat (53%) meals was tested pre‐ and postintervention.Results: Urinary 8‐epi PGF2αdecreased (−22%) and fasting ORAC increased (+3%) after both interventions combined. Fasting protein‐free ORAC was modestly (+3.5%) higher during the raisin than the placebo intervention. Neither the meals nor the raisins consistently induced fasted markers of inflammation or endothelial dysfunction. Gender influenced postprandial metabolic responses in that males responded with higher serum FFAs, sVCAM‐1 and glucose compared with females.Conclusions: Serum antioxidant capacity was modestly increased by daily raisin consumption, but this did not alter fasted or postprandial inflammatory response in these relatively healthy but overweight individuals. Providing all food in regular pattern reduced measures of oxidative stress.