bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Fluid therapy in acute myocardial infarction: evaluation of predictors of volume responsiveness
Authors: SNYGG J. , BECH‐HANSSEN O. , LöNN L. , ANDERSSON B. , ÅNEMAN A. 
Published: December 2008

Background: Static vascular filling pressures suffer from poor predictive power in identifying the volume‐responsive heart. The use of dynamic arterial pressure variables, including pulse pressure variation (PPV) has instead been suggested to guide volume therapy. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the performance of several clinically applicable haemodynamic parameters to predict volume responsiveness in a pig closed chest model of acute left ventricular myocardial infarction.Methods: Fifteen anaesthetized, mechanically ventilated pigs were studied following acute left myocardial infarction by temporary coronary occlusion. Animals were instrumented to monitor central venous (CVP) and pulmonary artery occlusion (PAOP) pressures and arterial systolic variations (SPV) and PPV. Cardiac output (CO) was measured using the pulmonary artery catheter and by using the PiCCO® monitor also giving stroke volume variation (SVV). Variations in the velocity time integral by pulsed‐wave Doppler echocardiography were determined in the left (ΔVTILV) and right (ΔVTIRV) ventricular outflow tracts. Consecutive boluses of 4 ml/kg hydroxyethyl starch were administered and volume responsiveness was defined as a 10% increase in CO.Results: Receiver–operator characteristics (ROC) demonstrated the largest area under the curve for ΔVTIRV [0.81 (0.70–0.93)] followed by PPV [0.76 (0.64–0.88)] [mean (and 95% CI)]. SPV, ΔVTILV and SVV did not change significantly during volume loading. CVP and PAOP increased but did not demonstrate significant ROC.Conclusion: PPV may be used to predict the response to volume administration in the setting of acute left ventricular myocardial infarction.
Isoflurane attenuates dynorphin‐induced cytotoxicity and downregulation of Bcl‐2 expression in differentiated neuroblastoma SH‐SY5Y cells
Authors: WU G.‐J. , CHEN W.‐F. , SUNG C.‐S. , JEAN Y.‐H. , HUNG C.‐H. , CHEN F.‐A. , HSIEH M.‐H. , WEN Z.‐H. 
Published: December 2008

Background: It has been proposed that the volatile anesthetic isoflurane induces neuroprotection and that the endogenous opioid peptide dynorphin induces neurocytotoxicity in cells. The levels of dynorphin are often significantly elevated in neuropathophysiological conditions, and dynorphin can directly induce toxicity. However, the neuroprotective effects of isoflurane on dynorphin‐induced cytotoxicity are still unclear.Methods: In order to determine the effect of isoflurane on dynorphin‐induced cytotoxicity in neuronal cells, we have designed a device wherein cultured human neuroblastoma SH‐SY5Y cells can be exposed to isoflurane. Fully differentiated SH‐SY5Y cells were obtained by treating the cells with retinoic acid for 6 days. We examined SH‐SY5Y cell survival, apoptosis, and antiapoptotic protein expression by cell viability, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase‐mediated dUTP nick end‐labeling stain, and Western blot analysis, respectively.Results: After 16 h of dynorphin (10 μM) treatment, the SH‐SY5Y cells showed significant cytotoxicity, apoptosis, and downregulation of the antiapoptotic Bcl‐2 protein expression. These effects of dynorphin were significantly inhibited by isoflurane exposure for 32 h [pretreatment for 16 h and posttreatment (after dynorphin treatment) for 16 h].Conclusion: Thus, our results suggest that isoflurane exerts neuroprotective effects in the case of dynorphin‐induced pathophysiological disruption.
Short‐ and long‐term consequences of early developmental conditions: a case study on wild and domesticated zebra finches
Authors: TSCHIRREN B. , RUTSTEIN A. N. , POSTMA E. , MARIETTE M. , GRIFFITH S. C. 
Published: December 2008

AbstractDivergent selection pressures among populations can result not only in significant differentiation in morphology, physiology and behaviour, but also in how these traits are related to each other, thereby driving the processes of local adaptation and speciation. In the Australian zebra finch, we investigated whether domesticated stock, bred in captivity over tens of generations, differ in their response to a life‐history manipulation, compared to birds taken directly from the wild. In a ‘common aviary’ experiment, we thereto experimentally manipulated the environmental conditions experienced by nestlings early in life by means of a brood size manipulation, and subsequently assessed its short‐ and long‐term consequences on growth, ornamentation, immune function and reproduction. As expected, we found that early environmental conditions had a marked effect on both short‐ and long‐term morphological and life‐history traits in all birds. However, although there were pronounced differences between wild and domesticated birds with respect to the absolute expression of many of these traits, which are indicative of the different selection pressures wild and domesticated birds were exposed to in the recent past, manipulated rearing conditions affected morphology and ornamentation of wild and domesticated finches in a very similar way. This suggests that despite significant differentiation between wild and domesticated birds, selection has not altered the relationships among traits. Thus, life‐history strategies and investment trade‐offs may be relatively stable and not easily altered by selection. This is a reassuring finding in the light of the widespread use of domesticated birds in studies of life‐history evolution and sexual selection, and suggests that adaptive explanations may be legitimate when referring to captive bird studies.
Rapid changes in plasticity across generations within an expanding cedar forest
Authors: FALLOUR‐RUBIO D. , GUIBAL F. , KLEIN E. K. , BARITEAU M. , LEFÈVRE F. 
Published: December 2008

AbstractWe investigated the inter‐individual variation of phenotypic plasticity and its evolution across three generations within an expanding forest. Plasticity was assessed in situ from dendrochronological data as the response of radial growth to summer rainfall. A linear mixed model was used to account for spatial effects (environment and stand structure), temporal factors (stand dynamics) and the variation with age. Beyond these effects, our results reveal a significant inter‐individual variance of growth and plasticity within each generation. We also show that the mean values and variances of growth and plasticity changed significantly across generations, with different patterns for both traits. The possible environmental and genetic drivers of these changes are discussed. Contrasting with the trade‐off between stress tolerance and plasticity generally observed among populations, we detected a positive covariance at the individual level, which does not support the cost of plasticity hypothesis in this case.
Mating triggers dynamic immune regulations in wood ant queens
Authors: CASTELLA G. , CHRISTE P. , CHAPUISAT M. 
Published: December 2008

AbstractMating can affect female immunity in multiple ways. On the one hand, the immune system may be activated by pathogens transmitted during mating, sperm and seminal proteins, or wounds inflicted by males. On the other hand, immune defences may also be down‐regulated to reallocate resources to reproduction. Ants are interesting models to study post‐mating immune regulation because queens mate early in life, store sperm for many years, and use it until their death many years later, while males typically die after mating. This long‐term commitment between queens and their mates limits the opportunity for sexual conflict but raises the new constraint of long‐term sperm survival. In this study, we examine experimentally the effect of mating on immunity in wood ant queens. Specifically, we compared the phenoloxidase and antibacterial activities of mated and virgin Formica paralugubris queens. Queens had reduced levels of active phenoloxidase after mating, but elevated antibacterial activity 7 days after mating. These results indicate that the process of mating, dealation and ovary activation triggers dynamic patterns of immune regulation in ant queens that probably reflect functional responses to mating and pathogen exposure that are independent of sexual conflict.
Environmental Conditions and Intraspecific Interference: Unexpected Effects of Turbidity on Pike (Esox lucius) Foraging
Authors: Nilsson P. A. , Jacobsen Lene , Berg Søren , Skov Christian 
Published: December 2008

AbstractInterference among predators decreases per capita foraging rates and has implications for both community dynamics and top‐down trophic processes. Interference originates from behavioural interactions among foragers, and these behaviours could be affected by environmental conditions. In experiments on pike foraging alone or among conspecifics in different levels of water turbidity, we expected high turbidity to decrease the perceived risk of intraspecific interactions among pike, and thereby decrease the strength of interference, as turbidity would decrease the visual contact between individuals and act as a refuge from behavioural interactions. The results show that this is not the case, but suggest that interference is induced instead of reduced in high turbidity. Per capita foraging rates do not differ between pike foraging alone or in groups in our clear and moderately turbid treatments, indicating no effect of interference. As high turbidity enhances prey consumption for pike individuals foraging alone, but does not have this effect for pike in groups, high turbidity induces the relative interference effect. We suggest that future evaluations of the stabilizing effects of interference on community dynamics and its reduction of predation impact on top‐down trophic cascades should consider potential unexpected effects of environmental conditions.
Parental Sex Differences in Food Allocation to Junior Brood Members as Mediated by Prey Size
Authors: Wiebe Karen L. , Slagsvold Tore 
Published: December 2008

AbstractIndividual offspring within a brood may receive different amounts of provisioning from the male and female parents. Some hypotheses suggest that this bias is the result of an active and adaptive choice by parents. An alternative hypothesis is that feeding biases arise as a result of a constraint of fitting large prey items into small gapes. In an experiment with pied flycatchers,Ficedula hypoleuca, we tested for sex‐biased allocation to junior nestlings in asynchronous broods and whether this could be explained by active parental choice or by passive allocation according to prey size and gape size. In both control broods and broods with experimentally increased degree of asynchrony, prey types did not differ between parents but females brought smaller prey than males at younger but not older nestling stages. At younger but not older nestling stages, the majority of feeds to junior nestlings were from females, and the smaller nestlings consumed smaller prey than older siblings. However, there was no evidence of active preference of small nestlings by females as parents did not differ in the tendency to bypass a begging senior nestling in order to feed a junior nestling. Provisioning rates by females were lower than those by males when nestlings were young and we suggest that foraging time constraints caused by the need to brood offspring result in females bringing smaller prey than males. In turn, the larger prey brought by males was more often transferred to larger offspring after the smaller ones failed to swallow it. In such cases, ‘preferential’ feeding of small nestlings by females may simply be a passive side effect of foraging constraints and gape‐size limitations.
Resources, not Kinship, Determine Social Patterning in the Territorial Gunnison’s prairie Dog (Cynomys gunnisoni)
Authors: Verdolin J. L. , Slobodchikoff C. N. 
Published: December 2008

AbstractIn this study, we describe patterns of relatedness in Gunnison’s prairie dog (Cynomys gunnisoni) social groups. Kin selection is often cited as a mechanism for the evolution and maintenance of social groups, and Gunnison’s prairie dog females are occasionally described as being strongly philopatric. Overall, randomization tests revealed that females within territorial groups were not more closely related to each other than expected at random. A similar pattern was found among males and between males and females, indicating that there was no sex‐biased dispersal occurring in these populations. Ecological variables measured in this study, such as food abundance and food dispersion, were not correlated with relatedness. In addition, territory size and density/m2did not correlate significantly with relatedness. Although there was variability in the spatial overlap among individuals within groups, there was no indication that relatedness explained this variation. These results suggest that kin selection is not maintaining social groups in these populations, but that competition for access to resources required by both males and females may explain dispersal and social group patterns in these populations.
To Compensate or Not? Caring Parents Respond Differentially to Mate Removal and Mate Handicapping in the Burying Beetle, Nicrophorus quadripunctatus
Authors: Suzuki Seizi , Nagano Masahiro 
Published: December 2008

AbstractGame theoretical models predict that when one parent reduces its care, the mate should adjust its care facultatively to compensate partially. To test these models, mate‐removal and mate‐handicapping techniques have been used. However, there have been few experimental studies comparing results from mate removal and mate handicapping, and there has been no study on insects employing handicapping. Male and female burying beetles both maintain the nest and regurgitate to young. We examined how burying beetle parents adjust their level of care when their mates are removed or handicapped. Males increased their frequency of provisioning significantly after female removal, whereas females showed no response to male removal. However, neither sex showed a response to the handicapping of its partner, although handicapped mates decreased the frequency of their care. This result showed that burying beetle parents respond differentially to mate removal and handicapping, and suggests that parents do not respond to a change in the behavior of their mates.
Bioterrorism for the respiratory physician
Authors: WATERER Grant W. , ROBERTSON Hannah 
Published: December 2008

ABSTRACTTerrorist attacks by definition are designed to cause fear and panic. There is no question that a terrorist attack using biological agents would present a grave threat to stability of the society in which they were released. Early recognition of such a bioterrorist attack is crucial to containing the damage they could cause. As many of the most likely bioterrorism agents present with pulmonary disease, respiratory physicians may be crucial in the initial recognition and diagnosis phase, and certainly would be drawn into treatment of affected individuals. This review focuses on the biological agents thought most likely to be used by terrorists that have predominantly respiratory presentations. The primary focus of this review is on anthrax, plague, tularaemia, ricin, and Staphylococcal enterotoxin B. The pathogenesis, clinical manifestations and treatment of these agents will be discussed as well as historical examples of their use. Other potential bioterrorism agents with respiratory manifestations will also be discussed briefly.
Impact of oxidative stress on lung diseases
Authors: PARK Hee Sun , KIM So Ri , LEE Yong Chul 
Published: December 2008

ABSTRACTReactive oxygen species (ROS) are products of normal cellular metabolism and are known to act as second messengers. Under physiological conditions, ROS participate in maintenance of cellular ‘redox homeostasis’ in order to protect cells against oxidative stress through various redox‐regulatory mechanisms. Overproduction of ROS, most frequently due to excessive stimulation of either reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate by cytokines or the mitochondrial electron transport chain and xanthine oxidase, results in oxidative stress. Oxidative stress is a deleterious process that leads to lung damage and consequently to various disease states. Knowledge of the mechanisms of ROS regulation could lead to the pharmacological manipulation of antioxidants in lung inflammation and injury.
Quality of life and autonomy preferences in stable asthmatics: A developing country scenario
Authors: SIDANA Abhinav , SINGH Digvijay , MOHAN Anant , GULERIA Randeep 
Published: December 2008

ABSTRACTBackground and objective:  The quality of life (QOL) and autonomy preferences of asthmatics in developing countries have been sparingly researched, with a resulting lack of management strategies. This study determined the asthma‐specific QOL and autonomy preferences of a population of asthmatics in a developing country and their association with relevant sociodemographic and clinical characteristics.Methods:  A cross‐sectional study using the Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire and the Asthma Autonomy Questionnaire was performed on a population of stable asthmatics recruited from a tertiary care centre in India. Severity of the disease was assessed by spirometry.Results:  The study population comprised 80 asthmatics. The mean (SD) overall QOL score was 5.04 (0.97). This was significantly associated with history of hospitalization during the previous year for an asthma attack (P < 0.01) and with FEV1 (P < 0.05) on univariate analysis; on multivariate analysis, only history of hospitalization was significant. Autonomy preferences of the patients showed higher scores for information‐seeking (mean (SD) = 78.95 (16.35) ) than decision‐making (mean (SD) = 38.21 (14.6)). The information‐seeking preferences had a negative correlation with age (P < 0.01) and a positive correlation with education status (P < 0.01) and decision‐making correlated with education status (P < 0.05). A minority of patients (19%) indicated a preference for a greater say in decision‐making than their physicians. There was a lower tendency for decision‐making when given a ‘severe exacerbation’ scenario than in ‘mild exacerbation’ (P < 0.001) or ‘stable disease’ (P < 0.001).Conclusions:  Hospitalization history and FEV1 values are the parameters having the most significant impact on the QOL of asthmatics. There is a clear desire to obtain more information about the disease but most patients do not endorse the idea of making independent disease‐related decisions.
Depth of sedation using Cerebral State Index in infants undergoing spinal anesthesia
Authors: DISMA NICOLA , TUO PIETRO , ASTUTO MARINELLA , DAVIDSON ANDREW J. 
Published: December 2008

SummaryBackground:  Infants are noted to frequently sleep during spinal anesthesia, with a concomitant fall in Bispectral Index. However, there are suggestions that EEG derived anesthesia depth monitors have inferior performance in infants. The aim of this study was to quantify the degree of sedation during spinal anesthesia in infants using another EEG derived measure of anesthesia effect – the Cerebral State Index (CSI).Methods:  Twelve infants, <52 weeks postconceptual menstrual age, scheduled for bilateral inguinal hernia repair under spinal anesthesia were enrolled. Patients received a standard anesthetic protocol with a subarachnoid dose of 1 mg·kg−1 of levobupivacaine 0.5%. No premedication, sedatives, opioids or anticholinergics were administrated during the perioperative period and patients were left undisturbed during the surgical time, without tactile stimulation or loud auditory stimuli. CSI score (0–100) and bust suppression (BS) (0–100%) were continuously recorded during the surgical time and then statistically re‐evaluated.Results:  In all patients the CSI fell during the procedure and there were significant levels of BS recorded by the CSI monitor. The BS occurred between 12 and 34 min after spinal anesthesia with the peak being at 30 min and mean onset time being 15 (2.6) min after spinal block. A statistical significant difference was found between the lowest mean CSI as well as the highest BS if compared with their baseline values. A negative correlation was found between CSI and BS.Conclusions:  The degree of burst suppression detected by the CSI in our study supports the hypothesis that infants may have discontinuous patterns of EEG during spinal anesthesia similar to those seen during emergence from general anesthesia. Moreover, the limitations in the application of the adult algorithms to infant EEG may lead to an overestimation of the degree of sedation.
A national survey of the anesthetic management of tonsillectomy surgery in children
Authors: ALLFORD MARK , GURUSWAMY VELUPANDIAN 
Published: December 2008

SummaryBackground:  Tonsillectomy in children is a common procedure; however, there appears to be a significant degree of variability in anesthetic management. Thus far, there has been no large national survey looking at the perioperative care of these children.Objectives:  We conducted a national survey with the aim of determining what represents common practice in the perioperative management of children undergoing tonsillectomy surgery. We compared the respondents’ management against evidence‐based practice.Methods:  The survey took the form of a questionnaire, which was sent to members of The Association of Paediatric Anaesthetists (APAGBI) and to Royal College tutors. The questionnaire was sent in paper format to the College Tutors and in digital format to APAGBI members. Emphasis was placed upon preoperative preparation, induction technique, airway management, analgesia, postoperative nausea and vomiting strategy, fluid management and emergence from anesthesia.Results:  Responses were obtained from 173 individuals representing a broad cross‐section of anesthetists from teaching and district general hospitals. Findings are as follows: the application of topical anesthetic cream is commonplace (93%), with Ametop® being the primary preparation used; the intravenous route was preferred to induce anesthesia; most practitioners intubate the trachea to maintain the airway during anesthesia (79%); a muscle relaxant was employed to assist intubation of the trachea in 47% of respondents and the routine use of suxamethonium was reported to be uncommon (9%); the administration of prophylactic ondansetron and dexamethasone was reported by 79% and 70% of respondents respectively; and nonsteroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are used by 77% of individuals either pre‐emptively or during the intraoperative period.Conclusions:  Whilst there is individual variability in the management of these cases, the majority of anesthetists prefer the intravenous route for induction of anesthesia, after application of topical anesthetic cream. It is routine practice to intubate the trachea, administer paracetamol, NSAIDs, strong opiates and antiemetics.