bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Advancing Sports Science and Physical Education Research Through a Shared Understanding of the Term Motor Performance Skills: A Scoping Review with Content Analysis
Authors: Sortwell Andrew , Behringer Michael , Granacher Urs , Trimble Kevin , Forte Pedro , P. Neiva Henrique , Clemente-Suárez Vicente Javier , Ramirez-Campillo Rodrigo , Konukman Ferman , Tufekcioglu Ertan , Filizn Bijen , Branquinho Luis , Ferraz Ricardo , Sadeghi Hassan , Jaime Arroyo-Toledo Juan
Published: September 2022

Background: The inappropriate usage of terms and concepts and/or unclear definitions provided in the scientific literature hinder progress in any scientific field. This risk is especially noticeable in applied fields of research such as sports science and physical education. Objective: This study explored existing literature that uses the term ‘motor performance skills’ and aimed to propose a comprehensive definition to be applied in future research. Method: Following an adapted scoping approach grounded in the rapid review model, we searched electronic databases Pub-Med/Medline, Web of Science, and Scopus until February 2022. The primary demographic focus was sports science and physical education disciplines. After screening of titles and abstracts, 184 papers were identified for a full review. Twenty-two papers met the inclusion criteria from the full review and received qualitative content analysis. The qualitative content analysis focused on the elaborated qualities of the term ‘motor performance skill’. Coding was used to identify and extract content, identify patterns, and observe the depth of interpretation of the term. Results: Only six papers used descriptive language, and three used explanatory language to convey aspects of the term’s meaning. All included papers extrapolated or provided examples to demonstrate the term’s meaning. Based on a collaborative process, the study reached a proposed definition that has the potential to be coined for the term ‘motor performance skills’ and used in future research. Conclusion: Thus, the current analysis revealed the need to collaboratively address the conceptual ambiguity and develop a comprehensive definition of ‘motor performance skills’
Heterogeneous feature-aware Transformer-CNN coupling network for person re-identification
Authors: Li Yanchao , Lian Guoyun , Zhang Wenyu , Ma Guanglin , Ren Jin , Yang Jinfeng
Published: September 2022

Person re-identification plays an important role in the construction of the smart city. A reliable person re-identification system relieves users from the inefficient work of identifying the specific individual from enormous numbers of photos or videos captured by different surveillance devices. The most existing methods either focus on local discriminative features without global contextual information or scatter global features while ignoring the local features, resulting in ineffective attention to irregular pedestrian zones. In this article, a novel Transformer-CNN Coupling Network (TCCNet) is proposed to capture the fluctuant body region features in a heterogeneous feature-aware manner. We employ two bridging modules, the Low-level Feature Coupling Module (LFCM) and the High-level Feature Coupling Module (HFCM), to improve the complementary characteristics of the hybrid network. It is significantly helpful to enhance the capacity to distinguish between foreground and background features, thereby reducing the unfavorable impact of cluttered backgrounds on person re-identification. Furthermore, the duplicate loss for the two branches is employed to incorporate semantic information from distant preferences of the two branches into the resulting person representation. The experiments on two large-scale person re-identification benchmarks demonstrate that the proposed TCCNet achieves competitive results compared with several state-of-the-art approaches. The mean Average Precision (mAP) and Rank-1 identification rate on the MSMT17 dataset achieve 66.9% and 84.5%, respectively.
Lectura, reescritura y poesía: Una aproximación a "La aldea de Kiang después de la muerte", de Cristián Cruz
Authors:   Universidad Austral de Chile, Mansilla Torres Sergio
Published: September 2022

En este artículo se analiza el libro La aldea Kiang después de la muerte, del poeta chileno Cristian Cruz, en relación con su intertexto: el poema “La aldea de Kiang”, de Tu Fu, poeta chino de la dinastía Tang. Se examina la noción de paráfrasis con la que opera Cruz en su escritura, así como los tópicos que son comunes entre un texto y otro. En este punto, el común motivo de “la canción de Kiang”, que Cruz convierte en tema clave de su poema, opera como un símbolo de que lo que, según el poeta chileno, sería el poder indestructible de la poesía ante el averno, siempre y cuando la memoria la tenga presente.
IDENTIDADES DOCENTES MÚLTIPLAS: TRANSFORMAÇÕES MATERIALIZADAS EM UMA DOCÊNCIA EM MOVIMENTO
Authors: Alves Roncarelli Isadora , Stecanela Nilda , Pauletti Fabiana
Published: September 2022

Este artigo objetiva discutir aspectos referentes à identidade docente, vinculada a perspectiva de docência em movimento. O estudo é baseado nos resultados de uma pesquisa que buscou entrecruzar os percursos de vida com os percursos docentes, de dez professoras do ensino fundamental. Os mapas Emic-rítmicos compuseram o instrumento de construção dos dados, seguido de perguntas abertas evocadoras de narrativas de vida e de docência. Como ecos das narrativas produzidas, emerge a categoria analítica “docência em movimento” como um indicativo de que as professoras vivem conflitos identitários na constituição de sua identidade docente, uma vez que precisam conciliar seus múltiplos “eus” profissionais e pessoais.
Cytosolic calcium facilitates release of secretory products after exocytotic vesicle fusion
Authors: Fernández-Chacón Rafael , de Toledo Guillermo Alvarez
Published: July 2002

We monitored single vesicle exocytosis by simultaneous measurements of cell membrane capacitance as an indicator of fusion and amperometric detection of serotonin release. We show here that vesicle‐plasma membrane fusion in rat mast cell granules is followed by a variable, exponentially distributed, delay before bulk release. This delay reflects the time required for the expansion of the exocytotic fusion pore, lasting, on average, 231 ms in resting cytosolic calcium, [Ca2+]i (50 nM). In the presence of [Ca2+]i in the low micromollar range, the lag between fusion and release was reduced to 123 ms. The characteristics of the amperometric signals were unchanged by [Ca2+]i. These results show a novel site of regulation in the exocytotic process, the fusion pore, which may represent a different mechanism facilitating transmitter release.
The Dutch obstetric intervention study — variations in practice patterns
Authors: Heres M.H.B. , Pel M. , Elferink‐Stinkens P.M. , Van Hemel O.J.S. , Treffers P.E.
Published: July 2002

Objective: To compare obstetric intervention rates between Dutch hospitals. Methods: A total of 28 934 hospital births under secondary care (specialist care for medium‐/high‐risk pregnancies) in 1990 were analyzed in a stratified, random sample of Dutch hospitals based on the records of the Dutch Netherlands perinatal database. Comparisons were made of the intervention rates between hospitals. Results: The intervention rates of the various hospitals differed widely. The most striking difference was in the cesarean section (CS) rate for non‐vertex first twins, with a range of 0–100% and a mean rate of 47.6%. On average a CS for a term breech was performed in 30.8% of cases and sedation or analgesics were administered in 16.2% of cases. The mean rate of episiotomy for a term breech was 71.5%, the lowest rate being 18.8%. Conclusion: Our results show relatively low intervention rates with considerable interhospital variation.
New evidence that Lacandonia granules are ultrastructurally related to perichromatin and Balbiani ring granules
Authors: Agredano‐Moreno Lourdes Teresa , Jiménez‐García Luis Felipe
Published: July 2002

Summary— Lacandonia granules are abundant non‐typical extranucleolar ribonucleoprotein particles found in the nucleus of Lacandonia schismatica, a rare plant showing spatial inversion of sex organs. In the present study, changes in the number of Lacandonia granules during flower development, and the presence of SR proteins and poly(A)+ RNA in the nuclei of L. schismatica were analyzed by electron microscopy, immunoelectron microscopy and ultrastructural in situ hybridization. Our results show an important reduction in the number of Lacandonia granules in the nuclei of cells of opened (post‐anthesis) in relation to unopened (pre‐anthesis) flowers, where granules are very abundant. The SR family of splicing factors and poly(A)+ RNA are present in both perichromatin fibers and Lacandonia granules. The developmental behavior, the presence of SR proteins, recently involved in post‐splicing events, poly(A)+ RNA and the reported absence of snRNPs splicing factors in Lacandonia granules, suggest that these particles are involved in postranscriptional events as storage and/or transport of mRNAs. A similar situation is present in other nuclear RNP as perichromatin granules present in mammals and Balbiani ring granules of salivary glands of Chironomus. Based on similarities in morphological, developmental behavior, immunocytochemistry and in situ hybridization results, we conclude that Lacandonia, perichromatin and Balbiani ring granules may be also functionally similar structures.
Influence of Baculovirus‐Host Cell Interactions on Complex N‐Linked Glycosylation of a Recombinant Human Protein
Authors: Joshi Lokesh , Davis Thomas R. , Mattu Taj S. , Rudd Pauline M. , Dwek Raymond A. , Shuler Michael L. , Wood H. Alan
Published: July 2002

The conditions required for mammalian‐type complex N‐linked glycosylation of human proteins produced in insect cells with the baculovirus expression vector system were investigated. Marked alterations to N‐linked glycosylation of human placental secreted alkaline phosphatase (SEAP) were observed with different baculovirus species, insect cell lines, and cell culture media. When a recombinant Autographa californica nucleopolyhedrovirus (AcMNPV) was used to produce SEAP in Trichoplusia ni (Tn‐4h) cells cultured in serum‐free medium, structural analyses indicated <1% hybrid and no complex oligosaccharides attached to SEAP, a typical result with the baculovirus expression vector system. However, when fetal bovine serum was added to the culture medium, 48 ± 4% of the oligosaccharides were hybrid or complex (but asialylated) glycans. When a recombinant T. ni nucleopolyhedrovirus (TnSNPV) was similarly used to express SEAP in Tn‐4h cells cultured in serum‐containing medium, only 24 ± 3% of the glycans contained terminal N‐acetylglucosamine and/or galactose residues. In contrast, SEAP produced in Sf9 cells grown in serum‐containing medium with AcMNPV contained <1% hybrid oligosaccharides and no complex oligosaccharides. The results illustrate that baculovirus type, host cell type, and the growth medium all have a strong influence on the glycosylation pathway in insect cells, resulting in significant alterations in structures and relative abundance of N‐linked glycoforms. Although the addition of sialic acid residues to the SEAP glycans was not detected, possible approaches to obtain sialylated glycans are discussed.
Stability of Lactate Dehydrogenase in Metal‐Catalyzed Oxidation Solutions Containing Chelated Metals
Authors: Madurawe Rapti D. , Lin Zhanglin , Dryden Phillip K. , Lumpkin Janice A.
Published: July 2002

The role of metal chelators in altering the reactivity of metal‐catalyzed oxidation solutions containing iron or copper, ascorbate, and hydrogen peroxide was evaluated by measuring the loss of enzymatic activity of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and the formation of hydroxyl radicals. The chelators used were iminodiacetic acid, nitrilotriacetic acid, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, bicinchoninic acid, dihydrobenzoic acid, desferroxalamine mesylate, and phytate. All of the chelators tested at a 10:1 chelator:metal ratio afforded some protection to LDH compared to the unchelated system. Selected chelators that afforded only partial protection to LDH were able to provide nearly complete protection at higher chelator:metal ratios. This protection is likely attributable to the chelators' ability to remove surface‐bound metals and, thereby, reduce “site‐specific” oxidation. Many metal−chelator pairs generated hydroxyl radicals. The rate and amount of hydroxyl radicals formed varied depending on the metal−chelator pair. Although large amounts of hydroxyl radicals did not always result in increased protein inactivation, the absence of radicals was required for complete protein protection. The chelator to metal ratio required to eliminate hydroxyl radical formation varied widely with the metal−chelator pair and was unusually high in some cases. The results suggest that metal−chelator pairs (of various ratios) can be screened for hydroxyl radical formation and that those which show no radical formation are expected to protect the protein. No definitive conclusions can be drawn concerning the stability of LDH in solutions capable of producing hydroxyl radicals as the rate and extent of hydroxyl radical formation was not correlated simply to LDH inactivation under the conditions studied.
A Novel Full‐Scale Flat Membrane Bioreactor Utilizing Porcine Hepatocytes: Cell Viability and Tissue‐Specific Functions
Authors: De Bartolo L. , Jarosch‐Von Schweder G. , Haverich A. , Bader A.
Published: July 2002

When designing an extracorporeal hybrid liver support device, special attention should be paid to providing the architectural basis for reconstructing a proper cellular microenvironment that ensures highest and prolonged functional activity of the liver cells. The common goal is to achieve high cell density culture and to design the bioreactor for full‐scale primary liver cell cultures under adequate mass transfer conditions. An important aim of this study was to evaluate the biochemical performance of a flat membrane bioreactor that permits high‐density hepatocyte culture and simultaneously to culture cells under sufficient oxygenation availability conditions comparable to the in vivo‐like microenvironment. In such a bioreactor pig liver cells were cultured within an extracellular matrix between oxygen‐permeable flat‐sheet membranes. In this investigation we used a novel scaled‐up prototype consisting of up to 20 modules in a parallel mode. Each module was seeded with 2 × 108 cells. Microscopic examination of the hepatocytes revealed morphological characteristics as found in vivo. Cell concentration increased in the first days of culture, as indicated by DNA measurements. The performance of the bioreactor was monitored for 18 days in terms of albumin synthesis, urea synthesis, ammonia elimination, and diazepam metabolism. The ability of the hepatocytes to synthesize albumin and urea increased during the first days of culture. Higher rates of albumin synthesis were obtained at day 9 and remained at a value of 1.41 pg/h/cell until day 18 of culture. The rate of urea synthesis increased from 23 ng/h/cell to 28 ng/h/cell and then remained constant. Cells eliminated ammonia at a rate of about 56 pg/h/cell, which was constant over the experimental period. Hepatocytes in the bioreactor metabolized diazepam and generated three different metabolites: nordiazepam, temazepam, and oxazepam. The production of such metabolites was sustained until 18 days of culture. These results demonstrated that the scale‐up of the bioreactor was assessed, and it could be demonstrated that the device design aimed at the reconstruction of the liver‐specific tissue architecture supported the expression of liver‐specific functions of primary pig liver cells.
Mycorrhizal colonization and drought stress affect Δ13C in CO2‐labeled lettuce plants
Authors: Ruiz‐Lozano J. M. , Gómez M. , Nuñez R. , Azcón R.
Published: July 2002

We studied the role of different arbuscular‐mycorrhizal (AM) fungi on lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) plant carbon metabolism under drought stress. Plants were grown in pots maintained at two levels of soil moisture and labeled during photosynthesis with

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CO2. P‐fertilized plants were used as a non‐mycorrhizal control. Well‐watered mycorrhizal plants showed similar growth to that of P‐fertilized plants. The level of mycorrhizal root infection was not significantly affected by fungal species or by water treatment. In contrast, important differences in Δ13C between P‐fertilized and AM plants were found in shoot and root tissues as a consequence of both water limitation and fungal presence. Δ13C in shoots and roots increased in non‐mycorrhizal treatment as compared with the well‐watered plants, whereas this parameter decreased significantly in mycorrhizal plants. Photosynthetic activity was increased in AM plants in well‐watered and droughted plants. G. deserticola was the most beneficial endophyte for water use efficiency in both water treatments. Transpiration rate was not affected by any of the treatments. On the basis of total

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C in plant tissues, in AM plants the newly fixed C seemed to be preferentially utilized for fungal activity rather than being stored in roots.
Differences in the activity and distribution of peroxidases from three different portions of germinating Brassica oleracea seeds
Authors: Bellani Lorenza M. , Guarnieri Massimo , Scialabba Anna
Published: July 2002

Peroxidase (POD, EC 1.11.1.7) activity, cellular localization and isozyme patterns were investigated in the seed integument, cotyledon and embryo axis of Brassica oleracea cv. Cappuccio during pregermination and seedling growth. Seeds started to germinate after 24 h of imbibition. POD activity was localized in the pigmented layer of the integument and in procambial strands of the cotyledon and embryo axis in the first 24 h of imbibition. It was localized in the integumental cells of palisade, pigmented and aleurone layers and in epidermal, meristematic, procambial cells and xylem elements of the root and hypocotyl after 48 h of imbibition. POD activity increased during germination and early seedling growth: in the integument, it reached a maximum value after 72 h of imbibition, in the embryo axis and cotyledons, it increased up to 144 h of imbibition. The increase in peroxidase activity was accompanied by the appearance of new isozymes correlated with the development of seedling tissues. The isozyme profile was characterized by nine peroxidases: isoperoxidase of 50 kDa peculiar to integuments, that of 150 kDa to cotyledons and that of 82 kDa to the embryo axis. During pregerminative phase isozymes of 84 kDa were detected in the integument and cotyledons, of 48.5 kDa in the embryo axis. After germination, peroxidase activity and the complexity of the isozyme pattern increased, suggesting that they play a relevant role after rupture of the integument.
Novel jasmonate amino acid conjugates in Asparagus officinalis during harvest‐induced and natural foliar senescence
Authors: Gapper Nigel E. , Norris Gill E. , Clarke Sean F. , Lill Ross E. , Jameson Paula E.
Published: July 2002

Five jasmonates, including novel tryptophan conjugates of jasmonic acid and dihydrojasmonic acid, were identified in extracts from spears of Asparagus officinalis L. by electrospray tandem mass spectrometry. Spears were harvested and were held dry or with bases immersed in water. The concentrations of jasmonic acid, dihydrojasmonic acid, their tryptophan conjugates, cucurbic acid and methyl jasmonate, were measured by ELISA in spears in the 10 d following harvest. A transient increase that occurred in all spear tips immediately following harvest in the concentration of jasmonates can be attributed to a wounding response. A second increase in the concentration of jasmonates occurred from 7 d after harvest but only in dry‐treated spear tips indicating that jasmonates may have accumulated in response to water stress. Jasmonate levels were also monitored during natural foliar senescence. Increased levels of jasmonates occurred after the onset of senescence, implicating them as a consequence rather than a cause of senescence.
Dermatitis in a particleboard manufacturing facility
Authors: Saary M. Joan , House Ronald A. , Holness D. Linn
Published: July 2002

Exposure to wood dust and other chemicals used in particleboard manufacture may cause contact dermatitis. To assess the prevalence and nature of skin complaints in the refining and drying department of a particleboard manufacturing facility following introduction of a new process, workers were assessed by a physician, using a standardized questionnaire concerning symptoms, past and family history, workplace exposures, and use of protective equipment. Cutaneous examination and patch testing were then performed. Questionnaire results showed that workers complained of rash, nasal and eye irritation, as well as cough and bothersome odours. Cutaneous examination identified a heterogeneity of skin problems, with dermatitis being mainly irritant rather than allergic. Quaternium‐15 (Dowicil 200) was the only allergen to which more than 1 individual reacted. Aside from the odours, exposure to wood dust could account for the other reported symptoms. Allergic reactions on patch testing were few and did not explain the dermatitis; most skin reactions were irritant. Recommendations to the company included improved dust control, through ventilation and personal hygiene measures, as well as protective clothing. The investigation highlights how the introduction of a new process may focus attention on health complaints that have been present for some time before.
Phosphorylation of the myosin phosphatase target subunit by integrin-linked kinase
Authors: MURÁNYI Andrea , MacDONALD Justin A. , DENG Jing Ti , WILSON David P. , HAYSTEAD Timothy A.J. , WALSH Michael P. , ERDÖDI Ferenc , KISS Enikö , WU Yue , HARTSHORNE David J.
Published: July 2002

A mechanism proposed for regulation of myosin phosphatase (MP) activity is phosphorylation of the myosin phosphatase target subunit (MYPT1). Integrin-linked kinase (ILK) is associated with the contractile machinery and can phosphorylate myosin at the myosin light-chain kinase sites. The possibility that ILK may also phosphorylate and regulate MP was investigated. ILK was associated with the MP holoenzyme, shown by Western blots and in-gel kinase assays. MYPT1 was phosphorylated by ILK and phosphorylation sites in the N- and C-terminal fragments of MYPT1 were detected. From sequence analyses, three sites were identified: a primary site at Thr709, and two other sites at Thr695 and Thr495. One of the sites for cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) was Ser694. Assays with the catalytic subunit of type 1 phosphatase indicated that only the C-terminal fragment of MYPT1 phosphorylated by zipper-interacting protein kinase, and ILK inhibited activity. The phosphorylated N-terminal fragment activated phosphatase activity and phosphorylation by PKA was without effect. Using full-length MYPT1 constructs phosphorylated by various kinases it was shown that Rho kinase gave marked inhibition; ILK produced an intermediate level of inhibition, which was considerably reduced for the Thr695→Ala mutant; and PKA had no effect. In summary, phosphorylation of the various sites indicated that Thr695 was the major inhibitory site, Thr709 had only a slight inhibitory effect and Ser694 had no effect. The findings that ILK phosphorylated both MYPT1 and myosin and the association of ILK with MP suggest that ILK may influence cytoskeletal structure or function.
Fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis of 25 cases of idiopathic myelofibrosis and two cases of secondary myelofibrosis: monoallelic loss of RB1, D13S319 and D13S25 loci associated with cytogenetic deletion and translocation involving 13q14
Authors: Sinclair E. J. , Forrest E. C. , Reilly J. T. , Watmore A. E. , Potter A. M.
Published: July 2002

To identify a commonly deleted region of 13q14 in idiopathic myelofibrosis (IMF), we used fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis to test for deletion of the RB1 and BRCA2 genes, and the microsatellite loci D13S319 and D13S25, in a series of 25 patients. A further two patients with myelofibrosis secondary to polycythaemia vera and essential thrombocythaemia with reciprocal 13q translocations were studied in an attempt to further define the CDR. Twenty out of 21 patients with a cytogenetically normal chromosome 13 failed to show allelic loss with any of the four probes. In contrast, all four cases with cytogenetic deletion of 13q14 and both cases with 13q translocations involving 13q14 exhibited loss of RB1, D13S319 and D13S25. Loss of the BRCA2 locus was present in a single case only. Our results indicate that cryptic deletions of the 13q14 in myelofibrosis are rare. In addition, the genetic loss associated with cytogenetic 13q14 deletions or reciprocal translocations involving 13q14 is large and encompasses the gene‐rich region around RB1, D13S319 and D13S25.
INFERIOR VENA CAVAL RESECTION WITH AUTOGENOUS PERITONEO‐FASCIAL PATCH GRAFT CAVAL REPAIR: A NEW TECHNIQUE
Authors: Chin P. T. , Gallagher P. J. , Stephen M. S.
Published: July 2002

Background: In the course of oncological surgery, resection of the inferior vena cava (IVC) may be required to obtain an adequate resection margin and to offer the best opportunity of cure. The remaining defect in the IVC may be managed by: (i) primary repair which may lead to subsequent narrowing of the lumen, possibly leading to turbulent flow and thrombus formation; (ii) patch grafting of the defect, which may prevent narrowing. Several synthetic and biosynthetic materials are available as patch grafts and autologous pericardium has also been used.

Methods: The harvesting and use of the autogenous peritoneo‐fascial (APF) graft as an alternative caval patch graft material in the management of defects in the caval wall is proposed. Autogenous peritoneo‐fascial caval patch graft repair in six patients was undertaken.

Results: One patient with leiomyosarcoma secondaries in the liver eventually succumbed to the disease. The other five patients are clinically well with no evidence of IVC obstruction or venous aneurysms.

Conclusion: Preliminary results show that this new technique of utilizing an APF patch graft for caval repair is clinically a suitable alternative to current biosynthetic and synthetic materials and may in fact be superior in many aspects.
Radiotherapy dose compensation for lung patients
Authors: Piyaratna N , Emeleus G , Arnold A , Metcalfe P
Published: July 2002

The purpose of the present paper is to provide a more homogeneous dose distribution in the target volume from compensated anterior and posterior fields while the healthy lung is spared by de‐weighting the lateral fields. A compensation computation which used linear iterations to compute the most homogeneous dose distribution across the target volume was applied to produce optimum compensator designs. The equivalent tissue–air ratio (E‐TAR) inhomogeneity correction was applied for the computations using a GE target series II planning computer. The compensators designed were tested for accuracy in a modified water/lung phantom using a scanning diode and an anthropomorphic phantom using thermoluminescent dosimeters. A comparison has been made between the compensated and uncompensated plans for the first nine patients who we have treated with this technique. The dose profiles produced by the computation agreed with the prediction of the computed isodose plans to within ± 2% at the target depth. The thermoluminescent dosimeter (TLD)‐measured results in the anthropomorphic phantom agreed with the planning computer within ± 3%. A comparison of nine compensated plans of radiotherapy patients for large‐volume targets in the lung region showed a maximum variation in the target to be 19% uncompensated versus 10% compensated. By providing compensated treatment fields from anterior and posterior treatment portals, a homogeneous dose that conforms well to the target volume is provided. As an added bonus, this enables the lateral lung fields to be significantly de‐weighted and the healthy lung is spared considerable dose.
Cosegregation of obesity with familial aggregation of type 2 diabetes mellitus
Authors: Ramachandran A. , Snehalatha C. , Satyavani K. , Sivasankari S. , Vijay V.
Published: July 2002

Objective: We have shown that a positive family history of diabetes, and the variables of general and central obesity are independent risk factors for type 2 diabetes in our population. This study was done to evaluate whether a familial predisposition to diabetes resulted in a tendency for adverse anthropometric and haemodynamic profiles in south Indian non‐diabetic subjects.

Methods: The analysis was carried out on 2463 subjects (M: F, 1196 : 1267) with normal glucose tolerance (NGT). The study subjects were selected from population surveys for diabetes. Details of age, sex, family history of diabetes, body mass index (b.m.i.), waist‐to‐hip ratio (WHR) and blood pressure were recorded. Serum cholesterol and triglycerides were estimated.

Results: A positive family history of diabetes was present in 24.7% of our subjects. Mean b.m.i. and percentage of obesity were significantly higher in families with a positive family history (group 2) vs. families with no family history (group 1). Subjects in group 2 had a higher 2‐h plasma glucose (p < 0.001) and higher prevalence of hypertension (χ2 = 6.91, p = 0.0086). Factor analysis with principle components analysis (PCA) showed that a family history of diabetes clustered with WHR in men, and with b.m.i. and WHR in women. The b.m.i. formed a different domain with blood pressure in both sexes. WHR and b.m.i. clustered with cholesterol and triglycerides in another domain.

Conclusions: In this population, general and central obesity are associated with a family history of diabetes. A family history of diabetes may increase the risk of hypertension and hyperlipidaemia indirectly through its connection with b.m.i.
Microfocal prostate cancer: biopsy cancer volume does not predict actual tumour volume
Authors: Gardner  , Lemer  , Schlegel  , Waldbaum  , Darracott Vaughan Jr  , Steckel
Published: July 2002

Objective

 To determine whether microfocal prostate cancer on needle biopsy predicts clinically insignificant disease in men undergoing radical prostatectomy.

Patients and methods

 The records of 726 men who underwent radical prostatectomy between January 1990 and September 1995 were reviewed; 83 men had pre‐operative prostatic needle biopsies which revealed microfocal prostate cancer. In these men, tumour volume (length) in the biopsy was compared to the percentage of tumour in the total prostatectomy specimen, and the pathological stage and clinical outcome reviewed.

Results

 Of the 83 men with microfocal prostate cancer on biopsy 75 (90%) had clinically significant disease. Pre‐operative variables were of no use in identifying patients with clinically insignificant tumour volumes. When comparing those with microfocal tumour and those without at one institution, 69% had organ‐confined (pT2) disease and 31% had capsular penetration (pT3), compared with 61% and 39%, respectively (P<0.05). Additionally, the positive surgical margin rate for those with microfocal tumour was only 6%, compared with 26% for those without microfocal disease (P<0.05). Biochemical failures during the median follow‐up period of 24 months occurred in 6% of the men with microfocal cancer and in 15% of those undergoing total prostatectomy (P<0.05).

Conclusions

 Microfocal prostate cancer determined from the needle biopsy does not predict clinically insignificant disease.
Erythropoietin depletion and anaemia in diabetes mellitus
Authors: Winkler A. S. , Marsden J. , Chaudhuri K. R. , Hambley H. , Watkins P. J.
Published: July 2002

Aims To discover whether Type 1 diabetic patients with autonomic neuropathy might be anaemic and erythropoietin (EPO)‐depleted.

Methods Fifteen Type 1 diabetic patients with serious complications (DM‐COMP) were selected because of severe symptomatic autonomic neuropathy, including significant postural hypotension. All had proteinuria from nephropathy (three microalbuminuria and 12 macroalbuminuria), but a normal serum creatinine (< 122 μmol/l). They were compared to age and duration matched Type 1 diabetic controls without autonomic neuropathy (DM‐controls) and non‐diabetic patients with and without hypochromic, microcytic anaemia.

Results The DM‐COMP patients were anaemic (mean haemoglobin (Hb) 11.1 ± 1.2 g/dl), sometimes severely (minimum Hb 9.2 g/dl), compared to non‐neuropathic DM‐controls (Hb 13.7 ± 0.7 g/dl; P < 0.001). Furthermore, EPO failed to increase in association with anaemia in the DM‐COMP group compared to the progressive increase in the non‐diabetic, anaemic patients (difference of regression lines P < 0.001), indicating EPO depletion in the anaemic, diabetic patients. There was no other demonstrable cause for the anaemia. Treatment with EPO in 5 DM‐COMP patients led to a rapid increase in haemoglobin (range 1.7–5.0 g/dl) with improvement in wellbeing.

Conclusion Some Type 1 diabetic patients with autonomic neuropathy present with an EPO‐depleted anaemia, which responds to treatment with EPO. This observation supports the concept of autonomic neuropathy as a cause of anaemia with EPO depletion, although the role of established renal damage cannot be excluded.
Heart and carotid artery disease in stroke patients with intermittent claudication
Authors: Liu X. F. , Van Melle G. , Bogousslavsky J.
Published: July 2002

Much has been published on the natural history of intermittent claudication (IC), but little is known about the clinical features of stroke patients with IC. The purpose of this study was to examine clinical features and risk factors in stroke patients with or without IC, including heart disease and carotid artery disease. A hospital‐based study was conducted of 3901 stroke patients, who were prospectively coded and entered into a computerized databank. Of these patients, 219 had symptoms of IC. Patients were subdivided by age into 10‐year categories. There were at least 12 times more non‐IC than IC patients in each category. An age‐matched random sample was obtained containing 12 non‐IC cases for each IC case, resulting in 219 cases of IC and 2628 non‐IC cases. The prevalence of IC in the total stroke population was 5.6%. IC prevalence increased sharply with age until about 70 years. Cardiac ischaemia and internal carotid artery (ICA) disease were significantly more frequent in stroke with IC than without IC. IC patients also exhibited a higher prevalence of atherosclerotic disease as well as other risk factors such as smoking, hypercholesterolaemia, elevated haematocrit, and family history of stroke. Ischaemic heart disease and ICA disease are especially common in stroke with IC. IC, large artery disease and stroke share similar risk factors. IC symptoms in stroke patients may indicate extensive generalized atherosclerosis.
Assessment of corticodiaphragmatic pathway and pulmonary function in acute ischemic stroke patients
Authors: Khedr E. M. , El Shinawy O. , Khedr T. , Abdel aziz ali Y. , Awad E. M.
Published: July 2002

The aims of this study were to investigate the effect of stroke on the corticodiaphragmatic pathway and to clarify the relationships between neurophysiological data and degree of motor disability, site of infarction in CT scan, diaphragmatic excursion, blood gases and pulmonary function in stroke patients. The corticodiaphragmatic pathway was assessed using magnetic stimulation of the scalp sites and cervical roots. The study included 34 sequentially selected patients out of 250 patients with acute ischemic stroke. Twenty‐five (age and sex matched) volunteers served as controls. Sixteen patients had cortical infarction, thirteen had subcortical infarction and five had both cortical and subcortical infarction. The mean Scandinavian Stroke Scale was 32.2. Decreased diaphragmatic excursion was observed in 41% of the patients. Twenty‐four patients (70.5%) had abnormal magnetic evoked potentials (MEPs) of the affected hemisphere. In five patients MEPs were unelicitable from the affected hemisphere. The remaining nineteen patients had abnormal values of both cortical latency and central conduction time (CCT). Cortical latency, CCT, amplitude of compound muscle action potentials (CMAPs) and excitability threshold of the affected hemisphere were significantly altered compared to both the unaffected hemisphere and the control group. The patients with hemiplegia had a greater degree of hypoxia, hypocapnia and decreased serum bicarbonate level compared to the control group. Additionally, hemiplegic patients had a different degree of respiratory dysfunction. A statistically significant association was found between neurophysiological data and disability score, diaphragmatic excursion, site of infarction in CT scan and degree of respiratory dysfunction. Central diaphragmatic impairment may occur in acute stroke and could contribute to the occurrence of hypoxia in those patients.
Postpartum Care of the Mother and Newborn: A Practical Guide
Authors:   Technical Working Group, World Health Organization
Published: July 2002

This paper defines the needs of women and their newborns, and classifies a number of practices common in postpartum care. It is a summary of the report,
Postpartum Care of the Mother and Newborn: A Practical Guide, which was developed by a Technical Working Group of the World Health Organization and published in 1998. The report takes a comprehensive view of maternal and newborn needs during the postpartum period, examining major maternal and neonatal health challenges, nutrition and breastfeeding, birth spacing, immunization, HIV/AIDS, and the essential elements of care and service provision. The document lists recommendations, and classifies common practices in the postpartum period, dividing them into four categories: those which are useful, those which are harmful, those for which insufficient evidence exists, and those which are frequently used inappropriately.
Frovatriptan for the Acute Treatment of Migraine: A Dose‐Finding Study
Authors: Goldstein Jerome , Keywood C. , On Behalf Of The 251/96/14 Study Group
Published: July 2002

Objective.—To determine the optimal dose and tolerability of frovatriptan in the acute treatment of migraine.

Background.—Frovatriptan has a distinctive pharmacological and pharmacokinetic profile compared with sumatriptan. A previous study has shown that frovatriptan doses of 2.5, 5, 10, 20, and 40 mg are equally effective in relieving headache with no evidence of a dose‐response relationship. The incidence of adverse events tended to increase with doses of 10 mg and above.

Methods.—This study was a randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled, parallel‐group multicenter trial. Patients (n=635) took a single oral dose of placebo or frovatriptan, 0.5, 1, 2.5, or 5 mg, at the onset of a moderate or severe migraine headache and recorded headache intensity, functional impairment, and migraine‐associated symptoms over 24 hours.

Results.—Frovatriptan 2.5 mg produced clinically and statistically significant headache relief 2 hours postdose, whereas the effect of lower doses was not significantly different from that of placebo at that time point. The 2.5‐mg dose also produced significant symptom relief and improvement in functional impairment. All doses of frovatriptan were well tolerated, and the majority of adverse events were of mild or moderate severity.

Conclusion.—It is concluded that the 2.5‐mg dose of frovatriptan offers optimal efficacy and tolerability in the treatment of acute migraine. Higher doses do not appear to confer greater efficacy and are associated with an increased incidence of adverse effects.
Visual Symptoms in Epilepsy and Migraine: Localization and Patterns
Authors: Muranaka Hideki , Fujita Hiroshi , Goto Akira , Osari Shin‐ichi , Kimura Yoshiharu
Published: July 2002

Summary:  Purpose: To clarify differences in the localization of visual symptom patterns in epilepsy and migraine, we analyzed patient‐generated illustrations of visual symptoms.

Methods: Patients were asked to draw their visual symptoms from memory using marker pens of 12 colors. All patients illustrated their symptoms on a template sheet representing the binocular visual field. We analyzed a total of 67 illustrations from 54 patients aged 6–40 years: 28 with epilepsy, 23 with migraine, and 3 with migraine‐epilepsy syndrome.

Results: With respect to positive visual manifestations, those of epileptic patients were predominantly centrally localized (20 of 24, 83%), whereas those of migraine patients were predominantly peripherally localized (10 of 13, 77%) (p < 0.0001). With respect to negative visual symptoms, those in epilepsy were commonly diffuse (10 of 14, 71%) compared with those in migraine, which were peripheral (9 of 12, 75%) (p < 0.05).

Conclusions: Results of this study suggest that the localization of visual symptoms differs between epilepsy and migraine.
Short‐Term Outcomes of Children with Febrile Status Epilepticus
Authors: Shinnar Shlomo , Pellock John M. , Berg Anne T. , O'Dell Christine , Driscoll Susan M. , Maytal Joseph , Moshe Solomon L. , DeLorenzo Robert J.
Published: July 2002

Summary: Febrile status epilepticus (SE) represents the extreme end of the complex febrile seizure spectrum. If there are significant sequelae to febrile seizures, they should be more common in this group. We have prospectively identified 180 children aged 1 month to 10 years who presented with febrile SE over a 10‐year period in Bronx, New York, and Richmond, Virginia. They were compared with 244 children who presented with their first febrile seizure (not SE) in a prospective study done in the Bronx.

The mean age of the children with febrile SE was 1.92 years, and of the comparison group, 1.85 years. Duration of SE was 30–59 min in 103 (58%), 60–119 min in 43 (24%), and ≥120 min in 34 (18%). Focal features were present in 64 (35%) of cases. There were no deaths and no cases of new cognitive or motor handicap. Children with febrile SE were more likely to be neurologically abnormal (20% vs. 5%; p < 0.001), to have a history of neonatal seizures (3% vs. 0; p = 0.006) and a family history of epilepsy (11% vs. 5%; p = 0.05) and less likely to have a family history of febrile seizures (15% vs. 27%; p = 0.01) than were children in the comparison group. The short‐term morbidity and mortality of febrile SE are low. There are differences in the types of children who have febrile SE compared with those who experience briefer febrile seizures. Long‐term follow‐up of this cohort may provide insight into the relationship of prolonged febrile seizures and subsequent mesial temporal sclerosis.
Screening for Cobalamin Deficiency in Geriatric Outpatients: Prevalence and Influence of Synthetic Cobalamin Intake
Authors: Rajan Suparna , Wallace Jeffrey I. , Beresford Shirley A. A. , Brodkin Kayla I. , Allen Robert A. , Stabler Sally P.
Published: July 2002

OBJECTIVES:

To describe the prevalence of cobalamin (Cbl) deficiency in older adult outpatients and to determine whether regular intake of a synthetic source of cobalamin confers protection against Cbl deficiency.

DESIGN:

Cross‐sectional study.

SETTING:

Two university‐affiliated geriatric medicine outpatient clinics.

PARTICIPANTS:

Three hundred fifteen older adults (age range 65–100) without a history of previously diagnosed or treated Cbl deficiency, severe anemia, or a life‐threatening illness.

MEASUREMENTS:

Detailed information on total synthetic Cbl intake (from vitamins, fortified cereal, and supplemental nutritional formula sources) and laboratory measures of serum Cbl, metabolite panel (serum methylmalonic acid, homocysteine, cystathionine, and 2‐methylcitric acid), complete blood count, and serum creatinine levels.

RESULTS:

Cbl deficiency (serum Cbl ≤300 pg/mL and methylmalonic acid (MMA)>271 nmol/L) was found in 13% of screened patients. Forty‐six percent of screened patients reported regularly taking a source of synthetic Cbl. Serum Cbl correlated with synthetic Cbl intake, and patients regularly taking synthetic Cbl were significantly less likely to be Cbl deficient than persons not taking supplemental Cbl (8% vs 17%, P = .02).

CONCLUSION:

Regular use of a multivitamin/synthetic Cbl source confers some degree of protection against Cbl deficiency in older adults. The relatively high prevalence rates and benefit of synthetic Cbl intake in this study reinforce recommendations that older adults should be screened for Cbl deficiency and should incorporate synthetic sources of Cbl as part of a balanced diet. Appropriate screening intervals and the optimal dose of supplemental Cbl to prevent Cbl deficiency remains to be determined. J Am Geriatr Soc 50:624–630, 2002.
Different Tolerance to Light Stress in NO3−‐ and NH4+‐Grown Phaseolus vulgaris L.
Authors: Zhu Z. , Gerendás J. , Bendixen R. , Schinner K. , Tabrizi H. , Sattelmacher B. , Hansen U‐P.
Published: July 2002

Abstract: NH4+‐grown plants are more sensitive to light stress than NO3−‐grown plants, as indicated by reduced growth and intervenal chlorosis of French bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.). Measuring the time course of Fv/Fm ratios under photoinhibitory light regimes did not reveal any difference in PS II damage between NO3−‐ and NH4+‐grown plants, in spite of some indications of higher energy quenching in NO3−‐grown plants. Also, a direct action of NH4+ as an uncoupler at the thylakoid membrane could be excluded. Instead, biochemical analysis revealed enhanced lipid peroxidation and higher activity of scavenging enzymes in NH4+‐grown plants indicating that these plants make use of metabolic pathways with stronger radical formation. Evidence for higher rates of photorespiration in NH4+‐grown plants came from experiments showing that electron flux and O2 evolution were decreased by SHAM in NH4+‐grown plants, and by antimycin A in NO3−‐grown plants. Further, the comparison of electron flux and of photoacoustic measurements of O2 evolution suggested that in NH4+‐grown plants the Mehler reaction was also increased, at least in the induction phase. However, the major cause of N form‐dependent stress sensitivity is assumed to be in the coupling between photosynthesis and respiration, i.e., NO3−‐grown plants can utilize the TCA cycle for the generation of C skeletons for amino acid synthesis, thus improving the ATP: reductant balance, whereas NH4+‐grown plants have enhanced rates of photorespiration.
Tailoring of hole eigenenergies in strained GaAsP/AlGaAs single quantum wells grown by atmospheric pressure organometallic chemical vapor deposition
Authors: Bertolet Daniel C. , Hsu Jung-Kuei , Lau Kei May
Published: July 2002

In this letter we present experimental results demonstrating the effects of tensile strain on the ground-state hole eigenenergies of strained GaAsP/AlGaAs quantum wells (QWs) grown by organometallic chemical vapor deposition. Low-temperature photoluminescence (PL) spectra exhibit sharp, intense peaks corresponding to the n=1 heavy and light hole related QW transitions. The relative positions of the peaks depend on both the strain and the width of the QWs. In wider wells (120 Å), the lowest energy, and dominant PL peak was assigned to the light hole, and for a 80 Å well, the heavy and light hole peaks merged.
Molecular beam epitaxy of metastable, diamond structure SnxGe1−x alloys
Authors: Pukite P. R. , Harwit Alex , Iyer S. S.
Published: July 2002

Single-phase SnxGe1−x alloys with x up to 0.3 have been grown by molecular beam epitaxy. X-ray diffraction measurements indicate the layers to have the diamond crystal structure. The metastability of the alloys is apparent as increases in the growth temperature, layer thickness, or Sn composition cause phase separation of the Sn into a noncubic (white or β-Sn) form. Rutherford backscattering spectrometry and reflection high-energy electron diffraction measurements indicate that the initial stages of growth are complicated. The first several hundred angstroms of growth are compositionally graded, with the Sn incorporation rate increasing with film thickness. Thereafter, the alloy composition remains constant, determined by flux composition, until a critical thickness for phase separation is reached (≂2000 Å for x=0.3).