bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Glucose, insulin and lipid metabolism in rural Gambians exposed to early malnutrition
Authors: Moore S. E. , Halsall I. , Howarth D. , Poskitt E. M. E. , Prentice A. M.
Published: March 2003

Aims  There is now substantial evidence to suggest that susceptibility to certain non‐communicable diseases may be increased by early undernutrition. In rural Gambia, an annual hungry season reduces birth weight by 200–300 g and increases the prevalence of low birth weight (< 2500 g) from 11% to 24%. The aim of this study was to investigate whether fetal nutritional stress (using season of birth as a proxy measure for prenatal growth retardation) or early childhood malnutrition (using historical anthropometric records) had a residual influence on risk factors for cardiovascular disease in a cohort of rural Gambian adults.

Methods  Two hundred and nineteen adults (mean age = 35.8 years; mean body mass index = 21.3 kg/m2; women = 181) for whom month of birth and infant anthropometric records were available participated in this study. Risk factors for cardiovascular disease were measured.

Results  No differences were found between season of birth groups (hungry vs. harvest) and fasting measures of glucose, insulin, lipids, fibrinogen or cortisol, or against 30 and 120 min glucose and insulin levels following an oral glucose tolerance test, or blood pressure. Similarly, these risk factors for adult disease were not related to the subjects' weight‐for‐age as children.

Conclusions  Moderate‐to‐severe fetal and childhood malnutrition in rural Gambia caused no detectable impairment of the glucose/insulin axis, or of other cardiovascular disease risk factors in adults remaining lean and fit on a low‐fat diet.

Diabet. Med. 18, 646–653 (2001)
Deteriorating diabetic control through adolescence—do the origins lie in childhood?
Authors: Dabadghao P. , Vidmar S. , Cameron F. J.
Published: March 2003

Aims  To determine whether intra‐individual measures of diabetes control deteriorated through adolescence and whether HbA1c in late childhood was predictive of HbA1c after adolescence.

Methods  Retrospective analysis of sequential 3–6 monthly data including HbA1c, height, weight, and total daily insulin dosage in 118 patients with Type 1 diabetes aged between 8.00 and 17.99 years between 1983 and 1999.

Results  In females mean body mass index (BMI) increased sharply during adolescence but there was no significant increase in males. The mean total daily dose of insulin/weight (TDDI/W) increased sharply for females through puberty. Males exhibited a constant rate of increase in mean TDDI/W from pre‐ to post‐puberty. There was a constant increase in mean HbA1c for females, with an estimated increase from pre‐ to post‐puberty of 0.92%. In males there was only a slight increase from pre‐ to peri‐puberty and no change subsequently. Comparing pre‐puberty (8–9.99 years) and post‐puberty (15–17.99 years) in the total group, 47% of patients remained in the same mean HbA1c grouping, 37% had worsened control and 16% had improved control. Analysis of change in the absolute value of mean HbA1c showed that the majority of patients had mean HbA1c values that remained within ± 1% (54%) or ± 2% (82%) from pre‐ to post‐puberty. A significant proportion showed significantly worsening control with only a minority showing improved metabolic control from pre‐ to post‐puberty.

Conclusions  The likelihood of a significant improvement in HbA1c from late childhood to adolescence is remote, with the majority of patients having either constant or deteriorating metabolic control.

Diabet. Med. 18, 889–894 (2001)
Screening for diabetic retinopathy is well received by patients and may improve self‐management intentions
Authors: Eiser J. R. , Eiser C. , Riazi A. , Taylor D. J. , Hammersley S. , Tooke J. E.
Published: March 2003

Aims  To investigate patients' views of screening for diabetic retinopathy and the effects of the screening process on health beliefs and behavioural intentions.

Setting  A retinal screening clinic at a GP surgery in SW England.

Methods  Questionnaires administered before and immediately after screening by retinal photography.

Results  One hundred patients attended (94% of those invited); 12 had Type 1 and 88 Type 2 diabetes. Over 90% found the information, and seeing their retinal photograph, helpful. Sixty‐three were found to have no problem and 37 had some type of eye problem detected. Overall, patients rated the news given at screening as better than expected (P < 0.001) and even those found to have problems mostly rated the news as good (P < 0.001). Detection of problems led patients to rate their recent eye health more negatively, but to be less pessimistic about future deterioration (P < 0.01). Patients with diabetes‐related eye problems were more likely (P < 0.05) to say that they both should and would make changes to their self‐management, but only after controlling for duration of diabetes. Those who had had diabetes longest declared least intention to change.

Conclusions  Screening by retinal photography is acceptable to patients. Results suggest that screening modified health beliefs but had limited effect on behavioural intentions, with patients of longer disease duration being more reluctant to change their self‐management. Opportunities during retinal screening for advice on self‐management could be more effectively exploited.

Diabet. Med. 18, 835–841 (2001)
An integrated mobile foot and retinal screening programme for people with Type 2 diabetes managed in primary care
Authors: Sampson M. J. , Shepstone L. , Greenwood R. H. , Harvey I. , Humphries J. , Heyburn P. J. , Temple R. C. , Dole G.
Published: March 2003

Aims To undertake a vascular and neurological assessment on the feet of all patients with Type 2 diabetes managed solely in local primary care.

Methods A mobile screening podiatrist (working with an existing mobile retinal screening programme) screened a selected population of 4022 patients with Type 2 diabetes managed solely in 82 general practices. Doppler pressure assessments of peripheral vasculature, bioesthesiometer and monofilament assessment of peripheral neuropathy.

Results This service was administratively simple to set up and integrated well with the retinal screening service and secondary care foot clinic, and was valued by the practices. Disease prevalences were 1.04% for foot ulceration, 19% for peripheral vascular disease and up to 29% for peripheral neuropathy.

Conclusions This programme screens all patients with known diabetes managed solely in primary care within a district and describes foot morbidity and allows risk stratification. This pattern of service could be a useful template for discussing the diabetes National Service Framework with primary care groups.
Diagnosis of diabetes mellitus and intermediate glucose abnormalities in obese patients based on ADA (1997) and WHO (1985) criteria
Authors: Richard J.‐L. , Sultan A. , Daures J.‐P. , Vannereau D. , Parer‐Richard C.
Published: March 2003

Aim To assess the accuracy of the 1997 ADA criteria for diagnosing diabetes mellitus and related glucose disturbances in comparison with the reference WHO 1985 criteria in obese subjects.

Patients and methods In 286 men and 881 women, 15–84 years of age, with obesity (body mass index (BMI) ≥ 30 kg/m2), an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) was carried out according to WHO standard. Patients were classified into three categories of glucose tolerance using WHO 1985 (Normal Glucose Tolerance (NGT), Impaired Glucose Tolerance (IGT) and Diabetes Mellitus (DM)) and ADA (Normal Fasting Glucose (NFG), Impaired Fasting Glucose (IFG) and DM) criteria. Prevalence of each category was compared and agreement between the two classifications was assessed. The relation between fasting plasma glucose value and diabetes, as diagnosed by WHO 1985 criteria, was studied using various regression models, cumulative frequency curves, Finch method and ROC curve.

Results Compared with WHO 1985, ADA criteria strongly underestimated the prevalence rate of diabetes (3.7% vs. 10.6%) and intermediate glucose abnormalities (6.0% vs. 22.4%). Agreement between the two classifications was poor (κ= 0.23). Moreover, many patients defined as glucose‐intolerant by the WHO 1985 criteria were shifted to a more favourable metabolic status by ADA criteria. Thus, ADA criteria failed to detect 69% of WHO diabetic patients and 89% with IGT were considered as normal. According to the method, cut‐off value of fasting blood glucose for detecting WHO 1985‐diagnosed diabetes varied widely, from 5.3 to 6.3 mmol/l and none was satisfactory because of poor sensitivity and positive predictive value.

Conclusion The ADA criteria do not appear to be a good substitute for those of the WHO 1985 at identifying diabetes and intermediate glucose abnormalities in an obese population. Since it appears impossible to determine a reliable cut‐off value for fasting blood glucose to identify diabetic obese subjects with sufficient sensitivity, our results justify the retention of the OGTT in clinical practice or for epidemiological studies.
Reproducibility of individualized coronary heart disease risk calculations in patients with diabetes mellitus
Authors: Lambert A. P. , Hunt M. A. , Day A. P. , Bayly G. R. , Dayan C. M.
Published: March 2003

Aims To determine prospectively, the reproducibility of individualized coronary heart disease (CHD) risk estimations in a high‐risk (diabetic) population.

Methods One hundred and three patients attending a hospital diabetes clinic who were in the primary prevention category for CHD had measurements of cholesterol, HDL‐cholesterol and systolic blood pressure (SBP) performed in one of 13 general practices and then 2 weeks later in the hospital clinic. The data were combined with age, sex, smoking history and diabetic status data to produce a 10‐year CHD risk estimate for each occasion using the Framingham algorithm.

Results The coefficients of variation for cholesterol, HDL and SBP were 6.0%, 9.4% and 7.0%, respectively. When classified by treatment thresholds of 15% and 30% 10‐year CHD risk, 88% of patients were classified in the same category on both occasions. Kappa values for the 15% and 30% risk thresholds were 0.71 and 0.82. This indicates good interobserver agreement for the estimation of CHD risk. The use of a single BP rather than the mean of two, resulted in seven of 206 estimations of CHD risk performed in 103 patients crossing a risk threshold, with 6/7 being placed in a higher risk category.

Conclusions Estimation of CHD risk on a single occasion is sufficient to make robust treatment decisions based on risk thresholds. Use of a single BP measurement rather than the mean of two overestimates the risk category in around 3% of cases.
Intussusception in an adult patient with severe hyperglycaemia—a case report
Authors: McFarlane S. I. , Byrne K. , Shin J. , Williams R.
Published: March 2003

Aims To report a case of adult intussusception associated with and possibly induced by acute hyperglycaemia.

Methods We present the first case report of adult intussusception with severe hyperglycaemia. Clinical and laboratory data together with radiological findings are presented with a brief review of the literature.

Results A 20‐year‐old man with no past medical history presented with abdominal pain for 2 days. The patient was severely hyperglycaemic with blood glucose of 72.7 mmol/l (normal 3.3–6.1 mmol/l), a pH of 7.2 and serum potassium of 6.5 mmol/l (normal 3.5–5.0 mmol/l). He had a computed tomography (CT) scan of the abdomen that revealed small bowel intussusception. Upon treatment of his hyperglycaemia, the patient's abdominal pain completely resolved. Follow up abdominal CT revealed complete resolution of the previously detected intussusception.

Conclusion Clinicians should be aware of the potential for the occurrence of intussusception in severely hyperglycaemic patients. Correction of hyperglycaemia could lead to resolution of the intussusception without surgical intervention. Possible effects of hyperkalaemia and/or acidosis on gastrointestinal motility should also be considered.
No increase in the prevalence of known diabetes between 1986 and 1999 in subjects 25–64 years of age in northern Sweden
Authors: Eliasson M. , Lindahl B. , Lundberg V. , Stegmayr B.
Published: March 2003

Aims A global increase in diabetes is predicted due to higher body weight and less physical activity. Over the period 1986–1999, the body mass index (BMI) of the adult population of northern Sweden increased from 25.3 to 26.2 and the prevalence of obesity (BMI ≥ 30) from 11% to 15%, although this was more distal than central adiposity. Our hypothesis was that this would lead to a higher prevalence of diabetes.

Methods Four population surveys with new and independent cohorts of 2000 invited subjects, 25–64 years old, in 1986, 1990, 1994 and 1999. In the first three surveys an oral glucose tolerance test was carried out in 47%.

Results Over the time period 1986–1999 there was no increase in the prevalence of known diabetes. No trends were noted in the finding of previously undiagnosed diabetes or impaired glucose tolerance over the period 1986–1994, although the confidence intervals are wide. Fasting, but not post‐load, glucose levels increased with 0.040 mmol/year (95% CI 0.026; 0.055) in men and 0.033 mmol/year (0.023; 0.044) in women.

Conclusion In spite of a marked increase in BMI, we found no increased prevalence of known diabetes over a 13‐year observation period, although our data cannot exclude minor increases in undiagnosed diabetes. The development of more distal than abdominal obesity, a diet with less saturated fat and lower glycaemic index and fewer regular smokers in the population may contribute to this. The effects of obesity may thus be attenuated by other secular trends in society and highlight potential ways of curbing the worldwide increase in diabetes.
The oral glucose tolerance test reveals a high frequency of both impaired glucose tolerance and undiagnosed Type 2 diabetes mellitus in primary hyperparathyroidism
Authors: Procopio M. , Magro G. , Cesario F. , Piovesan A. , Pia A. , Molineri N. , Borretta G.
Published: March 2003

Aims To evaluate the frequency of impaired glucose tolerance (IGT)and undiagnosed diabetes mellitus together with the indices of insulinresistance (IR) in primary hyperparathyroidism (pHPT).

Methods Out of 105 consecutive pHPT patients (F/M 78/27, asymptomatic/symptomatic68/37, age (mean ± sd) 60.7 ± 12.7 years,body mass index 25.2 ± 3.8 kg/m2,ionized calcium (iCa) 1.49 ± 0.16 mmol/l,parathormone 200.4 ± 233.9 pg/ml),59 without known diabetes mellitus and controls (n = 60)underwent an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT, 75 g os).As indices of IR, homeostasis model assessment (HOMAIR)or OGTT data (insulin sensitivity index composite (ISI comp)) wereevaluated.

Results In pHPT the prevalence of IGT (mean, 95% confidenceintervals (CI), 40.7%, 27.8–53.6) was higher thanin controls (25.0%, 13.7–36.3, P < 0.03). Similarly,the prevalence of undiagnosed diabetes mellitus was higher in pHPT(15.3%, 5.8–24.7) than in controls (5.0%, 0–10.7, P < 0.05). Moreover,the prevalence of IGT and undiagnosed diabetes was higher in pHPTthan that previously reported in the general population of Northern Italy(8.5% and 3.2%, respectively). The indices showedthat insulin resistance was higher in pHPT than in controls: HOMAIR (median, 95% CI,2.6, 2.5–3.9 vs. 1.7, 1.6–2.5, respectively; P < 0.003);ISI comp (3.5, 3.4–4.6 vs. 5.1, 4.9–7.2, respectively; P < 0.002).

Conclusions Our data in a large and modern day pHPT series, with a preponderanceof asymptomatic patients, confirm increased insulin resistance andpre‐valence of IGT and undiagnosed diabetes.

Diabet. Med. 19, 958–961 (2002)
The impact of atherosclerotic renovascular disease on diabetic renal failure
Authors: Nicholls A. J.
Published: March 2003

Atherosclerotic renovascular disease (ARVD) is common in thegeneral population, and its prevalence increases with age. Parallelstudies show it is also common in patients with diabetes. The widespreaduse of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin receptorantagonists for heart and kidney disease might therefore expose arteriopathicdiabetic patients to potential harm if they had critical renal arterystenosis. This review looks at the natural history of ARVD in thediabetic and non‐diabetic populations: while it is common, it only rarelyleads to renal failure. Hence intervention to revascularize ischaemic kidneyson the basis of radiological appearances alone may subject somepatients to unnecessary therapy. Although untested by randomizedtrial, a policy of watchful waiting may be the simplest strategyfor most diabetic patients with suspected ARVD, reserving angiography andangioplasty (usually backed up by a stent) for those with an abruptdecline in renal function and no other cause for renal deterioration. Futureclinical trials may better define subgroups of patients who will trulybenefit from renal revascularization.
Prevalence of retinopathy differs with age at onset of diabetes in a population of patients with Type 1 diabetes
Authors: Kullberg C. E. , Abrahamsson M. , Arnqvist H. J. , Finnström K. , Ludvigsson J.
Published: March 2003

Aim The VISS study (Vascular complications in South‐east Sweden) investigates prevalence and incidence of vascular complications in a population with Type 1 diabetes, from a well‐defined geographical area and followed from diagnosis with HbA1c measurement.

Method The study population comprised all 440 patients with Type 1 diabetes onset before the age of 36 years, onset during 1983–1987, and at the time of onset living within the counties of Jönköping, Kalmar or Östergötland. Retinopathy was examined with fundus photography 1994–1995, and classified according to a modified Airlie House protocol.

Results Fundus photographs from 390 patients were evaluated. In 277 (71%) patients no retinopathy was seen. The prevalence of retinopathy increased from 11% among patients < 5 years old at diabetes onset, to 48% among those 15–19 years old at diabetes onset, and then decreased to 30% for patients 30–35 years old at diabetes onset (P for χ2 for linear trend for all ages 0.017, for age at onset 0–19 years P = 0.0003), without corresponding differences in duration or HbA1c between patients with different onset age. Patients with HbA1c in the highest quartile (> 8.3% HbA1c) had a relative risk of 2.4 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.7–3.2) of having any retinopathy compared with patients with lower HbA1c, and a relative risk of 7.1 (95% CI 3.0–16.7) of having other forms of retinopathy than microaneurysms.

Conclusion In patients with diabetes duration of 6–13 years, the prevalence of retinopathy is clearly related to glycaemic control. Furthermore, the risk of retinopathy varies with different age at onset, independently of differences in duration or glycaemic control.

Diabet. Med. 19, 924–931 (2002)
Heterogeneity of non‐insulin‐dependent diabetes expressed as variability in insulin sensitivity, β‐cell function and cardiovascular risk profile
Authors: Birkeland K. I. , Kilhovd B. , Thorsby P. , Torjesen P. A. , Ganss R. , Vaaler S. , Hanssen K. F.
Published: March 2003

Aims The present study investigated the variability in insulin sensitivity and β‐cell function and their relationship to anti‐glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) positivity and the metabolic syndrome in a group of patients with non‐insulin‐dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM).

Methods Fifty‐four subjects aged 59.5 ± 6.1 (mean ± sd) years with NIDDM for 7.9 ± 3.9 years referred to hospital due to poor glycaemic control, were investigated. Insulin sensitivity was determined by the euglycaemic hyperinsulinaemic glucose clamp technique as the glucose disposal rate relative to the insulin level obtained (GDRI), and also estimated with the homeostasis model assessment (HOMA‐S). β‐cell function was measured by assaying the fasting and glucagon‐stimulated C‐peptide levels and with the HOMA‐B.

Results The insulin sensitivity varied 18‐fold between subjects when estimated with the clamp and six‐fold when estimated with HOMA‐S, and was lower the more criteria for the metabolic syndrome present (P = 0.0001 by anova). The β‐cell function varied four‐fold when measured as stimulated C‐peptide, and eight‐fold when estimated with the HOMA‐B. The levels of fasting C‐peptide and HOMA‐B values tended to be lower in anti‐GAD+ (n = 11) than in anti‐GAD–subjects (P = 0.06 and P = 0.08, respectively). From previously published coronary risk charts, we estimated the 10‐year risk of a coronary heart disease (CHD) event to be > 20% in 17 of 39 patients free from cardiovascular disease at the time of study, 16 of whom qualified for a diagnosis of the metabolic syndrome.

Conclusions The wide variations in insulin sensitivity and β‐cell function found among subjects with NIDDM support the notion that the disorder is highly heterogeneous. Reduced insulin sensitivity was clearly related to the metabolic syndrome and an increased risk for CHD.
Treatment with intravenous insulin followed by continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion improves glycaemic control in severely resistant Type 2 diabetic patients
Authors: Pouwels M.‐J. J. , Tack C. J. , Hermus A. R. , Lutterman J. A.
Published: March 2003

Aims Despite high‐dose s.c. insulin therapy, some Type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) patients remain in poor metabolic control. We investigated whether a period of euglycaemia using i.v. insulin, followed by continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII), would ameliorate the deleterious effects of hyperglycaemia on insulin sensitivity and result in sustained, improved metabolic control.

Methods In a prospective observational study, eight Type 2 DM patients with severe insulin resistance (insulin dose 1.92 ± 0.66 U/kg per day (mean ±sd)), in poor metabolic control (HbA1c 12.0 ± 1.7%), were treated with i.v. insulin for 31 ± 10 days aimed at euglycaemia, followed by CSII therapy for 12 months, using insulin lispro. Before and after 28 ± 6 days of i.v. insulin treatment, insulin sensitivity was measured by a hyperinsulinaemic euglycaemic clamp.

Results Euglycaemia was reached after 12 ± 6 days of i.v. insulin treatment. Subsequently, the i.v. insulin dose required to maintain euglycaemia decreased from 1.7 ± 0.9 to 1.1 ± 0.6 U/kg per day (P < 0.005). Whole body glucose uptake increased from 12.7 ± 5.7 to 22.4 ± 8.8 µmol/kg per min (P < 0.0005). HbA1c decreased to 8.9 ± 1.2% after 28 ± 6 days, to 7.1 ± 0.6% after 6 months and to 8.3 ± 1.4% after 12 months (P < 0.001 vs. pretreatment, for all). Lipid profile improved and plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1 levels decreased significantly. Mean body weight did not change.

Conclusions In Type 2 diabetic patients, who are poorly controlled despite high‐dose s.c. insulin treatment, a period of 2 weeks of euglycaemia achieved by i.v. insulin reverses hyperglycaemia‐induced insulin resistance and substantially improves metabolic control. Subsequent CSII treatment, using insulin analogues, appears to maintain improved metabolic control for at least 1 year. This approach is promising but needs further evaluation.
Impairment of cerebral autoregulation in diabetic patients with cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy and orthostatic hypotension
Authors: Mankovsky B. N. , Piolot R. , Mankovsky O. L. , Ziegler D.
Published: March 2003

Aims  Impaired cerebrovascular reactivity and autoregulation has been previously reported in patients with diabetes mellitus. However, the contribution of cardiovascular diabetic autonomic neuropathy and orthostatic hypotension to the pathogenesis of such disturbances is not known. The purpose of this study was to evaluate cerebral blood flow velocity in response to standing in patients with diabetes and cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy with or without orthostatic hypotension.

Methods  We studied 27 patients with diabetes—eight had cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy and orthostatic hypotension (age 46.4 ± 13.5 years, diabetes duration 25.0 ± 11.0 years), seven had autonomic neuropathy without hypotension (age 47.3 ± 12.7 years, diabetes duration 26.4 ± 12.1 years), and 12 had no evidence of autonomic neuropathy (age 44.1 ± 13.8 years, diabetes duration 17.1 ± 10.2 years)—and 12 control subjects (age 42.6 ± 9.7 years). Flow velocity was recorded in the right middle cerebral artery using transcranial Doppler sonography in the supine position and after active standing.

Results  Cerebral flow velocity in the supine position was not different between the groups studied. Active standing resulted in a significant drop of mean and diastolic flow velocities in autonomic neuropathy patients with orthostatic hypotension, while there were no such changes in the other groups. The relative changes in mean flow velocity 1 min after standing up were −22.7 ± 16.25% in patients with neuropathy and orthostatic hypotension, +0.02 ± 9.8% in those with neuropathy without hypotension, −2.8 ± 14.05% in patients without neuropathy, and −9.2 ± 15.1% in controls.

Conclusions  Patients with diabetes and cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy with orthostatic hypotension show instability in cerebral blood flow upon active standing, which suggests impaired cerebral autoregulation.
Screening for Type 2 diabetes: is it worthwhile? Views of general practitioners and practice nurses
Authors: Whitford D. L. , Lamont S. S. , Crosland A.
Published: March 2003

Aims  Screening for Type 2 diabetes does not meet all the criteria for screening, yet is increasingly proposed. The views of health care professionals towards screening for Type 2 diabetes are not known. We set out to explore the attitudes and beliefs held by general practitioners (GPs) and practice nurses towards screening for Type 2 diabetes.

Methods  Semistructured interviews with 10 GPs and nine practice nurses in eight general practices in North‐east England. Data collection and analysis proceeded in an iterative manner in accordance with grounded theory.

Results  Practitioners who perceive themselves to be most aware of the evid‐ence base surrounding screening for Type 2 diabetes are least likely to support its introduction. Those who support screening for Type 2 diabetes hold a ‘common sense’ viewpoint that earlier detection must be better and believe that patients demand and respect early diagnosis. Practitioners acknowledge a lack of knowledge and skills to promote lifestyle changes. This deficiency is combined with workload issues, contributing towards a medicalized view of diabetes screening.

Conclusions  The belief that screening for Type 2 diabetes is worthwhile is based not on evidence for the effectiveness of screening, but rather on a complex interaction of factors including perceptions of patient desires and an interplay of previous experience and evidence from other sources. Increased resources would be most likely to promote screening in primary care.
Island biogeography and landscape ecology of mammals inhabiting fragmented, temperate rain forests
Authors: Lomolino Mark V. , Perault David R.
Published: March 2003

We expanded the island biogeography paradigm to test whether mammalian communities of the heavily fragmented temperate rain forests of the Olympic Peninsula were influenced by local environmental conditions, biogeographic factors (fragment area and isolation) and characteristics of the surrounding landscape.
Modelling canopy CO2 fluxes: are ‘big‐leaf’ simplifications justified?
Authors: Friend A. D.
Published: March 2003

The ‘big‐leaf’ approach to calculating the carbon balance of plant canopies is evaluated for inclusion in the ETEMA model framework. This approach assumes that canopy carbon fluxes have the same relative responses to the environment as any single leaf, and that the scaling from leaf to canopy is therefore linear.

A series of model simulations was performed with two models of leaf photosynthesis, three distributions of canopy nitrogen, and two levels of canopy radiation detail. Leaf‐ and canopy‐level responses to light and nitrogen, both as instantaneous rates and daily integrals, are presented.

Observed leaf nitrogen contents of unshaded leaves are over 40% lower than the big‐leaf approach requires. Scaling from these leaves to the canopy using the big‐leaf approach may underestimate canopy photosynthesis by ~20%. A leaf photosynthesis model that treats within‐leaf light extinction displays characteristics that contradict the big‐leaf theory. Observed distributions of canopy nitrogen are closer to those required to optimize this model than the homogeneous model used in the big‐leaf approach.

It is theoretically consistent to use the big‐leaf approach with the homogeneous photosynthesis model to estimate canopy carbon fluxes if canopy nitrogen and leaf area are known and if the distribution of nitrogen is assumed optimal. However, real nitrogen profiles are not optimal for this photosynthesis model, and caution is necessary in using the big‐leaf approach to scale satellite estimates of leaf physiology to canopies. Accurate prediction of canopy carbon fluxes requires canopy nitrogen, leaf area, declining nitrogen with canopy depth, the heterogeneous model of leaf photosynthesis and the separation of sunlit and shaded leaves. The exact nitrogen profile is not critical, but realistic distributions can be predicted using a simple model of canopy nitrogen allocation.
The vertical distribution of pronophiline butterflies (Nymphalidae, Satyrinae) along an elevational transect in Monte Zerpa (Cordillera de Mérida, Venezuela) with remarks on their diversity and parapatric distribution
Authors: Pyrcz Tomasz W. , Wojtusiak Janusz
Published: March 2003

Aim The distribution of neotropical butterflies of the tribe Pronophilini (Lepidoptera, Satyridae) was analysed with the aim of determining (i) the elevational ranges of distribution of each species (ii) the elevational gradient in diversity, and (iii) the existence of parapatric distributions of some closely related species pairs.

Location The field study was carried out in the middle and upper section of the valley of the Río Albarregas, a tributary of the Río Chama on the southern slopes of the Serranía de la Culata, in the central part of the Cordillera de Mérida, Venezuela.

Methods The material was collected along an elevational transect set on a trail leading from Merida to the Páramo de Los Conejos in the area known as Monte Zerpa. It consisted of a series of 32 collection sites set at every 25 m of altitude and covered an elevation from 2250 m to 3025 m.

Results The ranges of Lymanopoda obsoleta, L. albocincta, L. zapatoza, Corades chelonis, C. pannonia, C. medeba, Mygona irmina, Pedaliodes epidipnis, P. japhleta, P. montagna and P. panyasis were all restricted to the lower half of the cloud forest zone and L. diezti, C. pax, P. polla, P. ornata and P. ferratilis were all restricted to the upper part. Two species, Erethris porphyria and Steroma bega, crossed the entire elevational range of the cloud forest zone.The biodiversity, as measured by Shannon’s index, attained a maximum at 2700 m, beyond which it gradually decreased. A parapatric distribution was confirmed for three pairs of closely related species: L. obsoleta and L. diezti, C. chelonis and C. pax and P. montagna and P. ferratilis.

Main conclusions The peak in diversity at middle elevations seems to result from the overlapping ranges of species distributed over lower and upper parts of the cloud forest. Correlation of species composition at particular transect sites with elevation showed that increase in elevation was associated with an increase in species composition difference. Post‐mating isolation was suggested as a primary factor responsible for maintaining the parapatric distributions of species occupying the upper and lower zones and preventing their respective distributions from expanding.
Patterns of diversity, depth range and body size among pelagic fishes along a gradient of depth
Authors: Smith Katherine F. , Brown James H.
Published: March 2003

Studies of geographical patterns of diversity have focused largely on compiling and analysing data to evaluate alternative hypotheses for the near‐universal decrease in species richness from the equator to the poles. Valuable insights into the mechanisms that promote diversity can come from studies of other patterns, such as variation in species distributions with elevation in terrestrial systems or with depth in marine systems. To obtain such insights, we analysed and interpreted data on species diversity, depth of occurrence and body size of pelagic fishes along an oceanic depth gradient. We used a database on pelagic marine fishes native to the north‐east Pacific Ocean between 40°N and 50°N. We used data from the Pacific Rim Fisheries Program that were obtained from commercial, management and scientific surveys between 1999 and 2000. Depth of occurrence and maximum body length were used to assess the distributions of 409 species of pelagic fishes along a depth gradient from 0 to 8000 m. A presence–absence matrix was used to classify the depth range of each species into 100‐m intervals. Atmar & Patterson's (1995) software was used to quantify the degree of nestedness of species distributions. Pelagic fish species diversity decreased steeply with increasing depth; diversity peaked at less than 200 m and more than half of the species had mean depths of occurrence between 0 and 300 m. The distribution of species showed a very strong nested subset pattern along the depth gradient. Whereas species with narrow ranges were generally restricted to shallow waters, wide‐ranging species occurred from near the surface to great depths. The relationship between maximum body size and mean depth range differed between teleost and elasmobranch fishes: being positive for teleosts, but negative for elasmobranches. Results support hypotheses that some combination of high productivity and warm temperature promote high species diversity, and reject those that would attribute the pattern of species richness to the mid‐domain effect, habitat area, or environmental constancy. The data provided a clear example of Rapoport's rule, a negative correlation between average depth range and species diversity.
Pattern and process in the geographical ranges of freshwater fishes
Authors: Rosenfield Jonathan A.
Published: March 2003

North American freshwater fishes were studied to determine whether they displayed the same relationships between log (geographical range size) and log (body size) and the same pattern of range shape as found among North American birds and mammals. The forces that produce these patterns were also investigated. The log (geographical range size) : log (body size) relationship was analysed for 121 North American freshwater fish species. Thirty‐two imperilled species were compared with 89 non‐imperilled species to determine if the overall relationship could result from differential extinction. Range geometries were analysed, within and among habitat guilds, to determine if general patterns could be detected. The log (geographical range size) : log (body size) pattern among freshwater fish species was triangular and qualitatively similar to that found for North American birds and mammals. The results suggest that below a minimum geographical range, the likelihood of extinction increases dramatically for freshwater fishes and that this minimum range size increases with body size. The pattern of fish species’ range shapes differs from that found for other North American vertebrate taxa because, on average, fish possess much smaller ranges than terrestrial species and most fish species’ geographical ranges extend further on a north–south axis than on an east–west axis. The log (geographical range size) : log (body size) pattern reveals that fish species’ geographical ranges are more constrained than those of terrestrial species. The triangular relationship may be caused by differential extinction of species with large bodies and small geographical ranges as well as higher speciation rates of small‐bodied fish. The restricted geographical ranges of freshwater fishes gives them much in common with terrestrial species on oceanic islands. Range shape patterns within habitat guilds reflect guild‐specific historical and current ecological forces. The overall pattern of range shapes emerges from the combination of ecologically different subunits.
Plant species richness of nature reserves: the interplay of area, climate and habitat in a central European landscape
Authors: Pyšek Petr , Kučera Tomáš , Jarošík Vojtěch
Published: March 2003

Aim To detect regional patterns of plant species richness in temperate nature reserves and determine the unbiased effects of environmental variables by mutual correlation with operating factors.

Location The Czech Republic.

Methods Plant species richness in 302 nature reserves was studied by using 14 explanatory variables reflecting the reserve area, altitude, climate, habitat diversity and prevailing vegetation type. Backward elimination of explanatory variables was used to analyse the data, taking into account their interactive nature, until the model contained only significant terms.

Results A minimal adequate model with reserve area, mean altitude, prevailing vegetation type and habitat diversity (expressed as the number of major habitat types in the reserve) accounted for 53.9% of the variance in species number. After removing the area effect, habitat diversity explained 15.6% of variance, while prevailing vegetation type explained 29.6%. After removing the effect of both area and vegetation type, the resulting model explained 10.3% of the variance, indicating that species richness further increased with habitat diversity, and most obviously towards warm districts. After removing the effects of area, habitat diversity and climatic district, the model still explained 9.4% of the variance, and showed that species richness (i) significantly decreased with increasing mean altitude and annual precipitation, and with decreasing January temperature in the region of the mountain flora, and (ii) increased with altitudinal range in regions of temperate and thermophilous flora.

Main conclusions We described, in quantitative terms, the effects of the main factors that might be considered to be determining plant species richness in temperate nature reserves, and evaluated their relative importance. The direct habitat effect on species richness was roughly equal to the direct area effect, but the total direct and indirect effects of area slightly exceeded that of habitat. It was shown that the overall effect of composite variables such as altitude or climatic district can be separated into particular climatic variables, which influence the richness of flora in a context‐specific manner. The statistical explanation of richness variation at the level of families yielded similar results to that for species, indicating that the system of nature conservation provides similar degrees of protection at different taxonomic levels.
Simulation of a putative susceptibility risk factor to explain the findings of the Heart and Estrogen/progestin Replacement Study (HERS)
Authors: Psaty Bruce M. , Cushman Mary , Rosendaal Frits R.
Published: March 2003

In the HERS trial, hormone therapy did not reduce the risk of coronary events. In post hoc analyses, treatment was associated with early harm and late benefit. According to one hypothesis, a risk factor may well distinguish a susceptible subgroup with early events associated with hormone therapy from a nonsusceptible subgroup who benefit from hormone therapy. In simulation studies, it appeared that only a susceptibility factor with a low prevalence (3–5%) and a high risk ratio (13–25‐fold) can produce the pattern of risks seen in HERS. The number of candidate factors is likely to be small.
Evidence for a quantitative trait locus for plasma fibrinogen from a family–based association study
Authors: Mayosi B. M. , Vickers M. A. , Green F. R. , Ratcliffe P. J. , Julier C. , Lathrop G. M. , Watkins H. , Keavney B.
Published: March 2003

Studies in unrelated individuals have shown an association between fibrinogen gene polymorphisms and plasma fibrinogen levels, which is itself a risk factor for coronary heart disease. Family‐based studies have complementary strengths in the investigation of such hypothesized genetic associations. Genotypes at the β‐fibrinogen ‐455G/A promoter polymorphism, and a neighbouring highly polymorphic microsatellite in the α‐fibrinogen gene were examined for evidence of genetic linkage and association with plasma fibrinogen in 568 members of 97 Caucasian families. The heritability of plasma fibrinogen was 0.22 ± 0.08, P = 0.0007. There was no significant evidence of genetic linkage between the fibrinogen locus and plasma fibrinogen with either marker. In contrast, there was evidence for association of plasma fibrinogen with genotype at the β‐455G/A polymorphism (χ12 = 11.12; P = 0.0009). Tests examining allelic transmission from heterozygous parents confirmed this association (Monk’s test, T = 2.17; P = 0.03). Genotype at the β‐455G/A polymorphism accounted for 2% of the observed variation in fibrinogen. This is equivalent to about 10% of the heritable component, suggesting the presence of other quantitative trait loci (QTL) in unlinked genes. Confirmation of the association of plasma fibrinogen with genotype at the β‐455G/A polymorphism in families indicates that the association is due to the physical proximity of this marker to a QTL, although the effect of this QTL was too small to be detected by linkage in this study. These findings are of potential importance for the design of genetic studies of multifactorial quantitative traits.
Methods to identify population outliers using genetic markers
Authors: Fisher Sheila A. , Lewis Cathryn M.
Published: March 2003

Introduction  Genetic studies to identify linkage or association usually assume participants are sampled from a genetically homogeneous population, so that a single set of marker allele frequencies is appropriate for all individuals in the study.

Methods

We have developed a method to identify individuals who are population outliers, because the marker allele frequency distributions from which their genotypes arise differ from the distributions of the remaining individuals in the study. Using allele frequencies estimated from an independent sample, the genotype log likelihood (GLL) test statistic calculates the likelihood of each individual’s genotypes across all markers. Extreme values of the statistic indicate that the individual arises from a different population. The distribution of the test statistic is derived and its convergence under the central limit theorem discussed.

Results and Discussion

This method was applied to genome search data from rheumatoid arthritis which identified a single population outlier family. We used allele frequencies from different populations to show that 100 markers provides high power to identify outliers across a range of populations. The GLL test statistic can be used as a screening tool to identify outlier families in any genetic study with genotyping at independent markers.
Hunting became a secondary activity 2000 years ago: marine fishing did the same in 2021
Authors: Cury Philippe , Cayré Patrice
Published: March 2003

Ghoti papers

Ghoti aims to serve as a forum for stimulating and pertinent ideas. Ghoti publishes succinct commentary and opinion that addresses important areas in fish and fisheries science. Ghoti contributions will be innovative and have a perspective that may lead to fresh and productive insight of concepts, issues and research agendas. All Ghoti contributions will be selected by the editors and peer reviewed.

Etymology of Ghoti

George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950), polymath, playwright, Nobel prize winner and the most prolific letter writer in history, was an advocate of English spelling reform. He was reportedly fond of pointing out its absurdities by proving that ‘fish’ could be spelt ‘ghoti’. That is: ‘gh’ as in ‘rough’, ‘o’ as in ‘women’ and ‘ti’ as in palatial.

Man has been domesticating plants and animals for 10 000 years. Domestication increased so that 2000 years ago, following the ‘Neolithic’ or ‘food‐producing’ revolution, the overwhelming majority of people were making a living by farming. Nowadays hunting, an uncertain way of collecting food, has shifted from a survival activity to a secondary (and most often recreational) activity. Within less than a century, marine fisheries, which constitute the last major world industry exploiting wild animal resources, have reached many ecological and economic limits and they face many uncertainties. In the context of generalised overexploitation, fishing could rapidly follow the same history as hunting and become a marginal activity for the collection of luxury items. This is not only a major concern for the future of an important food source, it also seriously questions our ability to preserve our last and unique relationship with renewable wild animal resources. If we do not want fisheries to be the counterpart of hunting, fisheries and fisheries research need to be ‘modernised’ in a way amenable to integrating new objectives, paradigms and ethical concerns. As scientists, we must direct our efforts toward reconciling long‐term environmental objectives and short‐term constraints by defining new indicators and reference points for management. Will we be able to initiate a ‘human and wild food reconciliation’ revolution?
Geostatistics in fisheries survey design and stock assessment: models, variances and applications
Authors: Petitgas Pierre
Published: March 2003

Over the past 10 years, fisheries scientists gradually adopted geostatistical tools when analysing fish stock survey data for estimating population abundance. First, the relation between model‐based variance estimates and covariance structure enabled estimation of survey precision for non‐random survey designs. The possibility of using spatial covariance for optimising sampling strategy has been a second motive for using geostatistics. Kriging also offers the advantage of weighting data values, which is useful when sample points are clustered. This paper discusses, with fisheries applications, the different geostatistical models that characterise spatial variation, and their variance formulae for many different survey designs. Some anticipated developments of geostatistics related to multivariate structures, temporal variability and adaptive sampling are discussed.
Visualisation of standardized life‐history patterns
Authors: Zeller Dirk , Pauly Daniel
Published: March 2003

The life‐history patterns of fish and invertebrate species are complex. But much of this complexity can be captured in simple diagrams of coastal transects, where juveniles usually occur in larger numbers in shallow waters, while adults generally inhabit deeper, offshore waters. Iconographic representations of generalized life‐history patterns and depth profiles, with specific key life‐history parameters can capture much of these standardized patterns, including spawning areas, nursery/juvenile distributions, adult distributions and spawning migrations. Several examples presented here from a wide range of habitats and ecosystems (temperate and tropical waters, demersal, deep water, pelagic and coral reefs), including an example of different stocks of the same species, illustrate some general patterns with regard to water depth and distance from shore. The present approach should be viewed as a first step towards obtaining standardized patterns about key life‐history parameters, and will hopefully lead to incorporation into management of life‐history interconnectivity between different fishery sectors or gears. This may contribute to sustainable, ecosystem‐based approaches to management by informing policy options when faced with decisions to rationalize overcapitalized fisheries.