bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Monitoring desertification risk with an index integrating climatic and remotely‐sensed data
Authors: Feoli Enrico , Giacomich Paola , Mignozzi Katja , Oztürk Munir , Scimone Mauro
Published: July 2006

In this paper a desertification risk index (DRI) based on the integration of climatic data and the normalised difference vegetation index (NDVI), obtained from National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration advance very high‐resolution radiometer (NOAA‐AVHRR) images, is discussed at the light of the aridity index and some eco‐physiological parameters. The good correlation between DRI, the aridity index and the eco‐physiological parameters suggests that DRI could be useful to measure the desertification risk. One advantage of DRI is that, with the help of a geographic information system (GIS), DRI maps can be easily obtained in short time and at relatively low costs.
Some guidelines for monitoring desertification of Mediterranean drylands on the basis of plant water status
Authors: Salleo Sebastiano , Nardini Andrea
Published: July 2006

Drought stress can be considered as a dominant factor contributing to degradation of Mediterranean drylands. Therefore, there is a strong need to monitoring the level of water stress suffered by vegetation in the view of relating it to desertification risk of selected areas. In the present paper, some techniques for measuring and quantifying plant water stress are briefly reviewed and the advantages of using the pressure chamber technique to measure leaf water potential (ΨL) are highlighted. A new index (water stress impact on vegetation (WSIV)), based on the integral of the diurnal changes of ΨL, is proposed and its effectiveness for quantifying the amount of water stress suffered by vegetation is discussed on the basis of measurements performed in degraded areas of Turkey and Lebanon. The usefulness of WSIV as an ecophysiological tool for assessing the desertification risk of Mediterranean drylands is also discussed.
Use of carbon isotope composition in monitoring environmental changes
Authors: Ferrio J.P. , Voltas J. , Araus J.L.
Published: July 2006

In this work we will discuss the suitability of carbon isotope analysis in plants for the assessment of environmental changes and their effects on crops and natural systems. For C3 species, carbon isotope composition (δ13C) of plant tissues constitutes an integrated record of the miscellaneous climatic and physiological factors that affect carbon assimilation and/or stomatal conductance. Here we present a literature review on the relationship between different environmental parameters and δ13C in both herbaceous plants and trees, including some examples and case studies. We will also consider the applicability of some of these relationships in palaeoecological studies, as well as for the assessment of climate change dynamics and its implications. Major advantages and limitations of this technique are further discussed.
Biomonitoring, a new challenge for measuring and testing
Authors: Hock Bertold , Seifert Martin
Published: July 2006

Biomonitoring uses biological responses to assess environmental changes, which are frequently due to anthropogenic pollution. Biomonitoring can be carried out at different levels of complexity: population, species or suborganismic responses may be used as indicators for exposure to pollutants. In the case of tests with whole organisms, their quality is often impaired by the heterogeneity of living organisms, slow responses and the fact that little information can be provided on the pollutants. Although suborganismic tests can provide more specific and fast responses, structure and concentration of pollutants are only revealed by chemical analysis. A novel approach to biomonitoring is introduced, which applies tight coupling of bioassays and chemical analysis and is defined as bioresponse‐linked instrumental analysis. It combines biomolecular recognition, initiating a biological effect and chemical analysis.
Understanding the role of hospitals and their environment in practical training
Authors: Sobotová L'ubica , Nosková Tanˇa , Voleková Janka , Ághová L'ubica
Published: July 2006

A hospital represents a special environment, serving health care to patients, and as a work environment for medical and other staff. The problems of the hospital environment, its risks and the prevention of nosocomial infections have become an important topic in activities concerning the environmental education of medical students at the Institute of Hygiene, Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovak Republic. Educational objectives were different, regarding knowledge, behaviour, attitude and social action. The hygienic level of the hospital ward was observed by students themselves, including microclimate assessment and evaluations. Microbial contamination and acoustic well‐being of the indoor air in a hospital ward were also assessed. Results from environmental investigations performed in several hospitals have shown improvement of microbial contamination in internal, surgical and neurological departments. We believe that if educational objectives targeted at the beginning of practical sessions are fulfilled then medical students will think and behave more pro‐environmentally.
An evolutionary model for sustainable design
Authors: Caldas Luisa , Norford Leslie , Rocha João
Published: July 2006

This paper presents a new generative design system to be used by architects in early to intermediate stages of design in order to help improve the environmental performance of buildings. Both thermal and lighting analysis are included in the system, together with methods to incorporate architectural design intentions into the evolutionary process. The generative system was applied to a building by Álvaro Siza in Oporto (Portugal), to test its capability to handle complex architectural designs and to generate solutions within given language restrictions, while still reducing energy consumption levels of the building. Variables studied were fenestration design, shading systems and building shape (roof geometry). The advantages of using rapid prototyping technologies coupled with this generative system are discussed, and an example of the application of a fuse deposition modeling 3D modeler to this specific study is presented.
UV spectrophotometry:a powerful tool for environmental measurement
Authors: Roig B. , Thomas O.
Published: July 2006

Based on the use of simple and relevant systems, several applications of UV spectrophotometry have recently been developed for the quality control of water, wastewater, air and contaminated soils for environmental, urban or industrial needs. These are outlined in this paper.
An analysis of the environmental and health impacts of inhalable coarse and fine particulates in Jiddah, Saudi Arabia
Authors: Al‐Zain Omar Ali
Published: July 2006

A comprehensive field study of atmosphere coarse and fine particulate concentration was conducted in Jiddah, Saudi Arabia from September 1998 to April 2000. Coarse and fine particulate concentrations were investigated at five stations. The means coarse particulate concentration for 1998, 1999 and 2000 were 66mg/m3, 348mg/m3 and 192mg/m3 respectively. The corresponding means for fine particulate concentration for 1998, 1999, and 2000 were 10mg/m3, 69mg/m3 and 51mg/m3. Data reported in this paper provide emphasis with regard to the environmental and health impacts of inhalable coarse and fine particulates in the zone investigated.
The environmental implications of electronic commerce
Authors: Abukhader Sajed M. , Jönson Gunilla
Published: July 2006

There are accelerating trends for the implementation of electronic commerce (e‐commerce) as an extra marketing channel for selling products globally via the access of the Internet. This is expected to influence the shape of future cities and the conservation of natural resources. This paper critically reviews the current research work to date regarding the environmental implications of e‐commerce. The main observation is that there are difficulties to generalise the results. There is a general agreement that it is highly difficult, if not impossible, to state if the damaging effects of e‐commerce on the environment can weigh over the advantageous effects or the contrary. One proposition in this context is that instead of looking at e‐commerce as “a vehicle driving towards freely satisfying the market needs”, we should look at e‐commerce as “a cart attached to our vehicle towards sustainable development”.
SWARD: decision support processes for the UK water industry
Authors: Butler D. , Jowitt P. , Ashley R. , Blackwood D. , Davies J. , Oltean‐Dumbrava C. , McIlkenny G. , Foxon T. , Gilmour D. , Smith H. , Cavill S. , Leach M. , Pearson P. , Gouda H. , Samson W. , Souter N. , Hendry S. , Moir J. , Bouchart F.
Published: July 2006

In industrialised countries water service providers (WSPs) must provide an appropriate level of service with an acceptable performance at an acceptable cost to customers. In the UK a move towards sustainable development is now also a major goal for WSPs. However, the imposition of institutional systems and regulatory targets still encourage the adoption of less sustainable technologies or solutions by the water industry. It is within this context, that the Sustainable Water industry Asset Resource Decisions (SWARD) project has developed a set of decision support processes that allow WSPs to assess the relative sustainability of water/wastewater system asset development decisions. A Guidebook has been produced that takes the WSP and its stakeholders through the processes essential to incorporating sustainability in asset investment decision‐making. Several case studies that demonstrate the SWARD principles in application are included within the Guidebook, the experience of which is described in this paper.
The cost of meeting the Kyoto Protocol
Authors: Persson Tobias A. , Azar Christian
Published: July 2006

Estimates the cost of meeting the Kyoto Protocol with an energy‐economic optimization model. Special focus is on the Russian and Ukrainian and the potential implications of the US decision to withdraw from the Protocol. Finds that the carbon permit price can be expected to drop substantially due to US withdrawal. In fact, the aggregated emission target could be met in the absence of US participation. However, Russia and the Ukraine could be the dominant sellers of emission permits and they could increase the permit price. Clearly no climate benefits would result from trading emission permits that do not correspond to real reductions in CO2 emissions. EU countries, Japan and Canada are not likely to be supportive of paying billions of dollars that do not result in emission reductions. One way of dealing with the Russian and Ukrainian surplus is to negotiate more stringent targets for subsequent commitment periods early, and to allow banking. The model suggests that, under these conditions, early action and banking do take place.
An overview of biodiversity features in Dublin city urban parklands
Authors: Kingston N. , Lynn D.E. , Martin J.R. , Waldren S.
Published: July 2006

This study was commissioned in 1999 by the South Dublin County Council Parks Department in order to survey and compile a comprehensive inventory of the flora and fauna and provide a detailed map of the wildlife habitats in selected parks. The ecological assets of each park were described and specific management recommendations to enhance biodiversity were provided, such as set aside areas of wildflower or hay meadows and the planting of native woodland species. Rare species and areas of conservation interest were highlighted and mapped. The information has been used by the local authority for management direction and educational purposes. The surveys also provide a baseline data‐set which will allow monitoring of future change; this is particularly important for the most recently developed parklands and for the municipal golf course which has signed up to the European Committed to Green programme.
Water re‐use in practice
Authors: Issa Maruan , Robert Josef , Denecke Martin , Kümmel Rolf
Published: July 2006

Closing water loops in industry and the reuse of wastewater for irrigation purposes should not only be practiced in industrialised countries but it is extremely important in arid or semi‐arid regions. This paper shows, on the basis of three case studies, the possibilities of environmental protection on the one hand, and the achievement of financial benefits on the other hand by introducing membrane technology. The case studies are about three different fields, in order to describe that the application of membrane technology leads to an effective water treatment, which makes it possible – depending on the application – to recover valuable materials or to provide suitable service water. In the case of combining biological wastewater treatment and membrane technology the potential of reusing municipal wastewater for irrigation purposes will fit the increasing demands in this sector.
An analysis of attributes affecting urban open space design and their environmental implications
Authors: Lo S.M. , Yiu C.Y. , Lo Alan
Published: July 2006

This paper analyses the factors influencing the design of urban open space from the users’ perspective. A questionnaire survey has been carried out in Hong Kong to identify the importance of each design attribute with the aid of the analytic hierarchy process. The results show that microclimate is the most important criteria. Planting and sunlight rank the highest in the sub‐criteria indicating that natural environment is the most treasured by the users of urban open spaces. Accessibility is also one of the important criteria. Hard landscape, on the contrary, ranks the least. The findings imply that urban open space cannot be considered in isolation, but an urban integration approach is required.
Treatment of classic Kaposi's sarcoma‐associated lymphedema with elastic stockings
Authors: BRAMBILLA Lucia , TOURLAKI Athanasia , FERRUCCI Silvia , BRAMBATI Marinella , BONESCHI Vinicio
Published: July 2006

Lymphedema of the lower extremities is a frequent complication of Kaposi's sarcoma (KS). Compressive therapy is the basis of treatment for lymphatic disorders, but to the authors’ knowledge, there are no controlled trials to evaluate its effectiveness in KS‐related lymphedema. Sixty‐five patients with classic KS‐associated lymphedema limited to below the knee were studied. Fifty patients received below‐knee elastic stockings, whereas the remaining 15 did not use any compressive device. Among treated patients, 60% (30/50) experienced a limb volume reduction, while 40% (20/50) had an increase of limb volume. In contrast, all patients (15/15) of the untreated group had an increase of limb volume. No correlation between lymphedema reduction and systemic or local chemotherapy was observed, supporting compressive therapy as the major strategy for the treatment of this condition. Our results suggest that elastic stockings may be important tools for the management of lymphedema associated to classic KS.
Clinical and pathological study of lichen‐planus‐like keratosis in China
Authors: ZHANG Qian , WANG Wen‐hui , ZHAO Min , SHEN Li , CHENG Ji‐hong , ZHANG Bao‐yuan , LI Lin‐feng
Published: July 2006

Lichen‐planus‐like keratosis is usually diagnosed pathologically; rarely, a definitive diagnosis can be made grossly in the clinic. Only a few cases of lichen‐planus‐like keratosis have been reported in China. The purpose of this study was to investigate the clinical and pathological features of lichen‐planus‐like keratosis in China. Fifty cases of lichen‐planus‐like keratosis patients diagnosed pathologically during a 5‐year period in our clinic were analyzed. Clinical features were recorded. Sectioned specimens were subjected to hematoxylin and eosin staining to observe pathological changes. Results showed that there were 34 males and 16 females (ratio 2:1) with an average age of 61.2 years. Most of the lesions were single papules or plaques with rough surfaces. They were distributed on the face, larger than 1 cm, and dark red to brown in color. Only one case (2%) was considered to be lichen‐planus‐like keratosis clinically. By hematoxylin and eosin staining, solar lentigo and solar elastosis could be found in 68% and 32% of lichen‐planus‐like keratosis lesions, respectively. Eosinophil (42%) and plasma cell (36%) infiltration was also found frequently. Exoerythrocytes could be detected in 50% of the cases. Lichen‐planus‐like keratosis is not uncommon in clinical practice in China, the diagnosis of lichen‐planus‐like keratosis should be made by a combination of clinical manifestations and pathological changes. It is better to classify lichen‐planus‐like keratosis as a benign skin tumor. More attention should be paid to lichen‐planus‐like keratosis in China.
Angiokeratoma circumscriptum arranged in a systematized band‐like pattern suggesting mosaicism
Authors: BECHARA Falk Georges , HAPPLE Rudolf , ALTMEYER Peter , GRABBE Stephan , JANSEN Thomas
Published: July 2006

A 10‐year‐old girl with vascular lesions that had been present since birth is reported. Initially, small red macules were limited to the legs, but later the lesions became more extensive. A hyperkeratotic aspect of the lesional skin surface had developed at the age of 2 years. On clinical examination, hyperkeratotic vascular lesions in a band‐like distribution on the trunk, legs and face were observed. The type of lesion varied from discrete macules with no or slight hyperkeratosis to confluent, protruding verrucous plaques. The clinical and histopathological findings were consistent with a diagnosis of angiokeratoma circumscriptum. The systematized band‐like arrangement observed in the present case strongly supports the concept that angiokeratoma circumscriptum reflects a mosaic state of a mutation that is so far unknown.
Detection and quantification of Phytophthora ramorum, P. kernoviae, P. citricola and P. quercina in symptomatic leaves by multiplex real‐time PCR
Authors: SCHENA LEONARDO , HUGHES KELVIN J. D. , COOKE DAVID E. L.
Published: July 2006

New species of Phytophthora such as Phytophthora ramorum, P. kernoviae and P. quercina together with P. citricola are plant pathogens which impact on forest health, natural ecosystem stability and international trade. A real‐time multiplex PCR approach based on TaqMan PCR was developed to simultaneously identify and detect these four Phytophthora species. Specific primers and probes labelled with FAM (P. ramorum), Yakima Yellow (P. kernoviae), Rox (P. citricola) and Cy5 (P. quercina) were designed in different regions of the ras‐related protein (Ypt1) gene. A new set of Black Hole Quenchers (BHQ), which dissipate energy as heat rather than fluorescence, were utilized. The method proved to be highly specific in tests with target DNA from 72 Phytophthora isolates (35 species). For all pathogens, the detection limit was 100 fg of target DNA and was not improved utilizing a nested approach to provide a first round of amplification with Phytophthora spp.‐specific primers. Cycle threshold (Ct) values were linearly correlated with the concentration of the target DNA (correlation coefficients ranged from 0.947 to 0.996) and were not affected by the presence of plant extracts, indicating the appropriateness of the method for qualitative and quantitative analyses. Two universal primers and a TaqMan probe were also developed to evaluate the quality and quantity of extracted DNA and to avoid false negatives. The reliability of the entire procedure was assessed using both artificially and naturally infected leaves of a range of plant species. The method, combined with a rapid procedure for DNA extraction, proved to be rapid, reliable, sensitive and cost effective as multiple pathogens were detected within the same plant extract by using different primer/probe combinations.
Genetical genomics in livestock: potentials and pitfalls
Authors: Haley C. , De Koning D. J.
Published: July 2006

Genetical genomics combines gene mapping and gene expression approaches to identify loci controlling gene expression (eQTLs) that may underlie functional trait variation. The combination of genomic tools has great potential to facilitate dissection of complex traits, but studies need careful design and interpretation. Here we explore both the potential and the pitfalls of this approach with illustrations from actual studies. There are now an appreciable number of studies in model species and even humans demonstrating the feasibility of genetical genomics. However, most studies are too limited in size and design to unlock the full potential of the approach. Limited statistical power of studies exacerbates the problem of detection of false‐positive eQTL and some reported results should be interpreted with caution. As one approach to more successful implementation of genetical genomics, we propose to combine expression studies with fine mapping of functional trait loci. This synergistic approach facilitates the implementation of genetical genomics for species without inbred resources but is equally applicable to model species. These properties make it particularly suitable for livestock populations where many QTL are already in the public domain and potentially very large pedigreed populations can be accessed.
Novel integrative genomics strategies to identify genes for complex traits
Authors: Schadt E. E.
Published: July 2006

Forward genetics is a common approach to dissecting complex traits like common human diseases. The ultimate aim of this approach was the identification of genes that are causal for disease or other phenotypes of interest. However, the forward genetics approach is by definition restricted to the identification of genes that have incurred mutations over the course of evolution or that incurred mutations as a result of chemical mutagenesis, and that as a result lead to disease or to variations in other phenotypes of interest. Genes that harbour no such mutations, but that play key roles in parts of the biological network that lead to disease, are systematically missed by this class of approaches. Recently, a class of novel integrative genomics approaches has been devised to elucidate the complexity of common human diseases by intersecting genotypic, molecular profiling, and clinical data in segregating populations. These novel approaches take a more holistic view of biological systems and leverage the vast network of gene–gene interactions, in combination with DNA variation data, to establish causal relationships among molecular profiling traits and Fbetween molecular profiling and disease (or other classic phenotypes). A number of novel genes for disease phenotypes have been identified as a result of these approaches, highlighting the utility of integrating orthogonal sources of data to get at the underlying causes of disease.
From ‘omes to biology
Authors: Quackenbush J.
Published: July 2006

Technologies that have emerged from the genome project have dramatically increased our ability to generate data on the way in which organisms respond to their environments, how they execute their programmes of development and growth, and how these are altered in the development of disease states. However, our ability to analyse these large datasets has not kept pace with our ability to generate them and consequently new strategies must be developed to address the issues associated with their analysis. One approach that we have employed quite successfully is to look at data from microarrays (or proteomics or metabolomics experiments) not as independent datasets, but rather as elements of a much larger body of biological information across various scales that must be integrated with, and interpreted within, the context of such ancillary data. Here we outline the general approach and provide three examples from published studies of the way in which we have applied this strategy.
Continuous vs. intermittent cefotaxime administration in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and respiratory tract infections: pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics, bacterial susceptibility and clinical efficacy
Authors: Van Zanten A. R. H. , Oudijk M. , Nohlmans‐Paulssen M. K. E. , Van Der Meer Y. G. , Girbes A. R. J. , Polderman K. H.
Published: July 2006

Aim

To compare the pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics, antibiotic resistance and clinical efficacy of continuous (CA) vs. intermittent administration (IA) of cefotaxime in patients with obstructive pulmonary disease and respiratory infections.

Methods

A randomized controlled prospective nonblinded study was performed in 93 consecutive hospitalized patients requiring antibiotics for acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Forty‐seven patients received 2 g of cefotaxime intravenously over 24 h plus a loading dose of 1 g, and 46 patients were given the drug intermittently (1 g three times daily).

Results

Similar pathogens were identified in both groups, being mostly Haemophilus influenzae (51%), Streptococcus pneumoniae (21%) and Moraxella catharralis (18%). Mean minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) values were also similar before and after treatment in both groups. Clinical cure was achieved in 37/40 (93%) (CA) vs. 40/43 (93%) (IA) of patients (P = 0.93). In microbiologically evaluable patients, criteria such as 70% of treatment time with antibiotic concentrations ≥ MIC (CA 100%vs. IA 60% of patients) and/or ≥ 5 × MIC (CA 100%vs. IA 55% of patients) were significantly better following continuous administration (P < 0.01). Samples with suboptimal antibiotic concentrations were found in 0% of CA vs. 65% of IA patients (P < 0.01).

Conclusions

Although clinical cure rates were comparable, continuous cefotaxime administration led to significantly greater proportions of concentrations > MIC and > 5 × MIC compared with intermittent dosing. Continuous administration of cefotaxime at a lower dose [2 g (CA) vs. 3 g (CI)] is equally effective pharmacodynamically and microbiologically, may be more cost‐effective and offers at least the same clinical efficacy. Based on these observations, we recommend continuous administration of cefotaxime as the preferred mode of administration.
Evaluating the self‐initialization procedure for large‐scale ecosystem models
Authors: PIETSCH STEPHAN A. , HASENAUER HUBERT
Published: July 2006

Self‐initialization routines generate starting values for large‐scale ecosystem model applications which are needed to model transient behaviour. In this paper we evaluate the self‐initialization procedure of a large‐scale BGC‐model for biological realism by comparing model predictions with observations from the central European virgin forest reserve Rothwald, a category I IUCN wilderness area. Results indicate that standard self‐initialization towards a ‘steady state’ produces biased and inconsistent predictions resulting in systematically overestimated C and N pools vs. observations. We investigate the detected inconsistent predictions and use results to improve the self‐initialization routine by developing a dynamic mortality model which addresses natural forest dynamics with higher mortality rates during senescence and regeneration vs. lower mortality rates during the period of optimum forest growth between regeneration and senescence. Running self‐initialization with this new dynamic mortality model resulted in consistent and unbiased model predictions compared with field observations.
Estimating soil carbon sequestration under elevated CO2 by combining carbon isotope labelling with soil carbon cycle modelling
Authors: NIKLAUS PASCAL A. , FALLOON PETE
Published: July 2006

Elevated CO2 concentrations generally stimulate grassland productivity, but herbaceous plants have only a limited capacity to sequester extra carbon (C) in biomass. However, increased primary productivity under elevated CO2 could result in increased transfer of C into soils where it could be stored for prolonged periods and exercise a negative feedback on the rise in atmospheric CO2.

Measuring soil C sequestration directly is notoriously difficult for a number of methodological reasons. Here, we present a method that combines C isotope labelling with soil C cycle modelling to partition net soil sequestration into changes in new C fixed over the experimental duration (Cnew) and pre‐experimental C (Cold). This partitioning is advantageous because the Cnew accumulates whereas Cold is lost in the course of time (ΔCnew>0 whereas ΔCold<0).

We applied this method to calcareous grassland exposed to 600 μL CO2 L−1 for 6 years. The CO2 used for atmospheric enrichment was depleted in 13C relative to the background atmosphere, and this distinct isotopic signature was used to quantify net soil Cnew fluxes under elevated CO2. Using 13C/12C mass balance and inverse modelling, the Rothamsted model ‘RothC’ predicted gross soil Cnew inputs under elevated CO2 and the decomposition of Cold. The modelled soil C pools and fluxes were in good agreement with experimental data. C isotope data indicated a net sequestration of ≈90 g Cnew m−2 yr−1 in elevated CO2. Accounting for Cold‐losses, this figure was reduced to ≈30 g C m−2 yr−1 at elevated CO2; the elevated CO2‐effect on net C sequestration was in the range of≈10 g C m−2 yr−1. A sensitivity and error analysis suggests that the modelled data are relatively robust. However, elevated CO2‐specific mechanisms may necessitate a separate parameterization at ambient and elevated CO2; these include increased soil moisture due to reduced leaf conductance, soil disaggregation as a consequence of increased soil moisture, and priming effects. These effects could accelerate decomposition of Cold in elevated CO2 so that the CO2 enrichment effect may be zero or even negative. Overall, our findings suggest that the C sequestration potential of this grassland under elevated CO2 is rather limited.
Pitfalls in thyroid tumour pathology
Authors: Rosai J , Kuhn E , Carcangiu M L
Published: July 2006

This review provides an itemized listing of major diagnostic pitfalls in the field of thyroid tumour pathology, emphasizing the features that the authors have found most useful in their recognition and avoidance.
AQUA and FISH analysis of HER‐2/neu expression and amplification in a small cell lung carcinoma tissue microarray
Authors: Giltnane J M , Murren J R , Rimm D L , King B L
Published: July 2006

Aims:  Most small cell lung carcinoma (SCLC) patients have metastatic disease at the time of diagnosis and are faced with poor prognosis and limited treatment options. Reports of HER‐2/neu gene amplification and overexpression in this malignancy have raised the possibility of applying targeted immunotherapy with trastuzumab, the monoclonal antibody used to treat metastatic breast cancer. However, a review of the studies measuring HER‐2/neu gene amplification and protein expression in SCLC reveals discordant results. The aim of the present study was to re‐examine HER‐2/neu expression in SCLC in relation to gene copy number using the new, highly sensitive, immunofluorescence automated quantitative analysis (AQUA) technology.

Methods and results:  Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) was used to measure HER‐2/neu gene copy number and amplification status and AQUA was used to measure protein expression in a series of 23 SCLC tumours on a tissue microarray. None of the 17 SCLC specimens assessable by FISH exhibited HER‐2/neu gene amplification as defined by a HER‐2/neu/chromosome 17 ratio = or > 2. Twelve of 17 (70.1%) SCLC samples were polysomic for chromosome 17 with corresponding increases in HER‐2/neu gene copy numbers. Intermediate levels of protein expression corresponding to AQUA scores in the range of 4–24 were detected in all 23 specimens. High protein expression levels corresponding to AQUA scores up to 83, observed previously in association with gene amplification and poor prognosis in breast cancer cases, were not detected in the present study. No statistically significant association was observed between absolute chromosome 17 or HER‐2/neu gene copy numbers and protein expression levels in tumour cells (P > 0.45).

Conclusions:  The lack of gene amplification and robust HER‐2/neu protein expression in SCLC tumour cells in this series does not suggest a prominent role for the HER‐2/neu gene in SCLC tumour progression and does not support the general applicability of targeted immunotherapy with trastuzumab to this malignancy.
Stability of Lycopene Emulsions in Food Systems
Authors: RIBEIRO H. S. , AX K. , SCHUBERT H.
Published: July 2006

ABSTRACT The chemical stability of lycopene and the physical stability of lycopene emulsions diluted in 3 different food systems (skimmed milk, orange juice, and water as control) were studied. In these investigations, 3 different emulsifiers were used. It was found that lycopene stability strongly depends on the food system. In orange juice, lycopene is particularly stable. The emulsifiers used have only little influence on the stability of lycopene. Emulsions with α‐tocopherol as an additional antioxidant showed a good lycopene stability in all food systems. Coalescence of oil droplets was not observed in any of the food systems investigated. Keywords: lycopene, stability, food systems
The impact of malocclusion and its treatment on quality of life: a literature review
Authors: ZHANG M. , MCGRATH C. , HÄGG U.
Published: July 2006

Summary.Aim. The aim of this paper is to review the literature relating to the impact of malocclusion, and the treatment of malocclusion, on physical, social and psychological health (i.e. quality of life, QoL).

Design. English‐language papers, including cross‐sectional studies, retrospective and prospective longitudinal studies, randomized controlled trials, and reviews and meta‐analyses were reviewed to determine the impact of malocclusion and its treatment on QoL.

Results. Malocclusion and its treatment can affect physical health in terms of pain (e.g. temporomandibular disorders, and dental and gingival trauma), speech and mastication. In terms of psychological health, malocclusion and its treatment is reported to affect self‐concept. Socially, malocclusion and its treatment can affect perceived attractiveness by others, social acceptance and perceived intelligence. However, the evidence is conflicting owing to differences in study designs, population's studied and methods of assessment of psychical, social and psychological health.

Conclusion. Much controversy exists about the impact of malocclusion and its treatment on QoL. There is a need for a more comprehensive and rigorous assessment of the impact of malocclusion and its treatment on QoL, employing standardized, valid and reliable data collection instruments.
Nurse staffing levels and hospital mortality in critical care settings: literature review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Numata Yuka , Schulzer Michael , Van Der Wal Rena , Globerman Judith , Semeniuk Pat , Balka Ellen , FitzGerald J. Mark
Published: July 2006

Aim.  This paper reports a review of the literature on the association between critical care nurse staffing levels and patient mortality.

Background.  Statistically significant inverse associations between levels of nurse staffing and hospital mortality have not been consistently found in the literature. Critical care settings are ideal to address this relationship due to high patient acuity and mortality, high intensity of the nursing care required, and availability of individual risk adjustment methods.

Methods.  Major electronic databases were searched, including MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature. The search terms included critical/intensive care, quality of health care, mortality/hospital mortality, personnel staffing and scheduling, and nursing staff (hospital). Only papers published in English were included. The original search was conducted in 2002 and updated in 2005.

Results.  Nine studies were selected from 251 references screened. All nine were observational. Six were conducted in the United States of America, one in Austria, one in Brazil, and one in Scotland. The unadjusted risk ratio of nurse staffing (high vs. low) on hospital mortality were combined meta‐analytically (five studies). The pooled estimate was 0·65 (95% confidence interval 0·47–0·91). However, after adjusting for various covariates within each study, the individually reported associations between high nurse staffing and low hospital mortality became non‐significant in all but one study.

Conclusion.  The impact of nurse staffing levels on patients’ hospital mortality in critical care settings was not evident in the reviewed studies. Methodological challenges that might have impeded correct assessment of the association include measurement problems in exposure status and confounding factors, often uncontrolled. The lack of association also indicates that hospital mortality may not be sensitive enough to detect the consequences of low nurse staffing levels in critical care settings.
Residential aged care: the last frontier for palliative care
Authors: Phillips Jane , Davidson Patricia M. , Jackson Debra , Kristjanson Linda , Daly John , Curran Jim
Published: July 2006

Aim.  This paper is a report of an explorative study describing the perceptions and beliefs about palliative care among nurses and care assistants working in residential aged care facilities in Australia.

Background.  Internationally, the number of people dying in residential aged care facilities is growing. In Australia, aged care providers are being encouraged and supported by a positive policy platform to deliver a palliative approach to care, which has generated significant interest from clinicians, academics and researchers. However, a little is known about the ability and capacity of residential aged care services to adopt and provide a palliative approach to care.

Methods.  Focus groups were used to investigate the collective perceptions and beliefs about palliative care in a convenience sample of nurses and care assistants working in residential aged care facilities in Australia. Thematic content analysis was used to analyse the data, which were collected during 2004.

Results.  Four major themes emerged: (1) being like family; (2) advocacy as a key role; (3) challenges in communicating with other healthcare providers; (4) battling and striving to succeed against the odds. Although participants described involvement and commitment to quality palliative care, they also expressed a need for additional education and support about symptom control, language and access to specialist services and resources.

Conclusion.  The residential aged care sector is in need of support for providing palliative care, yet there are significant professional and system barriers to care delivery. The provision of enhanced palliative care educational and networking opportunities for nurses and care assistants in residential aged care, augmented by a supportive organizational culture, would assist in the adoption of a palliative approach to service delivery and requires systematic investigation.
Causes and consequences of adaptive seasonal sex ratio variation in house sparrows
Authors: HUSBY ARILD , SÆTHER BERNT‐ERIK , JENSEN HENRIK , RINGSBY THOR HARALD
Published: July 2006

Here we examine how sex ratio variation in house sparrow broods interacts with other demographic traits and parental characteristics to improve the understanding of adaptive significance and demographic effects on variation in sex ratio.

The sex ratio in complete broods did not deviate significantly from parity (54·9% males).

There was sex‐specific seasonal variation in the probability of recruitment. Male nestlings that hatched late in the breeding season had larger probability of surviving than early hatched males.

An adaptive adjustment of sex ratio should favour production of an excess of males late in the breeding season. Accordingly, the proportion of male offspring increased throughout the breeding season.

A significant nonlinear relationship was present between sex ratio and age of the female. However, there was no relationship between parental phenotype and standardized hatch day that could explain the observed seasonal change in sex ratio.

The sex‐specific number of offspring recruited by a pair to subsequent generations was closely related to the brood sex ratio.

These results indicate an adaptive adjustment of sex ratio to seasonal variation in environmental conditions that affects the offspring fitness of the two sexes differently. Our results also suggest that such a sex ratio variation can strongly influence the demography and structural composition of small passerine populations.
Monsoon rain forest seedling dynamics, northern Australia: contrasts with regeneration in eucalypt‐dominated savannas
Authors: Russell‐Smith Jeremy , Setterfield Samantha A.
Published: July 2006

Aim To explore: (1) the relative influences of site conditions, especially moisture relations, on pathways and rates of monsoon rain forest seedling and sapling regeneration, especially of canopy dominants, in northern Australia; and (2) contrasts between regeneration syndromes of dominant woody taxa in savannas and monsoon rain forest.

Location Four monsoon rain forest sites, representative of regional major habitat and vegetation types, in Kakadu National Park, northern Australia.

Methods A decadal study involved: (1) initial assessment over 2.5 years to explore within‐year variability in seed rain, dormant seed banks and seedling (< 50 cm height) dynamics; and (2) thereafter, monitoring of seedling and sapling (50 cm height to 5 cm d.b.h.) dynamics undertaken annually in the late dry season. On the basis of observations from this and other studies, regeneration syndromes of dominant monsoon rain forest taxa are contrasted with comparable information for dominant woody savanna taxa,EucalyptusandCorymbiaespecially.

Results Key observations from the monsoon rain forest regeneration dynamics study component are that: (1) peak seed rain inputs of rain forest taxa were observed in the wet season at perennially moist sites, whereas inputs at seasonally dry sites extended into, or peaked in, the dry season; (2) dormant soil seed banks of woody rain forest taxa were dominated by pioneer taxa, especially figs; (3) longevity of dormant seed banks of woody monsoon rain forest taxa, including figs, was expended within 3 years; (4) seedling recruitment of monsoon rain forest woody taxa was derived mostly from wet season seed rain with limited inputs from soil seed banks; (5) at all sites rain forest seedling mortality occurred mostly in the dry season; (6) rain forest seedling and sapling densities were consistently greater at moist sites; (7) recruitment from clonal reproduction was negligible, even following unplanned low intensity fires.

Main conclusions By comparison with dominant savanna eucalypts, dominant monsoon rain forest taxa recruit substantially greater stocks of seedlings, but exhibit slower aerial growth and development of resprouting capacity in early years, lack lignotubers in mesic species, and lack capacity for clonal reproduction. The reliance on sexual as opposed to vegetative reproduction places monsoon rain forest taxa at significant disadvantage, especially slower growing species on seasonally dry sites, given annual–biennial fires in many north Australian savannas.
Very low level of microalbuminuria is associated with increased risk of death in subjects with cardiovascular or cerebrovascular diseases
Authors: KLAUSEN K. P. , SCHARLING H. , JENSEN J. S.
Published: July 2006

Background.  The original definition of microalbuminuria (20–200 μg min−1 or 15–150 μg min−1 overnight) is based on studies of patients with diabetes, in whom microalbuminuria was associated with increased risk of chronic renal failure. In a recent report an overnight urinary albumin excretion (UAE) above only 5 μg min−1 was strongly predictive of coronary heart disease and death in the general population. The aim of the present study was to investigate if this cut‐off level also has prognostic value in a population with cardiovascular or cerebrovascular disease.

Methods and results.  In The Third Copenhagen City Heart Study in 1992–1994, 491 men and women aged 30–80 years with a history of coronary heart disease or stroke delivered a timed overnight urine sample. They were followed by registers with respect to vital status until 2004. During follow‐up, 141 of the 491 participants died. The relative risk of death in subjects with UAE above 5 μg min−1 compared with subjects with lower UAE was 2.0 (1.4–2.8; P < 0.001). It was unaffected [RR 1.9 (1.3–2.7); P < 0.005] by adjustment for age, sex, blood pressure, diabetes, lipoproteins, renal creatinine clearance, smoking and body mass index.

Conclusions.  Subjects with cardiovascular or cerebrovascular disease have about 100% higher risk of death if microalbuminuria defined as UAE above 5 μg min−1 is present. Measurements of UAE should be included in the risk assessment in subjects with cardiovascular or cerebrovascular disease. This study supports the definition of microalbuminuria as UAE above 5 μg min−1.
Viral hepatitis and proteinuria in an area endemic for hepatitis B and C infections: another chain of link?
Authors: HUANG J.‐F. , CHUANG W.‐L. , DAI C.‐Y. , HO C.‐K. , HWANG S.‐J. , CHEN S.‐C. , LIN Z.‐Y. , WANG L.‐Y. , CHANG W.‐Y. , YU M.‐L.
Published: July 2006

Background and objectives.  Virus hepatitis may lead to nephropathy as one of its multiple extrahepatic manifestations. Proteinuria by dipstick, a simple test in practice, is a useful and cardinal sign of underlying renal abnormalities. The aim of this study was to elucidate the impact of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and/or hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections on the occurrence of proteinuria amongst adults.

Designandsetting.  A prospective, cross‐sectional, community‐based study was conducted in an HBV/HCV endemic area of southern Taiwan. Eligible subjects aged 40–65 years (n = 9934) underwent testing of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), HCV antibody (anti‐HCV) and other related biochemical profiles. Urinalysis with repeated dipstick for proteinuria detection was performed.

Results.  Anti‐HCV‐positive rate amongst proteinuria subjects was significantly higher than nonproteinuria subjects (9.6% vs. 6.2%, P < 0.001). By contrast, HBsAg‐positive rate did not differ between subjects with and without proteinuria (13.0% vs. 13.8%, P = 0.57). Prevalence of proteinuria amongst anti‐HCV‐positive subjects (10.2%) was significantly higher than that in HBsAg‐positive subjects (6.4%, P =0.004) and in HBsAg‐negative or anti‐HCV‐negative subjects (7.0%, P = 0.004). The difference persisted even after excluding diabetics. Multivariate logistic regression analyses showed that diabetes was the most important significant factor associated with proteinuria, followed by hypertension, anti‐HCV seropositivity, body mass index, age and triglyceride levels.

Conclusion.  We demonstrated the significant association between proteinuria and HCV, but not HBV, infection in this HBV/HCV‐endemic area.