bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A model for clubfoot based on micro‐CT data
Authors: Windisch Gunther , Salaberger Dietmar , Rosmarin Walter , Kastner Johann , Exner Gerhard Ulrich , Haldi‐Brändle Verena , Anderhuber Friedrich
Published: May 2007

The pathological anatomy of idiopathic clubfoot has been investigated for more than 180 years using anatomy, computed tomography (CT), histology and microscopy. Seven idiopathic clubfeet and two normal feet of aborted fetuses were dissected in the present study, with special emphasis on the shape of the cartilage and bones. A three‐dimensional (3D) micro‐CT system, which generates a series of X‐ray attenuation measurements, was used to produce computed reconstructed 3D data sets of each of the separated bones. Based on the micro‐CT data scans a high‐definition 3D colour printing system was used to make a four times enlarged clubfoot model, precisely presenting all the bony malformations. This model reflects the complexity of the anatomy of this disease and is designed to be used in the workshops of orthopaedic surgeons and physiotherapists, for training in new surgical and manipulation techniques.
Glutamate‐mediated neuronal–glial transmission
Authors: Verkhratsky Alexei , Kirchhoff Frank
Published: May 2007

The brain is the most complex organ of the human body. It is composed of several highly specialized and heterogeneous populations of cells, represented by neurones (e.g. motoneurons, projection neurons or interneurons), and glia represented by astrocytes, oligodendrocytes and microglia. In recent years there have been numerous studies demonstrating close bidirectional communication of neurons and glia at structural and functional levels. In particular, the excitatory transmitter glutamate has been shown to evoke a variety of responses in astrocytes and oligodendrocytes in the healthy as well as the diseased brain. Here we overview the multitude of glutamate sensing molecules expressed in glia and describe some general experiments which have been performed to identify the glutamate‐responsive molecules, i.e. the ionotropic and metabotropic glutamate receptors as well as the glutamate transporters. We also discuss a transgenic mouse model that permits detailed and specific investigations of the role of glial glutamate receptors.
Trends in mode of delivery during 1984–2003: can they be explained by pregnancy and delivery complications?
Authors: O’Leary CM , De Klerk N , Keogh J , Pennell C , De Groot J , York L , Mulroy S , Stanley FJ
Published: May 2007

Objectives  To describe trends in mode of delivery, to identify significant factors which affected mode of delivery, and to describe how these factors and their impact have changed over time.

Design  Total population birth cohort.

Setting  Western Australia 1984–2003.

Participants  The analysis was restricted to all singleton infants delivered at 37–42 weeks of gestation with a cephalic presentation (n= 432 327).

Methods  Logistic regression analyses were undertaken to estimate significant independent risk factors separately for elective and emergency caesarean sections compared with vaginal delivery (spontaneous and instrumental), adjusting for potential confounding variables.

Main outcome measures  Trends in mode of delivery, demographic factors, and pregnancy and delivery complications. Estimated likelihood of elective caesarean section compared with vaginal delivery and emergency caesarean section compared with vaginal delivery.

Results  Between 1984–88 and 1999–2003, the likelihood of women having an elective caesarean section increased by a factor of 2.35 times (95% CI 2.28–2.42) and the likelihood of an emergency caesarean section increased 1.89 times (95% CI 1.83–1.96). These caesarean section rate increases remained even after adjustment for their strong associations with many sociodemographic factors, obstetric risk factors, and obstetric complications. Rates of caesarean section were higher in older mothers, especially those older than 40 years of age (elective caesarean section, OR 5.42 [95% CI 4.88–6.01]; emergency caesarean section, OR 2.67 [95% CI 2.39–2.97]), and in nulliparous women (elective caesarean section, OR 1.54 [95% CI 1.47–1.61]; emergency caesarean section, OR 3.61 [95% CI 3.47–3.76]).

Conclusions  Our data show significant changes in mode of delivery in Western Australia from 1984–2003, with an increasing trend in both elective and emergency caesarean section rates that do not appear to be explained by increased risk or indication.
Direct imaging of the pelvic floor muscles using two‐dimensional ultrasound: a comparison of women with urogenital prolapse versus controls
Authors: Athanasiou S , Chaliha C , Toozs‐Hobson P , Salvatore S , Khullar V , Cardozo L
Published: May 2007

Objective  To evaluate the anatomy of the levator ani muscle in women with urogenital prolapse versus matched controls without prolapse using real‐time two‐dimensional (2‐D) ultrasound.

Design  Prospective observational study.

Setting  Tertiary referral urogynaecology unit.

Population  Forty‐three women with pelvic organ prolapse (POP) and 24 women (controls) attending a gynaecology clinic without prolapse.

Methods  All participants completed a standardised symptom questionnaire.

Main outcome measures  The morphology of the vagina and paravaginal tissue was recorded at different levels. The thickness of the levator ani and the hiatal area were measured at rest. Reproducibility of the method was assessed by repeated measurements to assess intra‐observer variability and inter‐observer variability.

Results  This method showed good intra‐observer and inter‐observer reproducibility and reliability. In controls, the pubococcygeus muscle showed more regular echogenicity with no evidence of trauma, whereas in women with prolapse the muscle had mixed echogenicity. (P= 0.002). The mean thickness of the pubococcygeus did not differ between groups. The levator hiatal area was significantly larger in women with pelvic floor prolapse versus controls (17.8 cm2 versus 13.5 cm2, P < 0.001). This increase in hiatal area positively and significantly correlated with prolapse severity (P < 0.001).

Conclusions  Morphology and hiatal area can be reliably imaged using 2‐D ultrasound. Prolapse was related to changes in pelvic floor morphology and increased levator hiatal area. The use of 2‐D ultrasound provides an important insight into the pathophysiology of prolapse.
Surgical outcome and long‐term follow up after laparoscopic rectosigmoid resection in women with deep infiltrating endometriosis
Authors: Seracchioli R , Poggioli G , Pierangeli F , Manuzzi L , Gualerzi B , Savelli L , Remorgida V , Mabrouk M , Venturoli S
Published: May 2007

The aim of this study was to assess the long‐term outcome of treating severely symptomatic women with deep infiltrating intestinal endometriosis by laparoscopic segmental rectosigmoid resection. Detailed intraoperative and postoperative records and questionnaires (preoperatively, 1 month postoperatively and every 6 months for 3 years) were collected from 22 women. The estimated blood loss during surgery was 290 ± 162 ml (range 180–600), and average hospital stay was 8 days (range 6–19). One woman required blood transfusion after surgery. Two cases were converted to laparotomy. One woman had early dehiscence of the anastomosis. Six months after surgery, there was a significant reduction of symptom scores (greater than 50% for most types of pain) related to intestinal localisation of endometriosis (P < 0.05). Score improvements were maintained during the whole period of follow up. Noncyclic pelvic pain scores showed significant reductions (P < 0.05) after 6 and 12 months, but there was a high recurrence rate later. Dysmenorrhoea and dyspareunia improved in 18/21 and 14/18 women with preoperative symptoms, respectively. Constipation, diarrhoea and rectal bleeding improved in all affected women for the whole period of follow up. Laparoscopic segmental rectosigmoid resection seems safe and effective in women with deep infiltrating colorectal endometriosis resulting in significant reductions in painful and dysfunctional symptoms associated with deep bowel involvement.
Yeast apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease Apn1 protects mammalian neuronal cell line from oxidative stress
Authors: Ho Renee , Rachek Lyudmila I. , Xu Yi , Kelley Mark R. , LeDoux Susan P. , Wilson Glenn L.
Published: May 2007

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) have been implicated as one of the agents responsible for many neurodegenerative diseases. A critical target for ROS is DNA. Most oxidative stress‐induced DNA damage in the nucleus and mitochondria is removed by the base excision repair pathway. Apn1 is a yeast enzyme in this pathway which possesses a wider substrate specificity and greater enzyme activity than its mammalian counterpart for removing DNA damage, making it a good therapeutic candidate. For this study we targeted Apn1 to mitochondria in a neuronal cell line derived from the substantia nigra by using a mitochondrial targeting signal (MTS) in an effort to hasten the removal of DNA damage and thereby protect these cells. We found that following oxidative stress, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) was repaired more efficiently in cells containing Apn1 with the MTS than controls. There was no difference in nuclear repair. However, cells that expressed Apn1 without the MTS showed enhanced repair of both nuclear and mtDNA. Both Apn1‐expressing cells were more resistant to cell death following oxidative stress compared with controls. Therefore, these results reveal that the expression of Apn1 in neurons may be of potential therapeutic benefit for treating patients with specific neurodegenerative diseases.
Plasma serotonin levels and the platelet serotonin transporter
Authors: Brenner B. , Harney J. T. , Ahmed B. A. , Jeffus B. C. , Unal R. , Mehta J. L. , Kilic F.
Published: May 2007

Serotonin (5HT) is a platelet‐stored vasoconstrictor. Altered concentrations of circulating 5HT are implicated in several pathologic conditions, including hypertension. The actions of 5HT are mediated by different types of receptors and terminated by a single 5HT transporter (SERT). Therefore, SERT is a major mechanism that regulates plasma 5HT levels to prevent vasoconstriction and thereby secure a stable blood flow. In this study, the response of platelet SERT to the plasma 5HT levels was examined within two models: (i) in subjects with chronic hypertension or normotension; (ii) on platelets isolated from normotensive subjects and pretreated with 5HT at various concentrations. The platelet 5HT uptake rates were lower during hypertension due to a decrease in Vmax with a similar Km; also, the decrease in Vmax was primarily due to a decrease in the density of SERT on the platelet membrane, with no change in whole cell expression. Additionally, while the platelet 5HT content decreased 33%, the plasma 5HT content increased 33%. Furthermore, exogenous 5HT altered the 5HT uptake rates by changing the density of SERT molecules on the plasma membrane in a biphasic manner. Therefore, we hypothesize that in a hypertensive state, the elevated plasma 5HT levels induces a loss in 5HT uptake function in platelets via a decrease in the density of SERT molecules on the plasma membrane. Through the feedback effect of this proposed mechanism, plasma 5HT controls its own concentration levels by modulating the uptake properties of platelet SERT.
Isolation and characterization of microsatellite markers in Dendrobium officinale, an endangered herb endemic to China
Authors: GU S. , DING X. Y. , WANG Y. , ZHOU Q. , DING G. , LI X. X. , QIAN L.
Published: May 2007

As an invaluable herb, Dendrobium officinale has been in severe danger since 1950 because of human exploitation and habitat deterioration. In order to investigate the genetic diversity and structure of this species, we isolated and characterized 12 microsatellite loci derived from two microsatellite‐enriched libraries. Twenty‐two individuals from Leye population were analysed. These loci were polymorphic and displayed three to 12 alleles per locus. The observed and expected heterozygosities ranged from 0.150 to 0.624 and from 0.162 to 0.605, respectively. These are the first microsatellite loci characterized from D. officinale that will contribute to research on the conservation, genetic diversity, population structure and individual authentication.
Eight microsatellite loci in Clark's anemonefish, Amphiprion clarkii
Authors: LIU SHANG‐YIN VANSON , YU HON‐TSEN , DAI CHANG‐FENG
Published: May 2007

To determine the genetic relationship between different colour morphs (orange and black morphs) of Clark's anemonefish (Amphiprion clarkii) in Taiwan, we isolated eight polymorphic microsatellite loci. A large number of alleles (range, 6–30), and high levels of observed heterozygosity (range, 0.1231–0.8358) were resolved in 71 individuals from two populations, indicating that these markers should be useful in assessing the relationship between the two colour morphs of A. clarkii.
Real‐time PCR quantification of Bemisia tabaci (Homoptera: Aleyrodidae) B‐biotype remains in predator guts
Authors: ZHANG GUI‐FEN , LÜ ZHI‐CHUANG , WAN FANG‐HAO , LÖVEI GÁBOR L.
Published: May 2007

The cotton whitefly, Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) B‐biotype, is fed on by a wide variety of generalist predators, but there is little information on these predator–prey interactions, especially under field conditions. In this study, a real‐time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay was developed to quantify B. tabaci B‐biotype remains in predator gut. The B. tabaci B‐biotype genomic DNA copy number was referred to the actual amount of BT1 isolate, the B. tabaci B‐biotype specific DNA fragment. The numbers of BT1 isolate in one B. tabaci B‐biotype egg, individual adult and a single red‐eyed nymph were 2.56 × 103, 2.56 × 104, and 1.29 × 104 copies, respectively. When Propylaea japonica adults fed on one, two, four, eight or 16 red‐eyed nymphs, the detected numbers of BT1 isolate ranged from 2.77 × 104 to 4.05 × 105 copies, forming a strong linear relationship (R2 = 0.9899). Following the consumption of two red‐eyed nymphs, prey DNA was detectable in 100% of P. japonica at t = 0, decreasing to 80.0% and 60.0% after 1–4 h and 8 h of digestion, respectively, with 3.36 × 104–1.25 × 103 BT1 isolate copies. The predation by field‐collected predators, 26 larvae of P. japonica, and of Harmonia axyridis each, Chrysopa spp. larvae (Chrysopa pallens and C. formosa, 18 individuals in total), and a single adult of Scymnus hoffmanni, 19 adults of Orius sauteri and nine adult spiders (Erigonnidium graminicolum and Neoscona doenitzi), on B. tabaci B‐biotype were quantified. Of the 99 analysed predator individuals, 3.65 × 102–4.60 × 105 copies of BT1 isolate, equivalent to 0.8–18.8 red‐eyed nymphs were detected. These results suggest that TaqMan real‐time PCR technology may provide a rapid and sensitive method for quantifying B. tabaci B‐biotype remains in predator guts and will be invaluable in assessing the food web relationship between prey and arthropod predators.
Development of polymorphic microsatellite from RAPD bands of black sea bream Acanthopagrus schlegeli
Authors: LIU Y. G. , LIU L. X. , LI Z. X. , GAO A. Y. , LIN H. , LI B. F. , WANG D. F.
Published: May 2007

Eight pairs of simple sequence repeat markers were developed from random amplified polymorphic DNA product in black sea bream Acanthopagrus schlegeli. Twenty microsatellites were selected for designing microsatellite primers, of which eight gave working primer pairs. They had between three and seven alleles. Observed and expected heterozygosities varied from 0.65 to 0.90, and from 0.58 to 0.82, respectively. Eight additional fish species assessed for cross‐species amplification revealed between two and five positive amplifications and between zero and three polymorphic loci per species.
Microalgal mediation of ripple mobility
Authors: FRIEND P. L. , LUCAS C. H. , HOLLIGAN P. M. , COLLINS M. B.
Published: May 2007

The interaction between physical and biological factors responsible for the cessation of ripple migration on a sandy intertidal flat was examined during a microalgal bloom period in late winter/early spring, as part of a wider study into the biostabilisation of intertidal sediments. Ripple positions and ripple geometry were monitored, and surface sediment was sampled, at weekly intervals over a 5‐week period. Ripples remained in the same position for at least 4 weeks, during which time there was a progressive reduction in bedform height (smoothing) and deposition of some 1.5 cm sediment, mainly in the ripple troughs (surface levelling). The mean chlorophyll a (chl a) sediment content was 6.0 µg gDW−1 (DW: dry weight) (0–1 mm depth fraction), with a maximum value of 7.4 µg gDW−1 half way through the bloom. Mean colloidal‐S carbohydrate (S: saline extraction) content was 131 µg GE gDW−1 (GE: glucose equivalent) (0–1 mm), with a maximum of 261 µg GE gDW−1 towards the end of the bloom. Important accessory pigments were peridinin (indicative of dinophytes) and fucoxanthin (diatoms). Stepwise multiple regression showed that peridinin was the best predictor of chl a. For the first time, in situ evidence for the mediation of (wave) ripple migration by microalgae is provided. Results indicate that diatoms, and quite possibly dinophytes, can have a significant effect on intertidal flat ripple mobility on a temporal scale of weeks. In addition, microalgal effects appear capable of effecting a reduction in bed roughness on a spatial scale of up to 10−2 m, with a subsequent reduction in bottom stress and bed erodability. It is suggested that a unique combination of environmental conditions, in conjunction with the microalgal bloom(s), promoted the initial cessation of ripple movement, and that stationary‐phase, diatom‐derived extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) (and possibly dinophyte‐derived EPS) may have prolonged the condition. It is reasonable to suppose that ripple stabilisation by similar processes may have contributed to ripple mark preservation in the geological record. A conceptual model of sandy intertidal flat processes is presented, illustrating two conditions: (i) a low EPS/microalgae sediment content with low ripple stabilisation and preservation potential; and (ii) a high EPS/microalgae content with higher preservation potential.
Nest success of Lapwings Vanellus vanellus on organic and conventional arable farms in the Netherlands
Authors: KRAGTEN STEVEN , DE SNOO GEERT R.
Published: May 2007

Increasing agricultural intensification has put farmland bird populations under great stress. Although organically managed farms tend to have higher densities of farmland birds than conventionally managed holdings, differences in crop management may also lead to differences in breeding success. With the use of agrochemicals prohibited on organic farms, weeds are controlled using mechanical methods that may pose a threat to ground‐nesting birds. This study compares the territory densities and nesting success of the Lapwing Vanellus vanellus on organic and conventional arable farms in the Netherlands. Territory densities were generally higher on organic farms, although in one year nesting success was lower on organic than on conventional farms. This was caused by higher nest loss resulting from farming activities on organic farms. There were no differences in predation rates. The results of this study show that breeding Lapwings may face potential threats on organic farms. To sustain or enhance Lapwing populations on these farms, additional conservation measures should be implemented.
Dehydration does not influence cardiovascular reactivity to behavioural stress in young healthy humans
Authors: Schwabe Lars , Szinnai Gabor , Keller Ulrich , Schachinger Hartmut
Published: May 2007

Enhanced hydration increases the human cardiovascular reactivity to mental stress. If reduced water intake has the opposite effect, this would suggest controlling for water deprivation when studying such responses. Blood pressure, heart rate and parasympathetically dominated beat‐to‐beat heart rate fluctuations were assessed during resting baseline and mental stress. Two challenging cognitive‐motor tasks, a 5‐Choice Reaction Time Task (CRTT) and a Paced Auditory Serial Addition Task (PASAT), served as mental stress tests. Eight female and eight male volunteers were examined twice, after 24 h of water deprivation and after normal water intake (counterbalanced order, 7‐day interval). Water deprivation resulted in moderate dehydration with a mean 2·6% decrease of total body weight. Dehydration did neither affect baseline blood pressure, heart rate, nor blood pressure reactivity to mental stress. However, dehydration slightly (−1·2 bpm) diminished heart rate reactivity to the PASAT (P = 0·03) and increased beat‐to‐beat heart rate fluctuations in response to the CRTT (P = 0·05). Dehydration intensified CRTT‐ and PASAT‐induced reductions of beat‐to‐beat heart rate fluctuations in females (gender × dehydration interactions: P = 0·04–0·05). Moderate dehydration induced by water restriction has no effect on blood pressure reactivity to mental stress. The effects on heart rate reactivity are small. However, stress‐induced parasympathetic withdrawal may be fortified during dehydration in females, which suggests controlling for water intake when studying such responses.
THE HISTORY OF THE LAWRENCE BERKELEY NATIONAL LABORATORY INSTRUMENTAL NEUTRON ACTIVATION ANALYSIS PROGRAMME FOR ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND GEOLOGICAL MATERIALS
Authors: ASARO F. , ADAN‐BAYEWITZ D.
Published: May 2007

The Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory pottery provenance group developed standards and instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) methods that are used at many archaeometry laboratories around the world. The background and development of ‘Standard Pottery’ and of methods for INAA are described. Early pottery provenance studies are described, and other research programmes, involving obsidian and magmatic mixing, the origin of the stone used for the Colossi of Memnon, and the ‘Plate of Brass’, are mentioned. Research work by the Laboratory included the discovery of the world‐wide iridium anomaly and extensive subsequent research on what has come to be known as the ‘Asteroid Impact Theory’. Characteristics of the analytical programme for pottery provenance work, including overall aims, precision and accuracy, intercalibration, and irradiation and measurement protocols, are discussed. New research areas developed in the past 15 years, to broaden the usefulness of chemical compositional data for archaeological investigation, and examples of recent work, are described. This research, which makes use of high‐precision X‐ray fluorescence analysis in addition to INAA measurements on sample splits, includes distinguishing the products of different workshops located at the same production site, studies on the significance of the distribution of silver in archaeological pottery and the use of high‐precision chemical compositional data as an aid for making chronological distinctions.
ARCHAEOMETRY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI RESEARCH REACTOR AND THE PROVENANCE OF OBSIDIAN ARTEFACTS IN NORTH AMERICA
Authors: GLASCOCK M. D. , SPEAKMAN R. J. , NEFF H.
Published: May 2007

Descriptions of the history of the Archaeometry Laboratory at the University of Missouri Research Reactor and the procedures used for instrumental neutron activation analysis of archaeological materials are presented. The laboratory was established in 1988 to support students and faculty from the University of Missouri and other universities who were interested in archaeological research involving compositional analysis. The results obtained from the analysis of obsidian sources and artefacts from locations in the continental USA are presented for illustration.
THE IMPORTANCE OF THE ‘BEST RELATIVE FIT FACTOR’ WHEN EVALUATING ELEMENTAL CONCENTRATION DATA OF POTTERY DEMONSTRATED WITH MYCENAEAN SHERDS FROM SINDA, CYPRUS
Authors: MOMMSEN H. , SJÖBERG B. L.
Published: May 2007

Neutron activation analysis of pottery was established at Bonn in 1983 and has since become one of the primary archaeometry‐based analytical techniques at the facility. A brief history of the laboratory and a discussion of the best relative fit procedure for pottery is provided. When comparing concentration data for pottery, a best relative fit should always be considered. This mathematical procedure generally results in ‘sharper’ concentration patterns and improves the separability of chemically not very different compositional groups. This is demonstrated for a set of 30 Late Cypriot (Myc. IIIC1) pottery samples from Sinda, Cyprus, which allow formation of a good reference pattern for this site. Applying factors in the range of 0.82–1.43, a number of samples from Egypt and Palestine can be assigned with high probability to a Cypriot origin.
High‐resolution CT pulmonary findings in idiopathic ankylosing spondylitis: correlations with clinical assessment, plain chest X‐ray and pulmonary function tests
Authors: ZAKI Samia , EL‐HADIDI Khaled , SAMI Hani , EMAD Yasser
Published: May 2007

Aim:  The aim of this study is to evaluate pulmonary manifestations of ankylosing spondylitis on high‐resolution computed tomography (CT) scan and to correlate these findings with clinical assessment, plain chest X‐ray and pulmonary function tests.

Methods:  The study comprised 32 patients (26 males [81.3%], 6 females [18.8%]) who met the modified New York criteria for diagnosis of idiopathic ankylosing spondylitis; in addition 10 normal subjects not complaining of any respiratory symptoms and matched for age and sex served as a control group. All patients were subjected to full history‐taking, full clinical examination, chest X‐ray, high‐resolution computed tomography (HRCT) chest and pulmonary function tests.

Results:  The abnormalities on HRCT included evidence of apical lung fibrosis in two patients (6.3%), interstitial lung disease in six (18.8%), minor interstitial abnormalities in eight (25%), bronchiectasis in four (12.5%), lung nodules in three (6.3%) and pleural thickening in five patients (6.3%). Nine patients (28.1%) showed negative findings by chest X‐ray which revealed positive findings on HRCT. Five patients (15.6%) showed positive findings on both HRCT and plain chest X‐ray, and 18 patients (56.3%) showed no findings on both HRCT and chest X‐ray. Four patients (12.5%) showed normal pulmonary function tests, 25 (78.13%) showed restrictive pattern, 17 (53.13%) had obstructive pattern and 26 patients (81.3%) had diffusion defects.

Conclsuion:  The identification of non‐apical minor basal interstitial lung disease in our study which was previously reported in other studies, raises a possible association to ankylosing spondylitis. High‐resolution CT scan is more sensitive than chest X‐rays in detection of such minor interstitial lung disease (ILD), and other parenchymal lung changes.
Aggressive autoimmune hepatitis in a case of mixed connective tissue disease
Authors: EMAD Y.
Published: May 2007

The association of autoimmune hepatitis and mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD) has rarely been described in the literature. We report a 16‐year‐old female patient with established diagnosis of MCTD who developed autoimmune hepatitis in 2006 1 year after her disease onset. The diagnosis of autoimmune hepatitis in our case was based on elevated liver enzymes, positive anti‐nuclear antibody, positive anti‐smooth muscle antibody (ASMA), positive liver‐kidney microsomal antibody (anti–LKM‐1) and negative virology screening tests for viral hepatitis. The patient as successfully treated with steroid and azathioprin.
A study on caudal epidural analgesia for lowback pain/sciatica
Authors: SARAVANA Shanmugam , GILLOTT Tim
Published: May 2007

Aim:  We performed a small study to examine the efficacy of caudal epidural analgesia in our patients with lumbosacral radicular pain, to assess the patient's tolerance of the procedure and to assess the willingness of patients to have the procedure repeated in future if offered.

Method:  Patients with low back pain/sciatica being examined by rheumatology consultants were selected for caudal epidural injection. The procedure was done in the rheumatology ward as a day procedure. Bupivacaine 0.25% (15–25 mL) and triamcinolone (40 mg) were used.

Results:  The majority of patients found improvement in pain. We did not come across any major side effects. A majority of patients were willing to have further injections.

Conclusion:  Caudal epidural analgesia for sciatica and low back pain is a relatively safe and straightforward procedure.
A Modern Perspective on β‐Blocker Use in Hypertension: Clinical Trials and Their Influence on Clinical Practice
Authors: Black Henry R. , Sica Domenic A.
Published: May 2007

National guidelines recommend β‐blockers as second step agents after diuretic therapy in patients without compelling indications despite little clinical trial evidence of cardiovascular outcome benefits in uncomplicated essential hypertension. In high‐risk patients with hypertension, such as those with a previous myocardial infarction or diabetes, heart failure, or coronary artery disease, β‐blockers have been shown to reduce the risk of cardiovascular mortality and to reduce events beyond those ascribed to blood pressure (BP) lowering. The use of a β‐blocker‐based regimen in patients with diabetes has been shown to reduce cardiovascular mortality, progression of diabetic nephropathy, and stroke. Lowering BP in hypertensive patients is a primary goal, but it is also essential that goal BP be achieved with the fewest adverse consequences (ie, by choosing agents that do not worsen concomitant conditions or cause unacceptable side effects). Physicians must consider issues of possible worsening insulin resistance and dyslipidemia associated with some β‐blockers. These metabolic concerns, however, are not an issue for the combined β‐/αblocker carvedilol. This review highlights historical data and important clinical trials that underscore the importance of β‐blockade in specific patients and delineates situations where β‐blockers benefit patients with hypertension and/or cardiovascular disease.
Origin and mechanical significance of honeycomb garnet in high‐pressure metasedimentary rocks from the Tauern Window, Eastern Alps
Authors: HAWKINS A. T. , SELVERSTONE J. , BREARLEY A. J. , BEANE R. J. , KETCHAM R. A. , CARLSON W. D.
Published: May 2007

High‐pressure schists (2–2.5 GPa) from the Eclogite Zone in the Tauern Window contain honeycomb garnet in which fine webs of garnet surround strain‐free quartz ± carbonate grains. High‐resolution X‐ray computed tomography shows that the garnet webs form a cellular structure that coats all surfaces of the inclusions. Electron backscatter diffraction analysis shows that the garnet cells are crystallographically continuous with more massive garnet regions, and that the quartz ± carbonate inclusions have random orientations; in contrast, matrix quartz exhibits a prominent crystallographic preferred orientation (CPO). High‐resolution transmission electron microscopy shows few dislocations in either the garnet or the inclusion quartz. Most honeycomb garnet is chemically homogeneous, but some displays asymmetric core–rim zoning. Taken together, these observations are most consistent with formation of the garnet sheets via precipitation from a wetting fluid along quartz–quartz grain boundaries, or possibly via wholesale precipitation of garnet + quartz ± carbonate from a fluid. In either case, a silicate‐rich aqueous fluid must have been present. The likelihood that a fully wetting fluid existed at high pressure has important implications for rheology during subduction of metasedimentary rocks: strain may be accommodated by grain rotation and sliding in an aqueous silicate slurry, rather than via dislocation creep mechanisms at high pressures. The absence of a CPO in early quartz may thus point to involvement of a pervasive grain‐boundary fluid rather than requiring low differential stresses during subduction.
Nassella pulchra Survival and Water Relations Depend More on Site Productivity Than on Small‐Scale Disturbance
Authors: Lombardo Keith , Fehmi Jeffrey S. , Rice Kevin J. , Laca Emilio A.
Published: May 2007

We found no significant effect (p > 0.38) of clipping surrounding non‐native annuals on the performance or survival of plantings of the native Nassella pulchra. However, the preplanting productivity of the three sites had a significant effect (p < 0.001) on the demography and water relations of Nassella. Survival was 85% on the lowest productivity site and it decreased by 6% for each additional 100 kg in average aboveground productivity between 2,400 and 3,600 kg/ha. Plants experienced greater water stress in higher productivity sites. Together, these results suggest that the original habitat of N. pulchra may have been in more marginal ecological sites rather than the more fertile soils of the Central Valley.
Effects of Species Richness on Resident and Target Species Components in a Prairie Restoration
Authors: Piper Jon K. , Schmidt Emily S. , Janzen Angela J.
Published: May 2007

The ecological role of biodiversity in achieving successful restoration has been little explored in restoration ecology. We tested the prediction that we are more likely to create persistent, species‐rich plant communities by increasing the number of species sown, and, to some degree, by varying functional group representation, in experimental prairie plantings. There were 12 treatments consisting of 1‐, 2‐, 3‐, 4‐, 8‐, 12‐, and 16‐species mixtures of native perennials representing four functional groups (C4 grasses, C3 grasses, nitrogen‐fixing species, and late‐flowering composites) that predominate within Central Plains tallgrass prairies. In 2000, species were seeded into square plots (6 × 6 m), with five replicates per treatment, on former agricultural land. Annually, we measured total species richness and evenness, target species richness and cover, and richness and cover of resident species (i.e., those emerging from the seed bank). Both target species richness and rate of establishment of target communities were highest in the most species‐rich mixtures, but there was no additional benefit for treatments that contained more than eight species. Richness of resident species did not vary with target species richness; however, cover by resident species was lower in the higher target species treatments. Our results, indicating that establishment of species‐rich prairie mimics can be enhanced by starting with larger numbers of species at the outset, have implications for grassland restoration in which community biodiversity creation and maintenance are key goals.
Influence of Invasive Tree Kill Rates on Native and Invasive Plant Establishment in a Hawaiian Forest
Authors: Loh Rhonda K. , Daehler Curtis C.
Published: May 2007

Fire tree (Morella faya) has invaded extensive areas of wet and mesic forest on the Island of Hawai’i, forming nearly monospecific stands. Our objective was to identify a method of controlling M. faya, which would allow native plants to establish while minimizing establishment by invasive plants. Treatments (logging all trees, trees left standing but girdled, and incremental girdling over 20 months) were selected to kill M. faya stands at different rates, thereby creating different conditions for species establishment. Leaf litter was either removed or left in place; seeds and seedlings of three native pioneer species, three native forest species, and three alien invasive species were then added to determine their ability to establish. Native pioneer species established best in the log and girdle treatments, whereas seedling emergence of native forest species was higher in the girdle and incremental girdle treatments. Seedlings of invasive species emerged faster than the natives, but each of them responded differently to the stand treatments. Leaf litter reduced seedling emergence for all species, with small‐seeded species (<1 mg/seed) affected most under low light conditions. No single method eliminated all invaders, but girdling of M. faya provided suitable conditions for most native species. If combined with selective removal of the most disruptive alien species and native seed additions, girdling could be an effective general strategy for restoring native forests that have been overwhelmed by woody invaders.
Does the Type of Disturbance Matter When Restoring Disturbance‐Dependent Grasslands?
Authors: MacDougall Andrew S. , Turkington Roy
Published: May 2007

The reintroduction of burning is usually viewed as critical for grassland restoration; but its ecological necessity is often untested. On the one hand, fire may be irreplaceable because it suppresses dominant competitors, eliminates litter, and modifies resource availability. On the other hand, its impacts could be mimicked by other disturbances such as mowing or weeding that suppress dominants but without the risks sometimes associated with burning. Using a 5‐year field experiment in a degraded oak savanna, we tested the impacts of fire, cutting and raking, and weeding on two factors critical for restoration: controlling dominant invasive grasses and increasing subordinate native flora. We manipulated the season of treatment application and used sites with different soil depths because both factors influence fire behavior. We found no significant difference among the treatments—all were similarly effective at suppressing exotics and increasing native plant growth. This occurred because light is the primary limiting resource for many native species and each treatment increased its availability. The effectiveness of disturbance for restoration depended more on the timing of application and site factors than on the type of treatment used. Summer disturbances occurred near their reproductive peak of the exotics, so their mortality approached 100%. Positive responses by native species were significantly greater on shallow soils because these areas had higher native diversity prior to treatment. Although likely not applicable to all disturbance‐dependent ecosystems, these results emphasize the importance of testing the effectiveness of alternative restoration treatments prior to their application.
Querying the Obvious: Lessons from a Degraded Stream
Authors: Pohlon Elisabeth , Augspurger Clemens , Risse‐Buhl Ute , Arle Jens , Willkomm Marlene , Halle Stefan , Küsel Kirsten
Published: May 2007

A detailed assessment of degradation issues is essential for the development of reasonable restoration strategies. The assessment may be a difficult task when fluxes of organic matter and energy are concerned, which are primarily mediated by microorganisms. In small streams, biofilms are hot spots of trophic interactions. Small weirs cause small‐scale changes of flow velocity, which affects the formation, structure, and function of biofilms. Weirs are superficially considered as disturbing cross barriers that should immediately be removed for the restoration of riparian systems. However, our empirical studies of weirs in the stream Ilm, Germany, and conceptual modeling approaches revealed a rather beneficial effect because weirs compensate the loss of natural retention structures in straightened rivers. Longer processing time of particulate organic matter in the weir reservoirs may have a positive effect on biofilm productivity and nutrient cycling in aquatic ecosystems. This is a striking example of thorough investigations that resulted in a complete and surprising reassessment of a degradation situation, and for a case in which uninformed gut feeling decisions about management plans would have had detrimental effects.
Setting Attainable Goals of Stream Habitat Restoration from a Macroinvertebrate View
Authors: Spänhoff Bernd , Arle Jens
Published: May 2007

Many efforts have been undertaken to reduce the impairment of stream ecosystems by wastewaters and other pollution, leading to a remarkable improvement of the water quality in most parts of Central Europe. Actually, the most severe disturbance to stream systems in Central Europe is the structural degradation of stream morphology. Restoration practices increasing the structural heterogeneity of formerly degraded stream sections are necessary to create new habitats at different scales that could provide habitat for a diverse invertebrate community. Increasing biodiversity of aquatic invertebrates strengthens the ecological integrity of streams and is therefore a desirable goal in stream restoration. Nevertheless, recent studies focusing on the effect of structural restoration of stream sections often displayed results that did not really met the preset goal of increasing invertebrate diversity. This might be due to sometimes severe disturbance caused by the restoration practice itself, impairing the established invertebrate community in the restored stream section. Additionally, the potential for immigration of new species into the restored stream section is often limited. Therefore, several important prerequisites must be accounted for in the planning of restoration practices to improve structurally degraded stream sections, when the goal of restoration is increasing invertebrate diversity.
Evaluation of Restoration Practice Based on Environmental Filters
Authors: Nuttle Tim
Published: May 2007

Environmental filter models have been proposed as conceptual organizing frameworks for comparing and contrasting restoration practices. I evaluate two such environmental filter models, one proposed by Fattorini and Halle (2004) and the other by Hobbs and Norton (2004). These models were developed by abstracting restoration practice into what the authors viewed as the essential features restoration practitioners target for control or manipulation. In so doing, these conceptual frameworks hope to be able to transfer insights between different kinds of ecosystems. Here, I take the opposite approach: given an environmental filter model, I asked how well its filters could characterize restoration practices reported in the literature. I found that it was easier to characterize specific restoration practice using the more detailed filters described by Hobbs and Norton. I found that manipulation of biotic filters was most common in terrestrial ecosystems, whereas manipulation of abiotic filters was more common in wetland and stream ecosystems. Fattorini and Halle’s model appears most useful for evaluating the current status of degraded ecosystems compared to nondegraded ones, but Hobbs and Norton’s model is better for evaluating what particular restoration activities might be undertaken to move that system from a degraded to a nondegraded state.
The Challenge to Restore Processes in Face of Nonlinear Dynamics—On the Crucial Role of Disturbance Regimes
Authors: Jentsch Anke
Published: May 2007

Increasingly, restoration ecologists and managers are challenged to restore ecological processes that lead to self‐sustaining ecosystem dynamics. Due to changing environmental conditions, however, restoration goals need to include novel regimes beyond prior reference conditions or reference dynamics. In face of these fundamental challenges in process‐based restoration ecology, disturbance ecology can offer useful insights. Here, I discuss the contribution of disturbance ecology to understanding assembly rules, ecosystem dynamics, regime shifts, and nonlinear dynamics. Using the patch and multipatch concept, all insights are organized according to two spatial and two temporal categories: “patch–event,”“patch–multievent,”“multipatch–event,” and “multipatch–multievent.” This concept implies the consideration of both spatial patterns and temporal rhythms inside and outside of a restoration site. Emerging issues, such as uncoupling of internal and external dynamics, are considered.
Restoration Ecology to the Future: A Call for New Paradigm
Authors: Choi Young D.
Published: May 2007

The discipline of restoration ecology has grown remarkably in the past decades, providing new ideas and opportunities for conserving biological diversity, managing ecosystems, and testing ecological theories. On the other side, its past‐oriented, static, and idealistic approach has been criticized for subjectivity in determining restoration goals, inapplicability to dynamic ecosystems, and inability for restoring certain irreversible losses. Moreover, unpredictable sustainability of the restored ecosystems, which were modeled after its historical fidelity, adds our skepticism under the changing environment. This paper calls for a new paradigm of ecological restoration to the future. A future‐oriented restoration should (1) establish the ecosystems that are able to sustain in the future, not the past, environment; (2) have multiple alternative goals and trajectories for unpredictable endpoints; (3) focus on rehabilitation of ecosystem functions rather than recomposition of species or cosmetics of landscape surface; and (4) acknowledge its identity as a “value‐laden” applied science within economically and socially acceptable framework. Applicability of ecological theories to restoration practice is also discussed in this paper.
Estimating Lead Time and Overdiagnosis Associated with PSA Screening from Prostate Cancer Incidence Trends
Authors: Telesca Donatello , Etzioni Ruth , Gulati Roman
Published: May 2007

Summary The introduction of the prostate‐specific antigen (PSA) test has led to dramatic changes in the incidence of prostate cancer in the United States. In this article, we use information on the increase and subsequent decline in prostate cancer incidence following the adoption of PSA to estimate the lead time associated with PSA screening. The lead time is a key determinant of the likelihood of overdiagnosis, one of the main costs associated with the PSA test. Our approach conceptualizes observed incidence as the sum of the secular trend in incidence, which reflects incidence in the absence of PSA, and the excess incidence over and above the secular trend, which is a function of population screening patterns and the unknown lead time. We develop a likelihood model for the excess incidence given the secular trend and use it to estimate the mean lead time under specified distributional assumptions. We also develop a likelihood model for observed incidence and use it to simultaneously estimate the mean lead time together with a smooth secular trend. Variances and confidence intervals are estimated via a parametric bootstrap. Our results indicate an average lead time of approximately 4.59 years (95% confidence interval [3.24, 5.93]) for whites and 6.78 years [5.42, 8.20] for blacks with a corresponding secular trend estimate that is fairly flat after the introduction of PSA screening. These estimates correspond to overdiagnosis frequencies of approximately 22.7% and 34.4% for screen‐detected whites and blacks, respectively. Our results provide the first glimpse of a plausible secular trend in prostate cancer incidence and suggest that, in the absence of PSA screening, disease incidence would not have continued its historic increase, rather it would have leveled off in accordance with changes in prostate patterns of care unrelated to PSA.
Traumatic Loss and Major Disasters: Strengthening Family and Community Resilience
Authors: WALSH FROMA
Published: May 2007

This article presents the core principles and value of a family and community resilience‐oriented approach to recovery from traumatic loss when catastrophic events occur. In contrast to individually based, symptom‐focused approaches to trauma recovery, this multisystemic practice approach contextualizes the distress in the traumatic experience and taps strengths and resources in relational networks to foster healing and posttraumatic growth. The intertwining of trauma and traumatic losses is discussed. Key family and social processes in risk and resilience in traumatic loss situations are outlined. Case illustrations, model programs, and intervention guidelines are described in situations of community violence and major disasters to suggest ways to foster family and community resilience.