bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Income breeding allows an aquatic snake Seminatrix pygaea to reproduce normally following prolonged drought‐induced aestivation
Authors: WINNE CHRISTOPHER T. , WILLSON JOHN D. , GIBBONS J. WHITFIELD 
Published: October 2006

Summary

Capital breeding is an ideal reproductive strategy for many ectotherms because it provides a disassociation between feeding and reproduction, a necessary requirement for animals that become anorexic during pregnancy. Among ectotherms, some viviparous snakes (e.g. Viperidae) exemplify the capital breeding strategy because many species (i) do not feed during pregnancy due to behavioural conflicts between reproduction and foraging, and (ii) take more than one season to accumulate sufficient energetic stores for reproduction.
Isolated wetlands often exhibit extreme annual fluctuations in environmental conditions with prolonged droughts periodically leaving wetlands completely dry and devoid of prey. Following droughts, however, wetlands can be extremely productive, rendering prey resources virtually unlimited for some species.
This study examines drought survival strategy and reproductive ecology of a small aquatic snake Seminatrix pygaea (Cope) in an isolated wetland. Seminatrix pygaea are atypical from most sympatric snake species in that (i) their small body size, reliance on aquatic prey, and high rates of evaporative water loss make them ill‐suited to overland movement, and (ii) they may not be subject to costs typically associated with feeding during pregnancy.
We hypothesized that S. pygaea would survive periodic multiyear droughts by aestivating within the dried wetland, a survival strategy heretofore undocumented in snakes. Further, we hypothesized that if S. pygaea rely on ‘typical’ snake reproductive strategies of ‘adaptive anorexia’ and capital breeding, reproductive output would be reduced in the first wet year following drought.
By encircling a 10‐ha wetland with a continuous drift fence before it refilled we were able to demonstrate that S. pygaea were present within the dried wetland prior to the onset of spring rains that refilled the wetland in 2003. Our results suggest that S. pygaea are capable of surviving multiyear droughts by aestivating within the dried wetland.
Despite having presumably depleted energy reserves during the drought, S. pygaea reproduced with the same frequency and fecundity during the first season following refilling of the wetland as in pre‐drought years.
The ability of S. pygaea to rebound rapidly from the stresses of prolonged drought is due in part to their reproductive ecology. Seminatrix pygaea readily feed throughout pregnancy and consequently can rapidly translate high prey abundances into reproductive output through income breeding.
Experimental evidence that the introduced fire ant, Solenopsis invicta, does not competitively suppress co‐occurring ants in a disturbed habitat
Authors: KING JOSHUA R. , TSCHINKEL WALTER R. 
Published: October 2006

Summary

The fire ant, Solenopsis invicta, is a globally distributed invasive ant that is largely restricted to disturbed habitats in its introduced range. For more than half a century, biologists have believed its success results from superior competitive abilities relative to native ant species, as well as an escape from their natural enemies.
We used large volumes of hot water to kill fire ant colonies, and only fire ant colonies, on experimental plots in pastures, and found that populations and diversity of co‐occurring ants did not subsequently increase.
These results are contrary to classical predictions and indicate that S. invicta is not a superior competitor that suppresses native ants, and that the low diversity and abundance of native ants in degraded ecosystems does not result from interaction with fire ants. Instead, other factors such as prior disturbance and recruitment limitation may be the primary limiting factors for native species in these habitats.
Evolutionary diversification of the bean beetle genus Callosobruchus (Coleoptera: Bruchidae): traits associated with stored‐product pest status
Authors: TUDA M. , RÖNN J. , BURANAPANICHPAN S. , WASANO N. , ARNQVIST G. 
Published: October 2006

AbstractDespite the fact that many plant‐feeding insects are pests, little effort has been made to identify key evolutionary trait transitions that allow taxa to acquire or lose pest status. A large proportion of species in the genus Callosobruchus are economically important pests of stored, dry postharvest beans of the tribe Phaseoleae. However, the evolution of this feeding habit is poorly understood. Here, we present a reconstruction of the phylogeny of the Asian and African Callosobruchus based on three mitochondrial genes, and assess which traits have been associated with the evolutionary origin or loss of ability to reproduce on dry beans. Our phylogenetic analysis showed that species group into the chinensis and the maculatus clades, which are also supported by genital morphology, and an additional paraphyletic group. Ancestral ability to use dry beans has been lost in the chinensis clade but acquired again in C. chinensis. Dry‐bean use and host‐plant use were both phylogenetically constrained and transitions in the two were significantly correlated. Host shifts from the subtribe Phaseolinae to Cajaninae were more common than the reverse and were more likely in species using young beans. The ability to use dry beans was more likely gained when using Phaseolinae hosts and promoted habitat shifts from tropical to temperate regions. Adaptation to arid climate was also associated with the ability to reproduce on dry beans and on Phaseolinae. Thus, our analysis suggests that physiological adaptations to an arid climate and to Phaseolinae hosts both render beetles predisposed to become pests of cultivated beans.
Housing and health in Indigenous communities: Key issues for housing and health improvement in remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities
Authors: Bailie Ross S. , Wayte Kayli J. 
Published: October 2006

Abstract Indigenous people living in remote communities face some particular difficulties with regard to housing and its impact on their health. This paper reviews the contemporary international understanding of the relationship between housing and health, the history of settlement and housing conditions in remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, and some of the recent initiatives to improve housing in these communities.
Impact of support initiatives on retaining rural general practitioners
Authors: Gardiner Maria , Sexton Roger , Kearns Hugh , Marshall Kelly 
Published: October 2006

AbstractObjective:  This study aimed to evaluate the impact of the dr doc program, a rural doctor workforce support program, which consists of social and psychological support and practical interventions, on the well‐being and retention of rural GPs. Design:  Rural GPs were assessed on different aspects of well‐being and their intentions to leave rural general practice, and these were compared with similar data collected two years prior. Setting:  Rural general practices in South Australia. Participants:  Two hundred and twenty‐one rural GPs (55% of South Australian rural GP workforce). Main outcome measures:  GPs completed a questionnaire assessing their levels of support, intention to leave rural practice, use of the dr doc program, and psychological health. Results:  Improvements were found in the support networks and in the physical and emotional health of rural GPs from time 1 to time 2. There was also a reduction in the number of GPs wanting to leave rural general practice in the short to medium term (from 30% to 25%). Conclusions:  The initial study in this series suggested that improving psychological well‐being might influence rural GPs’ intentions to leave rural practice. The current study confirms these suggestions by demonstrating that programs targeted at psychological and physical well‐being do indeed impact on rural GPs’ intentions to leave. The results of this study highlight the role of psychological well‐being in retaining rural GPs and emphasise the value of developing psychologically based programs to not only boost the physical and mental health of GPs, but also to reduce departure from rural areas.
Combined positron emission tomography/computed tomography for evaluation of presumed choroidal metastases
Authors: Donaldson Mark J , Pulido Jose S , Mullan Brian P , Inwards David J , Cantrill Herb , Johnson Max R , Han Min‐Kyu 
Published: October 2006

AbstractBackground:  Choroidal metastases are the most common intraocular malignancy and are the first sign of systemic malignancy in approximately one‐third of patients. Of patients with no previous diagnosis of cancer, oncological evaluation fails to find the primary lesion in approximately 50% of cases. Newer imaging modalities such as combined positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) may improve the yield of the systemic work‐up.Methods:  Consecutive patients presenting with presumed choroidal metastases were evaluated with whole body combined PET/CT scanning.Results:  Four patients presenting to a tertiary referral hospital with choroidal metastases as the first sign of systemic malignancy were evaluated. In all four cases, PET/CT demonstrated the ocular lesion, and the primary malignancy which was confirmed by tissue biopsy. False‐negative results were seen in two cases of cerebral metastases. PET/CT demonstrated lesions not visible on CT or magnetic resonance imaging in two cases.Conclusions:  Combined PET/CT is a useful addition to the work‐up of patients with choroidal metastases. It provides the opportunity to detect lesions not visible with other imaging modalities and the ability to image patients with contraindications to magnetic resonance imaging. It is essential to correlate PET images with clinical information and the results of other imaging modalities and tissue biopsy remains the gold standard in the diagnosis of malignancy. False positives and negatives can occur with PET/CT, and further research is needed before this promising technology becomes a routine part of the evaluation of patients with choroidal metastases.
Fluorescein enhanced confocal microscopy in vivo for the evaluation of corneal epithelium
Authors: Mocan Mehmet C , Irkec Murat 
Published: October 2006

AbstractBackground:  In vivo confocal microscopy is being increasingly used to evaluate corneal disorders. This study aimed to evaluate whether topical fluorescein application prior to in vivo confocal microscopy had any effect on the imaging characteristics of the corneal epithelium.Methods:  Confocal microscopy in vivo with Confoscan 3.0 (Vigonza, Italy) was performed on 22 corneas of 22 study patients before and 1 min after application of unpreserved 2% fluorescein solution on the cornea. Ten patients with normal corneal findings served as control. The quality of superficial epithelial (SE) visualization, the SE density, the image intensity and the presence of hyperreflective SE cells were evaluated.Results:  Eleven patients had normal corneal epithelium (group 1), six had keratoconus (group 2) and five had overt epitheliopathy (group 3). The visibility of SE layers of all subjects appeared to be enhanced in the post‐fluorescein images. There was a significant difference between the mean pre‐fluorescein (857.2 + 319.4 cells/mm2) and post‐fluorescein (1378.0 ± 292.1 cells/mm2) SE densities of all study subjects (paired t‐test, P < 0.001). Hyperreflective SE cells were more common in the post‐fluorescein images of groups 2 (83.3%), and group 3 (80%) compared with group 1 patients (36.4%). These differences were not significant between the two consecutive corneal images of control patients who received unpreserved artificial tears instead of fluorescein.Conclusions:  Topical fluorescein application appears to enhance the visualization of the corneal epithelium. This technique may enable better evaluation of the corneal epithelium quantitatively and qualitatively in both normal subjects and patients with epithelial involvement.
Defining the core competency of professionalism based on the patient’s perception
Authors: Davis Romona L , Wiggins Michael N , Mercado Cynthia C , O’Sullivan Patricia S 
Published: October 2006

AbstractBackground:  To better define professionalism using a 10‐question multiple‐choice survey of patient preferences.Methods:  One hundred and ninety‐one adult patients (response rate: 52% ± 5%) completed a survey over a 3‐week period in resident and faculty ophthalmology clinics in a university setting in a rural portion of the southern USA. Most patients voluntarily provided information on gender, race and age. Data are reported at proportions ± 95% confidence intervals.Results:  Patients desire a degree of formality from their physicians in the form of a handshake (61% ± 7%), greeting of family members (69% ± 7%) and in addressing oneself as doctor. They also prefer note taking by the physician while speaking with them. However, patients do not think that the wearing of a white coat is necessary. Most patients assume (84% ± 5%) that the physician washes his/her hands. Surprisingly, patients (60% ± 7%) are willing to maintain a relationship with a physician despite the use of medical jargon. We found few differences related to gender and none related to race. Women (64% ± 9%) preferred a closed door during the exam. Men (81% ± 8%) either did not want the physician to wear a white coat or said that it made no difference. Those younger than 46 years (67% ± 10%) preferred the door closed compared with those who were older (45% ± 10%).Conclusions:  Our study helps to define professionalism by providing concrete examples of the expectations of patients in the southern USA during physician interaction. Minor adjustments to the patient encounter based on these findings may increase patients’ perception of professionalism, creating a higher level of trust. These are teachable precepts that can be incorporated into residency training.
Outcomes in retinoblastoma, 1974–2005: The Children’s Hospital, Westmead
Authors: Berman Edwina L , Donaldson Craig E , Giblin Michael , Martin Frank J 
Published: October 2006

AbstractBackground:  To report the 31‐year experience of outcomes in retinoblastoma from a single centre.Methods:  A retrospective analysis of consecutive cases of retinoblastoma diagnosed and treated at the Westmead Children’s Hospital, Sydney between 1974 and 2005 was performed. The subjects were analysed as two groups: those diagnosed between 1974 and 1989 (series α) and those diagnosed between 1990 and 2005 (series β).Results:  There were a total of 142 patients included in the study, with a median follow up of 72 months. There were 84 patients with unilateral disease and 58 patients (116 eyes) with bilateral disease. The total enucleation rate remained high throughout both series for those with unilateral disease: 89% (series α) and 95% (series β). There was a reduction in enucleations performed for those with bilateral disease from 68.4% (series α) to 43.6% (series β) (P < 0.025). There were no bilateral enucleations performed after 1995. Actuarial Kaplan–Meier curves showed that 56% of all preserved eyes had not recurred at a median follow up of 95 months and 78.1% had avoided enucleation. Overall 43% of preserved eyes attained a visual acuity better than or equal to 6/12 and 55% achieved a visual acuity better than 6/60. There were four deaths due to retinoblastoma. Five patients were diagnosed with a second non‐ocular malignancy. The most common treatment‐related complications were cataracts, facial deformity, sepsis and febrile neutropaenia.Conclusions:  The introduction of newer globe‐preserving treatments for retinoblastoma was associated with equivalent visual outcomes, stable mortality rate and a greater number of short‐term complications but avoided the late side‐effects associated with external beam radiotherapy.
Liver involvement in hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia: consensus recommendations
Authors: Buscarini Elisabetta , Plauchu Henry , Garcia Tsao Guadalupe , White Robert I. , Sabbà Carlo , Miller Franklin , Saurin Jean Cristophe , Pelage Jean Pierre , Lesca Gaetan , Marion Marie Jeanne , Perna Annalisa , Faughnan Marie E. 
Published: October 2006

Abstract: Study Purpose: To formulate recommendations about clinical management of liver involvement in hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT), using a formal consensus development process.Consensus Process: A nominal group technique was used. A list of main clinical, diagnostic and therapeutic issues about liver involvement in HHT was generated by the organizing committee. Panel members then scored their agreement with each statement; the median score, and standard deviation for each statement were determined for each of the three successive panel rounds. These consensus statements formed the basis for recommendations graded with the strength and quality of supporting evidence.Recommendation Statements: Doppler US is sufficiently accurate and suitable for first‐line imaging of the liver in the general HHT population. Liver biopsy in any patient with proven or suspected HHT should be avoided. Liver involvement in HHT is generally asymptomatic; in the minority of patients where it is symptomatic, morbidity and mortality can be substantial. The prevalence of focal nodular hyperplasia is much higher in patients with liver involvement by HHT than in the general population. Invasive therapies for liver involvement by HHT (namely liver transplantation) should be considered only in patients who have failed to respond to intensive medical therapy.
Impact of liver steatosis on the antiviral response in the hepatitis C virus‐associated chronic hepatitis
Authors: Soresi M. , Tripi S. , Franco V. , Giannitrapani L. , Alessandri A. , Rappa F. , Vuturo O. , Montalto G. 
Published: October 2006

Abstract: Background/Aim: Liver steatosis (LS) has been variably associated with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) but whether it affects sustained virological response to antiviral treatment and by what mechanisms is a question still under debate, at least for some genotypes. The aim of this work was to assess the frequency of LS, its relationship with host and viral factors and to what extent it can influence the response to antiviral combination therapy with pegylated interferon (INF)+ribavirin in a group of patients with CHC from a single center.Patients: One hundred and twelve patients with histologically proven CHC were treated with Peg INF‐α 2a 180 μg a week subcutaneously for 48 weeks plus ribavirin 1000 or 1200 mg/day, according to the patient's body weight. Steatosis was graded according to Brunt et al.Results: Forty‐six out of 112 patients (41.1%) were sustained virological responders (SVR). Seventy‐two out of 112 (64.3%) presented with LS at histology; in this group, there were 24 patients (33.3%) with SVR compared with 22 (55%) of the non‐steatosis group (χ2=6.5, P<0.02). Variables associated with the steatosis group were: higher serum levels of AST (P<0.04), alanine aminotransferase (P<0.02), γ‐GT (P<0.004), genotype 3a (P<0.03) and severity of histology (staging P<0.05) but at multiple linear regression analysis only genotype 3a and staging were significantly associated with LS. In the SVR group, age and body mass index (BMI) were significantly lower (P<0001 and P<0.03, respectively) compared with non‐responders; moreover, genotype 1 was more frequent in the NR group, while genotype 3 was more frequent in the SVR group. At histology, grading and staging were also lower in the SVR group. Multiple logistic regression showed that only the grade of steatosis and genotype 3a were the variables independently associated with SVR.Conclusions: This study showed a frequency of LS on the higher side of the range so far reported in the literature and confirmed that it negatively influences response to therapy. Genotype1 was confirmed to be the most frequent type in our area. It is more frequent in patients with mild–moderate steatosis and seems to condition therapeutic response negatively, together with BMI and age. In contrast, genotype 3a is more frequent in patients with severe steatosis, but is a favorable predictor of successful therapy.
Light scattering in the C57BL/6 mouse lens
Authors: Meyer Linda M. , Dong Xiuqin , Wegener Alfred , Söderberg Per 
Published: October 2006

Abstract.Purpose:  To characterize inherent light scattering in the C57BL/6 mouse lens.Methods:  Lenses from 20 6‐week‐old female C57BL/6 mice were extracted from freshly enucleated globes and microsurgically cleaned of remnants of the ciliary body. Lens light scattering was measured quantitatively with a light dissemination meter (LDM). Morphological properties of the mouse lenses were documented using grid‐ and dark‐field illumination photography. Analysis of variance was performed to establish variance for animals, variance between left and right eyes and variance for measurements.Results:  Average inherent light scattering in the C57BL/6 mouse lens is 0.16 ± 0.02 tEDC (transformed equivalent diazepam concentration). The mean size of a mouse lens at 6 weeks is 1.9 mm in diameter. Two lenses featured pre‐existing cortical lens opacities. Variance for animals was assessed to be 7.9 10− 4 tEDC2, variance for measurements was 1.6 10− 4 tEDC2, and variance between left and right eyes was 8.8 10− 4 tEDC2. The tolerance limit for non‐pathological light scattering was determined to 0.26 tEDC. No significant difference in light scattering between left and right mouse lenses was found. The minimum number of C57BL/6 mice required for detection of a 10% experimentally induced change in light scattering intensity was estimated to be 50 for independent group experiments and 25 for paired design experiments.Conclusions:  The C57BL/6 mouse is a suitable animal in which to conduct experiments on light scattering or cataractogenesis with high precision at reasonable sample sizes. Before including C57BL/6 mice into a study on cataractogenesis, pre‐existing lens opacities such as congenital cataract must be excluded.
Short‐term effects of intravitreal triamcinolone on retinal vascular leakage and trunk vessel diameters in diabetic macular oedema
Authors: Vinten Martin , Larsen Michael , Lund‐Andersen Henrik , Sander Birgit , La Cour Morten 
Published: October 2006

Abstract.Purpose:  To assess retinal vascular permeability and vessel diameter changes after intravitreal triamcinolone acetonide (IVTA) injection in eyes with persistent foveal thickening after photocoagulation for diabetic macular oedema (DMO).Methods:  We calculated the blood–retinal barrier permeability as measured by vitreous fluorophotometry, artery and venous vessel diameter at the temporal vascular arcades as measured on digital fundus photos, and retinal thickness as measured by optical coherence tomography. Seven patients with type 2 diabetes and DMO were examined immediately before and 1 week after IVTA 2 mg. The study was designed as an open‐label interventional case series using the fellow eyes as untreated controls.Results:  One week after IVTA, we observed that, compared with baseline values, blood–retinal barrier permeability had decreased to 27.2 ± 3.6% (p < 0.0001), retinal artery diameter had decreased to 94.9 ± 0.02% (p = 0.05), retinal vein diameter had decreased to 89.2 ± 0.03% (p = 0.02) and foveal thickness had decreased to 68.7 ± 6.9% (p = 0.004). Visual acuity (VA) improved by 7.4 ± 2.2 letters (p = 0.01). No significant change was observed in control eyes except that mean VA deteriorated by 2.6 ± 0.9 letters (p = 0.03). Changes in permeability were closely correlated to changes in retinal thickness (R = 0.84) and venoule diameter (R = 0.93) in treated eyes.Conclusions:  Intravitreal injection of triamcinolone acetonide in eyes with DMO is followed by a marked reduction in retinal vascular leakage and a concomitant reduction in retinal vessel calibre.