bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The impact of remittance income on rural households in China
Authors: Snyder Steve , Chern Wen S. 
Published: October 2008

PurposeThe objective of this paper is to evaluate the impact of remittance income on rural households in China.Design/methodology/approachUsing data from a large survey of farming households in three Chinese provinces, the impacts of remittances and other types of income on consumption, production expenditures is evaluated. The econometric models used in this study include logit, tobit and ordinary least squares models.FindingsIt is found that remittances increase nondurable consumption, but not as much as local wages and that there is no difference in the impact on agricultural production spending between remittance and local wages. The large majority of remittances are reported by the households of non‐permanent migrants, suggesting that the fear of losing land allocations has a strong impact on migration decision.Originality/valueThe paper uses a large data set from three distinct provinces of China and is among the first to investigate the different types of remittance and their impacts on both consumption and production activities of Chinese rural households.
Pesticide use and the effect of trade liberalization on environment for rice production
Authors: Huang Chung‐Huang , Huang Ping‐Yi , Ling Yuan‐Yun 
Published: October 2008

PurposeIn light of the global concern about the impact of trade liberalization on environment, this paper intends to measure, theoretically as well as empirically, the impact of freer rice trade on environmental quality in terms of chemical intensity, measured by a decreasing scale indicator.Design/methodology/approachA dynamic land allocation model is designed that incorporates rational expectations on rice price and soil degradation due to long‐term cultivation on the same piece of land. Both demands for land and pesticides are derived and empirically estimated using time‐series data in Taiwan.FindingsThe results reveal that chemical intensity may increase with freer trade. The effect of freer trade on chemical intensity was less significant in earlier days such as the 1980s than in recent years. The basic model explains, to some extent, why some country representative conveyed their concerns in the Committee of Trade and Environment under WTO about the environmental degradation due to freer trade in agriculture. It also implies that more investment on environmental protection is warranted in the course of trade liberalization.Research limitations/implicationsGiven the dramatic inflation of energy prices, more elaboration on the price specification with respect to pesticides may be warranted for future researches.Originality/valueThe paper develops a rational expectations model to measure the impact of rice trade liberalization on environmental quality.
Serum gastrin and pepsinogens do not correlate with the different grades of severity of gastro‐oesophageal reflux disease: a matched case–control study
Authors: MONKEMULLER K. , NEUMANN H. , NOCON M. , VIETH M. , LABENZ J. , WILLICH S. N. , STOLTE M. , HOCKER M. , JASPERSEN D. , LIND T. , MALFERTHEINER P. 
Published: October 2008

SummaryBackground  Gastrin and pepsinogens reflect the functional state of the gastric mucosa.Aim  To evaluate whether serum gastrin and pepsinogens correlate with the different grades of severity of gastro‐oesophageal reflux disease (GERD).Methods  In all, 388 patients with heartburn not taking any form of acid suppressive therapy were matched‐controlled for age and gender and sub‐classified into four groups: group 1 non‐erosive reflux disease (NERD); group 2, erosive reflux disease (ERD) Los Angeles (LA) A and B, group 3, ERD LA C and D; group 4 Barrett’s oesophagus (BO). Fasting serum was analysed for gastrin 17, pepsinogen I, pepsinogen II und Helicobacter pylori using specific EIA tests (GastroPanel; Biohit, Plc). Statistics: Kruskal–Wallis test and analysis of variance.Results  There was a significant difference among the four groups with respect for pepsinogen I, but not for pepsinogen II, the pepsinogen I pepsinogen II ratio, H. pylori serology and gastrin levels. Pepsinogen I was the lowest in NERD and the highest in BO (median 91.6, mean ± standard deviation 106.2 ± 51.6 vs. median 114.7, mean ± standard deviation 130.4 ± 70.6; P = 0.046). Pepsinogen I levels were higher in H. pylori positive subjects. After adjusting for H. pylori status, the differences in pepsinogen I across patient groups were no longer statistically significant (P = 0.298).Conclusions  Serum gastrin and pepsinogen I and II do not correlate with the different grades of severity of GERD. The non‐invasive GastroPanel is not useful for the differentiation of the various forms of GERD.
Gastrointestinal complaints among subjects with depressive symptoms in the general population
Authors: HILLILÄ M. T. , HÄMÄLÄINEN J. , HEIKKINEN M. E. , FäRKKILÄ M. A. 
Published: October 2008

SummaryBackground  Patients with depression have irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) more often than do nondepressed patients, but the comorbidity of depression and gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms in the general population has received little study.Aim  To study the co‐occurrence of depressive and GI symptoms in a general population sample and to assess the rate of health‐care utilization particularly for GI reasons among subjects with depressive symptoms.Methods  A questionnaire containing the Finnish version of the Beck Depression Inventory Short Form and questions covering GI symptoms according to Rome II criteria was mailed to 5000 randomly selected adults.Results  Response rate was 73%. Prevalence of depressive symptoms was 17% (95% CI: 15.7–18.2). Frequent abdominal pain, diarrhoea, constipation, dyspepsia or IBS were present in 54% of those with depressive symptoms and in 29% of nondepressed controls (P < 0.0001). Of those with depressive symptoms, 24% had visited a physician at least once because of abdominal symptoms during the previous year, compared to 13% of controls (P < 0.0001).Conclusions  Depressive symptoms are prevalent in the general population. They are associated with a high rate of GI symptoms, leading to increased use of health‐care services and work absenteeism because of abdominal complaints.
Meta‐analysis: factors predicting post‐operative recurrence with placebo therapy in patients with Crohn’s disease
Authors: PASCUA M. , SU C. , LEWIS J. D. , BRENSINGER C. , LICHTENSTEIN G. R. 
Published: October 2008

SummaryBackground  The use of placebo in randomized clinical trials (PC‐RCTs) is often required to evaluate drug efficacy in maintenance of Crohn’s disease (CD).Aim  To determine pooled estimates of placebo rates of maintaining clinical remission and endoscopic recurrence following surgery for CD and identify factors that influenced placebo outcomes.Methods  We performed a systematic review and meta‐analysis of PC‐RCTs evaluating post‐operative maintenance therapies for CD identified from MEDLINE from 1966 to 2005.Results  Twelve studies met our inclusion criteria. The pooled placebo rate of maintaining clinical remission was 56% (95% CI 47–64%; range 34–89%) during a median follow‐up of 52 weeks (range 12–156 weeks), but significant heterogeneity existed among the studies (P < 0.001). Prior steroid therapy was the only factor found to be associated with maintaining remission (P = 0.04). The pooled placebo endoscopic recurrence rate was 58% (95% CI 51–65%; range 36–80%) during a median follow‐up of 52 weeks (range 12–156 weeks), with significant heterogeneity noted (P = 0.0003). Prior surgery, concomitant small bowel and colonic disease, fistulizing phenotype, or prior immunomodulator therapy influenced endoscopic recurrence (P < 0.05).Conclusion  Placebo rates in PC‐RCTs evaluating post‐operative clinical and endoscopic recurrence demonstrate significant variability, which is influenced by specific study characteristics.
Review article: the hepatic manifestations of hereditary haemorrhagic telangiectasia
Authors: SABBÀ C. , POMPILI M. 
Published: October 2008

SummaryBackground  Liver involvement in hereditary haemorrhagic telangiectasia is mainly characterized by vascular malformations, such as telangiectasies and arteriovenous shunts, which are found in up to 80% of patients.Aim  To analyse the current knowledge and controversies regarding the epidemiological, pathological, clinical, diagnostic and therapeutic aspects of liver involvement in hereditary haemorrhagic telangiectasia.Methods  Systematic survey analysis of the indexed studies dealing with the above mentioned topics.Results  No more than 8% of patients with hepatic vascular abnormalities will have a symptomatic liver disease, mainly consisting in high‐output heart failure, portal hypertension or biliary disease.Conclusions  Colour Doppler ultrasonography is a non‐invasive, highly accurate and relatively low‐cost procedure for the screening of liver involvement in patients with hereditary haemorrhagic telangiectasia; computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging and angiography can be reserved for the characterization of focal lesions and the study of severely ill patients in whom invasive therapeutic procedures are advisable. Patients with asymptomatic liver involvement should not receive any treatment, while the therapeutic options for symptomatic patients include treatment of the specific complication, invasive procedures for shunt reduction and liver transplantation. The newly developed antiangiogenetic therapies appear to be very promising, but still require further evaluation in clinical trials.
Esomeprazole induces upper gastrointestinal tract transmucosal permeability increase
Authors: MULLIN J. M. , VALENZANO M. C. , WHITBY M. , LURIE D. , SCHMIDT J. D. , JAIN V. , TULLY O. , KEARNEY K. , LAZOWICK D. , MERCOGLIANO G. , THORNTON J. J. 
Published: October 2008

SummaryBackground  Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are one of the most widely used drug classes in the US and are now frontline medications for gastro‐oesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and dyspepsia. In a previous work, we observed that a transmucosal, upper gastrointestinal (GI) leak exists in Barrett’s oesophagus (BO) patients. PPI medications are commonly used by Barrett’s patients.Aim  To examine if the PPI, esomeprazole, affects the barrier function of the upper GI tract.Methods  The sucrose permeability test (SPT) was used to assess the possible effect of the PPI, esomeprazole, on upper GI leak in 37 first‐time‐presenting GERD patients and 25 healthy controls.Results  Esomeprazole induced a significant transmucosal leak in the upper GI tract of patients taking the drug for the first time. The leak occurred quickly, within days of first taking the drug. The leak was also reversed within days of stopping the medication.Conclusions  This is the first patient‐based study showing that a PPI compromises upper GI barrier function. There are potential implications for transmucosal leak of other medications that a patient on a PPI may be taking, as well as possible leak of endogenous peptides/proteins. The clinical consequences of this phenomenon are currently unknown, but are potentially important.
The nuclear factor kappa-B pathway in airway epithelium regulates neutrophil recruitment and host defence following Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection
Authors: Chen S M , Cheng D-S , Williams B J , Sherrill T P , Han W , Chont M , Saint-Jean L , Christman J W , Sadikot R T , Yull F E , Blackwell T S 
Published: October 2008

Summary
Pseudomonas aeruginosa pneumonia usually results from a deficit of the innate immune system. To investigate whether inflammatory signalling by airway epithelial cells provides a pivotal line of defence against P. aeruginosa infection, we utilized two separate lines of inducible transgenic mice that express a constitutive activator of the nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) pathway (IKTA) or a dominant inhibitor of NF-κB (DNTA) in airway epithelial cells. Compared with control mice, IKTA mice showed an enhanced host response to P. aeruginosa infection with greater neutrophil influx into the lungs, increased expression of Glu-Leu-Arg-positive (ELR+) CXC chemokines macrophage inflammatory protein-2 and keratinocyte chemoattractant (KC), superior bacterial clearance and improved survival at 24 h after infection. Neutrophil depletion abrogated the improvement in host defence identified in IKTA mice. In contrast, DNTA mice showed impaired responses to P. aeruginosa infection with higher bacterial colony counts in the lungs, decreased neutrophilic lung inflammation and lower levels of KC in lung lavage fluid. DNTA mice given recombinant KC at the time of P. aeruginosa infection demonstrated improved neutrophil recruitment to the lungs and enhanced bacterial clearance. Our data indicate that the NF-κB pathway in airway epithelial cells plays an essential role in defence against P. aeruginosa through generation of CXC chemokines and recruitment of neutrophils.
Allergy and the nose
Authors: Ciprandi G , Passalacqua G 
Published: October 2008

Summary
Allergic rhinitis (AR) is the most common immunological disorder and is characterized by an immunoglobulin E (IgE)-mediated inflammation induced by the allergen exposure. This review will consider some issues concerning pathophysiological aspects of AR: impact on asthma, response to decongestion, link with infections, response to specific immunotherapy, relationship with adiposity, effects on quality of life (QoL) and allergic inflammation. AR, even though not a serious illness, may be a clinically relevant disorder as it may present numerous complications and affect QoL, as reported in this review. Therefore, the management of AR patients should be rigorously careful and multi-disciplinary.
Beyond gradual warming: extreme weather events alter flower phenology of European grassland and heath species
Authors: JENTSCH ANKE , KREYLING JUERGEN , BOETTCHER‐TRESCHKOW JEGOR , BEIERKUHNLEIN CARL 
Published: October 2008

AbstractShifts in the phenology of plant and animal species or in the migratory arrival of birds are seen as ‘fingerprints’ of global warming. However, even if such responses have been documented in large continent‐wide datasets of the northern hemisphere, all studies to date correlate the phenological pattern of various taxa with gradual climatic trends. Here, we report a previously unobserved phenomenon: severe drought and heavy rain events caused phenological shifts in plants of the same magnitude as one decade of gradual warming. We present data from two vegetation periods in an experimental setting containing the first evidence of shifted phenological response of 10 grassland and heath species to simulated 100‐year extreme weather events in Central Europe. Averaged over all species, 32 days of drought significantly advanced the mid‐flowering date by 4 days. The flowering length was significantly extended by 4 days. Heavy rainfall (170 mm over 14 days) had no significant effect on the mid‐flowering date. However, heavy rainfall reduced the flowering length by several days. Observed shifts were species‐specific, (e.g. drought advanced the mid‐flowering date for Holcus lanatus by 1.5 days and delayed the mid‐flowering date for Calluna vulgaris by 5.7 days, heavy rain advanced mid‐flowering date of Lotus corniculatus by 26.6 days and shortened the flowering length of the same species by 36.9 days). Interestingly, the phenological response of individual species was modified by community composition. For example, the mid‐flowering date of C. vulgaris was delayed after drought by 9.3 days in communities composed of grasses and dwarf shrubs compared with communities composed of dwarf shrubs only. This indicates that responses to extreme events are context specific. Additionally, the phenological response of experimental communities to extreme weather events can be modified by the functional diversity of a stand. Future studies on phenological response patterns related to climate change would profit from explicitly addressing the role of extreme weather events.
Economic determinants of biodiversity change over a 400‐year period in the Scottish uplands
Authors: Hanley Nick , Davies Althea , Angelopoulos Konstantinos , Hamilton Alistair , Ross Alasdair , Tinch Dugald , Watson Fiona 
Published: October 2008

Summary

Economic forces are recognized as an important driving factor behind current biodiversity losses. This study investigates whether such factors have been important in determining one measure of biodiversity change over the ‘long run’– in our case, 400 years – for upland sites in Scotland.
A combination of palaeoecological, historical and economic methods is used to construct and then analyse a database of factors contributing to changes in plant diversity over time for 11 upland sites.
Using an instrumental variables panel model, we find livestock prices, our proxy for grazing pressure, to be a statistically significant determinant of diversity change, with higher grazing pressures resulting in lower diversity values on average, although site abandonment is also found to result in a fall in plant diversity. Technological change, such as the introduction of new animal breeds, was not found to be a statistically significant determinant.
Using later period data (post 1860) on livestock numbers at the parish (local) level, we were able to confirm the main result noted above (3) in terms of the effects of higher grazing pressures on plant diversity.
Synthesis and applications. This study shows how data from very different disciplines can be combined to address questions relevant to contemporary conservation and understanding. This novel, interdisciplinary approach provides new insights into the role of economic factors as a driver of biodiversity loss in the uplands. Biodiversity levels have varied considerably over 400 years, partly as a function of land management, suggesting that establishing baselines or ‘natural’ target levels for biodiversity is likely to be problematic. Changes in livestock grazing pressures brought about by changes in prices had statistically significant effects on estimated plant diversity, as did land abandonment. This suggests that long‐term management of upland areas for the conservation of diversity should focus on grazing pressures as a key policy attribute. Another policy implication is that drastic cuts in grazing pressures – such as might occur under current reforms of the Common Agricultural Policy – can have adverse biodiversity consequences.
Not everything is everywhere: the distance decay of similarity in a marine host–parasite system
Authors: Pérez‐del‐Olmo Ana , Fernández Mercedes , Raga Juan Antonio , Kostadinova Aneta , Morand Serge 
Published: October 2008

AbstractAim We test the similarity–distance decay hypothesis on a marine host–parasite system, inferring the relationships from abundance data gathered at the lowest scale of parasite community organization (i.e. that of the individual host).Location Twenty‐two seasonal samples of the bogueBoops boops(Teleostei: Sparidae) were collected at seven localities along a coastal positional gradient from the northern North‐East Atlantic to the northern Mediterranean coast of Spain.Methods We used our own, taxonomically consistent, data on parasite communities. The variations in parasite composition and structure with geographical and regional distance were examined at two spatial scales, namely local parasite faunas and component communities, using both presence–absence (neighbour joining distance) and abundance (Mahalanobis distance) data. The influence of geographical and regional distance on faunal/community divergence was assessed through the permutation of distance matrices.Results Our results revealed that: (1) geographical and regional distances do not affect the species composition in the system under study at the higher scales; (2) geographical distance between localities contributes significantly to the decay of similarity estimated from parasite abundance at the lowest scale (i.e. the individual host); (3) the structured spatial patterns are consistent in time but not across seasons; and (4) a restricted clade of species (the ‘core’ species of the bogue parasite fauna) contributes substantially to the observed patterns of both community homogenization and differentiation owing to the strong relationship between local abundance and regional distribution of species.Main conclusions The main factors that tend to homogenize the composition of parasite communities of bogue at higher regional scales are related to the dispersal of parasite colonizers across host populations, which we denote as horizontal neighbourhood colonization. In contrast, the spatial structure detectable in quantitative comparisons only, is related to a vertical neighbourhood colonization associated with larval dispersal on a local level. The stronger decline with distance in the spatial synchrony of the assemblages of the ‘core’ species indicates a close‐echoing environmental synchrony that declines with distance. Our results emphasize the importance of the parasite supracommunity (i.e. parasites that exploit all hosts in the ecosystem) to the decay of similarity with distance.
High sexual reproduction and limited contemporary dispersal in the ectomycorrhizal fungusTricholoma scalpturatum: new insights from population genetics and spatial autocorrelation analysis
Authors: CARRICONDE FABIAN , GRYTA HERVÉ , JARGEAT PATRICIA , MOUHAMADOU BELLO , GARDES MONIQUE 
Published: October 2008

AbstractDispersal and establishment are fundamental processes influencing the response of species to environmental changes, and the long‐term persistence of populations. A previous study on the symbiotic ectomycorrhizal fungusTricholoma scalpturatumrevealed strong genetic differentiations between populations in Western Europe, suggesting restricted dispersal for this wind‐dispersed cosmopolitan fungus. Two distinct genetic groups (genetic groups 1 and 2), co‐occurring in some locations, were also identified and could correspond to cryptic species. In the present work, we examine the reproductive strategy and dispersal biology of the twoT. scalpturatum's genetic groups. Variable molecular markers (intersimple sequence repeats and intergenic spacer 2–restriction fragment length polymorphisms) and spatial autocorrelation analyses were used to examine fine‐scale patterns (< 140 m) of genetic structure, in an effort to determine the physical scale at which genetic structure exists. A total of 473 fruit bodies were mapped and collected over 3 years from two plots located in the south of France, including 219 and 254 samples from group 1 and group 2, respectively. High genetic diversity and the presence of numerous small genets were observed in both groups. Autocorrelation analyses revealed significant positive spatial genetic structures of genets at close distances (up to few metres for both groups). Mantel tests confirmed this isolation‐by‐distance pattern. These results clearly demonstrate high sexual reproduction and spatial structuring of genets at very small geographical scales in this wind‐dispersed ectomycorrhizal fungal species, a pattern consistent with restricted contemporary dispersal of spores.