bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Potential role of dendritic cells for progression of atherosclerotic lesions
Authors: Ranjit S , Dazhu L 
Published: September 2006

Abstract
Atherosclerosis is a lipid related chronic inflammatory disease in which immune mechanisms play a pivotal part. Its lesion is filled with large numbers of immune cells. In 1995 dendritic cells (DCs) were identified in atherosclerotic plaques and thought to play an important part in atherogenesis. DCs express MHCI and ll, HLA-DR, CD1a, ICAM-1 and VCAM1 on their surfaces, and this explains their unique ability to activate naive T cells. The risk factors for atherosclerosis are the factors for DCs’ activation and migration. Mature DCs are capable of presenting antigen to T cells, which play an important part in progression of disease. Statin and diltiazem have been shown to protect endothelial function by suppressing the function of DCs and play an important part in preventing atherosclerosis.
Ageing changes in the eye
Authors: Salvi S M , Akhtar S , Currie Z 
Published: September 2006

Abstract
Ageing changes occur in all the structures of the eye causing varied effects. This article attempts to review the parameters of what is considered within the “normal limits” of ageing so as to be able to distinguish those conditions from true disease processes. Improving understanding of the ageing changes will help understand some of the problems that the ageing population faces.
The Foundation Programme assessment tools: An opportunity to enhance feedback to trainees?
Authors: Carr S 
Published: September 2006

Abstract
The recent change in working patterns of doctors in training has meant that the traditional systems of education are under increasing pressure and that there is the need to maximise new opportunities for learning. One new opportunity may arise after the introduction of the mandatory assessment systems (Mini-CEX, DOPPS, Multi-source feedback, and Case based discussion) in the Foundation Programmes. In this review the new assessment procedures for the Foundation Programmes are outlined and the potential of these assessments (using Mini-CEX as main example) as an opportunity to give feedback to trainees discussed. The importance of feedback in professional development and some of the techniques available for giving feedback are described. The Foundation Programme assessments will occupy a significant amount of trainees’ and trainers’ time and it is important that opportunity for feedback and learning is maximised.
Extrinsic allergic alveolitis: comparative study of the bronchoalveolar lavage profiles and radiological presentation
Authors: Sterclova M , Vasakova M , Dutka J , Kalanin J 
Published: September 2006

Abstract

Introduction
Extrinsic allergic alveolitis (EAA) is an immunologically mediated interstitial lung disease. The abnormalities in the bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid cell counts are almost always seen in patients with EAA according to the stage of the disease. The aim of this retrospective study was to find out how the BAL lymphocyte count, percentage of lymphocytes expressing HLA-DR, CD4/CD8 T cell ratio in BAL fluid, and the concentration of immunoglobulin G in serum correspond to the inflammatory activity of the disease.

Methods
The study included 14 patients with EAA. BAL fluid samples were obtained and processed for cytological and cytometric analysis. Immunoglobulin G serum concentrations were measured. High resolution computed tomography (HRCT) scoring system modified by Gay was used for establishing the alveolar and interstitial score in each patient.

Conclusions
It was found that subjects with normal value of CD4/CD8 ratio in BAL fluid had higher interstitial HRCT score. Clinical presentation, continuous exposure to the causative antigens, and BAL lymphocyte count positively correlated with the alveolar HRCT score. It is proposed that the increased BAL lymphocyte count could be the predictor of the inflammatory activity of the disease, especially in people with lasting exposure to the offending antigen.
Secular trends in the medical discharge summary in an acute medical hospital
Authors: Chow K M , Szeto C C 
Published: September 2006

Abstract

Background
Although recent research has reported an evolution in the level of medical care, little is known about secular trends in the medical discharge summary.

Methods
The audit evaluated the evolution of discharge summary abstract over a decade in an acute medicine hospital among three successive periods of 1994, 2000, and 2005.

Results
Of the 140 random samples of discharge summaries, significant between-cohort difference existed in the logarithm transformed length of discharge summary; the median length of discharge summary increased from 11 lines in 1994 to 26 lines in 2005 (p&lt;0.001 corrected for multiple comparison). The closest univariate associations of discharge summary length were positively with the year of hospitalisation, length of stay, length of wordings about discharge plan and duplication of previous discharge summary, and negatively with clinical or planned admission (all p&lt;0.01). In a multiple linear regression analysis, the year of patient admission correlated significantly with the length of discharge summary (p&lt;0.001).

Conclusions
Over the 10 year study period, significant secular trends were seen in the discharge summary length and discharge plan documentation. The causes and implications for these trends deserve further investigation.
Management of thyroid disorders
Authors: Premawardhana L D K E , Lazarus J H 
Published: September 2006

Abstract
Autoimmune thyroid disease is the predominant form of thyroid dysfunction in the developed world. Although its precise cause is currently unclear, principles of management have been established. There is a vigorous debate about the management of the increasingly commonly recognised subclinical forms of thyroid dysfunction despite recent recommendations. Nodular thyroid disease and thyroid carcinoma have received wide attention. The effects of drugs and pregnancy on thyroid function have also been investigated widely. This short review attempts to give an overview and clarify the current management of common thyroid disorders.
Micronutrients in health and disease
Authors: Shenkin A 
Published: September 2006

AbstractMicronutrients play a central part in metabolism and in the maintenance of tissue function. An adequate intake therefore is necessary, but provision of excess supplements to people who do not need them may be harmful. Single micronutrient deficiency states are comparatively easily recognised and treated. Subclinical deficiency, often of multiple micronutrients, is more difficult to recognise, and laboratory assessment is often complicated by the acute phase response. Clinical benefit is most likely in those people who are severely depleted and at risk of complications, and is unlikely if this is not the case. There is little evidence for supplements leading to a reduction in the incidence of infections in the elderly population, in coronary artery disease, or in malignant disease. The best evidence for benefit is in critical illness, and in children in developing countries consuming a deficient diet. More clinical trials are required with good clinical outcomes to optimise intake in prevention and treatment of disease.
Genetic diversity of bluebunch wheatgrass (Pseudoroegneria spicata) in the Thompson River valley of British Columbia
Authors: Fu Yong-Bi , Thompson Don 
Published: September 2006

Bluebunch wheatgrass ( Pseudoroegneria spicata (Pursh) A. Löve) is a cool-season perennial grass native to semi-arid regions of western North America and has been used for habitat restoration. However, the genetic diversity of this species is poorly understood. A total of 172 expressed sequence tag-derived simple sequence repeat (eSSR) primer pairs that had been developed for wheat were characterized for genetic diversity studies of bluebunch wheatgrass. Of these, 12 eSSR primer pairs were found to be informative and were applied to screen 216 plants collected from six locations with two different elevations in the Thompson River valley of British Columbia. These analyses revealed a total of 106 eSSR polymorphic alleles (or bands) scorable for each sample. The number of polymorphic bands per primer pair ranged from 2 to 17 with a mean of 8.8. The frequencies of these bands ranged from 0.005 to 0.995 and averaged 0.146. Most (92.6%) of the eSSR variation detected was present within the 12 populations assessed. The between-population eSSR variability was significantly associated with their geographic distances, but not with their elevations. These findings are useful for genetic diversity and genetic mapping studies of this grass species and should facilitate the sampling and development of bluebunch wheatgrass germplasm for germplasm conservation and habitat restoration.
Taxonomy and origin of present-day morphometric variation inPicea glauca(×engelmannii) seed-cone scales in North America
Authors: Strong W.L , Hills L.V. 
Published: September 2006

White spruce ( Picea glauca (Moench) Voss) and Engelmann spruce ( Picea engelmannii Parry ex Engelm.) seed-cones from 676 sites in Canada and the northern United States were analyzed to determine the degree and spatial extent of interspecific hybridization. Fifteen cone-scale variables were analyzed, with percent free-scale and scale shape considered best for differentiating these taxa. The results show that putative Engelmann spruce and their hybrids occur mostly in the vicinity of the Rocky Mountains. Putative white spruce occurs across Canada east of the Rocky Mountains, whereas white × Engelmann hybrids occur eastward to Manitoba and northward to 68° latitude in northwest Canada. To explain the occurrence of the latter taxon hundreds of kilometres from an Engelmann spruce pollen source, it is hypothesized that palaeohybridization occurred during the Wisconsinan glacial period, probably in the southern Montana – Wyoming – Black Hills (South Dakota) region, with the resulting hybrids spreading north and northeastward into interior Canada following the retreat of the Laurentide glacier. White and Engelmann spruce have morphologically distinct cone-scales, whereas their hybrids have intermediate characteristics. An emended species ( Picea albertiana ) and two subspecies (P. albertiana subsp. albertiana and P. albertiana subsp. ogilviei) are proposed to account for morphological intermediates between the parent species.
Length–biomass allometry in primary producers: predominantly bidimensional seaweeds differ from the “universal” interspecific trend defined by microalgae and vascular plants
Authors: Scrosati Ricardo 
Published: September 2006

This study tests whether the value (0.25, or 1/4) of the interspecific allometric exponent currently thought to be universal for the length–biomass relationship for primary producers (based on data for vascular plants and unicellular microalgae) also applies to macroalgae. Length and dry biomass were measured for four phylogenetically distinct seaweed species, Chondrus crispus Stackhouse, Pterocladiella capillacea (Gmelin) Santelices & Hommersand, Fucus vesiculosus Linnaeus, and Laminaria saccharina (Linnaeus) J.V. Lamouroux, which are representatives of four different orders: Gigartinales and Gelidiales (Rhodophyta) and Fucales and Laminariales (Phaeophyceae). The interspecific exponent found for these seaweeds (0.47) differs significantly from the interspecific “universal” value stated above. The 95% confidence interval for the interspecific exponent for these seaweeds includes 0.5 (or 1/2), a value that is related to an idealized form of bidimensional growth. While vascular plants and unicellular microalgae can be viewed as clearly growing in three dimensions, the studied seaweeds are predominantly flat, which thus seems to explain their divergent allometry. The present study indicates that the comprehensive understanding of allometric trends for primary producers should be based on studies covering the morphological diversity that different groups of primary producers display.
Isolates of endophytic Chaetomium spp. inhibit the fungal pathogen Pyrenophora tritici-repentis in vitro
Authors: Istifadah Noor , Saleeba Jennifer A. , McGee Peter A. 
Published: September 2006

Growth of a culturable pathogen, Pyrenophora tritici-repentis (Died.) Drechs., was inhibited by six isolates of endophytic Chaetomium spp. in vitro when grown in apposition. Metabolites of the endophytes, when grown either on agar or in liquid media, also inhibited the pathogen. The culture filtrate of Chaetomium was extracted in 70% ethanol, and the ethanol-soluble fraction that either passed through a molecular sieve of 3000 molecular mass cutoff or was held on 30 000 molecular mass cutoff inhibited the pathogen. The high molecular mass fraction was a protein with one major band at 29 kDa. The electroeluted band delayed the growth of the pathogen in vitro. Inhibition was retained in filtrate stored frozen, as dried residue, and when rehydrated after drying. Autoclaving reduced, whereas proteinase K treatment did not affect, the activity of the proteinaceous fraction. The data support the hypothesis that endophytic Chaetomium produce a range of metabolites that inhibit P. tritici-repentis in vitro and may affect the pathogen when the fungi co-occur in wheat.
Arbuscular mycorrhizae on Axel Heiberg Island (80°N) and at Saskatoon (52°N) Canada
Authors: Allen Nathan , Nordlander Mattias , McGonigle Terence , Basinger James , Kaminskyj Susan 
Published: September 2006

Arbuscular mycorrhizae (AM) are seldom reported from high latitudes. We found that Asteraceae ( Arnica , Erigeron , and Taraxacum ) at a site on Axel Heiberg Island (approximately 80°N) have abundant AM and fine endophytes (FE). We used standard microscopic methods for examination and quantification, plus high-resolution confocal fluorescence imaging. AM in Arctic Asteraceae were compared with those in congeners from Saskatoon and with those in some other Arctic species. Arctic AM had 6 µm wide aseptate hyphae producing abundant arbuscules, vesicles, and inter- and intra-cellular hyphae. AM colonization exceeded 80% for Arctic Asteraceae, similar to 66%–90% for prairie Taraxacum and Erigeron, the first of this type of comparison. AM/FE abundance in Arctic Ranunculus was 68%. Within Taraxacum roots, hyphal coils predominated near the epidermis and arbuscules near the vascular cylinder. Arctic AM colonization did not vary with soil depth, although permafrost was approximately 15 cm below the surface. FE were abundant in our High Arctic samples, where they may have functional roles comparable with those of AM. Thus, low abundance of AM reported previously at the community level for high-latitude sites may reflect a combination of biotic and abiotic factors. The Axel Heiberg Island thermal oasis is ideal for functional fungal root endophyte studies in the High Arctic.
Possible roles for ethylene and gibberellin in the phenotypic plasticity of an alpine population of Stellaria longipes
Authors: Kurepin Leonid V. , Mancell Lisa , Reid David M. , Pharis Richard P. , Chinnappa C.C. 
Published: September 2006

Four phenotypically different genotypes from an alpine population of Stellaria longipes Goldie s.l. (Caryophyllaceae) were collected from neighbouring sites at the top of the Plateau Mountain in southeastern Alberta, Canada, to examine a possible hormonal basis for their differences in stem length, leaf size, and flowering characteristics. All four genotypes had a dwarf shoot phenotype, compared with the low-elevation ecotype. Among the four genotypes, PMI-D was the tallest and had the largest leaves and flowers as well as more flowers per plant. PMI-D also maintained the flowering state, upon repropagation, without low temperature, short-day vernalization. Under controlled long-day warm conditions, the PMI-D genotype had a higher rate of ethylene evolution, but contained levels of endogenous gibberellin A1 that were similar to the other three (smaller) alpine genotypes. PMI-D was more sensitive to exogenously applied ethylene and growth-active gibberellins than other alpine genotypes. In contrast, the other three genotypes were smaller, had fewer (and smaller) flowers, and exhibited low ethylene evolution and a reduced sensitivity to applied ethylene and growth-active gibberellins. Speculatively, this behaviour may indicate an adaptation within this unique population of “dwarf” phenotypes that involves enhanced sensitivity to endogenous ethylene and gibberellins.
The American Experience of Religious Disestablishment and Pluralism
Authors: D'Antonio William V. , Hoge Dean R. 
Published: September 2006

English In 1791, the Founding Fathers of the United States added the First Amendment to the Constitution saying that the nation would have no established religion. This was a new experiment in Church–State relations. The writers of the amendment were fearful of concentrations of power. We now know that the First Amendment had a positive, not a negative effect on religious institutions. In the past two centuries, trials of the First Amendment arose due to issues over postal service on Sunday, religious polygamy, Sunday closing laws for businesses, and prayer in public schools. The American experience shows that disestablishment of religion does not weaken religious institutions, but rather strengthens them. It is a principle that is constantly being challenged by groups with strong religious beliefs who strive for some form of establishment. French En 1971, les Pères Fondateurs des Etats-Unis ajoutèrent à la Constitution le Premier Amendement qui stipulait que la nation n'aurait pas de religion d'Etat. En termes de relations Eglise-Etat, c'était une expérience inédite. La raison qui avait poussé les auteurs à rédiger cet amendement était la crainte d'une concentration des pouvoirs. Contrairement à ce que l'on pensait, les effets de ce Premier Amendement sur les institutions religieuses furent en réalité positifs. Au cours des deux derniers siècles, des modifications furent apportées à cet amendement à propos de questions telles que le service postal du dimanche, la polygamie religieuse, l'obligation pour les entreprises de fermer le dimanche et la prière dans les écoles publiques. L'expérience américaine montre que la séparation de l'Eglise et de l'Etat n'affaiblit pas les institutions religieuses, mais au contraire les renforce. Ce principe de séparation est constamment remis en question par des groupes aux croyances religieuses fortes qui cherchent à mettre en place une forme de religion d'Etat.
The New Right, Fundamentalism, and Nationalism in Postmodern America: A Marriage of Heat and Passion
Authors: Jacobs Anton K. 
Published: September 2006

English Religious fundamentalism in the United States early in the 20th century went into cultural eclipse. Mainline Protestant numbers were large. Both wings increased throughout the first half of the 20th century. In this period the political right also remained in the shadows. After the 1960s, the mainline Protestant denominations began to suffer decline. Western civilization moved into a cultural phase of postmodernity, and the politically liberal suffered fragmentation. The political right had a clear and uncompromising ideology. The political right began to organize in new ways, and courted the resurgent religious right, encouraging them to become more political. The religious right also had a clear and uncompromising ideology. There was a convergence of issues and interests, and both share a jingoism that functions as a powerful bond and as an effective cultural weapon. They are currently in a de facto political marriage. French Au début du 20ème siècle, le fondamentalisme religieux aux Etats-Unis a connu une éclipse de l'influence culturelle. Les protestants des Grandes Eglises comptaient le plus de membres. Ensuite, tout au long de la première moitié du 20ème siècle, les deux segments de l'Eglise protestante ont vu leurs rangs s'étoffer. Pendant ce temps, la droite politique se tenait dans l'ombre. Après les années 60, les dénominations protestantes des Grandes Eglises ont commencé à décliner. La civilisation occidentale évoluait vers une phase culturelle de postmodernisme, tandis que la frange politique 'libérale' se divisait. Face à elle, la droite politique avait une idéologie claire et sans compromis. Cette droite politique commença à s'organiser différemment et se mit à courtiser la droite religieuse résurgente, poussant ses adeptes à s'engager davantage au plan politique. De son côté, la droite religieuse avait, elle aussi, une idéologie claire et peu encline au compromis. Il y avait donc une convergence de préoccupations et d'intérêts. De plus, l'une et l'autre ont en commun une forme de chauvinisme qui fait à la fois office de ciment interne et d'arme culturelle efficace. Il existe actuellement un mariage politique de fait entre la droite politique et la droite religieuse.
Retour sur le concept d'aliénation: Un possible émancipateur masqué par le voile idéologique de la modernité
Authors: Forgues Eric 
Published: September 2006

English The evolution of the concept of alienation shows that the requirements of positivism and post-metaphysical thought in the social sciences have contributed to reducing the semantic heritage of this concept. Our reading of the writings of Habermas and Touraine demonstrates the relevance for the social sciences of reviving this heritage in order to shed light on a possible emancipator inherent to the formation of the subject. The writings of Habermas and Touraine certainly help to envisage the completion of the modernity project, by restoring the dimension specific to communicational rationality or the subject, against the invasion of instrumental reason. However, it appears necessary to highlight the specificity of the symbolic paradigm and the requirements related to individuation in order to recognize the historical relativity of the egological structure of conscience (ESC) and, thereby, the possibility of it being surpassed as suggested by the significant facts of new aspirations among individuals. French L'évolution du concept d'aliénation montre comment les exigences du positivisme et d'une pensée post-métaphysique en sciences sociales ont contribué à rétrécir l'héritage sémantique de ce concept. Notre lecture des travaux de Habermas et de Touraine fait apparaître la pertinence pour les sciences sociales de renouer avec cet héritage afin d'éclairer un possible émancipateur inhérent à la formation du sujet. Certes, ces travaux permettent d'envisager l'achèvement du projet de la modernité, en restituant la dimension propre de la rationalité communicationnelle ou du sujet, contre l'envahissement de la raison instrumentale. Cependant, il nous semble nécessaire de porter au jour la spécificité du paradigme symbolique et des exigences liées à l'individuation afin de reconnaÑtre la relativité historique de la structure egologique de la conscience (SEC) et, par le fait même, l'éventualité de son dépassement, que tendent d'ailleurs à suggérer certains faits significatifs de nouvelles aspirations chez les individus.