bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Trends in western North Pacific tropical cyclone intensity
Authors: Wu Man‐Chi , Yeung Kai‐Hing , Chang Wen‐Lam 
Published: December 2006

Using the tropical cyclone best track data from the U.S. Department of Defense's Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC), Webster et al. [2005] found that between the two consecutive 15‐year periods of 1975–1989 and 1990‐2004, the percentage of typhoons in the western North Pacific meeting the definition of categories 4 and 5 on the Saffir‐Simpson Hurricane Scale has increased from 25% to 41% of all typhoons in that ocean basin.However, an analysis of the best track data from the Regional Specialized Meteorological Centre (RSMC) Tokyo (Japan) as well as that of the Hong Kong Observatory (HKO; Hong Kong, China) indicates that, in contrast to Webster et al.'s [2005] findings, there was no increase in western North Pacific category 4–5 typhoon activity. Furthermore, neither RSMC‐Tokyo nor HKO best track data suggest an increase in western North Pacific tropical cyclone destructiveness as measured by the potential destructive index (PDI).
Cochlear Cytokine Gene Expression in Murine Acute Otitis Media
Authors: Ghaheri Bobak A. , Kempton J Beth , Pillers De‐Ann M. , Trune Dennis R. 
Published: January 2007

AbstractObjective: Recurrent acute otitis media (AOM) causes sensorineural hearing loss by unknown mechanisms. It is widely accepted that inflammatory cytokines diffuse across the round window membrane to exert cytotoxic effects. This study addresses whether inner ear cells are capable of expressing genes for inflammatory cytokines.Study Design: The authors conducted a prospective animal study.Methods: BALB/C mice underwent transtympanic injection of heat‐killed Haemophilus influenzae to create an acute inflammatory response. These mice were compared with a control group in addition to a group of uninjected mice found to have otomicroscopic changes consistent with persistent or chronic otitis media. The cochleas of these mice were obtained, their RNA harvested, and cytokine gene expression analyzed using prefabricated cDNA arrays.Results: Four groups of mice (control, 3‐day postinjection, 7‐day postinjection, and mice with chronic otitis media) with five mice in each group were analyzed. Numerous classes of genes were found to be upregulated or downregulated by more than twofold. Some genes differed from control mice by more than 10‐fold. These genes included numerous fibroblast growth factors, interleukins, tumor necrosis factors, and colony‐stimulating factors.Conclusion: The genes of numerous inflammatory cytokines are either up‐ or downregulated by murine inner ear cells in response to either acute or chronic inflammation of the middle ear. This study provides a novel site of production of cytokines that may be responsible for the damage seen in sensorineural hearing loss.
London audit of drug‐related overdose deaths: characteristics and typology, and implications for prevention and monitoring
Authors: Hickman Matthew , Carrivick Sandra , Paterson Susan , Hunt Neil , Zador Deborah , Cusick Linda , Henry John 
Published: December 2006

ABSTRACTObjectives  To describe the circumstances and draft a typology of drug‐related overdose deaths.Setting  London, 2003.Methods  An audit of 148 drug overdose deaths (involving heroin, methadone, dihydrocodeine, cocaine, amphetamine or MDMA) investigated by coroners during 2003. Information extracted on toxicology, pathology and circumstances were used to identify drug(s) implicated in the death.Results  Poly‐ or multiple drug use was detected in the majority of deaths with at least 69 different combinations, including 66% for heroin and 42% for cocaine. Six categories of death were identified involving an opiate (100, 68%); cocaine (14, 9%); other controlled drug (five, 3%); mixed drug overdose (18, 12%); other prescribed drug (five, 3%); and other causes (seven, 5%). A witness was present and the death was not instantaneous in 92 (61%) cases, although evidence in the coronial file suggested that in the majority of cases the overdose went unnoticed until too late to intervene. In all, 15 (one in 10) of the deceased were released from prison within 3 months of death; and 37 (one in four) were reported as in receipt of a methadone prescription.Conclusions  Perhaps for the first time in the United Kingdom cocaine was detected in more drug overdose deaths than methadone. However, reducing heroin use is central to the prevention of drug‐related deaths. We recommend that overdose prevention encompasses strategies to encourage a ‘mutual duty of care’ among problem drug users, and in the United Kingdom further investigation of the relationship of methadone treatment failures on overall trends in drug‐related deaths is merited.
Association of serum fetuin‐A with carotid arterial stiffness
Authors: Mori Katsuhito , Emoto Masanori , Araki Takahiro , Yokoyama Hisayo , Teramura Megumi , Lee Eiko , Motoyama Koka , Koyama Hidenori , Shoji Tetsuo , Inaba Masaaki , Nishizawa Yoshiki 
Published: December 2006

SummaryObjective   Fetuin‐A is a circulating glycoprotein which is well characterized as an inhibitor of ectopic calcification. Vascular calcification commonly found in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients is a predictor of cardiovascular death. Recently, several groups have demonstrated that low fetuin‐A levels are associated with mortality in uraemic patients, possibly through regulation of vascular calcification. However, the physiological significance of fetuin‐A in atherosclerosis remains unknown, except in specific conditions, such as vascular calcification in CKD patients. The objective of this study was to investigate the association between serum fetuin‐A levels and arterial stiffness, a functional property of atherosclerosis, in healthy subjects.Patients and measurements   The study subjects comprised 141 healthy subjects. We measured serum fetuin‐A levels and stiffness parameter β for the common carotid artery, which was assessed by ultrasound using a phase‐locked echo‐tracking system.Results   Simple regression analyses indicated that serum fetuin‐A levels were significantly correlated with stiffness parameter β (r = 0·200, P = 0·018). Multiple regression analyses showed that, besides age, fetuin‐A (β = 0·166, P = 0·033) independently contribute to the stiffness parameter β (R2 = 0·310, P < 0·0001).Conclusions   Serum fetuin‐A level is associated with carotid arterial stiffness, independent of known atherogenic factors in healthy subjects.
Congenital adrenal hyperplasia and P450 oxidoreductase deficiency
Authors: Krone Nils , Dhir Vivek , Ivison Hannah E. , Arlt Wiebke 
Published: December 2006

SummaryCongenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) comprises a group of autosomal recessive disorders, which are usually due to inactivating mutations in single enzymes involved in adrenal steroid biosynthesis. The characteristics of the biochemical and clinical phenotype depend on the specific enzymatic defect. In 21‐hydroxylase and 11β‐hydroxylase deficiency only adrenal steroidogenesis is affected, whereas a defect in 3β‐hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase or 17α‐hydroxylase also involves gonadal steroid biosynthesis. Recently, mutations in the electron donor enzyme P450 oxidoreductase were identified as the cause of CAH with apparent combined 17α‐hydroxylase and 21‐hydroxylase deficiency, thereby illustrating the impact of redox regulation enzymes on steroidogenesis. P450 oxidoreductase deficiency (ORD) has a complex phenotype including two unique features not observed in any other CAH variant, skeletal malformations and severe genital ambiguity in both sexes. Despite invariably low circulating androgens, females with ORD may present with virilized genitalia and mothers may suffer from virilization during pregnancy. This apparently contradictory finding may be explained by the existence of an alternative pathway in human androgen biosynthesis, with important implications for physiology and pathophysiology. This review discusses the biochemical and clinical presentation and the genetic and functional basis of the currently known CAH variants, with a specific focus on ORD.
Longitudinal analysis of inpatient care utilization among people with intellectual disabilities: 1999–2002
Authors: Loh C.‐H. , Lin J.‐D. , Choi I.‐C. , Yen C.‐F. , Hsu S.‐W. , Wu J.‐L. , Tang C. C. 
Published: December 2006

AbstractBackground  There has been no longitudinal study in Taiwan to identify the nature and the scale of medical care utilization of people with intellectual disabilities (IDs) up to the present. The aim of this study is to describe inpatient utilization among people under ID care in institutions in order to identify the pattern of medical care needs and the factors affecting utilization in Taiwan.Method  The subject cohort was 168 individuals with ID who were cared for by a large public disability institution from 1999 to 2002 in Taipei, Taiwan.Results  On the examination of the inpatient care that these persons underwent, it was found that these individuals had a heightened need (inpatient rate: 10.1–14.9%) for inpatient care compared with the general population with disabilities (9.37%) in Taiwan. The main reasons for hospitalization were pneumonia, gastrointestinal disorders, cellulites, orthopaedic problems, epilepsy and bronchitis. Using the full model of Generalized Estimating Equations for inpatient care utilization, the factors including low income family, living in an institution, being a subject with cerebral palsy and being a high outpatient user all influenced the use of inpatient care.Conclusions  This study highlights that health authorities need to promote health planning more in order to ensure an excellent quality of health monitoring and health promotion among people with ID cared for by institutions.
A tale of two matrices: multivariate approaches in evolutionary biology
Authors: BLOWS M. W. 
Published: December 2006

AbstractTwo symmetric matrices underlie our understanding of microevolutionary change. The first is the matrix of nonlinear selection gradients (γ) which describes the individual fitness surface. The second is the genetic variance–covariance matrix (G) that influences the multivariate response to selection. A common approach to the empirical analysis of these matrices is the element‐by‐element testing of significance, and subsequent biological interpretation of pattern based on these univariate and bivariate parameters. Here, I show why this approach is likely to misrepresent the genetic basis of quantitative traits, and the selection acting on them in many cases. Diagonalization of square matrices is a fundamental aspect of many of the multivariate statistical techniques used by biologists. Applying this, and other related approaches, to the analysis of the structure ofγandGmatrices, gives greater insight into the form and strength of nonlinear selection, and the availability of genetic variance for multiple traits.
Mitochondrial Activity in Orobanche cernua from Different Regions of the Scape and as Influenced by Host
Authors: Singh P. 
Published: December 2006

Abstract Orobanche cernua, a holoparasite, was harvested from different hosts, namely, Solanum melongena, Petunia hybrida, Lycopersicum esculentum, Solanum nigrum and Datura metel. Mitochondrial particles were isolated and they were evaluated in terms of the marker enzyme, cytochrome c oxidase, and protein in the mitochondrial fraction. Protein levels in whole homogenate and mitochondrial fraction of parasite growing on different host plants did not vary significantly, whereas the recovery of protein (% of whole homogenate) in the mitochondrial fraction of parasite growing on D. metel was higher. Cytochrome c oxidase activity in parasites growing on the three host plants varied, being highest when the parasite grew on S. melongena, followed sequentially by that on P. hybrida and D. metel. Protein in whole homogenate and mitochondrial fraction was significantly lower, 25–36% and 15–33%, respectively, in distal region when compared with the proximal region. Similarly, cytochrome oxidase and respiratory activity was significantly lower, 23–34% and 18–23%, respectively, in the distal region of the parasite. In addition, variations in cytochrome oxidase and respiratory activity in the proximal and distal regions of the parasite growing on different hosts was also significant. Results indicated that mitochondria in haustoria‐bearing proximal region of Orobanche scape play a special role to meet the metabolic demand of the parasite.
Outcome and recurrence in treatment of phimosis using topical betamethasone in children in Hong Kong
Authors: Ku Wai‐Hung , Chiu Becky S‐K , Huen Kwai‐Fun 
Published: January 2007

Aim:  To study the efficacy of treating phimosis with topical steroid, and its long‐term outcome and side effects. We also looked into the effect of daily retraction and cleansing of prepuce on preventing recurrence of phimsosis.Methods:  This prospective study comprised 138 boys who were prescribed 0.05% betamethasone ointment (Diprocel) during 1 August 2001–31 July 2004. Five boys were excluded because of non‐compliance. Of the remaining 133 boys, 108 were followed‐up and assessed. Age ranged from 0.03 to 12.9 years (mean = 3.38, SD = 2.79). The number of treatment course received, short‐term and long‐term outcome, side effects and the effect of daily foreskin retraction were studied.Results:  The success rate of first treatment course was 81.5%, and 60.2% of boys remained free from phimosis upon latest assessment. The follow‐up period ranged from 0.4 to 4.4 years (mean = 2.45, SD = 0.90). There were no side effects noted. We found a significant and linear relationship between daily foreskin retraction and sustained resolution of phimosis.Conclusion:  Topical steroid is an effective and safe treatment for phimosis, especially when combined with a good hygiene practice of the foreskin with daily cleansing and retraction. A trial of topical steroid treatment should be offered upon considering circumcision.
Genetic analysis of CC16, OGG1 and GCLC polymorphisms and susceptibility to COPD
Authors: LIU Shengming , LI Bing , ZHOU Yumin , ZHONG Nanshan , RAN Pixin 
Published: December 2006

Background and objectives:  The importance of genetic susceptibility in COPD has not been determined. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between susceptibility to COPD and polymorphisms in the Clara cell 16 kDa secretory protein (CC16), 8‐hydroxy‐guanine glycosylase (OGG1) and glutamatecysteine ligase catalytic subunit (GCLC) genes in a southern Chinese population of Han nationality.Methods:  A case‐control study was performed on 166 paired subjects with or without COPD, who were randomly selected from a pool of 310 paired subjects. These subjects were selected from epidemiological survey participants, with matched‐pairs being strictly localized in the Guangzhou urban and Shaoguan rural areas. The following polymorphisms were genotyped by PCR‐single strand conformation polymorphism analysis: 38 A/G in exon 1 of the CC16 gene, 1245C/G in exon 7 of the OGG1 gene and −129C/T in the GCLC gene. Genotype frequencies and allelic frequencies were analysed.Results:  There were no significant differences in the distribution of genotype frequencies for CC16 38 A/G, OGG1 1245C/G or GCLC −129C/T between the COPD and non‐COPD subjects. The distribution of the allelic frequencies of these three genes also showed no significant difference between the two groups.Conclusions:  The genetic polymorphisms in CC16 38 A/G, OGG1 1245C/G and GCLC −129C/T are not associated with susceptibility to COPD in a southern Chinese population of Han nationality.
Intronic single‐nucleotide polymorphisms in Bcl‐2 are associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease severity
Authors: SATA Makoto , TAKABATAKE Noriaki , INOUE Sumito , SHIBATA Yoko , ABE Shuichi , MACHIYA Jun‐ichi , WADA Toshihiro , JI Guijin , KIDO Takashi , MATSUURA Tadashi , MURAMATSU Masa‐aki , KUBOTA Isao 
Published: December 2006

Background and objective:  COPD is a multifactorial disease influenced by genetic and environmental factors, and gene‐by‐environmental interactions. There is considerable variability in the degree of airflow obstruction, moreover only 10–15% of chronic smokers develop COPD. These observations indicate that additional risk factors, possibly genetic, contribute to not only the susceptibility to COPD but also the development and severity of COPD. Recent paradigms highlight the presence and causal role of apoptosis in emphysema. There is a large amount of information on the genes involved in the regulation of apoptosis and one of the most studied is Bcl‐2. The aim of this study was to investigate the genetic association of Bcl‐2 gene with the level of lung function, that is, the severity, of COPD.Methods:  The genetic association of Bcl‐2 polymorphisms with lung function was investigated in 261 Japanese patients with COPD using 12 single‐nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in Bcl‐2.Results:  Four SNPs showed a significant association between the high and low lung function groups in a dominant trait comparison. Subsequent linkage‐disequilibrium mapping and analyses of haplotype structure also showed a significant association between the level of lung function and two haplotypes comprised of the associated SNPs in Bcl‐2.Conclusions:  Although the linkage between Bcl‐2 gene and the susceptibility to COPD remains to be clarified, the findings of the current study indicate that Bcl‐2 might be influencing the level of lung function, that is, the development and severity of COPD.
Oxidative stress and lipid‐derived inflammatory mediators during acute exacerbations of cystic fibrosis
Authors: REID David W. , MISSO Neil , AGGARWAL Shashi , THOMPSON Philip J. , WALTERS E. Haydn 
Published: December 2006

Background and objective:  In cystic fibrosis (CF) very few studies have assessed sputum 8‐iso‐PGF2α levels during pulmonary exacerbations as a direct measure of airway oxidative stress. The role of other lipid‐derived inflammatory mediators, such as the cysteinyl leukotrienes (cys‐LTs) and prostaglandin (PG)‐E2, during exacerbations is also poorly defined and the effect of conventional antibiotic therapy on these components of the inflammatory process is unclear.Methods:  Sputum 8‐iso‐PGF2α, total cys‐LT and PGE2 levels were measured in 17 CF patients experiencing a pulmonary exacerbation and repeated analysis were performed in 15 of these patients after antibiotic treatment. Eight stable CF and nine healthy subjects provided control data.Results:  Sputum 8‐iso‐PGF2α was significantly elevated in acute, but not stable CF patients versus healthy controls (P < 0.001). Similarly, sputum cys‐LT and PGE2 levels were increased in acute compared with stable CF patients and healthy controls (P ≤ 0.001). Although substantially lower than in acute patients, sputum cys‐LT levels in stable patients were also significantly higher than in normal controls (P = 0.01). There were strong associations between cys‐LT levels and sputum total cell counts, and blood neutrophils in acute patients (r2 = 0.53, P = 0.001 and r2 = 0.33, P < 0.05, respectively). Overall in the CF patients, FEV1%predicted was strongly and negatively correlated with sputum 8‐iso‐PGF2α (r2 = 0.34, P = 0.006), cys‐LT (r2 = 0.40, P = 0.002) and PGE2 (r2 = 0.52, P < 0.001) levels. Antibiotic treatment reduced sputum total cell count (P = 0.03), but did not affect 8‐iso‐PGF2α, cys‐LT or PGE2 levels.Conclusions:  CF exacerbations are characterized by increased oxidative stress and sputum concentrations of bioactive lipid mediators. Treatment does not modulate these aspects of inflammation and more targeted therapy needs further study.
Lack of association between the microsatellite polymorphism in intron 2 of human Toll‐like receptor 2 gene and bronchiectasis among Koreans
Authors: KIM Hee Joung , LEE Hye Won , LEE Ji Eun , JOH Joon Sung , HAN Sung Koo , SHIM Young‐Soo , YIM Jae‐Joon 
Published: December 2006

Background and objective:  The genetic factors for the development of bronchiectasis are not well understood in most patients. The aim of this study was to elucidate the possible association between bronchiectasis and guanine–thymine (GT) repeat polymorphism in intron 2 of the human Toll‐like receptor 2 (TLR2), which has a crucial role in adaptive as well as innate immunity.Methods:  A total of 194 patients with bronchiectasis and the same number of age‐ and gender‐matched healthy blood donors were prospectively enrolled. The numbers of GT repeats were determined by PCR and gene scans. For further analysis, the alleles were classified into three subclasses: 12–16 GT repeats, short alleles (S allele); 17–22 repeats, medium‐length alleles (M allele); and 23–27 repeats, long alleles (L allele).Results:  The overall distribution of alleles was not different between patient and control groups (P = 0.71). In addition, the frequencies of genotypes including short alleles were not different between patient and control groups (P = 0.92). Extent of bronchiectasis (P = 0.92) and bacterial colonization (P = 0.48) were not associated with any subclass genotype.Conclusions:  Alleles and genotype including the shorter GT repeats in intron 2 of the TLR2, were not associated with the development, extent and bacterial colonization of bronchiectasis in Koreans.
DETERMINING NORMAL VALUES FOR INTRA‐ABDOMINAL PRESSURE
Authors: Chionh Joanne J. L. , Wei Benjamin P. C. , Martin Jenepher A. , Opdam Helen I. 
Published: December 2006

Background:  Intra‐abdominal pressure (IAP) measurements can be used for the early detection and management of the abdominal compartment syndrome. IAP values are widely thought to be atmospheric or subatmospheric. However, there are no reports that describe normal IAP values using urinary bladder pressure measurements in patients not suspected of having a raised IAP level. This study sought to determine these normal values to aid our interpretation of IAP measurements in post‐surgical patients or patients with suspected increased IAP.Methods:  Urinary bladder pressure measurements were carried out in 40 men and 18 women awake medical or non‐abdominal surgery inpatients with existing indwelling catheters. Measurements were made in the supine, 30° and 45° sitting positions. Comparisons were carried out to determine the effects on urinary bladder pressure of body position, sex and a suspected diagnosis of benign prostatic hypertrophy.Results:  Median values for IAP were higher if measured in a more upright position (P < 0.0001). Median values were supine, 9.5 cmH2O (range, 1–18 cmH2O); 30° upright, 11.5 cmH2O (range, 3–19 cmH2O); and at 45° upright, 14.0 cmH2O (range, 4–22 cmH2O). Measurements recorded were neither atmospheric nor subatmospheric. IAP was higher in men compared with women in the supine and 30° positions (P < 0.05) but not in the 45° position (P = 0.083). There was no significant difference between patients with and without suspected benign prostatic hypertrophy.Conclusions:  Normal IAP using urinary bladder pressure in awake patients are above atmospheric pressure. As a patient is moved from the supine into the upright position, IAP measurements increase.