bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Low allozyme variation in snapper, Pagrus auratus, in Victoria, Australia
Authors: Meggs L. B. , Austin C. M. , Coutin P. C. 
Published: May 2003

AbstractThe population genetic structure of snapper, Pagrus auratus (Bloch and Schneider), in Victoria was investigated using six polymorphic allozyme loci. Fish were sampled from four sites in Victoria and single locations in South Australia, Western Australia and New Zealand. Although there were distinct genetic differences between the snapper populations from each of the Australian states and New Zealand, only minor and largely insignificant differences were detected among Victorian populations. The results are consistent with previous genetic and tagging studies that indicate no mixing between snapper stocks in Victoria and Spencer Gulf in South Australia. This justifies separate management of the snapper fisheries in these regions. The low levels of polymorphism and heterozygosity in Victorian snapper suggest an isolation by distance model of population structure rather than one of discrete subpopulations.
An examination of the salmon aquaculture conflict in British Columbia using the graph model for conflict resolution
Authors: Noakes D. J. , Fang L. , Hipel K. W. , Kilgour D. M. 
Published: May 2003

AbstractIn 1995, the British Columbia Government imposed a moratorium on salmon farming expansion and conducted an environmental assessment review of the industry. Despite the generally favourable conclusions of this review, the government delayed making a decision on the future of the industry for more than 2 years. This issue is examined using a graph model for conflict resolution. The graph model requires only ordinal preferences for the decision‐makers and allows the analyst to impose realistic constraints on the conflict such as providing for unidirectional and common moves. Given the preferences of the players involved in the conflict, inaction on the part of the provincial government was a stable solution for 2 years. The deteriorating economic situation in British Columbia combined with an improved public acceptance of the salmon farming industry shifted the solution to one of adopting the recommendations from the environmental assessment review and eventually lifting the moratorium.
Mechanism of smoke‐induced seed germination in a post‐fire chaparral annual
Authors: Keeley J.E. , Fotheringham C.J. 
Published: May 2003

1  Smoke‐stimulated germination in the post‐fire flora of California chaparral does not appear to be triggered by nitrate. Application of freshly prepared unbuffered KNO3 solutions (pH c. 6.2) failed to enhance germination of five populations of Emmenanthe penduliflora or one Phacelia grandiflora population, regardless of light or stratification conditions. 2  KNO3 buffered at acidic pH (or unbuffered solutions equilibrated with atmospheric CO2) did induce germination, but KNO3 solutions at pH 7 failed to induce germination. Induction of germination is therefore not due to the nitrate ion per se, but rather to high [H+], although buffered controls gave weak germination at low pH, suggesting a role for H+ plus nitrate. However, other anions such as sulphate were equally as effective as nitrate at breaking dormancy. 3  The germination response to KNO3 was affected by the type of filter paper used and this may be linked to differences in pH. 4  NO2, at concentrations present in biomass smoke, was highly effective at inducing germination, and other oxidizing agents also induced germination. 5  Several growth regulators, including nitrite and gibberellin, were stimulatory only at acidic pH, but KCN was stimulatory across a broad pH range. 6  Germination decreased at smoke exposures longer than a few minutes. Also, smoked water samples effective at breaking dormancy were acidic and were less effective when buffered to pH >7. 7  Physical scarification of the seed coat induced germination but the effect was not due to penetration of a water barrier, or to enhanced oxygen uptake or to wound responses such as CO2 or ethylene production. 8  Different effects of the gibberellin inhibitor CCC (chlorocholine chloride) suggested that the mechanisms of scarification‐induced and smoke‐induced germination may differ. 9  We conclude that either oxidizing gases in smoke and/or acids generated on burnt sites play a role in germination of post‐fire annuals in chaparral.
Population growth and viability analyses of the clonal woodland herb, Asarum canadense
Authors: Damman Hans , Cain Michael L. 
Published: May 2003

1  Long‐term demographic field studies combined with simulation models that incorporated two types of stochasticity were used to investigate the relative impact of reproduction and survival on the persistence of populations of the North American woodland herb, Asarum canadense. 2  Field data were collected over 7 years in replicate plots located in early and late successional forest habitat. By following marked ramets from year to year it proved possible to investigate the demography both of ramets and of groups of genetically identical ramets (clones). 3
A. canadense exhibited considerable temporal and spatial variation in reproductive success, survivorship, and population growth rates. Populations of ramets and clones in late successional forest habitats held their own, while those in early successional forest habitats declined. 4  Sexual and clonal reproduction had less impact on population growth than did survival. Nonetheless, seedling recruitment was important, as indicated by the relatively high rates of genet turnover in A. canadense populations. 5  Results from simulations indicated that the vast majority of genets in both habitat types failed to reproduce. Over their lifetime, simulated genets produced a maximum of 44 and 77 seedlings in early and late successional forest habitat, respectively. 6  Although A. canadense genets are potentially immortal, the maximum life span for 2000 simulated genets was 104 years. Simulated genets lived a mean of 3.0 and 4.8 years in early and late successional forest habitat, respectively. 7  Simulated A. canadense populations only persisted in late successional forest habitat. Within simulated late successional forest populations, the number of ramets tended to decrease over time, while the number of genets tended to increase over time. 8  The minimum viable population size for A. canadense ramets in late successional forest was 25 individuals with environmental stochasticity only, and 1000 individuals with both environmental and demographic stochasticity; for genets in late successional forest, the corresponding numbers were 20 and 25, respectively. 9  Ramet and genet dynamics differed greatly in A. canadense, highlighting the importance of long‐term demographic studies at each of these levels.
Evolving patterns of tobacco use in northern Sweden
Authors: Rodu B. , Stegmayr B. , Nasic S. , Cole P. , Asplund K. 
Published: May 2003

Abstract.  Rodu B, Stegmayr B, Nasic S, Cole P, Asplund K (University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA; Umeå Hospital, Umeå, Sweden). Evolving patterns of tobacco use in northern Sweden. J Intern Med 2003; 253: 660–665.Background and objectives.  Cross‐sectional data from northern Sweden suggest that the increased use of Swedish moist snuff (snus) may have contributed to a decline in the prevalence of smoking, especially amongst men. This study describes the evolving patterns of tobacco use in this population over the period 1986–1999.Design.  This is a prospective follow‐up study of 1651 men and 1756 women, aged 25–64 years, who were enrolled in the northern Sweden MONICA project (entry in 1986, 1990, 1994) and who were followed‐up in 1999. Information on tobacco use at entry and at follow‐up was used to describe the stability of tobacco use over a period of 5–13 years ending in 1999.Results.  Snus was the most stable form of tobacco use amongst men (75%); only 2% of users switched to cigarettes and 20% quit tobacco altogether. Smoking was less stable (54%); 27% of smokers were tobacco‐free and 12% used snus at follow‐up. Combined use (smoking and snus) was the least stable (39%), as 43% switched to snus and 6% switched to cigarettes. Former users of both products were much less stable than former users of either cigarettes or snus. The stability of smoking amongst women was 69%, which was higher than that amongst men (P < 0.05).Conclusions.  The use of snus played a major role in the decline of smoking rates amongst men in northern Sweden. The evolution from smoking to snus use occurred in the absence of a specific public health policy encouraging such a transition and probably resulted from historical and societal influences.
Cell signalling and gene expression mediated by RET tyrosine kinase
Authors: Kurokawa K , Kawai K. , Hashimoto M. , Ito Y. , Takahashi M. 
Published: May 2003

Abstract.  Kurokawa K, Kawai K, Hashimoto M, Ito Y, Takahashi M (Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Showa‐ku, Nagoya, Japan). Cell signalling and gene expression mediated by RET tyrosine kinase (Minisymposium). J Intern Med 2003; 253: 627–633.Germline mutations of the RET proto‐oncogene cause multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN) 2A or 2B by different mechanisms. As is the case for other receptor tyrosine kinases, mutant RET recruits a variety of signalling molecules via phosphorylated tyrosine residues present in the kinase domain and carboxy‐terminal tail. As we previously reported, the signaling via phosphorylated tyrosine 1062 plays a crucial role in the transforming activities of both RET‐MEN2A and RET‐MEN2B mutant protein. Interestingly, this single tyrosine residue represents a binding site for several signalling molecules including SHC, Enigma, SNT/FRS2, DOK and IRS1 and is responsible for activation of the RAS/ERK, PI3‐K/AKT, JNK, p38MAPK and ERK5 signalling pathways. Amongst these, the PI3‐K/AKT and JNK pathways appeared to be more strongly activated in the cells expressing RET‐MEN2B than in the cells expressing RET‐MEN2A, suggesting the possibility that these pathways may be involved in the disease phenotype. In addition, RET is alternatively spliced to produce three isoforms and the splicing site is present just downstream of tyrosine 1062. These isoforms play different roles for the tumour development associated with MEN 2 or the development of the kidney and the enteric nervous system. Moreover, using differential display analysis, we identified several genes whose expression is highly induced by RET‐MEN2B mutant proteins. The differential gene expression by RET‐MEN2A and RET‐MEN2B may also be important for the development of their phenotypes.
Maternal and Infant Services: Examination of access in a culturally diverse community
Authors: Comino EJ , Harris E 
Published: May 2003

Objectives:  The aim of this study was to evaluate access of resident immigrant families from a non‐English speaking background to Maternal and Infant Services operated by Community Health Services in south‐western Sydney.Methods:  An ecological study compared the demographic characteristics of mothers with an infant aged less than 12 months in three separate data collections. These were a 3‐month Community‐based Health Services Census, the 1996 Midwives Data Collection and the ABS 1996 Census of Population and Housing.Results:  Information was collected from 2048 infants and their families who were newly registered with Maternal and Infant Services. Approximately 75% of newborn infants were registered with services. Women who were born in a non‐English‐speaking country were over‐represented in the data. For both overseas and Australian‐born women those who left school aged less than 17 years were under‐represented compared with analysis of the related data systems.Conclusions:  The data suggest that migrant women from non‐English‐speaking backgrounds are accessing Maternal and Infant Services. However, innovative approaches for service delivery are indicated for women who may be considered socially disadvantaged, irrespective of their ethnic or cultural backgrounds.
Adherence to antiretroviral therapy: are we doing enough?
Authors: Read T. , Mijch A. , Fairley C. K. 
Published: May 2003

AbstractAdherence to antiretroviral therapy is a powerful predictor of response to therapy. For optimal antiretroviral therapy response, individuals need to take more than 95% of their prescribed medication. The most widely used method for measuring adherence is self‐report of the number of missed doses and this should be done at every clinic visit. There are several well‐recognized predictors of poor adherence, such as illicit drug use, depression, limited knowledge or ambivalence about starting treatment. Adherence can be improved by addressing these issues or through other means such as pill boxes or electronic reminders. (Intern Med J 2003; 33: 254−256)
Scleroderma renal crisis: poor outcome despite aggressive antihypertensive treatment
Authors: Walker J. G. , Ahern M. J. , Smith M. D. , Coleman M. , Pile K. , Rischmueller M. , Cleland L. , Roberts‐Thomson P. J. 
Published: May 2003

AbstractBackground:  Scleroderma renal crisis (SRC) is a rare but feared complication of scleroderma. Angiotensin‐­converting enzyme (ACE) inhibition has significantly improved survival, but it is unknown whether prophy­lactic ACE inhibitors will prevent this complication.Aims:  To determine: (i) the frequency of SRC in our cohort of well‐characterized scleroderma patients resident in South Australia, (ii) any predisposing clinical and serological features, (iii) median disease duration at which SRC occurs, (iv) possible precipitants, (v) disease outcome, and (vi) whether patients were taking ACE inhibitors prior to onset of SRC.
Methods
:  Systematic review of the clinical course of all patients registered on the South Australian Scleroderma Register.Results:  SRC occurred in 16 patients. This constituted 2.8% of a total scleroderma cohort and 15% of the diffuse scleroderma cohort identified in South Australia. All 16 patients had diffuse cutaneous scleroderma. SRC occurred at a median disease duration of 15 months (range 1 week− 11 years). Disease outcome was poor (five deaths, three requiring long‐term dialysis and only two patients regaining a normal creatinine) despite aggressive antihypertensive treatment (including ACE inhibitors) in an intensive care or specialized renal unit. Two patients were later able to discontinue dialysis. Only two patients were taking small doses of ACE inhibitors prior to the onset of their SRC. The frequency of Scl‐70 was decreased in the SRC group (P = 0.003).
Conclusion
:  SRC is a rare event occurring in a small proportion of patients with diffuse scleroderma. The outcome of SRC was poor despite aggressive antihypertensive treatment. It is hypothesized that prophylactic ACE inhibition in susceptible patients might prevent or ameliorate this complication. (Intern Med J 2003; 33: 216−220)
Questioning the decision‐making capacity of surrogates
Authors: Bramstedt K. A. 
Published: May 2003

AbstractWhen patients are unable to make medical decisions for themselves due to cognitive impairment, surrogate decision makers are often called on to guide the medical team. Important to any decision made on behalf of the patient is that the decision reflects the values and preferences of the patient in light of the patient's clinical status and prognosis. Challenges arise for the medical team when surrogates themselves have questionable decision‐making capacity due to psychosocial issues, conflict of interest, or the obvious projection of their own personal values and treatment preferences instead of the patient’s. Even if an alternative surrogate is available, there is no consensus on when and how to switch from the primary surrogate to the alternative surrogate. This paper uses a clinical case to explore the notion of surrogate decision‐making capacity, offering guidance for determining when it is appropriate to defer to an altern­ative surrogate, as well as guidance for managing the process of appointing the alternative as the new primary decision maker. (Intern Med J 2003; 33: 257−259)
Managing antituberculosis drug therapy by therapeutic drug monitoring of rifampicin and isoniazid
Authors: Ray J. , Gardiner I. , Marriott D. 
Published: May 2003

AbstractBackground:  Current therapeutic regimens with rifampicin and isoniazid have proven successful in treating tuberculosis, however, toxicity, therapeutic failure, relapse and multiple drug resistance are serious ­concerns. Optimizing drug dose using therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) may be a better approach than administering therapy as a standard dose.Aims:  To establish and evaluate a TDM service to ­optimize rifampicin and isoniazid therapy.Methods:  A TDM service for rifampicin and isoniazid was established in November 1998. Drug concentration data were collected, with relevant information to interpret the results. The reason for the request, information on concomitant drug administration and a questionnaire to assess clinical response to the drug results were also obtained.Results:  Ninety patient episodes were accepted for study. The rifampicin plasma concentrations showed significant scatter, with 46% of the rifampicin concentrations below the normal range and 2% above the normal range. Similarly, 48% of isoniazid concen­trations were below the lower target of the normal range and 29% were above the upper normal limit. There was a greater proportion of isoniazid concentrations above the normal range in female patients.Conclusion:  Significant pharmacokinetic variability was observed for rifampicin and isoniazid in the patient population studied. Further, a substantial number of plasma concentrations fell outside the suggested normal range for both drugs. Isoniazid plasma concentrations were significantly higher in female patients compared with male patients. Despite these abnormal results, the dose of rifampicin and isoniazid was altered in only 17% of patients, however, many patients received follow‐up education because of the drug result. The service was considered valuable by 83% of respondents to the questionnaire. While TDM of rifampicin and isoniazid is a valuable tool to optimize the dose of these drugs in some patients, there is an urgent need for concentration−effect studies and possibly education on the principles and practice of TDM for these drugs. (Intern Med J 2003; 33: 229−234)
Extracellular phosphatase activity of natural plankton studied with ELF97 phosphate: fluorescence quantification and labelling kinetics
Authors: Nedoma Jiří , Štrojsová Alena , Vrba Jaroslav , Komárková Jaroslava , Šimek Karel 
Published: May 2003

SummaryELF®97 phosphate (ELFP) is a phosphatase substrate which produces ELF®97 alcohol (ELFA), a fluorescent water‐insoluble product, upon hydrolysis. We studied the kinetics of ELFA precipitation in freshwater samples at levels of total plankton and single phytoplankton cells, and tested the suitability of ELFP for measurement of surface‐bound algal extracellular phosphatases. Samples from acidic Plešné Lake (pH ∼ 5; high phosphatase activity) and eutrophic Římov reservoir (pH ∼7–10; moderate phosphatase activity) were incubated with ELFP for 5–300 min, fixed with HgCl2 and filtered through polycarbonate filters. Relative fluorescence of filter‐retained ELFA precipitates was quantified with image analysis. Time‐courses of ELFA formation exhibited lag periods followed by finite periods of linear increase. In Plešné Lake, lag‐times were shorter (1–18 min) and rates of increase in ELFA fluorescence higher (by ∼2 orders of magnitude) than in Římov reservoir (lag‐times 30–200 min). Similar patterns of ELFA formation kinetics were also observed in Plešné Lake samples in cuvette spectrofluorometer measurements (which failed in Římov reservoir). Linear regression of seasonal data on rates of increase in ELFA fluorescence from image cytometry and spectrofluorometry (r2 = 0.65, n = 10) allowed for calibration of image cytometry in terms of amount of cell‐associated ELFA. Preliminary measurements of extracellular phosphatase activities of several algae resulted in rates (10–2260 fmol cell−1 h−1) which are comparable to data reported in the literature for algal cultures.
Extraradical mycelium of the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus Glomus lamellosum can take up, accumulate and translocate radiocaesium under root‐organ culture conditions
Authors: Declerck Stéphane , Dupré de Boulois Hervé , Bivort Céline , Delvaux Bruno 
Published: May 2003

SummaryRadiocaesium enters the food chain when plants absorb it from soil, in a process that is strongly dependent on soil properties and plant and microbial species. Among the microbial species, arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi are obligate symbionts that colonize the root cortex of many plants and develop an extraradical mycelial (ERM) network that ramifies in the soil. Despite the well‐known involvement of this ERM network in mineral nutrition and uptake of some heavy metals, only limited data are available on its role in radiocaesium transport in plants. We used root‐organ culture to demonstrate that the ERM of the AM fungus Glomus lamellosum can take up, possibly accumulate and unambiguously translocate radiocaesium from a 137Cs‐labelled synthetic root‐free compartment to a root compartment and within the roots. The accumulation of 137Cs by hyphae in the root‐free compartment may be explained by sequestration in the hyphae or by a bottleneck effect resulting from a limited number of hyphae crossing the partition between the two compartments. Uptake and translocation resulted from the incorporation of 137Cs into the fungal hyphae, as no 137Cs was detected in mycorrhizal roots treated with formaldehyde. The importance of the translocation process was indicated by the correlation between 137Cs measured in the roots and the total hyphal length connecting the roots with the labelled compartment. 137Cs may be translocated via a tubular vacuolar system or by cytoplasmic streaming per se.
Monitoring of alkane‐degrading bacteria in a sea‐water microcosm during crude oil degradation by polymerase chain reaction based on alkane‐catabolic genes
Authors: Sei Kazunari , Sugimoto Yoshiro , Mori Kazuhiro , Maki Hideaki , Kohno Tetsuro 
Published: May 2003

SummaryBehaviour of microbial populations responsible for degrading n‐alkanes, a major component of crude oil, was monitored during crude oil degradation in a sea‐water microcosm by both traditional colony culturing and molecular techniques. A DNA extraction method applicable to crude oil‐amended sea‐water samples was developed to obtain DNA applicable to most probable number (MPN) polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The population of alkane‐degrading bacteria responsible for degradation of n‐alkanes in a crude oil‐amended microcosm altered, so that shorter alkanes were degraded first by alkane‐degrading bacteria possessing alkane hydroxylase genes from group I (Kohno et al., 2002, Microb Environ 17: 114–121) and longer ones afterwards by those possessing alkane hydroxylase genes from group II. Thus, the degradation mechanism of the n‐alkanes can be clarified during crude oil degradation. Application of the method of detecting different types of alkane‐catabolic genes, as shown in the present study, enabled bacterial groups preferring alkanes of either shorter or longer chain lengths to be enumerated selectively.