bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Relationship between the shape and the patency of Santorini's accessory pancreatic duct revealed by a balloon endoscopic retrograde pancreatography compression study
Authors: Takehara Naoyuki , Shimura Hideo , Miyazaki Ryo , Sasaki Takamitsu , Maeshiro Kensei , Ikeda Seiyo 
Published: March 2004

Background:  Pancreatic juice flows into the duodenum via two pancreatic ducts including Wirsung's duct (main pancreatic duct) and Santorini's duct (accessory pancreatic duct). In contrast to Wirsung's duct, the precise anatomy and functions of Santorini's duct are still obscure.Methods:  We clinically examined the shape and the patency of Santorini's duct using a balloon endoscopic retrograde pancreatography compression study (balloon ERP‐CS) and analyzed 178 cases out of a total of 683 of balloon ERP‐CS cases according to our criteria.Results:  We found the total patency ratio of Santorini's duct to be 78.1% (139 of 178 cases). The shape of Santorini's duct, as examined by balloon ERP‐CS, was classified into four types. The most common types were the Rod type (44%) and the Spindle type (25%). The Branch type comprised 22%. The most rare type was the Cystic type (9%). The Rod type and Spindle type showed a high patency ratio (more than 95%), but the Cystic type and Branch type showed lower levels (36 and 31%, respectively).Conclusions:  Most cases with a poor flow of Santorini's duct were observed, especially in the Cystic and Branch types. In such cases, Santorini's duct could not function as a safety valve when a Wirsung's obstruction occurred in association with stones, tumors or edema in the papilla of Vater.
Wireless capsule endoscopy for diagnosis of small intestinal lesions
Authors: Raj Melvin , Goh Khean‐Lee , Chua Chin‐Jou , Tan Yan‐Mei 
Published: March 2004

Background:  Capsule endoscopy represents a new and highly innovative method of visualizing the small intestine. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the practicality, usefulness and diagnostic yield of capsule endoscopy in a group of patients with suspected small intestinal disease.Methods:  Eleven patients underwent capsule endoscopy using the M2A Capsule Endoscope™ (Given Imaging, Yogneam, Israel). The indications for the procedure were: obscure gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding in seven patients, evaluation of Crohn's disease in three patients and unexplained abdominal pain and weight loss in one patient.Results:  Abnormalities were detected in six of 11 patients overall. Detection of abnormalities was highest among patients with obscure GI bleeding where active bleeding and/or the source of bleeding was identified in five of the seven (71.4%) patients. One of the three patients with Crohn's disease had an ileal ulcer detected, while the remaining patient with unexplained weight loss and pain had a normal examination.Conclusion:  We have found in our preliminary experience that capsule endoscopy is a useful and practical procedure to perform especially for evaluation of obscure GI bleeding.
Biogeographical variation in community response to root allelochemistry: novel weapons and exotic invasion
Authors: Vivanco Jorge M. , Bais Harsh P. , Stermitz Frank R. , Thelen Giles C. , Callaway Ragan M. 
Published: March 2004

Abstract Centaurea diffusa is one of the most destructive invasive weeds in the western USA and allelopathy appears to contribute to its invasiveness (Callaway & Aschehoug 2000). Here we identify a chemical from the root exudates of C. diffusa, 8‐hydroxyquinoline, not previously reported as a natural product, and find that it varies biogeographically in its natural concentration and its effect as an allelochemical. 8‐Hydroxyquinoline is at least three times more concentrated in C. diffusa‐invaded North American soils than in this weed's native Eurasian soils and has stronger phytotoxic effects on grass species from North America than on grass species from Eurasia. Furthermore, experimental communities built from North American plant species are far more susceptible to invasion by C. diffusa than communities built from Eurasian species, regardless of the biogeographical origin of the soil biota. Sterilization of North American soils suppressed C. diffusa more than sterilization of Eurasian soils, indicating that North American soil biota may also promote invasion by C. diffusa. Eurasian plants and soil microbes may have evolved natural resistance to 8‐hydroxyquinoline while North American plants have not, suggesting a remarkable potential for evolutionary compatibility and homeostasis among plants within natural communities and a mechanism by which exotic weeds destroy these communities.
Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi as support systems for seedling establishment in grassland
Authors: Van Der Heijden Marcel G. A. 
Published: March 2004

AbstractRecruitment of new seedlings into the vegetation is essential for maintaining species rich plant communities. Hence it is of pivotal importance to understand factors determining seedling recruitment. Here it is tested whether arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) promote seedling recruitment in perennial grassland communities. Seeds of four plant species (two grasses and two forbs) were added to patches within 1‐year old grassland microcosms that were inoculated with different AMF taxa or to control microcosms that were not inoculated. The seedlings grew larger and obtained more phosphorus when AMF were present. Moreover, the seedlings obtained different amounts of phosphorus in microcosms inoculated with different AMF taxa. The results indicate that AMF promote seedling establishment by integrating emerging seedlings into extensive hyphal networks and by supplying nutrients to the seedlings. AMF, thus, act as a symbiotic support system that promotes seedling establishment and reduces recruitment limitation in grassland.
AsexualNeotyphodiumendophytes in a native grass reduce competitive abilities
Authors: Faeth Stanley H. , Helander Marjo L. , Saikkonen Kari T. 
Published: March 2004

AbstractAsexual, vertically transmitted endophytes are well known for increasing competitive abilities of agronomic grasses, but little is known about endophyte–host interactions in native grasses. We tested whether the asexualNeotyphodiumendophyte enhances competitive abilities in a native grass, Arizona fescue, in a field experiment pairing naturally infected (E+) and uninfected (E−) plants, and in a greenhouse experiment pairing E+ and E− (experimentally removed) plants, under varying levels of soil water and nutrients. In the field experiment, E− plants had greater vegetative, but not reproductive, growth than E+ plants. In the greenhouse experiment, where plant genotype was strictly controlled, E− plants consistently outperformed their E+ counterparts in terms of root and shoot biomass. Thus,Neotyphodiuminfection decreases host fitness via reduced competitive properties, at least in the short term. These findings contrast starkly with most endophyte studies involving introduced, agronomic grasses where infection increases competitive abilities, and the interaction is viewed as highly mutualistic.
Carbon input to soil may decrease soil carbon content
Authors: Fontaine Sébastien , Bardoux Gérard , Abbadie Luc , Mariotti André 
Published: March 2004

AbstractIt is commonly predicted that the intensity of primary production and soil carbon (C) content are positively linked. Paradoxically, many long‐term field observations show that although plant litter is incorporated to soil in large quantities, soil C content does not necessarily increase. These results suggest that a negative relationship between C input and soil C conservation exists. Here, we demonstrate in controlled conditions that the supply of fresh C may accelerate the decomposition of soil C and induce a negative C balance. We show that soil C losses increase when soil microbes are nutrient limited. Results highlight the need for a better understanding of microbial mechanisms involved in the complex relationship between C input and soil C sequestration. We conclude that energy available to soil microbes and microbial competition are important determinants of soil C decomposition.
Two‐phase species–time relationships in North American land birds
Authors: White Ethan P. 
Published: March 2004

AbstractThe species–time relationship (STR) is a macroecological pattern describing the increase in the observed species richness with the length of time censused. Understanding STRs is important for understanding the ecological processes underlying temporal turnover and species richness. However, accurate characterization of the STR has been hampered by the influence of sampling. I analysed STRs for 521 breeding bird survey communities. I used a model of sampling effects to demonstrate that the increase in richness was not due exclusively to sampling. I estimated the time scale at which ecological processes became dominant over sampling effects using a two‐phase model combining a sampling phase and either a power function or logarithmic ecological phase. These two‐phase models performed significantly better than sampling alone and better than simple power and logarithmic functions. Most community dynamics were dominated by ecological processes over scales <5 years. This technique provides an example of a rigorous, quantitative approach to separating sampling from ecological processes.
Reduced competitive ability in an invasive plant
Authors: Bossdorf Oliver , Prati Daniel , Auge Harald , Schmid Bernhard 
Published: March 2004

AbstractOne explanation for successful plant invaders is that they evolved to be more competitive. An intuitive prediction of this Evolution of Increased Competitive Ability (EICA) hypothesis never previously tested is that invasive populations should outcompete their native ‘ancestors’ in a common environment. We tested this idea in a diallel competition experiment with Alliaria petiolata where offspring from native and invasive populations were grown alone or in all pairwise combinations. While without competition, there were no differences between native and invasive populations, native populations outperformed invasive ones when competing against each other. Our results contradict the EICA hypothesis and we conclude that it does not not hold for Alliaria petiolata. Instead, we formulate a new ERCA (Evolutionary Reduced Competitive Ability) hypothesis: if there is less competition in the invasive range and competitive ability involves traits that have a fitness cost, then selection might act against it, thereby reducing intraspecific interactions too.
Influence of ambient light on the evolution of colour signals: comparative analysis of a Neotropical rainforest bird community
Authors: Gomez Doris , Théry Marc 
Published: March 2004

AbstractRainforests offer two contrasted light environments: a bright canopy rich in blue and UV and a dark understorey, rich in green and orange. Therefore, natural selection for crypsis should favour dark brown signals in understorey and bright green signals in canopy, whereas sexual selection for conspicuousness should favour bright yellow‐red signals in understorey and dark blue and UV signals in canopy. Using spectrometry and comparative analyses, we examined the relationship between ambient light and colour signals in a bird community of French Guiana. It appears that brightness and hue are mostly naturally selected, while UV content of plumage is more likely sexually selected. At each height, both sexes present similar coloration but males display more conspicuous sexually selected patterns than females. These results show that ambient light drives the evolution of colour signals at community scale, and should be considered when studying signalling in other communities and light‐contrasted ecosystems.
Millennial‐scale dynamics of staghorn coral in Discovery Bay, Jamaica
Authors: Wapnick Cheryl M. , Precht William F. , Aronson Richard B. 
Published: March 2004

AbstractPopulations of the staghorn coral, Acropora cervicornis, collapsed throughout the Caribbean region from the late 1970s through the 1990s. We tested the hypothesis that this recent, multidecadal interruption in coral growth was a novel event in the late Holocene. Eight cores, extracted from a lagoonal reef in Discovery Bay, Jamaica dated to 440–1260 CalBP and consisted almost entirely of A. cervicornis rubble. The A. cervicornis in the cores showed significantly less internal bioerosion than A. cervicornis from modern death assemblages in Discovery Bay, indicating generally shorter post‐mortem exposure at the sediment–water interface in the past. A. cervicornis grew continuously and was buried rapidly during the millennium preceding the 1980s, with the exception of a possible hiatus in growth and burial at some point 300–600 years ago. In the 1980s, a combination of perturbations, which included overfishing and (possibly) other forms of human interference, caused an unprecedented disruption in the growth and burial of staghorn coral populations in Discovery Bay.
Multisectoral Networks in Global Governance: Towards a Pluralistic System of Accountability
Authors: Benner Thorsten , Reinicke Wolfgang H. , Witte Jan Martin 
Published: March 2004

AbstractThis paper outlines the elements of a pluralistic system of accountability with regard to one of the most ambitious institutional innovations in global governance: multisectoral public policy networks. These networks bring together the public sector (governments and international organizations), civil society and business around issues ranging from corruption, climate change and fighting malaria to environmental and labour standards. We argue that multisectoral networks should be embedded in a pluralistic system of accountability making use of a combination of accountability mechanisms on a number of dimensions (actors, process, outcomes). The paper discusses some of the key conceptual, empirical and practical challenges of a ‘learning model’ of accountability in networks.
Civil Society and Democratically Accountable Global Governance
Authors: Scholte Jan Aart 
Published: March 2004

AbstractThis article explores the ways and extents that civil society associations can bring greater public accountability to global governance. The analysis first reviews the growth of civil society engagement of global governance. Second, the article elaborates four general ways that civil society associations have promoted increased accountability in global governance: by increasing the public transparency of global governance operations; by monitoring and reviewing global policies; by seeking redress for mistakes and harms attributable to global regulatory bodies; and by advancing the creation of formal accountability mechanisms for global governance. Third, the article identifies six broad circumstances that have affected (and often limited) the extent of civil society achievements with respect to accountability in global governance.
Transnational Corporations and Public Accountability
Authors: Koenig-Archibugi Mathias 
Published: March 2004

AbstractThis article considers the issue of public accountability of transnational corporations (TNCs) in the light of the experiences of the past 30 years. It discusses the problem of accountability of corporations in general and examines the accountability gaps that are particularly severe as a result of the global reach and power of TNCs, notably those related to the collusion between government officials and TNCs, to regulatory competition, to state weakness and breakdown, and to political subversion. Then existing attempts to close those gaps are assessed, including intergovernmental cooperation, business ‘self-regulation’ and initiatives that involve nongovernmental organizations and supranational agencies in defining standards of conduct for companies and monitoring their compliance.
Global Governance and Legitimacy Problems
Authors: Zürn Michael 
Published: March 2004

AbstractWhereas traditional institutions used to be seen as an international complement to a dominantly national paradigm, today's international institutions are an expression of political denationalization. The new international institutions are much more intrusive into national societies than the traditional ones. They increasingly contain supranational and transnational features and thus undermine the consensus principle of international cooperation. When society and political actors begin to comprehend this change, they begin to reflect on the features of a legitimate and effective political order beyond national borders. As a result, denationalization becomes reflexive and thus politicized. At the same time, the politicization of international politics harbours the potential for resistance to political denationalization, which increases the need – both from a normative and descriptive perspective – for the legitimation of such international institutions.
Global Governance and Communicative Action
Authors: Risse Thomas 
Published: March 2004

AbstractThis article discusses arguing and communicative action as a significant tool for non-hierarchical steering modes in global governance. Arguing is based on a logic of action that differs significantly from both the rational choice-based ‘logic of consequentialism’, and from the ‘logic of appropriateness’ theorized by sociological institutionalism. Arguing constitutes a learning mechanism by which actors acquire new information, evaluate their interests in light of new empirical and moral knowledge, and – most importantly – can reflexively and collectively assess the validity claims of norms and standards of appropriate behaviour. As a result, arguing and persuasion constitute tools of ‘soft steering’ that might improve both the legitimacy problems of global governance by providing voice opportunities to various stakeholders and the problem-solving capacity of governance institutions through deliberation.
Democratic Accountability and Political Effectiveness from a Cosmopolitan Perspective
Authors: Held David 
Published: March 2004

AbstractFrom the destruction of the twin towers on 11 September 2001 to the failure of trade discussions at Cancún in September 2003, issues are raised that not only concern large swathes of the world's population, but can only be adequately resolved by increased coordination and cooperation across borders. How such coordination and cooperation can be achieved, and how and to whom there should be accountability, are the themes of this article. The article is in six parts. The first part sketches the contemporary nature of global politics; the second examines problems and dilemmas of global public policy-making; the third explores how global governance can be strengthened; the fourth sets out the framework of a cosmopolitan polity which would place democratic accountability at its centre; the fifth unfolds a related concept of multilayered citizenship; and the final part explores the underlying cosmopolitan principles of the argument.
Suggested mechanisms of action of UVA phototherapy in morphea: a molecular study
Authors: El‐Mofty M. , Mostafa W. , Esmat S. , Youssef R. , Bousseila M. , Nagi N. , Shaker O. , Abouzeid A. 
Published: March 2004

Background: Ultraviolet A (UVA) phototherapy proved to be an efficient line of treatment of scleroderma. The mechanism through which it acts is still not clear.Objective: To detect the mechanism of action of UVA phototherapy in morphea through measuring its effect on the levels of different parameters related to collagen metabolism.Methods: Twenty‐one cases of morphea were treated with low‐dose broad‐band UVA for 20 sessions. Twelve cases received 20 J/cm2/session with a cumulative dose of 400 J/cm2 and nine cases received 10 J/cm2/session with a cumulative dose of 200 J/cm2. The response was assessed clinically every week. Two skin biopsies were taken from the lesional skin of each patient before starting and after the end of therapy. Paraffin sections were examined for quantitative polymerase chain reaction measurement of collagen I, collagen III, collagenase, transforming growth factor‐beta (TGF‐β) and interferon gamma (IFNγ).Results: Eighteen patients reported remarkable softening of the skin lesions, with variable degrees ranging from moderate in 57.1% of them good in 19% to very good response in 9.5%. After treatment, all the studied parameters revealed statistically significant changes. There was a significant decrease in collagen I, collagen III and TGF‐β and a significant increase in collagenase (MMP‐1) and IFNγ. The relative change was found to be greatest in collagenase, followed by IFNγ then TGF‐β and finally collagen I. The changes in collagen I, collagenase, IFNγ and TGF‐β were found to increase gradually with the degree of clinical response. In all the parameters studied the relative change was significantly higher in cases treated with 20 J/cm2/session in contrast to those treated with 10 J/cm2/session although no statistically significant difference could be detected in the clinical response to those doses.Conclusion: The efficacy of low‐dose UVA phototherapy in the treatment of localized scleroderma is mainly obtained by the increased production of MMP‐1 and IFNγ, and to a lesser extent by decreasing TGF‐β and collagen production. Concerning the use of 10 or 20 J/cm2/session those effects are dose dependent, but the clinical response does not significantly differ.
Solar urticaria in Singapore: an uncommon photodermatosis seen in a tertiary dermatology center over a 10‐year period
Authors: Chong Wei‐Sheng , Khoo Shih‐Wee 
Published: March 2004

Background: Solar urticaria is an uncommon photodermatosis, characterized by the appearance of pruritic wheals after sun exposure. In this study, we examine the photobiological characteristics of solar urticaria in the heterogeneous group of Singaporean patients.Methods: The photobiological features of all patients treated for solar urticaria at a tertiary dermatology center in Singapore over a 10‐year period were retrospectively examined.Results: A total of 19 patients were diagnosed to have solar urticaria from 1993 to 2002. The mean age at diagnosis was 26 years, with a racial distribution of 17 (90%) Chinese, one (5%) Malay, and one (5%) Indian. Fifteen (79%) patients were males and four (21%) were females. The face/neck (47%) and arms/forearms (58%) were most often affected. Six (32%) patients had a history of atopy and two (11%) had dermographism. Fifteen (79%) patients had Fitzpatrick's skin type IV, three (16%) had skin type III and one (5%) patient had skin type V. The mean exposure time to wheal formation was 23 min. The action spectra of solar urticaria were visible light for 12 (63%) patients, ultraviolet (UV) A for one (5%), visible light and UVA for five (27%), and natural sunlight for one (5%) patient. All patients reported partial improvement with a combination of antihistamines and sunscreens as the main modality of treatment.Conclusion: Our data suggest that solar urticaria is an uncommon photodermatosis and a rare form of urticaria. Wheals were mostly elicited by visible light and/or UVA. A combination of antihistamines and sunscreens provided a useful form of therapy for patients with solar urticaria.
The characteristics of erythema induced by topical 5‐aminolaevulinic acid photodynamic therapy
Authors: Clark Colin , Dawe Robert S , Moseley Harry , Ferguson James , Ibbotson Sally H. 
Published: March 2004

Background: Topical photodynamic therapy (PDT) is increasingly used to treat superficial non‐melanoma skin cancers. Knowledge of the characteristics of 5‐aminolaevulinic acid (ALA)‐induced phototoxicity will increase our understanding of PDT and may facilitate optimisation of treatment regimes.Methods: We examined the characteristics of ALA‐induced erythema in 10 healthy subjects and investigated the effect of light source and body site.Results and Conclusion: Maximal erythema occurred within 1–2 h of PDT and inter‐individual variation in ALA‐induced phototoxicity was seen. No detectable differences were seen in the phototoxicity on back or leg sites or between coherent and non‐coherent light sources. These data provide further information to allow us to optimise topical PDT regimes.