bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Isolation of polymorphic microsatellite loci in the genus Clusia (Clusiaceae)
Authors: Hale Marie L. , Squirrell Jane , Borland Anne M. , Wolff Kirsten 
Published: March 2003

AbstractMicrosatellite flanking region sequences may provide phylogenetically useful information. We isolated 13 polymorphic microsatellite loci from two species, Clusia minor (five loci) and Clusia nemorosa (eight loci), to aid in the determination of phylogenetic relationships within the genus Clusia. Eleven loci amplified across all 17 Clusia species tested, while two loci amplified in 10 out of 17 species. The extensive cross‐species amplification suggests that these loci may be useful for an examination of phylogenetic relationships in this genus.
Characterization of microsatellite loci in Anopheles flavirostris, the principal malaria vector in the Philippines
Authors: Torres E. P. , Fischer K. , Foley D. H. , Kemp D. 
Published: March 2003

AbstractMicrosatellites were isolated and characterized from Anopheles flavirostris, the principal malaria vector in the Philippines. Fifty of the 150 positive clones sequenced contained mostly dinucleotide microsatellites and only 16 had trinucleotide repeats. We designed primers from the unique sequences flanking 18 microsatellite loci. Of these, 11 loci produced successful amplification and revealed high levels of polymorphism; 86 alleles were detected with allele number ranging from 2 to 16 at each locus. The high allelic variability will make these microsatellite loci very useful for taxonomic and population genetic studies.
Isolation and characterization of microsatellite DNA primers in burrowing owl (Athene cunicularia)
Authors: Korfanta N. M. , Schable N. A. , Glenn T. C. 
Published: March 2003

AbstractWe developed polymerase chain reaction (PCR) primers to amplify 22 microsatellite DNA loci in burrowing owls (Strigiformes: Athene cunicularia). The seven most easily amplified and scored polymorphic loci are presented. These show 3−19 alleles per locus and expected heterozygosities of 0.067–0.712. Inheritance at all loci conformed to Mendelian expectations among six owl families, and six loci conform to Hardy–Weinberg expectations.
Development of polymorphic microsatellite markers in Arisaema serratum (Thunb.) Schott, Araceae
Authors: Nishizawa Toru , Kawahara Takayuki , Kinoshita Eiichiro , Ueda Kunihiko , Watano Yasuyuki 
Published: March 2003

Abstract Arisaema serratum is a perennial herb capable of changing sex expression from year to year. We developed five polymorphic microsatellite markers for A. serratum to estimate male reproductive success. Variability at these loci was examined in two populations, one at Horigane and one at Kanazawa Japan; the number of alleles per locus ranged from five to 35 (the mean 21.4) in Horigane and from three to 36 (22.0) in Kanazawa. This high allelic diversity indicates that our markers are suitable for the study of male reproductive success in A. serratum.
Isolation and characterization of microsatellite loci in hybridizing California and Gambel's quail (Callipepla californica and C. gambelii)
Authors: Gee Jennifer M. , Calkins Jennifer D. , Petren Kenneth 
Published: March 2003

Abstract Callipepla californica and C. gambelii are sibling species of quail that hybridize throughout Southern California where their ranges overlap. We developed seven highly polymorphic microsatellite markers that will be used to assess introgression between these species. Numbers of alleles ranged in C. californica from seven to 24 and in C. gambelii from five to 18, with high expected levels of heterozygosity in both species. Alleles exclusive to each species are present at most loci.
Isolation and characterization of microsatellite loci in wheat stem sawfly Cephus cinctus and cross‐species amplification in related species
Authors: Hartel K. D. , Frederick B. A. , Shanower T. G. 
Published: March 2003

AbstractThe wheat stem sawfly is an important insect pest of wheat that can cause significant damage to yield and grain quality. Five microsatellite loci were isolated and characterized in wheat stem sawfly, Cephus cinctus, to facilitate future population genetic studies and help delineate their geographical origin. These loci were found to be polymorphic with an expected heterozygosity ranging from 0.304 to 0.937 and an observed heterozygosity ranging from 0.05 to 0.65. Successful cross‐species amplification demonstrates the potential for these markers to provide a valuable tool for future population studies among related Cephus species.
A10. Advantages of electrosurgical resurfacing (24 years’ experience)
Authors: Nikitina Susanna 
Published: March 2003

Since 1932, electrosurgical resurfacing for the treatment of scarring disorders and the removal of wrinkles has been successfully carried out on tens of thousands of patients in the Cosmetic and Plastic Surgery Centre in Leningrad . My aim is to share my own work experience of 24 years; I have performed more than 10 000 electrosurgical resurfacing procedures.Electroresurfacing is essentially a superficial skin resurfacing to the reticular layer. It is performed with special AC/DC apparatus and thermocautery, designed by a dermatologist from Leningrad. The procedure is performed on an outpatient basis, under local (EMLA cream) or intravenous anaesthesia. After the procedure, which takes 5, 10 or 15 min (depending on the area involved), the patient is discharged. It is not recommend that full face resurfacing is performed in one single session. It is better to have one half of face treated during the first session, allow seven days for healing, and then perform the second session. Two to three weeks are therefore needed for a full face resurfacing. The skin is red for up to 10 days following the procedure, however the redness fades after a few weeks. New skin is regenerated, providing a fresher, smoother appearance with total disappearance of mild and moderate wrinkling. In the case of full face resurfacing, there is a significant ‘lifting’ effect. Electrosurgical resurfacing is 80–100% effective for at least 5−10 years. It can be easily performed in any location, if required, as the advantages are obvious. First, there is no possibility of infection. The second advantage is that the equipment is portable, light (0.5–1 kg depending on the transformer), easy to use, and inexpensive. Contraindications are acute inflammatory and contagious skin diseases, as well as severe psychosomatic diseases. Overzealous coagulation may cause depigmentation, edge pigmentation and keloid scars, and therefore it is very important to ensure that coagulation is at the right strength.Based on the overwhelming experience of myself and my teachers, electrosurgical resurfacing has proved to be an excellent method for removing fine lines and wrinkles and for the correction of scars. Simplicity, a high degree of effectiveness, and a low incidence of complications make this method very attractive.
Nursing in prisons: understanding educational needs through a case study approach
Authors: Willcox Adrienne 
Published: March 2003

AbstractThe health of people in British prisons is subject to scrutiny and comment by several agencies. These include the Home Office – who hold responsibility for services – penal reformers, prisoner representation groups, the media and providers of healthcare within prisons. Nurses make up the largest workforce within the latter group, and are employed outside the NHS. The aim of this research was to explore the educational needs of nurses working in a prison, and to map findings against a nation‐wide scoping study of prison nurses’ role commissioned by the UK Central Council for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting (UKCC). Very little research exists on the educational aspects of healthcare provision in prisons, although the nature of ill‐health presentations is well documented. The UKCC study is unique, and enables comparison between national findings and this research, which took place in a single location. The objectives of the study were to investigate: the clinical and educational background of nurses working within prisons; the tasks and responsibilities of their role and how they were prepared for them; their perceived educational needs, including the content and structure of any proposed programme, and finally to estimate the degree of match between these findings and the UKCC national findings. Using a case study of one group of nurses working in a prison, data collection methods included a biographical timeline exercise and semi‐structured interviews. Content and thematic analysis of transcripts was undertaken, followed by documentary analysis of Nursing in Secure Environments (UKCC 1999). Both sets of findings were then compared for commonalities, anomalies and gaps. Findings revealed that there is no recognized, accredited qualification for a specialist prison nursing role. Induction programmes do not exist in all institutions, and continuing professional development occurs haphazardly according to the individual nurse, with little evidence of strategic planning in order to meet the health needs of people in prison. The implications for practice are diverse, and the opportunities for improvement are enormous. The educational needs of prison nurses are inseparable from the epistemological and ontological assumptions different agencies have about the way in which a society should, or could, treat those who break its rules.
California Condors and DDE: a re‐evaluation
Authors: Snyder Noel F. R. , Meretsky Vicky J. 
Published: March 2003

Eggshells of wild California Condors Gymnogyps californianus were much thinner in the 1960s, when DDT was used heavily, than during earlier pre‐DDT and later reduced‐DDT periods. However, eggshell thickness was more strongly linked to egg size (mass) than to measured levels of p,p′DDE (the primary metabolite of DDT). Egg size was consistent within individual females and yielded correlation coefficients with shell thickness ranging from 0.49 to 0.97, depending on the period and the analysis assumptions used. Measured DDE levels, although often substantial, provided only a weak correlation (r = −0.33) with shell thickness. In part, the absence of a strong DDE/thickness correlation may have been an artefact of losses of DDE from fragment membranes over time. Nevertheless, the extreme (28–29%) shell thinning of the 1960s was not linked with clearly increased egg‐breakage or nest‐failure rates, and one female of the 1980s with 25.6% shell thinning was the most productive female of her era. Some eggs with over 30% shell thinning hatched successfully, and broken eggs closely resembled hatched eggs in shell thickness, strongly suggesting that shell thinning was not an important cause of breakage. The apparent absence of harmful effects from the extreme shell thinning of the 1960s may have resulted from (1) the fact that historic pre‐DDT condor eggs were on average 16.7% thicker shelled for their mass than predicted by the overall egg mass/shell thickness curve for birds, and (2) a possible egg‐size decline or sampling bias toward small‐egged females in the 1960s. That DDE was an important cause of the Condor's decline appears unlikely from overall available data.
A Method for Determining X‐ray Elastic Constants for the Measurement of Residual Stress
Authors: Munsi A. S. M. Y. , Waddell A. J. , Walker C. A. 
Published: March 2003

Abstract: The X‐ray diffraction method is arguably the most convenient method of measuring residual stresses in terms of cost, spatial resolution, measurement time and the accuracy of measurement. The normal methods for calibrating X‐ray diffractometers are not conveniently applied to automated scanning systems, however, and so a new approach is required. In this study, a scanning X‐ray diffractometer was calibrated and the X‐ray elastic constant for a steel alloy was determined using a customised four‐point bending rig. The bending rig, in turn, was calibrated by dead loading. This study also described a simple alternative method for determining the X‐ray elastic constant, without the use of specialised software. After calibration, the error band of the diffractometer was found to be less than ±10 MPa. As this is ±5% of the yield stress for a typical steel, this level of accuracy was deemed to be acceptable for the measurement of residual stress.
Central corneal thickness is lower in osteogenesis imperfecta and negatively correlates with the presence of blue sclera
Authors: Evereklioglu Cem , Madenci Ercan , Bayazıt Yıldırım A. , Yılmaz Kutluhan , Balat Ayşe , Bekir Necdet A. 
Published: March 2003

AbstractBackground:  Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) is a rare, autosomal‐inherited, connective tissue disorder characterised by bone fractures, deafness and blue sclera. Additional ocular findings are decreased ocular rigidity, myopia, glaucoma, keratoconus, corneal opacity, small corneal diameter and congenital Bowman's layer agenesis.Purpose:  This cross‐sectional, masked, case‐control study aimed to assess whether central corneal thickness (CCT) is affected in patients with OI and to focus on the clinical significance of scleral blueness.Materials and methods:  Twenty‐three children with OI (13 boys, 10 girls) and 15 age‐, sex‐ and refraction‐matched healthy control subjects (eight boys, seven girls) were assessed for CCT by ultrasound pachymetry. The CCT was compared between two different patient subgroups (type‐I OI with blue sclera, n = 12; type‐IV OI without blue sclera, n = 11). Mann–Whitney U‐test or analysis of variance was used as indicated and only right eyes of each subject were included in statistical analysis. Results were expressed as mean ± S.D. and statistical significance was taken as p < 0.05.Results:  Mean age and sex distribution was similar between the groups (10.1 ± 2.5 vs 9.8 ± 1.8 years, p > 0.05). Patients with OI had significantly lower CCT (459.5 ± 24.6 μm) than in control subjects (543.6 ± 21.4 μm; p < 0.001). The CCT was below 500 μm in 22 of 23 children (95.6%) with OI, 15 of which (65.2%) were below 450 μm. In contrast, CCT was over 500 μm in all eyes in the control group. Type‐I OI eyes with blue sclera had significantly (p = 0.005) lower CCT readings (446.5 ± 16.3 μm) than type‐IV OI eyes without blue sclera (473.6 ± 25.0 μm). Mean keratometric values were similar between the groups (44.2 ± 1.7 vs 43.8 ± 1.6 dioptre, p > 0.05). Mean cycloplegic refraction was similar between the groups (−0.32 ± 0.5 vs −0.18 ± 0.4 dioptre; p > 0.05), although five of 23 OI patients had myopia, and mean intraocular pressure was lower in OI patients than controls (12.7 ± 1.8 mmHg vs 15.6 ± 1.9 mmHg; p < 0.001).Conclusions:  The CCT is thinner and negatively correlated with the blueness of the sclera in patients with OI. The CCT readings may therefore be of utmost importance in the diagnosis of OI. An ophthalmologist should be aware of an artificially low intraocular pressure measurement in such patients. In addition, when considering a keratorefractive treatment, CCT must be evaluated carefully to avoid unexpected results or complications. Sturdy protective spectacles should be prescribed to those who are not bed bound. Possible correlation of low CCT with biochemical changes in scleral collagen or systemic parameters awaits further investigation.
Is visual efficiency reduced in myopic eyes?
Authors: Vera‐Díaz F. A. , McGraw P. V. , Strang N. C. , Whitaker D. 
Published: March 2003

Purpose:  Myopic eye growth has the potential to modify both optical and neural performance of the human eye. To examine the influence of these factors we measured contrast detection thresholds in the presence of different levels of stimulus noise.Methods:  Contrast detection thresholds were measured for a 4 c deg−1 sinusoidal grating windowed by a Gaussian contrast envelope using a 2‐Alternative Force Choice method of constant stimuli. The stimulus (Gabor) was embedded in different levels of external noise (from 9.86 × 10−5 secdeg2 to 0 noise). Threshold measures when plotted against noise level produce a linear relationship: the slope provides a measure of sampling efficiency (neural index), and the intercept with the abscissa provides an estimate of internal noise (optical index). Six emmetropes and 15 myopes (≥6.00 D) participated in the study. The data of the emmetropic subjects were used as a baseline for comparison with the myopic group. In addition, biometric data were collected from all subjects.Results:  All emmetropic subjects showed similar results (p > 0.5) with sampling efficiencies of the order of ∼14% and internal noise measures of ∼2.4 × 10−5 secdeg2. All myopic subjects demonstrated reduced visual efficiency (p < 0.01) which could take the form of a reduced sampling efficiency or increased intrinsic noise levels, although most myopic subjects showed reduced sampling efficiency. Interestingly, reductions in sampling efficiency were compensated by lower levels of internal noise in this group.Conclusions:  Myopes show reduced visual efficiency in comparison to emmetropes. This can take the form of either increased internal noise or reduced sampling efficiency. However, deficits in sampling efficiency are associated with lower levels of internal noise. This may represent a compensation mechanism in the visual system of myopes to impaired neural sampling.
The development of the Quality of Life Impact of Refractive Correction (QIRC) questionnaire
Authors: Garamendi E. , Pesudovs K. , Elliott D. B. , Gelsthorpe S. , Burr J. 
Published: March 2003

Purpose:  To develop an instrument for the comprehensive measurement of the impact of refractive correction on quality of life in the pre‐presbyopic age group. To design the questionnaire to be relevant to refractive correction by spectacles, contact lenses and refractive surgery.Methods:  Quality of life domains were identified using literature review and professional focus group discussion. Items within these domains were selected from the scientific literature (global, vision‐specific and cosmetic surgery‐specific quality of life instruments) and from suggestions of professionals and lay people. Six focus groups were used for item reduction: Three groups of professionals (psychology and eye care professionals experienced with spectacle, contact lens and refractive surgery patients) and three groups of lay public. The reduced item set was built into a pilot questionnaire. Statistical analysis for item reduction included factor analysis (SPSS) and Rasch modelling (Quest, Rumm 2010).Results:  Seven domains of quality of life were selected. Within these, 647 items were selected as possibly being relevant. This number was reduced based on the responses of the focus groups to 90 items, which form a pilot questionnaire. The responses of 306 subjects (102 spectacle wearers, contact lens wearers and people who have had refractive surgery) were used to further reduce items using factor analysis and Rasch modelling. This resulted in the final version of the Quality of Life Impact of Refractive Correction (QIRC) questionnaire.Conclusions:  The methodological approach for item selection, item reduction, question construction and response scaling ensures construct validity of the QIRC questionnaire. The QIRC questionnaire is suitable for measuring quality of life in spectacle, contact lens wearers and refractive surgery patients, for outcome and cross‐sectional research.
Exercise in the Management of Heart Failure
Authors: Roubenoff Ronenn , Forman Daniel 
Published: March 2003

AbstractHeart failure (HF) is becoming more prevalent as treatment of hypertension and other underlying diseases prolongs survival, while the aging of the population increases the number of people at risk. HF has long been thought to be a disease whose prognosis is driven solely by pump function. However, the correlation between cardiac output and functional status is not strong, and recent data have disclosed a strong effect of HF on skeletal as well as cardiac muscle. This has led to re‐examination of the notion that enforced rest is central to treatment of HF. Recent data indicate that exercise can markedly improve skeletal muscle strength and endurance, as well as overall functional status, without directly affecting cardiac function. Clinicians should incorporate exercise training into the routine care of patients with HF.
ABCs of Dietary Guidelines 2000 for Clinicians
Authors: Dwyer Johanna , Lichtenstein Alice H. 
Published: March 2003

AbstractThe Dietary Guidelines for Americans are the ABCs for good health. They urge that all Americans Aim for fitness, Build a healthy base, and Choose sensibly. Action steps include the following: Aim for fitness: Aim for a healthy weight. Be physically active everyday. Build a healthy base: Let the food pyramid guide your food choices. Choose a variety of grains daily, especially whole grains. Choose a variety of fruits and vegetables daily. Keep food safe to eat. Choose sensibly: Choose a diet that is low in saturated fat and cholesterol and moderate in total fat. Choose beverages and foods to moderate your intake of sugars. Choose and prepare foods with less salt. If you drink alcoholic beverages, do so in moderation.
Nutritional Management of Individuals with Alzheimer's Disease and Other Progressive Dementias
Authors: Morris Judith , Volicer Ladislav 
Published: March 2003

AbstractAlzheimer's disease (AD) causes a steady loss of memory and a decline in the ability to care for oneself. Weight loss is an insidious, yet common, problem that requires intervention and supervision during all stages of the disease. In spite of swallowing difficulties, natural feeding techniques can be used to sustain demented individuals without the use of tube feeding. Mealtime independence that supports an adequate nutritional intake can be encouraged by a variety of environmental, behavioral, and physical strategies. Supplements and adjustments in the diet's texture and volume in response to chewing and swallowing difficulties can enhance food and fluid intake and help to maintain an established target weight. Strategies used to maintain nutritional status in AD may also be useful for individuals with other progressive dementias. It is important to consider the individual's comfort and dignity when making any team treatment decisions.
Dietary Management of Cardiovascular Disease: A Year 2002 Perspective
Authors: Van Horn Linda , McDonald Arline , Peters Eileen , Gernhofer Niki 
Published: March 2003

AbstractNever before has so much evidence pointed to the importance of diet and lifestyle behavior as influencing risk for cardiovascular disease. The National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) recently released its Third Expert Panel Report on the Detection and Treatment of Cardiovascular Disease in Adults (ATP III). This report, along with policy guidelines related to obesity, hypertension, diabetes, and other chronic diseases, provides strong recommendations for lifestyle interventions—modified diet, physical activity, and weight control—as key factors in the prevention of disease. The current evidence surrounding these recommendations is summarized, and translational examples are presented. The strength of the evidence and the practical significance of the resulting recommendations are discussed.