bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Theory and performance of an infrared heater for ecosystem warming
Authors: Kimball B. A. 
Published: October 2005

AbstractIn order to study the likely effects of global warming on future ecosystems, a method for applying a heating treatment to open‐field plant canopies (i.e. a temperature free‐air controlled enhancement (T‐FACE) system) is needed which will warm vegetation as expected by the future climate. One method which shows promise is infrared heating, but a theory of operation is needed for predicting the performance of infrared heaters. Therefore, a theoretical equation was derived to predict the thermal radiation power required to warm a plant canopy per degree rise in temperature per unit of heated land area. Another equation was derived to predict the thermal radiation efficiency of an incoloy rod infrared heater as a function of wind speed. An actual infrared heater system was also assembled which utilized two infrared thermometers to measure the temperature of a heated plot and that of an adjacent reference plot and which used proportional–integrative–derivative control of the heater to maintain a constant temperature difference between the two plots. Provided that it was not operated too high above the canopy, the heater system was able to maintain a constant set‐point difference very well. Furthermore, there was good agreement between the measured and theoretical unit thermal radiation power requirements when tested on a Sudan grass (Sorghum vulgare) canopy. One problem that has been identified for infrared heating of experimental plots is that the vapor pressure gradients (VPGs) from inside the leaves to the air outside would not be the same as would be expected if the warming were performed by heating the air everywhere (i.e. by global warming). Therefore, a theoretical equation was derived to compute how much water an infrared‐warmed plant would lose in normal air compared with what it would have lost in air which had been warmed at constant relative humidity, as is predicted with global warming. On an hourly or daily basis, it proposed that this amount of water could be added back to plants using a drip irrigation system as a first‐order correction to this VPG problem.
Mollusc community patterns and species response curves along a mineral richness gradient: a case study in fens
Authors: Horsák Michal 
Published: October 2005

AbstractAim The goals of this study were to: (1) compare water conductivity and pH as proxy measures of mineral richness in relation to mollusc assemblages in fens, (2) examine the patterns of mollusc species richness along the gradient of mineral richness based on these factors, (3) model species–response curves and analyse calcicole–calcifuge behaviour of molluscs, and (4) compare the results with those from other studies concerning non‐marine mollusc ecology.Location Altogether, 135 treeless spring fen sites were sampled within the area of the Western Carpathians (east Czech Republic, north‐west Slovakia and south Poland; overall extent of study area was 12,000 km2).Methods Mollusc communities were recorded quantitatively from a homogeneous area of 16 m2. Water conductivity and pH were measured in the field. The patterns of local species diversity along selected gradients, and species–response curves, were modelled using generalized linear models (GLM) and generalized additive models (GAM), both using the Poisson distribution.Results When the most acid sites (practically free of molluscs) were excluded, conductivity expressed the sites’ mineral richness and base saturation within the entire gradient, in contrast to pH. In the base‐rich sites, pH did not correlate with mineral richness. A unimodal response of local species diversity to mineral richness (expressed as conductivity) was found. In the extremely mineral‐rich, tufa‐forming sites (conductivity > 600 μS cm−1) a decrease in species diversity was encountered. Response curves of the most common species showed clear differentiation of their niches. Significant models of either unimodal or monotonic form were fitted for 18 of the 30 species analysed. Species showed five types of calcicole–calcifuge behaviour: (1) a decreasing monotonic response curve and a preference for the really acid sites; (2) a skewed unimodal response curve with the optimum shifted towards the slightly acid sites; (3) a symmetrical unimodal model response curve with the optimum in the base‐rich sites, with no or slight tufa precipitation; (4) a skewed unimodal response curve but with the optimum shifted to the more mineral‐rich sites; and (5) an increasingly monotonic response curve, the optimum in the extremely base‐rich sites with strong tufa precipitation.Main conclusions Conductivity is the only reliable proxy measure of mineral richness across the entire gradient, within the confines of this study. This information is of great ecological significance in studies of fen mollusc communities. Species richness does not increase with increasing mineral richness along the entire gradient: only a few species are able to dwell in the extremely base‐rich sites. The five types of calcicole–calcifuge behaviour seen in species living in fens have a wider application: data published so far suggest they are also applicable to mollusc communities in other habitats.
Reciprocal distribution of two congeneric trees, Betula platyphylla var. japonica and Betula maximowicziana, in a landscape dominated by anthropogenic disturbances in northeastern Japan
Authors: Osumi Katsuhiro 
Published: October 2005

AbstractAim  Information has been compiled on disturbance regimes and the life‐history characteristics of Betula platyphylla var. japonica (Miq.) Hara and B. maximowicziana Regel to investigate the impact of humans on the present distribution patterns of these two congeneric tree species.Location  The study area is in the central region of the northern Kitakami Mountain Range, located in the northeast of Honshu Island, Japan.Methods  First, the present distributions of B. maximowicziana and B. platyphylla var. japonica were mapped at the landscape scale. To examine the factors affecting the distribution patterns, topographic features and past land use were taken into account. Second, life‐history traits of both species were clarified at various growth stages either by fieldwork or through a literature search. Previous studies have provided some information on seed production, seed dispersal, seedling dynamics, sprouting, and growth. In the present study, field observations and experiments were conducted regarding seed‐bank formation, size and age at reproduction, and the life span of canopy trees.Results  Betula platyphylla var. japonica and B. maximowicziana were spatially segregated in the studied landscape (14,000 ha). The distribution of each species was correlated more strongly with land use at the beginning of the twentieth century than with site environmental factors such as altitude or slope angle. Betula platyphylla var. japonica was distributed more frequently on former grasslands, whereas B. maximowicziana was almost exclusively limited to past old‐growth forests. As typical pioneers, the two species showed similar life‐history traits but differed in several critical points. Betula platyphylla var. japonica has a vigorous sprouting ability, which might increase its resistance to burning and logging, whereas B. maximowicziana forms a persistent seed bank in the soil, indicating an advantage in regenerating in disturbances found in forest communities. Other critical differences were detected in age‐related characteristics such as minimum age of reproduction and life span.Main conclusions  The earlier reproductive maturity and the shorter life span of B. platyphylla var. japonica indicate a shorter population cycle than that for B. maximowicziana. The latter would be excluded from grasslands that were burned frequently, as a result of the longer time span before initial reproduction and its poor sprouting ability. In contrast, B. platyphylla var. japonica would be excluded from old‐growth forests, where disturbance was infrequent, owing to its shorter life span and lack of a persistent seed bank.
Self‐reported anti‐social behaviour: prevalence and risk factors amongst adolescents with and without intellectual disability
Authors: Dickson K. , Emerson E. , Hatton C. 
Published: October 2005

AbstractBackground  Research has suggested increased risk of anti‐social behaviour amongst individuals with intellectual disability (ID).Methods  This study reports the results of a secondary analysis of data relating to self‐reported anti‐social behaviour, obtained from the 1999 Office for National Statistics (ONS) study of the mental health of children and adolescents in Great Britain. Self‐report data from 4174 adolescents was available. Within this group, a sub‐group of 98 adolescents with ID was identified. Data covered a variety of sub‐types of anti‐social behaviour.Results  Comparisons of individuals with ID and those without ID indicated a significantly higher prevalence of a number of types of self‐reported anti‐social behaviour in the ID sample. Further analyses indicated however, that these between group differences were accounted for by the higher rates of social deprivation and child mental health problems among the ID sample.Conclusions  Rather than ID per se being associated with increased rates of anti‐social behaviour, adolescents with ID may be more likely to experience risk factors (lower socio‐economic status and mental health problems) known to be associated with anti‐social behaviour. The clinical implications of this and possible future directions for research are discussed.
Further examination of relationships between life events and psychiatric symptoms in adults with intellectual disability
Authors: Hamilton D. , Sutherland G. , Iacono T. 
Published: October 2005

AbstractBackground  It has been proposed that people with intellectual disability (ID) might be similar to the general population in the way they respond to significant life events. Some preliminary findings have demonstrated that adults with ID who have experienced recent life events have an increased probability of having psychiatric problems. The aims of the present study were to determine whether previous findings can be replicated, and to examine the influence of additional diagnoses associated with ID on the strength of relationships between life event frequency and psychiatric problems.Methods  Adults with ID (n = 624), living either in staffed community accommodation or in family or foster homes, were assessed on the Developmental Behaviour Checklist for Adults (DBC‐A) and a 37‐item life events checklist. Carers who knew the person well acted as proxy informants.Results  People living in staffed accommodation experienced more life events than people living with natural or foster families. Life event frequency predicted DBC‐A total score, five of six sub‐scale scores, and caseness status, after significant demographic factors were taken into account. However, the strength of correlations between life event frequency and DBC‐A total score varied among sub‐groups identified by type of developmental disability and level of ID.Conclusions  Weak but significant associations between emotional and behavioural problems and life events experienced by adults with ID were demonstrated, but it was also shown that the strength of such associations varies among sub‐groups of this heterogeneous population. Future research needs to take account of the circumstances surrounding the life changes, the period of time over which changes might have taken place, and the meaning that the person might attach to the changes. Research into the causal relationship between exposure to life events and the onset of psychiatric problems is also warranted.
Protection Against Neonatal Escherichia coli Diarrhoea in Pigs by Vaccination of Sows with a New Vaccine that Contains Purified Enterotoxic E. coli Virulence Factors F4ac, F4ab, F5 and F6 Fimbrial Antigens and Heat‐Labile E. coli Enterotoxin (LT) Toxoid
Authors: Riising H.‐J. , Murmans M. , Witvliet M. 
Published: October 2005

SummaryThe efficacy of a new vaccine against neonatal Escherichia coli diarrhoea in piglets containing purified F4ab, F4ac, F5 and F6 fimbriae and detoxified heat‐labile toxin (LT) was tested in challenge experiments by the method described by the European Pharmacopoeia (3rd edn, EDQM, Council of Europe, Strasbourg, France). A group of 11 young sows from a herd without E. coli problems was vaccinated 6–8 and 2–4 weeks prior to expected farrowing and another group of nine young sows were non‐vaccinated controls. Escherichia coli antibody titres were determined in serum samples taken from the sows before first vaccination and before farrowing and in colostrum samples. The newborn piglets were allowed to suckle colostrum from their mother immediately after birth. The piglets were marked with individually numbered ear tags. Approximately 12 h after birth, 118 piglets from vaccinated sows and 79 piglets from non‐vaccinated control sows were challenged by oral instillation of 5 ml of a freshly prepared culture of one of the challenge strains [O8:K87:F4ab (LT+) or O149:K91:F4ac (LT+) or O9:K30:F5 or O9:K103:F6 respectively]. The challenge cultures contained as a mean 6.8 × 109 CFU/ml. After challenge the piglets were observed for 7 days and mortality and morbidity were recorded. Vaccinated sows developed significant levels of antibody titres in colostrum and serum. Control sows stayed at a low/seronegative level. The protective efficacy was excellent because 66.7–87.5% of the piglets from vaccinated sows remained without clinical signs after challenge. Only 0.0–28.0% of the piglets from non‐vaccinated sows remained healthy and more than 47.1% of the piglets in this group died after challenge. It is concluded that the new vaccine is very effective in protection of piglets against neonatal E. coli diarrhoea.
Detection of Bovine Viral Diarrhoea Virus Infected Cattle – Testing Tissue Samples Derived from Ear Tagging Using an ErnsCapture ELISA
Authors: Kuhne S. , Schroeder C. , Holmquist G. , Wolf G. , Horner S. , Brem G. , Ballagi A. 
Published: October 2005

SummaryA new diagnostic approach testing tissue samples derived from cattle ear tagging for bovine viral diarrhoea virus (BVDV) antigen in a commercially available antigen capture enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ACE) was developed. To validate this method, 99 positive and 469 negative samples were tested. With those samples the assay yielded a sensitivity of 100% and specificity of ≥99.6%. Serum and ear tissue samples from 11 persistently infected (PI) BVDV calves were tested. While serum samples were negative after intake of colostrum, the ear tissue samples could be detected positive for BVDV all the time. Testing multiple samples derived from the same ear from PI cattle yielded positive results and low variation. Using cattle ear tags combining the ear tag application with sampling of a small ear tissue plug and testing those tissue samples with an ACE could be a reliable and economic way of BVDV testing.
Diagnostic Procedures in Tularaemia with Special Focus on Molecular and Immunological Techniques
Authors: Splettstoesser W. D. , Tomaso H. , Al Dahouk S. , Neubauer H. , Schuff‐Werner P. 
Published: October 2005

SummaryTularaemia is a severe bacterial zoonosis caused by the highly infectious agent Francisella tularensis. It is endemic in countries of the northern hemisphere ranging from North America to Europe, Asia and Japan. Very recently, Francisella‐like strains causing disease in humans were described from tropical northern Australia. In the last decade, efforts have been made to develop sensitive and specific immunological and molecular techniques for the laboratory diagnosis of tularaemia and also for the definite identification of members of the species F. tularensis and its four subspecies. Screening for the keyword ‘Francisella’ a Medline search over the last decade was performed and articles describing diagnostic methods for tularaemia and its causative agent were selected. Besides classical microbiological techniques (cultivation, biochemical profiling, susceptibility testing) several new immunological and molecular approaches to identify F. tularensis have been introduced employing highly specific antibodies and various polymerase chain reaction (PCR)‐based methods. Whereas direct antigen detection by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) or immunofluorescence might allow early presumptive diagnosis of tularaemia, these methods – like all PCR techniques – still await further evaluation. Therefore, diagnosis of tularaemia still relies mainly on the demonstration of specific antibodies in the host. ELISA and immunoblot methods started to replace the standard tube or micro‐agglutination assays. However, the diagnostic value of antibody detection in the very early clinical phase of tularaemia is limited. Francisella tularensis is regarded as a ‘highest priority’ biological agent (category ‘A’ according to the CDC, Atlanta, GA, USA), thus rapid and reliable diagnosis of tularaemia is required not only for a timely onset of therapy, the handling of outbreak investigations but also for the surveillance of endemic foci. Only very recently, evaluated test kits for serological diagnosis of human tularaemia became available, while the introduction of standardized molecular techniques for detection and typing is still missing.
Mortality risk factors of Acinetobacter baumannii bacteraemia
Authors: Choi J. Y. , Park Y. S. , Kim C. O. , Park Y. S. , Yoon H. J. , Shin S. Y. , Kim Y.‐A. , Song Y. G. , Yong D. , Lee K. , Kim J. M. 
Published: October 2005

Abstract Background:  Acinetobacter baumannii is one of the most important nosocomial pathogens, and its multiple antibiotic resistance has emerged as an obstacle in the treatment of these infections worldwide.Aims:  To identify risk factors of mortality for A. baumannii bacteraemia.Methods:  A retrospective cohort study of 72 patients with significant A. baumannii bacteraemia was conducted to evaluate risk factors for mortality.Results:  The median age of the 72 enrolled patients was 48 years, 96% of the cases were hospital‐acquired, and the bacteraemia‐related mortality rate was 29% (21 of 72 patients). Univariate analysis revealed that the risk factors for mortality included: an elevated acute physiology and chronic health evaluation (APACHE II) score, receipt of in vitro ineffective definitive antimicrobial therapy, in vitro A. baumannii resistance to cefoperazone/ sulbactam, neutropenia, and presentation with septic shock. Multivariate analysis reveals that the independent risk factors for mortality are neutropenia and elevated APACHE II scores.Conclusion:  Risk factors such as neutropenia and elevated APACHE II scores are found to be associated with higher mortality rates of A. baumannii bacteraemia. Further study is necessary for the determination of optimal strategies for both the prevention and treatment of these infections. (Intern Med J 2005; 35: 599–603)
Residual risk of transfusion transmitted human immunodeficiency virus, hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus and human T lymphotrophic virus
Authors: Seed C. R. , Kiely P. , Keller A. J. 
Published: October 2005

Abstract Background:  The risk of transfusion transmitted viral infection is now so low that mathematical modelling is required to estimate the residual risk. The first national viral risk estimates for hepatitis B virus (HBV), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) were recently published by the Australian Red Cross Blood Service. Using several refinements to the original methodology, as well as an additional 2 years of data, new risk estimates have been derived.Methods:  Viral screening data for Australian donors for 2000/2003 were retrospectively analysed. The data were applied to three published models to estimate the residual risk of transmitting HIV, HBV, HCV or human T lymphotrophic virus (HTLV) by blood transfusion in Australia.Results:  Applying the three models to HBV, HIV and HCV, three point estimates of the residual risk per unit were calculated for each virus. The median point estimates were 1 in 1 339 000 for HBV, 1 in 1 in 7 299 000 for HIV, and 1 in 3 636 000 for HCV. Although the HTLV risk could not be equivalently calculated because of the lack of incident infection it was estimated to be considerably less than 1 in 1 000 000 using a separate method.Conclusions:   The most current and accurate estimate of residual risk of viral transmission in Australia has been provided in the present study. The residual risk in Australia is exceptionally small, continuing to decrease and is generally less than European or US risk estimates. These new estimates demonstrate that for viral transmission the Australian blood supply is amongst the safest in the world, and provide a basis for evaluating the cost benefit of future viral testing methodologies. (Intern Med J 2005; 35: 592–598)
Cautionary tales in the clinical interpretation of therapeutic trial reports
Authors: Scott I. A. , Greenberg P. B. 
Published: October 2005

Abstract Practising clinicians are assailed daily with reports of new therapeutic clinical trials. The evidence‐based medicine movement has developed critical appraisal methods for assessing the validity and impact of such studies. However, challenges persist in regards to the appropriate interpretation and application of trial results within everyday clinical settings. Using selected examples from recently published literature, we illustrate 15 cautionary themes for translating research evidence from therapeutic trials into clinical practice. (Intern Med J 2005; 35: 611–621)
Orbital decompression in Graves’ orbitopathy: efficacy and safety
Authors: Goh M. S. Y. , McNab A. A. 
Published: October 2005

Abstract Background:   Vision‐threatening compressive optic neuropathy occurs in a minority of patients with Graves’ orbitopathy. Surgical orbital decompression, systemic glucocorticoids and orbital irradiation are treatment options. Orbital decompression is being performed on an increasing number of patients for other indications such as corneal exposure and disfiguring proptosis.Aims:  To examine the outcomes of surgical orbital decompression for Graves’ orbitopathy by one surgeon.Methods:  An analysis of a retrospective case series of 88 consecutive patients (151 orbits) who underwent orbital decompression for Graves’ orbitopathy between April 1991 and November 2002.Results:  The indication for surgery was compressive optic neuropathy for 57 orbits; 94 orbits had an indication other than optic neuropathy. Of those with optic neuropathy, 94% had improvement or maintenance of visual acuity and 93% had improvement in colour vision after decompression. The overall mean reduction in proptosis was 4.7 mm. Of all patients, 30% had new or worsened diplopia postdecompression. Patients with optic neuropathy were more likely to develop new or worsened diplopia than those without optic neuropathy.Conclusions:  Orbital decompression is a safe procedure and effective in improving vision in compressive optic neuropathy. It is effective in reducing proptosis, therefore improving exposure keratopathy and cosmesis. However, new or worsened diplopia is a significant postoperative complication, and subsequent strabismus surgery might be required. This is an important consideration, especially for patients undergoing surgery for non‐optic neuropathy indications. (Intern Med J 2005; 35: 586–591)