bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Relationships of phytogeography and diversity of tropical tree species with limestone topography in southern Belize
Authors: Brewer Steven W. , Rejmánek Marcel , Webb Molly A. H. , Fine Paul V. A. 
Published: October 2003

AbstractAim The flora of northern Mesoamerica conventionally has been thought to be derived from taxa that emigrated from South America, but this view has recently been challenged as too simple. The dominance of limestone substrata in much of northern Mesoamerica, and its rarity in the rest of the continental Neotropics, may be one cause of the complexity of northern Mesoamerican floristics. Furthermore, northern Mesoamerica experiences longer and more intense seasonal drought than the rest of the continental Neotropics. As edaphic drought is accentuated with elevation on limestone soils, it may be expected that different topographic features have different phytogeographical affinities for seasonally drought‐prone areas of the Neotropics. The objective of this study was to test for effects of different topographic positions on the composition, phytogeography and diversity of tree species in a limestone area of Belize.Location Maya Mountains, Belize, Mesoamerica.Methods The diversity and local, regional, and hemispheric distributions of tree species on limestone valley floors, lower and upper slopes, and ridges were compared in southern Belize using 2 × 500 m transects as sample plots.Results Stem density increased, and percentage of large trees decreased, significantly with elevation above the valley floors. The proportions of species that had widespread distributions decreased significantly with increasing elevation above the valley floors. The proportions of species having northern Mesoamerican distributions increased significantly with elevation above the valley floors. All of the forests generally had the strongest phytogeographical affinities for the Petén (Guatemala) and Mexico, but greater affinities for the Yucatán were observed with increasing elevation above the valley floors. Species with distributions including the Greater Antilles made up an increasingly significant element, in terms of species and numbers of stems, with increasing elevation above the floors of valleys. Valley floors and ridges had the highest percentages of species unique to their topographic positions, 61% and 39% of their species, respectively, and were very similar in diversity. Slope forests had the highest diversity of trees ≥ 5 cm d.b.h. and were transitional in composition among the topographic positions.Main conclusions Despite relatively small changes in elevation, the composition, diversity and physical structure of the limestone forests changed significantly with topography. Such changes were presumably due to the greater edaphic drought experienced by these forests, and possibly due to lower levels of disturbance and differences in forest age, with increasing elevation above the floors of valleys.
Validity of a performance assessment of activities of daily living for people with developmental disabilities
Authors: Kottorp A. , Bernspång B. , Fisher A. G. 
Published: October 2003

AbstractBackground  Since clients with different types of developmental disabilities often experience difficulties in activities of daily living (ADL), it is critical that assessments of ADL are evaluated in order to ensure that one can make valid judgements based on the results of the appraisal. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the validity of a specific performance assessment instrument, the Assessment of Motor and Process Skills (AMPS), when used by occupational therapists with clients with developmental disabilities. Unlike global ADL assessments, the AMPS is used not only to evaluate the level of ADL dependence, but also to estimate the quality of each specific action performed when a person is performing ADL tasks.Methods  Data were gathered from 1724 participants with different developmental disabilities, including intellectual disability (ID), cerebral palsy and spina bifida. Many‐Facet Rasch (MFR) analysis was used to examine person‐response validity, and task and item scale validity.Results  Goodness‐of‐fit statistics showed that the tasks and items had acceptable scale validity. The participants had acceptable person‐response validity on the ADL motor scale, but had slightly lower than expected levels of person‐response validity on the ADL process scale. The results indicate that clients with more severe forms of ID may have a higher proportion of different performance profiles in ADL than is expected by the MFR model of the AMPS. Since the proportion of participants who did not meet the criteria was only 3% lower than expected and in accordance with other studies, the difference may not be clinically meaningful. Otherwise, the results indicated that the AMPS is a valid tool when used with clients with developmental disabilities.Conclusions  Further research is needed to evaluate the use of the AMPS in clinical assessment and intervention planning for this group of clients.
Nurse recognition of early deviation in development in home videos of infants with Rett disorder
Authors: Burford B. , Kerr A. M. , Macleod H. A. 
Published: October 2003

AbstractBackground  In the genetic Rett disorder (RD), infants make some progress then suffer a dramatic developmental regression, usually before 2 years of age. Home videos, taken before the problems are recognized, offer an objective source for detecting early signs.Methods  Thirty‐six health visitors and midwives were invited to view brief examples from home videos of a cohort of 14 infants with RD and 11 control infants with normal development in the first year of life, and to indicate, by pressing a button, points in the recordings which aroused their suspicion of developmental deviation. They were then invited to comment on their selection. The participants were blind as to whether any individual example showed an infant with normal development or one with some form of developmental disturbance.Results  From the first month of life and throughout the first year, infants with RD received more button presses than controls (46%, 361 out of 778 viewings) in comparison with the control group (12%, 67 of 558). The consistent nature of the health professionals’ comments made possible their categorization under four headings: appearance, posture, movement and contact. In the first month of life, the hand postures of infants with RD received particular comment from midwives (23 out of 37 comments overall on posture).Conclusions  The present study strongly suggests the presence of early signs of developmental deviation in infants with RD, although, in most cases, formal developmental screening procedures have failed to detect these before the ages of 12 or 18 months.
Long‐term prognosis of children with Down's syndrome and leukaemia: a 34‐year nation‐wide experience
Authors: Rajantie J. , Siimes M. A. 
Published: October 2003

AbstractBackground  Although the characteristics of leukaemia in patients with Down's syndrome (DS) have been well documented, little is known about the long‐term results of treatment.Method  Retrospectively from 1968 to 1981 and prospectively from 1982 to 2002, the present authors collected data on every child with DS in Finland who had been diagnosed with leukaemia between 1968 and 1994.Results  Forty‐one children with DS had acute leukaemia: 28 had acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL); and 13 had acute non‐lymphoblastic leukaemia (ANLL). The median age of the subjects at diagnosis was 3.8 years (range = 0–15.9 years). Patients with ANLL were significantly younger (P = 0.001) and all patients under 2 years of age had ANLL. Out of the 28 patients with ALL, 23 (82%) entered primary remission, and of these 23 individuals, 10 remained alive and in continuous remission (CR) after a median of 11.6 years (range = 8.9–20.0 years). Out of the 13 patients with ANLL, five (38%) entered remission and four remained in CR after a median of 16.0 years (range = 9.1–19.2 years). Treatment ‐related toxicities were common: eight patients with ALL and two with ANLL died of septicaemia. Actuarial, event‐free survival rates at 5 years were 53% and 43% for adequately treated subjects with ALL and ANLL, respectively.Conclusions  Standard leukaemia chemotherapy is effective in patients with DS. However, because toxicities are unacceptably frequent, specific anti‐leukaemia regimens are needed for subjects with DS design.
An audit of investigations into allegations of abuse involving adults with intellectual disability
Authors: Joyce T. A. 
Published: October 2003

AbstractBackground  The present paper describes the results of an audit of referrals to a psychology service requesting specialist assistance in the investigation of allegations of abuse.Methods  The referrals were over a 2‐year period and case notes and records were reviewed to analyse the nature of the allegation, the characteristics of the victims or perpetrators, and the process of the investigation and its outcome.Results  Twenty‐six people were referred for investigation into allegations of sexual or physical abuse. The referrals were for assistance with an investigative interview (n = 12), capacity to give consent to a sexual relationship (n = 8) and competence to give evidence in court (n = 6). The referrals were all in relation to adults, covering a range of ages and degrees of intellectual disability.Conclusions  The process of the investigations suggested that a number of barriers still exist which can make decision‐making in relation to the alleged abuse extremely difficult. Resolution of the allegations through the criminal justice system was also problematic.
Risk factors for self‐injurious behaviours among 222 young children with autistic disorders
Authors: Baghdadli A. , Pascal C. , Grisi S. , Aussilloux C. 
Published: October 2003

AbstractThe aim of this study was to identify risk factors for self‐injurious behaviours (SIBs) in children with autistic disorders. The occurrence of SIB was examined in comparison with the following variables: chronological age, sex, adaptive skills, speech level, associated medical condition, degree of autism and parental social class. The subjects were 222 children aged under 7 years and all of them fulfilled the ICD‐10 criteria for infantile autism. Retrospective data were collected on demographic characteristics and medical condition. Children were assessed in terms of speech, degree of autism and adaptive skills in communication, socialization and daily living skills domains. Results indicated that 50% of the children experienced SIB and 14.6% had severe SIBs. Lower chronological age, associated perinatal condition, a higher degree of autism and a higher daily living skills delay were risk factors of SIBs but parental class, sex and epilepsy were not.
Incidence determinants of gonorrhea, chlamydial genital infection, syphilis and chancroid in attendees at a sexually transmitted disease clinic in Athens, Greece
Authors: Kyriakis Kyriakos P. , Hadjivassiliou Maria , Paparizos Vassilios A. , Flemetakis Alexandros , Stavrianeas Nikolaos , Katsambas Andreas 
Published: October 2003

AbstractObjective  To determine the specific impact on the incidence rate of some demographic and behavioral characteristics in outpatients with four bacterial sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).Study design  A cross‐sectional hospital outpatient‐based study was conducted from 1990 to 1996 on 1064 consecutive symptomatic STD cases (Chlamydia trachomatis, n = 375; gonorrhea, n = 369; early symptomatic syphilis, n = 288, and chancroid, n = 32) using a standardized questionnaire.Results  In a reference STD population of 5831 symptomatic outpatients, the relative incidence of gonorrhea, syphilis and chancroid was found to be increased among immigrants. Low educational/socioeconomic level was also a significant incidence predictor. Older age characterized homo/bisexuals. The chlamydial infection detection rate was not affected by nationality, injecting drug use history or sexual orientation in males.Conclusion  Innovative preventive and control strategies are needed among immigrants, older men having sex with men and injecting drug users, apart from those targeting the general population.
Critical review of the manner in which the efficacy of therapies for rosacea are evaluated
Authors: Gupta Aditya K. , Chaudhry Maria M. 
Published: October 2003

AbstractBackground  Rosacea is a relatively common disorder that may affect individuals of all races, particularly those of northern European decent. Its onset generally occurs in individuals between the ages of 20 and 50 years. Rosacea may be classified into four subtypes and one variant. Although individuals with rosacea may not pass through all of the stages, the primary features of the disorder include frequent flushing and blushing, nontransient erythema, the presence of papules and pustules, and telangiectasia. Many agents have been used to treat rosacea stigmata, especially because none of these is uniformly effective.Aim  To identify the parameters that are used to evaluate the response to therapy when different agents are used to treat rosacea. For a given parameter, to determine whether the different trials are consistent in the manner in which this variable is measured.Methods  The reports on the efficacy and safety of the different drug therapies used to treat rosacea were identified. We searched MEDLINE (1966 to June 2002) for studies where rosacea was treated. The parameters used to evaluate the efficacy of therapy were determined. For each parameter, the ways in which it has been measured were identified.Results  Efficacy of treatment is generally judged by evaluating the effect of the intervention on papules and pustules, erythema, and telangiectasia. Manual lesional counts of papules and pustules are usually performed. There is, however, substantial variation in the methodology chosen for comparison of erythema and telangiectasias. Color scales are popular for erythema and telangiectasia, while grading scales are most commonly used for physician and patient evaluations.Conclusions  For each of the parameters that are commonly used to measure the efficacy of treatments for rosacea, the different approaches by which it has been measured in the various trials have been highlighted; these dissimilarities can make it problematic to compare between clinical trials. A greater degree of uniformity in the manner in which the various parameters are evaluated would enable a more objective comparison between the studies.
IgG antibody reactivity to Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto antigens in patients with morphea in Colombia
Authors: Palacios Ricardo , Torres Antonio , Trujillo Rodolfo 
Published: October 2003

AbstractBackground  Morphea and lichen sclerosus et atrophicus (LSA) are sclerotic skin lesions of unknown etiology involving connective tissue. The hypothesis of a borrelial origin of morphea and LSA is currently controversial.Methods  Immunoglobulin G (IgG) immunoblot serologies against Borrelia burgdorferi in patients with morphea and LSA were analyzed and compared with those from healthy donors and patients with syphilis to determine the association with a probable borrelial agent in Colombia.Results  No significant differences in the number of reactive antigenic bands were found between morphea/LSA patients and syphilis patients or healthy donors. The presence of at least one of the following bands, p28, p39, or p45, was the criterion most able to distinguish morphea/LSA, yielding a specificity of 95% and a sensitivity of 28.6%. Using this criterion as evidence of putative exposure to a causative borrelial agent, sclerotic skin lesions had an odds ratio of 7.60 (95% confidence interval, 1.47–39.23).Conclusions  These results could be explained by cross‐reactivity; however, the partial shared reactivity of sera from patients with syphilis and morphea/LSA does not rule out the possibility that a new spirochetal agent, unrelated to B. burgdorferi or Treponemas, may be the causative agent of morphea/LSA in Colombia.
Prevalence of skin diseases in rural areas of Assiut Governorate, Upper Egypt
Authors: Abdel‐Hafez Kamal , Abdel‐Aty Mahmoud Attia , Hofny Eman R. M. 
Published: October 2003

AbstractBackground  Few epidemiological surveys have been carried out to determine the prevalence of skin diseases in the population of Egypt, particularly “Upper Egypt”. So it is a pressing necessity to conduct such a study in rural Assiut.Objectives  To determine the prevalence of various skin diseases in rural Assiut.Subjects and methods  A cross‐sectional community‐based survey was followed. The survey included 8008 rural inhabitants of all ages and both sexes from a representative of three villages of Assiut Governorate, Upper Egypt. The data were collected through personal interview and examination at homes from December 1994 to December 1996.Results  They showed that 6961 (86.93%) of the studied population had one or more skin diseases. The group with parasitic skin infestations had the highest prevalence rate (27.40%) of the total sample, of which pediculosis capitis (19.37%) was the commonest. Eczema/dermatitis group had a rate of 19.82%, with pityriasis alba forming the majority (13.49%). Pigmentary disorders were 17.68%, followed by fungal skin infections (16.17%), then naevoid disorders (16.10%), hair and scalp disorders (12.07%), bacterial skin infections (10.10%), sweat gland disorders (6.16%), acne vulgaris (5.37%). Leprosy constituted 1.6/10,000. Other various skin disorders were recorded.Conclusions  Infective‐parasitic diseases were a major problem particularly among the younger age‐group and those of low socio‐economic status.
Lepromatous leprosy and reversal reaction in a Micronesian immigrant
Authors: Ross Rustin R. , Herron Mark D. , Florell Scott R. 
Published: October 2003

A 25‐year‐old Micronesian man from the island of Otia developed erythematous plaques on his legs. He was diagnosed with erythema nodosum and treated with systemic prednisone. Two months later, he presented with erythematous nodules on his forehead, cheeks, and chin (Fig. 1). Examination revealed scattered violaceous papules on his chest, arms, forearms, hands, and feet, and deep purple macules on his palms and soles. Laboratory evaluation included negative serologies for human immunodeficiency virus, rapid plasma reagin, and hepatitis A, B, and C.Erythematous papules and nodules cover the forehead, nose, cheeks, chin, and earsimageRoutine histopathology revealed nodular aggregates of histiocytes, plasma cells, and lymphocytes. Histiocytes showed basophilic clusters of organisms within vacuoles, suggesting globi. Acid‐fast stain revealed numerous acid‐fast‐positive rod‐shaped organisms. The bacterial index on the Fite stain was four (bacterial index/Ridley's logarithmic scale, indicating 10–100 bacteria/high power field) (Fig. 2). An acid‐fast stain obtained from a smear of tissue was positive for acid‐fast bacilli, but no acid‐fast bacilli were cultured.The bacterial index on the Fite stain was fourimageAfter the first day of treatment with dapsone 100 mg, rifampin 600 mg, and clofazimine 50 mg, the patient complained of burning and pain in his ankles and wrists. There was intense erythema within the lesions. Edema developed in his hands and feet. Consultation with the Gillis W. Long Hansen's Disease Center in Carville, Louisiana, recommended prompt treatment with corticosteroids. The edema of the hands and wrists was treated as a type I reversal reaction with prednisone 1 mg/kg/day. Subsequently, the edema and neuralgia quickly resolved in his distal extremities.
Verrucae vulgares: flashlamp‐pumped pulsed dye laser treatment in 134 patients
Authors: Kopera Daisy 
Published: October 2003

AbstractBackground  Various approaches have been taken in the management of verrucae vulgares, but there is still no first‐choice treatment. Thus, a study was designed to evaluate the efficacy of a flashlamp‐pumped pulsed dye laser (FPDL) in the treatment of verrucae vulgares.Methods  Within 18 months, 134 patients with recalcitrant or untreated verrucae vulgares on their hands or feet, or in other sites, were exposed to a 585‐nm FPDL every 3.26 weeks. The following parameters were used: energy density, 8 J/cm2; spot size, 7 mm; pulse duration, 450 µs. Concomitant topical treatment was not recommended.Results  Eight patients were lost to follow‐up. The data of 126 patients were evaluated. Up to eight laser treatments led to total remission in 62.69% of patients and partial remission in 21.42%; 9.52% did not respond to this type of management; 6.34% of patients classified the method as too painful and withdrew after the first one or two treatments. In a median follow‐up period of 5.38 months (2–16 months), one relapse occurred.Conclusions  FPDL is safe and effective for the removal or reduction of verrucae vulgares, and requires less patient compliance compared with other treatment options.
Defence against multiple enemies
Authors: Poitrineau K. , Brown S. P. , Hochberg M. E. 
Published: October 2003

Abstract
Although very common under natural conditions, the consequences of multiple enemies (parasites, predators, herbivores, or even ‘chemical’ enemies like insecticides) on investment in defence has scarcely been investigated. In this paper, we present a simple model of the joint evolution of two defences targeted against two enemies. We illustrate how the respective level of each defence can be influenced by the presence of the two enemies. Furthermore, we investigate the influences of direct interference and synergy between defences. We show that, depending on certain conditions (costs, interference or synergy between defences), an increase in selection pressure by one enemy can have dramatic effects on defence against another enemy. It is generally admitted that increasing the encounter rate with a second natural enemy can decrease investment in defence against a first enemy, but our results indicate that it may sometimes favour resistance against the first enemy. Moreover, we illustrate that the global defence against one enemy can be lower when only this enemy is present: this has important implications for experimental measures of resistance, and for organisms that invade an area with less enemies or whose community of enemies is reduced. We discuss possible implications of the existence of multiple enemies for conservation biology, biological control and chemical control.
Sire coloration influences offspring survival under predation risk in the moorfrog
Authors: Sheldon B. C. , Arponen H. , Laurila A. , Crochet P.-A. , Merilä J. 
Published: October 2003

Abstract
When breeding, male moor frogs Rana arvalis develop a bright blue dorsal coloration which varies in intensity between males. We tested whether this colour acts as a potential signal of a male's genetic quality to female moor frogs by artificially crossing pairs of males differing in the extent of the blue coloration to the same female. Maternal half-sibships provide a powerful means to detect paternal genetic effects on offspring as they control for other potentially confounding variables. We assayed the ability of offspring to survive an ecologically realistic test of fitness by exposing them to predation by the larvae of the predatory water beetle Dytiscus marginalis. Although sire's coloration did not influence tadpole body size, it did affect their ability to survive the predation trial. Offspring of bright blue males had higher survival than those of dull males when exposed to large predators, which were more voracious predators than smaller ones. Our results indicate that paternal secondary sexual traits provide information about genetic effects on offspring fitness in this species, but suggest that these effects may be context-dependent. Variable selection caused by contextual dependence may have important consequences for the evolution of female choice rules, and for the maintenance of genetic variation for both male trait and female preference.