bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Linear IgA bullous dermatosis in a diabetic patient with chronic renal failure
Authors: Serwin Agnieszka Beata , Myśliwiec Hanna , Laudańska Halina , Chodynicka Bożena 
Published: March 2003

A 60‐year‐old woman was admitted in October 2000 for disseminated polymorphic papular and vesiculobullous skin lesions with a herpetiform pattern (Fig. 1). The eruption occurred 1 month prior to admission and was accompanied by intense itching and burning. A few vesicles in the oral mucosa appeared 6 months after the onset of the skin lesions. The patient's history was notable for noninsulin‐dependent diabetes mellitus since the age of 32 years, complicated by arterial hypertension, neuropathy, and nephropathy with subsequent renal failure. The patient started hemodialysis 20 years after the onset of diabetes and was hemodialyzed three times a week for 4 h (index of dialysis adequacy (Kt/v) ≈ 1.3). She had received insulin since the age of 55 years. Furosemide, started in 1998, was withdrawn in October 2000, a few days after admission.Papules, blisters, and erosions with a partial herpetiform pattern (popliteal region)imageHistopathologic examination of the skin lesions revealed subepidermal blisters with an infiltrate of polymorphonuclear cells within the tips of dermal papillae (Fig. 2). A diagnosis of linear immunoglobulin A (IgA) bullous dermatosis was confirmed by direct immunofluorescence assay of perilesional skin showing linear IgA (++) and IgG (+) deposits within the basement membrane zone (Fig. 3). No antiepidermal basement membrane zone or antiendomysial IgA antibodies were detected in the patient's serum. Abnormal laboratory values were as follows: hemoglobin concentration, 10.6 g/dL; red blood cell count, 3.1 × 106/µL; platelets, 99.0 × 103/µL; glucose concentration, 228.0 mg/dL; creatinine concentration, 5.3 mg/dL; glycosuria and proteinuria.Histopathology of lesional skin (upper leg): subepidermal blister and infiltrate of polymorphonuclear cells within the dermal papillae (hematoxylin and eosin, × 400)imageImmunopathology of perilesional skin (buttock): linear immunoglobulin A (IgA) deposits within the basement membrane zone. Fluorescein‐labeled anti‐IgA antibodies (magnification, × 600)imageThe administration of dapsone at a daily dose of 100 mg resulted in a rapid improvement of the skin lesions. The dose had to be decreased after 3 weeks, however, because of a worsening of the patient's blood morphology and an increase in the proportion of methemoglobin (MetHb) up to 3%. Erythropoietin at a weekly dose of 6000 U was administered. Treatment with tetracycline (1.5 g/day), followed by prednisone (40 mg/day, gradually tapered) and sulfasalazine (4.5 g/day), did not influence the clinical picture of the skin lesions. Finally, dapsone (50 mg/day), together with prednisone (35 mg every second day), was started. With this treatment regimen, almost complete clearing of the skin lesions was achieved and maintained for 1 year. A few small blisters develop periodically and the concentration of MetHb remains within the normal range.
Atypical pityriasis rosea or psoriasis guttata? Early examination is the key to a correct diagnosis
Authors: Eslick Guy D. 
Published: March 2003

AbstractPityriasis rosea is a self‐limited, mild, inflammatory skin disease characterized by scaly lesions, possibly due to an unidentified infectious agent. It may occur at any age, but is seen most frequently in young adults. This paper reports a patient who presented with a skin condition which was initially diagnosed as pityriasis rosea; however, due to the persistence and change in appearance of the lesions, the diagnosis was later altered to psoriasis guttata. Changes in pityriasis rosea lesions over the course of the disease may make a correct diagnosis difficult, unless the patient is seen during the early stages of lesion formation. The final diagnosis in this case was of the rare variant known as pityriasis rosea irritata. This case highlights the importance of an excellent patient history in order to correctly diagnose the disease.
A case of adult colloid milium with chronic sun exposure
Authors: Kirtak Necmettin , Inaloz H. Serhat , Karakok Metin , Ozgoztasi Orhan 
Published: March 2003

A 57‐year‐old woman presented with a sudden onset of skin‐colored papules, mainly on the forehead (Fig. 1), around the eyes, and on the dorsum of the hands (Fig. 2). The papules had grown in number and size over 1 month. The papules were discrete, shiny, and dome‐shaped, varying in size between 1 and 5 mm. The patient was a farmer and had commonly been exposed to UV radiation in her work in the fields for a period of more than 45 years. She was fair‐skinned and admitted that she was reluctant to use sun protection during her outdoor work. No lesions were observed on the covered areas of the body. The diagnosis was uncertain and clinical differential diagnoses were those of primary cutaneous amyloidosis, senile sebaceous hyperplasia, adult colloid milium (ACM), and papular mucinosis.Skin‐colored papules on the foreheadimageSkin‐colored papules on the dorsum of the handimageThe patient was otherwise healthy and there was no history of similar lesions in her family. Results of routine laboratory investigations, including a complete blood count, blood chemistry, and urinalysis, were found to be within normal limits. Bence‐Jones proteinuria was not detected. Serum immunelectrophoresis examination revealed no abnormal finding.A punch biopsy specimen of the lesion stained with hematoxylin and eosin revealed subepidermal, eosinophilic, fissured amorphous masses abutting the epidermis without a grenz zone (Fig. 3). The amorphous masses stained positive with periodic acid‐Schiff (PAS) both before and after diastase digestion. Negative staining was observed with Alcian blue at pH 2.5, Congo red, AE1/AE3, collagen type 4, and Thioflavine‐T. A diagnosis of ACM was made after clinicopathological correlation.Subepidermal, eosinophilic, fissured amorphous masses abutting the epidermis without a Grenz zone (hematoxylin and eosin stain, magnification × 52)image
Genotypic diversity of asexual Ostracoda from a low arctic site
Authors: Havel John E. , Hebert Paul D. N. , Delorme L. Denis 
Published: March 2003

AbstractThe crustacean subclass Ostracoda shows an exceptionally high incidence of transitions from sexual to asexual reproduction, whose cause remains uncertain. In the current study, patterns of allozymic variation were examined in 12 species of asexual ostracodes at a low arctic site. Populations of 11 species had genotypic frequencies consistent with apomixis, having gross departures from Hardy‐Weinberg expectations and non‐random associations between loci. Allozyme phenotypes suggest that polyploidy is common in most asexual ostracode species in arctic ponds. Although most species had low clonal diversity, 3 had unusually high diversity, with a maximum of 18 clones detected per pond. Asexual species belonging to genera with sexual relatives had higher clonal diversities than those from genera without sexuals, suggesting that sexuals may serve as the source of this clonal diversity.
Tail length in birds in relation to tail shape, general flight ecology and sexual selection
Authors: Fitzpatrick  
Published: March 2003

Abstract
Relative tail length (longtailedness) of Palearctic birds was assessed by the standardized residuals of log–log regressions of tail length on wing length and tarsus length. The mean degree of tail shortening was greater than mean degree of tail lengthening, but there was a greater frequency of extreme long-tailed than short-tailed species. Longtailedness was greater in ornamental pin, lyre, deep forked and graduated shaped tails. These shapes (except graduated, for which data were lacking) were also relatively long-tailed according to shortest-rectrix lengths, this extra length potentially contributing compensatory lift. In forked tails, tail ratio increased linearly with longtailedness to above the aerodynamic optimum, and thus the most elongated forked tails were also more deeply forked. Tail shortening was marked for rounded tails, a surprising result in view of their slightly ornamental shape. Phylogenetically independent contrasts showed significantly greater longtailedness in graduated than square-tailed species, confirming the species-wide analysis. In phylogenetically independent contrasts of longtailedness and ecological factors, short-tailed species had significantly greater flight distances than medium-tailed species, but long- and medium-tailed species did not differ in migratory distance, foraging distance, overall flight distance or importance of aerial foraging. The data suggest that ecological factors, i.e. natural selection, are more important in the evolution of short-tailedness than longtailedness in birds, and that an additional influence of sexual selection on tail length and shape is also widespread.
Kleptoparasitism as an explanation for paradoxical oviposition decisions of the parasitoid Asobara tabida
Authors: Kraaijeveld  
Published: March 2003

Abstract
It is known that the braconid Asobara tabida, a parasitoid of Drosophila larvae, takes oviposition decisions in accordance with survival probabilities in several host species. Nevertheless, larvae of D. simulans, in which the survival probability is virtually zero, are readily accepted for oviposition by searching females. This even happens when they are offered together with D. melanogaster larvae, in which the parasitoid can develop. Here I show that A. tabida can act as a kleptoparasitoid in D. simulans larvae: it can develop in D. simulans larvae, once these larvae are parasitized by another parasitoid, the eucoilid Leptopilina boulardi. Analysis with an optimal foraging model suggests that the increase in survival probability and the occurrence of L. boulardi in the field are high enough to make this kleptoparasitic behaviour of A. tabida pay.
Immigration and gene flow in a northern willow tit (Parus montanus) population
Authors: Orell  , Lahti  , Koivula  , Rytkönen  , Welling  
Published: March 2003

Abstract
To study quantitatively the relationship between immigration rate and gene flow we used 9-year data from a willow tit Parus montanus population in a continuous forest habitat. We compared components of lifetime reproductive success, and parental survival rate between immigrant and resident (‘status’) birds by taking individual age into consideration also. Of the fitness components, survival was independent of status and sex, averaging 0.60 annually. Of the male and female breeders, on average 63.1% and 75.6%, respectively, originated from unknown natal areas, implying extensive immigration. Pair formation was nonassortative with respect to the origin of partners. The effect of status on reproductive success was significant only for females: immigrants produced larger clutches and hatched more young in all age classes studied. However, the difference between the groups diminished until fledging and the offspring produced by the immigrant females showed lower local survival rate (4.6% of the young) than did those by the residents (5.9%). Therefore, the contribution of immigrant females to the local gene pool was lower than expected on the basis of immigration rate. However, we propose that the result implies differential propensities to long-distance dispersal rather than overall survival prospects, since we detected no quality differences suggesting reduced survival chances among descendants of immigrant females. Therefore, gene flow into the population was slightly lower than immigration rate. It is possible that immigrant females are more prone to invest in progeny that effectively disperse further to search for new vacancies. The conditions prevailing during nestling growth may be crucial in determining whether an individual will later become a resident or leave the natal area, but the genetic component of this trait should also be considered. We suggest that widespread propagules is a better strategy than philopatry for a short-lived species to minimize the risk of losing all descendants in temporally and spatially varying conditions.
Food availability and parasite infection influence the correlated responses of life history traits to selection for age at pupation in the mosquito Aedes aegypti
Authors: Koella  , Offenberg  
Published: March 2003

Abstract
We selected six lines of mosquito Aedes aegypti for earlier or later pupation and measured the correlated responses of several life history traits: adult size, two fecundity measures and pre-adult survival. We further examined the influence of two environmental parameters – larval food availability and infection by the microsporidian parasite Edhazardia aedis– on the correlated responses. Pre-adult survival did not respond to selection for age at pupation in any environment. For all of the other traits, the environment influenced the correlated response, though the contribution of the different environmental aspects differed among traits. While the correlated response of adult size was influenced only by larval food availability, the likelihood that a female laid eggs was influenced by parasite infection, and the correlated response of the number of eggs was influenced by the interaction of the two environmental parameters. Generally, a deteriorating environment moved the correlated response from one favouring later pupation to one favouring earlier pupation. Larval food availability and parasite infection also influenced the association between the mean wing length and fecundity of the selected lines. At high food availability, there was a positive relationship between adult size and fecundity, while infected mosquitoes reared at low food availability showed the opposite trend. We discuss these results in light of the coevolutionary potential of the host–parasite interaction.
Evolution of oviposition strategies and speciation in the globeflower flies Chiastocheta spp. (Anthomyiidae)
Authors: Després  , Jaeger  
Published: March 2003

Abstract
Trollius europaeus (Ranunculaceae) is involved in an intimate interaction with several species of Chiastocheta flies (Anthomyiidae) that are both seed predators and pollinators. In this paper, we analyse the oviposition strategy of the six Chiastocheta species found to coexist on T. europaeus in 19 populations from the French Alps. We show that the species are not equivalent in their oviposition behaviour: C. rotundiventris usually deposits no more than one egg per flower in first-day flowers whereas C. dentifera aggregates its eggs on fruits and thus does not contribute to pollination at all; the four remaining species deposit eggs sequentially during the flowering period from the 2nd to the 7th day. Hence, the outcomes of the interaction in terms of net seed production for the plant greatly depend on the Chiastocheta species visiting it, ranging from a mutualistic to a purely parasitic interaction. We assessed mitochondrial divergence between Chiastocheta spp. by sequencing a 1320-bp mitochondrial DNA fragment. The low divergence observed between species (0–4.15%) suggests that genus diversification took place recently. Unlike in other plant–insect systems where diversification is usually thought to be driven by cospeciation or host shifts, we propose that Chiastocheta speciation took place within the host plant. Basal separation of a particularly mutualistic species provided favourable conditions for plant specialization on this seed-parasite as a pollinator early in the evolution of the association. The parasitic species ovipositing on fruits derived from a species ovipositing on flowers. Diversification of the intermediate strategies probably occurred in relation with the Pleistocene climatic events, reproductive isolation between species being reinforced by niche partitioning for oviposition and/or sexual selection.
The comparative evolution of lizard claw and toe morphology and clinging performance
Authors: Zani  
Published: March 2003

Abstract
In this study, I utilize the expected functional relationships between claw and toe morphology and clinging performance as a basis for examining evolutionary trends across 85 lizard taxa from 13 families. After controlling for body size and phylogeny, multivariate comparisons indicate that several aspects of claw and toe morphology are correlated with clinging performance. Specifically, evolutionary increases in claw curvature, toe width and adhesive lamella number are correlated with increases in clinging performance on smooth substrates. Furthermore, evolutionary increases in claw height and decreases in toe length are correlated with increases in clinging performance on rough substrates. Sensitivity analyses revealed that changes in both branch lengths and procedural order of correction for body size and phylogeny do not generally have an effect on phylogenetic comparisons. These results demonstrate that the evolution of claw and toe morphology is correlated with the evolution of clinging performance across a wide range lizard taxa.
Does inbreeding affect the extinction risk of small populations?: predictions from Drosophila
Authors: Bijlsma  , Bundgaard  , Boerema  
Published: March 2003

Abstract
A fundamental assumption underlying the importance of genetic risks within conservation biology is that inbreeding increases the extinction probability of populations. Although inbreeding has been shown to have a detrimental impact on individual fitness, its contribution to extinction is still poorly understood. We have studied the consequences of different levels of prior inbreeding for the persistence of small populations using Drosophila melanogaster as a model organism. To this end, we determined the extinction rate of small vial populations differing in the level of inbreeding under both optimal and stress conditions, i.e. high temperature stress and ethanol stress. We show that inbred populations have a significantly higher short-term probability of extinction than non-inbred populations, even for low levels of inbreeding, and that the extinction probability increases with increasing inbreeding levels. In addition, we observed that the effects of inbreeding become greatly enhanced under stressful environmental conditions. More importantly, our results show that the impact of environmental stress becomes significantly greater for higher inbreeding levels, demonstrating explicitly that inbreeding and environmental stress are not independent but can act synergistically. These effects seem long lasting as the impact of prior inbreeding was still qualitatively the same after the inbred populations had been expanded to appreciable numbers and maintained as such for approximately 50 generations. Our observations have significant consequences for conservation biology.
Complementary sex determination in the genus Diadegma (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae)
Authors: Butcher  , Whitfield  , Hubbard  
Published: March 2003

Abstract
In the evolution of sexual reproduction we would expect to see a close association between mating systems and sex determination mechanisms. Such associations are especially evident in the insect order Hymenoptera which shows great diversity with respect to both of these characteristics. The ancestral sex determination mechanism in this order is thought to be single-locus complementary sex determination (sl-CSD), which is inbreeding sensitive, and where inbreeding results in the production of sterile diploid males rather than daughters. Presently, however, there is insufficient data to give strong support to the hypothesis that sl-CSD is truly the ancestral condition in the Hymenoptera, principally because of the difficulty of reliably determining the degree of male ploidy. Here we show that six ichneumonid parasitoids from the polyphyletic genus Diadegma are subject to sl-CSD, using neuronal cell DNA flow cytometry to distinguish ploidy levels. The presence of sl-CSD in these six species, together with earlier evidence from the authors for D. chrysostictos, provides considerable support for the notion that sl-CSD was ancestral in the Aculeata/Ichneumonoidea clade, which contains all eusocial Hymenoptera. Moreover, because flow cytometry discriminates reliably between haploid and diploid males, and is independent of the maternal sex allocation or the need for genetic markers, it has considerable potential for the determination of ploidy more generally.
Diversity of age-specific reproductive rates may result from ageing and optimal resource allocation
Authors: Cichoń M. 
Published: March 2003

Abstract
This paper reports the results of a dynamic programming model which optimizes resource allocation to growth, reproduction and repair of somatic damage, based on the disposable soma theory of ageing. Here it is shown that different age-dependent patterns of reproductive rates are products of optimal lifetime strategies of resource partitioning. The array of different reproductive patterns generated by the model includes those in which reproduction begins at the maximum rate at maturity and then declines to the end of life, or increases up to a certain age and then drops. The observed patterns reflect optimal resource allocation shaped by the level of extrinsic mortality. A continuous decline in the reproductive rate from the start of reproduction is associated with high extrinsic mortality, and an early increase in the reproductive rate occurs under low extrinsic mortality. A long-lived organism shows a low reproductive rate early in life, and short-lived organisms start reproduction at the maximum rate.
Host specificity of a generalist parasite: genetic evidence of sympatric host races in the seabird tickIxodes uriae
Authors: Mccoy K. D. , Boulinier T. , Tirard C. , Michalakis Y. 
Published: March 2003

AbstractDue to the close association between parasites and their hosts, many ‘generalist’ parasites have a high potential to become specialized on different host species. We investigated this hypothesis for a common ectoparasite of seabirds, the tick Ixodes uriae that is often found in mixed host sites. We examined patterns of neutral genetic variation between ticks collected from Black-legged kittiwakes (Rissa tridactyla) and Atlantic puffins (Fratercula arctica) in sympatry. To control for a potential distance effect, values were compared to differences among ticks from the same host in nearby monospecific sites. As predicted, there was higher genetic differentiation between ticks from different sympatric host species than between ticks from nearby allopatric populations of the same host species. Patterns suggesting isolation by distance were found among tick populations of each host group, but no such patterns existed between tick populations of different hosts. Overall, results suggest that host-related selection pressures have led to the specialization of I. uriae and that host race formation may be an important diversifying mechanism in parasites.