bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Haemophilia 2002: emerging risks of treatment
Authors: EVATT B. L. , FARRUGIA A. , SHAPIRO A. D. , WILDE J. T. 
Published: March 2003

Haemophilia care and treatment products have greatly improved over the past 2 decades. Transitions in treatment produced by these changes were accompanied by the emergence of unexpected risks and new complications. In order to provide the best comprehensive care to patients with haemophilia, healthcare providers periodically need to re‐evaluate and adjust their management and therapeutic products to prevent or minimize the effects produced by the emerging issues. For example, reducing the effects of infectious agents remains the highest priority for the haemophilia community because of the high level of morbidity and mortality that has resulted from earlier therapeutic agents. In many countries, the goal has been to achieve absolute zero risk for infectious agents. In some instances, the screening procedures to achieve these goals reduced the availability of plasma needed for manufactured derivatives and produced another emerging risk, shortages of clotting factor preparations. Similarly, better diagnostic methods identified other potential agents that were not inactivated by current technology. Likewise, immune tolerance regimens and the prophylactic management of haemophilia introduced different therapeutic delivery systems with their own risks. The drugs used to manage diseases such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), which were transmitted by products manufactured before mid‐1980, create their own set of risks for this community.Topical emerging risks of treatment, including variant Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease, an assessment of its risks and impact, the complications of using indwelling catheters, and the role of protease inhibitors used to treat HIV may have on bleeding complications of haemophilia are discussed.
Dynamic global vegetation modelling for prediction of plant functional types and biogenic trace gas fluxes
Authors: Potter Christopher S. , Klooster Steven A. 
Published: March 2003

Summary 1. A Dynamic Global Vegetation Model (DGVM) has been developed as a new feature of the NASA‐CASA (Carnegie Ames Stanford Approach) ecosystem production and trace gas model. This DGVM includes seasonal phenology algorithms calibrated using historical interannual data sets derived from the Advanced Very High Resolution (AVHRR) satellite ‘greenness’ index. 2. The coupled CASA‐DGVM design is based conceptually on two main elements of Tilman's resource‐ratio hypothesis of vegetation change, namely: 1) plant competition for resources (water and light) over relatively short time periods of months and seasons; and 2) the long‐term pattern in the supply of growth‐limiting resources such as water and nutrients, i.e. the resource‐supply trajectory. This simulation model generates global gridded estimates of primary production, above and below ground biomass, leaf area index (LAI), and trace gas fluxes from soil. 3. Eight distributed test locations for the DGVM were evaluated initially to represent a variety of climate conditions ranging from Arctic (64°N Alaska) to tropical and subtropical (24°S southern Africa) latitude zones. At all test locations, the predicted plant functional type (PFT) matched closely with the actual reported PFT. 4. In the process of running the model to steady state PFTs, most forest locations showed a rapid progression of transient states, from bare ground to grassland, to grasses with shrub cover, and finally to the forest PFT. From this first global application, the DGVM correctly predicts the presence of forest classes in approximately 75–95% of all cases worldwide, and grasslands in approximately 58% of all cases. 5. The effects of two hypothetical climate change scenarios were evaluated. Scenario I was set by warming air surface temperatures linearly to 4 °C above average over a 25‐year simulation period. Scenario II was set by decreasing annual rainfall amounts linearly to 50% below average over a 25‐year simulation period. 6. The warming scenario I resulted in PFT at high‐latitude forest and boreal forest sites changing to mixed coniferous forest, accompanied by increase in canopy LAI. The drought scenario II resulted in PFT at the boreal forest and savanna sites changing to grasslands. At locations where PFT did not change with climate, however, soil water and canopy LAI were predicted to decline progressively under the warming scenario, beginning from steady‐state temperate and tropical zone PFTs. They also declined under the drought scenario beginning from practically any steady state PFT.
Simulated responses of potential vegetation to doubled‐CO2 climate change and feedbacks on near‐surface temperature
Authors: Betts Richard A. , Cox Peter M. , Woodward F. Ian 
Published: March 2003

AbstractIncreases in the atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide and associated changes in climate may exert large impacts on plant physiology and the density of vegetation cover. These may in turn provide feedbacks on climate through a modification of surface‐atmosphere fluxes of energy and moisture. This paper uses asynchronously coupled models of global vegetation and climate to examine the responses of potential vegetation to different aspects of a doubled‐CO2 environmental change, and compares the feedbacks on near‐surface temperature arising from physiological and structural components of the vegetation response. Stomatal conductance reduces in response to the higher CO2 concentration, but rising temperatures and a redistribution of precipitation also exert significant impacts on this property as well as leading to major changes in potential vegetation structure. Overall, physiological responses act to enhance the warming near the surface, but in many areas this is offset by increases in leaf area resulting from greater precipitation and higher temperatures. Interactions with seasonal snow cover result in a positive feedback on winter warming in the boreal forest regions.
The paradox of invasion
Authors: Sax Dov F. , Brown James H. 
Published: March 2003

AbstractIt is paradoxical that exotic species invade and displace native species that are well adapted to local environments. Yet, even those exotics that eventually become abundant and widespread, often do so only after having failed to establish following multiple earlier introductions. The first pattern, while not generally discussed in this context, is usually explained by exotic species pre‐adaptations for human‐altered environments and by a release from enemies. It can be understood further by examining the superior quality of colonists from large species‐rich regions and the historical contingency of evolution. The second pattern is generally explained by invoking demographic and environmental stochasticity; however, it can be understood further by examining the role of environmental variation over space and by metapopulation dynamics. These processes provide a context in which these patterns of invasion are not paradoxical, but instead, expected.
Negative association of Enterobius infestation with asthma and rhinitis in primary school children in Taipei
Authors: Huang S.‐L. , Tsai P.‐F. , Yeh Y.‐F. 
Published: March 2003

SummaryBackground The relationship between allergy and parasites has been controversial, especially in non‐tropical countries. Enterobius vermicularis (human pinworm) is the most prevalent intestinal parasite in industrialized countries.Objective To examine the association between pinworm infestation and allergy in primary school children.Method Peri‐anal tape test for pinworm is routinely performed in Taipei primary schools. We collected data from school records and questionnaires distributed to all children in four primary schools grades 1 through 6 (n = 3107).Results The prevalence of physician‐diagnosed asthma (9.3% vs. 14.1%, P = 0.007) and allergic rhinitis (27.4% vs. 38.3%, P = 0.001) was lower in pinworm‐positive compared to uninfested children. Pinworm was not correlated with atopic dermatitis or parent allergy. With logistic regression controlling for sex, parent allergy and lower respiratory infection, current asthma (OR = 0.25, 95% CI 0.10–0.63) and rhinitis (OR = 0.61, 95% CI 0.45–0.84) were negatively associated with pinworm. Among children in grades 3–6 who had no asthma or rhinitis before age 7, those with early infestation (pinworm diagnosis at or before grade 1) had a lower risk of having diagnosis of rhinitis during school years, compared to the uninfected group (5.4% vs. 12.3%, P = 0.03; adjusted OR = 0.47, 95% CI 0.21–1.02).Conclusions We identified a negative association between pinworm infestation and allergic airway diseases, which could in part be attributed to protective effect of pinworm infestation on development of allergic symptoms. Other mechanisms of association could not be ruled out.
The correlation between ovomucoid‐derived peptides, human leucocyte antigen class II molecules and T cell receptor‐complementarity determining region 3 compositions in patients with egg‐white allergy
Authors: Suzuki K. , Inoue R. , Sakaguchi H. , Aoki M. , Kato Z. , Kaneko H. , Matsushita S. , Kondo N. 
Published: March 2003

SummaryBackground Food allergies are more prevalent in children, due to the immature gastrointestinal epithelial membrane barrier allowing more proteins through the barrier and into circulation. Ovomucoid (OM) is one of the major allergens that is found in egg white.Objective The aim of this study was to determine T cell epitopes, antigen‐presenting human leucocyte antigen (HLA) class II molecules of the T cell lines (TCLs) and T cell clones (TCCs), and complementarity determining region (CDR) 3 loops of the T cell receptor (TCR) α and β chains of the TCCs specific to OM.Methods We established TCLs and TCCs specific to OM from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of four atopic patients with egg‐white allergy using a mixture of a panel of overlapping synthetic peptides corresponding to the amino acid sequence of the entire OM. We identified the T cell epitopes by antigen‐induced proliferative responses, antigen‐presenting molecules using allogeneic PBMCs and CDR3 loops of the TCR α and β chains by cloning and sequence analysis.Results The TCLs and TCCs responded to seven different peptides, and their antigen‐presenting molecules were different from each other. Sequence analysis of the TCR α and β gene usage of the TCCs showed marked heterogeneity, and the usage of the CDR3 loop of the TCCs involved heterogenous amino acid residues. Interestingly, TCCs ‘IH3.3’ and ‘YT6.1’ recognized the same OM peptides, and had the same TCR Vβ‐Jβ gene usage. Considering that peptide motifs bind to HLA class II molecules, the electrically charged residue (positive or negative) on the CDR3α and the CDR3β loops of TCR of TCC may form ionic bonds with a charged residue on the HLA class II molecules‐peptide complex.Conclusions TCCs that have the same TCR gene usage were established from patients who had shown similar hypersensitivity‐type, indicating that antigen recognition by a specific TCR is closely associated with the characteristics of each patient's symptoms.
Leukotriene receptor antagonist, montelukast, can reduce the need for inhaled steroid while maintaining the clinical stability of asthmatic patients
Authors: Tohda Y. , Fujimura M. , Taniguchi H. , Takagi K. , Igarashi T. , Yasuhara H. , Takahashi K. , Nakajima S. 
Published: March 2003

SummaryBackground Oral leukotriene receptor antagonists have been shown to have efficacy in chronic asthma.Objective To determine whether the addition of montelukast could lead to a reduction in inhaled corticosteroid dose without a significant decrease in peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR).Methods After a 4‐week run‐in period, 191 moderate‐to‐severe asthmatic patients whose asthma had been well controlled with daily inhaled corticosteroid therapy (beclometasone dipropionate 800 to 1600 µg/day), were randomly assigned to one of two treatments – placebo (n = 98) or montelukast 10 mg once daily (n = 93) – for a 24‐week, multicentre, double‐blind, treatment period. At the beginning of the active treatment period, the daily dose of inhaled corticosteroid was halved in all of the patients. In addition, the inhaled corticosteroid dose was subsequently titrated every 8 weeks, based on PEFR, asthma symptoms and β‐agonist use.Results After 8 weeks of a 50% reduction in inhaled corticosteroid use, morning PEFR increased by 5.3 ± 32.3 L/min from baseline in patients receiving montelukast and significantly decreased by 6.9 ± 29.0 L/min in those receiving placebo (P = 0.035). In addition, evening PEFR significantly decreased by 9.8 ± 28.5 L/min (P = 0.003) in the placebo group, but was maintained in the montelukast group. In spite of a subsequent 50% reduction in the inhaled corticosteroid dose every 8 weeks, morning and evening PEFRs were maintained over the 24‐week treatment period in the montelukast group; PEFR significantly decreased in the placebo group. There was a significant difference between the two groups with regard to morning PEFR, therapy score and asthmatic score at weeks 8, 16 and 24, as well as evening PEFR at week 8. However, the symptom scores were not significantly different between the two groups or within each group.Conclusion These data suggest that montelukast reduces the need for inhaled corticosteroids while maintaining asthma control over a 24‐week period. Therefore, montelukast may be useful for long‐term treatment in patients with asthma who require high doses of inhaled corticosteroids.
Prevalence of endothelial nitric oxide synthase gene polymorphisms in patients with atopic asthma
Authors: Hollá L. I. , Bučková D. , Kuhrová V. , Stejskalová A. , Francová H. , Znojil V. , Vácha J. 
Published: March 2003

SummaryBackground Asthma is a common multifactorial disease, the aetiology of which is attributable to both environmental and genetic factors. The endothelial nitric oxide synthase (NOS3) gene has been implicated in asthma pathogenesis.Objective This study investigated associations of 27 base‐pair tandem repeat polymorphism in intron 4 and the Glu298Asp (G894T) variant of the NOS3 gene with atopic asthma in a Czech population.Methods Polymerase chain reaction was used to determine the NOS3 genotypes in subjects with atopic asthma (n = 163) and random controls (n = 209).Results The NOS3 allele or genotype distributions did not differ significantly between the control and asthma groups. However, the common genotype (bb) of the NOS3 polymorphism in intron 4 was found to be significantly associated with total IgE levels (P = 0.006), specific IgE levels for feathers (P = 0.0002) and a positive skin prick test for hay (P = 0.004). In one atopic patient, we identified an additional 27‐bp repeat in the NOS3 gene (NOS3c), which occurred in heterozygous combination with the NOS3b allele (NOS3b/c genotype). In addition, we describe a new polymorphism (A5495G) in the NOS3 gene, which was in almost complete linkage disequilibrium with the NOS3 repeat polymorphism in intron 4. The Glu298Asp variant was not associated with asthma and/or related atopic phenotypes in our study.Conclusion Neither the NOS3 ‘b’ allele nor the NOS3 ‘b/b’ genotype showed any general association with atopic asthma, but they were associated with atopy‐related phenotypes. We conclude that the NOS3 gene polymorphisms may act as disease modifiers in atopic asthma phenotype in our population.
Expression and function of the ST2 gene in a murine model of allergic airway inflammation
Authors: Oshikawa K. , Yanagisawa K. , Tominaga S. , Sugiyama Y. 
Published: March 2003

SummaryBackground We have recently reported that soluble ST2 protein levels are elevated in the sera of patients with asthma, and correlate well with the severity of asthma exacerbation. However, the role, function, and kinetics of soluble ST2 expression in asthma remain unclear.Objective The objective of the present study was to clarify the function and kinetics of soluble murine (m) ST2 expression in a murine asthma model.Methods We analyzed the kinetics of gene and protein expression of mST2 in sera or lung tissue after allergen (ovalbumin; OVA) challenge in a murine model of allergic airway inflammation, the effects of mST2 protein on OVA‐induced Th2 cytokine production in vitro from splenocytes of sensitized mice, and the effects of soluble mST2 on Th2‐dependent allergic airway inflammation by in vivo gene transfer of mST2.Results Serum mST2 protein levels increased to the maximal level 3 h after the allergen challenge, before serum IL‐5 levels peaked. The mRNA expression of mST2 in lung tissue was induced after the allergen challenge, while that in the spleen was constitutively detected. Furthermore, pre‐treatment with mST2 protein significantly inhibited the production of IL‐4 and IL‐5, but not IFN‐γ, from OVA‐stimulated splenocytes in vitro, and intravenous mST2 gene transfer resulted in a drastic reduction in the number of eosinophils and in the levels of IL‐4 and IL‐5 in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, compared with those in response to transfer of non‐coding plasmid vector or of lipid alone.Conclusion These results suggest that increases in endogenous mST2 protein after allergen exposure may modulate Th2‐mediated airway inflammation, and that in vivo gene transfer of mST2 can be applicable to use in a novel immunotherapy for allergic diseases.
A comparative study of eicosanoid concentrations in sputum and urine in patients with aspirin‐intolerant asthma
Authors: Higashi N. , Taniguchi M. , Mita H. , Osame M. , Akiyama K. 
Published: March 2003

SummaryBackground Although many studies have assumed that the overproduction of cysteinyl‐ leukotrienes (cys‐LTs) and an imbalance of arachidonic acid metabolism may be plausible causes for the pathogenesis of aspirin‐intolerant asthma (AIA), there has been little experimental evidence to substantiate this notion in lower airways of patients with AIA.Objectives The purpose of this study was to compare the eicosanoid concentrations in sputum and urine from patients with AIA.Methods The concentrations of sputum cys‐LTs, prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), PGF2α, PGD2 and thromboxane B2 were measured to assess local concentrations of eicosanoids in patients with AIA and in those with aspirin‐tolerant asthma (ATA). The concentrations of two urinary metabolites, leukotriene E4 (LTE4) and 9α11βPGF2, were also measured to corroborate the relationship between the eicosanoid biosynthesis in the whole body and that in lower airways.Results The concentration of PGD2 in sputum was significantly higher in patients with AIA than in those with ATA (median, 5.3 pg/mL vs. 3.1 pg/mL, P < 0.05), but there was no significant difference in the concentration of the corresponding metabolite, 9α11βPGF2, between the two groups. No differences were noted in the concentrations of other prostanoids in sputum between the two groups. The sputum cys‐LT concentrations showed no differences between the two groups, in spite of the observation that the concentration of urinary LTE4 was significantly higher in patients with AIA than in those with ATA (median, 195.2 pg/mg‐cre vs. 122.1 pg/mg‐cre, P < 0.05). There was a significant correlation among the concentration of cys‐LTs, the number of eosinophils and the concentration of eosinophil‐derived neurotoxin (EDN) in sputum.Conclusion The urinary concentration of LTE4 does not necessary reflect cys‐LT biosynthesis in lower airways. A significantly higher concentration of PGD2 in sputum from patients with AIA suggests the possible ongoing mast cell activation in lower airways.
Are ecological and evolutionary rules being dismissed prematurely?
Authors: Ashton Kyle G. 
Published: March 2003

Abstract.Recently, it has been suggested that the group of patterns known as the ecological and evolutionary rules are invalid and only of interest historically. Here, I briefly review evidence for the four most prominent patterns: Bergmann’s rule, Cope’s rule, Rapoport’s rule, and the latitudinal gradient in species richness. Although more comprehensive reviews exist for these patterns, the purpose of this paper is to highlight recent work illustrating the validity of each pattern, to question the conclusion that these patterns are only of historical interest, and to briefly explore possible connections between each of these patterns. I also recommend that meta‐analytical techniques, a group of statistical methods rarely used in ecology and evolution, need to be incorporated in future tests of general trends.
Cenozoic environmental change in South America as indicated by mammalian body size distributions (cenograms)
Authors: Croft Darin A. 
Published: March 2003

Abstract.A cenogram is a rank‐ordered body size distribution of non‐predatory terrestrial mammal species within a community. Studies of cenograms for modern faunas have shown that certain quantifiable attributes of cenograms are correlated with environmental variables such as rainfall and vegetation structure. Based on these correlations, cenograms of fossil communities have been used to infer palaeoenvironments and palaeoenvironmental variables. The present study uses cenogram statistics to interpret palaeoenvironmental conditions for eight Cenozoic South American mammal faunas, ranging from Eocene to Pleistocene in age. Body sizes for fossil taxa were taken either from the literature or were estimated using regressions of body size on molar length (or femoral bicondylar width) for modern mammals. Cenogram statistics are calculated for the eight fossil faunas and compared to similar statistics calculated for 16 modern South American mammal faunas, allowing palaeoenvironmental interpretations to be made. The palaeoenvironmental interpretations based on cenogram analyses sometimes support and sometimes contradict interpretations based on herbivore craniodental morphology (e.g. levels of hypsodonty). Simulations of expected errors in body size estimates for fossil taxa suggest that the discrepancies do not result primarily from erroneous body size estimates. It is possible that some of the incongruity in interpretations results from certain non‐analogue attributes of South American faunas during much of the Cenozoic (e.g. the relatively depauperate mammalian predator diversity prior to the Great American Biotic Interchange).
Communication and decision‐making in labour: do birth plans make a difference?
Authors: Brown Stephanie J , Lumley Judith 
Published: March 2003

ObjectivesTo assess usage of birth plans, and examine differences in social and obstetric characteristics, and intrapartum experiences of women who did and did not use a birth plan.DesignPopulation‐based survey distributed by hospitals and home birth practitioners, 6–7 months post‐natally.Setting and participantsWomen who gave birth in Victoria, Australia over a 2‐week period in September, 1993, excluding those who had a stillbirth or neonatal death.Main outcome measuresUse of a written birth plan; perceived helpfulness, advantages and disadvantages of birth plans; relationship between use of birth plans and overall rating of intrapartum care, and involvement in decision‐making.ResultsTwenty per cent of women (270/1336) had prepared a written birth plan and discussed it with caregivers. Women who made use of a birth plan were more likely to be satisfied with pain relief (OR = 1.74[1.3–2.3]), but did not differ from women not completing a birth plan in terms of their overall rating of intrapartum care, or involvement in making decisions about their care.ConclusionsThe lack of association between use of a written birth plan and variables assessing women's views of intrapartum care suggest there are insufficient grounds for continuing to advocate a policy of encouraging pregnant women to complete written birth plans, unless it is within the context of a well‐designed randomized trial able to provide further evidence regarding their effectiveness.