bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Green Algal Conquest of the Land: Many Conquests, One Victory?
Authors: Chapman R. L. , Delwiche C. F. , McCourt R. M. 
Published: March 2003

AbstractLife on earth originated in a wet world and remained there for millions of years until the first terrestrial invaders made their initial forays into a new and unexploited terrestrial habitat. Although cyanobacteria, and perhaps fungi as well, were important participants in the conquest of the land, it was the evolution green algae into the initial land plants that started amazing evolution and diversification the terrestrial flora and fauna with which we are now familiar. Given the paradigm that life arose in the sea, it is perhaps surprising to find that freshwater green algae – not marine forms – were the successful conquerors, i.e. the algae that gave rise to the land plants. The first land colonizers were, of necessity, primary producers (i.e. food for organisms that arrived or evolved later) and were likely to have been cyanobacteria (blue‐green algae), followed by green algae (at least four separate invasions) and fungi, which also made a successful assault on land together with algae in the form of lichens. The symposium will survey recent studies on these groups and their habitats, and describe how these colonizers changed and were changed by adaptations to the new, dry world. It will explore the question: ‘Why did only one group of terrestrial green algae give rise to the land plants?’ The success of these colonizers is relevant to all subsequent terrestrial life (including ourselves), as well as the search for extraterrestrial life, which, if it exists, is presumed to have begun in an aquatic environment.
The Effects of Nitrogen Regime on Growth, [CHN], [DMSP], [Chlorophyll], [Protein] and Nitrogen Uptake Rate in Ulvaria Obscura and Ulva Fenestrata
Authors: Nelson T. A. , Van Alstyne K. L. , Ribarich H. 
Published: March 2003

Abstract Ulva fenestrata and Ulvaria obscura are major constituents of ulvoid macroalgal blooms in the north‐eastern Pacific. These blooms have been associated with a variety of environmental problems and are thought to be caused by increased nitrogen concentration. We grew these algae at several nutrient concentrations in incubator and seawater table experiments. Growth rate and the concentrations of DMSP, C, H, and N in the tissues were determined for both kinds of experiments. Incubator experiments alone were used to measure nutrient uptake rate, chlorophyll a and b content, and protein content (as determined by far‐UV and bicinchoninic acid (BCA) techniques). Increasing nutrient concentration caused significantly more growth in the seawater table experiment but only a trend toward greater growth in the incubator. There was no significant interspecific difference in growth rate in the seawater table experiment, but Ulva grew significantly faster than Ulvaria in the incubator experiment. Tissue nitrogen increased significantly with increasing nutrient content in the growth medium in the incubator experiment and showed a similar (albeit not significant) trend in the seawater table experiment. Ulvaria had higher tissue nitrogen, protein, and chlorophyll a concentrations than Ulva in all experiments. The ratio of chlorophyll b : a was also higher in Ulvaria than in Ulva. Far‐UV and BCA techniques yielded equivalent protein concentration in Ulva but protein concentration determined by BCA was 2.5 times higher in Ulvaria than when determined by far‐UV. Nutrient uptake rates were similar between both species. DMSP concentration was not affected significantly by nutrient regime, but [DMSP] was higher in Ulvaria than in Ulva. These results help explain previous observations of these species. Ulvaria generally grows more slowly than Ulva because it requires more nitrogen to make chlorophyll and protein but has similar nitrogen uptake rates. Ulvaria is also shade adapted, while Ulva can acclimate to various conditions.
The Case for a Single‐Plastid Origin Revisited: Convergent Evolution in Organellar Gene Content
Authors: Stiller W. J. , Reel D. C. , Johnson J. C. 
Published: March 2003

AbstractThree eukaryotic lineages generally are believed to have plastids that are primary in origin; that is, descended directly from a cyanobacterial endosymbiont. The recovery of these plastids as a monophyletic group in most molecular phylogenetic analyses, along with similarities in genome content and protein targeting mechanisms, have been cited as strong evidence in support of the hypothesis of a single endosymbiotic origin of all plastids. Although these data indeed are consistent with a single plastid origin, they also are consistent with the proposition of multiple endosymbiotic origins. Each hypothesis requires certain evolutionary assumptions in order to be reconciled with all existing data; at present, it is unclear which of these assumptions most likely reflect the historical process that gave rise to plastid diversity. Here we examine similarities in gene content among representatives of the three primary plastid lineages, using as a control the genome of a mitochondrion that almost certainly originated as an independent endosymbiotic association. To minimize metabolic constraints on gene retention we focus on two datasets, ribosomal protein and transfer RNA genes, neither of which is tied directly to specific organellar functions. Analyses of all possible pair‐wise comparisons among the three plastids and mitochondrion indicate that genomic similarities are most consistent with convergent evolution due to constraints on gene loss, rather than with hypothesized shared evolutionary histories. We find no evidence of phylogenetic signal in the pattern of gene loss overlying this convergence. In light of these results, we address other lines of evidence and arguments that have been raised in support of a single plastid origin.
Driving Cessation: What Older Former Drivers Tell Us
Authors: Dellinger Ann M. , Sehgal Meena , Sleet David A. , Barrett‐Connor Elizabeth 
Published: March 2003

OBJECTIVES: To understand why older drivers living in a community setting stop driving.DESIGN: A cross‐sectional study within a longitudinal cohort.SETTING: A geographically defined community in southern California.PARTICIPANTS: 1,950 respondents age 55 and older who reported ever being licensed drivers.MEASUREMENTS: A mailed survey instrument of self‐reported driving habits linked to prior demographic, health, and medical information.RESULTS: Of the 1,950 eligible respondents, 141 had stopped driving within the previous 5 years. Among those who stopped, mean age was 85.5 years, 65.2% were female, and the majority reported they were in very good (43.4%) or good (34.0%) health. Nearly two‐thirds reported driving less than 50 miles per week prior to stopping and 12.1% reported a motor vehicle crash during the previous 5 years. The most common reasons reported for stopping were medical (41.0%) and age‐related (19.4%). In bivariate analyses, age and miles driven per week were each associated with cessation (P≤ .001). Medical conditions, crashes in the previous 5 years, and gender did not reach statistical significance at the P≤ .05 level. Logistic regression results found that the number of medical conditions was inversely associated with driving cessation.CONCLUSION: The relationship between medical conditions and driving is complex; while medical conditions were the most common reason given for driving cessation, those who stopped had fewer medical conditions than current drivers. This suggests that a broader measure of general health or functional ability may play a dominant role in decisions to stop driving.
The Effects of Patient Communication Skills Training on the Discourse of Older Patients During a Primary Care Interview
Authors: Cegala Donald J. , Post Douglas M. , McClure Leola 
Published: March 2003

OBJECTIVES: To test the effects of a communication skills training intervention on older patients' discourse during a primary care interview.DESIGN: A quasi‐experimental design involving two intervention conditions.SETTING: The Family Practice Center of a university‐based clinic.PARTICIPANTS: Thirty‐three patients averaging age 72 and 9 family practice physicians.INTERVENTION: A communication skills training booklet received approximately 3 days before the scheduled appointment and a 30‐minute face‐to‐face follow‐up session before seeing the physician.MEASUREMENTS: Patients' seeking, providing, and verifying of information were coded from transcripts of the 33 interviews.RESULTS: Trained patients engaged in significantly more seeking and providing of information than untrained patients. Additionally, trained patients obtained significantly more information from physicians than did untrained patients, both in terms of the number of total information units and the number of units per question asked.CONCLUSION: Patient communication skills training appears to be an effective means of enhancing patients' participation in the medical interview without increasing the overall length of the interview.
ACE Gene Polymorphism and Insulin Action in Older Subjects and Healthy Centenarians
Authors: Paolisso Giuseppe , Tagliamonte Maria Rosaria , De Lucia Domenico , Palmieri Francesco , Manzella Daniela , Rinaldi Carmela , Bossone Anna , Colaizzo Donatella , Margaglione Maurizio , Varricchio Michele 
Published: March 2003

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the possible relationship between angiotensin‐converting enzyme (ACE) insertion‐deletion (ID) genotype and insulin resistance in a population of healthy older Italian subjects.DESIGN: Prospective recruitment of a convenience sample.PARTICIPANTS: One hundred twenty‐five subjects age 62 to 105 in good health and not taking any drug known to interfere with glucose metabolism.RESULTS: In the sample population, the relative frequencies of the ACE genotypes deletion‐deletion (DD) (0.424), ID (0.400), and insertion‐insertion (II) (0.176) were not significantly different from values predicted by Hardy‐Weinberg equilibrium. The genotype distribution was similar in men and women. Subjects carrying the II genotype had a higher FPG (P < .001) and FPI (P < .001) than did subjects with DD or ID genotype. Subjects with II genotype also had a significantly higher HOMA index than did subjects with DD or ID genotype (P for trend < .002). In a multivariate stepwise regression analysis, the ACE ID polymorphism was significantly and independently associated with the HOMA index (P < .001). The same result was confirmed performing multivariate analysis in the younger group and centenarians separately.
Rapid Emergency Department Intervention for Older People Reduces Risk of Functional Decline: Results of a Multicenter Randomized Trial
Authors: McCusker Jane , Verdon Josée , Tousignant Pierre , De Courval Louise Poulin , Dendukuri Nandini , Belzile Eric 
Published: March 2003

OBJECTIVES:To determine the effectiveness of a two‐stage (screening and nursing assessment) intervention for older patients in the emergency department (ED) who are at increased risk of functional decline and other adverse outcomes.DESIGN:Controlled trial, randomized by day of ED visit, with follow‐up at 1 and 4 months.SETTING:Four university‐affiliated hospitals in Montreal.PARTICIPANTS:Patients age 65 and older expected to be released from the ED to the community with a score of 2 or more on the Identification of Seniors At Risk (ISAR) screening tool and their primary family caregivers. One hundred seventy‐eight were randomized to the intervention, 210 to usual care.INTERVENTION:The intervention consisted of disclosure of results of the ISAR screen, a brief standardized nursing assessment in the ED, notification of the primary care physician and home care providers, and other referrals as needed. The control group received usual care, without disclosure of the screening result.MEASUREMENTS:Patient outcomes assessed at 4 months after enrollment included functional decline (increased dependence on the Older American Resources and Services activities of daily living scale or death) and depressive symptoms (as assessed by the short Geriatric Depression Scale). Caregiver outcomes, also assessed at baseline and 4 months, included the physical and mental summary scales of the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form‐36. Patient and caregiver satisfaction with care were assessed 1 month after enrollment.RESULTS:The intervention increased the rate of referral to the primary care physician and to home care services. The intervention was associated with a significantly reduced rate of functional decline at 4 months, in both unadjusted (odds ratio (OR) = 0.60, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.36–0.99) and adjusted (OR = 0.53, 95% CI = 0.31–0.91) analyses. There was no intervention effect on patient depressive symptoms, caregiver outcomes, or satisfaction with care.CONCLUSION:A two‐stage ED intervention, consisting of screening with the ISAR tool followed by a brief, standardized nursing assessment and referral to primary and home care services, significantly reduced the rate of subsequent functional decline. J Am Geriatr Soc 49:1272–1281, 2001.
Environmental Risk Factors for Delirium in Hospitalized Older People
Authors: McCusker Jane , Cole Martin , Abrahamowicz Michal , Han Ling , Podoba John E. , Ramman‐Haddad Leila 
Published: March 2003

OBJECTIVES:To evaluate the relationship of environmental risk factors in hospitals to changes over time in delirium symptom severity scores.DESIGN:Observational prospective clinical study with repeated measurements, several times during the first week of hospitalization and then weekly during hospitalization.SETTING:University‐affiliated general community hospital.PARTICIPANTS:Four hundred forty‐four patients age 65 and older admitted to the medical wards: 326 with delirium and 118 without delirium. Patients with prior cognitive impairment were oversampled.MEASUREMENTS:The severity of delirium symptoms was measured with the Delirium Index, a scale developed and validated by our group, based on the Confusion Assessment Method. Potential environmental risk factors assessed included isolation, hospital unit, room changes, levels of sensory stimulation, aids to orientation, and presence of medical (e.g., intravenous) or physical restraints.RESULTS:Controlling for initial severity of delirium and patient characteristics, variables significantly related to an increase in delirium severity scores included hospital unit (intensive care or long‐term care unit), number of room changes, absence of a clock or watch, absence of reading glasses, presence of a family member, and presence of medical or physical restraints.CONCLUSION:The associations of intensive care and medical and physical restraints with severity of delirium symptoms may be due to uncontrolled confounding by indication. However, the other factors identified suggest potentially modifiable risk factors for symptoms of delirium in hospitalized older people. J Am Geriatr Soc 49:1327–1334, 2001.
Self‐Reported Health Status, Prophylactic Medication Use, and Healthcare Costs in Older Adults with Asthma
Authors: Balkrishnan Rajesh , Christensen Dale B. , Bowton David L. 
Published: March 2003

OBJECTIVES: To examine the relationship between self‐reported health status, prophylactic medication use, and healthcare service use in older adults with asthma.DESIGN: A prospective longitudinal cohort study was conducted over a 2‐year postenrollment period in a population of asthmatic older adults enrolled in managed care. Patients completed a comprehensive health‐risk screen at time of enrollment in the plan.SETTING: A Medicare health maintenance organization (HMO) in the southeastern United States with prescription benefit.PARTICIPANTS: One hundred twenty‐nine older adults with asthma using inhaled corticosteroid therapy as prophylaxis and enrolled in a Medicare HMO were available for complete follow‐up.MEASUREMENTS: We measured self‐reported health perception, falls, lifestyle, depressive symptomatology, and pre‐enrollment healthcare service use using a comprehensive risk screen. We used the Med‐Total index and total annual healthcare charges as measures of postenrollment inhaled corticosteroid and healthcare service use.RESULTS: After adjusting for the effects of other variables, we found that depressive symptomatology at baseline and increased comorbidity severity (using the Charlson comorbidity index) were associated with significant reductions in prophylactic medication possession (27% with depressive symptomatology and 6% with unit increase in Charlson's index, P < .05). Additionally, after adjusting for the effects of baseline health status, we found that a 10% increase in prophylactic medication possession was associated with a nearly 5% decrease in total annual healthcare charges in this population (P < .01).CONCLUSION: There are strong but not fully explained associations between depressive symptoms at time of enrollment, decreased postenrollment prophylactic medication use and increased postenrollment healthcare service use in older adults with asthma.
Depressive Symptoms and Self‐Rated Health in Community‐Dwelling Older Adults: A Longitudinal Study
Authors: Han Beth 
Published: March 2003

OBJECTIVES: To test whether baseline depressive symptoms in older adults increase the risk of subsequent decline in self‐rated health and decrease the likelihood of subsequent improvement in self‐rated health.DESIGN: A 2‐year prospective cohort study.SETTING: Six thousand seven hundred fourteen community‐dwelling older persons who completed the first and second wave of the Asset and Health Dynamics among the Oldest‐Old Survey in the United States.PARTICIPANTS: Community‐dwelling older people in the United States.MEASUREMENTS: Baseline depressive symptoms were measured using a short‐form of the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale. Self‐rated health was measured using a single item of global health rating.RESULTS: After adjustment for covariates, a high burden of depressive symptoms at baseline was predictive of greater decline in self‐rated health (odds ratio (OR) for decline in those with high burden of depressive symptoms vs those without = 1.47, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.26–1.70). Likewise, high burden of depressive symptoms at baseline predicted less improvement in self‐rated health (OR for improvement in those with high burden of depressive symptoms vs those without = 0.57, 95% CI = 0.50–0.65).CONCLUSIONS: Depressive symptomatology is an independent risk factor for subsequent changes in self‐rated health in older adults. Thus, early prevention and intervention of depressive symptoms in community‐dwelling older adults might be critical to promote and maintain their self‐rated health.
Subcutaneous administration of recombinant human erythropoietin before cardiac surgery: a double‐blind, multicenter trial in Japan
Authors: Hayashi J. , Kumon K. , Takanashi S. , Kawashima Y. , Eguchi S. , Takaku F. , Yamamura H. 
Published: March 2003

Background: Dose and injection times have not previously been determined for subcutaneously administered recombinant human erythropoietin that would allow sufficient deposition of blood for autologous use in cardiac surgery.Study Design and Methods: A double‐ blind, multicenter trial of placebo (Group 1) and recombinant human erythropoietin at 12,000 IU (Group 2) and at 24,000 IU (Group 3) was performed on 114 patients at 26 institutions to determine the dosage that would permit an 800‐g preoperative deposit of blood for autologous use. The test drug was administered subcutaneously on Days 21, 14, and 7 prior to operation, and oral iron preparations at 200 mg per day were given for 21 days. There were 28 patients in Group 1, 28 in Group 2, and 30 in Group 3, with 28 excluded for a violation of the protocol.Results: Blood was safely drawn 14 and 7 days before operation from 22 patients in Group 1 (78.6%), from 26 in Group 2 (92.9%), and from all patients in Group 3 (p = 0.018). The hemoglobin level on the day before operation decreased by 1.1 ± 1.1 g per dL (11 ± 11 g/L) in Group 1 and by 0.9 ± 0.9 g per dL (9 ± 9 g/L) in Group 2 and rose by 0.1 ± 0.8 g per dL (1 ± 8 g/L) in Group 3, compared to initial levels. Allogeneic blood transfusion could be avoided in 62, 89, and 90 percent of Group 1, 2, and 3 patients, respectively (p = 0.013).Conclusion: The present study shows that subcutaneously administered recombinant human erythropoietin at a dose of 24,000 IU per week for 3 weeks is effective and sufficient to allow the safe deposition of 800 g of blood for autologous use in cardiac surgery.
Epidemiologic comparison of human T‐lymphotropic virus type I‐infected blood donors from endemic and nonendemic regions over a 3‐year period
Authors: Massari V. , Elghouzzi M.H. , Agis F. , Rannou C. , Gordien E. , Costagliola D. , Lefrère J.J. 
Published: March 2003

Background: Screening for human T‐lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV‐I) infection became systematic in 1989 in the French West Indies for blood from all donors and in France for blood from natives of endemic areas; in 1990, it was extended to blood from donors with at‐risk sex partners and in July 1991 to blood from all donors.Study Design and Methods: The epidemiologic characteristics of individuals found through the screening of donated blood to be HTLV‐I infected were compared for an endemic region (Guadeloupe, French West Indies) and a nonendemic region (Paris area) over a 3‐year period (1989 through 1991).Results: In Guadeloupe, 131 HTLV‐I‐infected individuals were detected in the screening of 28,801 units; in the Paris area, 38 HTLV‐I‐infected donors were detected in the screening of 109,824 units. All Guadeloupean HTLV‐ I‐infected donors were natives of endemic areas. Among the 38 Parisian HTLV‐I‐infected donors, 21 were natives of endemic areas, 10 were natives of endemic areas and had received transfusions, 2 were whites who had received transfusions, and 5 were whites who had had heterosexual contact with natives of endemic areas. The percentage of HTLV‐I‐infected individuals whose blood would have been excluded because of positivity for one or more markers for other viruses did not significantly change over the study period and did not significantly differ between regions (41%). Among the eight Parisian HTLV‐I‐infected blood donors detected after July 1991, six would not have been detected without the biologic screening.Conclusion: The generalization of biologic screening of HTLV‐I‐infected donated blood in France was useful for the prevention of HTLV‐I and HTLV type II infections through transfusion.