bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Acquired right heart outflow tract anomaly without systemic hypertension in recipient twins in twin–twin transfusion syndrome
Authors: Nizard J. , Bonnet D. , Fermont L. , Ville Y. 
Published: March 2003

AbstractSignificant hemodynamic changes are commonly observed in both fetuses in twin–twin transfusion syndrome. In the recipient twin there is cardiac dysfunction with hypertrophy of both ventricles and overall enlargement of the heart. We describe five cases of recipient twins in twin–twin transfusion syndrome with right ventricle hypertrophy, pulmonary stenosis and tricuspid regurgitation acquired in utero. These symptoms developed with no signs of systemic hypertension. Three of the five recipient twins survived and were developing normally at 3–30 months of age. Postnatal outcome is likely to have improved as a result of prenatal diagnosis of right ventricle outflow tract obstruction and timed delivery. These acquired anomalies of the right heart might be related to the particular hemodynamic conditions of the recipient twin. A global heart dilatation is logically expected, but this hypertrophy without dilatation is probably related to the shared plasma of fetuses with opposite hemodynamic conditions. This is what we consider as the hemodynamic–hormonal paradox. These acquired anomalies, though severe, are accessible to neonatal treatment if treated early.Copyright © 2001 International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology
A molecular study of Abdominal‐A in the ant Myrmica rubra reveals lineage dependant evolutionary rates for a developmental gene
Authors: Niculita H. , Julien J. F. , Petrochilo E. 
Published: March 2003

AbstractWe have characterized the abdominal‐A locus in a Hymenopteran, the ant Myrmica rubra. The sequence of the homeotic domain of the Abdominal‐A family of orthologous genes is known for a fairly large number of insects but the complete sequence of the Abdominal‐A protein, is known only for a few. The two proteins of Drosophila melanogaster and Tribolium castaneum differ markedly outside the homeodomain. A comparison of the ant Abdominal‐A protein sequences with those of these two insects shows that the ant and beetle sequences are very similar all along the length of the protein. The fruit fly has diverged considerably and equally from the other two insects. This divergence reflects different rates of evolution of the protein in different lineages.
Recurrent gains and losses of large (84–109 bp) repeats in the rDNA internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) of rhipicephaline ticks
Authors: Murrell A. , Campbell N. J. H. , Barker S. C. 
Published: March 2003

AbstractWe studied the internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) in twenty‐two spp. of ticks from the subfamily Rhipicephalinae. A 104–109 base pair (bp) region was imperfectly repeated in most ticks studied. Mapping the number of repeat copies on to a phylogeny from the ITS2 showed that there have been many independent gains and losses of repeats. Comparison of the sequences of the repeat copies indicated that in most taxa concerted evolution had played little if any role in the evolution of these regions, as the copies clustered by sequence position rather than species. In our putative secondary structure, each repeat copy can fold into a distinct and almost identical stem‐loop complex; a gain or loss of a repeat copy apparently does not impair the function of the ITS2 in these ticks.
Phylogeography of the red‐tailed chipmunk (Tamias ruficaudus), a northern Rocky Mountain endemic
Authors: Good Jeffrey M. , Sullivan Jack 
Published: March 2003

AbstractThe northern Rocky Mountains have experienced a complex history of geological events and environmental fluctuation, including Pleistocene glaciation. To provide an initial assessment of the genetic impact of this history on the regional biota we estimated phylogenetic relationships within Tamias ruficaudus, a regional endemic, from cytochrome b sequence variation using parsimony, maximum likelihood, and nested clade analysis. Analyses of sequence variation in 187 individuals from 43 localities across the distribution of T. ruficaudus indicate a history of vicariance events and range fluctuation consistent with successive periods of extensive Pleistocene glaciation in the northern Rocky Mountains. Intraspecific divergence levels (c. 4.7% uncorrected) and phylogenetic structure are consistent with a genealogical vicariance initiated prior to the Late Pleistocene, whereas nested clade analyses indicate more recent population history structured by both fragmentation and range expansion. A comparison of sequence variation with bacular morphology indicates that the two genetically and morphologically differentiated entities exhibit a zone of differential character introgression. Sequence data support a multiple refugia hypothesis and provide a phylogeographical case study for the ongoing synthesis of regional biogeography for northern Rocky Mountain endemics.
Vertical transmission of sublethal granulovirus infection in the Indian meal moth, Plodia interpunctella
Authors: Burden J. P. , Griffiths C. M. , Cory J. S. , Smith P. , Sait S. M. 
Published: March 2003

AbstractKnowledge of the mechanisms of pathogen persistence in relation to fluctuations in host density is crucial to our understanding of disease dynamics. In the case of insect baculoviruses, which are typically transmitted horizontally via a lifestage that can persist outside the host, a key issue that remains to be elucidated is whether the virus can also be transmitted vertically as a sublethal infection. We show that RNA transcripts for the Plodia interpunctella GV granulin gene are present in a high proportion of P. interpunctella insects that survive virus challenge. Granulin is a late‐expressed gene that is only transcribed after viral genome replication, its presence thus strongly indicates that viral genome replication has occurred. Almost all insects surviving the virus challenge tested positive for viral RNA in the larval and pupal stage. However, this proportion declined in the emerging adults. Granulin mRNA was also detected in both the ovaries and testes, which may represent a putative mechanism by which reduced fecundity in sublethally affected hosts might be manifested. RNA transcripts were also detected in 60–80% of second‐generation larvae that were derived from mating surviving adults, but there was no difference between the sexes, with both males and females capable of transmitting a sublethal infection to their offspring. The data indicate that low‐level persistent infection, with at least limited gene expression, can occur in P. interpunctella following survival of a granulovirus challenge. We believe that this is the first demonstration of a persistent, sublethal infection by a baculovirus to be initiated by a sublethal virus dose. We hypothesize that the ‘latent’ baculovirus infections frequently referred to in the literature may also be low level persistent, sublethal infections resulting from survival from initial baculovirus exposure.
Changes of the physiological parameters of very low‐birthweight infants with chronic lung disease treated with dexamethasone
Authors: Takeuchi Toshio , Tanaka Daisuke , Saikawa Noriko , Satoh Hiroyuki , Iwasaki Jyunya , Inoue Makoto , Narui Kenji , Iikura Yoji 
Published: March 2003

Abstract
Background
: Dexamethasone is widely used for the treatment of chronic lung disease (CLD), but its mechanism of action is still not clearly understood.
Methods
: Respiratory status, bodyweight, blood pressure, urine volume, fluid intake and nutrient intake were investigated in 12 infants with CLD during treatment with dexamethasone.
Results
: The mean gestational age of the patients was 26.3 ± 2.5 weeks and their mean birthweight was 807 ± 232 g. Treatment with dexamethasone was started at a mean age of 41 ± 23 days. The ventilatory index (VI) improved after treatment was started. Blood pressure and urine volume increased significantly after treatment, but weight gain was poor during this time. Fluid and nutrient intake did not change before and after treatment. The degree of improvement in the VI after treatment was significantly correlated with an increase in urine volume.
Conclusions
: The results suggest that a rise in blood pressure as a result of dexamethasone treatment and the subsequent diuretic effect of this rise may play a role in improvement in respiratory status.
Analysis of risk factors for recurrence and effective adjuvant therapy in patients with endometrial cancer
Authors: Goto Tomoko , Takano Masayoshi , Kita Tsunekazu , Kikuchi Yoshihiro 
Published: March 2003

Objective: The aim of this study was to explore risk factors for recurrence and effective adjuvant therapy in endometrial cancer.Methods: Between 1985 and 1999, 170 patients with uterine endometrial cancer received initial therapy at the National Defense Medical College Hospital. We retrospectively analyzed risk factors including; histopathological features, operative procedures, adjuvant therapies and surgical staging.Results: Although the prognosis in stage I and II patients was fairly good, recurrences were observed in patients with stage Ib or worse. Vagina walls were the frequent site of recurrence. About a half of relapses which occurred within seven months after surgery were observed during adjuvant chemotherapy. Multivariate analysis revealed that myometrial invasion (P = 0.0231) was the only risk factor for recurrence. Although the prognosis in stage III and IV patients was generally poor, serosal invasion in stage III disease seemed to be an im‐portant risk factor. With regard to adjuvant therapy in stage I–III patients who could receive optimal cytoreductive surgery; the risk of recurrence was significantly (P = 0.0127) lower in patients receiving radiation therapy than in those receiving chemotherapy including platinum agents.Conclusion: The data suggested that in stage I–III patients with optimal cytoreductive surgery, myometrial invasion is an independent risk factor for recurrence and radiation therapy is more effective than chemotherapy as adjuvant therapy.
Studies on the Estimation of Maternal Body Composition by Means of Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis and the Usefulness of Total Body Water/Total Body Fat Value as a Parameter for Diagnosis of Gestational Edema
Authors: Ueda Yasuo , Maruo Motoyoshi , Ashitaka Yoshihiko 
Published: March 2003

Objectives:
This study aimed to investigate the application of bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) to the estimation of body composition of pregnant women especially applied to the accurate diagnosis of gestational edema.
Methods:
The subjects were 361 pregnant women, divided into 7 groups according to their constitution in the non‐pregnant state and the existence of gestational edema. The impedance between both legs was measured by mono‐frequency impedance analyzer (TBF‐401 Tanita), and total body fat (TBF), total body water (TBW) and TBW/TBF ratios were calculated from the impedance values obtained with or without compensation by fetal component weight (the sum of fetal, placental and amniotic fluid weight) obtained from the literature or those measured after labor except for amniotic fluid.
Results:
The impedance values of the pregnant women gradually decreased as pregnancy progressed in normal cases, but there was a more remarkable decrease in the cases of gestational edema. The TBF values calculated with compensation by fetal component weight not only closely coincided with those reported by Hytten but also agreed well with the values estimated at 4 days postpartum except for the overweight group with gestational edema. In normal pregnancy, both TBW and TBF gradually increased during pregnancy, but TBW noticeably increased in the cases of gestational edema accompanied with a converse reduction in TBF. Consequently TBW/TBF ratios noticeably increased in late pregnancy in gestational edema. All pregnant women were classified into 3 types according to their changing TBW/TBF patterns during pregnancy. Gestational edema was observed at 94% (33/35) frequency in the increased‐type group but at only 10% (26/262) in the decreased‐type group. TBW/TBF began to increase about 2 weeks before the appearance of gestational edema in pregnant women.
Conclusion:
The measurement of body composition by BIA is applicable to pregnant women by using compensation by fetal component weight. Especially a serial estimation of TBW/TBF during pregnancy might play an important diagnostic role in gestational edema.
Mass treatment with nevirapine to prevent mother‐to‐child transmission of HIV/AIDS in sub‐Saharan African countries
Authors: Hashimoto Hiroyuki , Kapiga Saidi Hussein , Murata Yuji 
Published: March 2003

AbstractObjective: In 2001, an estimated 800 000 children were newly infected with HIV, almost all through mother‐to‐child transmission (MCTC), and 90% of these children were born in Africa. In such resource‐poor settings, cheaper and more easily administered antiretroviral drugs should be available for use. Mass treatment of an intrapartum and neonatal single dose of nevirapine regimen has been suggested as an effective strategy to prevent MCTC, yet this strategy has never been conducted in clinical trials. By discussing the advantages and disadvantages of it, we analyze the possibility of implementing this regimen.Methods: We reviewed public health strategies to prevent MCTC in resource‐poor settings, and discuss whether or not mass treatment of an intrapartum and neonatal single dose of nevirapine regimen can be recommended as one therapy in sub‐Saharan Africa due to its simplicity of distribution and use, long‐term efficacy, and cost‐effectiveness.Result: Recent studies in Uganda showed the high efficacy and cost‐effectiveness of a single dose of nevirapine only to HIV/AIDS‐positive pregnant women. The characteristics of nevirapine also meet the requirements of mass treatment. Mass treatment of nevirapine would increase access to antiretroviral drugs among pregnant women because they can access nevirapine without volunteer counseling and testing, which 31% of pregnant women in developing countries refused to accept due to the fear of stigmatization. No serious adverse effects or drug resistance to this regimen were reported through the studies in Uganda.Conclusion: Mass treatment of a single‐dose nevirapine can be recommended as one alternative therapy, and further research is recommended to obtain more information about the efficacy, side‐effects, drug resistance, and compliance of this strategy.
The adenylate cyclase (BAC) in Botrytis cinerea is required for full pathogenicity
Authors: Klimpel Annett , Gronover Christian Schulze , Williamson Brian , Stewart Jennifer A. , Tudzynski Bettina 
Published: March 2003

SUMMARYThe grey mould Botrytis cinerea is an economically important plant pathogen. Previously we found that null mutants of bcg1 encoding one of the two Gα subunits of heterotrimeric GTP‐binding proteins differed in colony morphology and showed reduced pathogenicity. To further understand the mechanisms involved in infection, we cloned the bac gene encoding adenylate cyclase, the enzyme that catalyses production of cAMP from ATP. The deduced protein sequence consists of 2300 amino acids, the ORF is interrupted by three conserved introns, and there is a high degree of similarity with the catalytic domains of other fungal adenylate cyclases. Gene replacement resulted in reduced vegetative growth and a morphology similar to that of bcg1 mutants. The wild‐type (WT) colony morphology was partially restored by feeding exogenous cAMP. These bac mutants still had a low but constant level of cAMP, despite deletion of the complete catalytic domain of the enzyme. Conidia from bac mutants germinated, penetrated the leaves of Phaseolus vulgaris and caused spreading soft rot lesions (in contrast to bcg1 mutants), although these were slower to develop than in WT controls. Compared to the latter, the most striking difference was that no sporulation occurred on leaves inoculated with bac mutant conidia. These results confirm that the cAMP signalling pathway plays an important role in vegetative growth and pathogenicity in B. cinerea. On the other hand, a much stronger effect of bcg1 mutation on pathogenicity in comparison to the effects of bac mutations suggests that BCG1 controls at least one more signalling component other than adenylate cyclase, and that the cAMP signalling pathway is not the only one responsible for pathogenicity.
Evaluation of mathematical equations to predict the theoretical yield of Chilean Gouda cheese
Authors: Brito C , Niklitschek L , Molina L H , Molina I 
Published: March 2003

This study was performed to obtain an adequate tool for predicting the yield of Chilean Gouda cheese. The theoretical yields were calculated by applying equations derived from technical references to industrial cheese production and were compared with their own actual yields, thus selecting those equations showing the best correlation with the actual yield.The manufacturing and ripening of the cheese were controlled through the chemical composition of milk, whey and cheese, and the weight of the product before and after ripening was recorded.The actual and theoretical yield values derived from each formula were compared using the mean yield graphs. Furthermore, the global concordance coefficient (W) of Kendall and Smith was also applied, showing the lack of significant discrepancy between actual and theoretical yield values [P > 0.01 (W = 27; W ≥ 18.48)] for either 3‐ or 30‐day cheeses. Out of the 11 formulae used to measure the yield of cheese, six showing a good correlation between the yields were selected through the comparison of error sums and Pearson correlation analysis. However, two formulae showed the best yield results for practical use.
Teamwork and change
Authors: Needham Gill , Holdsworth Jane , Miles Denise 
Published: March 2003

Sir Gordon and the Three wise librarians—A fairy taleOnce upon a time in the region of Oxford, there were three kingdoms—Kettering, Northampton and Milton Keynes. Each kingdom had its own library service, run by a wise librarian, who offered services to all the workers and students in that kingdom. One day, the highest authority in all the land decreed that kingdoms like these should join together and with institutions of higher education, produce a brand new and very wise kind of nurse.The three kingdoms agreed to join together with a College called Nene, and together to be called the Sir Gordon Roberts College of Nursing and Midwifery. A special kind of magic would be used to create the new college and that was called PROMPT, project management.The Principal of the new College wrote a specification of what library services would be required and it said that the College of Nene library would cover all the biological sciences, behavioural sciences and computer studies, and their libraries would cover all the subjects related to healthcare. The document also listed all the kinds of service that the nursing students would need. The three wise librarians sat together through many, many meetings to work out what riches they would need in order to pay for what he wanted.What did the three wise librarians ask for? They asked for extra staff to provide the service to the new nursing students, they asked for books and journals, indexes and abstracts, CD databases and money for services (inter‐library loans, searches and photocopying). The librarians had to work very hard because everything they asked for had to be carefully costed and justified. They asked for set‐up and recurrent money. They also decided to ask for money to buy computer systems so that all the libraries could give an even better service and could help one another.The highest authority in all the land decided to give the librarians the riches they sought. They hired new staff, bought the books and journals and installed computer systems called Bookshelf. Ninety of the new nursing students began in October 1990 and another 90 in April 1991. They liked the libraries very much, and the three wise librarians and their staff helped them a great deal with their studies.
A model for the evaluation of search queries in medical bibliographic sources
Authors: Verhoeven Anita A. H. , Boendermaker Peter M. , Boerma Edzard J. , Meyboom‐De Jong Betty 
Published: March 2003

The aim of this study was to develop a model to evaluate the retrieval quality of search queries performed by Dutch general practitioners using the printed Index Medicus, MEDLINE on CD‐ROM, and MEDLINE through GRATEFUL MED.Four search queries related to general practice were formulated for a continuing medical education course in literature searching. The selected potential relevant citations from the course instructor and the 103 course participants together served as the basic set for the three judges to evaluate for (a) relevance and (b) quality, with the latter based on journal ranking, research design and publication type. Relevant individual citations received a citation quality score from 1 (low) to 4 (high). The overall search quality was expressed in a formula, which included the individual citation quality score of the selected and missed relevant citations, and the number of selected non‐relevant citations.The outcome measures were the number and quality of relevant citations and agreement between the judges.Out of 864 citations, 139 were assessed as relevant, of which 44 citations received an individual citation quality score of 1, 76 of 2, 19 of 3 and none of 4. The level of agreement between the judges was 68% for the relevant citations, and 88% for the non‐relevant citations.We describe a model for the evaluation of search queries based not only on the relevance, but also on the quality of the citations retrieved. With adaptation, this model could be generalized to other professional users, and to other bibliographic sources.
From troglodytes to information managers: information management and technology needs to achieve the primary care NHS modernization agenda—the views of three GPs
Authors: Rooney Irene , Hornby Susan 
Published: March 2003

AbstractIn response to the information management and technology changes proposed by the Government’s NHS modernization initiative this article examines the issues that GPs feel to be of major significance to their work.Although information and communications technology is widely used in general practice there is no one agreed standard system. The level of technology and the manner in which it is used is also diverse throughout the profession, as are the attitudes that exist amongst GPs regarding the value of information management and technology, and the benefits efficient information management offers to them and to their patients.The views of three local GPs from practices with varying levels of information technology were obtained through semi‐structured interviews and the findings developed in the light of current discussions in the published literature. The GPs chosen reflect the disparity within general practice and, perhaps, other units of the NHS in the use and understanding of information management.The main conclusions were that there is ambivalence and scepticism about what NHSnet currently has to offer; that local electronic records benefit patient care, but when networked more widely problems of confidentiality and security result. Practitioners were also mindful of the financial costs of changes and concerned, given the impact of PCGs and clinical governance, as to who will be responsible for ensuring a common level of electronic records, IT provision, and financial and technological support.