bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The HRQoL of renal transplant patients
Authors: Suet‐Ching Luk Weety 
Published: December 2004

Background.  After undergoing kidney transplant surgery, patients face many new challenges. For example, they face new pathologies associated with the complex medical regimens that they will need to follow rigorously for the rest of their lives. They live with the uncertainty and fear of organ rejection. They will also need to acquire new skills to take care of themselves, such as recognizing the signs and symptoms of impending infection and rejection. This suggests that once a transplant has been performed and the patient has been discharged with a functioning graft, the patient must continue to deal with a life of chronic illness.Aim.  The aim of this study was to explore health‐related quality of life of Chinese kidney transplant patients in Hong Kong.Methods.  Non‐structured interviews were conducted. The transcripts were analysed by qualitative content analysis. Codes were used to identify a passage of text that the researcher interprets as having a particular meaning. Data analysis is an iterative process. The codes emerging from each new interview were analysed together with the codes which had previously emerged. Across the dataset, codes were compared for similarities and differences, both within and across interviews. Codes of common property were clustered into categories. The transcripts were re‐read and checked against the categories until there was no more to be gleaned, and the titles of the categories reflected the totality of that experience. Interviews were conducted until unique categories were no longer identified. There were 31 participants.Results.  The participants are complying with medication regimens and nursing recommendations. Although new symptoms related to the medication regime surfaced, participants commented that they improved markedly in physical and social functioning, and have a better quality of life as a whole. Participants expressed their needs regarding information on the side effects of medications, proper exercise and diet.Conclusions.  To optimize post‐transplant quality of life, a follow‐up rehabilitation programme is recommended.Relevance to clinical practice.  Rich and meaningful insights about the perceptions and experiences of renal patients after transplantion can be obtained in this study. Having known the real needs of patients, nurses can develop strategies to help patients to cope with the demands of life with a renal graft, from the early days of convalescence to re‐integration into work, family responsibilities and life beyond.
Breast cancer: evaluation of the Common Journey Breast Cancer Support Group
Authors: Zeigler Linda , Smith Patricia A , Fawcett Jacqueline 
Published: December 2004

Background.  Most studies of cancer support groups have focused on the effects of groups established for research purposes, from the exclusive perspective of the group participants.Aim.  This Roy Adaptation Model‐based programme evaluation project focused on identifying the experiences of both participants in and facilitators of a community hospital‐sponsored breast cancer support group.Design.  Repeated measures survey methodology.Methods.  Ten women with breast cancer and two Registered Nurse group facilitators participated in the programme evaluation project. Qualitative data were analysed using content analysis. Themes extracted from the data were categorized according to the Roy Adaptation Model modes of adaptation. The group participants completed Initial and End of Year Interview Guides and Group Voices Forms; the group facilitators completed the Facilitators’ Voices Form. The Institutional Review Committee of a community hospital approved the programme evaluation project.Results.  The Common Journey Breast Cancer Support Group is a community hospital‐sponsored cancer support group established to meet the informational, emotional support, and social support needs of women with breast cancer who reside in a rural state in the New England region of the USA. Responses of participants and facilitators, which reflected all four of the Roy model modes of adaptation, indicated that the combination of information and emotional and social support was effective.Conclusions.  Nurses and other health professionals who establish community‐based cancer support groups should consider formal evaluation of the outcomes, from the perspectives of both participants and facilitators, and should publish the results. The results of this programme evaluation project are limited to one breast cancer support group with a small number of female participants and two facilitators. Results cannot be generalized to support groups for other types of cancer or to cancer support groups for men.Relevance to clinical practice.  Nurses and other health professionals should consider establishing and facilitating community hospital‐sponsored support groups for women with breast cancer, which have the potential to meet the women's informational, emotional support, and social support needs.
A study of the susceptibility of Atlantic halibut, Hippoglossus hippoglossus (L.), to viral haemorrhagic septicaemia virus isolated from turbot, Scophthalmus maximus (L.)
Authors: Bowden T J 
Published: December 2004

AbstractThe susceptibility of Atlantic halibut, Hippoglossus hippoglossus (L.), to viral haemorrhagic septicaemia virus (VHSV) was tested. Juvenile halibut of approximately 5 g weight were subjected to challenge by intraperitoneal injection, cohabitation and immersion to a VHSV isolate from an outbreak of the disease in turbot, Scophthalmus maximus (L.). The intraperitoneal injection gave the highest mortality rate of 28% after 50 days. The cohabitee group suffered 19% mortality rate and the immersion group only 2%. Control groups included turbot exposed either by intraperitoneal injection or immersion which suffered mortality rates of 93 and 50%, respectively. The results suggest that halibut are markedly less susceptible to VHSV than turbot.
CO2 laser therapy in a case of steatocystoma multiplex with prominent nodules on the face and neck
Authors: Rossi Riccardo , Cappugi Pietro , Battini MariaLuisa , Mavilia Luciano , Campolmi Piero 
Published: December 2004

AbstractBackground Steatocystoma multiplex is an uncommon disorder which usually begins in adolescence or early adult life. The condition can be hereditary, as an autosomal dominant trait, or nonhereditary, as in this case.Methods A 40‐year‐old woman presented with a history of asymptomatic nodules that began around puberty on the face. There was no family history of similar lesions. Clinical examination revealed multiple nodules distributed on the face and neck. The histopathologic examination of a biopsy specimen showed the typical features of steatocystoma multiplex. CO2 laser therapy without anesthesia was employed, and the contents were evacuated by squeezing the cysts with a pair of forceps.Results Very good results were obtained with rapid healing, minimal invasiveness, and without anesthesia. There was no evidence of scar formation and no signs of recurrence at 2‐year follow‐up.Conclusions Different treatments have been reported for steatocystoma multiplex. We consider CO2 laser therapy to be an ideal technique for the treatment of steatocystoma multiplex, especially when the lesions are localized in aesthetically important areas.
Newly available treatments for psoriatic arthritis and their impact on skin psoriasis
Authors: Galadari Hassan , Fuchs Brian , Lebwohl Mark 
Published: December 2004

AbstractFar from being a “benign” arthropathy, as it was initially characterized, psoriatic arthritis (PsA) affects approximately 0.2% of the US population and can be associated with considerable joint damage, symptomatology, and quality of life impairment. PsA shares many characteristics with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and new, rationally designed drugs that are effective in RA also are proving active in PsA. Two such drugs, etanercept and infliximab, target tumor necrosis factor (TNF), a key component of the inflammatory response. This review discusses the rationale for and experience with the use of these agents in PsA. Etanercept is a dimeric fusion protein that binds specifically to TNF, blocking its interaction with cell surface TNF receptors. Infliximab is a chimeric (murine/human) monoclonal antibody that binds to TNF and inhibits its binding to its receptor. A randomized placebo‐controlled trial of etanercept in PsA found statistically significant benefits for this agent in measures of arthritic activity and psoriatic severity. There have been anecdotal reports of the efficacy of infliximab in PsA, but results from controlled clinical trials of this agent in PsA have not been reported. TNF inhibitors represent new therapeutic options for patients with PsA. The potential advantages of treatment with etanercept and infliximab early in the disease course are discussed.
Facial linear focal elastosis: a case report
Authors: Serhat Inaloz H. , Kirtak Necmettin , Karakok Metin , Ozgoztasi Orhan 
Published: December 2004

AbstractBackground  Linear focal elastosis is an uncommon disorder that clinically shows band‐like stria and a histological focal increase in elastic fibers. The disorder preferentially affects men after the age of 60 years and occurs on the lower back. The pathogenesis of linear focal elastosis is still somewhat of an enigma.Method  A 50‐year‐old farmer presented with an unusual linear lesion on the left side of his chin. The patient was frequently exposed to sun because of fieldwork for a period of more than 40 years.Results  Skin biopsy specimen revealed a massive abnormal collagen deposition extending from the subpapillary dermis to the lower dermis with numerous wavy bundles of fibers. Elastin van Gieson stain for elastic fibers showed that abnormal elastic fibers were increased within a massive abnormal collagen deposition. Diagnosis of facial linear focal elastosis was made after clinicopathological correlation.Conclusion  Facial involvement of linear focal elastosis has not been reported previously in the literature. It has been suggested that sunlight has a minor role in the development of elastotic change in linear focal elastosis. However, our patient was a farmer and was exposed to sunlight frequently for a period of more than 40 years, suggesting that ultraviolet radiation may play a role in the pathogenesis of linear focal elastosis.
Wagner–Meissner neurilemmoma of the vulva
Authors: Ferrara Nicola , Di Marino Mariapia , Rossiello Luigi , Baldi Alfonso 
Published: December 2004

A 24‐year‐old woman was seen in consultation for a painless tumor of 6 cm in diameter of the vulva. The excised oval tumor was situated in the lower part of the dermis and encapsulated (Fig. 1A). It was completely composed of multiple adjacent cell complexes, each containing 5–20 laminar cells and resembling Wagner–Meissner touch corpuscles (Fig 1B and 1C). The nuclei of the laminar cells were located at the periphery of the corpuscles or were arranged transversely to the long axis of these structures along the lamellae. The nuclei were oval or showed one or several nuclear invaginations. Mitoses were not observed. These corpuscles showed a positive immunohistochemical reaction for S‐100 (Fig. 1D), vimentin, and neuron‐specific endase (NSE) (not shown), but were negative for CD‐68, desmin, and α‐actin. The gross and microscopic morphology and the immunohistochemical findings were compatible with a diagnosis of Wagner–Meissner neurilemmoma of the vulva. The patient remained disease free for 2 years after surgery.(A) Gross appearance of the excised oval tumor of the vulva, situated in the lower part of the dermis and encapsulated. (B) Histologic examination of the excised lesion revealed a monomorphous morphology with typical touch corpuscles with lamellar structures (hematoxylin and eosin; original magnification, &times;&nbsp;50). (C) Higher magnification of (B). The nuclei are predominantly located at the periphery of the corpuscles (hematoxylin and eosin; original magnification, &times;&nbsp;250). (D) The tactile corpuscles show a positive reaction for protein S‐100 (3‐amino‐9‐ethylcarbazide, &times;&nbsp;250)image
Minocycline‐induced cutaneous pigmentation
Authors: Mehrany Khosrow , Kist Joseph M. , Ahmed Debra D. F. , Gibson Lawrence E. 
Published: December 2004

A 76‐year‐old man receiving long‐term prednisone therapy for rheumatoid arthritis had a four‐part intertrochanteric fracture after a fall. The patient underwent an open reduction with internal fixation and dynamic hip screw placement. Two months later, when the patient presented with significant pain and difficulty ambulating, radiographs revealed dissociation of the compression screw from the femoral head. At the time of removal of failed hardware, a total hip replacement procedure was aborted when intraoperative findings were consistent with infection. Thorough irrigation and debridement were performed, with placement of antibiotic‐impregnated cement spacers. One month after a 4‐week course of intravenous cefazolin, the patient underwent left total hip arthroplasty. Intraoperative cultures grew methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Corynebacterium jeikeium. A 4‐week course of intravenous vancomycin was followed by long‐term antibiotic suppression with long‐term minocycline (100 mg twice daily).Six months after starting minocycline, the patient noticed a blue‐gray discoloration of the forearms. During the next 4 months, the pigmentation progressed considerably. He was admitted to Mayo Clinic for a myocardial infarction. Three‐vessel coronary artery disease was discovered, necessitating bypass grafting. Before surgery, dermatology was consulted. A main concern of the primary service was the discoloration representing ecchymoses in a surgical candidate with a possible bleeding diathesis.Cutaneous examination revealed slate gray, ill‐defined patches in the preauricular, flank, upper thigh, and shoulder areas. Similar patches coalesced on the upper and lower extremities (Fig. 1). There was no scleral or mucous membrane involvement. Histologically, minocycline pigmentation with pigment‐laden macrophages and free dermal pigment in the papillary and superficial reticular dermis stained positive with Prussian blue and Fontana‐Masson (Fig. 2). Minocycline was discontinued, and the patient was started on trimethoprim‐sulfamethoxazole double strength once daily for long‐term antimicrobial therapy.Minocycline‐induced slate gray discoloration of the (a) arms and (b) shinsimagePigment‐laden macrophages and free dermal pigment. (Hematoxylin‐eosin; original magnification ×600)image
The contributions of programmed developmental change and phenotypic plasticity to within‐individual variation in leaf traits in Dicerandra linearifolia
Authors: Winn A. A. 
Published: December 2004

AbstractVariation among modules of a single genet could provide a means of adaptation to environmental heterogeneity. Two mechanisms that can give rise to such variation are programmed developmental change and phenotypic plasticity. I quantified the relative roles of these two mechanisms in causing within‐individual variation in six leaf traits of an annual plant. Under controlled temperatures, morphological, anatomical, and physiological traits of leaves produced by the same individual differed as a function of both the node at which they were produced and the temperature they experienced during development. Temperature, node, and interactions between them all contributed significantly to the pattern of within‐individual variation in leaf traits, although the relative contributions of programmed developmental change and phenotypic plasticity differed for different traits. I hypothesize that these two mechanisms for generating within‐individual variation in module phenotype are favored by different patterns of environmental heterogeneity; when the sequence of environments encountered by modules of a single individual is predictable, programmed developmental change may be favored, and phenotypic plasticity may be favored when the sequence of environments is irregular with respect to individual ontogeny and therefore not predictable.
Behavioural discrimination among chromosomal races of the house mouse (Mus musculus domesticus)
Authors: Ganem G. , Searle J. B. 
Published: December 2004

AbstractThis work is concerned with the extent of behavioural discrimination between three chromosomal races of the house mouse (the standard 40‐chromosome race and a 32‐ and 36‐chromosome races) found in the vicinity of a hybrid zone in northern Scotland. Mice were investigated for several elements of their social behaviour. Within‐population dyadic encounters did not show consistent behavioural differences attributable to karyotype among five populations (two standard race, two 36‐chromosome race, one 32‐chromosome race). Between‐population dyadic encounters revealed significant differences between three populations. The standard population examined appeared to be the most “open” to foreigners, the 32‐chromosome population the most “closed” while the 36‐chromosome mice displayed an intermediate response. Differences in behaviour displayed during between‐population as compared to within‐population dyadic encounters revealed the occurrence of behavioural discrimination between populations. The implication of these results on the dynamics of the hybrid zone are discussed.
Heritable variation of sex ratio in a polychaete worm
Authors: Premoli M. C. , Sella G. , Berra G. P. 
Published: December 2004

Abstract Ophryotrocha labronica is a gonochoristic polychaete worm whose sex determining mechanism and sex ratio control are supposed to be polygenic. From a lab population, whose sex ratio (i.e., proportion of males) was 0.5, the estimate of sex ratio heritability by offspring‐father regression was 0.54 ± 0.15 and by offspring‐mother regression was not significantly different from 0. Estimate of sex ratio repeatability between successive broods of a pair was 0.64 ± 0.33. Since female parents do not contribute in any way to the variability of sex ratio, sex ratio variation seems to be largely a paternal character. On the basis of these estimates we advance the hypothesis that in this species sex is determined by a multilocus genetic system, allowing the combined effects of a female major sex gene (which could give rise to a form of female heterogamety) and masculinizing modifiers. The hypothesis that the male sex has the least canalised sexual differentiation is supported by the observation that some old males developed oocytes.
A quantitative genetic competition model for sympatric speciation
Authors: Doebeli M. 
Published: December 2004

AbstractI use multilocus genetics to describe assortative mating in a competition model. The intensity of competition between individuals is influenced by a quantitative character whose value is determined additively by alleles from many loci. With assortative mating based on this character, frequency‐ and density‐dependent competition can subdivide a population with an initially unimodal character distribution. The character distribution becomes bimodal, and the subpopulations corresponding to the two modes are reproductively separated because mating is assortative. This happens if the resource distribution is unimodal, i.e. even if selection due to phenotypic carrying capacities is not disruptive. The results suggest that sympatric speciation due to frequency‐dependent selection can occur in quite general ecological scenarios if mating is assortative. I also discuss the evolution of assortative mating. Since it induces bimodal phenotype distributions, assortative mating leads to a better match of the resources if their distribution is also bimodal. Moreover, in a population with a bimodal phenotype distribution, the average strength of frequency‐dependent competition is lower than in a unimodal population. Therefore, assortative mating permits higher equilibrium densities than random mating even if the resource distribution is unimodal. Thus, even though it may lead to a less efficient resource use, assortative mating is favoured over random mating because it reduces frequency‐dependent effects of competition.
Chemical Composition and Ruminal Dry Matter and Crude Protein Degradability of Spineless Cactus
Authors: Batista A. M. V. , Mustafa A. F. , Santos G. R. A. , De Carvalho F. F. R. , B. Dubeux J. C. , Lira M. A. , Barbosa S. B. P. 
Published: December 2004

AbstractThe objective of this study was to determine ruminal degradability of the dry matter (DM) and crude protein (CP) of 10 varieties of spineless cactus (Opuntia spp.) grown in north‐eastern Brazil. Two ruminally fistulated steers were used in a randomized complete block design. Ash, CP, acid detergent fiber, and acid detergent lignin levels ranged from 10.4 to 13.3 %, 6.2–7.7 %, 19.8–24.8 % and 3.4–5.4 %, respectively. Relative to the other cactus varieties, Redonda had the highest (P < 0.05) in situ soluble DM fraction and effective DM degradability. No differences in effective DM degradability were observed between the other cactus varieties. In situ soluble CP fraction ranged from 1.7 % of CP for the 69 IPA/UFRPE variety to 11.1 % of CP for the Gigante variety. Slowly degradable CP fraction and its rate of degradation were similar among the cactus varieties (average 90 % of CP and 9 % h−1, respectively). The cactus variety 69 IP/UFRPE had a lower (P < 0.05) effective ruminal CP degradability (ECPD) than the other varieties, which had a similar ECPD (average 66 % of CP). It was concluded that differences in ruminal degradability exist between cactus varieties, with more variations observed for ruminal DM than for CP degradability.
Nutrient Management Effects on Light Interception, Photosynthesis, Growth, Dry‐matter Production and Yield of Indian Mustard (Brassica juncea)
Authors: Mandal K. G. , Sinha A. C. 
Published: December 2004

AbstractA field experiment was conducted on sandy loam acidic soil to study the effect of nutrient managements on light interception, photosynthesis, growth, biomass production and yield of Indian mustard [Brassica juncea (L.) Czern & Coss.]. Plant height, number of branches per plant, number of siliqua per plant, number of seeds per siliquae, 1000‐seed weight, seed and oil yield of Indian mustard improved at 100 % recommended rates of NPK (N‐P‐K at 80‐17.2‐33.2 kg ha−1) + 10 t ha−1 farmyard manure (FYM) (T3) compared with 100 % NPK rate (T2). It was also at par with 100 % NPK + 10 kg ha−1 borax + 20 kg ha−1 ZnSO4 (T6) and 50 % NPK + 10 t ha−1 FYM +10 kg ha−1 borax + 20 kg ha−1 ZnSO4 (T10). The rate of photosynthesis increased due to appropriate nutrient management treatments (T3, T6 or T10) with concomitant increase in photosynthetically active radiation, internal CO2 concentration and rate of transpiration and decrease in stomatal resistance. Consequent upon the higher rate of photosynthesis, dry‐matter accumulation increased. The crop receiving nutrient treatment T3 or T6 maintained higher light interception ratio (LIR), leaf area index (LAI), biomass production, crop growth rate (CGR) and net assimilation rate (NAR) that resulted in greater rate of photosynthesis, harvest index and seed yield. Similarly, T10 was equally efficient in registering greater LIR, LAI, CGR, NAR and seed yield of mustard. The average seed yields were 1692, 1683 and 1668 kg ha−1 in T3, T6 and T10, respectively, and these three treatments were significantly superior to T2 (1332 kg ha−1), control (723 kg ha−1) and other treatments. Significantly greater seed oil contents of 41.30, 40.60 and 41.07 % were recorded in T3, T6 and T10, respectively. Thus, significant improvement due to appropriate combination of NPK, FYM, borax and ZnSO4 was observed for uptake of nutrients.