bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Functional analysis of cross‐reactive immunoglobulin E antibodies: peanut‐specific immunoglobulin E sensitizes basophils to tree nut allergens
Authors: De Leon M. P. , Drew A. C. , Glaspole I. N. , Suphioglu C. , Rolland J. M. , O'Hehir R. E. 
Published: August 2005

SummaryBackground
Peanut and tree nuts are a major cause of food‐induced anaphylaxis with an appreciable mortality. Co‐sensitization to peanuts and tree nuts is a common clinical observation and may be because of peanut‐specific serum IgE antibodies that cross‐react with tree nut allergens. It is, however, unclear whether these cross‐reactive IgE antibodies are involved in effector‐cell activation.Objective
To determine if cross‐reactivity of peanut‐specific IgE antibodies with tree nuts can cause effector cell activation using an in vitro basophil activation assay.Methods
Two peanut allergic subjects with positive specific IgE for peanut and tree nuts (as measured by CAP‐FEIA) were studied. Basophil activation to peanut and tree nuts, as indicated by CD63 expression, was assessed by flow cytometry to confirm co‐sensitization to peanut and tree nuts. Inhibition ELISA using sera from the subjects was performed to detect peanut‐specific IgE antibodies that cross‐reacted with tree nut proteins. To determine whether cross‐reactive tree nut allergens can induce effector‐cell activation, peanut‐specific antibodies were affinity purified from the subject sera and used to resensitize non‐peanut/tree nut allergic donor basophils stripped of surface IgE. Basophil activation was then measured following stimulation with peanut and tree nut extracts.Results
The two peanut allergic subjects in this study showed positive basophil activation to the peanut and tree nut extracts. Inhibition ELISA demonstrated that pre‐incubation of the peanut allergic subject sera with almond, Brazil nut and hazelnut extracts inhibited IgE binding to peanut extract. IgE‐stripped basophils from non‐peanut/tree nut allergic subjects resensitized with affinity‐purified peanut‐specific antibodies from the peanut allergic subject sera became activated following stimulation with peanut, almond and Brazil nut extracts, demonstrating biological activity of cross‐reactive IgE antibodies.Conclusion
Peanut‐specific IgE antibodies that cross‐react with tree nut allergens can cause effector‐cell activation and may contribute to the manifestation of tree nut allergy in peanut allergic subjects.
Psychosocial morbidity of Graves’ orbitopathy
Authors: Kahaly G. J. , Petrak F. , Hardt J. , Pitz S. , Egle U. T. 
Published: August 2005

SummaryObjective  Ocular diseases markedly impair daily function. In Graves’ orbitopathy (GO), an associated psychosocial burden is present due to disfiguring proptosis and/or diplopia, signs with significant impact on functional status and well‐being. We have therefore surveyed and assessed the psychosocial morbidity of GO.Design  A prospective controlled study on subjects with GO using internationally validated, self‐reporting questionnaires.Patients  One hundred and two consecutive patients with varying degrees of severity and activity of GO.Measurements  Emotional distress, coping styles and quality of life (QoL) were assessed by the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, by a German adaptation of the Ways‐of‐Coping Checklist, and with the 36‐item Short Form, respectively. Stressful events in the 6 months preceding diagnosis were registered with the Life Experience Survey. QoL findings were compared to German reference values, as well as to 102 age‐ and gender‐matched patients, each with type 1 diabetes (insulin‐dependent diabetes mellitus, IDDM) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), respectively.Results  Compared to the German reference population, all QoL scales were at a lower rate and were especially decreased in subjects with active and/or severe GO, orbital pain, diplopia and stressful life events. Compared to diabetics, psychosocial scales were considerably reduced in GO (z = −1 vs. 0·1, P < 0·001) and higher scores for depressive coping (2·32 vs. 1·71, P < 0·001) and trivializing (2·37 vs. 1·97, P < 0·006) were noted. In GO, depressive coping and trivializing were negatively correlated with the mental (r = −0·603 and r =−0·411, both P < 0·001) and physical (r = −0·487 and r = −0·354, both P < 0·001) components of QoL. Depressive coping also positively correlated with anxiety (r = 0·636) and depression (r = 0·590), respectively, both P < 0·001. Emotional distress noted in 46 subjects, mostly with active and severe GO, was associated with poor QoL. Anxiety and depression were present in 41 and 24 GO patients, respectively. The number of stressful events positively correlated with the scores of anxiety (r = 0·3335) and depression (r = 0·3178), both P = 0·001. Foremost emotional distress, but also diplopia, stressful events and depressive coping had a major impact on QoL (proportion of variance explained = 13·1%, P < 0·001, multiple regression analysis). More than 75% of the psychosocial impairment in GO (R2 = 0·76, P < 0·001) was associated with seven variables only (e.g. depression and anxiety). Six months prior to GO onset, 74 patients experienced a mean of 4 (range 0–13) stressful life events. Subjects with optic neuropathy had more stressful events than those without nerve involvement (5·1 vs. 2·7, P = 0·0425).Conclusions  Psychosocial morbidity is present in severe and/or active GO, which negatively affects QoL. The patients are not only physically ill, they also exhibit emotional distress. Accompanying psychosomatic treatment is indicated among about half of all GO patients.
Ascorbate content of wheat leaves is not determined by maximal l‐galactono‐1,4‐lactone dehydrogenase (GalLDH) activity under drought stress
Authors: BARTOLI CARLOS G. , GUIAMET JUAN J. , KIDDLE GUY , PASTORI GABRIELA M. , DI CAGNO RAFFAELLA , THEODOULOU FREDERICA L. , FOYER CHRISTINE H. 
Published: August 2005

ABSTRACTAlthough ascorbic acid (AA) is a high‐abundance metabolite, relatively little is known about the factors controlling its accumulation in leaves. To address this issue, we examined the role of l‐galactono‐1,4‐lactone dehydrogenase (GalLDH), the enzyme which catalyses the last step of this pathway, in the control of AA content under optimal and stress conditions. In a range of species, no clear relationship between AA content and leaf GalLDH protein and activity was found under optimal growth conditions. To explore the effect of drought stress on GalLDH activity and protein content, wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) was selected for detailed analysis, using two cultivars that differ in their constitutive AA level. In well‐watered plants, the AA content of cv Buck Chambergo (BCH) was over twice that of cv Cooperativa Maipún (CM) but dehydroascorbic acid content was similar in both cv. In agreement with this, dehydroascorbate reductase and glutathione reductase activities were higher in cv BCH than in cv CM, indicating a higher capacity for AA regeneration. Neither leaf DHA content nor activities of AA regenerating enzymes were modified by drought. Although drought caused a substantial increase in GalLDH protein and activity in the low AA cv CM, this treatment had no effect on these parameters in cv BCH. Notably, leaf AA content was unaffected by drought in either cv. These results suggest that GalLDH protein and activity cannot be used as an indicator for changes in the capacity for ascorbate biosynthesis and that AA biosynthesis is constrained by other factors under stress. This can be explained by the importance of regeneration in maintaining AA levels and possibly also by redox regulation of GalLDH.
Axial and radial profiles in conductivities, water storage and native embolism in trunks of young and old‐growth ponderosa pine trees
Authors: DOMEC J‐C. , PRUYN M. L. , GARTNER B. L. 
Published: August 2005

ABSTRACTPonderosa pine has very wide sapwood, and yet the spatial and temporal use of that sapwood for water transport is poorly understood. Moreover, there have been few comparisons of function in tips of old‐growth trees in comparison with young trees. In the present study, axial and radial specific conductivity (ks), leaf specific conductivity (LSC), leaf specific conductance (kl), native embolism and the compartmentalization of sapwood water storage were characterized in trunks of young and old‐growth trees. Trunks of young trees had lower ks, lower LSC and lower native embolism [corresponding to 5% loss of conductivity (PLC)] than trunks of old‐growth trees. However, kl in young trees was 3.5 times higher than in old‐growth trees, supporting the hypothesis that tall trees have a reduced ability to transport water to their leaves. Water storage (capacitance) of young trees was not significantly different than at the base of old‐growth trees. Although the top of the old‐growth trees had similar ks, LSC and kl to the young trees for a given cambial age, they had higher native embolism and lower capacitance. There was no trade‐off between ks and native embolism at any height. In the tree crown, outer sapwood had 35–50% higher ks than the inner sapwood and 17–25 PLC lower native embolism. At the base of the old trees, there was no significant difference in native embolism between the outer, middle and inner sapwood, showing that refilling of embolisms was complete despite the 130‐year difference in wood age among these radial positions. Although during the dry season the inner sapwood tended to be more saturated than the outer sapwood, the outer part of the sapwood contributed up to 60% of the overall stored water. Safer xylem, higher capacitance and higher kl would appear adaptive in the young trees for regulating their water resource, which is likely to be less reliable than the water availability of older trees with their more developed root system.
Low temperature and mechanical stresses differently gate aquaporins of root cortical cells of chilling‐sensitive cucumber and ‐resistant figleaf gourd
Authors: LEE S. H. , CHUNG G. C. , STEUDLE E. 
Published: August 2005

ABSTRACTThe inhibition of the hydraulic conductivity of individual cortical cells (Lp) of young roots of cucumber and figleaf gourd by low root temperature (8 °C, LRT) was measured using a cell pressure probe. When LRT was imposed, the Lp of the two species responded differently. Water permeability of cortical cells of chilling‐sensitive cucumber decreased by a factor of 10, but there was only a small effect in the chilling‐resistant figleaf gourd. Mechanical stresses (pulses of cell turgor pressure) resulted in a similar inhibition for both species by a factor of 6.5. When applied at LRT, abscisic acid (ABA) partially or even completely reversed the effects of chilling and mechanical stresses of both species. At the control temperature of 22 °C, 50 µm of the aquaporin (AQP) inhibitor HgCl2 acted on root cells of both species, although the effect on root cells of figleaf gourd was small. There was no effect of HgCl2, when AQPs were already closed either by LRT or by mechanical stress. The effect of mechanical stress (pressure pulses) was substantially bigger than that of HgCl2. When AQPs were closed by big pulses in the presence of 50 µm HgCl2, they could be partially re‐opened in the presence of the inhibitor by applying small pulses, suggesting that there are at least two different types of channels present, which respond differently to mechanical stress or to the heavy metal. The presence of 1 µm ABA in the root medium prevented the effects of LRT and mechanical stress, namely an increase in the half‐times of water exchange (Tw1/2 ∝ 1/Lp). In the absence of stresses at short Tw1/2, there was no effect of ABA. It is concluded that the responsiveness of AQPs of the two species differs in the presence of LRT but not under conditions of mechanical stress. In both cases, however, ABA has an ameliorative effect. The results suggest that the presence of ABA reduces the activation energy of changes of the conformation of AQPs, when switching between open and closed states. Mechanisms of the gating of AQP activity by LRT and mechanical stresses and the possible role of the stress hormone ABA are discussed.
‘It's a Very Foreign Discipline’: the Genesis of Expenses Control in a Mutual Life Insurance Company
Authors: Knights David , Willmott Hugh 
Published: August 2005

SUMMARYThis paper is drawn from an intensive case study of Pensco ‐ a mutual life insurance company in the South of England. The original objective of the research was to examine corporate strategy as an aspect of management control. As the research proceeded, it became clear that a new system of budgeting and expenses control was a crucial element of the transformation of the company from its 'sleepy’ paternalistic traditions into an aggressive, competitive financial services company. The paper contextualizes the development of budgeting and expenses control in Pensco within changes in the British economy. These are associated with the rise of the New Right, transformations in the financial services sector relating to deregulation and the establishment of a new regulatory framework. The argument of the paper is that budgeting and accounting control in this company has a complex genealogy revolving around a number of conditions coinciding at a particular point in time. Our case study material also reveals a variety of tensions, contradictions and resistances to the new management regime that placed, considerable obstacles in the way of an effective implementation of the new accounting and management controls
The Problems of Effecting Change Within the British Civil Service: A Cultural Perspective
Authors: Brooks Ian , Bate Paul 
Published: August 2005

SUMMARYThis paper examines the relatively unexplored area of underachievement in organization change programmes, where the original ambitions of the authors of change fail to be realized at the level of implementation. A case in point is the British Civil Service which after several years of government endeavour has not seen the large‐scale, ‘second order’ change that had been expected. The paper offers a cultural perspective on this issue. Using the findings from an in‐depth, ethnographic study of one of the newly formed agencies within the civil service, it argues that attempts at change can be frustrated by a ‘cultural infrastructure’ at the local level which acts to neutralize any attempt to change from above ‐ in relative power terms a case of David defeating Goliath. This structure is a social defence against the anxieties and ambiguities brought about by the threat of impending change, and is manifested not as resistance, or even avoidance, but disregard and unstudied indifference. These local cultural orientations are the cause of ‘schematic myopia’ (Harris, 1989) or collective blindness, which prevent those affected from recognizing the significance of a major change initiative. An examination of these cultural processes reveals the inherent weaknesses and limitations of one of the most ubiquitous of change models to be found in organizations today: the top‐down, ‘invasionary’ approach to change.
Success and Failure of MRP II Implementation
Authors: Wilson Fiona , Desmond John , Roberts Hilary 
Published: August 2005

SUMMARYThis paper assesses the reasons for the success or failure of manufacturing resource planning (MRPII) implementation projects. It begins by discussing the literature and research on success and failure of these systems and presents evidence from cases prepared by the authors. The paper is not concerned to prescribe ‘best practice’ for MRP implementation. The first section reviews the relevant literature and concludes that there is a divergence of opinion as to what constitutes success, raising questions on the usefulness of current methods of establishing whether implementation is successful. The latter section of the paper uses results from longitudinal (process) research carried out by the authors. This starts with a discussion of what counts for success. The discussion highlights the importance of understanding the full potential of MRPII in effecting change of organizational structures, cultures and practice. Several factors that contribute towards MRPII failure are next considered. Finally,‘big bang’style implementations, such as those recommended by the Ollie Wight organization, are most likely to be successful if the organization follows a strategic approach to planning. There also needs to be a high degree of fit between organizational structure, culture and the demands of the MRPII system.
Epidemiology and clinical classification of onychomycosis
Authors: Effendy I , Lecha M , Feuilhade de Chauvin M , Di Chiacchio N , Baran R 
Published: August 2005

ABSTRACTObjectives  To review recent data – what is new in the epidemiology of onychomycoses? To identify the most relevant diagnostic criteria for effective therapy.Methods  The preliminary results of the European Onychomycosis Observatory (EUROO) study were analysed. In this international study, physicians completed questionnaires concerning patient profile and the disease.Results  One of the most interesting novel findings was that sampling requests were often not made [only 3.4% of general physicians (GPs) and 39.6% of dermatologists]. This means that no information about causative agent(s) was available, hindering appropriate treatment choice. Furthermore, contrary to previous findings, 70.7% of participants did not practice sports. Lastly, these preliminary findings showed that treatment strategy depends largely on the type of treating physician, with GPs preferring monotherapy and dermatologists preferring combination therapy.Conclusions  A consensus was reached that treatment strategy should depend on the severity of nail involvement and the causative fungus. It is thus important to promote the importance of sampling. To simplify the choice of an appropriate treatment, onychomycosis may be divided into just two clinical groups: onychomycosis with and without nail matrix area involvement. However, the distinct clinical findings (number and type of affected nails, multimorbidity, drug interaction, etc.) in each individual case must be taken into account to ensure an appropriate treatment decision.
Suicide trends following the Taiwan earthquake of 1999: empirical evidence and policy implications
Authors: Yang C.‐H. , Xirasagar S. , Chung H.‐C. , Huang Y.‐T. , Lin H.‐C. 
Published: August 2005

Objective:  Mental health impact of severe earthquakes on survivors has attracted considerable attention. Suicide represents a terminal outcome of the spectrum of potential major mental health issues spawned by severe earthquakes. This study used time‐series analysis to examine the time trends of increased suicide rates after the Chi–Chi earthquake of 1999 in Taiwan in the affected counties.Method:  Adult cause of death data were used to study monthly suicide rates per 100,000 adult population in the study and control counties, during January 1995 to December 2001. Box and Tiao's event intervention analysis was used to examine changes in monthly suicide rates before and after the Chi–Chi earthquake.Results:  During the post‐quake period, October 1999 to December 2001, the mean monthly suicide rate in the affected counties was 1.567 per 100,000, compared with the control counties’ rate of 1.297 per 100,000. Mean monthly suicide rate among the high‐exposure group was 42% higher during the 26 months following the earthquake than the average for the entire observation period. Examined by time trends, the increased suicide rate registered in the first month following the quake began a monthly gradual decline by 0.7/100,000 thereafter, accounting for a total reduction of 98% in quake‐related suicides by the end of 10 months. Suicide rates fell to the baseline level after 10 months.Conclusion:  We found that the mean monthly suicide rate for earthquake victims was higher while the low‐exposure group remained stable and consistent throughout the observation period, indicating that the impact on the high‐exposure group was attributable to the earthquake. This indicates the need for providing strengthened psychiatric services during the first year following major disasters.
Tuberculous meningitis masked by delirium in an alcohol‐dependent patient: a case report
Authors: Jebaraj P. , Oommen M. , Thopuram P. , Jacob K. S. 
Published: August 2005

Objective:  Patients with alcohol dependence syndrome can present with delirium which will mask underlying organic causes for the delirium. However, other medical diseases can also present with similar symptoms and should not be missed. The issues related to differentiating the different causes of delirium are briefly discussed. We describe a case of tuberculous meningitis in a patient with history of alcohol dependence who presented with delirium.Method:  A case report.Results:  A 38‐year‐old male was admitted with history of irrelevant talk and abnormal behaviour of 2‐month duration. He was also disoriented and his short‐term memory was impaired. He reported visual hallucinations. He had history of alcohol dependence of 5 years. A detailed mental status examination and neurological workup revealed an organic psychosis. CT scan showed a hypodense lesion suggestive of a tuberculoma. The cerebrospinal fluid findings were corroborative. He responded to antituberculous drugs which he took for one and a half years and recovered completely. He also underwent group therapy for his alcohol dependence and has since then refrained from alcohol intake. Currently he has gone back to his work as a car mechanic.Conclusion:  We have highlighted the need for diagnosing and investigating carefully the cause of delirium in a patient with alcohol dependence syndrome. This shows that other curable causes of delirium must also be investigated in patients with alcohol dependence.
Homocysteine levels and glucose metabolism in non‐obese, non‐diabetic chronic schizophrenia
Authors: Henderson D. C. , Copeland P. M. , Nguyen D. D. , Borba C. P. , Cather C. , Eden Evins A. , Freudenreich O. , Baer L. , Goff D. C. 
Published: August 2005

Objective: We studied a sample of schizophrenia out‐patients to test the hypotheses that serum homocysteine concentrations would correlate positively with measures of glucose metabolism.Method: Subjects underwent a nutritional assessment and fasting plasma, serum insulin and homocysteine tests.Results: Males had a significantly higher homocysteine levels than females (7.69 ± 1.42 μmvs. 6.63 ± 1.40 μm;P = 0.02). Comparing subjects with normal fasting glucose (NFG) (glucose <100 mg/dl) and impaired fasting glucose (IFG) (≥100 mg/dl) subjects with IFG (mean 8.2 ± 1.5 μm) had significantly higher homocysteine levels than those with NFG (mean 7.2 ± 1.4 μm,P = 0.03). IFG was also associated with greater mean values for a Homeostatic Model Assessment‐Insulin Resistance (HOMA‐IR) (P = 0.002) and diastolic blood pressure (P = 0.045).Conclusion: The group with IFG had higher fasting serum homocysteine concentrations than those with NFG which supports a connection to an important cardiovascular risk factor.