bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The inselberg flora of Atlantic Central Africa. I. Determinants of species assemblages
Authors: Parmentier Ingrid , Stévart Tariq , Hardy Olivier J. 
Published: March 2005

AbstractAims  To identify the relative contributions of environmental determinism, dispersal limitation and historical factors in the spatial structure of the floristic data of inselbergs at the local and regional scales, and to test if the extent of species spatial aggregation is related to dispersal abilities.Location  Rain forest inselbergs of Equatorial Guinea, northern Gabon and southern Cameroon (western central Africa).Methods  We use phytosociological relevés and herbarium collections obtained from 27 inselbergs using a stratified sampling scheme considering six plant formations. Data analysis focused on Rubiaceae, Orchidaceae, Melastomataceae, Poaceae, Commelinaceae, Acanthaceae, Begoniaceae and Pteridophytes. Data were investigated using ordination methods (detrended correspondence analysis, DCA; canonical correspondence analysis, CCA), Sørensen's coefficient of similarity and spatial autocorrelation statistics. Comparisons were made at the local and regional scales using ordinations of life‐form spectra and ordinations of species data.Results  At the local scale, the forest‐inselberg ecotone is the main gradient structuring the floristic data. At the regional scale, this is still the main gradient in the ordination of life‐form spectra, but other factors become predominant in analyses of species assemblages. CCA identified three environmental variables explaining a significant part of the variation in floristic data. Spatial autocorrelation analyses showed that both the flora and the environmental factors are spatially autocorrelated: the similarity of species compositions within plant formations decreasing approximately linearly with the logarithm of the spatial distance. The extent of species distribution was correlated with their a priori dispersal abilities as assessed by their diaspore types.Main conclusions  At a local scale, species composition is best explained by a continuous cline of edaphic conditions along the forest‐inselberg ecotone, generating a wide array of ecological niches. At a regional scale, these ecological niches are occupied by different species depending on the available local species pool. These subregional species pools probably result from varying environmental conditions, dispersal limitation and the history of past vegetation changes due to climatic fluctuations.
Vaccine coverage with hepatitis B and other vaccines in the Colombian Amazon: do health worker knowledge and perception influence coverage?
Authors: de la Hoz Fernando , Perez Ligia , Wheeler Jeremy G. , de Neira Marlen , Hall Andrew J. 
Published: March 2005

SummaryObjectives  We conducted a vaccination coverage survey in the Colombian Amazon, an area highly endemic for hepatitis B (HB), where HB vaccine was introduced in 1992. The aim was to measure vaccine coverage and factors influencing it, especially those related to health services.Methods  A total of 3573 children younger than 11 years were randomly selected from four populations. Vaccination status was ascertained through the vaccination card and a questionnaire on socio‐demographic factors was applied to children's caretakers. Health workers (HW) in charge of vaccination in rural and urban areas were interviewed regarding knowledge and practices in vaccination. Individual and HW characteristics were related to individual vaccination using logistic regression.Results  Overall cumulated vaccination coverage was high for polio (96%, 95% CI: 94–98), measles (94%, 95% CI: 92.8–95.2), BCG (91%, 95% CI: 90–93), DPT (90%, 95% CI: 88–92) and HB (88%, 95% CI: 86–90). However, <50% of children completed the primary course of vaccination in the first year of life. Individual factors improving the likelihood of being either fully or HB vaccinated were: age > 1 year, living in Leticia, being affiliated to the social security, and living in a house with a roof made of tiles rather than palm tree leaf. Among the variables related to HWs, poor knowledge of vaccine contraindications predicted a lower chance of being fully or HB vaccinated in the population served by them, even after controlling for individual variables.Conclusions  The HB control program in Colombia has achieved good coverage in one of the most endemic areas of the country. However, barriers to vaccination arise from inequities in the distribution of health insurance and inadequate HW knowledge.
Prevalence of asthma, eczema and allergic rhinitis: Two surveys, 6 years apart, in Kota Bharu, Malaysia
Authors: QUAH B. S. , WAN‐PAUZI I. , ARIFFIN N. , MAZIDAH A. R. 
Published: March 2005

Objective:  This study was undertaken to determine the prevalence of asthma, eczema, and allergic rhinitis in school children in Kota Bharu, Malaysia, and in so doing to determine the differences in symptom prevalence rates of asthma, and atopic diseases in Kota Bharu school children between 1995 and 2001.Methodology:  In two studies (1995 and 2001), year one primary school (PS) pupils (6–7 years old) and secondary school (SS) year two pupils (13–14 years old) were randomly selected from the district of Kota Bharu, Kelantan, Malaysia. In 1995, 3939 PS children and 3116 SS children participated, and in 2001 3157 PS children and 3004 SS children participated. The Phase I International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood prevalence written questionnaire and video questionnaire (only shown to SS children) were used in both studies.Results:  The written questionnaire showed no significant changes in the prevalence (1995, 2001) of ever wheeze (8.3%, 6.9%P = 0.06), current wheeze (5.4%, 4.3%P = 0.08), exercise‐induced wheeze (EIW; 3.9%, 3.7%P = 0.63), and rhinoconjunctivitis (4.6%, 5%P = 0.42) among PS children. The prevalence of flexural itchy rash increased from 14% to 17.6% (P = 0.004) and night cough decreased from 20.4% to 17.5% (P = 0.005). There were also no significant changes in these symptoms among SS children (1995, 2001): ever wheeze (10.7%, 12%P = 0.37), current wheeze (6.8%, 5.7%P = 0.20), EIW (9.9%, 11.6%P = 0.28), night cough (21.6%, 24%P = 0.39), rhinoconjunctivitis (11%, 15%P = 0.11), and flexural itchy rash (12%, 13%P = 0.11). The video questionnaire showed no significant changes in the prevalence of symptoms in the previous 12 months (1995 vs 2001) for wheeze at rest (3.8%, 2.8%P = 0.12), EIW (6.9%, 8.8%P = 0.32), waking with wheeze (1.7%, 1.7%P = 1.0), and severe wheeze (2.1%, 3%P = 0.12). Night cough in the previous 12 months increased significantly from 5.1% to 8.3% (P = 0.007).Conclusion:  Although asthma and atopic disorders are common in this country, the results revealed no major changes in the prevalence rates of these diseases over a period of 6 years.
Nasal wash as an alternative to bronchoalveolar lavage in detecting early pulmonary inflammation in children with cystic fibrosis
Authors: PITREZ P. M. C. , BRENNAN S. , TURNER S. , SLY P. D. 
Published: March 2005

Objective:  The aim of this study was to determine whether nasal inflammation reflects pulmonary inflammation in young children with cystic fibrosis (CF), as assessed by inflammatory markers in nasal wash (NW) and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL), respectively.Methods:  CF patients younger than 6 years of age who were to undergo bronchoscopy for routine BAL from May 2000 to October 2001 were recruited for this study. NW was collected immediately after the patient was sedated for bronchoscopy. Total cell counts (TCC), differential cell counts and interleukin (IL)‐8 levels (enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay) were assessed in NW and BAL.Results:  In total, 19 children with CF (mean age, 1.9 years; SD, 1.7 years) were included in the study. There was a significant relationship between IL‐8 and the percentages of neutrophils in NW (r 2 = 0.76; P < 0.001) and in BAL fluid (r 2 = 0.62; P = 0.006). Similarly, IL‐8 concentrations in the NW correlated with those in the BAL (r 2 = 0.48; P = 0.036) and neutrophil percentages in NW correlated significantly with those in BAL (r 2 = 0.7; P = 0.004).Conclusion:  When measured under ‘ideal’ conditions, nasal IL‐8 reflects lower airway levels and may reflect the inflammatory stimulus that results in neutrophilic inflammation. These data encourage further assessment of nasal wash under clinically appropriate conditions to determine its utility for assessing inflammation in young children with CF.
Fluticasone given once versus twice a day: Meta‐analysis
Authors: MASOLI Matthew , WEATHERALL Mark , BEASLEY Richard 
Published: March 2005

Objective:  The aim of this study was to examine the efficacy of fluticasone administered once daily compared to twice daily in asthma.Methodology:  A meta‐analysis was performed of randomized double‐blind trials of at least 4 weeks duration that compared fluticasone administered once versus twice a day and presented data on at least one clinical outcome measure.Results:  Six studies of 1517 children and adults with asthma met the inclusion criteria. Studies were predominantly in subjects with moderate asthma, treated with doses of fluticasone ranging from 200 to 500 µg per day. Twice‐daily dosing was associated with significantly greater efficacy compared with once‐daily dosing, for all outcome measures except night wakenings. The mean (95% CI) differences between twice and once‐daily administration for FEV1 and peak expiratory flow were 0.11 L (0.07–0.16) and 12.9 L/min (8.6–17.1), respectively. Twice‐daily fluticasone was associated with significantly fewer withdrawals due to asthma than once‐daily fluticasone, with an odds ratio of 0.44 (0.30–0.67).Conclusion:  The findings suggest that twice‐daily administration of fluticasone will provide greater therapeutic benefit than a once‐daily morning regimen.
Metabolic activity in skeletal muscles of patients with non‐hypoxaemic chronic obstructive pulmonary disease studied by 31P‐magnetic resonance spectroscopy
Authors: HAMAOKA Tomoko , TATSUMI Koichiro , SAITO Yoshiichito , ARAI Yasuhiro , HORIE Yoshimasa , MASUYAMA Shigeru , TANABE Nobuhiro , TAKIGUCHI Yuichi , IKEHIRA Hiroo , OBATA Takayuki , SASAKI Yasuhito , TANADA Syuzi , KURIYAMA Takayuki 
Published: March 2005

Objective:  An alteration of high energy phosphate metabolism in muscles may contribute to exercise intolerance. The objective of this study was to clarify the changes in high energy phosphate metabolites in muscles during exercise in patients with non‐hypoxaemic chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which influences the impairment of muscle metabolism.Methodology:  Calf muscle energy metabolism was studied in eight stable non‐hypoxaemic COPD patients and eight control subjects, using 31P‐magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS). MRS spectra were acquired at rest, during exercise at two levels of intensity, and during recovery. The control subjects exercised under both normoxic and hypoxic conditions. The intensity of exercise was standardized by the maximal isometric voluntary contraction (MVC) of the calf muscle and the cross‐sectional area (CSA) of calf muscle.Results:  MVC and CSA were lower in COPD patients. No significant differences in intracellular pH, inorganic phosphate/phosphocreatine ratio or percentage recovery in inorganic phosphate/phosphocreatine ratio were observed between the two groups in muscles at rest, during exercise or during recovery.Conclusions:  Muscle metabolites, during exercise standardized by muscle CSA and MVC, did not differ between non‐hypoxaemic COPD patients and control subjects. MVC, CSA or both, are assumed to be closely related to muscle metabolism, as no difference in high energy phosphate metabolites was observed for COPD patients compared to control subjects when the load was standardized for MVC and CSA. This suggests that high energy metabolites are consumed to a similar extent in the same muscle volume in non‐hypoxaemic COPD patients and control subjects.
Cutting and Pasting Irregularly Shaped Patches for Texture Synthesis
Authors: Dong Feng , Lin Hai , Clapworthy Gordon 
Published: March 2005

Abstract This paper proposes a patch‐based texture synthesis approach that cuts and stitches irregularly shaped texture patches to generate new texture images with minimized visual discontinuity. It works well on a wide range of textures. A semiautomatic algorithm is developed to obtain the irregularly shaped patches. To synthesize strictly structured textures, a regular pasting method is proposed to identify the texture structures and subsequently position the irregularly shaped patches according to the identified structures. The results and comparisons with related work are given.
A Bidirectional Deposition Model of Wax Crayons
Authors: Rudolf Dave , Mould David , Neufeld Eric 
Published: March 2005

AbstractWe present a physically inspired model of wax crayons, which synthesizes drawings from collections of user‐specified strokes. Paper is represented by a height‐field texture, and a crayon is modeled with a 2D mask that evolves as it interacts with the paper. The amount of wax deposition is computed based on the crayon contact profile, contact force and friction. Previously deposited wax is smeared by crayon action, based on wax softness and contact information. Deposited wax can also be carved from the paper by the crayon and redeposited at another location. The distributed wax is rendered using a simplified Kubelka–Monk model, which approximates light transmission and scattering effects.
Inter‐instrumental variation of skin capacitance measured with the Corneometer®
Authors: O'goshi Ken‐ichiro , Serup Jørgen 
Published: March 2005

Background/purpose: Measurement of skin surface and stratum corneum (SC) hydration during clinical and/or experimental trials needs devices with acceptable reproducibility and sensitivity under conditions ranging from increased and normal to low hydration. A previous study comparing Corneometer® instruments (European group for Efficacy Measurement of Cosmetics and Other products – EEMCO) used for measurement of electrical capacitance of skin indicated a major difference among Corneometer® instruments. The aim of this study was to assess threee inter‐instrumental similar Corneometer® instruments (two pieces of CM820 and one CM810) in normal skin. We named them CM‐A(CM820), CM‐B(CM820), and CM‐C(CM810).Methods: The hydration state of SC measured as electrical capacitance of six body sites were measured in 53 subjects with three Corneometer® instruments.Result: We found that the Corneometer® instruments displayed close capacitance levels. When one Corneometer® was plotted against another the regression line indicated a good correlation among instruments albeit a major and random disagreement could appear in individual sites as an exception.Conclusion: Three Corneometer® instruments evaluated in this study gave close measurements and correlated well. Nevertheless, pretest validation of instruments should be undertaken in multicenter studies where capacitance data are compared or pooled, and concordance among instruments should be documented prior to study.
Skin irritation due to repetitive application of adhesive tape: the influence of adhesive strength and seasonal variability
Authors: Tokumura Fumio , Umekage Kazuo , Sado Masashi , Otsuka Saburo , Suda Shin , Taniguchi Masaharu , Yamori Akira , Nakamura Atsushi , Kawai Jun , Oka Keiji 
Published: March 2005

Background/purpose: Influence of the repetitive application of pressure‐sensitive adhesive tapes on skin was evaluated.Methods: Two kinds of tapes with different adhesive strengths were repetitively applied to the inside of the forearm of six volunteers in winter and summer, in order to examine the dermal peeling force, the amount of stripped corneocytes, transepidermal water loss (TEWL), hydration and deepened skin furrows (changes in skin surface topography) in the epidermal stratum corneum.Results and conclusion: As adhesive tapes were applied repetitively, dermal peeling force gradually increased while the amount of stripped corneocytes decreased. As the cumulative amount of stripped corneocytes increased with repetitive applications, the skin irritation worsened as measured by increased destruction of the skin surface topography and TEWL. These phenomena were more marked with the stronger adhesive tape, and there was seasonal variability.
Pressure ulcer‐like presacral gummata in a patient with tertiary syphilis
Authors: Wollina Uwe , Koch André , Abdel‐Naser Mohammed Badawy , Schönlebe Jacqueline 
Published: March 2005

AbstractPressure ulcers are common among elderly patients. Here, we describe a case of tertiary syphilis with ulcerated gummata, appearing as a possible pressure ulcer. In such a case, wound management has to be accompanied by specific antibiosis to achieve healing.
Case series of use of Manuka honey in leg ulceration
Authors: Gethin Georgina , Cowman Seamus 
Published: March 2005

AbstractThe historical and current literature reports the successful use of honey to manage a diversity of wound aetiologies. However, only in the last 40 years is research on its mode of action and contribution to wound healing being investigated. The challenge of managing chronic non healing wounds generated interest in researching non standard therapies. The aims of the study were to gain insight into the practical use of Manuka honey in wound management. The objective was to test the feasibility of further rigorous research into the use of honey in the management of chronic wounds. Instrumental case series were used to examine the use of Manuka honey in eight cases of leg ulceration. To collect the necessary data, photographs, acetate tracings, data monitoring and patient comments and observations were used to add greater reliability and validity to the findings. The wounds were dressed weekly with Manuka honey. The results obtained showed three males and five females with ulceration of different aetiologies were studied. A mean initial wound size for all wounds of 5·62 cm2 was obtained. At the end of four‐week treatment period, the mean size was 2·25 cm2. Odour was eliminated and pain reduced. The conclusions drawn were that the use of Manuka honey was associated with a positive wound‐healing outcome in these eight cases. Arterial wounds showed minimal improvement only.
Light exchange in an expanding universe in fixed coordinates
Authors: Fletcher Robert C. 
Published: March 2005

The standard model of light exchange in the expanding universe is usually expressed in the Robertson–Walker (RW) proper distance as a function of RW cosmic time, a standard time which is the same for all points on the expanding spatial coordinates. In these coordinates, light like the cosmic microwave background emitted early in the universe close to the origin recedes before it approaches the earth, taking about one-third of the universe’s age, t0, to achieve a maximum distance of about ct0/2, traveling outward an average velocity (maximum distance divided by elapsed cosmic time) about 50% greater than c, the normal speed of light in the absence of gravity. This paper examines this light exchange in fixed spatial coordinates rather than the RW comoving coordinates both because it provides a graceful transition from special relativity and because it is an interesting exercise by itself. For this the array of noninertial observers at fixed distances from the origin must have peculiar velocities, moving towards the origin from the inertial observers on the RW comoving coordinates in order to keep their distances fixed. This peculiar velocity, V, plays a very similar role to that of two inertial systems moving at a velocity of V with respect to each other.
When V approaches the velocity of light, the fixed observer encounters a singular point, earlier than which the time on her clock is not defined since she cannot move faster than light. This is the same point where the RW distance for approaching light is at a maximum. Near this point the fixed observer measurements show dilations of time and radial distance proportional to 1−(V/C)2, instead of the square root of this quantity which is characteristic of the Lorentz transform. This can be shown by a transform from RW coordinates to the fixed coordinates, using for radius any of three distance measures: the Euclidean distance, the RW proper distance, or the light distance (sometimes called the radar distance). In spite of the difficulties with the singularity occurring with these fixed coordinates, for all three assumptions of distance and for a range of densities from 0 to twice the critical density, a fairly simple picture of light exchange in fixed coordinates emerges; light arriving at the origin at the present time, t0, which was emitted early in the universe travels out to a maximum distance of close to ct0/2 in a time close to t0/2, and comes back to the origin, traveling in both directions close to the normal speed of light, c. For the last half of the universe’s history, this is close to the picture derived from special relativity for zero gravity.
Correlation test to assess low-level processing of high-density oligonucleotide microarray data
Authors: Ploner Alexander , Miller Lance D , Hall Per , Bergh Jonas , Pawitan Yudi 
Published: March 2005

Abstract
Background
There are currently a number of competing techniques for low-level processing of oligonucleotide array data. The choice of technique has a profound effect on subsequent statistical analyses, but there is no method to assess whether a particular technique is appropriate for a specific data set, without reference to external data.

Results
We analyzed coregulation between genes in order to detect insufficient normalization between arrays, where coregulation is measured in terms of statistical correlation. In a large collection of genes, a random pair of genes should have on average zero correlation, hence allowing a correlation test. For all data sets that we evaluated, and the three most commonly used low-level processing procedures including MAS5, RMA and MBEI, the housekeeping-gene normalization failed the test. For a real clinical data set, RMA and MBEI showed significant correlation for absent genes. We also found that a second round of normalization on the probe set level improved normalization significantly throughout.

Conclusion
Previous evaluation of low-level processing in the literature has been limited to artificial spike-in and mixture data sets. In the absence of a known gold-standard, the correlation criterion allows us to assess the appropriateness of low-level processing of a specific data set and the success of normalization for subsets of genes.
Pathways to care and ethnicity. 2: Source of referral and help-seeking
Authors: Morgan Craig , Mallett Rosemarie , Hutchinson Gerard , Bagalkote Hemant , Morgan Kevin , Fearon Paul , Dazzan Paola , Boydell Jane , McKenzie Kwame , Harrison Glynn , Murray Robin , Jones Peter , Craig Tom , Leff Julian 
Published: March 2005

BackgroundPrevious research has found that African–Caribbean and Black African patients are likely to come into contact with mental health services via more negative routes, when compared with White patients. We sought to investigate pathways to mental health care and ethnicity in a sample of patients with a first episode of psychosis drawn from two UK centres.MethodWe included all White British, other White, African–Caribbean and Black African patients with a first episode of psychosis who made contact with psychiatric services over a 2-year period and were living in defined areas. Clinical, socio-demographic and pathways to care data were collected from patients, relatives and case notes.ResultsCompared with White British patients, general practitioner referral was less frequent for both African–Caribbean and Black African patients and referral by a criminal justice agency was more common. With the exception of criminal justice referrals for Black African patients, these findings remained significant after adjusting for potential confounders.ConclusionsThese findings suggest that factors are operating during a first episode of psychosis to increase the risk that the pathway to care for Black patients will involve non-health professionals.