bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Increased secretion of TGF‐β1 by peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients with Type 1 diabetes mellitus with diabetic nephropathy
Authors: Korpinen E. , Groop P. ‐H. , Fagerudd J. A. , Teppo A. ‐M. , Åkerblom H. K. , Vaarala O. 
Published: March 2003

Summary Aims  To study transforming growth factor (TGF)‐β1 secretion by peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from Type 1 diabetic patients with and without nephropathy.Methods  Thirty normoalbuminuric Type 1 diabetic patients (urinary albumin excretion rate (AER) < 20 μg/min), 12 microalbuminuric (AER 20–200 μg/min), 10 nephropathic (AER > 200 μg/min), and 13 non‐diabetic individuals were recruited. TGF‐β1 secretion by PBMC was measured by enzyme immunoassay (EIA) after 48 h culture with and without phytohaemagglutinin (PHA) (5 μg/ml).Results  After 48 h culture, the highest TGF‐β1 levels secreted by unstimulated PBMC were found in patients with nephropathy (median 6.2 (range 0.9–20.0) ng/ml) when compared to patients with normal albumin excretion (4.1 (0.2–11.3) ng/ml), microalbuminuria (1.8 (0.2–6.4) ng/ml) and healthy controls (1.0 (0.2–7.0) ng/ml); P = 0.02 for the three diabetic groups and P = 0.006 for all groups. At 48 h, the PHA‐stimulated TGF‐β1 levels were 12.4 (2.9–30.0) ng/ml in nephropathic, 7.3 (0.5–21.2) ng/ml in normoalbuminuric, and 5.5 (0.5–27.6) ng/ml in microalbuminuric patients (P = 0.05). A correlation was observed between TGF‐β1 and diastolic blood pressure in the subgroup of patients with incipient and overt nephropathy (r = 0.45, P = 0.04).Conclusions  Type 1 diabetic patients with overt nephropathy show increased TGF‐β1 secretion by PBMC. Diastolic blood pressure levels correlated with TGF‐β1 secretion in dyabetic patients with nephropathy. Increased TGF‐β1 secretion by PBMC may be associated with renal and vascular disease in Type 1 diabetes mellitus.
Glycaemia and insulinaemia in elderly European subjects (70–75 years)
Authors: Teuscher A. U. , Reinli K. , Teuscher A 
Published: March 2003

SUMMARY Aims  To determine glycaemia and insulinaemia in elderly subjects aged 70–75 years, living across Europe, who participated in the EURONUT‐SENECA (Survey in Europe on Nutrition and the Elderly, a Concerted Action) study.Methods  Fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and fasting insulin concentrations were measured in 1830 subjects aged 70–75 years living in 15 traditional towns in 11 European countries. For the diagnosis of diabetes, the recommendations of the 1997 report of the American Diabetes Association ‘Expert Committee on the diagnosis and classification of diabetes mellitus’ were used.Results  A total of 31.6% of the study subjects had either diabetes (17.5%) or impaired fasting plasma glucose (FPG) (14.1%). Fifty‐one per cent of the subjects with diabetes were unaware of the disease. No difference in diabetes prevalence was found for sex, but male subjects were more likely to have impaired FPG than female subjects (16.8 vs. 11.5%, P = 0.001). Hyperinsulinaemia (fasting insulin levels in the highest quartile) was associated with increased FPG, body mass index, and waist‐to‐hip ratio.Conclusions  It was found that a substantial number of elderly Europeans have impaired glucose homeostasis, with diabetes and impaired FPG being present in almost a third of European subjects aged 70–75 years.
What attracts patients with diabetes to an internet support group? A 21‐month longitudinal website study
Authors: Zrebiec J. F. , Jacobson A. M. 
Published: March 2003

SUMMARY Aims  To establish and evaluate a web‐based educational and emotional resource for patients with diabetes and their family members.Methods  A total of 47 365 user visits over a 21‐month period to three internet discussion groups about diabetes were tracked for user activity, characteristics and level of satisfaction.Results  The primary domains of users were the US (70%) and Canada (4%). Of all users, 7.55% posted messages, while 92.45% read messages posted by others. The average length of use was 15 min 5 s. Forty‐four per cent posted messages to the nutrition discussion, 38% posted messages to the motivational discussion, and 18% posted messages to the family discussion. The most common postings addressed nutrition (42%), the emotional impact of diabetes (18%), managing high or low blood glucose levels (10%), and complications (8%). Respondents to the satisfaction survey were 64% female, 43% were insulin and 37% non‐insulin users. Eighty‐four per cent were older than 30 years, 34% had recently diagnosed diabetes and 32% had diabetes > 10 years. Forty‐three per cent visited more than three times. Seventy‐nine per cent of all respondents rated participation in the chat as having a positive effect on coping with diabetes.Conclusions  A professionally moderated internet discussion group is actively visited by a broad base of patients and families, and appears to be a useful strategy for engaging patients with chronic disease for emotional support and information exchange.
Insulin secretion and insulin sensitivity are normal in non‐diabetic subjects from maternal inheritance diabetes and deafness families
Authors: Holmes‐Walker D. J. , Ward G. M. , Boyages S. C. 
Published: March 2003

AbstractBackground The pathophysiological mechanism of diabetes mellitus in the presence of the 3243 A‐G tRNALEU(UR) mitochondrial DNA mutation is thought to result from deficient insulin secretion. However, few subjects with normal glucose tolerance have been studied to determine the sequence of events resulting in the development of diabetes mellitus.Aim To determine whether abnormalities of insulin sensitivity, insulin secretion or glucose effectiveness are present in non‐diabetic subjects with the 3243 A‐G tRNALEU(UUR) mitochondrial DNA mutation.Methods Twelve non‐diabetic subjects with the mutation were compared with 12 controls, matched for age and anthropometric parameters, using both oral and intravenous glucose tolerance tests, the latter with Minimal Model analysis.Results Following an oral glucose load we found significantly higher blood glucose levels at 90 min and 120 min and significantly higher insulin levels at 120 min and 180 min in non‐diabetic subjects with the mutation but no difference in the insulinogenic indices at 30 min and 180 min. From the intravenous glucose tolerance test there was no difference in overall glucose tolerance, insulin sensitivity, first‐ or second‐phase insulin secretion, proinsulin secretion or glucose effectiveness. Insulin‐independent glucose disposal was increased in subjects with lower insulin sensitivity and declined with increasing age in subjects with the mutation but not in controls.Conclusions While there appear to be subtle defects of glucose handling in non‐diabetic subjects with the 3243 mutation, these could not be explained by differences in insulin sensitivity or secretion.Diabet. Med. 18, 381–387 (2001)
Management of obesity in patients with Type 2 diabetes
Authors: Campbell L. , Rössner S. 
Published: March 2003

AbstractAlthough prevention is clearly a logical first step in the management of the obese Type 2 diabetic patient, such programmes have had little long‐term success. Diet, exercise and behavioural modification still form the cornerstones of treatment and relatively small weight loss results in improvement of all major obesity‐related co‐morbidities, including Type 2 diabetes. The obese diabetic patient faces extra impediments to weight loss, including the adverse effects of diabetic medication, poor glycaemic control and diabetes‐related complications. New drugs may offer some additional help, in general by providing the benefit associated with the weight loss as such. Bariatric surgery can produce major long‐term weight loss in the severely obese.Diabet. Med. 18, 345–354 (2001)
Enhanced endothelial activation in diabetic patients with unstable angina and non‐Q‐wave myocardial infarction
Authors: Mulvihill N. T. , Foley J. B. , Murphy R. T. , Pate G. , Crean P. A. , Walsh M. 
Published: March 2003

AbstractAims  Diabetes mellitus (DM) is associated with chronic endothelial dysfunction. Diabetic patients presenting with acute coronary syndromes have a worse prognosis than non‐diabetics. An acute inflammatory reaction at the site of coronary plaque rupture and increased expression of surface and soluble cellular adhesion molecules (CAMs) are pathological features of acute coronary syndromes. We set out to characterize the expression of soluble CAMs in patients with and without diabetes presenting with unstable angina (UA) and non Q‐wave myocardial infarction (NQMI).Methods  Patients presenting with UA and NQMI had serum samples taken on presentation, after 72 h and then 3, 6 and 12 months after discharge. Levels of soluble intercellular adhesion molecule‐1 (ICAM‐1), vascular cell adhesion molecule‐1 (VCAM‐1), E‐selectin and P‐selectin were measured using an ELISA technique.Results  We studied 15 diabetic patients and 15 age‐ and sex‐matched non‐diabetic patients presenting with either UA or NQMI. Levels of soluble E‐selectin were elevated in the diabetic patients in comparison with the non‐diabetic patients at all measured time points: 74 ± 10 ng/ml vs. 47

± 3 ng/ml, P < 0.03 at t = 0 h, 55

± 5 ng/ml vs. 38

± 2 ng/ml, P < 0.02 at t = 72 h. However, levels of soluble P‐selectin were lower in the diabetic cohort during follow‐up: 134 ± 15 ng/ml vs. 225 ± 32 ng/ml, P < 0.02 at t = 3/12 and 112 ± 8 ng/ml vs. 197 ± 23 ng/ml, P < 0.02 at t = 6/12. There was no significant difference in levels of soluble ICAM‐1 and VCAM‐1 between diabetic and non‐diabetic patients.Conclusions  Levels of soluble E‐selectin are significantly elevated in diabetic patients presenting with UA and NQMI in comparison with non‐diabetics. This finding may reflect enhanced endothelial activation which may contribute to the adverse prognosis of diabetic patients with acute coronary syndromes.Diabet. Med. 18, 979–983 (2001)
Elevation of von Willebrand factor in plasma in diabetic patients with neuropathic foot ulceration
Authors: Aso Y. , Fujiwara Y. , Tayama K. , Inukai T. , Takemura Y. 
Published: March 2003

AbstractAims The present study examines the relationship between markers of endothelial dysfunction and diabetic neuropathy or consequent neuropathic foot ulceration in patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus.Methods We studied 65 Type 2 diabetic patients including 25 diabetic patients without neuropathy, 27 with neuropathy but no history of foot ulceration, and 13 with neuropathic ulceration. Plasma concentrations of von Willebrand factor (vWF) and soluble thrombomodulin (TM), measures of endothelial dysfunction, were determined by enzyme immunoassays. We performed various tests quantifying aspects of diabetic neuropathy including vibration perception threshold (VPT; for sensory neuropathy), coefficient of variation of R–R intervals (CVR–R; for cardiac autonomic neuropathy), and cold‐induced vasodilation in the great toe for peripheral sympathetic neuropathy.Results CVR–R and cold‐induced vasodilation were significantly diminished in patients with neuropathic foot ulceration compared with patients with neuropathy but no history of foot ulceration. Plasma vWF concentrations were positively correlated with VPT and cold‐induced vasodilation test, and were inversely correlated with CVR–R. Multivariate analysis disclosed that VPT and percentage vasodilation were independent factors for plasma vWF. Plasma vWF was significantly elevated in patients with foot ulceration compared with patients without neuropathy or those with neuropathy but not foot ulceration. However, plasma TM concentrations did not differ between the three groups.Conclusions Diabetic patients with neuropathic foot ulceration had severe impairment of cardiac autonomic and peripheral sympathetic nerves. Elevation of vWF in plasma was associated with neuropathic foot ulceration, linking endothelial dysfunction to foot ulceration.
Blood Glucose Awareness Training in Dutch Type 1 diabetes patients. Short‐term evaluation of individual and group training
Authors: Broers S. , Le Cessie S. , Van Vliet K. P. , Spinhoven Ph. , Van Der Ven N. C. W. , Radder J. K. 
Published: March 2003

AbstractAims The aims of the present study were: (i) to evaluate the effects of a Dutch translation and adaptation of Blood Glucose Awareness Training (BGAT‐III) on blood glucose (bg) perception, glycaemic control, and decisions not to drive or to raise the bg during hypoglycaemia; (ii) to compare the effects of individual and group BGAT.Methods Fifty‐nine patients with Type 1 diabetes participated in BGAT in either a group or an individual setting. Before and after BGAT, 39 (66%) of them completed 30–70 measurements on a hand‐held computer (hhc). During every measurement, they estimated their bg, indicated whether they would drive or raise their bg on the basis of their estimation, and then measured their bg.Results Individual and group BGAT did not have significantly different effects (P = 0.35–0.98). Overall, BGAT did not significantly affect bg perception (P = 0.11–0.65). Before BGAT patients recognized a mean of 32% of their hypoglycaemic episodes, after BGAT a mean of 39% (P = 0.12). After BGAT, patients more often decided not to drive when their bg was low (P = 0.03). They tended to decide more often to raise their bg during hypoglycaemia (P = 0.09).Conclusions The effects of BGAT were smaller than expected. Possible reasons for this negative outcome may be the adapted version of BGAT (shorter in duration), a lack of statistical power, or a difference between American and European samples in their reaction to BGAT.
Blood glucose overestimation in diabetic patients on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis for end‐stage renal disease
Authors: Oyibo S. O. , Pritchard G. M. , Mclay L. , James E. , Laing I. , Gokal R. , Boulton A. J. M. 
Published: March 2003

AbstractAims Diabetic patients on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) for renal failure depend on glucose analysers for regular monitoring of glycaemic control. We aim to inform health professionals of the potentially dangerous overestimation of blood glucose values by some analysers in patients using Icodextrin for dialysis.Methods Twenty‐five patients on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (10 patients on an 8–12‐h nocturnal exchange of Icodextrin) had random glucose analysis performed on venous blood using standardized reference laboratory (lab) technique (glucose oxidase GOD‐PAP), and simultaneously on capillary blood using the Precision Q·I·D System (glucose oxidase method) and the Advantage meter (glucose dehydrogenase method).Results The Precision Q·I·D System agreed with the lab results in both the Icodextrin group and the non‐Icodextrin group (80–90% of values fell within 20% of the corresponding lab result). In contrast, the Advantage meter agreed with the lab results only in the non‐Icodextrin group (95% of values within 20% of the corresponding lab value), and not in the Icodextrin group, where only 5% of the analyser values fell within 20% of the corresponding lab value.Conclusions The Precision Q·I·D System, which utilizes glucose oxidase reaction, is safe for use in diabetic patients treated with Icodextrin. All analysers must be cross‐checked with the laboratory reference method before use in these patients.Diabet. Med. 19, 693–696 (2002)
Autonomic neuropathy is associated with increased cardiovascular risk factors: the EURODIAB IDDM Complications Study
Authors: Kempler P. , Tesfaye S. , Chaturvedi N. , Stevens L. K. , Webb D. J. , Eaton S. , Kerényi Zs. , Tamás Gy. , Ward J. D. , Fuller J. H. ,   the EURODIAB IDDM Complications Study Group
Published: March 2003

AbstractAims To assess the prevalence of and risk factors for autonomic neuropathy in the EURODIAB IDDM Complications Study.Methods The study involved the examination of randomly selected Type I (insulin‐dependent) diabetic patients from 31 centres in 16 European countries. Neuropathic symptoms and two tests of autonomic function (changes in heart rate and blood pressure from lying to standing) were assessed and data from 3007 patients were available for the present analysis. Autonomic neuropathy was defined as an abnormality of at least one of the tests.Results The prevalence of autonomic neuropathy was 36% with no sex differences. The frequency of one and two abnormal reflex tests was 30% and 6%, respectively. The R–R ratio was abnormal in 24% of patients while 18% had orthostatic hypotension defined as a fall in systolic blood pressure > 20 mmHg on standing. Significant correlations were observed between autonomic neuropathy and age (P < 0.01), duration of diabetes (P < 0.0001), HbA1c (P < 0.0001), diastolic blood pressure (P < 0.05), lower HDL‐cholesterol (P < 0.01), the presence of retinopathy (P < 0.0001) and albuminuria (P < 0.0001). New associations have been identified from the study: the strong relationship of autonomic neuropathy to cigarette smoking (P < 0.01), total cholesterol/HDL‐cholesterol ratio (P < 0.05) and fasting triglyceride (P < 0.0001). As a key finding, autonomic neuropathy was related to the presence of cardiovascular disease (P < 0.0001). All analyses were adjusted for age, duration of diabetes and HbA1c. However, data have been only partly confirmed by logistic regression analyses. Frequency of dizziness on standing up was 18%, while only 4% of patients had nocturnal diarrhoea and 5% had problems with bladder control.Conclusion Cardiovascular reflex tests, even in the form of the two tests applied, rather than a questionnaire, seem to be appropriate for the diagnosis of autonomic neuropathy. The study has identified previously known and new potential risk factors for the development of autonomic neuropathy, which may be important for the development of risk reduction strategies. Our results may support the role of vascular factors in the pathogenesis of autonomic neuropathy.Diabet. Med. 19, 900–909 (2002)
Determining variation in the success of New Zealand land birds
Authors: Cassey Phillip 
Published: March 2003

AbstractThe New Zealand avifauna has changed considerably since the arrival of humans approximately 1000 years ago. The extinction of native species followed by their replacement with introduced exotic species is recognized as having greatly reduced the distinctiveness of the avifauna. Using phylogenetically independent methods, I tested whether life history and ecological correlates of extinction, introduction and persistence were significant across species and within taxa. Extinct land bird species were, on average, and independent of phylogenetic relatedness, larger‐bodied than extant species. Introduction success was found to be significantly associated with increasing species body size, generation time and indices of human effort. In contrast, the geographical distribution of extant land birds was correlated with traits associated with high population growth rates (i.e. small, rapidly developing species, with high fecundity). My results suggest that selection pressures have changed significantly since the arrival of human colonists in New Zealand and that these changes have favoured different types of land birds, to the general detriment of endemic species. Comparative methods that explicitly examine historical changes are necessary to elucidate the changing roles of biological and extrinsic traits in the differential success of species in any assemblage.
Multiple source pools for Galápagos plant species richness: a critical analysis of the line of sight connectivity index
Authors: Rejmánek Marcel , Klinger Robert 
Published: March 2003

AbstractAn index (Ci*E) combining the number of line‐of‐sight islands (Ci) within a radius i and target island elevation (E) has been proposed as an improved predictive model of plant species richness (St) in the Galápagos Archipelago. We examined this index critically and found that several major flaws preclude it from being a useful predictive tool for the archipelago. Although the number of collecting trips to an island was reported over 20 years ago to have substantial predictive value for reported plant species richness in the Galápagos Islands, this relationship was ignored in multiple regression analyses of the index. When we included the number of collecting trips in different multiple regression analyses of the index, Ci*E had less predictive power than collecting trips or ceased to be significant at all. Additionally, the strong significant relationship between elevation and area in the Galápagos Archipelago results in area having a major confounding influence on the Ci*E index. When elevation is removed from the Ci*E index, the predictive power of Ci is far less than area alone. Finally, the data used to construct and correlate the Ci*E index with (St) were based only on a subset of the islands and species lists that were incomplete or out of date. Species richness on islands can be related to the interaction of different factors, so development and testing of indices like Ci*E is not inappropriate. However, it is important to examine the interrelationships among the components of these indices thoroughly, and not ignore the effect of factors already known to have high predictive power. We propose several ways in which more meaningful indices of source pool(s) capacity can be constructed.
Three challenges for a real people‐centred conservation
Authors: Brown Katrina 
Published: March 2003

ABSTRACTMany commentators attest to a paradigm shift in biodiversity conservation, away from exclusive protected areas towards more people‐centred or community‐based conservation. This has been referred to as ‘new conservation’. However, new conservation could be thought of as an attempt to re‐label and re‐package conservation and to ‘get people on board’ existing strategies. According to its critics even so‐called new conservation policy, practice and institutions remain expert‐driven, undemocratic and autocratic. I argue that for new conservation to become reality, then more fundamental changes in priority‐setting, decision‐making and organization are required. This paper presents three challenges for a real people‐centred conservation: a more pluralist approach to understanding knowledge and values of different actors, greater deliberation and inclusion in decision‐making, and a remodelling of institutions to support conservation.
Mapping of genes and ESTs assigned to 17q11.2 to a YAC contig centred on the NF1 gene
Authors: Corrado Lucia , Riva Paola , Venturin Marco , Bentivegna Angela , Gervasini Cristina , Larizza Lidia 
Published: March 2003

AbstractBackground The 17q11.2 cytogenetic band is partially covered by the WC17.3 YAC contig, but the position on this contig of many D‐segments, genes and ESTs assigned to the region is not unambiguous. A major reference gene of the region is NF1, involved in neurofibromatosis type 1 and deleted with flanking genes in a subset of patients with NF1 microdeletion syndrome. Several genes of medical relevance also map to the 17q11.2 band.Methods We assigned genes, markers and ESTs mapped to the 17q11.2 cytogenetic band to selected YACs and PACs by PCR screening and Southern hybridization of PFGE blots. YAC chimerism was detected by FISH which also allowed the refining of gene/marker order. New STSs were generated by cloning and sequencing Alu–Alu or Alu–vector fragments obtained from YACs.Results A > 7 Mb contig centred on the NF1 gene and consisting of 26 YACs and 8 PACs has been built up to cover most of the 17q11.2 cytogenetic band. Within the contig, we ordered 11 known and 8 novel STSs, 18 ESTs and 11 known genes, a few of which are involved in genetic diseases. Additional genes loosely assigned to 17q11.2 could be located outside the contig. The contig clones with the wide panel of anchored STSs, genes and ESTs provide a tool for the FISH characterization of gross deletions in NF1 patients with complex phenotypes and any constitutional/somatic chromosomal rearrangement affecting 17q11.2. Crosslinking of the telomeric side of our contig to the centromeric side of the nearby chemokine contig has been established, thus providing a long‐range integrated map for the isolation of disease genes and the construction of a transcription map.