bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Bronchial inflammation in corticosteroid‐sensitive and corticosteroid‐resistant asthma at baseline and on oral corticosteroid treatment
Authors: Chakir J. , Hamid Q. , Bossé M. , Boulet L.‐P. , Laviolette M. 
Published: March 2003

SummaryBackground Pathophysiology of corticosteroid (CS)‐resistant asthma remains incompletely understood.Objective To determine if failure of asthma to clinically improve with CS is due to a defective response of airway bronchial inflammation to these drugs.Methods Twenty‐one asthmatics having a decreased baseline FEV1 that improved ≥ 30% with inhaled β2 agonist got bronchial biopsies before and at the end of an oral CS treatment (methylprednisolone 40 mg daily for 14 days). They were arbitrarily divided into two groups according to baseline FEV1 improvement following this treatment: ≥ 23% designated as CS‐sensitive (CSS) (n = 10) and < 15% as CS‐resistant (CSR) (n = 11).Results Before oral CS, counts of bronchial mucosa inflammatory cells identified by immunohistochemistry (CD3, MBP, tryptase, CD68, neutrophil elastase and CD25 for lymphocytes, eosinophils, mast cells, macrophages, neutrophils and IL‐2 receptors, respectively) were similar in CSS and CSR subjects. Oral CS decreased CD3+ cell counts (medians: 60–20 cells/mm2; P = 0.014) and MBP+ cell counts (medians: 19–4 cells/mm2; P = 0.03) in CSS asthmatics, but only tryptase+ cell counts in CSR asthmatics (medians: 30–18 cells/mm2; P = 0.05). Few bronchial neutrophil elastase+ cells were observed and their counts were similar in the two groups of asthmatics before and when on oral CS (all medians: = 2 cells/mm2).Conclusions These data show that, in these subjects with moderate to severe asthma, lymphocytes and eosinophils constitute most of the inflammatory cells infiltrating the bronchial mucosa. They also demonstrated that clinical impaired response to CS is associated with a persistent bronchial mucosa cellular infiltrate despite oral CS treatment. Additional studies are required to determine the role of this CS‐resistant bronchial inflammation in the impaired asthma clinical response to these drugs.
Grass pollen sublingual immunotherapy for seasonal rhinoconjunctivitis: a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Lima M. Torres , Wilson D. , Pitkin L. , Roberts A. , Nouri‐Aria K. , Jacobson M. , Walker S. , Durham S. 
Published: March 2003

SummaryBackground Previous studies suggest that sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) represents a safer alternative to injection immunotherapy but equivalent efficacy is yet to be confirmed.Objective To evaluate the efficacy and safety of SLIT in grass pollen‐induced seasonal rhinoconjunctivitis.Methods A randomized, placebo‐controlled trial in 56 adults over 18 months. Outcome measures included diary scores of seasonal symptoms and medication use, overall assessments, conjunctival and intradermal provocation tests and serum antibody measurements. To investigate possible mechanisms, sublingual biopsies were taken for measurement of local T cells, antigen‐presenting cells and IL‐12 mRNA expression.Results There were no significant differences between the immunotherapy (IT) and placebo groups for diary symptom scores (P = 0.48) or rescue medication (P = 0.19). The patients' overall assessment of hayfever severity compared with previous years showed a highly significant improvement in favour of the IT group (P < 0.02). After treatment the late skin response was smaller (P = 0.003) and the ratio of serum allergen‐specific IgG4/IgE was higher (P = 0.05) in the IT group. Both of these variables correlated with the clinical response to SLIT. There were no differences between groups in either the sublingual epithelium or lamina propria for numbers of CD3+ cells (epithelium: P = 0.9, lamina propria: P = 0.2), CD1a+ cells (P = 0.3, P = 0.25), CD68+ cells (P = 0.9, P = 1.0) or IL‐12 mRNA+ cells (P = 0.6, P = 0.4). Local side‐effects were minor and there were no serious treatment‐related adverse events.Conclusion Grass pollen sublingual immunotherapy was well tolerated. Although there was no significant change in diary scores, the improvement in overall assessments, which correlated with inhibition of the late skin response and increases in serum IgG4 : IgE ratio, indicates the need for larger, dose‐ranging studies.
Evolution of the Stress Field in the Northern Aegean Sea (Greece)
Authors: Papadimitriou Eleftheria E. , Sykes Lynn R. 
Published: March 2003

Summary
The evolution of the stress field in the area of the northern Aegean Sea during the 20thcentury has been studied. The area is dominated by dextral strike-slip faulting and is characterized by frequent strong earthquakes. Coulomb stress changes (ΔCFF) we recalculated assuming that earthquakes can be modeled as static dislocations in an elastic half-space, and taking into account both the coseismic slip in large (M≥7.0) earth quakes and the slow tectonic stress build-up along the major fault segments. The stress change calculations were performed for strike-slip faults of strike, dip, and rake appropriate to the large events. We evaluate whether these stress changes brought a given large earthquake closer to, or farther from, failure. It was found that each of the large events occurred in regions of increased calculated Coulomb stress. Moreover, the majority of smaller events for which reliable fault-plane solutions are available were also located in areas of positive ΔCFF. By extending the calculations to 2020, and assuming that no additional large (M≥7.0) earthquake occurs between 1999 and 2020, possible sites of future large earthquakes are identified.
HLA‐DQ and DRB1 polymorphism and susceptibility to type 1 diabetes in Jamaica
Authors: Heward J. M. , Mijovic C. H. , Kelly M. A. , Morrison E. , Barnett A. H. 
Published: March 2003

SummaryGenetic susceptibility to type 1 diabetes is determined by a combination of HLA‐DQ and DRB1 alleles. In the present study, HLA associations with type 1 diabetes were investigated in the Jamaican population. DRB1 and DQ genotyping was performed on 45 type 1 diabetic patients and 132 control subjects born and resident in Jamaica. The small number of patients available for study reflected the low prevalence of type 1 diabetes in Jamaica. The results were compared with those from other African heritage populations and white Caucasians. The highest relative risk was associated with the DRB1*03‐DQ2/DRB1*04‐DQ8 genotype. Both DRB1*0401‐DQ8 and DRB1*0408‐DQ8 were positively associated with disease. DRB1*0408‐DQ8 is uncommon amongst white Caucasians, where DRB1*0401‐DQ8 is the major predisposing haplotype. The DRB1*1503‐DQ6 haplotype was associated with protection from diabetes in the Jamaican population. This haplotype is rare amongst white Caucasians, where DRB1*1501‐DQ6 is the protective haplotype. Data from African heritage populations suggest that DRB1*1503‐DQ6 might be less protective than DRB1*1501‐DQ6. DRB1*03‐DQA1*0401‐DQB1*0402 was associated with protection from diabetes in the Jamaican population, whereas in white Caucasians DRB1*08‐DQA1*0401‐DQB1*0402 is predisposing. These data demonstrate that comparison of genetic associations with type 1 diabetes in races with population‐specific DRB1‐DQ haplotypes provides new information as to the exact determinants of disease susceptibility. Further support is provided for roles of the DQ genes and the DRB1 gene (or a gene in linkage disequilibrium with it) in determining susceptibility to type 1 diabetes.
Age at Acquisition ofHelicobacter pyloriin a Pediatric Canadian First Nations Population
Authors: Sinha Samir K. , Martin Bruce , Sargent Michael , McConnell Jospeh P. , Bernstein Charles N. 
Published: March 2003

AbstractBackground.Few data exist regarding the epidem‐iology ofHelicobacter pyloriinfections in aboriginal, including the First Nations (Indian) or Inuit (Eskimo) populations of North America. We have previously found 95% of the adults in Wasagamack, a First Nations community in Northeastern Manitoba, Canada, are seropositive forH. pylori. We aimed to determine the age at acquisition ofH. pyloriamong the children of this community, and if any association existed with stool occult blood or demographic factors.Materials and Methods.We prospectively enrolled children resident in the Wasagamack First Nation in August 1999. A demographic questionnaire was administered. Stool was collected, frozen and batch analyzed by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) forH. pyloriantigen and for the presence of occult blood. Questionnaire data were analyzed and correlated with the presence or absence ofH. pylori.Results.163 (47%) of the estimated 350 children aged 6 weeks to 12 years, resident in the community were enrolled. Stool was positive forH. pyloriin 92 (56%). By the second year of life 67% were positive forH. pylori. The youngest to test positive was 6 weeks old. There was no correlation of a positiveH. pyloristatus with gender, presence of pets, serum Hgb, or stool occult blood. Forty‐three percent ofH. pyloripositive and 24% ofH. pylorinegative children were < 50th percentile for height (p = 0.024). PositiveH. pyloristatus was associated with the use of indoor pail toileting (86/143) compared with outhouse toileting (6/20) (p = 0.01).Conclusions.In a community with widespreadH. pyloriinfection, overcrowded housing and primitive toileting,H. pyloriis acquired as early as 6 weeks of age, and by the second year of life 67% of children test positive forH. pylori.
Substrate oxidation and retention in pigs and poultry
Authors: CHWALIBOG André 
Published: March 2003

ABSTRACTA model combining data from gas exchange measurements with nutrient balances, demonstrating energy transfer between the pools of protein, carbohydrate and fat and their partition in the body, is described. Data from energy metabolism experiments with growing pigs and laying hens is incorporated into the model in order to illustrate methods of calculations and interpretations of the model. The experiments with pigs were carried out with growing pigs (20–100 kg) measured alternately on high (ad libitum) and low (near maintenance) feed levels on diets with low or high fat concentration. When energy intake from digested carbohydrate covered the requirements for growth, heat from oxidation of carbohydrate contributed 85–90% to the total heat production, while there was no net oxidation of fat. When the intake of digested carbohydrate was not sufficient to cover requirements, fat was mobilized from the body and oxidized. Energy from oxidation of carbohydrate was in all measurements below the energy in the carbohydrate pool, indicating transfer of energy from carbohydrate to fat metabolism in the process of de novo lipogeneis. The experiments with hens were carried out with 62 hens during the laying period from 26 to 47 weeks of age. The hens originated from two strains (A and B); they were kept in battery cages either individually or 3 hens/cage and fed ad libitum with an identical commercial diet. The partition of the protein pool between oxidation and retention was not influenced by the housing system. However, the genetic origin of hens effected protein utilization with relatively lower oxidation and higher retention in Strain B. The main part of the carbohydrate pool was oxidized (45–60%), but the hens kept individually oxidized more carbohydrate than those kept 3 hens/cage. Further, there were significant differences between the strains. Generally, about half of the fat pool originated from de novo lipogenesis from carbohydrate, indicating the importance of this process for fat retention in eggs. Fat oxidation depended on the energy supply from carbohydrate, hence with higher use of carbohydrate for oxidation in Strain B less fat was oxidized and more was used for fat synthesis. The presented results indicate that by combining results from gas exchange measurements with nitrogen and energy balances it is possible to evaluate the contribution of nutrients to the oxidative processes and the energy transfer between substrate pools.
Effects of FK506 and rapamycin on formation of the neural tube in chick embryos
Authors: OBATA Koji , KOIDE Masafumi , NAGATA Kohzo , IIO Akio , YAZAWA Shigenobu , ONO Tamao , SASAKI Shin‐ichi , YAMADA Yoshiji , TUAN Rocky S. , YOKOTA Mitsuhiro 
Published: March 2003

ABSTRACTFK506‐binding protein 12 (FKBP12) is an evolutionarily conserved immunophilin that binds the immunosuppressants FK506 and rapamycin. The physiological roles of this protein, however, remain unclear. The possible function of FKBP12 in embryonic development was investigated by examining the distribution of FKBP12 mRNA in chick embryos by whole‐mount in situ hybridization. The FKBP12 transcripts were detected at early stages of embryonic development, being especially abundant in the somites, heart tube and nervous system. Transcripts were also enriched in the neural fold, especially at the edge of this structure. Treatment of early embryos with rapamycin resulted in failure of neural tube closure, whereas treatment with FK506 had no such effect, suggesting that the FKBP12–rapamycin complex interferes with the formation of the neural tube. Given that rapamycin inhibits mitogenic signaling pathways, the FKBP12–rapamycin complex might disrupt mitosis during the formation of the neural tube. The lack of effect of FK506 on neural tube formation suggests that calcineurin signaling does not contribute to the formation of this structure during chick embryogenesis.
Stimulatory effect of cold acclimation on skeletal muscle branched‐chain α‐keto acid dehydrogenase in rats
Authors: TOYOMIZU Masaaki , AKAZAWA Tsunekazu , FUJII Hisao , NAKAI Naoya , SHIMOMURA Yoshiharu , AKIBA Yukio 
Published: March 2003

ABSTRACTThe effects of cold‐acclimation (3 weeks at 4°C) on the actual activities of branched‐chain α‐keto acid dehydrogenase (BCKDH) and pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) complexes in the skeletal muscle and liver of normal 6‐week‐old rats were studied. The activities of BCKDH and PDH complexes were assayed using [1–14C] α‐ketoisocaproate and [1‐14C]pyruvate, respectively. Cold‐acclimation markedly stimulated the activity of BCKDH, and slightly but significantly increased the activities of PDH and citrate synthase (CS) in the skeletal muscle, but did not alter PDH, BCKDH or CS activities in the liver. The increase in muscle BCKDH activity (control rats, 1.45 ± 0.54 mU/g wet wt; cold‐acclimated rats, 2.54 ± 0.50 mU/g wet wt; 75% increase: P = 0.001) was much greater than the increases in PDH activity (84 ± 16 mU/g wet wt and 111 ± 25 mU/g wet wt; 32% increase: P = 0.020) or CS activities (27 ± 3 μmol/min per g wet wt and 31 ± 2 μmol/min per g wet wt; 14% increase: P = 0.046). These results suggest that, unlike PDH, BCKDH is not directly associated with the mitochondrial oxidative activity of the skeletal muscle of cold‐acclimated rats. This study provides the first evidence that BCKDH in skeletal muscle responds selectively to cold‐acclimation.
Response to mitogens of chicken splenocytes determined by three methods of measurement
Authors: KONDO Yasuhiro , OKIMOTO Yohko , ABE Asaki 
Published: March 2003

ABSTRACTThe aim of the present study was to examine whether the 3‐[4,5‐dimethylthiazol‐2‐yl]‐2,5‐diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) colorimetric assay can be applied to measurement of mitogen‐induced chicken splenocyte activation. Activation was also measured by a 3H‐thymidine uptake assay and a viable cell count assay. Optimal concentrations of mitogens and incubation periods required for maximal responses to mitogens differed between the MTT assay and the viable cell count and thymidine uptake assays. This probably reflects differences in the activities measured by the MTT assay which detects mitochondrial enzyme activity, and the thymidine uptake and viable cell count assays which detect cellular proliferation activity. The validity of the MTT assay was supported by the observation that the mitogen‐induced increase in succinate dehydrogenase activity paralleled the level of mitogen‐induced MTT formazan production. Mitogen concentrations inducing maximal formazan formation in chicken splenocytes were higher than those for chicken peripheral blood lymphocytes reported previously. Results of the present study indicate that mitogen‐induced chicken splenocyte activation could be measured by the MTT colorimetric assay, although mitogen concentrations and incubation periods required for maximal splenocyte activation differed between the MTT assay and the other two assays used in this study.
Characteristics of Biceps femoris and Longissimus thoracis muscles of five cattle breeds grown in a feedlot system
Authors: RUSMAN  , SOEPARNO  , SETIYONO  , SUZUKI Atsushi 
Published: March 2003

ABSTRACTOur experiment was conducted to study physical quality and chemical composition of meat of Angus (A), Hereford (H), Friesian Holstein (FH), Australian Commercial Cross (ACC) and Murray Grey (MG) cattle breeds grown in a feedlot system. Significant differences were observed among five cattle breeds for cooking loss, tenderness, fatty acid composition, collagen and cholesterol content of meat. However, pH, water‐holding capacity, water, ash, fat and crude protein contents were not different. Cholesterol content of meat of A and FH was lower (P < 0.01) than that of H, ACC and MG. Acidity (pH), cooking loss, shear force, water, ash, crude protein, collagen and cholesterol content of Biceps femoris muscle were higher than those of Longissimus thoracis muscle, but water‐holding capacity and fat content were lower. Unsaturated fatty acid content of Biceps femoris muscle was higher (P < 0.01) than that of Longissimus thoracis. In conclusion, the differences among cattle breeds had a great effect on cooking loss, shear force, collagen, fatty acid composition and cholesterol of meat, but had little effect on water‐holding capacity, pH and proximate composition of meat. The meat of Hereford cattle was the best quality, because of the lowest shear force, cooking loss and collagen. Longissimus thoracis muscle was relatively better in cooking loss, tenderness and collagen content than Biceps femoris muscle.
Does conversion of forest to agricultural land change soil carbon and nitrogen? a review of the literature
Authors: Murty Danuse , Kirschbaum Miko U. F. , Mcmurtrie Ross E. , Mcgilvray Heather 
Published: March 2003

AbstractSoil carbon is a large component of the global carbon cycle and its management can significantly affect the atmospheric CO2 concentration. An important management issue is the extent of soil carbon (C) release when forest is converted to agricultural land. We reviewed the literature to assess changes in soil C upon conversion of forests to agricultural land. Analyses are confounded by changes in soil bulk density upon land‐use change, with agricultural soils on average having 13% higher bulk density. Consistent with earlier reviews, we found that conversion of forest to cultivated land led to an average loss of approximately 30% of soil C. When we restricted our analysis to studies that had used appropriate corrections for changes in bulk density, soil C loss was 22%. When, from all the studies compiled, we considered only studies reporting both soil C and nitrogen (N), average losses of C and N were 24% and 15%, respectively, hence showing a decrease in the average C : N ratio. The magnitude of these changes in the C : N ratio did not correlate with either C or N changes. When considering the transition from forest to pasture, there was no significant change in either soil C or N, even though reported changes in soil C ranged from −50% to +160%. Among studies that reported changes in soil N as well as soil C, C : N ratios both increased and decreased, with trends depending on changes in system N. Systems with increasing soil N generally had decreased C : N ratios, whereas systems with decreasing soil N had increased C : N ratios. Our survey confirmed earlier findings that conversion of forest to cropland generally leads to a loss of soil carbon, although the magnitude of change might have been inflated in many studies by the confounding influence of bulk‐density changes. In contrast, conversion of forest to uncultivated grazing land did not, on average, lead to loss of soil carbon, although individual sites may lose or gain soil C, depending on specific circumstances, such as application of fertiliser or retention or removal of plant residues.
Potential impact of climate change on selected agricultural crops in north‐eastern Austria
Authors: Alexandrov Vesselin , Eitzinger Josef , Cajic Vesna , Oberforster Michael 
Published: March 2003

AbstractThe vulnerability and adaptation of major agricultural crops to various soils in north‐eastern Austria under a changing climate were investigated. The CERES crop model for winter wheat and the CROPGRO model for soybean were validated for the agrometeorological conditions in the selected region. The simulated winter wheat and soybean yields in most cases agreed with the measured data. Several incremental and transient global circulation model (GCM) climate change scenarios were created and used in the study. In these scenarios, annual temperatures in the selected region are expected to rise between 0.9 and 4.8 °C from the 2020s to the 2080s. The results show that warming will decrease the crop‐growing duration of the selected crops. For winter wheat, a gradual increase in air temperature resulted in a yield decrease. Incremental warming, especially in combination with an increase in precipitation, leads to higher soybean yield. A drier climate will reduce soybean yield, especially on soils with low water storage capacity. All transient GCM climate change scenarios for the 21st century, including the adjustment for only air temperature, precipitation and solar radiation, projected reductions of winter wheat yield. However, when the direct effect of increased levels of CO2 concentration was assumed, all GCM climate change scenarios projected an increase in winter wheat yield in the region. The increase in simulated soybean yield for the 21st century was primarily because of the positive impact of warming and especially of the beneficial influence of the direct CO2 effect. Changes in climate variability were found to affect winter wheat and soybean yield in various ways. Results from the adaptation assessments suggest that changes in sowing date, winter wheat and soybean cultivar selection could significantly affect crop production in the 21st century.