Greatest Proportion (greatest + proportion)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


Patterns of chromosomal deletions identified by a birth defects registry, Hawaii, 1986,2003

CONGENITAL ANOMALIES, Issue 2 2007
Mathias B. Forrester
ABSTRACT The aim of the investigation was to describe the chromosomal deletions identified by a birth defects registry with respect to the chromosomes involved, pregnancy outcome, method of diagnosis, inheritance, sex, and the diagnosis of major structural birth defects. Cases were derived from a population-based birth defects registry in Hawaii and comprised all infants and fetuses with chromosomal deletions delivered during 1986,2003. A total of 71 cases were identified through a statewide birth defects registry in Hawaii during 1986,2003. The chromosomes involved in the greatest proportion of deletions were chromosomes 22 (14.1%), 4 (11.3%), and 5 (11.3%). Live births accounted for 58 (81.7%) of the cases. Diagnosis was made by amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling in 19 (26.8%) of the cases. Of the 18 cases with known inheritance, the deletion was inherited in 5 (27.8%) and de novo in 13 (72.2%). Males accounted for 28 (39.4%) and females for 43 (60.6%) of the cases. Major structural birth defects were identified in 51 (71.8%) of the cases. Chromosomal deletions do not appear to affect all chromosomes equally. Most of the chromosomal deletions that were detected occurred among live births and were de novo conditions. Infants and fetuses with chromosomal deletions are more likely to be females and to be associated with major structural birth defects. [source]


Neurophysiological and genetic distinctions between pure and comorbid anxiety disorders,

DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY, Issue 5 2008
Mary-Anne Enoch M.D.
Abstract Anxiety disorders are often comorbid with major depression (MD) and alcohol use disorders (AUD). Two common functional polymorphisms in catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT Val158Met) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF Val66Met) genes have been implicated in the neurobiology of anxiety and depression. We hypothesized that attentional response and working memory (auditory P300 event-related potential and Weschler Adult Intelligence Scale, Revised digit symbol scores) as well as genetic vulnerability would differ between pure anxiety disorders and comorbid anxiety. Our study sample comprised 249 community-ascertained men and women with lifetime DSM-III-R diagnoses. We analyzed groups of participants with pure anxiety disorders, pure MD, pure AUD, comorbid anxiety, and no psychiatric disorder. Participants were well at the time of testing; state anxiety and depressed mood measures were at most only mildly elevated. Individuals with pure anxiety disorders had elevated P300 amplitudes (P=0.0004) and higher digit symbol scores (P<0.0001) compared with all the other groups. Individuals with comorbid anxiety had the greatest proportion of COMT Met158 and BDNF Met66 alleles (P=0.009) as well as higher harm avoidance-neuroticism (P<0.0005) than all other groups. Our results suggest that there may be two vulnerability factors for anxiety disorders with differing genetic susceptibility: (a) heightened attention and better working memory with mildly elevated anxiety-neuroticism, a constellation that may be protective against other psychopathology; and (b) poorer attention and working memory with greater anxiety-neuroticism, a constellation that may also increase vulnerability to AUD and MD. This refinement of the anxiety phenotype may have implications for therapeutic interventions. Depression and Anxiety 0:1,10, 2007. Published 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]


Willow genotype, but not drought treatment, affects foliar phenolic concentrations and leaf-beetle resistance

ENTOMOLOGIA EXPERIMENTALIS ET APPLICATA, Issue 1 2004
Carolyn Glynn
Abstract In a greenhouse experiment we examined the effect of willow genotype and irrigation regime (moderate drought and well-watered) on plant growth parameters, foliar nitrogen, and phenolic concentrations, as well as on the preference and performance of the blue leaf beetle, Phratora vulgatissima (L.) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae). The 10 vegetatively propagated willow genotypes in the experiments were F2 full-sibling hybrids, originated from a cross between Salix viminalis (L.) (Salicaceae) (high in condensed tannins) and Salix dasyclados (L.) (Salicaceae) (rich in phenolic glycosides). Insect bioassays were conducted on detached leaves in Petri dishes as well as with free-living insects on intact potted plants. The 10-week long irrigation treatments caused statistically significant phenotypic differences in the potted willow saplings. Total biomass was somewhat higher in the well-watered treatment. The root to total biomass ratio was higher in the drought-treatment plants. There was significant genotypic variation in foliar nitrogen concentrations, and they were higher in the drought-treatment plants. There was also a strong genotypic variation in each of the phenolic substances analyzed. Condensed tannins, which accounted for the greatest proportion of total phenolic mass, were higher in the well-watered treatment. There was, however, no difference in levels of the other phenolics (salicylates, cinnamic acid, flavonoids, and chlorogenic acid) between irrigation treatments. The sum of these phenolics was higher in the well-watered treatment. There was a strong variation in P. vulgatissima larval development on different willow genotypes, and larval performance was negatively correlated with levels of salicylates and cinnamic acid. There was, however, no effect of irrigation treatment on larval performance. Phratora vulgatissima preferred to feed on well-watered plants, and we found a preference for oviposition there, but neither feeding nor oviposition site preference was affected by willow genotype. Adult feeding and oviposition preferences were not correlated with larval performance. [source]


In Candida albicans, resistance to flucytosine and terbinafine is linked to MAT locus homozygosity and multilocus sequence typing clade 1

FEMS YEAST RESEARCH, Issue 7 2009
Frank C. Odds
Abstract A panel of 637 isolates of Candida albicans that had been typed by multilocus sequence typing (MLST) and tested for susceptibility to amphotericin B, caspofungin, fluconazole, flucytosine, itraconazole, ketoconazole, miconazole, terbinafine and voriconazole was the material for a statistical analysis of possible associations between antifungal susceptibility and other properties. For terbinafine and flucytosine, the greatest proportion of low-susceptibility isolates, judged by two resistance breakpoints, was found in MLST clade 1 and among isolates homozygous at the MAT locus, although only three isolates showed cross-resistance to the two agents. Most instances of low susceptibility to azoles, flucytosine and terbinafine were among oropharyngeal isolates from HIV-positive individuals. Statistically significant correlations were found between terbinafine and azole minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs), while correlations between flucytosine MICs and azole MICs were less strong. It is concluded that a common regulatory mechanism may operate to generate resistance to the two classes of agent that inhibit ergosterol biosynthesis, terbinafine and the azoles, but that flucytosine resistance, although still commonly associated with MAT homozygosity, is differently regulated. [source]


Environmental and spatial effects on the distribution of blue marlin (Makaira nigricans) as inferred from data for longline fisheries in the Pacific Ocean

FISHERIES OCEANOGRAPHY, Issue 6 2008
NAN-JAY SU
Abstract Blue marlin is distributed throughout tropical and temperate waters in the Pacific Ocean. However, the preference of this species for particular habitats may impact its vulnerability to being caught. The relationship between spatio-temporal patterns of blue marlin abundance and environmental factors is examined using generalized additive models fitted to catch and effort data from longline fisheries. The presence of blue marlin, and the catch rate given presence, are modeled separately. Latitude, longitude, and sea-surface temperature explain the greatest proportion of the deviance. Spatial distributions of relative density of blue marlin, based on combining the probability of presence and relative density given presence, indicate that there is seasonal variation in the distribution of blue marlin, and that the highest densities occur in the tropics. Seasonal patterns in the relative density of blue marlin appear to be related to shifts in SST. The distribution and relative abundance of blue marlin are sufficiently heterogeneous in space and time that the results of analyses of catch and effort data to identify ,hotspots' could be used as the basis for time-area management to reduce the amount of blue marlin bycaught in longline fisheries. [source]


Current status of ectopic varices in Japan: Results of a survey by the Japan Society for Portal Hypertension

HEPATOLOGY RESEARCH, Issue 8 2010
Norihito Watanabe
Aim:, The Clinical Research Committee of the Japan Society for Portal Hypertension has conducted a nationwide questionnaire survey to clarify the current status of ectopic varices in Japan. Methods:, A total of 173 cases of ectopic varices were collected. Results:, Duodenal varices were found in 57 cases, and most of them were located in the descending to transverse parts. There were 11 cases of small intestinal varices and 6 cases of colonic varices, whereas 77 patients had rectal varices, accounting for the greatest proportion (44.5%). Other sites of varices were the biliary tract, anastomotic sites, the stoma, and the diaphragm. Liver cirrhosis was the most frequent diseases (80.3%) underlying ectopic varices. It was noted that patients with rectal varices frequently had a history of esophageal varices (94.8%) and received endoscopic treatment (87.0%). The treatments for ectopic varices were as an emergency in 46.5%, elective in 35.4% and prophylactic in 18.2%. In emergency cases, endoscopic therapy was most frequent (67.4%), followed by interventional radiology (IVR; 15.2%), and endoscopy-IVR combination (6.5%). Elective treatment was performed by endoscopy in 34.3%, IVR in 28.6%, combined endoscopy-IVR in 5.7%, and surgical operation in 25.7%. The prophylactic treatment was endoscopic in 50.0%, IVR in 33.3%, combined treatments in 11.1%, and prophylactic surgery in none. The change of ectopic varices after treatment was disappearance in 54.9%, remnant in 35.4% and recurrence in 9.7%. The rate of disappearance was significantly lower in rectal varices (40.8%) than in duodenal varices (73.4%). The patient outcome did not differ among the various sites of the lesion. Conslusions:, Current status of ectopic varices in Japan has been clarified by a nationwide questionnaire survey. The authors expect that the pathophysiology of ectopic varices will be further elucidated, and that improved diagnostic modalities and treatment methods are established in the future. [source]


Effect of access cavity location and design on degree and distribution of instrumented root canal surface in maxillary anterior teeth

INTERNATIONAL ENDODONTIC JOURNAL, Issue 3 2001
G. Mannan
Abstract Aim The null hypothesis tested in this study was that in single-rooted anterior teeth with simple root canal anatomy, different access cavity designs (,lingual cingulum', ,lingual conventional', ,incisal straight-line') do not influence the ability of endodontic files to plane the walls of the root canals. Methodology, Thirty extracted human maxillary anterior teeth were divided randomly into three groups for each access cavity. The access cavities were prepared according to predefined criteria and the roots embedded in individual polyvinyl-siloxane putty matrices. The matrices allowed these teeth to be split into buccal and palatal halves and to be reassembled. The split teeth enabled removal of pulpal remnants from the root canal system and the walls to be stained with an even layer of permanent black ink. Once dried, the split roots were reassembled in the putty matrices and a step-back filing technique was used to prepare the canals with water irrigation. The canal walls were examined for residual ink staining and scored by three independent assessors using an index devised for the purpose. Results There was good agreement between the assessors. None of the access cavities allowed file contact with the entire root canal wall. The overall (palatal and buccal sections) scores showed significant differences (P < 0.01) between the access cavity groups in the extent to which the canal walls could be filed. The straight-line incisal access cavity had the greatest proportion of instrumented root canal surface. The lingual cingulum access cavity was the worst in this respect. The differences in residual ink scores between the access cavity types were significant for the buccal halves (P < 0.01) but not for the palatal halves (P > 0.05). Conclusions The null hypothesis was proven. Regardless of access cavity design, mechanical preparation did not allow instrumentation of the entire root canal wall. Straight-line access allowed the greatest proportion of the root canal wall to be instrumented and the lingual cingulum access the least. [source]


Comparing clock tests for dementia screening: naïve judgments vs formal systems,what is optimal?

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF GERIATRIC PSYCHIATRY, Issue 1 2002
James M. Scanlan
Abstract Background Clock drawing tests (CDTs) vary in format, scoring, and complexity. Herein, we compared the dementia screening performance of seven CDT scoring systems and the judgements of untrained raters. Methods 80 clock drawings by subjects of known dementia status were selected, 20 from each of four categories (Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's disease [CERAD] defined normal, mild, moderate, and severe abnormality). An expert rater scored all clocks using published criteria for seven systems. Additionally, 20 naïve raters judged clocks as either normal or abnormal, without formal instructions. Clocks were then classified by drawers' dementia status for comparison of dementia detection across systems. Results Naïve and formal CDT systems showed 90,100% agreement in CERAD normal, moderate and severe categories, but poor agreement (mean,=,39%) for mildly impaired clocks. When CDT systems were compared for accurate dementia classification, the Mendez and CERAD systems correctly identified the greatest proportion of subjects (84,85%), and Wolf-Klein the smallest (58%). The better systems correctly identified>,70% of mildly demented individuals (CDR,=,1). In contrast, medical records from patients' personal physicians correctly identified only 24% of the mildly demented. Strikingly, naïve raters' CDT judgements were as effective as five of the seven CDT systems in dementia identification. Conclusions While the Mendez system was the most accurate overall, it was not significantly better than CERAD, which had simpler scoring rules. Untrained raters discriminated normal from abnormal clocks with acceptable accuracy for community screening purposes. Results suggest that, if used, most CDT systems would improve personal physicians' dementia recognition in difficult to detect mildly demented subjects. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


Patterns of stroke recurrence according to subtype of first stroke event: the North East Melbourne Stroke Incidence Study (NEMESIS)

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF STROKE, Issue 3 2008
Mahmoud Reza Azarpazhooh
Background Specific information about the nature of recurrent events that occur after each subtype of index stroke may be useful for refining preventive therapies. We aimed to determine whether stroke recurrence rates, the pattern of subtype recurrence, and prescription of secondary prevention agents differed according to initial stroke subtype. Methods Multiple overlapping sources were used to recruit all first-ever stroke patients from a geographically defined region of Melbourne, Australia over a 3-year period from 1996 to 1999. Potential stroke recurrences (fatal and nonfatal) occurring within 2 years of the initial event were identified following patient interview and follow up of death records. Subjects were classified into the different Oxfordshire groups and the type of first-ever stroke was compared with recurrent stroke events. Results One thousand, three hundred and sixteen first-ever strokes were registered during the 3-year period (mean age 74.4 years). A total of 103 first recurrent stroke events (fatal and nonfatal) occurred among those with a first-ever ischemic stroke or intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) during the 2-year follow-up period. The recurrent stroke subtype was different to the index stroke subtype in most (78%) patients. People with partial anterior circulation infarct had the greatest proportion of recurrences (13%), with a third of these being the more severe total anterior circulation infarct subgroup. The relative risk of ICH after an index lacunar infarct (LACI) compared with an index non-LACI was 4.06 (95% CI 1.10,14.97, P=0.038). Prescription of secondary prevention agents was greater at 2 years after stroke than at hospital discharge, and was similar between ischemic stroke subtypes. Conclusion Approximately 9% of people with first-ever stroke suffered a recurrent event, despite many being prescribed secondary prevention agents. This has implications for the uptake of current preventive strategies and the development of new strategies. The possibility that ICH is greater among index LACI cases needs to be confirmed. [source]


Nursing and midwifery research in Scotland: from partnership to collaboration

INTERNATIONAL NURSING REVIEW, Issue 2 2006
T. Fyffe mmed ed
Nurses and midwives form the workforce that provides the greatest proportion of direct care to service users. They have the ability to make a significant impact not only on the quality and outcomes of patient care, but also on service users' and carers' perceptions of the care experience. It is therefore vital that nursing and midwifery practice has a robust knowledge and evidence base. The Scottish Executive Health Department, in partnership with other key stakeholders, launched in 2004 an £8 million funding package for research and development capacity and capability initiatives for nursing, midwifery and the allied health professions. This article seeks to describe the process of engagement and partnership building that enabled this scheme to be developed. It will attempt to illustrate how the convergence of political, policy and professional agendas has provided the opportunity for nurses and midwives to set a direction of travel for research and development that will enable them to become key players within multidisciplinary research at United Kingdom and international levels. [source]


Measurement of body size and abundance in tests of macroecological and food web theory

JOURNAL OF ANIMAL ECOLOGY, Issue 1 2007
SIMON JENNINGS
Summary 1Mean body mass (W) and mean numerical (N) or biomass (B) abundance are frequently used as variables to describe populations and species in macroecological and food web studies. 2We investigate how the use of mean W and mean N or B, rather than other measures of W and/or accounting for the properties of all individuals, can affect the outcome of tests of macroecological and food web theory. 3Theoretical and empirical analyses demonstrate that mean W, W at maximum biomass (Wmb), W when energy requirements are greatest (Wme) and the W when a species uses the greatest proportion of the energy available to all species in a W class (Wmpe) are not consistently related. 4For a population at equilibrium, relationships between mean W and Wme depend on the slope b of the relationship between trophic level and W. For marine fishes, data show that b varies widely among species and thus mean W is an unreliable indicator of the role of a species in the food web. 5Two different approaches, ,cross-species' and ,all individuals' have been used to estimate slopes of abundance,body mass relationships and to test the energetic equivalence hypothesis and related theory. The approaches, based on relationships between (1) log10 mean W and log10 mean N or B, and (2) log10 W and log10 N or B of all individuals binned into log10 W classes (size spectra), give different slopes and confidence intervals with the same data. 6Our results show that the ,all individuals' approach has the potential to provide more powerful tests of the energetic equivalence hypothesis and role of energy availability in determining slopes, but new theory and empirical analysis are needed to explain distributions of species relative abundance at W. 7Biases introduced when working with mean W in macroecological and food web studies are greatest when species have indeterminate growth, when relationships between W and trophic level are strong and when the range of species'W is narrow. [source]


Effects of habitat history and extinction selectivity on species-richness patterns of an island land snail fauna

JOURNAL OF BIOGEOGRAPHY, Issue 10 2009
Satoshi Chiba
Abstract Aim, Local-scale diversity patterns are not necessarily regulated by contemporary processes, but may be the result of historical events such as habitat changes and selective extinctions that occurred in the past. We test this hypothesis by examining species-richness patterns of the land snail fauna on an oceanic island where forest was once destroyed but subsequently recovered. Location, Hahajima Island of the Ogasawara Islands in the western Pacific. Methods, Species richness of land snails was examined in 217 0.25 × 0.25 km squares during 1990,91 and 2005,07. Associations of species richness with elevation, current habitat quality (proportion of habitat composed of indigenous trees and uncultivated areas), number of alien snail species, and proportion of forest loss before 1945 in each area were examined using a randomization test and simultaneous autoregressive (SAR) models. Extinctions in each area and on the entire island were detected by comparing 2005,07 records with 1990,91 records and previously published records from surveys in 1987,91 and 1901,07. The association of species extinction with snail ecotype and the above environmental factors was examined using a spatial generalized linear mixed model (GLMM). Results, The level of habitat loss before 1945 explained the greatest proportion of variation in the geographical patterns of species richness. Current species richness was positively correlated with elevation in the arboreal species, whereas it was negatively correlated with elevation in the ground-dwelling species. However, no or a positive correlation was found between elevation and richness of the ground-dwelling species in 1987,91. The change of the association with elevation in the ground-dwelling species was caused by greater recent extinction at higher elevation, possibly as a result of predation by malacophagous flatworms. In contrast, very minor extinction levels have occurred in arboreal species since 1987,91, and their original patterns have remained unaltered, mainly because flatworms do not climb trees. Main conclusions, The species-richness patterns of the land snails on Hahajima Island are mosaics shaped by extinction resulting from habitat loss more than 60 years ago, recent selective extinction, and original faunal patterns. The effects of habitat destruction have remained long after habitat recovery. Different factors have operated during different periods and at different time-scales. These findings suggest that historical processes should be taken into account when considering local-scale diversity patterns. [source]


Evaluation of hepatitis C antibody testing in saliva specimens collected by two different systems in comparison with HCV antibody and HCV rna in serum,

JOURNAL OF MEDICAL VIROLOGY, Issue 1 2001
G.J.J. van Doornum
Abstract Two different ELISA assays, the Ortho HCV 3.0 ELISA (Ortho Diagnostics Systems) and the Mono-Lisa anti-HCV Plus (Sanofi Diagnostics Pasteur) were evaluated for the detection of hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibody in saliva samples. Specimens were collected from 152 individuals who participated in a longitudinal cohort study on HIV infection, and who used illicit drugs. Saliva specimens were collected using two different systems: Salivette (Sarstedt) and Omni-Sal (Saliva Diagnostic Systems). Saliva specimens were tested following modified protocols by both ELISAs, and the results were compared with serum specimens that were tested according to the instructions of the manufacturer. Serum samples of 102 (67%) participants were positive by both assays, and 50 persons were negative for HCV antibody. A total of 99 of the 102 serum specimens were confirmed as positive using Ortho Riba HCV 3.0 (Ortho Diagnostics System) and Deciscan HCV (Sanofi Diagnostics Pasteur), and 3 yielded discrepant results. As no cut-off level is known for testing saliva samples by ELISA, 3 different levels were chosen: mean (M),+,1 standard deviation (SD), M,+,2 SD, and M,+,3 SD of the optical densities of saliva tests of the 50 HCV serum antibody negative persons. At a level of M,+,1 SD and M,+,2 SD the Salivette/Mono-Lisa combination gave the greatest proportion of HCV antibody positive saliva specimens obtained from the 102 HCV serum antibody positive participants, 88% and 79%, respectively. Differences between the various collection systems and assay combinations were not significant statistically. In 76 of the 102 persons with HCV antibodies in serum, HCV RNA was detected in serum. Salivary presence of HCV RNA, however, could not be demonstrated. The results show that the assays compared are unsuitable for diagnostic use, but the sensitivities of the assays are acceptable for use in epidemiological studies. J. Med. Virol. 64:13,20, 2001. © 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]


Sap properties and alk(en)ylresorcinol concentrations in Australian-grown mangoes

ANNALS OF APPLIED BIOLOGY, Issue 3 2009
M.K. Hassan
Abstract Physical and chemical properties of sap and sap concentrations of constitutive alk(en)ylresorcinols were determined in several varieties of mango grown in different locations in Queensland, Australia, over two consecutive cropping seasons. Sap weight from individual fruit, sap pH, percentage of non-aqueous sap and concentrations of constitutive alk(en)ylresorcinols (5- n -heptadecenylresorcinol and 5- n -pentadecylresorcinol) in sap varied significantly among the varieties. ,Calypso', ,Keitt', ,Kensington Pride' and ,Celebration' had the greatest proportion of non-aqueous sap, whereas ,Nam Doc Mai' had the least. The highest concentrations of 5- n -heptadecenylresorcinol were found in the sap of ,Kensington Pride', and the lowest in ,Honey Gold' and ,Nam Doc Mai'. Highest concentrations of 5- n -pentadecylresorcinol were found in sap of ,Calypso' and ,Celebration', and the lowest levels were in ,Honey Gold' and ,Nam Doc Mai'. There was a direct relationship between the percentage of non-aqueous sap and the concentrations of alk(en)ylresorcinols (r2 = 0.77 for 5- n -heptadecenylresorcinol, and r2 = 0.87 for 5- n -pentadecylresorcinol). The alk(en)ylresorcinols were distributed mainly in the upper non-aqueous phase of ,Kensington Pride' sap. Growing location also had significant effects on the composition of mango sap but the effects appeared to be related to differences in maturity. Sap removal is necessary to prevent sapburn, but considerable quantities of alk(en)ylresorcinols that assist in protecting the harvested fruit from anthracnose disease are also removed. [source]