bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comparative evaluation of parasitology and serological tests in the diagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis in India: a phase III diagnostic accuracy study
Authors: Sundar S. , Singh R. K. , Bimal S. K. , Gidwani K. , Mishra A. , Maurya R. , Singh S. K. , Manandhar K. D. , Boelaert M. , Rai M.
Published: November 2006

In this phase III trial for diagnostics for visceral leishmaniasis (VL) in India, we compared parasitological diagnosis with several serological tests: direct agglutination test (freeze dried; DAT‐FD), rK‐39 strip test, rK‐26 strip test and a latex agglutination test for antigen detection in urine (KAtex) in 452 subjects from the endemic regions of Bihar, India. The subjects were segregated into four categories: 230 confirmed patients, 52 probable cases, 70 non‐cases and 100 healthy endemic controls. The first two groups were used for estimating sensitivity, the latter two for specificity. Sensitivity of DAT‐FD was 98.9%, rK‐39: 98.9%, KAtex: 67.0% and rK‐26: 21.3%. Sensitivity of DAT‐FD on blood taken on filter paper (DAT‐FDF) was 99.3%, which was comparable with that using serum. Specificity of serological tests was comparable and high (DAT‐FD and DAT‐FDF: 94%, rK‐39 strip test: 97%, KAtex: 99% and rK‐26 strip test: 100%). The classical ‘gold standard’ parasitological demonstration in splenic smear performed poorly as it missed 18.4% of cases that benefited from VL treatment. Reproducibility of the serological tests between field and central laboratories was excellent (κ = 1.0, 0.99, 0.96 and 0.94 respectively for microscopy, DAT‐FD, rK‐39 strip test and rK‐26 strip test). A high degree of agreement was observed between DAT‐FD and rK‐39 strip test (κ = 0.986). Although DAT‐FD and rK‐39 strip test were highly sensitive with excellent specificity, the ease of use of the latter makes it most suitable for the diagnosis of VL in the field conditions.
Female sex workers and unsafe sex in urban and rural Nyanza, Kenya: regular partners may contribute more to HIV transmission than clients
Authors: Voeten H. A. C. M. , Egesah O. B. , Varkevisser C. M. , Habbema J. D. F.
Published: November 2006

Objectives  To compare the sexual behaviour of female sex workers in urban and rural areas in Nyanza province in Kenya, and to compare their unsafe sex with clients and with regular partners.

Methods  In a cross‐sectional study among 64 sex workers (32/32 in urban/rural areas), sex workers kept a sexual diary for 14 days after being interviewed face‐to‐face.

Results  Most sex workers were separated/divorced and had one or two regular partners, who were mostly married to someone else. Sex workers in Kisumu town were younger, had started sex work at an earlier age, and had more clients in the past 14 days than rural women (6.6 vs. 2.4). Both groups had an equal number of sex contacts with regular partners (4.7). With clients, condom use was fairly frequent (75%) but with regular partners, it was rather infrequent (<40%). For both urban and rural areas, the mean number of sex acts in which no condom was used was greater for regular partners (3.2 and 2.8 respectively) than for clients (1.9 and 1.0 respectively).

Conclusions  Sex workers in urban and rural areas of Nyanza province practise more unsafe sex with regular partners than with clients. Interventions for sex workers should also focus on condom use in regular partnerships.
The different expression patterns of interleukin‐1 receptor antagonist in systemic lupus erythematosus
Authors: Tsai L.‐J. , Lan J.‐L. , Lin C.‐Y. , Hsiao S.‐H. , Tsai L.‐M. , Tsai J.‐J.
Published: November 2006

The interleukin‐1 receptor antagonist (IL1RN or IL‐1Ra) is a natural antagonist of IL‐1‐β. Using IL1RN as a possible marker in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), we evaluated whether ǔIL1RN single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were associated with the pathogenesis of SLE in Taiwanese, and specifically whether IL1RN (rs315952) was significantly associated with end‐stage renal disease. We examined IL1RN isoform expression patterns in patients with SLE to determine whether the expressions play a role in the pathogenesis of SLE. Both case–control and family‐based association studies were used. For the case–control study, 104 patients with SLE and 97 normal controls were recruited, and for the family‐based study, 11 families with SLE without renal disorder were recruited from the 104 patients with SLE. Eight IL1RN SNPs (rs2234678, rs2234679, rs315951, rs315952, rs419598, rs432014, rs447713, and rs451578) were selected for the family‐based study. Reverse‐transcriptase‐polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR) was used to determine the expression pattern of each isoform. Our results showed that IL1RN (rs315952) was significantly associated with SLE in patients without renal disorder in the family‐based study, after disease stratification, but was not significantly associated with SLE in the case–control study. In the family‐based study, the haplotype of IL1RN (AGCCTTAG) was significantly associated with SLE (χ2= 11.714, P < 0.001). Using RT‐PCR to determine the expression pattern of the IL1RN isoforms, we found different expression patterns between normal controls and patients with SLE, with an addition of IL1RN isoform4 or the low expression of IL1RN isoform1. We concluded that IL1RN and its isoforms were involved in the pathogenesis of SLE.
Association of a common dog leucocyte antigen class II haplotype with canine primary immune‐mediated haemolytic anaemia
Authors: Kennedy L. J. , Barnes A. , Ollier W. E. R. , Day M. J.
Published: November 2006

Immune‐mediated haemolytic anaemia (IMHA) is the commonest immune‐mediated disease of the dog, representing a major health concern to this species. The aim of this investigation was to determine whether genetic susceptibility to IMHA is associated with genes of the canine major histocompatibility complex (MHC; dog leucocyte antigen system, DLA). Samples were collected from 108 dogs with primary idiopathic, Coombs’ positive IMHA. This diseased population was subdivided on the basis of Coombs’ test results into two groups: 1) dogs with dominant warm‐reactive immunoglobulin (Ig) G haemagglutinins and (2) dogs with an additional or dominant cold‐reactive IgM haemagglutinin. The DLA class II alleles and haplotypes of the diseased population were characterised, and these data were compared with those derived from a breed‐matched control cohort and a much larger group of DLA‐typed dogs. Two haplotypes were increased in the patient group: DLA‐DRB1*00601/DQA1*005011/DQB1*00701 (in the group with warm‐reactive IgG haemagglutinins only) and DLA‐DRB1*015/DQA1*00601/DQB1*00301 (in both groups, but more so in the group with cold‐reactive IgM haemagglutinins). One haplotype, DLA‐DRB1*001/DQA1*00101/DQB1*00201, was decreased in the total patient group, but this decrease was limited to the warm‐reactive IgG haemagglutinins group, and it was actually increased in the cold‐reactive IgM haemagglutinins group. A second haplotype, DLA‐DRB1*015/DQA1*00601/DQB1*02301, was also decreased in the total patient group, and this decrease was found in both subgroups. In addition, all haplotypes carrying DLA‐DRB1*001 were significantly increased in the cold‐reactive IgM haemagglutinins group. When the overall patient group was divided on the basis of individual breeds with more than six animals represented, each of the haplotypes could be shown to be implicated in one of the breeds. Thus, it was apparent that different breeds had different MHC associations with canine IMHA, which is similar to the observation that different human ethnic groups can have different HLA associations with the same immune‐mediated disease.
Identification of susceptibility and protective major histocompatibility complex haplotypes in canine diabetes mellitus
Authors: Kennedy L. J. , Davison L. J. , Barnes A. , Short A. D. , Fretwell N. , Jones C. A. , Lee A. C. , Ollier W. E. R. , Catchpole B.
Published: November 2006

Diabetes mellitus occurs spontaneously in dogs, which is believed to have an autoimmune component and to be a model of human latent autoimmune diabetes of adults (LADA). Some dog breeds (e.g. Samoyed) are particularly predisposed, whereas others (e.g. Boxer) are highly resistant. With the completion of the Dog Genome Assembly, comparative genomic studies of complex diseases in dogs, including diabetes, could provide an important investigative approach into such disorders. Type 1 diabetes in humans is strongly associated with major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II polymorphisms. We have investigated whether canine dog leucocyte antigen (DLA) class II haplotypes are associated with diabetes. DNA from 460 cases and 1047 controls were genotyped for DLA‐DRB1, DLA‐DQA1 and DLA‐DQB1 using sequence‐based typing. Three DLA haplotypes, DRB1*009/DQA1*001/DQB1*008, DRB1*015/DQA1*0061/DQB1*023 and DRB1*002/DQA1*009/DQB1*001, were found at significantly increased frequency in cases with diabetes compared with controls. One DLA‐DQ haplotype, DQA1*004/DQB1*013, was significantly reduced in cases with diabetes. Further analysis showed that DQA1 alleles carrying arginine at codon 55 of DQA1 were increased in dogs with diabetes. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a comparative study of MHC and diabetes in a non‐rodent species. Since no laboratory model of LADA exists and dogs and humans share similar environments, further research into canine diabetes is warranted.
Production, characterization, and applications of two novel monoclonal antibodies against human interleukin‐28A
Authors: Li M. , Chen Y. , Huang T. , Liu Y. , He S.
Published: November 2006

Interleukin‐28A (IL‐28A) is a novel cytokine discovered in recent years and has been shown to have antiviral activity. In this study, IL‐28A complementary DNA was inserted into prokaryotic expression vector pET‐44 Ek/LIC. The Nus‐S‐His‐tagged IL‐28A fusion protein was expressed in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3) in the soluble fraction. The fusion protein was purified by S‐protein agarose affinity chromatography, and the fusion tag was removed from recombinant IL‐28A by cleavage with thrombin. To prepare specific monoclonal antibody against human IL‐28A, BALB/c mice were immunized with IL‐28A, and hybridoma cell lines were obtained by fusing mouse spleen cells with myeloma NS‐1 cells. Two strains of hybridoma cells, which produced the anti‐human IL‐28A antibodies 1B9 and 4B5 were obtained. They are IgM isotype and working in western blot analysis and enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay. In the present study, it was shown for the first time that human umbilical vein endothelial cells treated with interferon‐α and poly(I:C) express IL‐28A protein assessed by flow cytometry and immunofluorescent staining techniques. Immunohistochemistry showed that macrophage‐like cells in colon and lung tissue and alveolar epithelial cells in lung tissue contain IL‐28A, indicating a novel mechanism for both cell types to carry out their antivirus or antitumor functions.
ABO blood group and related antigens, natural antibodies and transplantation
Authors: Milland J. , Sandrin M. S.
Published: November 2006

The current success rate of transplant surgery and immunosuppression has led to a demand for organs that has outstripped the supply. This has required investigation of alternate strategies. Therefore, allotransplantation across the ABO blood group barrier has commenced, and pig‐to‐human xenotransplantation is under consideration. The first immunological barrier to both these types of transplantation is the prevention of the antibody‐mediated rejection. This rejection is a result of natural preformed antibodies circulating in the serum of the recipient binding to either ABO (for allo) or α‐galactose (α‐Gal) (for xeno) antigens expressed on the donor tissue. These antibodies recognise antigens that are, in both cases, carbohydrate molecules with the characteristic feature that the nonreducing terminal carbohydrate is either a Gal or N‐acetlygalactosamine residue in an α1,3 linkage. These epitopes are synthesised by closely related members of a single family of glycosyltransferases. This review discusses the carbohydrate antigens, the enzymes involved in their synthesis and the consequences of natural antibodies binding these antigens.
Na, K ATPase β3 subunit (CD298): association with α subunit and expression on peripheral blood cells
Authors: Chiampanichayakul S. , Khunkaewla P. , Pata S. , Kasinrerk W.
Published: November 2006

β3 subunit is described as one of the Na, K ATPase subunits. Recently, we generated a monoclonal antibody (mAb), termed P‐3E10. This mAb was shown to react with the Na, K ATPase β3 subunit or CD298. By immunofluorescence analysis using mAb P‐3E10, it was found that all peripheral blood leukocytes express Na, K ATPase β3. The presence of β3 subunit on leukocytes is not in a quantitative polymorphic manner. Upon phytohemagglutinin or phorbol myristate acetate activation, the expression level of the Na, K ATPase β3 subunit on activated peripheral blood mononuclear cells was not altered in comparison with those of unstimulated cells. Red blood cells (RBCs) of healthy donors showed negative reactivity with mAb P‐3E10. However, more than 80% of thalassemic RBCs showed positive reactivity. By immunoprecipitation, moreover, a protein band of 55–65 kDa was precipitated from normal RBC membrane using mAb P‐3E10. These results evidenced that the β3 subunit of Na, K ATPase is expressed on RBC membrane but the epitope recognized by mAb P‐3E10 is hidden in normal RBCs. Furthermore, we showed the association of β3 subunit and α subunit of Na, K ATPase. This information is important for further understanding of the functional roles of this molecule.
Bipolar disorder and comorbid alcoholism: prevalence rate and treatment considerations
Authors: Frye Mark A , Salloum Ihsan M
Published: November 2006

Classic Kraepelian observations and contemporary epidemiological studies have noted a high prevalence rate between bipolar disorder and alcoholism. The extent to which these two illnesses are comorbid (i.e., two distinct disease processes each with an independent course of illness), genetically linked, or different phenotypic expressions of bipolar illness itself continues to be investigated. It is increasingly clear that co‐occurring alcohol abuse or dependence in bipolar disorder phenomenologically changes the illness presentation with higher rates of mixed or dysphoric mania, rapid cycling, increased symptom severity, and higher levels of novelty seeking, suicidality, aggressivity, and impulsivity. It is very encouraging that interest and efforts at evaluating pharmacotherapeutic compounds has substantially increased over the past few years in this difficult‐to‐treat patient population. This article will review the clinical studies that have evaluated the effectiveness of conventional mood stabilizers (lithium, carbamazepine, divalproex, and atypical antipsychotics) in the treatment of alcohol withdrawal and relapse prevention in patients with alcoholism and in the treatment of bipolar disorder with comorbid alcoholism. A number of add‐on, adjunctive medications, such as naltrexone, acamprosate, topiramate, and the atypical antipsychotics quetiapine and clozapine, may be candidates for further testing.
Molecular epidemiologic study of a human immunodeficiency virus 1 outbreak in haemophiliacs B infected through clotting factor 9 after 1990
Authors: Cho Y. K. , Foley B. T. , Sung H. , Kim Y. B. , Kim J. H.
Published: November 2006

Background and Objectives  Twenty haemophiliacs were diagnosed as infected with human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV‐1), 1 to 2 years after exposure to clotting factor 9 manufactured in Korea, beginning in early 1990. This study assessed the genetic relationships between viruses found in plasma donors and haemophiliacs.

Materials and Methods  Sequencing of the nef and pol genes of viruses from infected haemophiliacs, plasma donors whose plasma was used in domestic clotting factor manufacture, haemophiliacs infected outside Korea, and local controls were determined by nested polymerase chain reactions and direct DNA sequencing. Phylogenetic analysis was used to investigate the relationships among the sequences.

Results  Both plasma donors and the haemophiliacs were infected with a subclade of subtype B that is a founder effect lineage in Korea.

Conclusion  Our data indicate that HIV‐1 transmission to 20 haemophiliacs occurred through intravenous injection of Korean‐made clotting factor.

Summary  A clotting factor made in Korea from blood from cash‐paid donors infected at least 20 haemophiliacs with HIV‐1 subtype B.
Histological Aspects of the Syrinx of the Male Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)
Authors: Frank T. , Walter I. , Probst A. , König H. E.
Published: November 2006

The syrinx of the duck is characterized by a conspicious sexual dimorphism. In the male mallard, a large osseous bulla is present on the left syringeal side. The present work describes the structures of the male syrinx, which were studied by means of histochemistry, immunohistochemistry and electron microscope. In the right distal tympanum a caudally oriented, protruding structure was observed, which was identified as the valvula syringealis. The syringeal structures like valvula, tympanum, bulla, pessulus and the bronchi were in general covered by a respiratory epithelium, however, local modifications in cellular height and numbers of ciliated and goblet cells were observed. The presence of intrinsic musculature was confirmed by means of immunohistochemistry. Smooth muscle cells reaching from the lateral parts of the inter‐bronchial ligament to the medial line and cranially to the inner tympaniform membranes were demonstrated. We suppose that these muscle cells play a role in syringeal sound generation by influencing the tension of the medial tympaniform membranes.
Study of Cotton Fibre Traits Inheritance under Different Temperature Regimes
Authors: Hafeez ur Rahman  , Murtaza N. , Shah M. K. N.
Published: November 2006

Genetic behaviour of fibre quality parameters under heat‐stressed conditions clearly reflected the significant effect of heat stress on the phenotypic expression of fibre quality parameters. Results from the field experiments demonstrated that fibre quality was better among the upland cotton cultivars under non‐stressed (June) regime. Fibre length, strength, uniformity and fineness were substantially high under June regime when compared with that under April (heat stressed) regime. The prevalence of significant genotype × temperature regime interaction for fibre length, fineness and strength provided another evidence for the influence of temperature regimes on the expression of fibre traits. A significant effect of heat stress on the phenotypic expression of fibre quality parameters was observed.
Isolation and characterization of a starchless mutant of Chlorella pyrenoidosa STL‐PI with a high growth rate, and high protein and polyunsaturated fatty acid content
Authors: Ramazanov Arthur , Ramazanov Zakir
Published: November 2006

The growth characteristics, biochemical composition and ultrastructure of a novel starchless mutant of Chlorella pyrenoidosa, designated as STL‐PI, are compared to the same characteristics of its parental strain, C. pyrenoidosa 82T. The STL‐PI mutant had a 22 ± 5% higher growth rate, and 24.5 ± 4.2% more protein than the parental strain, 82T. Furthermore, the STL‐PI mutant accumulated 20.4% more polyunsaturated fatty acids and 18% less saturated fatty acids than the parental 82T. When the parental 82T was cultured in a nitrogen‐free media, their starch content increased from 6.8 ± 2.8% to 22.5 ± 3.1%. In contrast, the STL‐PI mutant produced no starch, regardless of the growth conditions. Instead, the mutant cells responded to nitrogen limitation by further increasing their lipid content from 25.2 ± 1.2% to 38.0 ± 2.3% per dry weight. Transmission electron micrography revealed that nitrogen limitation typically stimulates the formation of starch granules in the chloroplast of 82T cells. Yet no starch granules were observed in the STL‐PI cells. Instead, only the formation of large lipid globules was observed in the mutant cells. These results demonstrate that the starchless mutant STL‐P1 possesses novel physiological and phytochemical properties distinct from the 82T cells: their cells were deficient in starch synthesis and showed higher growth rates and productivity than 82T cells.
Contribution of external morphology in solving a species complex: The case of Prorocentrum micans, Prorocentrum gracile and Prorocentrum sigmoides (Dinoflagellata) from the Mexican Pacific Coast
Authors: Cohen‐Fernandez Eréndira J. , Meave Del Castillo Esther , Salgado Ugarte I. H. , Pedroche Francisco F.
Published: November 2006

Prorocentrum micans Ehrenberg, Prorocentrum gracile Schütt and Prorocentrum sigmoides Böhm are planktonic dinoflagellates present along the Mexican Pacific coast. These three species can be treated as a species complex because of similar shape and size. The taxonomy of the group has been based on cell form and size, the presence or absence of apical spines and the ornamentation of the main valves. A morphometric study of samples from 11 locations from the Mexican Pacific coast and from laboratory cultures is presented. The presence of a mucron (small tooth) in the antapical region of P. gracile and P. sigmoides morphotypes was recorded for the first time. Morphotypes were defined using as the main criteria the size of pores in relation to the size of the depressions on the cell’s surface, the presence of a mucron in the posterior end of the cell and the shape of the valve margins. Results show a clear distinction between the morphotype P. micans and the P. gracile–P. sigmoides. P. sigmoides is suggested to be a junior synonym of P. gracile as no convincing characters could distinguish these two morphotypes.
Policy Games and Venue‐Shopping: Working the Stakeholder Interface to Broker Policy Change in Rehabilitation Services
Authors: Nagel Peter
Published: November 2006

How should bureaucrats engage effectively and ethically with stakeholders to achieve legitimate policy change? This essay draws upon findings from a case study of the introduction of an evidence‐based rehabilitation program for injured workers with soft‐tissue injuries in a workers' compensation jurisdiction in Australia. Despite initial enthusiasm for collaborative policy reform, clinical associations soon withdrew their support. In a classic case of venue‐shopping, a coalition of clinical associations formed in opposition to the foundation principles of the proposed policy, overturning the bureaucrats' preferred consultation strategy: a think‐tank comprising of invited clinical experts. The policy game turned from highly cooperative to fiercely competitive. These policy upheavals are interpreted through the lens of two theoretical perspectives: Sabatier's Advocacy Coalition framework, and Scharpf's Actor‐centred Institutionalism framework. The contrasts in perspectives are melded into propositions for bureaucrats seeking to engage with stakeholders in a contested policy drama.
Adjusting to New Ways of Working: Experiments with Service Delivery in the Public Sector
Authors: Keast Robyn , Brown Kerry
Published: November 2006

In response to the perceived failure of both the state and market models of service delivery, governments have embarked on a reform program that draws on the community sector to expand the suite of available policy and service delivery arrangements. This paper explores and identifies the nature of changed relationships between government and the community sector. It uses a case study that examines the operation of a new type of community organisation, and analyses the affectivity and outcomes from the experience of a community based networked arrangement. Although there is evidence of a shift to more relationship‐ oriented models of operation because of either mandate or preference both community and government sectors have found it difficult to make the necessary adjustments to these new ways of working. Community has begun the shift to this new relational approach but finds it difficult to sustain the momentum and tends to revert to more independent and competitive modes. Governments find it difficult to make the necessary adjustments to power‐sharing and resource allocation and continue to operate as ‘business as usual’ through the traditional bureaucratic authority of command and control. In this way, the rhetoric of collaboration and partnership between government and the community sector is not necessarily matched by policy and action supporting the practice of ‘new ways of working’ although these ‘experiments in service delivery’ have opened the way for adopting more innovative and effective approaches to service delivery.
Institutional Mismatch and the Inevitably Failed Operation of Section 46 of the Trade Practices Act
Authors: Salvagno Michael
Published: November 2006

Following a series of narrow interpretations by the High Court of Australia, s 46 of the Trade Practices Act 1974 (Cth), has been rendered inoperable. The legislative provision seeks to prevent corporations from ‘misusing their market power,’ and is concerned with one of the long standing questions in political economy: the role of the government in the market. This article establishes that s 46 has inevitably failed as a consequence of institutional mismatch between the interpretive expectations that parliament has of the courts, and the limits of discretion in judicial interpretation.
Pigeons See Correspondence Between Objects and Their Pictures
Authors: Spetch Marcia L. , Friedman Alinda
Published: November 2006

The extent to which nonhumans recognize the correspondence between static pictures and the objects they represent remains an interesting and controversial issue. Pictures displayed on computers are used extensively for research on behavioral and neural mechanisms of cognition in birds, yet attempts to show that birds recognize the objects seen in pictures have produced mixed and inconclusive results. We trained pigeons to discriminate between two identically colored but differently shaped three-dimensional objects seen directly or as pictures, and we found clear bidirectional transfer of the learned object discrimination. Transfer from objects to pictures occurred even when pigeons were trained with 12 views and only novel views of the objects were presented in transfer. This study provides the strongest evidence yet that pigeons can recognize the correspondence between objects and pictures.
Forgetting of Prior Remembering in Persons Reporting Recovered Memories of Childhood Sexual Abuse
Authors: Geraerts Elke , Arnold Michelle M. , Lindsay D. Stephen , Merckelbach Harald , Jelicic Marko , Hauer Beatrijs
Published: November 2006

Case studies of individuals reporting recovered memories of childhood sexual abuse suggest that some overestimate their prior forgetting of the abuse. People reporting recovered or continuous memories of childhood sexual abuse and control subjects reporting no history of abuse participated in two experiments examining this “forgot it all along” phenomenon. Participants in Experiment 1 were more likely to forget that they had previously recalled a studied item if they were cued to think of it differently on two recall tests than if they were cued to think of it in the same way on the two tests. This effect was stronger for recovered-memory participants than for continuous-memory and control participants. In Experiment 2, participants recalled autobiographical events three times over a period of 4 months. Much as in Experiment 1, they underestimated prior remembering when the events had been recalled in a different emotional frame (positive vs. negative) on the previous occasion. This underestimation was more pronounced for recovered-memory participants than for continuous-memory and control participants.
The Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management: Lost Opportunity or Foundation for a Brave New World?
Authors: Perrez Franz Xaver
Published: November 2006

Numerous international instruments have been developed to promote sustainable chemicals management. However, until recently, a common overarching framework for sustainable chemicals policy was missing. The Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM) was developed to address this challenge. This article will provide a short overview of the context and the negotiation process of SAICM, and it will give a short summary and assessment of its content. The article will conclude that SAICM is neither a lost opportunity nor the foundation of a brave new world of chemicals policy, but that it establishes a comprehensive institutional framework that can be further developed into an effective instrument of international chemicals policy.
Finding the Way Forward for the International Arrangement on Forests: UNFF‐5, ‐6 and ‐7
Authors: Davenport Deborah S. , Wood Peter
Published: November 2006

International forest policy negotiations have often been characterized by political entrenchment: as early as at the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro there was a failure to develop a legally binding forest convention, and subsequent policy fora have often struggled to reach consensus. During its fifth annual session in 2005, the United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF) began to show signs of a process in deep trouble, failing to achieve agreement on even the most innocuous voluntary commitments. At its sixth session in 2006, the Forum was successful in that members were able to agree on four ‘global objectives on forests’ and initiated the negotiation of a non‐legally binding instrument. While this is a cause for optimism, it remains unclear whether the process is completely out of the woods yet or where it is likely to go from here. This article will identify the obstacles to consensus that the UNFF has encountered and discuss whether the most recent session has managed to surmount these. Finally, options to increase future political support and member accountability are presented, including increasing participation in national reporting and reinvigorating the Forum's programme of work.
Non‐parametric Analysis of Covariance – The Case of Inhomogeneous and Heteroscedastic Noise
Authors: MUNK AXEL , NEUMEYER NATALIE , SCHOLZ ACHIM
Published: November 2006

Abstract. The purpose of this paper was to propose a procedure for testing the equality of several regression curvesfiin non‐parametric regression models when the noise is inhomogeneous and heteroscedastic, i.e. when the variances depend on the regressor and may vary between groups. The presented approach is very natural because it transfers the maximum likelihood statistic from a heteroscedastic one‐way analysis of variance to the context of non‐parametric regression. The maximum likelihood estimators will be replaced by kernel estimators of the regression functionsfi. It is shown that the asymptotic distribution of the obtained test‐statistic is nuisance parameter free. Asymptotic efficiency is compared with a test ofDette & Neumeyer [Annals of Statistics (2001)Vol. 29, 1361–1400] and it is shown that the new test is asymptotically uniformly more powerful. For practical purposes, a bootstrap variant is suggested. In a simulation study, level and power of this test will be briefly investigated and compared with other procedures. In summary, our theoretical findings are supported by this study. Finally, a crop yield experiment is reanalysed.
Checking the Grouped Data Version of the Cox Model for Interval‐grouped Survival Data
Authors: PIPPER CHRISTIAN B. , RITZ CHRISTIAN
Published: November 2006

Abstract. Epidemiology research often entails the analysis of failure times subject to grouping. In large cohorts interval grouping also offers a feasible choice of data reduction to actually facilitate an analysis of the data. Based on an underlying Cox proportional hazards model for the exact failure times one may deduce a grouped data version of this model which may then be used to analyse the data. The model bears a lot of resemblance to a generalized linear model, yet due to the nature of data one also needs to incorporate censoring. In the case of non‐trivial censoring this precludes model checking procedures based on ordinary residuals as calculation of these requires knowledge of the censoring distribution. In this paper, we represent interval grouped data in a dynamical way using a counting process approach. This enables us to identify martingale residuals which can be computed without knowledge of the censoring distribution. We use these residuals to construct graphical as well as numerical model checking procedures. An example from epidemiology is provided.
Improving the Efficiency of the Nelson–Aalen Estimator: the Naive Local Constant Estimator
Authors: GUILLEN MONTSERRAT , NIELSEN JENS P. , PEREZ‐MARIN ANA M.
Published: November 2006

Abstract.  The Nelson–Aalen estimator is well known to be an asymptotically efficient estimator of the cumulative hazard function, see Andersen et al. (Statistical models based on counting processes, Springer‐Verlag, New York, 1993) among many others. In this paper, we show that the efficiency of the Nelson–Aalen estimator can be considerably improved by using more information in the estimation process than the traditional Nelson–Aalen estimator uses. While our approach results in a biased estimator, the variance improvement is substantial. By optimizing the balance between the bias loss and the variance improvement, we obtain results on the efficiency gain. Several examples for known failure time distributions are used to illustrate these ideas.
Trends of School Effects on Student Achievement: Evidence from NLS:72, HSB:82, and NELS:92
Authors: Konstantopoulos Spyros
Published: November 2006

The impact of schools on student achievement has been of great interest in school effects research the last four decades. This study examines trends of school effects on student achievement, employing three national probability samples of high school seniors: NLS:72, HSB:82, and NELS:92. Hierarchical linear models are used to investigate school effects. The findings reveal that the substantial proportion of the variation in student achievement lies within schools, not between schools. There is also considerable between-school variation in achievement, which becomes larger over time. Schools are more diverse and more segregated in the 1990s than in the 1970s. In addition, school characteristics such as school region, school socioeconomic status, and certain characteristics of the student body of the school, such as students’ daily attendance, students in college preparatory classes, and high school graduates enrolled in colleges are important predictors of average student achievement. The school predictors explained consistently more than 50% of the variation in average student achievement across surveys. We also find considerable teacher heterogeneity in achievement within schools, which suggests important teacher effects on student achievement. Teacher heterogeneity in student achievement was larger than school heterogeneity, which may indicate that teacher effects have a relatively larger impact on mathematics and science student achievement than do school effects.
Estimating The Variance of Estimated Trends in Proportions When There is No Unique Subject Identifier
Authors: Mountford William K. , Lipsitz Stuart R. , Fitzmaurice Garrett M. , Carter Rickey E. , Soule Jeremy B. , Colwell John A. , Lackland Daniel T.
Published: November 2006

Longitudinal population-based surveys are widely used in the health sciences to study patterns of change over time. In many of these data sets unique patient identifiers are not publicly available, making it impossible to link the repeated measures from the same individual directly. This poses a statistical challenge for making inferences about time trends because repeated measures from the same individual are likely to be positively correlated, i.e., although the time trend that is estimated under the naïve assumption of independence is unbiased, an unbiased estimate of the variance cannot be obtained without knowledge of the subject identifiers linking repeated measures over time. We propose a simple method for obtaining a conservative estimate of variability for making inferences about trends in proportions over time, ensuring that the type I error is no greater than the specified level. The method proposed is illustrated by using longitudinal data on diabetes hospitalization proportions in South Carolina.
Evaluation of Statistical Protocols for Quality Control of Ecosystem Carbon Dioxide Fluxes
Authors: Perez-Quezada Jorge F. , Saliendra Nicanor Z. , Emmerich William E. , Laca Emilio A.
Published: November 2006

The process of quality control of micrometeorological and carbon dioxide (CO2) flux data can be subjective and may lack repeatability, which would undermine the results of many studies. Multivariate statistical methods and time series analysis were used together and independently to detect and replace outliers in CO2 flux data derived from a Bowen ratio energy balance system. The results were compared with those produced by five experts who applied the current and potentially subjective protocol. All protocols were tested on the same set of three 5-day periods, when measurements were conducted in an abandoned agricultural field. The concordance of the protocols was evaluated by using the experts’ opinion (mean ± 1.96 standard deviations) as a reference interval (the Bland–Altman method). Analysing the 15 days together, the statistical protocol that combined multivariate distance, multiple linear regression and time series analysis showed a concordance of 93% on a 20-min flux basis and 87% on a daily basis (only 2 days fell outside the reference interval), and the overall flux differed only by 1.7% (3.2 g CO2 m−2). An automated version of this or a similar statistical protocol could be used as a standard way of filling gaps and processing data from Bowen ratio energy balance and other techniques (e.g. eddy covariance). This would enforce objectivity in comparisons of CO2 flux data that are generated by different research groups and streamline the protocols for quality control.
Neurological and neurophysiological examinations on workers with chronic poisoning by 2,3,7,8‐TCDD: follow‐up 35 years after exposure
Authors: Urban P. , Pelclová D. , Lukáš E. , Kupka K. , Preiss J. , Fenclová Z. , Šmerhovský Z.
Published: November 2006

Between 1965 and 1968, about 350 workers were accidentally exposed to 2,3,7,8‐tetrachlorodibenzo‐p‐dioxin (TCDD) in a chemical plant, which was producing herbicides based on the trichlorophenoxyacetic acid. About 80 workers developed signs of poisoning. The estimated mean concentration of TCDD at the time of exposure was about 5000 pg/g of plasma fat. Only 15 subjects from the original cohort remained available for the recent follow‐up in 2004. All were men, mean age 60 years. The mean current TCDD plasma concentration was 128 pg/g. Neurological examination revealed some CNS impairment in eight subjects. Signs of polyneuropathy were found in nine subjects, confirmed by NCV studies in three cases. Electroencephalography was abnormal in three cases; Visual‐evoked potential in five cases. Acquired dyschromatopsia was detected in six patients. SPECT showed focal reduction of perfusion in various brain locations in all but one patient. Two neuropsychological variables and the frequency of abnormal neurophysiological tests in individual patients correlated with TCDD plasma level. The findings support the hypothesis that TCDD can damage the nervous system. In addition to a direct neurotoxic effect of TCDD, changes secondary to vasculopathy should be considered, in the pathophysiology of the damage, because of the high frequency of lipid metabolism disorders and their complications.
CSF analysis in patients with sporadic CJD and other transmissible spongiform encephalopathies
Authors: Green A. , Sanchez‐Juan P. , Ladogana A. , Cuadrado‐Corrales N. , Sánchez‐Valle R. , Mitrová E. , Stoeck K. , Sklaviadis T. , Kulczycki J. , Heinemann U. , Hess K. , Slivarichová D. , Saiz A. , Calero M. , Mellina V. , Knight R. , Van Duijn C. M. , Zerr I.
Published: November 2006

Patients with suspected Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease (CJD) often have routine cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis performed to exclude treatable inflammatory conditions; however, little information is available about the range of results obtained for CSF tests in patients with sporadic CJD and other transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSE). Data from 450 patients with sporadic CJD and 47 patients with other TSEs were collected as part of an EC‐supported multinational study. Raised white cell counts of >5 cells/μl were found in three of 298 patients with sporadic CJD, with two cell counts of 7 cells/μl and one of 20 cells/μl. Total protein concentrations of >0.9 g/l were found in five of 438 patients with sporadic CJD, although none had a concentration of >1 g/l. CSF oligoclonal IgG was detected in eight of 182 sporadic CJD patients. Of the patients with other TSEs, six had elevated cell counts ranging from 6 to 14 cells/μl but none had total protein concentrations of >0.9 g/l and one patient had detectable oligoclonal IgG. None of the patients with sporadic CJD or other TSEs had abnormalities in all three tests.
Oestrogen-Modulated Increase of Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinase II (CamKII) in Rat Spinal Trigeminal Nucleus After Systemic Nitroglycerin
Authors: Pardutz A , Hoyk Z , Varga H , Vecsei L , Schoenen J
Published: November 2006

Migraine can be triggered by systemic administration of the nitric oxide (NO) donor nitroglycerin (NTG) and by abrupt falls in plasma oestradiol. Calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CamKII) present in superficial dorsal horns is thought to play a role in sensitization of central nociceptors, a phenomen present in migraineurs. We therefore examined in rats the expression of CamKII in the caudal trigeminal nucleus (TNC) after subcutaneous NTG (10 mg/kg) and its modulation by oestrogen. In male rats and in ovariectomized females, after 4 h NTG increased significantly CamKII expression in the superficial layers of TNC, but not in the upper thoracic spinal cord. NTG had no effect on CamKII expression in oestradiol-treated ovariectomized animals. Thus NTG, i.e. NO, selectively enhances CamKII in the rat TNC and oestradiol blocks this effect. These data may help to understand the mechanisms by which NO triggers migraine attacks and oestrogens influence migraine severity.
Regulation of cognitive resources during sustained attention and working memory in 10‐year‐olds and adults
Authors: Karatekin Canan , Marcus David J. , Couperus Jane W.
Published: November 2006

We examined differences between 10‐year‐olds and young adults in resource recruitment and regulation during tasks of sustained attention and spatial working memory. We administered participants spatial 0‐ and 1‐back tasks and used pupillary dilation as a measure of resource recruitment. Repeated administration of 0‐back led to smaller pupillary dilations and greater response time (RT) variability, revealing a vigilance decrement. Effects of repeated administration of 0‐back and differences between 0‐ and 1‐back in d′ and RTs were similar between ages. Results further suggested that the children may not have been as effective as adults in extracting frequency information. Thus, on simple tasks of sustained attention and working memory, children recruit resources in a manner similar to adults. Finally, d′ was correlated with RT variability on both tasks at both ages, highlighting the role of attentional fluctuations on both tasks.
A new perspective on the effects of price promotions in Taiwan: a longitudinal study of a Chinese society
Authors: Shen Yung‐Cheng , Chi Chung‐Hsing , Chen Ja‐Shen
Published: November 2006

This study investigated the effects of price promotions on consumers’ brand affect. Given the inconsistent findings in previous research, it is proposed that the effects of price promotion depend on two moderator variables: brand image and consumer loyalty. For high loyalty consumers of a prestigious brand, price incentive incompatible with the brand image can hurt the brand affect. When a non‐prestigious brand is involved, brand affect is positively influenced. However, these effects are limited to high loyalty consumers only. There was no effect on low loyalty consumers. In a longitudinal study of the Taiwanese market using emails, these hypotheses were tested and supported.
If it is good for the child’s development then I say yes almost every time: how parents relate to their children’s consumption
Authors: Brusdal Ragnhild
Published: November 2006

The article looks into how parents see their children’s consumption. The data material consist of focus group interviews with parents and children living in relatively affluent Scandinavian society. The result shows that parents are not necessarily negative towards their children’s consumption, and in some fields they are willing to spend more than the children expect or want. Parents have two approaches towards their children’s consumption. The child perspective puts the child in the centre with the child’s need for development and protection. The consumer critical discourse dominates and children are seen as vulnerable. In many situations parents will stretch beyond the children’s expectations if they see the consumption as useful. In the parent’s perspective parental skills is exhibited. The parent’s economic status as well as their parental skills and competence are exhibited, and the child’s consumption demonstrates if you are caring and responsible parents.
JNK‐ and Rac1‐dependent induction of immediate early gene pip92 suppresses neuronal differentiation
Authors: Park Jung Bum , Kim Eun Joo , Yang Eun Jin , Seo Su Ryeon , Chung Kwang Chul
Published: November 2006

The immediate early gene pip92 is rapidly and transiently induced by serum, basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), nerve growth factor (NGF) and phobol ester, as well as various toxic stimuli. Rho GTPases, such as RhoA, Rac1 and Cdc42, have been implicated in both cytoskeletal rearrangement and cell cycle control. Rac1 and Cdc42 induce neurite outgrowth in many types of neuronal cells. A downstream effector of both Rac1 and Cdc42, p21‐activated kinase (Pak1), is highly enriched in neurons. In the present study, we examined the signal transduction pathways involved in pip92 induction, focusing on the involvement of Rho family guanosine 5′‐triphosphate (GTP)ases. We also examined the functional role of pip92 expression during FGF‐induced neuronal differentiation in embryonic hippocampal cells. Significant and robust activation of c‐Jun N‐terminal Kinase (JNK), Rac1 and extracellular signal‐regulated kinase (ERK) appeared to be important for pip92 induction in response to bFGF. Transient transfection of kinase‐inactive MEKK7 or chemical inhibitors of JNK significantly decreased the activation of Rac1 by FGF. However, blockade of Rac1 did not affect JNK activity. Moreover, a MEK‐ERK blockade did not affect Rac1 activity. Activation of JNK and Rac1 induced Pak1 activity, which could then phosphorylate and activate transcription factor Elk1. Stimulation of Pak1‐dependent Elk1 was required for the bFGF‐induced activation of pip92. Suppression of endogenous pip92 expression by siRNA significantly enhanced bFGF‐induced neurite outgrowth, while the ectopic expression of pip92 suppressed the neurite extension. Taken together, these data suggest that neurogenic growth factor‐induced expression of pip92 is critical for the regulation of neuronal differentiation, occurring through the subsequent activation of Rac1, JNK, Pak1 and Elk1.