bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Accuracy of self‐report and toxicological assays to detect substance misuse disorders in parasuicide patients
Authors: Tournier M. , Molimard M. , Abouelfath A. , Cougnard A. , Fourrier A. , Haramburu F. , Bégaud B. , Verdoux H.
Published: December 2004

Objective:  To assess the accuracy of self‐reported substance use and toxicological assays in subjects admitted for Intentional Drug Overdose (IDO), using as a reference diagnosis of substance use disorder.

Method:  Self‐reported substance use was collected and toxicological assays were carried out in urine samples in 507 patients with IDO. A standardized psychiatric evaluation was performed in 100 randomly selected subjects.

Results:  In routine practice, the emergency department staff did not investigate substance use in nearly one of two patients. Patients’ statements and toxicological assays were more specific than sensitive, with lower scores for toxicological assays. Patients’ statements made it possible to detect nearly 80% of subjects with substance use disorder.

Conclusion:  Identification of substance use disorder in subjects with IDO has strong clinical consequences regarding treatment and prevention of suicidal behaviour. Thus, emergency department staff should be made aware of the value of more systematically exploring self‐reported substance use.
Prevalence of major depression and stress indicators in the Danish general population
Authors: Olsen L. R. , Mortensen E. L. , Bech P.
Published: December 2004

Objective:  To estimate the prevalence rate of major depression in the Danish general population by using the Major Depression Inventory (MDI), a validated self‐rating scale fulfilling the symptomatic criteria in DSM‐IV and ICD‐10 for a depressive episode.

Method:  A booklet containing the MDI and a number of questions on psychosocial factors was sent to 2040 randomly selected Danish citizens. The sample was age‐ and gender‐stratified. Mean MDI scores were calculated. Logistic regression analysis was used in order to produce a model for the influence of psychosocial factors.

Results:  The response rate was 60%. The point prevalence of major depression was 3.3%. Among the tested predictors of depression were sociodemographic variables, alcohol and smoking habit, bodily pain, somatic diseases and traumatic life events. For a traumatic event in personal life over the past year odds ratio was 6.4 [2.7; 15.5], for overconsumption of alcohol odds ratio was 3.2 [1.5; 6.8]. While the gender difference in major depression rate was not found statistically significant, a significant (P < 0.05) gender difference of male to female of 1 : 2 was found when including minor depression. Of people identified as having a major depression only 13% were currently treated by a medical doctor.

Conclusion:  Major depression has a high prevalence in the Danish general population and seems to be undertreated. The gender difference was only found statistically significant when including minor depression, indicating that the female predominance is less pronounced in the more severe depression states.
Suicidal behaviour in early psychosis
Authors: Addington J. , Williams J. , Young J. , Addington D.
Published: December 2004

Objective:  This was to determine the prevalence of suicidal behaviours prior to and during the first year of treatment in a comprehensive early psychosis program (EPP) and to identify predictors of suicidal behaviour.

Method:  In a cohort study of 238 subjects, patients were assessed at initial presentation to an EPP and 1 year later. Measures included a range of demographic variables, suicide attempts, depression, positive and negative symptoms, social functioning and substance misuse.

Results:  Although 15.1% attempted suicide prior to program entry, only 2.9% made an attempt in the year after program entry and 0.4% completed suicide. No further attempts were seen in those with previous parasuicide. These rates are lower than other published rates for first‐episode patients.

Conclusion:  It is possible that specifically designed first‐episode programs can reduce the suicidal behaviour in this high‐risk population. The low prevalence of attempted suicide makes modeling predictors difficult.
The effect of previous psychiatric history on the cost of care: a comparison of various regression models
Authors: Mirandola M. , Amaddeo F. , Dunn G. , Tansella M.
Published: December 2004

Objective:  Many studies conducted in Europe have reported high variance of costs estimated at the individual level. The objectives of the present study were to estimate costs of patients and to evaluate the performance of various regression models.

Method:  All patients who in the period 1992–1995 had at least one contact with the psychiatric services in South Verona were included in the study and were followed for 1 year after the index contact (n = 1725). Four different groups, classified on the basis of their previous services utilization, were analysed.

Results:  First‐ever patients and patients with a new episode of care after 3 years were less costly than patients with an ongoing episode of care and patients having a new episode, after an interval between 3 months and 3 years.

Conclusion:  The regression models allow us to predict cost for a patient with a given set of characteristics. Great care in the interpretation of the values of the individual coefficients should be taken in order to have a broader understanding of the expenditure dynamic.
Relationship of childhood trauma to age of first suicide attempt and number of attempts in substance dependent patients
Authors: Roy A.
Published: December 2004

Objective:  To examine whether childhood trauma effect the age of first attempting suicide and the number of attempts.

Method:  One thousand twelve hundred and eighty substance dependent patients were interviewed about whether or not they had ever attempted suicide, the age of first attempt and the number of attempts. Patients completed the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire – 34 item version.

Results:  Five hundred and thirty‐eight patients (42%) had attempted suicide. Significantly more of the patients who had attempted suicide were female. Patients who had made three or more attempts had significantly higher childhood trauma scores than patients who had made two attempts, who had higher scores than patients who had made one attempt, who had higher scores than patients who had never attempted. Patients who first attempted suicide before the age of 20 years had significantly higher childhood trauma scores than patients who first attempted after 20 years of age.

Conclusion:  Childhood trauma may be a determinant of the age of onset of suicidal behavior and of the number of suicide attempts.
Hallucination focused integrative treatment improves quality of life in schizophrenia patients
Authors: Wiersma D. , Jenner J. A. , Nienhuis F. J. , van, de Willige G.
Published: December 2004

Objective:  Psychosocial treatment seems to be effective in the management of schizophrenia, although less in the area of quality of life and social functioning. To study the effectiveness of a hallucination focused integrated treatment with cognitive‐behaviour therapy and coping training among schizophrenia patients suffering from ‘hearing voices’.

Method:  In a randomized controlled trial (RCT) with 31 patients in the integrated treatment condition and 32 patients in the routine care condition, quality of life was assessed with the self‐report questionnaire of the WHO (Bref), and social role functioning with an interviewer based schedule, at entry and 9 (post‐treatment) and 18 months later.

Results:  Follow‐up data suggest a significant improvement of quality of life and in particular in social role functioning (effect size 0.64) in favour of the integrated treatment.

Conclusion:  The integrated treatment seems to be effective in reducing overall disability levels and number of patients with serious disabilities.
Migration and mental health
Authors: Bhugra D.
Published: December 2004

Objective:  Migration and its accompanying stressors affect migrating individuals and their families. The process of migration is not simple or straightforward. The aim of this review is to distil existing information on how migration influences individuals’ mental state and how it determines help seeking as well as pathways to care.

Method:  The review relies on published studies in both MEDLINE and non‐MEDLINE journals as well as relevant monographs. The search was employed using migration, ethnic communities, stress and other relevant words for purposes of the review.

Results:  The review provides a background on the typology of migration, its impact on communities as well as individuals. Furthermore, the relationship of mental illness to migration is explored and described. Future research plans are advocated in relationship with these findings.

Conclusion:  Migration is and can be a very stress‐inducing phenomenon. Yet not all migrants go through the same process. The clinician needs to be aware of coping strategies as well as resilience among migrants.
T cell reactivity in neonates from an East and a West German city – results of the LISA study
Authors: Lehmann I. , Thoelke A. , Weiss M. , Schlink U. , Schulz R. , Diez U. , Sierig G. , Emmrich F. , Jacob B. , Belcredi P. , Bolte G. , Heinrich J. , Herbarth O. , Wichmann H.E. , Borte M.
Published: December 2004

Background: Within an ongoing birth cohort study (LISA) the cytokine production of cord blood T cells was compared between neonates from Leipzig (East Germany) and Munich (West Germany). The aim of this study was to analyse regional differences and influencing factors of the immune status.

Methods: Cytokine production was measured in a randomly selected subgroup of 158 children from the LISA (Life style – Immune system – Allergy) cohort by intracellular cytokine staining. Information on family “atopy” history (FAH) and home characteristics was obtained from questionnaires.

Results: Reduced numbers of interferon‐γ (IFN‐γ) and tumor necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α) producing T cells were found in association with biparental FAH and housing renovation during pregnancy. In addition, cytokine production was influenced by season. In Munich, the frequency of biparental FAH and of renovation measures during pregnancy was significantly higher as compared to Leipzig. Neonates from Munich showed significantly decreased amounts of IFN‐γ and TNF‐α and elevated levels of interleukin‐4 (IL‐4) producing T cells. Differences in cytokine production between Munich and Leipzig were influenced by season (IL‐4) and housing renovation (IFN‐γ, TNF‐α).

Conclusions: Since differences in the T cell cytokine production of neonates in Munich and Leipzig are independent from FAH our findings may provide evidence for the impact of environmental factors upon the fetal immune system.
Morphology of Canine Cumulus–Oocyte Complexes in Pre‐pubertal Bitches
Authors: Haenisch‐Woehl A. , Kölle S. , Neumüller C. , Sinowatz F. , Braun J.
Published: December 2004

The morphology of canine cumulus–oocyte complexes (COCs) before puberty is still unknown. Therefore, the aim of our study was to elucidate the morphological characteristics of pre‐pubertal oocytes and cumulus cells by light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The pre‐pubertal oocyte was characterized by accumulation of lipid yolk droplets in the cytoplasm as well as high energy metabolism, low protein synthesis and high transcriptional activity of the cumulus cells. The cumulus cells, which revealed a prominent nucleus and few cytoplasm, communicated with each other by few short processes and exhibited merely a small amount of processes reaching the oocyte. Our studies imply that both the oocyte and the cumulus cells of canine COCs before puberty reveal characteristic morphological features which are correlated with changes in oocyte metabolism and cumulus cell communication.
Alcohol‐related disorders in first‐ and second‐generation immigrants in Sweden: a national cohort study
Authors: Hjern Anders , Allebeck Peter
Published: December 2004

Aims The risk of alcohol‐related disorders in first‐ and second‐generation immigrants in Sweden were investigated and compared with the Swedish majority population to assess how alcohol habits are modified over generations in a new society.

Design Register study based on multivariate analyses of demographic data, including information on country of birth, from the Swedish Population and Housing Census of 1985 linked to data on hospital admissions for alcohol‐related disorders during 1990–99 in the National Hospital Discharge Register.

Participants The study population consisted of a national cohort of 1.25 million youth born 1968–79 and 1.47 million adults born 1929–65.

Results First‐ and second‐generation immigrants from Finland had higher relative risks (RRs) for hospital admission because of an alcohol‐related disorder compared to the Swedish majority population (socio‐economic adjusted RRs 2.1 and 1.9, respectively), while first‐generation immigrants born in southern Europe, the Middle East and other non‐European countries had lower risks. Second‐generation immigrants with heritage in southern Europe, the Middle East and other non‐European countries had socio‐economic adjusted RRs that were higher relative to the first generation immigrants but lower relative to the Swedish majority population. Intercountry adoptees had the highest adjusted RR (2.5).

Conclusions Patterns of alcohol abuse in the country of origin are strong determinants of alcohol‐related disorders in first‐generation immigrants. The patterns in second‐generation immigrants are influenced by parental countries of origin as well as patterns in the majority population. The Finnish minority and intercountry adoptees are of particular concern in prevention.
The impact of illicit drug supply reduction on health and social outcomes: the heroin shortage in the Australian Capital Territory
Authors: Smithson Michael , McFadden Michael , Mwesigye Sue‐Ellen , Casey Tony
Published: December 2004

Aims  We seek to establish whether a substantial decline in the supply of heroin, as measured by indicators such as drug purity, is related to changes in drug‐related health indicators such as ambulance callouts to heroin overdoses and numbers participating in methadone treatment programmes, and to changes in levels of property crime. The guiding hypothesis is that reduced supply will result in positive health and social outcomes.

Design  Standard time‐series methods are employed to analyse official data from local law‐enforcement and heroin supply indicators and several health and social outcome indicators within the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), spanning the late 1990s to early 2002. Autoregressive moving average (ARMA) models are estimated to remove autocorrelation from these series. Cross‐correlation and autoregression models are then employed to identify the best predictive models.

Findings  When autocorrelation has been removed, a reduction in heroin purity predicts a large decline in heroin‐related ambulance callouts and an increase in methadone treatment programme enrolments. There is little evidence of an increase in negative outcomes due to heroin users switching to other drugs. A reduction in purity also predicts declines in robbery and burglary but not in theft.

Conclusion  The overall evidence indicates modest links between the declines in heroin supply and increases in positive health outcomes and decreases in crime, as predicted by a simple economic model. Due to the shortness of some of the series and consequent limitations in statistical power, these conclusions should be regarded as tentative.
Triple therapy with sucralfate, amoxycillin and metronidazole for healing duodenal ulcer and eradicating Helicobacter pylori infection
Authors: STUPNICKI Th. , TAUFER M. , DENK H. , RATSCHEK M. , SPATH P. , GRAF K.
Published: December 2004

Methods: Seventy‐seven chronic duodenal ulcer patients (50 male) were entered into this study. Treatment was started with sucralfate suspension (2 g b.d.) for 8 weeks. After 2 weeks the patients also received 750 mg amoxycillin t.d.s. plus 500 mg metronidazole t.d.s. for 12 days. Endoscopy with six antral biopsies (urease test, Gram staining, culture and histology) was performed before commencement of sucralfate therapy, 4 weeks after the end of antibiotic therapy, and during the follow‐up examinations at 6 and 12 months.

Results: Seven patients were excluded prematurely from the study. Helicobacter pylori in five patients had primary resistance to metronidazole and these patients were also excluded. The ulcer healing rate 4 weeks after the end of antibiotic therapy was 92% and the H. pylori eradication rate was 82% (all per protocol). In all patients who were still H. pylori‐positive, the bacterium became resistant to metronidazole and histologically the inflammatory state of the mucosa was the same as before treatment. All H. pylori‐eradicated patients (n=53) were re‐examined after 6 and 12 months; no ulcer recurrence was observed and each time only one reinfection was found.

Conclusions: In an open study, sucralfate with amoxycillin and metronidazole appeared to act together to eradicate H. pylori infection and to speed duodenal ulcer healing.
High effectiveness and safety of one‐week antibiotic regimen in Helicobacter pylori eradication
Authors: DALLA LIBERA M. , PAZZI P. , CARLI G. , GAMBERINI S. , SCAGLIARINI R. , MERIGHI A. , GULLINI S.
Published: December 2004

Background: Helicobacter pylori is strongly associated with peptic ulcer: H. pylori eradication markedly decreases the recurrence rate of duodenal and gastric ulcer, but the optimum length of antibiotic therapy in the eradication of H. pylori is still unclear.

Aim: To verify the effectiveness and side‐effect profile of an eradicating regimen consisting of omeprazole 20 mg daily for 4 weeks and, during the first week, combination antimicrobial treatment with tinidazole 500 mg b.d. plus clarithromycin 250 mg b.d. in patients with active duodenal and gastric ulcer.

Methods: One hundred and ninety‐six duodenal ulcer patients and 27 gastric ulcer patients with H. pylori infection were admitted into an open prospective study. Compliance was assessed by an accurate interview.

Results: Overall, H. pylori was successfully eradicated in 201 of 223 patients (intention‐to‐treat 90.1%; 95% CI=85–94%): 176 of 196 duodenal ulcer patients became H. pylori‐negative (89.8%; CI=85–94%) as well as 25 of 27 gastric ulcer patients (92.6%; CI=76–99%). Compliance was excellent in 221 of 223 (99.1%) patients evaluated as having taken all the medication as prescribed. Sixteen patients (7.2%) developed mild side effects during treatment.

Conclusion: This combination treatment had excellent results with almost absolute compliance and a very low rate of minor side effects.
Gastric mucosal injury and adaptation to oral and rectal administration of naproxen
Authors: LIPSCOMB G. R. , REES W. D. W.
Published: December 2004

Introduction: Oral nonsteroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) cause acute gastric mucosal injury but the relative importance of systemic and topical effect of NSAIDs to overall gastric damage remains uncertain.

Methods: Twenty‐four healthy volunteers were allocated either oral or rectal naproxen 500 mg b.d. and gastroscoped before and during days 1, 7 and 28 of dosing. Macroscopic gastric damage was assessed using a modified Lanza score, mucosal blood flow recorded using laser Doppler flowmetry and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) measured in antral mucosal biopsies.

Results: Maximal gastric damage occurred during the first 24 h in the oral naproxen group and was associated with a fall in antral mucosal blood flow (mean±S.E.M.) from 58.2±3.3 to 46.6±4.1 arbitrary units (a.u.) (P<0.05). With continued administration of oral naproxen, gastric damage resolved and antral mucosal blood flow returned to baseline (54.2±3.7 a.u.). No macroscopic damage or significant changes in mucosal blood flow were observed during rectal administration. There was no significant difference between mucosal PGE2 concentrations in those receiving oral or rectal naproxen, falling from an initial level of 335±29 to 155±49 pg/mg at day 1 (P=0.06) in those receiving oral naproxen and from 235±55 to 107±31 pg/mg at day 1 (P=0.1) in those receiving rectal naproxen, and remaining suppressed throughout the study in both groups.

Conclusions: These observations suggest that acute mucosal damage and changes in mucosal blood flow are caused by the topical rather than systemic actions of naproxen.
One‐week triple therapy with omeprazole, amoxycillin and either clarithromycin or metronidazole for cure of Helicobacter pylori infection
Authors: LABENZ J. , STOLTE M. , PEITZ U. , TILLENBURG B , BECKER T. , BÖRSCH G.
Published: December 2004

Aim: The present study was designed to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of 1‐week triple therapy regimens for Helicobacter pylori.

Methods: In two consecutive series, 120 patients with proven H. pylori infection and peptic ulcer disease or functional dyspepsia were treated with either omeprazole 20 mg b.d., amoxycillin 1 g b.d. and clarithromycin 250 mg b.d. (OAC; n=60) or with omeprazole 20 mg b.d., amoxycillin 1 g b.d. and metronidazole 400 mg b.d. over 1 week (OAM; n=60). H. pylori infection was assessed by rapid urease test, culture and histology before and 4 weeks after cessation of the eradication therapy.

Results: H. pylori eradication succeeded in 53 out of 60 patients by omeprazole–amoxycillin–clarithromycin (OAC) (88%; 95% CI 77–95%) and in 47 out of 60 patients by omeprazole–amoxycillin–metronidazole (OAM) (78%; 95% CI 66–88%) (P=0.22). Nine patients of each group available for follow‐up reported adverse events (15.0 and 15.5%, respectively) without necessity of discontinuation of the study medications. Serious adverse events were not observed.

Conclusions: Simple and convenient 1‐week triple therapies consisting of omeprazole, amoxycillin and either clarithromycin or metronidazole are sufficiently effective in eradicating H. pylori infection.
Comparison of two lansoprazole–antibiotic combinations (amoxycillin or classical triple therapy) for treatment of H. pylori infection in duodenal ulcer patients
Authors: PARENTE F. , MACONI G. , BARGIGGIA S. , COLOMBO E. , BIANCHI PORRO G.
Published: December 2004

Aim: To compare the eradicating capacity of two different antibiotic–lansoprazole combinations (amoxycillin vs. standard triple therapy) with that of lansoprazole alone in Helicobacter pylori‐positive duodenal ulcer patients.

Methods: Ninety‐six out‐patients with H. pylori‐positive duodenal ulcer were randomly assigned to receive one of the following three antiulcer regimens: (1) lansoprazole 30 mg b.d. for 4 weeks plus amoxycillin 1 g t.d.s. during the last 2 weeks; or (2) lansoprazole 30 mg once daily for 4 weeks plus classical triple therapy (tripotassium dicitratobismuthate 240 mg b.d., amoxycillin 1 g t.d.s. and tinidazole 500 mg b.d.) for the last 2 weeks; or (3) lansoprazole 30 mg once daily for 4 weeks. Endoscopy was repeated at the end of treatment and 1 month later. A rapid urease test and histology were used to determine H. pylori status.

Results: Duodenal ulcer healing rates at 4 weeks were 96% after both lansoprazole with amoxycillin, and lansoprazole with triple therapy, and 97% after lansoprazole alone. Eradication of H. pylori was significantly better with lansoprazole with triple therapy than with either lansoprazole with amoxycillin or lansoprazole alone (90% vs. 55% vs. 3%, respectively).

Conclusion: Classical triple therapy combined with lansoprazole is significantly more effective than the lansoprazole with amoxycillin combination for the eradication of H. pylori in duodenal ulcer patients pre‐treated with lansoprazole.
Effectiveness and safety of ciclosporin as therapy for autoimmune diseases of the liver in children and adolescents
Authors: Sciveres M. , Caprai S. , Palla G. , Ughi C. , Maggiore G.
Published: December 2004

Background : Conventional treatment for autoimmune hepatitis results in a significant percentage of failures and several, poorly tolerated, side‐effects. Therapy for autoimmune cholangitis and giant cell hepatitis associated with autoimmune haemolysis is poorly documented. Ciclosporin is a promising treatment for all of these diseases.

Methods : We reviewed the records of 12 patients treated in our unit between 1987 and 2001. Eight had autoimmune hepatitis, two had autoimmune cholangitis and two had giant cell hepatitis. Indications for ciclosporin were treatment failure (four patients) and contraindications to/refusal of steroids (eight patients). Ciclosporin was administered in five untreated cases and in seven patients during relapse. The mean duration of ciclosporin administration was 35.6 months (8–89 months). The median follow‐up was 6.5 years (1.5–15 years).

Results : All patients achieved complete remission in a median period of 4.5 weeks (2–12 weeks). No treatment withdrawal due to side‐effects occurred. Three patients required a combination of ciclosporin with conventional treatment due to severe liver function impairment. Tolerance to ciclosporin was excellent. A 20% transient elevation of serum creatinine occurred in one case, gingival hypertrophy in two and moderate hypertrichosis in two.

Conclusions : Ciclosporin may be considered as a safe treatment for all autoimmune liver diseases and as an effective alternative for front‐line therapy.
Practices of anaesthesiologists with regard to withholding and withdrawal of life support from the critically ill in Turkey
Authors: IyilikÇi L. , Erbayraktar S. , Gökmen N. , Ellidokuz H. , Kara H. C. , Günerli A.
Published: December 2004

Background:  To determine practices of Turkish anaesthesiologists with regard to withholding and withdrawal of life support from the critically ill.

Methods:  An anonymous questionnaire consisting of 18 questions was mailed to 439 members of the Turkish Society of Anaesthesiology and Reanimation.

Results:  Three hundred and 69 questionnaires were returned (84% response). Over 90% of the respondents indicated that they were Muslim. We found that 66% of respondents had initiated written or oral do‐not‐resuscitate orders, most frequently after discussion with colleagues (82%).

Conclusions:  While a number of similarities were found between Turkish anaesthesiologists and those from other countries, some specific differences could be identified, particularly related to consensus decision‐making and sharing information with other providers and the value of Ethics Committees in the decision‐making process.
Morphometry of the Thoracic Spine in German Shepherd Dog: A Computed Tomographic Study
Authors: Dabanoglu I. , Kara M. E. , Turan E. , Ocal M. K.
Published: December 2004

Computed tomographic images of the thoracic spine of 13 German shepherd dogs were examined in order to determine the thoracic spine morphometry. Examinations were carried out in the transverse plane both intervertebral and mid‐vertebral levels of the each thoracic vertebrae. The dorsoventral and interpedicular diameters of the spinal canal, the dorsoventral and transverse diameters of the vertebral body, the dorsoventral and transverse diameters of the spinal cord and also the cross‐section area of the spinal canal were measured. The maximum values were found to be at the level of C7‐T1. The shapes of the spinal canal and cord were circular in middle part, the shape became transverse oval in the cranial and caudal parts of the thoracic spine. The most significant correlation between the diameters was found to be in male dogs, except between dorsoventral diameters of the spinal canal and that of the vertebral body and between dorsoventral diameters of the spinal canal and transverse diameters of the vertebral body.
Distribution, habitats and host plants of the cherry bark tortrix, Enarmonia formosana (Scopoli) in the Czech Republic (Lepidoptera, Tortricidae)
Authors: Tanigoshi L. K. , Starý P.
Published: December 2004

Distribution of the cherry bark tortrix, Enarmonia formosana (Scopoli) (=CBT) was determined by detecting the presence of their frass tubes on the trunk of rosaceous shrubs and trees throughout the Czech Republic. Tree disjunctive areas of CBT were indicated in the country. The overall distribution of CBT approximates the annual isothermes 8–9 °C and 10–11 °C, but a number of zonal exceptions were also determined. The occurrence of CBT on sweet cherry, Prunus avium (L.) was the key target association, but P. armeniaca L., P. cerasus L., P. divaricata Ledeb., P. domestica L., P. persica L., and P. serrulata Lindley were also identified on the distributional map.
Health enhancing physical activity: Factors influencing engagement patterns in children
Authors: Poulsen Anne A. , Ziviani Jenny M.
Published: December 2004

Physical inactivity and the development of increasingly sedentary lifestyles are recognised as a community health concern, the origins of which can be traced from childhood lifestyle behaviours. Physical activity engagement patterns in children are multidimensional and occupational therapists are philosophically well suited to profiling these activity patterns. To do so requires a broad understanding of the complex, interrelated contextual, interpersonal, intrapersonal and temporal aspects of occupational performance. In this paper, the SCOPE‐IT model (Synthesis of Child Occupational Performance and Environment — In Time) is used as a conceptual framework for describing these factors. This is undertaken with the purpose of alerting occupational therapists and others who work with children to key factors that influence the development of healthy lifestyles where there is an optimal balance between physically active and sedentary pursuits. Achieving temporal balance in core areas of occupational performance underpins physical and mental health and has implications for disease prevention.
New feather mites of the family Pterolichidae (Acari: Pterolichoidea) from parrots (Aves: Psittaciformes) in Australia
Authors: Mironov Serge V , Dabert Jacek , Proctor Heather C
Published: December 2004

Abstract Seven new feather mite species of the family Pterolichidae are described from various Australian parrots: Apexolichus lathami sp. n. from the swift parrot, Lathamus discolor (Shaw); Titanolichus platycerci sp. n. and Rhytidelasma punctata sp. n. from the pale‐headed rosella, Platycercus adscitus (Latham); R. striata sp. n. from the Australian king‐parrot, Alisterus scapularis (Lichtenstein); Lorilichus stenolobus sp. n. and Lorilichus curvilobus sp. n. from the rainbow lorikeet, Trichoglossus haematodus (Linnaeus); Psittophagus galahi sp. n. from the galah, Eolophus roseicapillus (Vieillot). We give a brief overview of taxonomic studies of pterolichid mites living on Psittaciformes, and discuss the main diagnostic characters of different generic groups of these mites.
Inundative release of coccinellid beetles into eucalypt plantations for biological control of chrysomelid leaf beetles
Authors: Baker Susan C. , Elek Jane A. , Bashford Richard , Paterson Steve C. , Madden John , Battaglia Michael
Published: December 2004

Abstract 1 Inundative augmentative releases of adult coccinellid beetles were assessed for their potential to effectively supplement biological control of outbreak populations of the Eucalyptus leaf beetle Chrysophtharta bimaculata in Eucalyptus nitens plantations.

2 Mixed groups of two species of overwintering coccinellids, Cleobora mellyi and Harmonia conformis, were collected from the field then fed three diets in the laboratory prior to release. Both species were released in the summer into two E. nitens plantations with economically damaging Chrysophtharta populations.

3 Differences between dispersal of coccinellids fed the three diets were slight; beetles brought straight out of overwintering before release were initially slower moving onto trees.

4 Numbers of coccinellids on trees in monitoring plots decreased exponentially with time, and populations had returned to prerelease levels 7 days after release. The number of coccinellids recaptured decreased with increasing distance from the release point with very few coccinellids per tree at 70 m distance. Dispersal of C. mellyi away from the release plot was slower than that of H. conformis.

5 Numbers of coccinellids on trees were significantly related to predation levels of C. bimaculata with a large decrease in the C. bimaculata population to below the economic damage threshold in plots where the numbers of coccinellids were high.

6 The results of this study suggest that inundative release of laboratory reared coccinellids is possible for biological control of C. bimaculata, although it may only be economically viable in small, environmentally sensitive areas.
Volatile semiochemical impact on trapping and distribution in maize of northern and western corn rootworm beetles (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)
Authors: Hammack Leslie
Published: December 2004

Abstract 1 Field studies evaluated plant attractants and analogues as tools to move corn rootworm beetles (Diabrotica spp.) into areas to be treated with toxic baits for population suppression via mass removal/annihilation of reproductive adults.

2 When dispensed from sticky traps in maize, 2‐phenyl‐1‐ethylamine and 2‐phenyl‐1‐ethanol captured more northern corn rootworm, Diabrotica barberi, than did 4‐methoxyphenethanol. Only 2‐phenyl‐1‐ethanol attracted the western corn rootworm, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera, but not until maize matured beyond milk stage.

3 Attraction of D. barberi to the amine, alone or blended with 2‐phenyl‐1‐ethanol, occurred before and after maize flowered but not during intervening silk or blister stages. Attraction recurred during early milk stage at or before 50% emergence of adult female D. barberi or D. v. virgifera, respectively, and before populations declined for the season.

4 Synergistic interaction of 2‐phenyl‐1‐ethylamine with 2‐phenyl‐1‐ethanol in attracting D. barberi females did not occur until maize matured to late milk stage.

5 The amine‐alcohol blend (0.44 point sources m−2) doubled the density of D. barberi but not D. v. virgifera when applied to small plots within mostly milk‐stage or younger maize. Traps without bait within attractant‐treated plots captured more female, but not male, D. barberi than did traps in untreated control plots, hinting that females accounted for most of the observed increase in beetle density.

6 The results suggest that attractants can be used despite phenological limitations to concentrate preovipositional females within field areas and thus to complement a variety of corn rootworm control strategies.
Intra‐plant host selection, oviposition preference and larval survival of Chrysophtharta agricola (Chapuis) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Paropsini) between foliage types of a heterophyllous host
Authors: Nahrung Helen F. , Allen Geoff R.
Published: December 2004

Abstract 1 Paropsine chrysomelid beetles defoliate commercial eucalypt plantations in Australia. Adults and larvae feed on the same host, with the larval food source determined by the oviposition choice of females. Most eucalypt species are heterophyllous, with their foliage undergoing distinct morphological and chemical changes between adult and juvenile growth.

2 The intra‐plant foliage feeding and oviposition preference adults and the larval development of Chrysophtharta agricola were examined using adult and juvenile foliage of a heterophyllous plantation species, Eucalyptus nitens. The foliage types differ in chemistry, toughness, waxiness and timing of production.

3 In the field, feeding damage caused by adult beetles was 15% more frequent on adult foliage than on juvenile foliage; however, egg batches were three times more common on juvenile than on adult foliage.

4 Oviposition preference for juvenile foliage over adult foliage was confirmed in choice trials in the laboratory, with adult fecundity and longevity not significantly different between foliage types.

5 Larval survival, development time and subsequent pupal weight were also unaffected by foliage type, suggesting that neither foliage type is nutritionally superior for adults or for larvae. However, adult foliage was significantly thicker than juvenile foliage and this may prove a physical constraint to larval establishment. Biotic and abiotic factors (including interactions with natural enemies, competition, microclimate and mate location) that may affect patterns of host plant utilization are discussed.
Genetic Epidemiology
Authors: MORTON N. E.
Published: December 2004

Every science has roots that antedate acceptance as a discipline. Neglecting these intimations, there is a consensus that population genetics became a recognised science about 1920, and that it split into two branches about 1960. One branch is concerned with historical processes, uniting genetics with anthropology and (in other species) with paleontology and taxonomy. The other branch is concerned with inheritance in contemporary populations, uniting genetics with epidemiology, medicine, psychology, and (in other species) with agriculture. Anthony Edwards (1995) identified this dichotomy as ‘differential‐equation biology’ vs ‘statistical biology’. The distinction becomes fastidious when current gene frequencies are taken as indirect evidence for selection by disease in the remote past: such inference from a unique event is more characteristic of evolutionary genetics but concerns all population geneticists. From time to time interest groups are formed around twins, behaviour, demography, or quantitative traits, but they are generally recognised as aspects of genetic epidemiology. If the young science is in jeopardy, it is not by fission but by exclusion of studies that are only indirectly related to disease, which provides a focus but does not specify the contents. I will argue that every aspect of population genetics that is not primarily concerned with evolution is part of genetic epidemiology, and that the field must suffer if it is not inclusive. As with all human activity progress is punctuated, often cyclical, and therefore suggests the real and apparent movement of celestial bodies for which the language of astronomy is appropriate.
Assessment of genetic diversity in space by superimposition of a distorted geographic map with a spatial population clustering. Application to GM haplotypes of native Amerindian tribes
Authors: MOURRIERAS B. , DUGOUJON J.‐M. , BUFFAT L. , HAZOUT S.
Published: December 2004

The GM immunoglobulin (Ig) allotype distributions of 49 native Amerindian populations from North to South America were analysed by a new technique called ‘Mobile Sites Method’ (MSM). This allows the global interpretation of genetic diversity in space by means of a distorted geographic map called a ‘genetic similarity map’. This approach has been improved by superimposing in the distorted geographic map both the haplotype set (represented by hypothetical populations having a 100% frequency of the haplotype considered) and the ‘geography‐genetics discontinuities’ (i.e. the zones between homogeneous population clusters). This bidimensional representation completes the interpretation of the genetic distances between populations in terms of local genetic diversity and possible migrations. Our results concerning the spatial distribution of the Amerindian populations show: (i) a great interdependence of the geographic locations and the GM haplotype distributions (the importance of the geographic factor was checked with the usual technique of ‘random sampling’ and the percentage of explained distance variability decreases from 78% with the observed data to a level less than 67% with the random data); (ii) a parallelism between genetics and linguistics groups as indicated by the population clusters in the similarity map, and (iii) a complex distorted map revealing the presence of multiple population migrations and admixtures in the course of time. A particular distortion of South America suggests possible migrations by sea along the western and eastern coasts of Central America, or multiple migration waves without population admixture across Central America.
Randomization tests of disease‐marker associations
Authors: MORRIS A. P. , CURNOW R. N. , WHITTAKER J. C.
Published: December 2004

A powerful test for population association of a disease with alleles at a bi‐allelic marker locus is the transmission/disequilibrium test (TDT). A generalization of the test to multi‐allelic marker locus is proposed which utilizes the maximal association of individual alleles with the disease, given by the maximum TDT statistic, TDT(max). To overcome the multiple testing problem encountered when using the maximal association to test the null hypothesis of no disease‐marker association, a randomization procedure is developed. An investigation of the power of the test suggests that the randomization procedure performs almost as well as a recently proposed likelihood based test of linkage disequilibrium. The advantage of the new test is that it can be applied sequentially, based on a one‐sided version of the TDT statistic, for investigating patterns of association of several individual alleles with the disease.
Mutations associated with Sjögren–Larsson Syndrome
Authors: TSUKAMOTO N. , CHANG C. , YOSHIDA A.
Published: December 2004

Sjögren–Larsson syndrome (SLS), a rare autosomal disorder characterized by ichthyosis, spastic neurological disorders and oligophrenia, is associated with deficiency of fatty aldehyde dehydrogenase encoded by a gene on chromosome 17q11.2. Mutations of the gene (GDB symbol ALDH10) were recently identified in three SLS patients. Another aldehyde dehydrogenase isozyme, ALDH3, also has a high activity for fatty aldehyde oxidation, and is encoded by a gene in chromosome 17q11.2. Abnormality of the ALDH3 gene could also cause a similar syndrome.

The examination of the ALDH3 locus of three additional SLS patients showed that two are heterozygous with C→G at nt 985 (Pro→Ala at protein position 329). However, the mutation was found to be common (frequency of the atypical allele is about 0·25) in normal subjects, and not related to SLS.

Isoelectric focusing analysis indicated that ALDH3 is hardly expressed in normal as well as patients' fibroblast cells, while ALDH10 expressed in the normal cells is diminished in the three patients' cells. The level of ALDH10 mRNA is also low in the patients' cells.

The examination of the ALDH10 locus revealed the existence of a 3 base deletion coupled with a 21 base insertion at intron 6/exon 7 junction in one patient. This abnormality is the same as that found in the patient previously reported by other investigators. One patient is associated with a 2 base deletion at nt 1297 and consequent premature chain termination at protein position 434. Another patient is a compound heterozygote for the same 2 base deletion at nt 1297 and a 5 base insertion at nt 1311 and premature chain termination at protein position 457. Unique characteristics of the SLS mutations are pointed out.
A new variant of the cytochrome P450c17 (CYP17) gene mutation in three patients with 17 α‐hydroxylase deficiency
Authors: MONNO S. , MIZUSHIMA Y. , TOYODA N. , KASHII T. , KOBAYASHI M.
Published: December 2004

A new CYP17 gene abnormality was found in three Japanese patients with 17α‐hydroxylase deficiency (17OHD). These patients were children from consanguineous marriages, but from two apparently unrelated families: one patient with 46, XY karyotype, and two siblings with 46, XX and 46, XY karyotypes. They were all raised as girls and presented with amenorrhea, eunuchoid appearance and hypertension. Gene analysis revealed two base‐pair (TG) deletion in exon 5 (codons 300, 301) of the CYP17 gene. This deletion could be expected to alter the reading frame resulting in the lack of a haem‐binding region (Cys 442) due to a premature stop codon at position 333. This small mutation may account for the patients' clinical manifestations of 17OHD.
Cloning and evaluation of RALGDS as a candidate for the tuberous sclerosis gene TSC1
Authors: HUMPHREY D. , KWIATKOWSKA J. , HENSKE E. P. , HAINES J. L. , HALLEY D. , van SLEGTENHORST M. , KWIATKOWSKI D. J.
Published: December 2004

RALGDS is a 115 kDa protein which was identified by its ability to enhance guanine nucleotide exchange for the ras family member ral. It also binds to activated ras and rap1, and appears to function as part of a signalling complex in downstream events following rap1 activation. Here we report the identification of full‐length cDNA clones for human RALGDS, isolated from a brain cDNA library. The predicted protein has strong sequence homology to rat and murine isoforms of RALGDS in the N‐ and C‐terminal regions, but an internal region (aa 250–380) shows relatively high divergence with only 42% identical amino acid residues. The human RALGDS gene is contained within a 30 kb region of 9q34, approximately 200 kb proximal to the ABO gene, within the current critical region for the tuberous sclerosis gene TSC1. Partial genomic structure was determined; it consists of at least 11 exons. Based upon analysis of Southern blots from 110 TSC patients, genomic DNA SSCP analysis, and RT‐PCR analysis which demonstrated RNA expression of both alleles in patients from 9q34‐linked TSC families using intragenic polymorphisms, we conclude that RALGDS is not likely to be TSC1.
Assignment of the human cardiac/slow skeletal muscle troponin C gene (TNNC1) between D3S3118 and GCT4B10 on the short arm of chromosome 3 by somatic cell hybrid analysis
Authors: TOWNSEND P. J. , YACOUB M. H. , BARTON P. J. R.
Published: December 2004

We have determined the chromosomal location of the human cardiac/slow skeleletal muscle troponin C gene (TNNC1) to the short arm of chromosome 3 using somatic cell hybrids. PCR‐based analysis of a ‘monochromosomal’ hybrid panel identified the presence of the TNNC1 gene on human chromosome 3 and subsequent analysis of the Genebridge4 radiation hybrid panel located the gene between D3S3118 (7·3cR) and GCT4B10 (4·2cR) with a lod score of >3·0.
Cloning and chromosome assignment of the human CDX2 gene
Authors: DRUMMOND F. , PUTT W. , FOX M. , EDWARDS Y. H.
Published: December 2004

The caudal‐type homeobox gene Cdx2 encodes a transcription factor which is expressed in the intestine and is thought to play an important role in the proliferation and differentiation of intestinal epithelial cells. Mice heterozygous for null mutations in the caudal‐type homeobox gene Cdx2 show multiple adenomatous polyps in the proximal colon in addition to skeletal problems associated with abnormal segmentation. In human colorectal cancer the expression of both CDX2 and carbonic anhydrase 1, a gene regulated by CDX2, is reduced or absent. It is possible that mutation of CDX2is a primary event in the origin of some colorectal cancers. We have cloned human CDX2 cDNA and report here the nucleotide and protein sequences and assignment of the human gene to chromosome 13q12–13.
Population variation analysis at nine loci containing expressed trinucleotide repeats
Authors: JODICE C. , GIOVANNONE B. , CALABRESI V. , BELLOCCHI M. , TERRENATO L. , NOVELLETTO A.
Published: December 2004

The polymorphisms of nine loci containing reiterated CAG repeats were examined in four populations from three continents. Their normal variation was analysed across populations or in subsets of loci grouped according to either the presence/absence of disease‐associated expansions or CAG interruptions. A unifying feature of the allele distributions of all loci in all populations was the marked non‐normality. Significantly larger numbers of alleles, average lengths, length ranges and variances in repeat number were observed in loci with vs. without known expansions. Significantly longer alleles were found at loci with vs. without interruption of the (CAG)n motif. The nine loci detected levels of inter‐population variability comparable to other loci. Altogether the data are at odds with a model assuming that autosomal expressed trinucleotides accumulate variation exclusively by insertion/deletion of a single unit.