bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Adaptation of biliary response to dietary olive oil and sunflower-seed oil in dogs
Authors: Ballesta M. C. , Mañas M. , Martinez-Victoria E. , Seiquer I. , Huertas J. R. , Mataix F. J.
Published: September 2005

The effects of adaptation to dietary fat of different degrees of unsaturation (olive oil and sunflower oil) on bile secretion were studied in dogs at rest and after food intake. The animals were prepared with a bidirectional biliary cannula and a duodenal cannula to provide bile return. The two experimental groups were fed on diets containing 150 g fat/kg in the form of either olive oil (O) or sunflower-seed oil (S). The flow-rate under resting conditions and the patterns of response to food were similar in both experimental groups, although postprandial hypersection were significantly greater in volume and more prolonged in group O. No appreciable differences in concentration and output of biliary cholesterol or phospholipids were noted between the two groups. In contrast, the concentration and output of bile acids differed significantly both at rest and after food: concentration and output of bile acids were greater at rest in group S. However, after food intake, these responses were increased only in group O. The results suggest that the type of dietary fat affects biliary response to food, probably through differences in the contribution of the gall bladder in the two experimental groups.
Chromium supplementation in impaired glucose tolerance of elderly: effects on blood glucose, plasma insulin, C-peptide and lipid levels
Authors: Uusitupa Matti I. J. , Mykkänen Leena , Siitonen Onni , Laakso Markku , Sarlund Helena , Kolehmainen Päivi , Räsänen Tiina , Kumpulainen Jorma , Pyörälä Kalevi
Published: September 2005

Altogether twenty-six elderly subjects (aged 65–74 years) with persistent impaired glucose tolerance (World Health Organization (1985) criteria) identified in a population-based study, were randomly treated either with chromium-rich yeast (160 μg Cr/d) or with placebo for 6 months. The 24 h urinary Cr increased from 0.13 (se 0.03) to 0.40 (se 0.06) μg/d in the Cr group (n13) but no change was found in the placebo group (n11) (0.13 (se 0.02)v.0.11 (se 0.02) μg/d). No significant change was observed in the oral glucose tolerance test (glucose dose 75 g; 0, 1 and 2 h blood glucose respectively): 5.3 (se 0.1), 9.3 (se 0.3), 8.2 (se 0.3) mmol/lv.5.0 (se 0.1), 8.5 (se 0.4), 7.3 (se 0.5) mmol/l in the Cr group; 4.9 (se 0.2), 9.2 (se 0.6), 8.1 (se 0.3) mmol/lv.4.8 (se 0.2), 8.5 (se 0.5), 7.0 (se 0.6) mmol/l in the placebo group (baselinev.6 months). Glycosylated haemoglobin, plasma insulin, C-peptide and apolipoprotein Al and B levels remained unchanged, and no improvement was seen in serum total cholesterol (6.2 (se 0.3)v.6.4 (se 0.3) mmol/l for the Cr group, 6.2 (se 0.4)v.6.5 (se 0.3) mmol/l for the placebo group), high-density-lipoprotein-cholesterol (1.1 (se 0.1)v.1.2 (se 0.1) mmol/l for the Cr group, 1.0 (se 0.1)v.1.1 (se 0.1) mmol/l for the placebo group) or triacylglycerols (2.5 (se 0.4)v.2.0 (se 0.4) mmol/l for the Cr group, 2.4 (se 0.2)v.2.5 (se 0.2) mmol/l for the placebo group). The present results indicate that Cr supplementation does not improve glucose tolerance or serum lipid levels in elderly subjects with stable impaired glucose tolerance.
Hypocholesterolaemic effect of banana (Musa sapientumL. var. Cavendishii) pulp in the rat fed on a cholesterol-containing diet
Authors: Horigome T. , Sakaguchi E. , Kishimoto C.
Published: September 2005

The pulp of banana fruit (Musa sapientumL. var. Cavendishii) was examined for its cholesterol-lowering effect with male rats fed on a diet containing lard (50 g/kg) and cholesterol (5 g/kg). Freeze-dried banana pulp showed a marked cholesterol-lowering effect when incorporated into a diet at the level of 300 or 500 g/kg, while the banana pulp dried in a hot-air current (65°) did not. Starch and tannin prepared from banana pulp were not responsible for the cholesterol-lowering effect. The results also suggest that banana lipids did not affect the concentration of serum cholesterol. Feeding of dopamine,n-epinephrine and serotonin tended to raise the concentration of serum cholesterol. Thus, all the substances tested which were thought to be susceptible to influence by hot-air drying were unlikely to be responsible for the hypocholesterolaemic effect. However, both soluble and insoluble fibres fractionated from banana pulp had a cholesterol-lowering effect, with the exception of cellulose. It was assumed that a browning reaction undergone during hot-air drying might be related to the disappearance of the hypocholesterolaemic effect of banana pulp dried in a hot-air current. The results obtained support the conclusion that soluble and insoluble components of dietary fibre participate in the hypocholesterolaemic effect of banana pulp.
Production of chickens with marginal vitamin A deficiency
Authors: West Clive E. , Sijtsma S. Reinder , Peters Harry P. F. , Rombout Jan H. W. M. , Van Der Zijpp Akke J.
Published: September 2005

Marginally vitamin A-deficient 1-d-old chickens capable of remaining healthy for at least 6 weeks were produced using a two-generation model. In this model, hens fed on diets with a limited vitamin A content were used to obtain 1-d-old chickens which were marginally deficient in vitamin A. Only hens with a narrow range of plasma retinol values (0.60–0.85 μmol/l) were satisfactory for this purpose. Above this range the 1-d-old chickens were not marginally vitamin A deficient. Below this range egg production and hatchability were affected to some extent depending on the degree of vitamin A deficiency. Even when egg production and hatchability remained at a high level in such birds, the 1-d-old chickens produced were not sufficiently strong to survive the first weeks of life. The advantages of the two-generation model for producing marginally vitamin A-deficient chickens are the increased uniformity and predictability of the chickens with respect to body-weight, general health and vitamin A status. However, it does take about 3 months to produce such chickens.
The intake, digestion and protein degradation of grazed herbage by early-weaned lambs
Authors: Cruickshank G. J. , Poppi D. P. , Sykes A. R.
Published: September 2005

Sixty-four intact lambs and twenty-four lambs fitted with a duodenal cannula were weaned at 6 weeks of age and grazed pure species swards of either lucerne (Medicago sativa), white clover (Trifolium repens), ryegrass (Lolium perenne) or prairie grass (Bromus catharticus) for 6 weeks. Intake and duodenal digesta flow were estimated when lambs were 8 and 12 weeks of age. Lambs grazing the two legume species grew at a similar rate, as did lambs grazing the two grass species. Legumes promoted a 38% higher growth rate than grasses. The higher growth rate of lambs grazing legumes was associated with a 36% higher digestible organic matter intake (DOMI; 29.5 and 21.7 g/kg body-weight per d for legume and grass respectively) and a 33% higher duodenal non-ammonia-nitrogen (NAN) flow (1.22 and 0.92 g/kg body-weight per d respectively). There was no species difference in the site of organic matter digestion; on average 0.56 of DOMI was apparently digested in the rumen and 0.77 of DOMI was truly digested in the rumen. There was no difference in duodenal NAN flow, relative to DOMI (average, 43 g/kg) or to organic matter apparently digested in the rumen (80 g/kg). Similarly, there was no difference in microbial N flow relative to duodenal NAN (0.50 g/g) and organic matter apparently (41 g/kg) or truly (29 g/kg) digested in the rumen. It was concluded that the higher growth rates achieved by lambs grazing legumes were due to higher intakes which increased the total quantity of nutrients supplied despite more protein being lost in the rumen of lambs consuming legumes.
Changes in neurotransmitter levels associated with the deficiency of some essential amino acids in the diet
Authors: Venero José L. , Herrera Antonio J. , Machado Alberto , Cano Josefina
Published: September 2005

The contents of dopamine (DA) and serotonin (5-HT) and their metabolites were measured in rat substantia nigra and corpus striatum following dietary changes, including restriction of protein content (low-protein diet; LPD) and the contents of several large neutral amino acids (isoleucine, leucine, methionine, phenylalanine, tryptophan and valine) for 25 d. The LPD produced an increase in the concentration of tyrosine (TYR) in the two regions of the brain studied. This effect was also observed with all amino acid deficiencies studied except for valine in the substantia nigra, tryptophan in the striatum and phenylalanine in both regions. Likewise, the concentration of 5-hydroxyindolacetic acid (5-HIAA), the main metabolite of 5-HT, increased in the substantia nigra but not in the striatum after LPD, as well as with all the amino acid deficiencies studied, with the exception of tryptophan deficiency. In this case there was a dramatic effect on all components of the serotoninergic system, with decreases in the concentration of tryptophan (TRP; precursor), 5-HT and 5-HIAA. This behaviour clearly shows an interrelationship between precursor (TRP) availability and 5-HT synthesis and metabolism. With valine deficiency, dopaminergic and serotoninergic systems demonstrated opposite effects in the substantia nigra and the corpus striatum, and the behaviour of the two monoamines was also opposite within each structure. The significance of these changes is discussed.
The effects of feed intake and purified cellulose on the endogenous ileal amino acid flow in growing pigs
Authors: Furuya S. , Kaji Y.
Published: September 2005

The effects of level of feed intake (0.8, 1.2 and 1.6 kg/d) and body-weight of the pig (49 and 92 kg) in Expt 1, and dietary neutral-detergent fibre (NDF; 30, 60, 90, 120 and 150 g/kg) in Expt 2 on the endogenous ileal flow of amino acids (AA) and nitrogen were studied with protein-free diets into which purified wood cellulose was incorporated at the expense of maize starch. In Expt 1, one of the protein-free diets containing 90 g NDF/kg was used. Female pigs were fitted with a simple ‘T’ cannula at the terminal ileum. In Expt 1, the endogenous ileal AA and N flow, expressed as g/kg dry matter (DM) intake, decreased significantly (P< 0.05) with increasing DM intake, except for proline. By contrast, the values expressed as g/d remained constant. There was no significant difference in endogenous ileal flow (P> 0.05) between initial body-weights of 45 and 90 kg except for histidide, isoleucine, phenylalanine, threonine, valine and serine, in which the ileal flow determined at the higher body-weight was significantly higher (P< 0.05). In Expt 2, the effects of dietary cellulose levels on the endogenous ileal flow of AA and N were not significant (P> 0.05), although the values tended to increase as dietary cellulose levels increased for most AA and for N. It is concluded that the daily endogenous ileal flow of AA and N remains relatively similar at different DM intake and cellulose levels. Therefore, correction of apparent ileal digestibility of AA and N to the true ileal digestibility should be made with the endogenous ileal flow values expressed on a daily amount basis, not the values expressed on a DM intake basis
Effects ofn-3 fatty acids on postprandial triacylglycerol and hormone concentrations in normal subjects
Authors: Williams Christine M. , Moore F. , Morgan L. , Wright J.
Published: September 2005

The present study reports results from two investigations to determine effects of a 6-week period of moderaten-3 fatty acid supplementation (2.7 g/d) on fasting and on postprandial triacylglycerol and metabolic hormone concentrations in response to standard test meals. In the first study postprandial responses were followed for 210 min after an early morning test meal challenge; in the second study responses to an evening test meal were followed during the evening and overnight for a total period of 12 h. In both studies postprandial triacylglycerol responses to the test meals were significantly reduced after compared with before fish-oil supplementation. In the second study the triacylglycerol peak response seen between 200 and 400 min in subjects studied before supplementation with fish oils was almost completely absent in the same subjects after 6 weeks ofn-3 fatty acid supplementation. Analysis of fasting concentrations of metabolites and hormones was carried out on the combined data from the two studies. There were no significant differences in total, low-density-lipoprotein- or high-density-lipoprotein-cholesterol concentrations during fish-oil supplementation, although there was considerable individual variation in cholesterol responses to the supplement. Concentrations of Apo-B and Apo-A1 were unchanged during supplementation with fish oils. Fasting and early morning postprandial GIP concentrations were lower in subjects taking fish oils, possibly due to acute effects of fish-oil capsules taken on the evening before the studies. In both studies fasting insulin and glucose and postprandial insulin concentrations remained unchanged following fish-oil supplementation. The results do not support the view that triacylglycerol-lowering effects ofn-3 fatty acids are due to modulation of insulin secretion mediated via the enteroinsular axis. Further studies are required to determine the precise mechanism by which fish oils reduce both fasting and postprandial triacylglycerol concentrations.
In vitro lipid metabolism, growth and metabolic hormone concentrations in hyperthyroid chickens
Authors: Rosebrough R. W. , McMurtry J. P. , Vasilatos-Younken R.
Published: September 2005

Indian River male broiler chickens growing from 7 to 28 d of age were fed on diets containing energy: protein values varying from 43 to 106 MJ/kg protein and containing 0 or 1 mg triiodothyronine (T3)/kg diet to study effects on growth, metabolic hormone concentrations and in vitro lipogenesis. In vitro lipid synthesis was determined in liver explants in the presence and absence of ouabain (Na+, K+-transporting ATPase (EC3.6.1.37) inhibitor) to estimate the role of enzyme activity in explants synthesizing lipid. Growth and feed consumption increased (P< 0.01) when the energy: protein value decreased from 106 to 71 MJ/kg protein; however, both variables decreased as the value was further decreased from 53 to 43 MJ/kg protein. Triiodothyronine depressed (P< 0.01) growth, but not food intake. Large energy:protein diets (> 53 MJ/kg protein) and dietary T3lowered (P< 0.01) plasma growth hormone. Large energy:protein diets (> 53 MJ/kg protein) increased (P< 0.01) lipogenesis, plasma growth hormone (GH) and decreased plasma insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1). Also, T3decreased plasma GH, IGF-1 in vitro lipogenesis. Ouabain inhibited a greater proportion of in vitro lipogenesis in those explants synthesizing fat at a high rate. Both dietary T3and in vitro ouabain decrease lipogenesis, but, when combined, the effects are not cumulative
The effect of weaning diet on the subsequent colonic metabolism of dietary fibre in the adult rat
Authors: Armstrong Elizabeth F. , Eastwood Martin A. , Edwards Christine A. , Brydon W. Gordon , MacIntyre Cecilia C. A.
Published: September 2005

The effect of the weaning diet on the subsequent colonic metabolism of bran and pectin in the adult rat has been investigated. Feeding a fibre-reduced diet on its own or supplemented with bran (WB) and pectin (P) from weaning (fibre-reduced (weaning)) was compared with introducing the same diet to age-matched rats reared on a standard laboratory diet from weaning (fibre-reduced (6 weeks)). The effects of the diets on colonic metabolism were measured by wet and dry caecal contents and stool weights, caecal sac weight, and caecal and faecal short-chain fatty acids (SCFA). Final body-weights were greater for fibre-reduced (6 weeks) and fibre-reduced (6 weeks)+P groups, but not fibre-reduced (6 weeks)+WB, than those of the fibre-reduced (weaning) rats. Rats fed on fibre-reduced (6 weeks) diet had a higher total caecal SCFA content than fibre-reduced (weaning) control rats. Fibre-reduced (weaning)+P-fed rats had a threefold higher caecal concentration of both propionate and butyrate than the matched fibre-reduced (6 weeks)+P group. Fibre-reduced (weaning)+WB animals had a significantly higher butyrate caecal concentration compared with their matched fibre-reduced (6 weeks)+WB group. Fibre-reduced (weaning)+P-fed rats had a lower faecal output than the fibre-reduced (6 weeks)+P rats. There was no difference in faecal output in rats fed on either fibre-reduced (6 weeks)+ WB or fibre-reduced (weaning)+WB. The faecal concentration of SCFA was in general higher in the rats fed on fibre-reduced (weaning) alone, +P, or +WB than in those fed on fibre-reduced (6 weeks) alone, +P or +WB. Faecal output of total and individual SCFA was increased on the fibre-reduced (weaned)+WB diet compared with fibre-reduced (6 weeks)+WB-fed animals. The diet at weaning may be important in determining the pathways of caecal bacterial metabolism in the adult rat. In studying the effect of a dietary fibre on caecal metabolism and faecal output, when the diet is changed appears to be important
Changes in intake of key nutrients over 17 years during adult life of a British birth cohort
Authors: Prynne C. J. , Paul A. A. , Mishra G. D. , Greenberg D. C. , Wadsworth M. E. J.
Published: September 2005

An investigation was carried out to determine whether there were significant changes in nutrient intake over 17 years of adult life. The Medical Research Council National Survey of Health and Development is a longitudinal study of a nationally representative cohort of singleton births in the UK in 1946. Of this cohort, 1253 survey members provided information on diet recorded in a 5 d diary at age 36 years in 1982, 43 years in 1989 and 53 years in 1999. The outcome measures were mean intakes of energy, macronutrients, minerals and vitamins. There were significant changes in the intake of most nutrients in 1999 compared with previous years. Intakes of fat, Na, Fe and Cu have fallen, but there was a rising trend in the intakes of Ca, P, carotene, thiamin, pyridoxine, folic acid and vitamins C, D and E in both men and women. Additionally, intakes of K, Mg and vitamin K1 have risen in women. There were significant gender differences, women showing a higher percentage rise in the intakes of carotene, riboflavin, folic acid, vitamin C and vitamin E. These changes were related to changes in the consumption of certain key foods, such as the increased consumption of fruit and vegetables and a shift away from whole milk, butter and red meat. Most of these trends are in line with accepted nutritional guidelines. How far these changes are due to consumer choice and real changes in food composition or are due to artefacts inherent in the methodology is discussed.
Proteomics in nutrition research: principles, technologies and applications
Authors: Fuchs Dagmar , Winkelmann Isabel , Johnson Ian T. , Mariman Edwin , Wenzel Uwe , Daniel Hannelore
Published: September 2005

The global profiling of the whole protein complement of the genome expressed in a particular cell or organ, or in plasma or serum, makes it possible to identify biomarkers that respond to alterations in diet or to treatment, and that may have predictive value for the modelling of biological processes. Proteomics has not yet been applied on a large scale in nutritional studies, yet it has advantages over transcriptome profiling techniques in that it directly assesses the entities that carry out the biological functions. The present review summarizes the different approaches in proteomics research, with special emphasis on the current technical ‘workhorses’: two-dimensional (2D)-PAGE with immobilized pH gradients and protein identification by MS. Using a work-flow approach, we provide information and advice on sample handling and preparation, protein solubilization and pre-fractionation, protein separation by 2D-PAGE, detection and quantification via computer-assisted analysis of gels, and protein identification and characterization techniques by means of MS. Examples from nutritional studies employing proteomics are provided to demonstrate not only the advantages but also the limitations of current proteome analysis platforms.
Catch-up growth in children with late-diagnosed coeliac disease
Authors: Patwari A. K. , Kapur Gaurav , Satyanarayana L. , Anand V. K. , Jain Amit , Gangil Ashutosh , Balani Bharat
Published: September 2005

Anthropometric parameters and catch-up growth were prospectively evaluated in fifty late-diagnosed children with coeliac disease aged 2·25–10 years after 1–4 years of adhering to a strict gluten-free diet (GFD). The anthropometric parameters were expressed as Z scores relative to National Centre for Health Statistics standards using Epi Info 2000 (weight-for-height Z score (WHZ) and height-for-age Z score (HAZ)). Catch-up growth was evaluated by repeated measures. ANOVA, overall significance by an F test and pair-wise comparisons for estimated marginal means using the least significant difference. At the time of enrolment, no significant difference was observed in WHZ and HAZ between children diagnosed before (group 1) or after (group 2) 4 years of age. On follow-up, HAZ was significantly higher in group 1 after the first and third years of the GFD (P=0·04 and 0·02, respectively), with a non-significant increase after completing 4 years of the GFD (P=0·22). Feeding the GFD resulted in an overall significant (F=3·99, P=0·011) increase in HAZ up to 4 years of follow-up. However, the catch-up in height was incomplete, with stunting in sixteen (55·4 %) of twenty-nine children after 3 years and in seven (46·6 %) of fifteen children after 4 years on the GFD. Pair-wise comparisons demonstrated a linear catch-up growth during the initial follow-up on GFD. Treatment with the GFD did not result in an overall significant increase in WHZ up to 4 years of follow-up (F=1·01, P=0·42). Our results suggest that, in children with late-diagnosed coeliac disease, treatment with a GFD leads to a normalisation of body mass and a significant but incomplete recovery in HAZ during 4 years of follow-up.
Nutritional status of schoolchildren in rural Iran
Authors: Sarraf Zahra , Goldberg Dena , Shahbazi Mohammad , Arbuckle Kristen , Salehi Moosa
Published: September 2005

The present study compared the nutritional status of schoolchildren from recently settled, ethnic minority tribespeople with those from a Persian village in southern Iran. Height and weight were measured and blood was collected from school children at three time points over 1·5 years. Supplemental Fe was provided to children with low Hb after the first screening. Twenty-one per cent of the children were wasted, 57 % were stunted and 23 % were anaemic. No statistically significant difference in the prevalence of wasting, stunting and anaemia was found between gender or ethnic groups. Children over the age of 12 years had a higher prevalence of wasting than children aged below 12 years. In a sub-sample of forty-one children the average BMI-for-age decreased. Fe supplementation increased Hb levels to normal in most children, but did not increase Fe level in a few children. Dietary deficiency of micronutrients, especially Zn and Fe, probably accounts for the high prevalence of stunting and anaemia in these children. Infection withHelicobacter pyloriis another possible explanation for the Fe-deficiency anaemia. Further investigation is in progress to determine the cause(s) of the observed deficiencies.
Adolescents' food habits: results of the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children survey
Authors: Vereecken Carine A. , De Henauw Stefaan , Maes Lea
Published: September 2005

The present study describes food habits in adolescents in thirty-five countries and regions (European countries/regions, Israel, Canada and the USA), based on the food-frequency questions from the cross-sectional Health Behaviour in School-aged Children survey of the year 2001–2. A total of 162 305 pupils of 11, 13 or 15 years of age completed an anonymous standardised questionnaire on health and lifestyle factors during one school hour. Large differences in food habits between countries were found: the consumption frequency of fruit varied from on average 2·8 to 5 d/week, the consumption of vegetables varied from on average 2·4 to 5·5 d/week, the consumption of soft drinks varied from 2·1 to 5 d/week and sweet consumption from 2·6 to 5 d/week. Methodological problems in comparing between countries are discussed. Nonetheless, the results indicate a need for national and international health promotion programmes to improve adolescents' food habits.
Nutritional correlates of dietary glycaemic index: new aspects from a population perspective
Authors: Schulz Mandy , Liese Angela D. , Mayer-Davis Elizabeth J. , D'Agostino Ralph B. , Fang Fang , Sparks Karen C. , Wolever Thomas M.
Published: September 2005

The role of dietary glycaemic index (GI) and glycaemic load (GL) in disease aetiology is of increasing interest. However, nutritional factors related to dietary GI and GL are not well understood from a population perspective. We aimed to investigate the relation ship between GI and GL and dietary intake at the food and nutrient level. Study subjects were 1071 non-diabetic adults from the Insulin Resistance Atherosclerosis Study, Exam I, 1992–4. Usual dietary intake was assessed with a 114-item modified Block food frequency questionnaire. Published GI values were assigned to food line items. Correlation and regression analyses were conducted. Intake of white bread, beer, meats and fries/fried potatoes was positively associated with average GI, as was fat, starch and alcohol intake (before and after energy adjustment). Intake of fruits and low-fat milk was inversely associated with GI, as were intakes of mono- and disaccharides, and fibre. GL was positively correlated with carbohydrate foods and inversely with non-carbohydrate foods. Gender-specific regression models identified eight food groups explaining 63 % (men) and 55 % (women) total GI variation after adjusting for demographics; 70 % of variation in GL was explained by eleven (men) and nine (women) food groups, respectively. Although the GI of a food is an indicator of the ability of carbohydrates to raise blood glucose, dietary GI, unlike GL, appears to reflect more dimensions of diet than just carbohydrates, such as the combination of foods consumed. This may have implications for the interpretation of dietary GI in epidemiologic studies.
Re-encoding the Spectacle: Urban Fatefulness and Mediated Stigmatisation in the 'City of Tomorrow'
Authors: Jansson Andre
Published: September 2005

This article presents an empirical study of the public re-encoding processes occurring after the spectacular BoOl Housing Fair, the City of Tomorrow, hosted in Malmo, Sweden, in 2001. The fair initiated the reconstruction of a former shipyard and harbour area, creating a new post-industrial district. Due to economic and political scandals, however, the image of the new neighbourhood was seriously wounded. The fair was turned into a symbol of the 'new economy', which led to a media-driven stigmatisation of both the district and its early settlers. Taking Erving Goffman's concept of fatefulness as point of departure, the analysis stresses the symbolic and social vulnerability involved in the transformation of urban landscapes. It is argued that this vulnerability increases as an effect of informationalisation.
Social Capital and Neighbourhoods that Work
Authors: Middleton Alan , Murie Alan , Groves Rick
Published: September 2005

The concept of social capital has received increasing attention in recent years from both academics and the policy community. It has come to be widely used in debates about housing and neighbourhoods and figures strongly in discussions of social cohesion, community development and neighbourhood renewal. This paper provides an original discussion of some of the key issues related to these debates. It argues that, although it is widely used, the concept of social capital is poorly defined and much of the discussion is based upon assertion rather than upon evidence. The paper goes on to present the results from original social survey work carried out in Bournville in Birmingham, England, and referring to different parts of the Bournville estate. The results refer to the extent of bonding, bridging and linking social capital and how these relate to the social and economic differences between six neighbourhoods within Bournville. The survey evidence is not consistent with key assertions made in the existing literature in relation to age, poverty and class and the paper concludes by raising important reservations about the use of social capital as an analytical rather than a generic concept.
Neighbours, Barriers and Urban Environments: Are Things 'Different on the Other Side of the Tracks'?
Authors: Noonan Douglas S.
Published: September 2005

Most earlier models of residential sorting employ a 'featureless plain', paying little attention to cities' physical environments. The empirical question of physical features mitigating neighbour externalities remains largely unexplored. This article adds to the literature by considering the environmental aspects of group boundaries. Physical barriers that mitigate the externality of neighbours' characteristics should be expected to have important differential effects on urban land use patterns. This hypothesis is tested for the percentage of Black people in Chicago in 2000. Some features (such as, parks, railroads, major roads) have strong barrier effects. Despite the limitations of this approach, the findings appear robust to spatial dependence in the data. The findings hold important implications for future research into residential location decisions and the planning of public amenities and infrastructure.
Prevention of Toxoplasmosis in Pregnancy: Knowledge of Risk Factors
Authors: Kravetz Jeffrey D. , Federman Daniel G.
Published: September 2005

Background. Infection with Toxoplasma gondii is common and usually asymptomatic, although it can have catastrophic
consequences in a pregnant woman if passed to her developing fetus. Counseling of pregnant women about risk factor reduction may reduce the risk of congenital toxoplasmosis. This study was undertaken to assess and compare the knowledge
of obstetricians and internists or family practitioners regarding well‐established risk factors for toxoplasmosis infection.

Methods. The study surveyed 102 obstetricians, internists and family practitioners to assess their knowledge of risk factors for toxoplasmosis infection as well as their practices for primary prevention counseling of pregnant women. Responses were
analyzed for differences.

Results. Obstetricians were more likely than internists or family practitioners to provide appropriate counseling on reducing the two most common risk factors for toxoplasmosis infection (undercooked meat consumption and gardening without
gloves). However, over one quarter of all participants inappropriately advised pregnant women to avoid all cat contact. Obstetricians, internists and family practitioners were all likely to fail to identify undercooked meat consumption as the primary risk factor for toxoplasmosis transmission.

Conclusions. Obstetricians appear to provide more appropriate counseling for primary prevention of toxoplasmosis than internists and family practitioners, but both groups of physicians inappropriately advised avoidance of all cat contact. Education of obstetricians, internists and family practitioners on risk factors for toxoplasmosis transmission is needed and may lower the rate of congenital toxoplasmosis as well as decrease the frequency of cat abandonment during pregnancy.
Rat Tissue and Blood Partition Coefficients for n-Alkanes (C8 to C12)
Authors: Smith A. Q. , Campbell J. L. , Keys D. A. , Fisher J. W.
Published: September 2005

Rat tissue:air and blood:air partition coefficients (PCs) for octane, nonane, decane, undecane, and dodecane (n-C8 to n-C12 n-alkanes) were determined by vial equilibration. The blood:air PC values for n-C8 to n-C12 were 3.1, 5.8, 8.1, 20.4, and 24.6, respectively. The lipid solubility of n-alkanes increases with carbon length, suggesting that lipid solubility is an important determinant in describing n-alkane blood:air PC values. The muscle:blood, liver: blood, brain:blood, and fat:blood PC values were octane (1.0, 1.9, 1.4, and 247), nonane (0.8, 1.9, 3.8, and 274), decane (0.9, 2.0, 4.8, and 328), undecane (0.7, 1.5, 1.7, and 529), and dodecane (1.2, 1.9, 19.8, and 671), respectively. The tissue:blood PC values were greatest in fat and the least in muscle. The brain:air PC value for undecane was inconsistent with other n-alkane values. Using the measured partition coefficient values of these n-alkanes, linear regression was used to predict tissue (except brain) and blood:air partition coefficient values for larger n-alkanes, tridecane, tetradecane, pentadecane, hexadecane, and heptadecane (n-C13 to n-C17).Good agreement between measured and predicted tissue:air and blood:air partition coefficient values for n-C8 to n-C12 offer confidence in the partition coefficient predictions for longer chain n-alkanes.
90-Day Repeated Inhalation Exposure of Surfactant Protein-C/Tumor Necrosis Factor-α (SP-C/TNF-α) Transgenic Mice to Air Pollutants
Authors: Kumarathasan P. , Blais E. , Goegan P. , Yagminas A. , Güenette J. , Adamson Ian Y. R. , Crapo J. D. , Mason R. J. , Vincent R.
Published: September 2005

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)- α, a cytokine present in inflammed lungs, is known to mediate some of the adverse effects of ozone and inhaled particles. The authors evaluated transgenic mice with constitutive pulmonary expression of TNF- αunder transcriptional regulation of the surfactant protein-C promoter as an animal model of biological susceptibility to air pollutants. To simulate a repeated, episodic exposure to air pollutants, wild-type and TNF mice inhaled air or a mixture of ozone (0.4 ppm) and urban particles (EHC-93, 4.8 mg/m3) for 4 h, once per week, for 12 consecutive weeks and were sacrificed 20 h after last exposure. TNF mice exhibited chronic lung inflammation with septal thickening, alveolar enlargement, and elevated protein and cellularity in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (genotype main effect, p <.001). Repeated exposure to pollutants did not result in measurable inflammatory changes in wild-type mice and did not exacerbate the inflammation in TNF mice. The pollutants decreased recovery of alveolar macrophages in lavage fluid of both wild-type and TNF mice (exposure main effect, p < .001). Exacerbation of the rate of protein nitration reactions specifically in the lungs of TNF mice was revealed by the high ratio of 3-nitrotyrosine to L-DOPA after exposure to the air pollutants (Genotype × Exposure factor interaction, p = .014). Serum creatine kinase-MM isoform increased in TNF mice exposed to pollutants (Genotype × Exposure factor interaction, p = .043). The marked pollutant-related nitration in the lungs of the TNF mice reveals basic differences in free radical generation and scavenging in the inflamed lungs in response to pollutants. Furthermore, elevation of circulating creatine kinase-MM isoform specifically in TNF mice exposed to pollutants suggests systemic adverse impacts from lung inflamma-tory mediators, possibly on muscles and the cardiovascular system.
A Preliminary Assessment of the Acute and Subchronic Toxicity Profile of Phase2: An α-Amylase Inhibitor
Authors: Harikumar Kuzhuvelil B. , Jesil Aranjany M. , Sabu Mandumpal C. , Kuttan Ramadasan
Published: September 2005

Phase2®, which has been reported to reduce body weight by its inhibition of α-amylase, was evaluated for toxicity in young adult male and female Wistar rats (10 animals/dose group). Evaluations included mortality, change in body weight, food consumption pattern, organ weight, and other adverse side reactions as well as hematological, biochemical, and histopathological analyses. Acute toxicity was determined after a single dose of Phase2 by oral gavage at doses of 5.0, 1.0, and 0.5 g/kg body weight. Animals were sacrificed on fourteen days after Phase2 administration. Subchronic toxicity was determined by administering Phase2 daily for 90 days to rats, at doses of 1.0, 0.5, and 0.2 g/kg body weight. These animals were sacrificed on day 90. Acute and subchronic administration of Phase2 did not produce any adverse reactions or any significant change in the loss of body weight as compared to untreated controls, organ weight, and mortality. Administration of Phase2 did not alter the hepatic and renal function, and did not produce any change in the hematological parameters and in lipid profile. Subchronic administration produced a reduction in the food consumption after 77 days (1.0 g/kg body weight). These data indicate that acute and subchronic administration of Phase2 did not produce any toxicity to rats as evident from weight change, mortality, and limited biochemical and histopathological analyses.
Phenylacetaldehyde Oxidation by Freshly Prepared and Cryopreserved Guinea Pig Liver Slices: The Role of Aldehyde Oxidase
Authors: Panoutsopoulos Georgios I.
Published: September 2005

Phenylacetaldehyde is formed when the xenobiotic and biogenic amine 2-phenylethylamine is inactivated by a monoamine oxidase–catalyzed oxidative deamination. Exogenous phenylacetaldehyde is found in certain foodstuffs such as honey, cheese, tomatoes, and wines. 2-Phenylethylamine can trigger migraine attacks in susceptible individuals and can become fairly toxic at high intakes from foods. It may also function as a potentiator that enhances the toxicity of histamine and tyramine. The present investigation examines the metabolism of phenylacetaldehyde to phenylacetic acid in freshly prepared and in cryopreserved guinea pig liver slices. In addition, it compares the relative contribution of aldehyde oxidase, xanthine oxidase, and aldehyde dehydrogenase in the oxidation of phenylacetaldehyde using specific inhibitors for each oxidizing enzyme. The inhibitors used were isovanillin for aldehyde oxidase, allopurinol for xanthine oxidase, and disulfiram for aldehyde dehydrogenase. In freshly prepared liver slices, phenylacetaldehyde was converted mainly to phenylacetic acid, with traces of 2-phenylethanol being present. Disulfiram inhibited phenylacetic acid formation by 80% to 85%, whereas isovanillin inhibited acid formation to a lesser extent (50% to 55%) and allopurinol had little or no effect. In cryopreserved liver slices, phenylacetic acid was also the main metabolite, whereas the 2-phenylethanol production was more pronounced than that in freshly prepared liver slices. Isovanillin inhibited phenylacetic acid formation by 85%, whereas disulfiram inhibited acid formation to a lesser extent (55% to 60%) and allopurinol had no effect. The results in this study have shown that, in freshly prepared and cryopreserved liver slices, phenylacetaldehyde is converted to phenylacetic acid by both aldehyde dehydrogenase and aldehyde oxidase, with no contribution from xanthine oxidase. Therefore, aldehyde dehydrogenase is not the only enzyme responsible in the metabolism of phenylacetaldehyde, but aldehyde oxidase may also be important and thus its role should not be ignored.
Effects of Postnatal Exposure to a Mixture of Polychlorinated Biphenyls, p,p′-dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane, and p-p′-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethene in Prepubertal and Adult Female Sprague-Dawley Rats
Authors: Desaulniers Daniel , Cooke Gerard M. , Leingartner Karen , Soumano Korian , Cole Jonathan , Yang Jack , Wade Michael , Yagminas Algis
Published: September 2005

The postnatal period is a critical phase of development and a time during which humans are exposed to higher levels of persistent organic pollutants (POPs), than during subsequent periods of life. There is a paucity of information describing effects of postnatal exposure to environmentally relevant mixtures of POPs, such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), p,p′-dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), and p,p′-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethene (DDE). To provide data useful for the risk assessment of postnatal exposure to POPs, mixtures containing 19 PCBs, DDT, and DDE were prepared according to their concentrations previously measured in the milk of Canadian women, and dose-response effects were tested on the proliferation of MCF7-E3 cells in vitro, and in vivo experiments. Female neonates were exposed by gavage at postnatal days (PNDs) 1, 5, 10, 15, and 20 with dosages equivalent to 10, 100, and 1000 times the estimated human exposure level over the first 24 days of life. The MCF7-E3 cells showed a 227% increase in the AlamarBlue proliferation index, suggesting estrogen-like properties of the mixture, but this was not confirmed in vivo, given the absence of uterotrophic effects at PND21. An increase (511%) in hepatic ethoxyresorufin- o-deethylase activity at the dose 100 × was the most sensitive endpoint among those measured at PND21 (organ weight, mammary gland and ovarian morphometry, hepatic enzyme inductions, serum thyroxine and pituitary hormones). In liver samples from older female rats (previously involved in a mammary tumor study [Desaulniers et al., Toxicol. Sci. 75:468–480, 2001]), hepatic metabolism of 14C-estradiol-17 β (E2) at PND55 to PND62 was significantly higher in the 1000 × compared to the control group, but hepatic detoxification enzyme activities had already returned to control values. The production of hepatic 2-hydroxy-E2 decreased, whereas that of estrone increased with age. In conclusion, the smallest dose of the mixture to induce significant effects was 100×, and mixture-induced changes in the hepatic metabolism of estrogens might be a sensitive indicator of persistent effects.
Insights into the Origin of Postmortem Ethanol
Authors: Ziavrou Kallirroe , Boumba Vassiliki A. , Vougiouklakis Theodore G.
Published: September 2005

Accurate interpretation of the blood ethanol (EtOH) concentration at the time of death presents a difficult task since the origin of detected EtOH in postmortem cases (either in corpses or in specimens after sample collection) may vary. Headspace gas chromatography is the choice method for detecting EtOH in blood or other specimens, due to the accuracy and sensitivity it provides. Possible sources of postmortem EtOH have been the ante-mortem ingestion, the ante-mortem endogenous production and the postmortem microbial neo-formation, which has been considered the most critical factor that could complicate the results. It has been reported that EtOH could be formed postmortem in variable and non-predictable amounts, as a function of the type and number of microorganisms present either in corpses or specimens collected at autopsy. The presence of other volatiles—mostly n-propanol—has been correlated to microbial EtOH production, although the quantitative pattern between them and EtOH still remains obscure. The factors most frequently implicated in the mechanism of postmortem EtOH production in corpses have been considered the number and nature of microbes present, the availability of various types of substrates, the temperature and the time. Complication in the interpretation of blood alcohol concentration could arise due to the atypical distribution of EtOH in the body compartments after death. Specimens to blood EtOH ratios reported in the literature are presented. All the aforementioned aspects are discussed in a comprehensive way, providing a deep insight into this essential problem.
Influence of Oral 2,4-Dinitrotoluene Exposure to the Northern Bobwhite (Colinus virginianus)
Authors: Johnson Mark S. , Michie Mark W. , Bazar Matthew A. , Gogal Robert M.
Published: September 2005

Military activities associated with training, munitions manufacturing, and demilitarization has resulted in soil residues of munition compounds and their breakdown products. Two isomers of dinitrotoluene (2,4- and 2,6-) are often found in soil associated with those activities at considerable concentrations. Consequently, issues regarding the effects of exposure to birds that visit these habitats require evaluation. To provide data useful to a risk assessment approach, we followed a controlled dosing regime (gavage) using 2,4-dinitrotoluene (2,4-DNT) in the Northern Bobwhite ( Colinus virginianus) for 60 days following a 14-day range-finding study and the determination of a LD50 using the up/down method. The LD50 was determined to be 55 mg/kg using corn oil as a vehicle. Individuals dosed exceeding this level were moribund or died within 60 h of exposure. Morbidity and death occurred during the 14-day range-finding study at dosing regimens of 35 and 55, but not at 15, 5, and 0.5 mg/kg-day. Compound-related morbidity/mortality occurred in the 60-day study during the first week of exposure at 25 and 15, but not at 5, 1, and 0 mg/kg-day. Overt signs of toxicity occurred with both sexes at the onset of exposure. Signs included weight loss, diarrhea, and lethargy. Dose-related changes in egg production, ovary, kidney, and brain mass, and body weight, but not feed consumption, were found. Changes in kidney mass and histological observations suggest accumulation of nitrogenous waste may be the cause of morbidity. These data suggest that oral 2,4-DNT exposures are more acutely toxic and has a different etiology than 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene in birds.
Client perceptions of hindering experiences in counselling
Authors: Paulson Barbara L. , Everall Robin D. , Stuart Janice
Published: September 2005

The purpose of this study was to increase understanding of what clients perceive as hindering experiences in counselling. In‐depth interviews combined with concept mapping were used to gather, organize, and understand clients' perceptions of hindering aspects of therapy. In the initial data gathering stage, 8 adult client participants, aged 18 or older (average of 14.1 sessions) were asked to respond to the following open‐ended questions:

(a)What was unhelpful or hindering about counselling?

(b)What would have made counselling more helpful?

In the second phase of the data gathering, a sample of 20 participants (7 male, 13 female) were asked to participate in the sorting and rating task utilizing statements derived from the interviews. The analysis produced a thematic structure that identified three core aspects of counselling that clients found hindering: (1) counsellor behaviours, (2) external and structural barriers and (3) client variables. Implications for practitioners are included in the discussion.
Bacillus acidicola sp. nov., a novel mesophilic, acidophilic species isolated from acidic Sphagnum peat bogs in Wisconsin
Authors: Albert Richard A. , Archambault Julieta , Rosselló-Mora Ramón , Tindall Brian J. , Matheny Mike
Published: September 2005

A mesophilic, acidophilic, spore-forming bacterium, strain 105-2T, was isolated from an acidic Sphagnum peat bog in Wisconsin, USA. Strain 105-2T has 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity to Bacillus sporothermodurans DSM 10599T and Bacillus oleronius DSM 9356T of 97·4 and 97·8 %, respectively. The primary lipoquinone is MK-7 and the major fatty acids are 15 : 0 iso, 15 : 0 anteiso and 17 : 0 anteiso. The predominant polar lipids were found to be diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine and a glycolipid. The DNA G+C content was found to be 43·2 mol%. The phenotypic, chemotaxonomic and molecular analyses identified strain 105-2T as a novel Bacillus species, for which the name Bacillus acidicola is proposed. The type strain is 105-2T (=DSM 14745T=ATCC BAA-366T=NRRL B-23453T).