bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Calbindin D immunoreactivity and chronic lesions of rat cerebella in methylmercury chloride intoxication
Authors: Kobayashi Yoshiyasu , Sawa Hirofumi , Watanabe Meguru , Furuoka Hidefumi , Matsui Takane , Nagashima Kazuo
Published: May 2007

This report deals with the immunoreactivity for calbindin D, an intracellular calcium‐binding protein, and chronic lesions of rat cerebella in methylmercury chloride (MMC) intoxication. The rats administered MMC showed clinical signs of spasticity on walking as well as hind limb paralysis at around day 19; these developed to moribund by day 26. Pathologic examination of the moribund animals revealed selective apoptotic neuronal deaths of the granule cells. Even in these affected areas, calbindin D, which indirectly reflects Purkinje cell function, was well demonstrated in Purkinje cell dendrites and cytoplasm as well as in unaffected areas. These results suggest that the Purkinje cells of the MMC administered rats were functionally preserved in spite of granule cell deaths. Pathologic examination of rats recovered from acute MMC intoxication and maintained for 3 months without MMC administration revealed severe loss of granule cells with calcium salt deposition. Purkinje cells were again well preserved. Furthermore, a large number of the remaining granule cells were stained positively using the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT)‐mediated dUTP‐nick end‐labeling (TUNEL) method, which showed an ongoing apoptotic process. These results indicate that the involvement of the cerebellar granule cell was in progression for at least 3 months after MMC intoxication with calcium salt deposition.
Glial fibrillary acidic protein immunoreactive cells in osteosclerotic bone marrow of a patient with malignant glioma
Authors: Itoh Masayuki , Isumi Hiroshi , Cho Hiroyuki , Funahashi Masuko , Suzuki Yasuyuki , Tamagawa Kimiko , Takashima Sachio
Published: May 2007

Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) is used widely as a specific marker of astrocytes, in part because GFAP‐positive cells have rarely been encountered outside the central nervous system. In this paper we describe a 16‐year‐old female with a brain stem glioblastoma and GFAP immunoreactive cells in areas of bone marrow with osteosclerotic changes. These GFAP cells were negative for S‐100 and devoid of cell atypism, showing non‐neoplastic features. To investigate the factors which might be involved in the induction of GFAP in the non‐neoplastic cells, we examined the expression of cytokines and growth factors in the bone marrow. Immunoreactivities of interleukin‐1β (IL‐1β) and tumor necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α) were found to be reduced. In contrast, those of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) were increased. Glial fibrillary acidic protein expression with decreased IL‐1β and TNF‐α and increased EGFR in bone marrow may be related to the pathogenesis of progressive osteosclerosis found in this patient with brain stem glioblastoma.
A sporadic case of Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease with beta‐amyloid deposits and alpha‐synuclein inclusions
Authors: Vital Anne , Canron Marie‐Hélène , Gil Roger , Hauw Jean‐Jacques , Vital Claude
Published: May 2007

Neurodegenerative disorders are characterized by the correlation of clinical symptoms and neuropathological changes in the brain. However, overlaps between distinct entities are becoming more and more evident. We report the coexistence of Alzheimer pathology and alpha‐synuclein inclusions in a sporadic, methionine/valine type 1, Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease (CJD) case. There were neurofibrillary changes in the neocortex and beta amyloid cerebral angiopathy was marked. Several Lewy bodies were present in the substantia nigra, locus ceruleus and the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus, and alpha‐synuclein cytoplasmic inclusions were also found in cortical neurons. These findings raise the debated relationship between Parkinson’s disease with dementia, dementia with Lewy bodies and a Lewy body variant of Alzheimer disease. Among the factors that may have contributed to this considerable morphological overlap are the patient’s age (79 years at autopsy) and the over 2‐year duration of the disease. As the average disease duration in sporadic methionine/valine type 1 CJD is less than 6 months, it seems legitimate to speculate that the initial symptoms resulted from Alzheimer and alpha‐synuclein related pathologies. This observation shows that CJD can be present in elderly patients who are suspected of having other neurodegenerative diseases, which could underline the importance of neuropathology‐based surveillance systems.
Follicular lymphoma of the dura associated with meningioma: A case report and review of the literature
Authors: Riccioni Luca , Morigi Federico , Cremonini Anna Maria
Published: May 2007

A 70‐year‐old immunocompetent woman who had been radiologically diagnosed with a left parasagittal meningioma 5 years previously developed a palpable subgaleal mass and underwent neurosurgery. Histologically the tumor was composed of thickened fibrotic dural tissue, infiltrated by a follicular lymphoma, of grade IIIB. A coexistent transitional meningioma had been infiltrated by the neoplastic lymphoid tissue. Two months after surgery, the patient developed evidence of extracranial dissemination of the lymphoma to the cervical lymph nodes and was treated with polychemotherapy plus Rituximab and intrathecal methotrextate. The patient is alive and recurrence‐free at 1‐year follow up. A review of the literature indicates that lymphomas developing primarily in the meninges, have an indolent course and tend to be localized in areas rich in meningothelial cells.
A quantitative study of the pathological changes in white matter in multiple system atrophy
Authors: Armstrong Richard A. , Cairns Nigel J. , Lantos Peter L.
Published: May 2007

The density and spatial distribution of the vacuoles, glial cell nuclei and glial cytoplasmic inclusions (GCI) were studied in the white matter of various cortical and subcortical areas in 10 cases of multiple system atrophy (MSA). Vacuolation was more prevalent in subcortical than cortical areas and especially in the central tegmental tract. Glial cell nuclei widespread in all areas of the white matter studied; overall densities of glial cell nuclei being significantly greater in the central tegmental tract and frontal cortex compared with areas of the pons. The GCI were present most consistently in the external and internal capsules, the central tegmental tract and the white matter of the cerebellar cortex. The density of the vacuoles was greater in the MSA brains than in the control brains but glial cell density was similar in both groups. In the majority of areas, the pathological changes were distributed across the white matter randomly, uniformly, or in large diffuse clusters. In most areas, there were no spatial correlations between the vacuoles, glial cell nuclei and GCI. These results suggest: (i) there is significant degeneration of the white matter in MSA characterized by vacuolation and GCI; (ii) the central tegmental tract is affected significantly more than the cortical tracts; (iii) pathological changes are diffusely rather than topographically distributed across the white matter; and (iv) the development of the vacuoles and GCI appear to be unrelated phenomena.
Oxidative stress is related to the formation of Antoni B patterns and eosinophilic hyaline droplets in schwannomas
Authors: Yokoo Hideaki , Oishi Takuma , Isoda Koji , Nakazato Yoichi , Toyokuni Shinya
Published: May 2007

Schwannomas, particularly of vestibular origin, often accompany degenerative hypocellular areas known as Antoni B patterns; however, the detailed mechanism is uncertain. Eosinophilic hyaline droplets (EHD), the substantial nature of which are autophagic vacuoles, preferentially appear in acoustic schwannomas and distribute around areas of Antoni B. We investigated their common background using schwannomas with (15 cases) or without (10 cases) EHD, and demonstrated that EHD showed selective immunoreactivity with an anti‐nitrotyrosine antibody, suggesting the overproduction of nitric oxide in this condition. The expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase was emphasized in infiltrating macrophages around hyalinized vessels. Protein‐bound 4‐hydroxy 2‐nonenal, another oxidative stress marker, was detected in Antoni B tissue, but not in EHD. Antibodies to cleaved caspase‐3 and single strand DNA, indicators of apoptosis, did not label tumors cells in Antoni B areas as well as EHD‐bearing cells. The morphology and the mitotically static state of EHD‐laden cells are phenotypically similar to autophagic cell death; however, autophagy in normal cells is a cell survival strategy against starvation, so the possibility remains that EHD are formed in that context. In either case, schwannomas may show a characteristic autophagic change by an endogenous mechanism. Tumor growth in a narrow intracranial space and resultant ischemia by self‐oppression were postulated to be an initial event, because ischemia‐reperfusion injury is a major source of reactive oxygen species and ischemia is also a potent trigger of autophagy as well as of tissue degeneration. Moreover, potential roles of chemokines and hemosiderosis are discussed.
Expression of insulin‐like growth factor‐II and leukemia inhibitory factor antibody immunostaining on the ionized calcium‐binding adaptor molecule 1‐positive microglias in the spinal cord of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients
Authors: Kihira Tameko , Suzuki Ai , Kubo Tomomi , Miwa Hideto , Kondo Tomoyoshi
Published: May 2007

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive degenerative disease involving the upper and lower motor neuron systems. Activated microglia are reported to enhance motor neuron death by secreting neurotoxic cytokines in SOD1‐transgenic mice. Recent studies have provided evidence that chronic stimulation leads microglia to acquire an anti‐inflammatory phenotype, characterized by activated morphology and induction of neuroprotective and immunoregulatory molecules. However, little information is available on the protective functions of microglia in the ALS spinal cord. To investigate the roles of microglia in ALS, we examined the appearance of ionized calcium‐binding adaptor molecule 1‐positive (Iba1‐positive) microglia as correlated to the disease duration and immunohistochemical expression of neurogrowth factors in the ALS spinal cord. In this study, the number of Iba1‐positive rod‐like microglia significantly increased in the ALS spinal cord compared to controls. The number of ramified microglia was positively correlated with the number of normal‐looking neurons and clinical duration of ALS patients; however, the number of rod‐like microglia was not correlated with that of abnormal neurons, nor with the clinical duration of the disease. Some rod‐like microglia were positive for anti‐insulin‐like growth factor‐II (IGF II) and anti‐leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) immunostaining. Motor neurons in the ALS spinal cords also showed immunoreactivity for IGF‐II, LIF and the receptors of IGF‐II and LIF. Taken together, these findings suggest that at least some microglia might have a protective effect on motor neurons in the ALS spinal cord. Neuroprotective and/or neurotoxic effects of microglia on motor neurons should be further studied.
Update on peptidylarginine deiminases and deimination in skin physiology and severe human diseases
Authors: Méchin M.‐C. , Sebbag M. , Arnaud J. , Nachat R. , Foulquier C. , Adoue V. , Coudane F. , Duplan H. , Schmitt A.‐M. , Chavanas S. , Guerrin M. , Serre G. , Simon M.
Published: May 2007

Synopsis

Deimination (or citrullination) is a recently described post‐translational modification, but its consequences are not yet well understood. It is catalysed by peptidylarginine deiminases (PADs). These enzymes transform arginyl residues involved in a peptidyl link into citrullyl residues in a calcium‐dependent manner. Several PAD substrates have already been identified like filaggrin and keratins K1 and K10 in the epidermis, trichohyalin in hair follicles, but also ubiquitous proteins like histones. PADs act in a large panel of physiological functions as cellular differentiation or gene regulation. It has been suggested that deimination plays a role in many major diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer's disease and psoriasis. Five human genes (PADIs), encoding five highly conserved paralogous enzymes (PAD1‐4 and 6), have been characterized. These genes are clustered in a single locus, at 1p35‐36 in man. Only PAD1‐3 are expressed in human epidermis. PADs seem to be controlled at transcriptional, translational and activity levels and they present particular substrate specificities. In this review, we shall discuss these main biochemical, genetic and functional aspects of PADs together with their pathophysiological implications.
Sunless tanning products containing dihydroxyacetone in combination with a perfluoropolyether phosphate
Authors: Pantini G. , Ingoglia R. , Brunetta F. , Brunetta A.
Published: May 2007

Synopsis

It is well known that the shelf‐life of products containing dihydroxyacetone (DHA) is quite unsatisfactory, and that in this area the adjustment to an acidic pH is the way usually recommended to improve DHA stability. The adoption of this rule, however, is a challenge for the cosmetic chemist not only because of the risks of skin irritation, but also because of the strong limitations in the choice of the acidic agent. It occurs that the use of either hydroxy‐acids and phosphoric acid/phosphate buffers has the opposite effect on the one intended. Recently, a perfluoropolyether phosphate (PFPE phosphate) was introduced as a new acidic agent to lower the pH without increasing the skin irritation. Starting from a rationale based on this potential, we investigated sunless tanners containing PFPE phosphate and DHA. We monitored the ageing of sunless tanners with and without PFPE phosphate, by visual observation and instrumentation (pH measures and 1H‐NMR spectroscopy). Furthermore, to evaluate whether the substances produced from the DHA degradation are potential irritants, patch tests on volunteers were used to check the safety and indirectly the stability of the compositions. In conclusion, our investigations on the guidelines to formulate DHA‐containing sunless tanners:

confirmed that the pH is a key parameter in formulating these compositions;

proved that PFPE phosphate is a safe and compatible ingredient to lower the pH;

gave some evidence of the critical importance of thickeners;

suggested a strategy based on multifunctional agents to minimize the ingredients.
Massless Cable for Real‐time Simulation
Authors: Servin M. , Lacoursière C.
Published: May 2007

A technique for real‐time simulation of hoisting cable systems based on a multibody nonideal constraint is presented. The hoisting cable constraint is derived from the cable internal energies for stretching and twisting. Each hoisting cable introduces two constraint equations, one for stretching and one for torsion, which include all the rigid bodies attached by the same cable. The computation produces the global tension and torsion in the cable as well as the resulting forces and torques on each attached body. The complexity of the computation grows linearly with the number of bodies attached to a given cable and is weakly coupled to the rest of the simulation. The nonideal constraint formulation allows stable simulations of cables over wide ranges of linear and torsional stiffness, including the rigid limit. This contrasts with lumped element formulations including the cable internal degrees of freedom in which computational complexity grows at least linearly with the number of cable elements – usually proportional to cable length – and where numerical stability is sensitive to the mass ratio between the load and the lumped elements.
Making Education Count: The Effects of Ethnicity and Qualifications on Intergenerational Social Class Mobility
Authors: Platt Lucinda
Published: May 2007

This paper examines the role of social class and ethnic group background in determining individuals’ social class destinations. It explores the extent to which these background factors are mediated by educational achievement, and the role of educational qualifications in enabling intergenerational class mobility. To do this, it uses the ONS Longitudinal Study. These data allow us to observe parents’ characteristics during childhood for a group of children of different ethnic groups growing up in England and Wales in the same period and who had reached adulthood by 2001. Results show that the influence of class background on these children's subsequent social class position varied with ethnicity: it was important for the majority, even after taking account of educational qualifications, but had a much smaller role to play for the minority groups. The minority groups made use of education to achieve upward mobility, but to greater effect for some groups than for others. Among those without educational qualifications, minority groups suffered an ‘ethnic penalty’ in relation to higher class outcomes; but for Pakistanis and Bangladeshis, this penalty persisted at all levels of education. These findings challenge the notion that a more equal society can be achieved simply through promoting equality of opportunity through education.
Effects of communication on social knowledge: Sharing reality with individual versus group audiences1
Authors: HIGGINS E. TORY , ECHTERHOFF GERALD , CRESPILLO RAQUEL , KOPIETZ RENÉ
Published: May 2007

Abstract:  After communicators have tuned their description of another person's behaviors to suit their audience's attitude toward that person, their subsequent memory of the target person's behaviors is often evaluatively biased in the direction of the audience's attitude. Existing research, which has mainly focused on communication with individuals as the audience, indicates two conditions for the occurrence of this audience‐congruent memory bias: (a) the bias occurs when communicators actually produce a message for their audience, but not when they merely know their audience's attitude and do not produce a message; and (b) the bias depends on whether communicators experience a high (vs. low) shared reality with their audience, specifically, high (vs. low) epistemic trust in their audience's judgment. The present experiment shows that increasing epistemic trust in the audience by other means can compensate for the lack of message production. When the audience was a single individual, the bias was found only when there was actual message production. When the audience was a group (three addressees with the same attitude), the bias was found without the need for actual message production. Consistent with a shared‐reality account, participants indicated higher epistemic trust in the group audience than in the individual audience.
Alterations in xenobiotic metabolism in the long‐lived Little mice
Authors: Amador‐Noguez Daniel , Dean Adam , Huang Wendong , Setchell Kenneth , Moore David , Darlington Gretchen
Published: May 2007

Our previous microarray expression analysis of the long‐lived Little mice (Ghrhrlit/lit) showed a concerted up‐regulation of xenobiotic detoxification genes. Here, we show that this up‐regulation is associated with a potent increase in resistance against the adverse effects of a variety of xenobiotics, including the hepatotoxins acetaminophen and bromobenzene and the paralyzing agent zoxazolamine. The classic xenobiotic receptors Car (Constitutive Androstane Receptor) and Pxr (Pregnane X Receptor) are considered key regulators of xenobiotic metabolism. Using double and triple knockout/mutant mouse models we found, however, that Car and Pxr are not required for the up‐regulation of xenobiotic genes in Little mice. Our results suggest instead that bile acids and the primary bile acid receptor Fxr (farnesoid X receptor) are likely mediators of the up‐regulation of xenobiotic detoxification genes in Little mice. Bile acid levels are considerably elevated in the bile, serum, and liver of Little mice. We found that treatment of wild‐type animals with cholic acid, one of the major bile acids elevated in Little mice, mimics in large part the up‐regulation of xenobiotic detoxification genes observed in Little mice. Additionally, the loss of Fxr had a major effect on the expression of the xenobiotic detoxification genes up‐regulated in Little mice. A large fraction of these genes lost or decreased their high expression levels in double mutant mice for Fxr and Ghrhr. The alterations in xenobiotic metabolism in Little mice constitute a form of increased stress resistance and may contribute to the extended longevity of these mice.
The Differences Between ACE Inhibitor‐Treated and Calcium Channel Blocker‐Treated Hypertensive Patients
Authors: Mclnnes Gordon T.
Published: May 2007

Large‐scale outcome trials have demonstrated that blood pressure reduction with angiotensin‐converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors or calcium channel blockers (CCBs) is associated with reduced cardiovascular complications in hypertension. Comparative trials against conventional drugs and between ACE inhibitors and CCBs have failed to reveal conclusive differences in cause‐specific outcomes. Studies in high‐risk patients suggest that ACE inhibitors are superior to CCBs and other drugs in protection against cardiovascular events and renal disease. Very long‐term prospectively collected observational data from the Glasgow Blood Pressure Clinic and the UK General Practice Research Database strongly support an advantage of ACE inhibitors over CCBs for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Considering all the available information, it can be concluded that the use of CCBs in the routine therapy of hypertension cannot be recommended while wider use of ACE inhibitors, along with low‐dose diuretics and β blockers, appears justified.
Building on the Specialist's Antihypertensive Treatment Recommendation: It's Just the Beginning
Authors: Sounders Elijah
Published: May 2007

Patients with established cardiovascular disease are a top priority for preventive medicine. Evidence from clinical trials supports the merits of aggressive risk reduction therapies in survivors of an acute event. Improving their cardiovascular risk factor profile prolongs survival, reduces the incidence of recurrent atherosclerotic events, and improves quality of life. Blood pressure (BP) control is an essential component of cardiovascular disease secondary prevention programs; however, many patients are not receiving adequate antihypertensive therapy to meet their BP goal. By building on the specialist's discharge antihypertensive prescription, primary care physicians are ideally positioned to assume responsibility for ensuring BP goals are achieved and maintained over the long term in patients who have survived an acute event. Current hypertension management guidelines define appropriate BP goals and incorporate clear advice on how these goals can be met. BP should be lowered slowly and carefully through lifestyle modifications and pharmacologic therapy. Antihypertensive treatment should be given according to guidelines for primary prevention, although specific antihypertensive classes are indicated for initial use in post‐myocardial infarction and post‐stroke patients. In many cases, BP goal attainment will require the use of combination therapy with two or more drugs from different classes. With the availability of effective and safe antihypertensive drug therapies, including fixed‐dose combinations, a BP goal of <140/90 mm Hg should be achievable in most patients.
Hypertension‐Related Morbidity and Mortality in African Americans—Why We Need to Do Better
Authors: Ferdinand Keith C. , Sounders Elijah
Published: May 2007

Almost one third of adults in the United States have hypertension. Prevalence data among different racial or ethnic groups indicate that a disproportionate number of African Americans have hypertension compared with non‐Hispanic whites and Mexican Americans. Earlier onset of high blood pressure and greater severity of hypertension contribute to a greater burden of hypertensive target organ damage in African Americans and may be a factor in the shorter life expectancy of this population compared with white Americans. There is a clear need for improved management of hypertension in African Americans via therapeutic lifestyle interventions and pharmacotherapy. While there is some evidence that particular antihypertensive agent classes provide blood pressure‐lowering advantages over others, there is no support for withholding agents of any one class. When given as monotherapy, diuretics and calcium channel blockers may be relatively more effective in lowering blood pressure in African Americans than β blockers, angiotensin‐converting enzyme inhibitors, and angiotensin II receptor blockers. However, when combined with a diuretic, African Americans respond as well to these agents as other racial groups. Combination therapy using antihypertensive agents with differing modes of action provides additive antihypertensive efficacy and is well tolerated. Recent guidelines recommend combination therapy as the standard of care for patients with significant blood pressure elevation, especially those with diabetes mellitus and renal disease. These comorbidities are more common in African Americans and indicate the potential need for initial therapy with more than one agent or a combination of agents in one pill.
Effectiveness of ART and traditional amalgam approach in restoring single‐surface cavities in posterior teeth of permanent dentitions in school children after 6.3 years
Authors: Frencken J. E. , Van't Hof M. A. , Taifour D. , Al‐Zaher I.
Published: May 2007

Abstract –  Objectives:  The Atraumatic Restorative Treatment (ART) approach was compared with the traditional amalgam (TA) approach in order to test their appropriateness to complement a preventive and educational school oral health programme in Syria.

Methods:  Using a parallel group design, 370 and 311 grade 2 children were randomly assigned to the ART and the TA group respectively. Eight dentists placed 1117 single‐ and multiple‐surface restorations. A modified actuarial method was used to estimate survival curves. The jackknife method was applied to calculate the standard error in the cumulative survival percentages.

Results:  A statistically significant difference in cumulative survival percentages between single‐surface non‐occlusal ART and comparable amalgam restorations was observed after 4.3, 5.3 and 6.3 years. The survival of single‐surface non‐occlusal ART posterior restorations (80.2 ± 4.9%) was statistically significantly higher than that of occlusal posterior ART restorations (64.8 ± 3.9%) at evaluation year 6.3. There was no statistically significant difference observed between survival percentages of large (55.8 ± 10%) and that of small (69.2 ± 4.6%) single‐surface posterior ART restorations after 6.3 years. There was an operator effect observed for single‐surface ART and comparable amalgam restorations. Secondary caries was observed in 2.3% of single‐surface ART restorations and in 3.7% of single‐surface amalgam restorations during the 6.3 year observation period.

Conclusions:  The ART approach provided higher survival percentages for single‐surface restorations than the TA approach over 6.3 years and is therefore appropriate for use in school oral health programmes. Secondary caries was only a minor reason for ART restorations to fail. An operator effect was observed for both treatment approaches.
Cultural factors and children's oral health care: a qualitative study of carers of young children
Authors: Hilton Irene V. , Stephen Samantha , Barker Judith C. , Weintraub Jane A.
Published: May 2007

Objective:  This qualitative study sought to identify cultural beliefs, practices and experiences that influence access to preventive oral health care for young children from different racial and ethnic groups.

Methods:  Four to six focus groups in each of the African–American, Chinese, Latino and Filipino communities in San Francisco, California were included in the study. Participants were carers of children aged 1–5 years. The 22 groups (n = 177 participants) were stratified by carer's age and, except in the African–American community, by whether US or non‐US born. Sessions were conducted in different languages as needed.

Results:  Lack of knowledge and beliefs about primary teeth created barriers to early preventive care in all groups. In Chinese groups more than others, health beliefs regarding disease causation and prevention influenced access to preventive dental care. In all groups, multiple family carers, especially elders, influenced access to preventive care. Dental fear, whether derived from prevailing community beliefs or personal negative dental experiences, greatly influenced attitudes regarding accessing preventive care.

Conclusion:  There are both similarities and differences between racial/ethnic groups in how cultural beliefs and experiences influence young children's access to dental care and how it might be improved.
The concept of validity in sociodental indicators and oral health‐related quality‐of‐life measures
Authors: Brondani M. A. , MacEntee M. I.
Published: May 2007

Background:  Most of the psychometric instruments used to measure quality of life associated with oral impairment and disability from the perspectives of older adults focus on negative experiences, and pay little attention to the possibility of positive reactions to disablement. This oversight challenges the validity of the instruments in current use, and raises questions about the process used to validate them.

Objectives:  In this study, we consider the general attributes of psychometric validity, and how they have been applied to oral health‐related instruments.

Conclusions and recommendations:  The psychometric characteristics and predictive validity of existing dental instruments are still weak, probably because the instruments fail to address the broad range of personal variables that influence oral health, disability and quality of life. We recommend, therefore, that a continuous process of validation be adopted to include: (1) assessments of the theoretical framework supporting the instruments; (2) evaluations of the focus and structure of the questions used; and (3) enhancements of the prediction value of instruments applicable to oral health‐related beliefs and behaviours.
Fluoride intake and urinary excretion in 6‐ to 7‐year‐old children living in optimally, sub‐optimally and non‐fluoridated areas
Authors: Maguire A. , Zohouri F. V. , Hindmarch P. N. , Hatts J. , Moynihan P. J.
Published: May 2007

Objectives:  This study was designed to measure total intake, urinary excretion and estimated retention of fluoride in children under customary fluoride intake conditions, living in either fluoridated or low‐fluoride areas of north‐east England. Subsidiary aims were to investigate the relationships between the variables measured.

Methods:  Using a randomized cluster design with schools as the sampling units, four schools from a non‐fluoridated area and two from a fluoridated area were selected from the schools chosen to participate in the study. Fluoride intake from diet and toothbrushing was assessed using a 3‐day food diary and fluoride analysis of expectorated saliva during toothbrushing. Samples of all foods and drinks consumed were measured for fluoride content using direct and indirect silicon‐facilitated diffusion methods as appropriate. Urinary fluoride excretion and urine volume were measured over 24 h and estimation of fractional urinary fluoride excretion (FUFE) and fluoride retention made from collected data. Following descriptive analysis of variables, Pearson's correlations investigated relationships between fluoride content of home tap water, daily fluoride intake, excretion and retention.

Results:  Thirty‐three children completed the study: 18 receiving non‐fluoridated water [mean = 0.08 (±0.03) mg F/l], nine sub‐optimally fluoridated water [mean = 0.47 (±0.09) mg F/l] and six optimally fluoridated water [mean = 0.82 (±0.13) mg F/l] at the time of the study. Complete data on F intake, excretion and retention were available for 29 children. Mean fluoride intake from diet and toothpaste ranged from 0.031 (±0.025) mg/kg body weight (bw)/day for the low‐fluoride area to 0.038 (±0.038) and 0.047(±0.008) mg/kg bw/day for sub‐optimally and optimally fluoridated areas respectively. Contribution of toothpaste to total fluoride intake ranged from 3% to 93% with mean values of 57%, 35% and 47% for children receiving low, sub‐optimally and optimally fluoridated water respectively. FUFE ranged from a mean of 32% (±13%) for the optimally fluoridated area to 44% (±33%) for the low‐fluoride area. Fluoride retention was not correlated with the fluoride concentration of home water supply, but was strongly positively correlated (P < 0.001) with total daily fluoride intake.

Conclusions:  In an industrialized country, total fluoride intake, urinary excretion and consequently fluoride retention no longer reflect residence in a community with a non‐fluoridated or fluoridated water supply. Fluoride toothpaste contributes a significant proportion of total ingested fluoride in children, particularly in low‐fluoride areas.
Oral health conditions of community‐dwelling cognitively intact elderly persons with disabilities
Authors: Saunders Ralph , Friedman Bruce
Published: May 2007

Objectives:  To present descriptive information on oral health and health care of community‐dwelling elderly persons with disabilities who are living at home.

Background:  Most previous studies have focused on specific subpopulations, namely, persons who are essentially healthy and independent, are homebound, or are nursing home residents. Little information appears to be available on community‐residing elderly persons with disabilities.

Materials and methods:  A total of 641 participants aged 65 years and over in a Medicare Demonstration who were cognitively intact, completed an oral health questionnaire within 1 year of Demonstration entry. Demonstration participants were required to be living in the community, need or receive help with 2+ activities of daily living (ADLs) or 3+ instrumental ADLs (IADLs), and have recently experienced significant health services utilisation.

Results:  Subject mean age was 79.1 years, 73.8% were female, and 4% were minority. They were dependent in a mean of 1.8 ADLs and 2.9 IADLs. 43.1% reported that they had no natural teeth, 77.4% had dentures, 58.8% frequently felt their mouth was dry, 5.2% had jaw pain now and 6.1% had at some time experienced burning sensations in their mouth or tongue. 40.4% reported that they were currently in need of dental treatment, although 56.2% indicated they now had a dentist, and 42.1% identified having a dental visit within the past 12 months. 19.7% indicated some dental insurance coverage.

Conclusion:  This is one of the first studies to focus on community‐dwelling elderly people with disabilities. Substantial oral health morbidity was reported.
Fragments and Foundations: Medieval Texts and the Future of Feminism
Authors: Williams Tara
Published: May 2007

This article examines the development of feminist criticism and gender studies within medieval literary studies and the limited impact that feminist treatments of texts from the Middle Ages have had on the field of feminist theory and criticism more generally. I survey the past achievements by feminists working with medieval texts, noting that they focused primarily on concepts of femininity, representations of characters, or women writers. Then I explore the conflicting assessments of the present status of feminism within medieval literary studies. Finally, I argue that there are three primary areas for future research: the expansion of the feminist ‘canon’, interactions within and between texts, and the intersections of language and gender. Feminism has achieved many of its original goals and now has been largely supplanted by gender and sexuality studies, including queer theory. However, I conclude that medieval texts offer new directions for feminist inquiry because they contain the origins of gendered language in English; medieval texts reveal that the meanings of words like womanhood, femininity, and wifehood have been disparate and contested from their first usages and thereby defamiliarize our modern usages of those same terms.
THE ANTIOXIDATIVE POTENTIAL OF LYOPHILIZED CITRUS PEEL EXTRACT IN DIFFERENT MEAT MODEL SYSTEMS DURING STORAGE AT 20C
Authors: JO C. , KANG H. J. , LEE M. , LEE N. Y. , BYUN M.W.
Published: May 2007

Antioxidative potential of lyophilized citrus (Citrus unshiu) peel extract in raw and cooked meat systems was investigated. Beef pork, chicken, and salmon patties were prepared without (control), with lyophilized citrus peel extract (0.1%, NICP), and with 20 kGy‐irradiated, lyophilized citrus peel extract (0.1%, ICP). TBARS value showed that the addition of lyophilized citrus peel (NICP or ICP) inhibited the development of lipid oxidation of raw and cooked meat patties during storage for 8 days at 20C (P<0.05) except for raw chicken patty. Hunter color a*‐values of the cooked meat patties treated with NICP or ICP were higher than those of the control (P<0.05). Irradiation of citrus peel extract did not show any notable changes in its antioxidant effect in the meat systems. Thus, the lyophilized citrus extract could be used as one of the natural antioxidants with the potential of cost‐effectiveness and is environmentally friendly.
Studies on the Comparability of Consumer Price Indices
Authors: Dalén Jörgen
Published: May 2007

Comparability of statistical data between countries is a major objective for international statistical organisations such as EUROSTAT. The convergence criteria set down in the Maastricht Treaty explicitly require comparable consumer price indices in the European Union. We present an empirical analysis, largely based on simulations with Swedish and Finnish CPI data, of various potential sources of non‐comparability, conceptual as well as technical ones.
Reducing Costs of Censuses in Norway Through Use of Administrative Registers
Authors: Longva Svein , Thomsen Ib , Severeide Paul Inge
Published: May 2007

The purpose and methodology of the Norwegian census has changed considerably during the last 35 years. While the census was previously the main source of socio‐demographic information, it is to day just one of several sources. After an identification number for each individual was introduced and used in various administrative registers, the dominating role of the census has changed dramatically. For some years it has been the policy of Statistics Norway to collaborate with various governmental agencies in order to use administrative registers in statistics production. This policy has been supported politically, and a new Statistics Act has been useful in these efforts. The purpose of this paper is to present the strategy and methodology used to produce statistics in general, census statistics in particular, when based on a combined use of administrative registers and directly collected data. Experiences from Norwegian censuses since 1960 will be presented.
Statistical Thinking in Empirical Enquiry
Authors: Wild C. J. , Pfannkuch M.
Published: May 2007

This paper discusses the thought processes involved in statistical problem solving in the broad sense from problem formulation to conclusions. It draws on the literature and in‐depth interviews with statistics students and practising statisticians aimed at uncovering their statistical reasoning processes. From these interviews, a four‐dimensional framework has been identified for statistical thinking in empirical enquiry. It includes an investigative cycle, an interrogative cycle, types of thinking and dispositions. We have begun to characterise these processes through models that can be used as a basis for thinking tools or frameworks for the enhancement of problem‐solving. Tools of this form would complement the mathematical models used in analysis and address areas of the process of statistical investigation that the mathematical models do not, particularly areas requiring the synthesis of problem‐contextual and statistical understanding. The central element of published definitions of statistical thinking is “variation”. We further discuss the role of variation in the statistical conception of real‐world problems, including the search for causes.
International Statistics at the Millennium: Progressing or Regressing?*
Authors: Stigler Stephen M.
Published: May 2007

To assess the current state of international statistics at the commencement of a new millennium, a small retrospective study is presented. Such a study is necessarily statistical, and its intrinsic biases are discussed. Based upon past data a specific prediction for the distant future is advanced.
Unraveling the Genetic Component of Multifactorial Diseases: Dream or Reality
Authors: Clerget‐Darpoux F.
Published: May 2007

The etiology of many human diseases is complex and very likely involves a combination of genetic and environmental risk factors. A popular strategy to detect genetic risk factors is to perform a systematic screening of the genome searching for linkage. The power of such and approach depends very much on the unknown characteristics of the genetic factors and the main difficulty is to establish a good trade‐off between false positives and false negatives. Besides, a precise localisation of the risk factor will generally not be obtained. The set up of a candidate gene stratery is necessary to go further in genetic factor identification. It is likely that for multicfactorioal diseases the only genetic risk factors that can be detected are those with fairly strong effect. Even in that case, it is important to design strategies which increase the power of detection and provide for a better evaluation of the associated risks.
Proposals for a Minimum Programme for Statistics in Developing Countries
Authors: Azouvi Alain
Published: May 2007

Statistical offices in developing countries are confronted with the challenge of introducing, with limited means, methods and tools ensuring the production of durable statistics satisfying regional, national and international requirements. Taking into account the evolution, over the last years, in the attitude of national authorities, funding partners and statisticians themselves regarding the building up of relevant and durable statistics, the present paper's proposal is to have, in each developing country, a Minimum Programme for Statistics (MPS) and that this programme be centred on four domains: coordination, national accounts, economic and social short term analysis, and dissemination.
ON SUBORBITAL GRAPHS FOR THE MODULAR GROUP
Authors: AKBAS M.
Published: May 2007

This paper proves a conjecture of G. A. Jones, D. Singerman and K. Wicks, that a suborbital graph
for the modular group is a forest if and only if it contains no triangles.
THE CONE LENGTH OF A PRODUCT OF CO-H-SPACES AND A PROBLEM OF GANEA
Authors: ARKOWITZ MARTIN , STANLEY DONALD
Published: May 2007

It is proved that the cone length or strong category of a product of two co-H-spaces is less than or
equal to two. This yields the following positive solution to a problem of Ganea. Let α ∈ π2p(S3) be an element of order p, p a prime [ges ] 3, and let X(p) = S3∪αe2p+1. Then X(p) × X(p) is the mapping cone of
some map φ : Y → Z where Z is a suspension.
RESTRICTED UNIVERSALITY OF POWER SERIES
Authors: KAHANE JEAN-PIERRE , MELAS ANTONIOS D.
Published: May 2007

We prove the existence of a power series having radius of convergence 0, whose partial sums have
universal approximation properties on any compact set with connected complement that is contained in
a finite union of circles centred at 0 and having rational radii, but do not have such properties on any
compact set with nonempty interior. This relates to a theorem of A. I. Seleznev.
UNCOUNTABLE ORTHOGONALITY IS A CLOSURE PROPERTY
Authors: HÉBERT M. , ROSICKÝ J.
Published: May 2007

It is shown that, for λ > ω, λ-orthogonality classes in locally λ-presentable categories coincide with full
subcategories that are closed under limits and under λ-directed colimits. This comes as a surprise, since
the statement is known to be false for λ = ω.
ZEROS OF COMPOSITE MEROMORPHIC FUNCTIONS AND AHLFORS'S THEORY OF COVERING SURFACES
Authors: SAUER A.
Published: May 2007

This paper improves a theorem of Bergweiler on the zeros of functions f ○ g — R with f meromorphic, g entire and R rational. The proof yields a simple inequality for the number of zeros and T(r, g).
ON THE DISTRIBUTION OF DENOMINATORS IN SYLVESTER EXPANSIONS
Authors: WU JUN
Published: May 2007

For any x ∈ (0, 1], let the series [sum ]∞n=1
1/dn(x) be the Sylvester expansion of x. Galambos has shown that
the Lebesgue measure of the set

[formula here]

is 1 when α = e, the base of the natural logarithm. This paper provides a proof that for any α [ges ] 1, A(α)
has Hausdorff dimension 1 when α ≠ e.
RANDOM (r, s)-GENERATION OF FINITE CLASSICAL
GROUPS
Authors: LIEBECK MARTIN W. , SHALEV ANER
Published: May 2007

A proof is given that for primes r, s, not both 2, and for finite simple classical groups G of sufficiently
large rank, the probability that two randomly chosen elements in G of orders r and s generate G tends
to 1 as |G| → ∞.
CHROMATIC POLYNOMIALS FOR TWISTED BRACELETS
Authors: BIGGS NORMAN
Published: May 2007

This paper is concerned with the chromatic polynomials of ‘bracelets’: specifically, graphs constructed by
taking n copies of a complete graph and linking them together in a ring. Using a sieve method, explicit
formulae for the dominant and subdominant terms of the chromatic polynomial are obtained. Finally, a
simple description of the effect of twisting the links is obtained.
On an Operator Theory Approach to the Corona Problem
Authors: Amar E. , Menini C.
Published: May 2007

This paper deals with an operator theory approach to the corona conjecture for H∞(Dn). Treil gave a counter‐example to this conjecture in the case where n = 1 for operator‐valued functions; thus one might hope to use this to disprove the corona conjecture for H∞(Dn) (for n ⩾ 2). This paper shows that this natural approach towards a negative answer fails. On the other hand, the second result here shows that ‘commutant lifting’ cannot be true for more than two contractions for any constant. This obstructs a natural attempted proof of the corona conjecture for H∞(Dn) (for n ⩾ 2) by our previous result.
TYPICAL DYNAMICS OF VOLUME PRESERVING HOMEOMORPHISMS (Cambridge Tracts in Mathematics 139)
Authors: Nair R.
Published: May 2007

By Steve R. Alpern and V. S. Prasad: 216 pp., £30.00, isbn 0‐521‐58287‐3(Cambridge University Press, 2000).
SMOOTH MORPHISMS OF MODULE SCHEMES
Authors: ZWARA G.
Published: May 2007

Let $\varphi:A\to B$ be a homomorphism of finite-dimensional algebras over an algebraically closed field and $\varphi^{(c)}:{\rm mod}_B^c\to{\rm mod}_A^c$ the induced morphism of the associated module schemes for any integer $c\geq 1$. We prove that if the induced functor ${\rm mod\,} B\to{\rm mod\,} A$ is hom-controlled then the restriction of $\varphi^{(c)}$ to any connected component of ${\rm mod}_B^c$ is a composition of a smooth morphism followed by an immersion. Some new results on the types of singularities in the orbit closures of module schemes are also proved.

2000 Mathematical Subject Classification: 14B05, 14L30, 16G10.
THE MONOID OF FAMILIES OF QUIVER REPRESENTATIONS
Authors: REINEKE MARCUS
Published: May 2007

A monoid structure on families of representations of a quiver is introduced by taking extensions of representations in families, that is, subvarieties of the varieties of representations. The study of this monoid leads to interesting interactions between representation theory, algebraic geometry and quantum group theory. For example, it produces a wealth of interesting examples of families of quiver representations, which can be analysed by representation-theoretic and geometric methods. Conversely, results from representation theory, in particular A. Schofield's work on general properties of quiver representations, allow us to relate the monoid to certain degenerate forms of quantized enveloping algebras.

2000 Mathematical Subject Classification: 16G20, 14L30, 17B37.