bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Person, behaviour, and contingencies (an aesthetic view of behaviourism)
Authors: Pérez‐Álvarez Marino , García‐Montes José Manuel
Published: December 2006

The concept of person is a fundamental one in any psychology worthy of the name, yet it is not among the technical terms of behaviourism. Indeed, behaviourism was reticent, not surprisingly, about the concept of person, given its traditional substantiality and intrapsychic sense. But behaviourism, particularly the Skinnerian variety, has the ideas to develop a perfectly acceptable conception of the person. Notable among these would be the idea of operant subject (author and actor). With regard precisely to the person as subject‐actor of the behaviour, it is worth underlining the affinity of behaviourism with person in its radical (etymological) sense, derived from the theatre (persona = mask = role = behavioural repertoires). In fact, in its original dramaturgical sense, the person gives a face to others and according to socially organized contingencies (scripts, norms, rules). Thus, person is a term correlative to the stage, or, in other words, to contingencies. The present work sets out to develop this affinity between the original sense of person and radical behaviourism. In this line we include the aesthetic view of behaviourism. In order to understand its meaning, we begin by considering art as behaviour, and thus, the person as a work of art (Pérez‐Álvarez & García‐Montes, 2004). We advocate a poetic statute of the person, which is none other than the operant constructivist sense that characterizes behaviourism (seen from a new perspective). The most decisive aspect of this reappraisal is that it includes the experience of the self at its deepest level: the skin. Not the world under the skin, as Skinner would say, but on the skin.
The experimental synthesis of behaviour
Authors: Ardila Rubén
Published: December 2006

The experimental synthesis of behaviour is a programme for the unification of psychology. The central core of the theory is behaviour analysis, and its aim is to explain the findings of contemporary psychology in behavioural concepts. The experimental synthesis of behaviour is not “eclectic.” Following a post‐Kuhnian description, the author states that psychological schools were analogous to paradigms, and that a state of normal science (in Kuhn's terms) could be reached. The main characteristics of the experimental synthesis of behaviour, as a programme for the unification of psychology, are as follows. (1) A behavioural level of explanation; psychology has its own level, which includes the behaviour of organisms and their varied relations to the environment; behaviour is not reducible, in strict sense, to biology or to social science. (2) The method is experimentation, but in the initial stages importance is given to observational and correlational procedures. (3) Emphasis is on learning: Human behaviour is primarily learned, with a biological (genetic) basis. (4) The wide range of phenomena that are to be explained include all the traditional fields of scientific psychological research. (5) Emphasis is also on the environment, both social and physical. (6) Importance is given to the basic technology derived from behavioural research.
Behaviourism and the science of behaviour: Its development in Italy
Authors: Moderato Paolo , Presti Giovambattista
Published: December 2006

The development of behaviourism in Italy is presented, beginning with Virgilio Lazzeroni, who in 1942 published a paper in which he claimed that behaviour was the subject matter of psychology. The behaviourist tradition is relatively young in Italy, due to the influence of the cultural environment centred on idealistic philosophy. The tree of Italian behaviourism has two roots, which can be labelled Pavlovian‐reflexiological‐psychiatric, and Skinnerian‐operant‐psychological. The founding of the Italian Association for Behaviour Analysis and Modification (AIAMC, for its initials in Italian) in 1977 was particularly influential. The first ABA International Convention was held in Venice in 2001 and the first Conference of the European Association of Behaviour Analysis was held in Parma in 2003. Other national and international scientific meetings have been organized, and also 4‐year postgraduate courses in behaviour analysis and therapy. Almost all of the main books of the behavioural literature have been translated into Italian, and a number of original books by native authors have been published. At the present time behaviourism has reached a fairly good critical mass within psychology in Italy, though it is still a minority if compared with the psychoanalytic approach or to the systemic approach. There is research and practical work on theoretical, clinical, educational, and organizational topics.
Observational learning
Authors: Douglas Greer R. , Dudek‐Singer Jessica , Gautreaux Grant
Published: December 2006

Inconsistencies in the use of terms such as “modelling,” “copying,” “imitation,” and “observational learning” impede progress in studies of natural, behavioural, and cultural selection. Recent evidence suggests distinctions between the effects of observation on: (a) emission of previously acquired repertoires, (b) acquisition of new repertoires, (c) acquisition of conditioned reinforcers, and (d) acquisition of observational learning as a new repertoire. Prior research failed to identify whether changes in behaviour after observation constituted learning because tests were not done for the presence or absence of the repertoires prior to observation. Changing one's queue because of the potential of receiving faster service constitutes a performance task and is quite different from learning a language by observation. We describe new investigations reporting procedures leading to: acquisition of observational learning, acquisition of operants and higher‐order operants by observation, and the acquisition of conditioned reinforcers as a function of observation. The conditioned reinforcement effects after observation are related to the “copying” effects on reversal of sexual selection in some species. An observational effect on performance constitutes a different function from learning new repertoires. Acquiring new reinforcers is still another function. We propose empirically derived distinctions between these that are important in the analyses of the roles of natural selection, behavioural selection, and cultural selection in adaptation, changes in performance, learning, and the spread of cultural practices.
The effects of prompting and social reinforcement on establishing social interactions with peers during the inclusion of four children with autism in preschool
Authors: Gena Angeliki
Published: December 2006

Inclusion in “regular” schools has become a considerable option for children with autism only in recent years, but we are still far from having a global appreciation of the needs that arise upon the inclusion of children with such a severe disability. The main purpose of the present study was to identify empirically supported procedures that may improve the social interactions of children with autism upon their inclusion in the “regular” preschool. The identification of the needs of preschoolers with autism in Greek schools, as well as the specific skills that would be taught, were based on normative data collected and analysed in a series of prior studies. A long‐lasting controversy has been going on between professionals who either advocate for “schools for all children,” or stress the importance of making individualized decisions based on each child's needs during the inclusion process. The present study demonstrated that social reinforcement in combination with prompting procedures, provided by a shadow teacher, were effective in increasing the social initiations as well as appropriate responding to peers' initiations of four children with autism during interactions with their classmates in preschool. More importantly, the treatment benefits were obtained in a natural setting, and the initiations and replies were not cliché statements but involved generalized language use appropriate to the social context, and generalized to new therapists.
Did Skinner miss the point about teaching?
Authors: Staddon John
Published: December 2006

The Darwinian metaphor, to which Skinner was an early contributor, has been a commonplace for several years. Skinner was sure that much can be learned from experiments with animals, and those strategies that work best for the training of animals can and should be applied to the education of humans. However, his claims about how best to teach people, especially intelligent people who are learning difficult things, have several problems. Operant behaviour is emitted (it is spontaneous, at least on first occurrence). Emitted behaviour selected by reinforcement can be compared to the Darwinian idea of selection and variation. Operant learning is seen as interplay between response emission (variation) and reinforcement (selection). In applying his ideas to teaching, Skinner emphasized selection almost exclusively. But the real puzzle posed by non‐rote learning, in both animals and humans, is not selection but the sources of variation that cause an action or an idea to appear for the first time. It is in this sense that Skinner's whole discussion of teaching missed the point. The Darwinian framework for behaviour analysis points to the fact that processes of variation exist, even though they have been neglected in favour of an almost exclusive focus on reinforcement and selection.
Urbanisation from Below: The Growth of Towns in Jiangsu, China
Authors: Ma Laurence J. C. , Fan Ming
Published: December 2006

Urbanisation in China during the Maoist period was largely a consequence of centralised planning and Soviet-type industrialisation dominated by the growth of cities. The towns lost their commercial function and stagnated. Since the reforms of 1978, the growth of towns has emerged as a new force of Chinese urbanisation. This case study of the growth of towns in Jiangsu province shows that enterprises in the towns have attracted a large number of daily commuters and some migrants, resulting in a more diversified pattern of population composition in the towns. The population of the towns is growing at a faster rate than the city population. Manufacturing dominates the employment structure of the designated towns, including county capitals, as well as the rural market towns. The central government of China has not played any active role in the growth of towns. If the towns and town enterprises are allowed to grow for an extended period of time, they may lead to the emergence of a more powerful track of 'urbanisation from below' to accompany the established track of 'urbanisation from above'.
Tales of the Suburbs: The Local Politics of Growth in the South-east of England
Authors: Charlesworth Julie , Cochrane Allan
Published: December 2006

The operation of local politics in Britain is changing. With the help of three case studies, this paper explores some of the implications of these changes. One key aspect of change is the increased salience of 'network' and 'partnership' arrangements associated with the rise of local economic policy-making. The importance of this shift has been widely recognised in areas of economic decline or stagnation and in what are generally analysed as more or less free-standing localities. Here the focus is on change within the south-east of England, which has largely been defined in terms of 'growth', and in which regional and sub-regional linkages make it very difficult to identify 'localities': instead, the moves beyond suburbanisation, towards what some have labelled 'edge cities', highlight the importance of 'imaginary' geographies to the shaping and reshaping of local political processes. The local politics of growth help to construct an apparently cosy world of consensus which in practice serves to reinforce the power of some groups at the expense of others. '
Executive processes in visual and spatial working memory tasks
Authors: Rudkin Susan J. , Pearson David G. , Logie Robert H.
Published: December 2006

Three experiments are reported, which have investigated the nature of the cognitive mechanisms that underlie performance on specific visuo-spatial working memory tasks, with the emphasis on exploring the extent of central executive involvement. Experiments 1 and 2 employed oral random digit generation as an executive task within a dual-task paradigm. The results of both experiments indicated that visuo-spatial tasks that involve sequential processing of information show more interference with random digit generation than do visuo-spatial tasks that involve simultaneous processing. The third experiment substituted oral random digit generation for executive tasks that did not involve memory for serial order (vigilance tasks adapted from Vandierendonck, De Vooght, & Van der Goten, 1998b). The results indicated significant interference between the vigilance tasks and the sequential visuo-spatial task, but not with the simultaneous visuo-spatial task. Overall the results of the three experiments are interpreted as indicating that serial sequential visuo-spatial tasks involve executive resources to a significantly greater extent than do simultaneous visuo-spatial tasks, and that this can have implications for studies that attempt to make use of such tasks to fractionate separable visual and spatial components within working memory.
Expansion complexes for finite subdivision rules. II
Authors: Cannon J. , Floyd W. , Parry W.
Published: December 2006

This paper gives applications of earlier work of the authors on the use of expansion complexes for studying conformality of finite subdivision rules. The first application is that a one-tile rotationally invariant finite subdivision rule (with bounded valence and mesh approaching

0
0

) has an invariant partial conformal structure, and hence is conformal. The paper next considers one-tile single valence finite subdivision rules. It is shown that an expansion map for such a finite subdivision rule can be conjugated to a linear map, and that the finite subdivision rule is conformal exactly when this linear map is either a dilation or has eigenvalues that are not real. Finally, an example is given of an irreducible finite subdivision rule that has a parabolic expansion complex and a hyperbolic expansion complex.
Mvb12 Is a Novel Member of ESCRT-I Involved in Cargo Selection by the Multivesicular Body Pathway
Authors: Oestreich Andrea J. , Davies Brian A. , Payne Johanna A. , Katzmann David J.
Published: December 2006

The multivesicular body (MVB) sorting pathway impacts a variety of cellular functions in eukaryotic cells. Perhaps the best understood role for the MVB pathway is the degradation of transmembrane proteins within the lysosome. Regulation of cargo selection by this pathway is critically important for normal cell physiology, and recent advances in our understanding of this process have highlighted the endosomal sorting complexes required for transport (ESCRTs) as pivotal players in this reaction. To better understand the mechanisms of cargo selection during MVB sorting, we performed a genetic screen to identify novel factors required for cargo-specific selection by this pathway and identified the Mvb12 protein. Loss of Mvb12 function results in differential defects in the selection of MVB cargoes. A variety of analyses indicate that Mvb12 is a stable member of ESCRT-I, a heterologous complex involved in cargo selection by the MVB pathway. Phenotypes displayed upon loss of Mvb12 are distinct from those displayed by the previously described ESCRT-I subunits (vacuolar protein sorting 23, -28, and -37), suggesting a distinct function than these core subunits. These data support a model in which Mvb12 impacts the selection of MVB cargoes by modulating the cargo recognition capabilities of ESCRT-I.
In silicoidentification of putative metal binding motifs
Authors: Thilakaraj Richard , Raghunathan Krishnan , Anishetty Sharmila , Pennathur Gautam
Published: December 2006

Metal ion binding domains are found in proteins that mediate transport, buffering or detoxification of metal ions. In this study, we have performed an in silico analysis of metal binding proteins and have identified putative metal binding motifs for the ions of cadmium, cobalt, zinc, arsenic, mercury, magnesium, manganese, molybdenum and nickel. A pattern search against the UniProtKB/Swiss-Prot and UniProtKB/TrEMBL databases yielded true positives in each case showing the high-specificity of the motifs. Motifs were also validated against PDB structures and site directed mutagenesis studies.

Contact:  pgautam@annauniv.edu; s_anishetty@yahoo.co.uk
International Transfer Pricing for Business Operations in China: Inducements, Regulation and Practice
Authors: Chan Chow K. Hung, Lynne
Published: December 2006

This paper provides an empirical analysis of international transfer pricing in the People's Republic of China. The examination of the business environment in China reveals a mixed inducement for transfer pricing decisions by foreign investment enterprises (FIEs). The legislation on transfer pricing in China is similar to that of its major trading partners. Competition among local governments for foreign investment, inadequate resources for tax enforcement, and inadequate documentation by taxpayers hinder tax audits on transfer pricing. An analysis of aggregate import and export data does not support the allegation that, in general, FIEs shift profits out of China by over‐pricing their imports and under‐pricing their exports. However, there was some evidence of outward income‐shifting in certain key sectors.
Information Disclosure to Employees and Rational Expectations: A Game‐Theoretical Perspective
Authors: Frantz Walker Pascal, Martin
Published: December 2006

This paper analyses the voluntary disclosure strategies of a privately informed firm manager when the information is relevant to both a financial market for valuation purposes and a union for wage bargaining purposes. Disclosure of favourable information may adversely affect the terms under which the firm can secure the required flow of labour and may thus lead to a decrease in the firm's market value. The paper shows that both a full‐disclosure and a nondisclosure equilibrium may exist, which contradicts an earlier analysis of the issue made by Pope and Peel (1981).
Information Disclosure to Employees and Rational Expectations: a Game‐Theoretical Perspective: a Comment
Authors: Pope Peel Peter F., David A.
Published: December 2006

In this comment we identify the key features of the Frantz and Walker (1997) game theoretic model that drive the non‐disclosure equilibrium result in their paper. We argue that, although technically correct, their model fails to capture certain aspects of real‐world wage bargaining that will be important in determining optimal disclosure strategies in practice. However, Frantz and Walker's paper illustrates the potential of analytical techniques to contribute to the employee disclosure debate.
Nonrandom co‐occurrence patterns of rainforest chameleons
Authors: Luiselli Luca
Published: December 2006

Null‐model analysis of co‐occurrence patterns is a powerful tool to identify ‘structure’ in community ecology data sets. We evaluated the community structure of chameleons in rainforest regions of Nigeria and Cameroon using available data in the literature, including peer‐reviewed articles and unpublished environmental reports to industries. We performed Monte Carlo simulations (5000 iterations, using the sequential swap algorithm) under several model assumptions to derive co‐occurrence patterns among species. Food and spatial (habitat) segregation patterns in both lowland rainforest and montane forest were investigated. We subjected four indices of co‐occurrence patterns (C‐ratio, number of checkerboard species pairs, number of species combinations, and V‐score) to randomization procedures. Overall, the chameleon communities do not show random organization, but instead exhibit precise deterministic patterns. In lowland rainforest, chameleon communities are assembled deterministically along the food niche resource axis, but not along the habitat niche resource axis. The opposite holds for chameleon communities in montane rainforest. We predict that these patterns can be generalized to other regions of tropical Africa, thus helping to determine the general structure of chameleon communities in tropical African forests.
Incidence and duration of residual paralysis at the end of surgery after multiple administrations of cisatracurium and rocuronium
Authors: Maybauer D. M. , Geldner G. , Blobner M. , Pühringer F. , Hofmockel R. , Rex C. , Wulf H. F. , Eberhart L. , Arndt C. , Eikermann M.
Published: December 2006

In a randomised, controlled, double‐blind, multicentre trial in 338 patients, we assessed the incidence of residual paralysis following administration of cisatracurium or rocuronium. The incidence at the end of surgery was significantly lower in patients treated with rocuronium (62 of 142 patients, 44%) than in those given cisatracurium (99 of 175 patients, 57%) (p < 0.05). In contrast, with rocuronium the mean (SD) time between skin closure and extubation was 28 (28) min vs 18 (19) min for cisatracurium, and the duration 0.9 (time from administration of last top‐up dose to recovery of the train‐of‐four ratio to 0.9) was significantly longer and more variable for rocuronium than for cisatracurium. Thus, after repeated administration, the duration and variability of duration of action are greater with rocuronium compared with cisatracurium. These pharmacodynamic differences do not necessarily translate into a higher incidence of residual paralysis, because clinicians compensate for the longer duration of action and variability of rocuronium by terminating administration of the neuromuscular blocking earlier.
Extracorporeal carbon dioxide removal using the Novalung® in a patient with intracranial bleeding
Authors: Mallick A. , Elliot S. , McKinlay J. , Bodenham A.
Published: December 2006

A neurosurgical patient who required repeated surgery for intracranial haematoma developed acute respiratory distress syndrome. Raised intracranial pressure proved difficult to manage whilst attempting to maintain optimal gas exchange. The resultant arterial partial pressure of carbon dioxide remained unacceptably high, and treatment by extracorporeal carbon dioxide removal was started. A pumpless arteriovenous interventional lung assist device (Novalung™) was connected from the right femoral artery to left femoral vein and reduced the arterial carbon dioxide, corrected the respiratory acidosis and enabled control of the intracranial pressure. Subsequently the requirements for both respiratory and cardiovascular support were reduced. The patient made a complete neurological recovery.
Assessing the efficacy of HME filters at preventing contamination of breathing systems*
Authors: Rees L. M. , Sheraton T. E. , Modestini C. , Wilkes A. R. , Hall J. E.
Published: December 2006

Breathing system filters are intended to prevent cross‐infection during anaesthesia. However, there is a lack of information on whether filters prevent contamination of the breathing system by the patient. We measured the contamination of 235 used filters of four different types obtained from operating theatres: two pleated hydrophobic (BB25M and BB22/15M, Pall Medical, Portsmouth, UK) used for adult patients and two electrostatic (355/5430 Hygroboy and 355/5427 Hygrobaby, Tyco Healthcare, Gosport, UK) used for paediatric patients. The filters were swabbed over their internal surfaces on both the patient and the machine sides and these were assessed with the use of adenosine triphosphate bioluminescence. Contamination was present on the machine side of 20 (9%) filters. Current standards for testing of filters has no set ‘pass’ level and is performed in the laboratory setting. Bioluminescence may be used in the clinical setting to elucidate factors that might increase the chance of cross‐contamination between patients.
Midazolam vs ondansetron for preventing postoperative nausea and vomiting: a randomised controlled trial
Authors: Lee Y. , Wang J. J. , Yang Y. L. , Chen A. , Lai H. Y.
Published: December 2006

We compared the prophylactic anti‐emetic efficacy of midazolam and ondansetron in 90 patients scheduled for minor gynaecological (hysteroscopy) or urological (ureteroscopy) procedures planned to last 1–2 h under sevoflurane anaesthesia with spontaneous ventilation of the lungs via a laryngeal mask airway. Midazolam 2 mg or ondansetron 4 mg were administered intravenously 30 min before the end of surgery. The proportions of patients who experienced postoperative nausea and vomiting in the first 24 h (30% and 27% for the midazolam and ondansetron groups, respectively) were similar in the two groups. The incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting was significantly smaller in both groups than predicted according to the patients' underlying risks (midazolam group: p = 0.018; ondansetron group: p = 0.017). There were no significant differences in average sedation scores or pain scores. Treatment using ondansetron for anti‐emetic prophylaxis did not provide a superior benefit compared to midazolam in the present study.
Cost effectiveness of recombinant activated factor VII for the control of bleeding in patients with severe blunt trauma injuries in the United Kingdom
Authors: Morris S. , Ridley S. , Munro V. , Christensen M. C. ,   the NovoSeven Trauma Study Group
Published: December 2006

The aim of this study was to assess the lifetime cost effectiveness of recombinant activated factor VII vs placebo as adjunctive therapy for control of bleeding in patients with severe blunt trauma in the UK. We developed a cost‐effectiveness model based on patient level data from a 30‐day international, randomised, placebo‐controlled Phase II trial. The data were supplemented with secondary data from UK sources to estimate lifetime costs and benefits. The model produced a baseline estimate of the incremental cost per life year gained with recombinant activated factor VII relative to placebo of £12 613. The incremental cost per quality adjusted life year gained was £18 825. These estimates are sensitive to the choice of discount rate and health state utility values used. Preliminary results suggest that relative to placebo, recombinant activated factor VII may be a cost‐effective therapy to the UK National Health Service.
Use of helium‐oxygen mixture in adult patients presenting with exacerbations of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a systematic review
Authors: Colebourn C. L. , Barber V. , Young J. D.
Published: December 2006

We examined systematically all controlled and cross‐over randomised trials in patients with acute exacerbations of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease comparing Heliox against air‐oxygen mixtures. Fourteen studies were identified. In asthma studies, peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) was increased by an average of 29.6% (95% CI 16.6–42.6) by Heliox‐driven nebulisers, or by 13.3 l.min−1 (95% CI 3.71–22.81) absolute. In studies of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease receiving non‐invasive ventilation the arterial carbon dioxide tension (Paco2) and respiratory rate were unchanged: weighted mean difference for Paco2−0.29kPa (95% CI − 0.64–0.07) favoured Heliox, and for respiratory rate 1.6 breaths.min−1 (95% CI − 0.93, 4.14) favoured control. Heliox minimally reduced the work of breathing in intubated patients, and reduced intrinsic positive end expiratory pressure (iPEEP). The use of Heliox to drive nebulisers in patients with acute asthma slightly improves airflow measures. We were unable to determine whether this improved recovery.
Pattern of ventilation during manual hyperinflation performed by physiotherapists
Authors: Maxwell L. J. , Ellis E. R.
Published: December 2006

The aim of this prospective observational study was to document patterns of ventilation during manual hyperinflation by physiotherapists. Manual hyperinflation with a Mapleson‐F system was performed on the same patients on two consecutive days. Patterns of ventilation were recorded using a heated pneumotachometer, pressure transducer and custom designed data acquisition and analysis systems. The mean (SE) results were: inspiratory time 1.45 (0.10) s; volume delivered 1.23 (0.07) l; peak inspiratory and expiratory flow rate 1.51 (0.06) l.s−1 and 3.26 (0.30) l.s−1, respectively and I : E flow rate ratio 0.63 (0.05). All the physiotherapists achieved an increase in volume which was delivered within a safe and effective pressure range and without cardiovascular compromise. Most (26 out of 34 sessions) performed the technique in the way recommended for enhancing secretion clearance. This is the first study to document comprehensively the pattern of ventilation during manual hyperinflation and provides the basis for further clinical trials evaluating its effectiveness for secretion clearance and volume restoration.
Multiple detachment levels and their control on fold styles in the compressional domain of the deepwater west Niger Delta
Authors: Briggs Sepribo E. , Davies Richard J. , Cartwright Joe A. , Morgan Richard
Published: December 2006

We interpret recently acquired two‐dimensional (2D) and 3D seismic data from the contractional domain of the Tertiary deepwater west Niger Delta, which is an area of current hydrocarbon exploration and development to show that during its gravitational collapse, multiple detachments were active. Detachments are located within (1) what we herein refer to as the ‘Dahomey unit’, (2) the transition between the Agbada and Akata formations (Top Akata) and (3) the Akata formation. Seismic interpretation and quantitative measurements of fault displacements show that the utilisation of different detachments results in contrasting styles of thrust propagation and fold growth. Two geographical zones are defined. In zone A (NW sector of the study area), the stratigraphically shallowest Dahomey detachment is dominant and is associated with thrust truncated folds. In zone B (SE sector of the study area), a stratigraphically lower detachment approximately at the Agbada–Akata formation boundary is associated with thrust propagation folds. A third detachment, within the Akata formation, is locally developed and is also associated with thrust propagation folds. The different deformational histories are probably related to the mechanical stratigraphy and the pore‐pressure characteristics of the succession.
Slump folds as estimators of palaeoslope: a case study from the Fisherstreet Slump of County Clare, Ireland
Authors: Strachan L. J. , Alsop G. I.
Published: December 2006

Folds and faults preserved within slump horizons are thought to be the only sedimentary structures that primarily reflect palaeoslope direction. By evaluating methods for the analysis of slump folds, the robustness of many palaeoslope and palaeogeographical reconstructions can be tested. Five methods for estimating palaeoslope direction from slump fold orientation data are tested with reference to the Upper Carboniferous Fisherstreet Slump horizon of County Clare, Ireland. These methods are the Mean Axis Method, the Separation Arc Method, the Downslope Average axis Method, the Axial–planar Intersection Method and the Fold Hinge Azimuth and Interlimb Angle Method. Transport determination techniques have mixed success when applied to this example and reveal a mean downslope transport direction of 067°. This result reflects the varied boundary conditions that are possible during slumping, resulting from variations in initial fold geometries, progressive fold formation, spatial and temporal changes in velocity, material properties, pore fluid pressures and the local slope. Without a comprehensive analysis of slump data – using all available techniques – large errors in interpreted transport direction can exist and may invalidate palaeogeographic reconstructions. It is essential to use as many transport determination techniques as possible to determine slip direction accurately. With this in mind, a general procedure for determining palaeoslope directions is suggested and used to examine existing palaeogeographic models for the Clare Basin.
Miocene to Recent exhumation of the central Himalaya determined from combined detrital zircon fission‐track and U/Pb analysis of Siwalik sediments, western Nepal
Authors: Bernet Matthias , van der Beek Peter , Pik Raphaël , Huyghe Pascale , Mugnier Jean‐Louis , Labrin Erika , Szulc Adam
Published: December 2006

Fission‐track (FT) analysis of detrital zircon from synorogenic sediment is a well‐established tool to examine the cooling and exhumation history of convergent mountain belts, but has so far not been used to determine the long‐term evolution of the central Himalaya. This study presents FT analysis of detrital zircon from 22 sandstone and modern sediment samples that were collected along three stratigraphic sections within the Miocene to Pliocene Siwalik Group, and from modern rivers, in western and central Nepal. The results provide evidence for widespread cooling in the Nepalese Himalaya at about 16.0±1.4 Ma, and continuous exhumation at a rate of about 1.4±0.2 km Myr−1 thereafter. The ∼16 Ma cooling is likely related to a combination of tectonic and erosional activity, including movement on the Main Central thrust and Southern Tibetan Detachment system, as well as emplacement of the Ramgarh thrust on Lesser Himalayan sedimentary and meta‐sedimentary units. The continuous exhumation signal following the ∼16 Ma cooling event is seen in connection with ongoing tectonic uplift, river incision and erosion of lower Lesser Himalayan rocks exposed below the MCT and Higher Himalayan rocks in the hanging wall of the MCT, controlled by orographic precipitation and crustal extrusion. Provenance analysis, to distinguish between Higher Himalayan and Lesser Himalayan zircon sources, is based on double dating of individual zircons with the FT and U/Pb methods. Zircons with pre‐Himalayan FT cooling ages may be derived from either nonmetamorphic parts of the Tethyan sedimentary succession or Higher Himalayan protolith that formerly covered the Dadeldhura and Ramgarh thrust sheets, but that have been removed by erosion. Both the Higher and Lesser Himalaya appear to be sources for the zircons that record either ∼16 Ma cooling or the continuous exhumation afterwards.
Late Miocene – Recent exhumation of the central Himalaya and recycling in the foreland basin assessed by apatite fission‐track thermochronology of Siwalik sediments, Nepal
Authors: van der Beek Peter , Robert Xavier , Mugnier Jean‐Louis , Bernet Matthias , Huyghe Pascale , Labrin Erika
Published: December 2006

Thermochronological analysis of detrital sediments derived from the erosion of mountain belts and contained in the sedimentary basins surrounding them allows reconstructing the long‐term exhumation history of the sediment source areas. The effective closure temperature of the thermochronological system analysed determines the spatial and temporal resolution of the analysis through the duration of the lag time between closure of the system during exhumation and its deposition in the sedimentary basin. Here, we report apatite fission‐track (AFT) data from 31 detrital samples collected from Miocene to Pliocene stratigraphic sections of the Siwalik Group in western and central Nepal, as well as three samples from modern river sediments from the same area, that complement detrital zircon fission‐track (ZFT) and U–Pb data from the same samples presented in a companion paper. Samples from the upper part of the stratigraphic sections are unreset and retain a signal of source‐area exhumation; they show spatial variations in source‐area exhumation rates that are not picked up by the higher‐temperature systems. More deeply buried samples have been partially reset within the Siwalik basin and provide constraints on the thermal and kinematic history of the fold‐and‐thrust belt itself. The results suggest that peak source‐area exhumation rates have been constant at ∼1.8 km Myr−1 over the last ∼7 Ma in central Nepal, whereas they ranged between 1 and ∼1.5 km Myr−1 in western Nepal over the same time interval; these spatial variations may be explained by either a tectonic or climatic control on exhumation rates, or possibly a combination of the two. Increasing lag times within the uppermost part of the sections suggest an increasing component of apatites that have been recycled within the Siwalik belt and are corroborated by AFT ages of modern river sediment downstream as well as the record of the distal Bengal Fan. The most deeply buried and most strongly annealed samples record onset of exhumation of the frontal Siwaliks along the Himalayan frontal thrust at ∼2 Ma and continuous shortening at rates comparable with the present‐day shortening rates from at least 0.3 Ma onward.
Late orogenic vertical movements in the Carpathian Bend Zone – seismic constraints on the transition zone from orogen to foredeep
Authors: Leever K. A. , Matenco L. , Bertotti G. , Cloetingh S. , Drijkoningen G. G.
Published: December 2006

Postcollisional tectonic movements in orogens and their adjacent foreland basins related to intraplate stresses and the presence of a remnant slab are likely to induce significant deformations overprinting the existing patterns of nappe emplacement. In the Carpathian Bend Zone, Romania, vertical motions associated with very limited postorogenic intraplate shortening are of similar magnitude as those generally caused by large orogenic deformations. In the Latest Miocene–Pliocene, up to 6 km of postcollisional sediments of remarkably parallel stratification were deposited in a basin extending over a large part of the present‐day orogen. The Early Quaternary featured a dramatical change as the orogen was uplifted while subsidence continued in the basin, tilting the basin flank adjacent to the orogen to a vertical position. The remnant slab presently below the Bend zone in Vrancea is the prime mechanism to have driven the Pliocene subsidence. The Quaternary changes and the eastwards migration of the pattern of vertical motions can be explained by large‐scale folding, in response to the overall compressive regime that is recorded in the whole Pannonian‐Carpathian area.
Health professionals’ perceptions of feeding‐related quality of life in children with quadriplegic cerebral palsy
Authors: Morrow A. M. , Quine S. , Craig J. C.
Published: December 2006

Background Our aim was to identify the major determinants of feeding‐related quality of life (QoL) in children with quadriplegic cerebral palsy (QCP) from the perspective of health professionals to provide a framework for comprehensive clinical evaluation of health status in this group.

Methods A trained facilitator conducted five semi‐structured focus groups during September and November 2003. Participants were recruited through the two paediatric hospitals in Sydney and community‐based services, and included general and specialist paediatricians (n = 18), nurses (n = 15) and allied health professionals (n = 13), with an 80% response rate. All sessions were audio‐ and videotaped.nvivosoftware was used to facilitate thematic analysis of the transcribed audiotapes.

Results Responses clustered into five themes: delivery of health services, parent–child interaction, the child’s physical and emotional well‐being, and social participation. Participants thought the QoL of child and parent was inseparable. Parent–child interaction, delivery of services and physical well‐being were the topics which prompted most participant interaction. These findings did not vary across disciplines.

Conclusions Health professionals identified five domains which provide a framework within which clinicians may comprehensively evaluate the health status of children with QCP and feeding difficulties. These five domains may also be used to inform a new feeding‐related QoL instrument for use in this group of patients.
Alternaria alternata NADP*‐dependent mannitol dehydrogenase is an important fungal allergen
Authors: Schneider P. B. , Denk U. , Breitenbach M. , Richter K. , Schmid‐Grendelmeier P. , Nobbe S. , Himly M. , Mari A. , Ebner C. , Simon‐Nobbe B.
Published: December 2006

Background
Alternaria alternata is one of the most important allergenic fungi worldwide. Mannitol dehydrogenase (MtDH) has previously been shown to be a major allergen of Cladosporium herbarum and cross‐reactivity has been demonstrated for several fungal allergens.

Objective
The present study's objective was to clone the MtDH from an A. alternata cDNA library, express and purify the recombinant non‐fusion protein and test its IgE‐binding properties.

Methods
A cDNA library prepared from A. alternata hyphae and spores was screened for mannitol dehydrogenase by DNA hybridization with the radioactively labelled C. herbarum homologue as a probe. The resulting clone was sequenced and heterologously expressed in Escherichia coli as a recombinant non‐fusion protein, which was purified to homogeneity and analysed for its IgE‐binding capacity.

Results
The coding sequence of the full‐length cDNA clone comprises 798 bp encoding a protein with a molecular mass of 28.6 kDa and a predicted pI of 5.88. Protein sequence analysis revealed an identity of 75% and a homology of 86% between the MtDHs of A. alternata and C. herbarum. The functional mannitol dehydrogenase was expressed in the E. coli strain BL21(DE3) transformed with the vector pMW172 and purified to homogeneity. The enzyme catalyses the NADPH‐dependent conversion of d‐fructose to d‐mannitol. In IgE‐ELISA and immunoblots, MtDH is recognized by 41% of A. alternata‐allergic patients. In vivo immunoreactivity of the recombinant MtDH was verified by skin prick testing. Finally, inhibition‐ELISA experiments confirmed cross‐reactivity between the MtDHs of A. alternata and C. herbarum.

Conclusion
Mannitol dehydrogenase (Alt a 8) represents an important new allergen of the ascomycete A. alternata that might be suitable for improving diagnostic and therapeutic procedures.
Skin test results and self‐reported symptom severity in allergic rhinitis: the role of psychological factors
Authors: Graif Y. , Goldberg A. , Tamir R. , Vigiser D. , Melamed S.
Published: December 2006

Background
In allergic conditions, the degree of skin test reactivity does not always correlate with the severity of clinical symptoms. Additional factors may contribute to the reported symptom severity.

Objectives
To investigate the association between the magnitude of the skin prick test (SPT) response and the reported symptom severity in patients with allergic rhinitis and the possible modifying role of psychological factors.

Methods
One hundred four patients with allergic rhinitis and 23 with non‐allergic rhinitis, classified according to their SPT response to 19 aeroallergens, were asked to rate the severity of five symptoms and to indicate whether their symptoms intensified on exposure to five common aeroallergens. They also completed a psychological questionnaire.

Results
Reported symptom severity of allergic rhinitis did not correlate with weal size for any of the aeroallergens tested or with the number of positive responses on SPT. It was not related to patient age, sex, or education. The reported symptoms severity correlated positively (0.29, P<0.01) with reported symptom intensification on exposure to allergens. Moreover, both outcomes were positively associated with the psychological factors of hypochondriasis (0.20, P<0.05 and 0.18, P<0.05, respectively), and somatic awareness (0.24, P<0.05 and 0.33, P<0.01, respectively), but not with neuroticism.

Conclusions
The severity of symptoms experienced by patients with allergic rhinitis is apparently not related to the magnitude of SPT response, but rather to psychological factors of hypochondriasis and somatic awareness. Physicians should be aware of the contribution of psychological factors to patient perceptions of the intensity of symptoms and of the intensification of symptoms on their exposure to allergens.
Surfactant protein D regulates chemotaxis and degranulation of human eosinophils
Authors: Von Bredow Christina , Hartl Dominik , Schmid Kristina , Schabaz Farhad , Brack Eva , Reinhardt Dietrich , Griese Matthias
Published: December 2006

The collectin surfactant protein D (SP‐D) is an important component of the pulmonary innate host defence. Up to now, little is known about the regulation of eosinophil function by SP‐D. Various murine models of pulmonary hypersensitivity suggest that SP‐D may be a potent anti‐allergic protein. We investigated the modulation of eosinophil chemotaxis and degranulation by human SP‐D. SP‐D markedly inhibited the chemotaxis of eosinophils triggered by eotaxin, a major tissue‐derived CC‐chemokine, as shown in a modified Boyden chamber assay. In addition, degranulation of ECP in response to Ca2+ ionophore, immobilized IgG and serum from allergic patients was inhibited by SP‐D. In a fixed‐cell enzyme linked immunosorbent assay and in flow cytometry, SP‐D bound to eosinophils. This binding was saturable and was inhibited by the addition of maltose and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, suggesting the involvement of the carbohydrate recognition domain of SP‐D. In addition, flow cytometry showed significant interaction of SP‐D with CD32 (FcγII receptor) on eosinophils, which might explain the inhibitory effect of SP‐D on the IgG and serum‐triggered eosinophil cationic protein degranulation of eosinophils. Our data further support the concept of an anti‐inflammatory function of SP‐D in the lung of patients with allergic diseases.
Spontaneous remission of acute monocytic leukemia after infection with Clostridium septicum
Authors: AL‐TAWFIQ J. A. , AL‐KHATTI A. A.
Published: December 2006

Spontaneous remissions of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) have been reported in association with infection. Here, we report a case of spontaneous remission of AML in a 47‐year‐old Saudi Arabian male patient who presented with a few weeks history of recurrent abdominal pain, vomiting and fever. He was diagnosed with acute monocytic leukemia (AML, FAB M5b) and a perforated bowel. He also had Clostridium septicum bacteremia and thus chemotherapy was deferred. He received supportive therapy and intravenous antibiotics. Six weeks later, he achieved spontaneous and complete remission lasting for about 4 months. The remission and relapse were documented by bone marrow examination. Similarly, previous reports of spontaneous remission of AML were short lived and were followed by relapse and progression.
Epidemiology of non‐gastroenteropancreatic (neuro)endocrine tumours
Authors: Ferolla P. , Faggiano A. , Avenia N. , Milone F. , Masone S. , Giampaglia F. , Puma F. , Daddi G. , Angeletti G. , Lombardi G. , Santeusanio F. , Colao A.
Published: December 2006

The widespread availability and reliability of immunohistochemical techniques in the last three decades have allowed researchers to identify cells with common neuroendocrine markers in virtually every organ. As a whole, these neuroendocrine cells form the so‐called diffuse neuroendocrine system. Tumours arising from the cells of the diffuse neuroendocrine system are defined as (neuro)endocrine tumours (NETs). NETs have been increasingly described in recent years. However, despite the increase in the number of published papers focused on NET, we still lack adequate epidemiological data, particularly for non‐gastroenteropancreatic (GEP) NETs. Furthermore, the real incidence of neuroendocrine differentiation for most sites is not completely known and is probably underestimated. As a consequence, data on the clinical features of many NET subgroups are not well known or confusing. For all of these reasons, we have attempted to evaluate the epidemiology of non‐GEP NETs, reviewing the limited data available in the literature.