bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The simultaneous determination of 1‐aminocyclopropane‐1‐carboxylic acid and cyclopropane‐1,1‐dicarboxylic acid in Lycopersicum esculentum by high‐performance liquid chromatography—electrospray tandem mass spectrometry
Authors: Petritis Konstantinos , Koukaki Georgia , Koussissi Elisabet , Elfakir Claire , Dreux Michel , Dourtoglou Vassilis
Published: November 2003

Varying concentrations of cyclopropane‐1,1‐dicarboxylic acid (CDA), an inhibitor of 1‐aminocyclopropane‐1‐carboxylic acid oxidase, added to the solid culture medium of tomato nodal shoot segments resulted in a reduction in the level of endogenous ethylene according to the concentration of inhibitor applied. Following treatment with inhibitor, plants were homogenised and the concentrations of CDA and of 1‐aminocyclopropane‐1‐carboxylic acid (ACC) were measured simultaneously in the resulting juice using an HPLC‐ESI/MS‐MS method. The levels of CDA and ACC measured in the plant tissues were associated with the concentration of inhibitor added to the solid medium. The HPLC‐ESI/MS‐MS method described produced limits of detection of 0.8 pmol for ACC and of 4 pmol for CDA. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Determination of the lipid classes and fatty acid proﬁle of Niger (Guizotia abyssinica Cass.) seed oil
Authors: Ramadan Mohamed Fawzy , Mörsel Jörg‐Thomas
Published: November 2003

Niger seeds (Guizotia abyssinica Cass.), which are of interest as a new source of vegetable oils, were subjected to Soxhlet‐extraction with n‐hexane and the extract analysed using a combination of CC, GC, TLC and normal‐phase HPLC. The total lipid content was ca. 300 mg/g seed material, and the fatty acid proﬁle showed a high content of linoleic acid (up to 63%) together with palmitic acid (17%), oleic acid (ca. 11%), and stearic acid (ca. 7%). CC separation over silica gel eluted with solvents of increasing polarity yielded 291 mg/g of neutral lipids, 5.76 mg/g of glycolipids, and 0.84 mg/g of phospholipids. GC analysis showed that the major fatty acid present in all lipid classes was linoleic acid together with minor amounts of palmitic, oleic and stearic acids. Polar lipid fractions, however, were characterised by higher levels of palmitic acid and a lower content of linoleic acid. Phospholipid classes separated by normal‐phase HPLC consisted of phosphatidylcholine (ca. 49%), phosphatidylethanolamine (22%), phosphatidylinositol (14%), phosphatidylserine (ca. 8%), and minor amounts (2–3%) of phosphatidylglycerol and lysophosphatidylcholine. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A bioassay for insect deterrent compounds found in plant and animal tissues
Authors: Dyer Lee A. , Dodson Craig D. , Gentry Grant
Published: November 2003

A general ﬁeld bioassay for detecting biologically active compounds in plants and insects has been developed and tested for efﬁcacy and sensitivity. Methanolic extracts, in sucrose solution, of 20 plant and six caterpillar species were offered to the ponerine antParaponera clavataand the feeding preferences observed. The bioassay resulted in the detection of nine plant and three caterpillar species with ant‐deterrent extracts, and 11 plant and three caterpillar species with neutral or attractant extracts. All of the plants showing ant‐deterrent characteristics which had been chemically investigated in our laboratory, or for which chemical literature was available, contained secondary metabolites of known deterrence. Both naturally occurring and artiﬁcial differences in chemical concentrations could be detected using the bioassay. The method provides a means of screening plants and insects for compounds that are insect anti‐feedants or that can modify insect behaviour. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Trends in elective terminations of pregnancy between 1989 and 2000 in a French county (the Isère)
Authors: Guillem P. , Fabre B. , Cans C. , Robert‐Gnansia E. , Jouk P. S.
Published: November 2003

Objectives

This study was performed in order to provide a description of indications for induced elective terminations of pregnancy (ETOP), their characteristics (e.g. gestational age), and their evolution over time.

Design of the Study

This is an epidemiological study. The geographic area covered is the French county of ‘Isère’, which represents a mean of 14 000 births per year over the study period.

Materials and Methods

Data on ETOPs were collected actively from medical records by a register of childhood deficiencies and adverse perinatal events in this county. Between 1989 and 2000, 996 ETOPs were notified.

Results

Four main grounds for ETOPs were identified: (1) morphological anomalies with normal karyotype (39%), (2) chromosomal anomalies (35%), (3) other fetal grounds (16%), and (4) maternal indications (10%). Prevalence rates for the first two grounds increased significantly over the study period respectively from 2.0 to 2.9 and from 1.4 to 2.7 per 1000. Among the ETOPs carried out because of fetal indications, the percentage of late ETOPs (from 24 weeks of gestation) was 34.6%, and remained stable over the studied period. In some cases, a medical consensus was not reached with respect to indications for termination (sex chromosome anomalies, limb defects). We estimated the percentage of these cases as being 2.7% of the figure for fetal indications, without any variation in prevalence over the whole period (p = 0.59).

The increasing number of ETOPs that occurred in the chromosomal aberrations group during the study period is thought to be due to an increase in diagnostic sensitivity. The increase that occurred in the morphological anomalies group is thought to be due both to an increase in sensitivity and to a widening of the field with respect to indications, some of which have an uncertain prognosis (e.g. agenesis of the corpus callosum).

Conclusion

This study provides useful data for monitoring medical practice consistency within the field of prenatal diagnosis, and for the drive to keep medical practice within ethically acceptable limits. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Prenatal diagnosis of carnitine palmitoyltransferase 2 deficiency in chorionic villi: a novel approach
Authors: Vekemans Bernadette Chadefaux , Bonnefont Jean‐Paul , Aupetit Joëlle , Royer Ghislaine , Droin Véronique , Attié‐Bitach Tania , Saudubray Jean‐Marie , Thuillier Laure
Published: November 2003

Carnitine palmitoyltransferase 2 (CPT2) deficiency, the most common autosomal recessive inherited disease of the mitochondrial long‐chain fatty acid (LCFA) β‐oxidation, may result in three distinct clinical phenotypes, namely, a mild adult muscular form, a severe infantile hepatocardiomuscular disease, and a neonatal form, which includes dysmorphic features in addition to hepatocardiomuscular symptoms. Both the latter forms are life‐threatening diseases, and prenatal diagnosis (PND) can be offered to couples at a one‐fourth risk of having an affected child. PND of CPT2 deficiency hitherto relied mostly on mutation detection from fresh chorionic villi (10 weeks' gestation), since CPT2 activity could be assayed on cultured amniocytes only (16–17 weeks' gestation).

We devised a CPT2 activity assay from 10 mg of chorionic villi sampling (CVS). Combining this enzymatic assay to haplotype study using polymorphic markers linked to the CPT2 gene, we were able to carry out within 2 days, CPT2 deficiency PND, in two unrelated families, using a CVS performed at the 11th week of gestation. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Changes in the frequency power spectrum of fetal heart rate in the course of pregnancy
Authors: Van Leeuwen Peter , Geue Daniel , Lange Silke , Hatzmann Wolfgang , Grönemeyer Dietrich
Published: November 2003

Objective

The aim of this study was to examine changes in the heart rate variability based on the frequency power spectrum of healthy fetuses during the second and third trimester of pregnancy.

Methods

We analyzed 222 fetal magnetocardiograms recorded in 49 healthy singleton pregnancies between the 16th and 42nd week. Discrete Fourier transformation was performed on the time‐based step function of the RR‐intervals. Changes of spectral density in the frequency spectrum in various bands between 0.003 to 1 Hz, including low‐frequency (LF: 0.04–0.15 Hz) and high‐frequency (HF: 0.15–0.40 Hz) bands, were examined as a function of gestational age.

Results

Spectral density between 0.003 to 1.0 Hz increased with gestational age with large changes, in particular, at lower frequencies. At approximately the 32nd week, the rate of increase in power slowed substantially. Prior to this time, the rates of change in power were different for the bands 0.003 to 0.40 Hz, 0.40 to 0.60 Hz and 0.60 to 1.0 Hz. LF and HF showed similar development, with HF increasing slightly more rapidly.

Conclusion

We conclude that characteristic spectral bands that increase in spectral density at different rates during the second and third trimester may be identified. They most likely reflect developmental changes and behavioral states during pregnancy. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Fetal phenotype of Prader–Willi syndrome due to maternal disomy for chromosome 15
Authors: L'Herminé A. Coulomb , Aboura A. , Brisset S. , Cuisset L. , Castaigne V. , Labrune P. , Frydman R. , Tachdjian G.
Published: November 2003

Prader–Willi syndrome (PWS) results from either paternal deletion of 15q11–q13, or maternal uniparental disomy (UPD) of chromosome 15 or imprinting center mutation. Prenatal diagnosis of PWS is currently indicated for chromosomal parental translocation involving chromosome 15 and for decreased fetal movements during the third trimester of gestation. Here we present the prenatal diagnosis of PWS during the first trimester of gestation and autopsy findings. Chorionic villus sampling (CVS) was performed for advanced maternal age at 13 weeks' gestation. CVS showed mosaicism including cells with a normal karyotype and cells with trisomy 15. Amniocentesis showed cells with a normal karyotype. Molecular analysis demonstrated that the fetus had a typical PWS abnormal methylation profile and maternal disomy for chromosome 15. Fetal ultrasound examination showed slightly enlarged lateral ventricles and hypoplasic male external genitalia without intra‐uterine growth retardation. The autopsy showed a eutrophic male fetus with facial dysmorphy, hypoplasic genitalia, abnormal position of both feet and posterior hypoplasia of the corpus callosum. This report points out that in a karyotypically normal fetus with ambiguous male external genitalia and cerebral anomalies, extensive cytogenetic and molecular biology studies are strongly recommended because of risk of PWS. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Development of external methods to evaluate the quality of pharmacy services offered by community pharmacists
Authors: Azzopardi Lilian M. , Serracino‐Inglott Anthony , Salek Sam , Zarb‐Adami Maurice
Published: November 2003

The inclusion in a quality assessment program of the perception, held by patients and health professionals, of the impact of pharmacy services on patient care improves the comprehensiveness of the quality assurance program. The study described in this paper was carried out as part of a project intended to develop a quality assurance program for community pharmacies. The aim of the study was to develop external methods for non‐pharmacists to evaluate the quality of pharmacy services offered by community pharmacists. Two measurement instruments were developed: Consumer Services Tool and Health Professionals Tool. The tools were based on a quantitative measurement system and assessed satisfaction with pharmacists' advice, pharmacotherapy monitoring services and layout of the dispensary. The Consumer Services Tool was presented to 500 patients visiting community pharmacies and the Health Professionals Tool was presented to 33 health professionals attending clinics attached to community pharmacies. The results indicated that consumers have a good perception of the pharmacists and were satisfied with the pharmacy services while health professionals expressed the need to improve pharmacy services. The results were compared to those from a parallel study undertaken in the same pharmacies using an internal quality assessment exercise. There was absence of correlation between the external and internal quality assurance assessments: this supports the necessity for a comprehensive quality assurance program that includes an internal and an external component. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The Liapunov's second method for continuous time difference equations
Authors: Pepe P.
Published: November 2003

Among many other cases such as economic and lossless propagation models, continuous time difference equations are encountered as the internal dynamics in a class of non‐linear time delay systems, when controlled by a suitable state feedback which drives the output exponentially to zero. The Liapunov's second method for these infinite dimensional systems has not been extensively investigated in the literature. This paper has the aim of filling this gap. Liapunov's second method theorems for checking the stability and the asymptotic stability of this class of infinite dimensional systems are built up, in both a finite and an infinite dimensional setting. In the finite dimensional setting, the Liapunov function is defined on finite dimensional sets. The conditions for stability are given as inequalities on continuous time. No derivatives are involved, as in the dynamics of the studied systems. In the infinite dimensional setting, the continuous time difference equation is transformed into a discrete time system evolving on an infinite dimensional space, and then the classical Liapunov theorem for the system in the new form is written. In this paper the very general case is considered, that is non‐linear continuous time difference equations with multiple non commensurate delays are considered, and moreover the functions involved in the dynamics are allowed to be discontinuous, as well as the initial state. In order to study the stability of the internal dynamics in non‐linear time delay feedback systems, an exogenous disturbance is added, which goes to zero exponentially as the time goes to infinity. An example is considered, from non‐linear time delay feedback theory. While the results available in the literature are inconclusive as far as the stability of that example is concerned, such stability is proved to hold by the theorems developed in this paper, and is validated by simulation results. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The beliefs of people with chronic pain in relation to ‘important’ treatment components
Authors: Brown Cary A
Published: November 2003

Background. The beliefs of people with chronic pain (service users) about the importance of treatment components offered through both multidisciplinary and other types of chronic pain programmes are not widely examined in the literature.

Aim and method. As part of a wider research study of the congruence between what service providers and service users believe to be important treatments for chronic pain, members of three chronic pain support groups located in the North‐West region of England were surveyed. The survey asked service users' opinion about whether specific treatment components are important or not important for people with chronic pain. The survey also included Skevington's Beliefs About Pain Control Questionnaire (BPCQ) that measures beliefs in the internal or personal control of pain, beliefs that powerful others (doctors) control pain and beliefs that pain is controlled by chance events.

Results and conclusion. Findings show that no treatment components were endorsed as important by more that 67% of the participants. Endorsements clustered around treatments that focused on self‐management and biomedical interventions. A statistically significant relationship emerged between certain treatment components and BPCQ scores. These findings contribute to the growing cautions regarding standardised, ‘one‐size‐fits all’ treatment programs and the mistake of assuming people with pain form a homogenous group.
Consolidation in US banking: Which banks engage in mergers?
Authors: Wheelock David C , Wilson Paul W
Published: November 2003

The number of U.S. commercial banks has declined by some 40% since 1984, primarily through mergers of solvent institutions. The relaxation of legal impediments to branching has enabled this consolidation, but specific characteristics of banks that engage in mergers reflect the regulatory process and market structure, as well as the bank's own condition. This paper seeks to quantify the regulatory, market, and financial characteristics that affect the probability of a bank engaging in mergers and the volume of banks it absorbs over time. We examine separately consolidation within holding companies and mergers of independent banks.
Evidence for a subgroup of thioredoxin h that requires GSH/Grx for its reduction
Authors: Gelhaye Eric , Rouhier Nicolas , Jacquot Jean-Pierre
Published: November 2003

Poplar thioredoxin h4 (popTrxh4) and a related CXXS type (popCXXS3) are both members of a plant thioredoxin h subgroup. PopTrxh4 exhibits the usual catalytic site WCGPC, whereas popCXXS3 harbors the non‐typical active site WCMPS. Recombinant popTrxh4 and popCXXS3 are not reduced either by Arabidopsis thaliana NADPH‐dependent thioredoxin reductases (NTR) A and B or by Escherichia coli NTR. We report here evidence that a poplar glutaredoxin as well as three E. coli Grxs are able to reduce popTrxh4. PopTrxh4 is able to reduce several thioredoxin targets as peroxiredoxins or methionine sulfoxide reductases. On the other hand, popCXXS3 exhibits an activity in the presence of glutathione and hydroxyethyldisulfide. Except for examples of glutathiolation, these are the first two examples of a direct interconnection between the thioredoxin and glutathione/glutaredoxin systems.
RALyase; a terminator of elongation function of depurinated ribosomes
Authors: Ozawa Akihiko , Sawasaki Tatsuya , Takai Kazuyuki , Uchiumi Toshio , Hori Hiroyuki , Endo Yaeta
Published: November 2003

Plant ribosomal RNA apurinic site specific lyase (RALyase) cleaves the phosphodiester bond at the depurinated site produced by ribosome‐inactivating protein, while the biological role of this enzyme is not clear. As the depurinated ribosomes retain weak translation elongation activities, it was suggested that RALyase completes the ribosome inactivation. To confirm this point, we measured the effects of the phosphodiester cleavage using a fusion of wheat RALyase produced with a cell‐free protein synthesis system from wheat germ. The results indicated that RALyase diminishes the residual elongation activities of the depurinated ribosomes.
Prokaryotic origins for the mitochondrial alternative oxidase and plastid terminal oxidase nuclear genes
Authors: Finnegan Patrick M , Umbach Ann L , Wilce Jackie A
Published: November 2003

The mitochondrial alternative oxidase is a diiron carboxylate quinol oxidase (Dox) found in plants and some fungi and protists, but not animals. The plastid terminal oxidase is distantly related to alternative oxidase and is most likely also a Dox protein. Database searches revealed that the α‐proteobacterium Novosphingobium aromaticivorans and the cyanobacteria Nostoc sp. PCC7120, Synechococcus sp. WH8102 and Prochlorococcus marinus subsp. pastoris CCMP1378 each possess a Dox homolog. Each prokaryotic protein conforms to the current structural models of the Dox active site and phylogenetic analyses suggest that the eukaryotic Dox genes arose from an ancestral prokaryotic gene.
Characterization of human circulating TIG2 as a ligand for the orphan receptor ChemR23
Authors: Meder W. , Wendland M. , Busmann A. , Kutzleb C. , Spodsberg N. , John H. , Richter R. , Schleuder D. , Meyer M. , Forssmann W.G.
Published: November 2003

The orphan receptor ChemR23 is a G‐protein coupled receptor (GPCR) with homology to neuropeptide and chemoattractant receptors. Tazarotene, a synthetic retinoid activating retinoic acid receptor (RAR), up‐regulates tazarotene‐induced gene‐2 (TIG2). The function and molecular target of this protein are now described. By means of reverse pharmacology screening using a peptide library generated from human hemofiltrate, we have isolated and identified TIG2 as the natural ligand of ChemR23 and report the specific molecular form of the bioactive, circulating TIG2, representing the amino‐acid residues 21 to 154 of the 163 amino acid‐containing prepropeptide. Based on the expression pattern of ChemR23 and TIG2, the physiological role in bone development, immune and inflammatory responses and the maintenance of skin is now being investigated.
Estimates of seabird by-catch along the Patagonian Shelf by Argentine longline fishing vessels, 1999–2001
Authors: Favero Marco , Khatchikian Camilo Eduardo , Arias Alejandro , Silva Rodriguez María Patricia , Cañete Guillermo , Mariano-Jelicich Rocío
Published: November 2003

The incidental mortality of albatrosses Diomedeidae and petrels Procellariidae by longline fishing vessels, has been assessed and analysed in several areas of the globe. We provide the first direct estimates of incidental mortality rates of albatrosses and petrels along the Argentine Shelf and shelf break. The estimated by-catch rate for the whole period analysed (1999-2001) was 0.04 birds/1,000 hooks, with a maximum of 0.20 birds/1,000 hooks observed in 1999. Annual captures averaged 1,160 birds; however, the large variation observed indicates that annual by-catch may be in the order of thousands, with around 10,000 seabirds being killed by longliners through the study period. Most of the captures were observed along the Patagonian shelf break. At least 12 bird species were incidentally taken, with Black-browed Albatrosses Thalassarche melanophris and White-chinned Petrels Procellaria aequinoctialis accounting for about 80% of total captures. The information provided in this study allowed the design and future implementation of mitigation measures and new survey methods onboard longliners operating in Atlantic waters on the Argentine
shelf.
Immediate and long-term effects of translocations on breeding success in Takahe Porphyrio hochstetteri
Authors: Jamieson Ian G. , Wilson G. Craig
Published: November 2003

Translocations of threatened species play an increasingly important role in conservation management. However, few studies have examined what effects, if any, the translocation process itself (i.e. catching, handling, confining, transferring and releasing an animal into an unfamiliar environment) has on subsequent breeding success. Takahe Porphyrio hochstetteri living on offshore “predator-free” islands in New Zealand are a model system for examining such effects because pre-breeding birds have been frequently translocated between established island populations before they pair up and breed at 2-3 years of age. We postulated that “translocated” breeders (i.e. breeders that had been raised on another island) would delay first breeding attempts and/or have lower reproductive success compared with “resident” birds (i.e. bred on the same island that they were raised). The results indicated that translocated birds did not delay breeding and had similar mean hatching and fledging success as resident pairs in their first breeding season and subsequent seasons combined. The results suggest that at least for large or long-lived birds such as Takahe, the effects of any stress from the translocation itself, or the release into an unfamiliar environment, might be either short-lived or not significant enough to hinder subsequent breeding success. We recommend that further research be carried out on other species to determine the baseline effects, if any, of translocations, so that they can be taken into account when considering other determinants of translocation success such as habitat suitability, number of individuals and timing of releases.
Nesting biology of a female Long-wattled Umbrellabird Cephalopterus penduliger in north-western Ecuador
Authors: Karubian Jordan , Castañeda Gabriela , Freile Juan F. , Salazar Ramiro T. , Santander Tatiana , Smith Thomas B.
Published: November 2003

Long-wattled Umbrellabirds Cephalopterus penduliger are restricted to the Chocó Biogeographical Region, an area with exceptional levels of avian diversity and endemism. Due to widespread habitat loss and hunting pressure, the species is considered globally Vulnerable and Endangered within Ecuador. Little is known of the species' basic biology. This paper presents data on the first confirmed nest recorded for the species. The nest was found in June 2002 atop a tree fern Cyathea sp. located in secondary forest near Mindo, north-west Ecuador, at 1,600 m in the subtropical zone of the Andean slope. Data collected during incubation and nestling provisioning suggest that females may be responsible for all parental care. At the nest, the female provided food an average of once per hour, and brought roughly twice as many invertebrate food items as vertebrate or regurgitated food items. A male was never seen at the nest. In addition to presenting data from the nest, we compare Long-wattled Umbrellabirds to congeners and discuss implications for the conservation of this species.
Systemic change in limited family therapy
Authors: Lee Bayer Darryl
Published: November 2003

Some families present with so many problems and disordered family processes that where and how to begin is an extremely important question. When premature termination of therapy also appears likely, a family therapist may simply attempt to initiate a structural change within the family system so that the family can continue on its own. This article describes the responses of a highly chaotic family to such a single therapeutic intent.
Contrasting four major family therapy paradigms: implications for family therapy training
Authors: Israelstam Ken
Published: November 2003

Four major paradigms of family therapy are contrasted: affective‐experiential, structural, strategic and Milan. The differences are defined according to the way in which therapists think and behave in relation to their premises about change, and they are discussed under the following headings: historical roots and understanding of symptom formation; therapists' stance and techniques used in change; focus, goals and locus of change; and time perspective in change. Some suggestions are made with regard to training family therapists based on the differences that emerge when contrasting these models of family therapy.
Concurrent individual and family therapy in a case of elective mutism
Authors: Carr Alan , Afnanf Shahin
Published: November 2003

In this paper, following a literature review a family containing a child who had been electively mute for four years is described. A concurrent programme of individual and family therapy and the systemic hypothesis which guided these interventions is then presented in detail. Behavioural and psychometric data are presented to illustrate the dramatic improvement which the identified patient showed over the course of treatment. Finally, the probable mechanisms underpinning the child's improvement, and how these differed from our initial expectations, are discussed.
Precipitating crises in families: patterns which connect
Authors: Jenkins Hugh
Published: November 2003

This paper proposes that a stage in treatment common in all successful approaches to therapy is the precipitating of some degree of crisis, and that failure to provoke an element of crisis in terms of behaviour or beliefs in the family represents a ‘crisis’ for the therapist. Before considering the different approaches of three major schools of family therapy, it is first suggested that, at a more abstract level, ‘the patterns which connect’ (Bateson, 1979) the different schools provide a unifying framework to understand one of the aims of therapy. This is the intention to challenge established patterns to precipitate crisis. Three models of Family Therapy, Structural, Strategic, and Milan/Systemic, are outlined and their manner of precipitating crises described.
Family therapy with black families
Authors: O'Brian Charles
Published: November 2003

Family therapy in Britain must develop to encompass the external reality of family life. Living in a racist society dominates the lives of all black families. Family therapists need to acknowledge and address this before intervening in the family system. This paper offers personal and professional experiences, confrontaion, structured exercises and general and specific principles for work with black families. Minimal and positive goals are advocated so that practitioners do not feel paralysed by the enormity of the task.
The Chinese duet: the Tao of resistance
Authors: O'Byrne Patrick
Published: November 2003

This paper discusses the elements of a family intervention which draws on some concepts of Tao philosophy, such as polarity and returning. The polarity is that of the complimentary opposites yin and yang, and the returning is the cyclical returning and balance that is to be found in nature and its systems, which contain both a tendency towards stability and towards change. The balanced use ofjiin andjiang, when confronted by a system that is stuck off‐balance, develops into a debate similar to the ‘Greek Chorus’. This is then followed up by a confusing letter which leaves members of the family with a set of reframes and tasks from which they can create a response to their difficulty.
Are FACES‐II ‘family satisfaction’ scores valid?
Authors: Daley James G. , Sowers‐Hoag Karen , Thyer Bruce A.
Published: November 2003

It has been suggested that family satisfaction can be measured by having a person complete the Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scale (FACES‐II) twice: once as the person essentially sees the family (actual version), and once as they wish the family to be (ideal version). The discrepancy between the actual and ideal scores is contended to be a measure of satisfaction with family. Though conceptually attractive, this measurement strategy was not verified, as assessed in the present study by correlating the actual‐ideal discrepancy scores with family discord (Index of Family Relations) scores. Clinical adoption of the actual‐ideal discrepancy‐score as a measure of family satisfaction is thus seen as premature, until more supportive evidence is demonstrated.
Family therapy with problem drinkers and drug takers: A pilot follow‐up study
Authors: Fisher Christopher John , Grifithst Hugh
Published: November 2003

We report a retrospective outcome study of 36 problem drinkers and/or drug takers, treated with structural‐strategic family therapy. The interval between treatment and follow‐up varied from six months to two years. Follow‐up data was available on 34 cases. Twenty had a pure alcohol problem and of these 18 had a good outcome at follow up. Five had a mixed drug/alcohol problem; of these all were free from problem drinking and four had become abstinent from drugs at follow‐up. Of the nine patients with a pure drug problems, eight were abstinent from drugs at follow‐up. Given the retrospective nature of this study and the lack of control data, these results must remain impressionistic but the implications of the findings are discussed.
‘Stuckness’ in live supervision: Expanding the therapist's style
Authors: Elizur Joel
Published: November 2003

‘Stuckness’ in the live supervision of family therapy trainees can be used creatively to affect their style and expand their use of self in therapy. Supervisors, after clarifying the contract with their trainees, need to examine how their therapeutic style is constrained by personal qualities. These personal constraints may be related to generic difficulties in their personal, professional and cultural context. These include anxieties generated by the situation oflive supervision, or learning to increase stress to a greater level than the trainees learned to tolerate in their families of origin. Observing an impasse that is influenced by these qualities, the supervisor, who also analyses his or her part in the process, can change the supervisory relationship.
Assessing the work of a family centre: services offered and referrers' perceptions. A pilot study
Authors: Manor Oded
Published: November 2003

A multiple family orientated service was offered by a social services family centre. In order to examine the service, the number and type of presenting problems, services offered and length of contact were recorded for forty‐six families. Perceptions of the referring social workers were elicited at the beginning and end of contact with the service, and at follow‐up. These suggested that the perceived risk of the referred cases and their complexity decreased. Questions raised by these preliminary findings are discussed.
Resolving the trauma organized system of sexual abuse by confronting the abuser: A focal family therapy approach with a woman who was a childhood victim of sexual abuse
Authors: Bentovim Arnon , Davenport Margaret
Published: November 2003

The longer‐term emotional and interpersonal effects of sexual abuse in childhood are reviewed and approaches to treatment discussed. The notion of a ‘trauma organized system’ to account for the long‐standing effects of abuse is described. A major potential issue in creating therapeutic change is confronting the abuser, and a case is described where a woman brought her family for therapy when it was feared that the father, who had abused her in childhood, might abuse his grandchildren. A focal family therapy approach was used: this takes into account the traumatic nature of abusive events and their long‐term organizing effects on individual and family functioning. The process of therapeutic work is described, including the resolution of traumatic effects by confronting the abusive act.
Cohesion and power in the families of children involved in bully/victim problems at school
Authors: Bowers Louise , Smith Peter K. , Binney Valerie
Published: November 2003

The dimensions of Power and Cohesion have been found to be useful in describing family systems. They may also be predictive of children who will bully others or be victimized themselves. A sample of 20 bullies, 20 victims, 20 bully/victims, and 20 control children were selected from three middle schools via a system of peer nominations. These children then completed a version of the Family System Test (FAST) to establish how they perceived their families on the dimensions of Power and Cohesion. The four subgroups showed characteristic differences on the FAST plots, which are discussed. Future use of the FAST test in examining the link between perceived family structure and peer relationships seems warranted.
Belonging and Wanting: Meanings of Social Class Background for Women's Constructions of their College Experiences
Authors: Ostrove Joan M.
Published: November 2003

Data from 193 women who attended Smith College in the 1960s show that the women retrospectively represented college quite differently depending on their class background. Themes of both social segregation and academic unpreparedness were evident among the women from working‐ and middle‐class families, while themes of a continuation of family tradition were evident among women from upper‐class families. Interview data from seven women who graduated from Radcliffe in 1964 suggested that a sense of who belonged and who did not was keenly felt even by women from middle‐class backgrounds, and was also noticed by women from upper‐class backgrounds. It is noted that class plays a large role in constructing the markers that define “belongingness” on elite college campuses.
Feasibility and utility of microsatellite markers in archaeological cattle remains from a Viking Age settlement in Dublin
Authors: Edwards C. J. , Connellan J. , Wallace P. F. , Park S. D. E. , McCormick F. M. , Olsaker I. , Eythórsdóttir E. , MacHugh D. E. , Bailey J. F. , Bradley D. G.
Published: November 2003

Nineteen cattle bones from the Viking 10th and early 11th century levels in Dublin were assessed for presence of reliable genotypes from three autosomal markers. Due to the good preservational condition of the samples, it was possible to amplify and type at least two out of three of the microsatellite markers (CSRM60, HEL1 and ILSTS001) in 11 specimens. Full three‐loci genotypes were obtained from a subset of seven of these samples. A comparative analysis was performed using data from the same three markers in 11 extant British, Irish and Nordic cattle breeds. Although the medieval remains displayed lower levels of diversity than the modern European breeds, the results fit within the ranges obtained from the extant populations. The results indicate a probable origin for the ancient Irish cattle as the remains group significantly more closely with breeds from the British Isles than with those from Scandinavia. The data collected indicate that microsatellites may be useful for the further study of ancient cattle.
Jews as pagans? Polemical definitions of identity in Visigothic Spain
Authors: Drews Wolfram
Published: November 2003

A conciliar canon from Visigothic Spain relates that Jewish parents, who had been baptized by force, were trying to save their children from baptism, relying on the help of Christian neighbours, who lent them their own children for a second baptism. According to the wording of the canon, Jewish parents thereby illicitly retained their children as ‘pagans’. This very peculiar, ‘extremist’ terminology served as a rhetorical tool to denigrate Judaism, putting it on a par with idolatry, superstition, supposedly primitive religion and backward, rural culture. This rhetorical strategy was used to construct a negative Jewish identity, which in turn served to strengthen a new concept of Gothic identity propagated ever since the conversion of the Visigoths to catholicism. Catholic Goths are presented both as the heirs of christianized Roman culture (which included the acceptance and transformation of catholic anti‐Judaism), and as the champions of historical progress, allegedly overcoming different kinds of pre‐Christian, ‘barbarian’ religion.
The road to success: A review of 1000 axillary brachial plexus blocks
Authors: Perris T. M. , Watt J M.
Published: November 2003

The authors present their experience of > 1000 axillary brachial plexus blocks performed over 13 years (1990–2002). Using a technique that involves the location of individual nerves with a nerve stimulator, the overall success rate was 97.9%, ranging from 89.7% in 1990 to 98.4% in 1998. There have been no failures, defined as the need for conversion to general anaesthesia, in the last 500 blocks. Supplementary nerve blocks at the elbow were performed in 22.2% of patients. The first author, trained and supervised by the second author, achieved similar success rates in half the time taken by the second author. The authors conclude that technique and experience are the keys to success, but that high success rates can be achieved in a short time if anaesthetists are trained by experts in regional anaesthesia.
Increased remissions from one course for intermediate‐dose cytosine arabinoside and idarubicin in elderly acute myeloid leukaemia when combined with cladribine. A randomized population‐based phase II study
Authors: Juliusson Gunnar , Höglund Martin , Karlsson Karin , Löfgren Christina , Möllgård Lars , Paul Christer , Tidefelt Ulf , Björkholm Magnus ,   for the Leukemia Group of Middle Sweden
Published: November 2003

Summary.  Cladribine has single‐drug activity in acute myeloid leukaemia (AML), and may enhance the formation of the active metabolite (ara‐CTP) of cytosine arabinoside (ara‐C). To evaluate the feasibility of adding intermittent cladribine to intermediate‐dose ara‐C (1 g/m2/2 h) b.i.d. for 4 d with idarubicin (CCI), we performed a 2:1 randomized phase II trial in AML patients aged over 60 years. Primary endpoints were time to recovery from cytopenia and need for supportive care following the first course. Sixty‐three patients (median 71 years, range 60–84 years) were included, constituting 72% of all eligible patients. Toxicity was limited, with no differences between the treatment arms. The early toxic death rate was 11%. The median time to recovery from neutropenia and thrombocytopenia was 22 and 17 d from the start of course no. 1, respectively, and the requirement for platelet and red cell transfusions was four and eight units respectively. Patients had a median of 8 d with fever over 38°C, and 17 d with intravenous antibiotic treatment. The overall complete remission (CR) rate was 62%, with 51% CR from one course of CCI in comparison with 35% for the two‐drug therapy (P = 0·014). The median survival with a 2‐year follow‐up was 14 months, and the 2‐year survival was over 30%, with no differences between the treatment arms. Considering the median age and our population‐based approach, the overall results are encouraging.
Pegylated asparaginase in combination with high‐dose methotrexate for consolidation in adult acute lymphoblastic leukaemia in first remission: a pilot study
Authors: Rosen O. , Müller H. J. , Gökbuget N. , Langer W. , Peter N. , Schwartz S. , Hähling D. , Hartmann F. , Ittel T. H. , Mück R. , Rothmann F. , Arnold R. , Boos J. , Hoelzer D. ,   on behalf of the GMALL Study Group
Published: November 2003

Summary.  The German Multicentre acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) study group (GMALL) performed a pilot study using pegylated asparaginase (PEG‐ASP) in combination with high‐dose methotrexate as consolidation therapy in the 05/93 protocol. The aim of the study was an intra‐individual comparison of two different doses of PEG‐ASP in 26 patients, with regard to the depletion of asparagine in serum and toxicity. ‘Pharmacokinetic’ monitoring was performed to evaluate the effect of an intra‐individual dose escalation of PEG‐ASP from 500 to 1000 U/m2 intravenously in successive doses. Serum asparaginase activity was targeted at ≥100 U/l for 1 week and ≥50 U/l for 10 d. The second course of PEG‐ASP was administered to 23 patients. Due to hypersensitivity reactions in five patients, only 18 patients were evaluable for pharmacokinetic monitoring. With respect to the PEG‐ASP activity, an effective depletion of asparagine could be postulated in the majority of patients during 10 d after the first administration. The effect of an intraindividual dose escalation form 500 to 1000 U/m2 was evaluable in 17 of 22 patients. An increment in peak PEG‐ASP activity >70% was observed in 65% of the patients. PEG‐ASP was well tolerated. Despite the long half‐life of PEG‐ASP, neither pancreatic nor central nervous toxicities occurred among the 26 adult patients treated in this pilot study.
Seasonal variations in food quality for pelagic and benthic invertebrates in Lake Erken – the role of fatty acids
Authors: AHLGREN G. , GOEDKOOP W. , MARKENSTEN H. , SONESTEN  , BOBERG M.
Published: November 2003

1. Plankton net samples and sedimenting matter in traps from mesotrophic Lake Erken, Sweden, were analysed for carbon (C), nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), total lipids and fatty acid (FA) content to determine what differences and seasonal changes might exist in the quality of food available to pelagic zooplankters and benthic invertebrates.

2. Matter collected in a plankton net was assumed to correspond to food available to pelagic grazers, while matter collected in sedimentation traps provided a measure of food available to benthic invertebrates. Furthermore, food quality was assumed to be related to polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) content.

3. The results suggest that suspended particulate matter, collected with a plankton net, is a much higher‐quality food resource than sedimenting matter. Our data also show that only during the spring and autumn do the benthic fauna have access to high‐quality food, because of the dominance of diatoms during these periods. During summer, pelagic grazer production was probably limited by food quantity, whereas benthic invertebrate production was probably limited by food quality.

4. Plankton net samples showed consistently higher values than trap samples (% of dry weight, DW, or mg g–1 DW) for nearly all variables analysed: C, N, P, saturated FA (SAFA), monounsaturated FA (MUFA), PUFA, ω3 FA and ω6 FA. If N and P were expressed per C, the differences decreased and both data sets indicated moderate to no N or P limitation. N/P also showed well‐balanced ratios throughout most of the season, on average 10 and 7 (by weight), respectively. The largest differences between the two food resources occurred in the PUFA content, including the important FA of the ω3 type. The only FA with higher levels in the trap samples were some unidentified FA of relatively short chain lengths. Seasonal variation for most variables was also very large in both net and trap samples.

5. PUFA and ω3 FA showed good relationships with the P content of net samples, but not with that of trap samples. Eicosapentaenoic acid alone did not give a good relationship with P. Thus, P seems to be a good predictor of food quality in living phytoplankton but not in dead matter or detritus.
The role of highly unsaturated fatty acids in aquatic foodweb processes
Authors: BRETT MICHAEL , MÜLLER‐NAVARRA DÖRTHE
Published: November 2003

1. Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) are almost exclusively synthesized by plants. Animals can convert from one form of PUFA to another through elongation and desaturation, but very few can synthesize PUFA de novo. PUFA play an important role in regulating cell membrane properties, serve as precursors for important animal hormones and are essential for animals.

2. In aquaculture studies, highly unsaturated fatty acids (HUFA), a subset of PUFA, have been found to be critical for maintaining high growth, survival and reproductive rates and high food conversion efficiencies for a wide variety of marine and freshwater organisms.

3. The plankton literature suggests high food‐quality algae species are rich in HUFA and low food‐quality algae are poor in HUFA. Adding semi‐pure emulsions of HUFA to algae monocultures can markedly increase the growth rates of zooplankton feeding on these mixtures.

4. A study measuring zooplankton biomass accrual when feeding on natural phytoplankton found a strong correlation between phytoplankton HUFA (specifically eicosapentaenoic acid) content and herbivorous zooplankton production.

5. The aquatic ecology literature suggests that planktonic foodwebs with high HUFA content phytoplankton have high zooplankton to phytoplankton biomass ratios, while systems with low HUFA phytoplankton have low zooplankton biomass. Also, the seasonal succession of plankton in many temperate lakes follows patterns tied to phytoplankton HUFA content, with intense zooplankton grazing and ‘clear‐water‐phases’ characteristic of periods when the phytoplankton is dominated by HUFA‐rich species.

6. Herbivorous zooplankton production is constrained by the zooplankton’s ability to ingest and digest phytoplankton. It is becoming increasingly clear, however, that much of the phytoplankton which is assimilated may be nutritionally inadequate. HUFA may be key nutritional constituents of zooplankton diets, and may determine energetic efficiency across the plant–animal interface, secondary production and the strength of trophic coupling in aquatic pelagic foodwebs.