bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The role of residue stability in transient protein–protein interactions involved in enzymatic phosphate hydrolysis. A computational study
Authors: Bonet Jaume , Caltabiano Gianluigi , Khan Abdul Kareem , Johnston Michael A. , Corbí Carles , Gómez Àlex , Rovira Xavier , Teyra Joan , Villà‐Freixa Jordi
Published: December 2005

Finding why protein–protein interactions (PPIs) are so specific can provide a valuable tool in a variety of fields. Statistical surveys of so‐called transient complexes (like those relevant for signal transduction mechanisms) have shown a tendency of polar residues to participate in the interaction region. Following this scheme, residues in the unbound partners have to compete between interacting with water or interacting with other residues of the protein. On the other hand, several works have shown that the notion of active site electrostatic preorganization can be used to interpret the high efficiency in enzyme reactions. This preorganization can be related to the instability of the residues important for catalysis. In some enzymes, in addition, conformational changes upon binding to other proteins lead to an increase in the activity of the enzymatic partner. In this article the linear response approximation version of the semimacroscopic protein dipoles Langevin dipoles (PDLD/S‐LRA) model is used to evaluate the stability of several residues in two phosphate hydrolysis enzymes upon complexation with their activating partners. In particular, the residues relevant for PPI and for phosphate hydrolysis in the CDK2/Cyclin A and Ras/GAP complexes are analyzed. We find that the evaluation of the stability of residues in these systems can be used to identify not only active site regions but it can also be used as a guide to locate “hot spots” for PPIs. We also show that conformational changes play a major role in positioning interfacing residues in a proper “energetic” orientation, ready to interact with the residues in the partner protein surface. Thus, we extend the preorganization theory to PPIs, extrapolating the results we obtained from the above‐mentioned complexes to a more general case. We conclude that the correlation between stability of a residue in the surface and the likelihood that it participates in the interaction can be a general fact for transient PPIs. Proteins 2006. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Edge‐count probabilities for the identification of local protein communities and their organization
Authors: Farutin Victor , Robison Keith , Lightcap Eric , Dancik Vlado , Ruttenberg Alan , Letovsky Stanley , Pradines Joel
Published: December 2005

We present a computational approach based on a local search strategy that discovers sets of proteins that preferentially interact with each other. Such sets are referred to as protein communities and are likely to represent functional modules. Preferential interaction between module members is quantified via an analytical framework based on a network null model known as the random graph with given expected degrees. Based on this framework, the concept of local protein community is generalized to that of community of communities. Protein communities and higher‐level structures are extracted from two yeast protein interaction data sets and a network of published interactions between human proteins. The high level structures obtained with the human network correspond to broad biological concepts such as signal transduction, regulation of gene expression, and intercellular communication. Many of the obtained human communities are enriched, in a statistically significant way, for proteins having no clear orthologs in lower organisms. This indicates that the extracted modules are quite coherent in terms of function. Proteins 2006. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Crystal structure of a putative pyridoxine 5′‐phosphate oxidase (Rv2607) from Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Authors: Pédelacq Jean‐Denis , Rho Beom‐Seop , Kim Chang‐Yub , Waldo Geoffrey S. , Lekin Timothy P. , Segelke Brent W. , Rupp Bernhard , Hung Li‐Wei , Kim Su‐Il , Terwilliger Thomas C.
Published: December 2005

The three‐dimensional structure of Rv2607, a putative pyridoxine 5′‐phosphate oxidase (PNPOx) from Mycobacterium tuberculosis, has been determined by X‐ray crystallography to 2.5 Å resolution. Rv2607 has a core domain similar to known PNPOx structures with a flavin mononucleotide (FMN) cofactor. Electron density for two FMN at the dimer interface is weak despite the bright yellow color of the protein solution and crystal. The shape and size of the putative binding pocket is markedly different from that of members of the PNPOx family, which may indicate some significant changes in the FMN binding mode of this protein relative to members of the family. Proteins 2006. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Identification of an unusual naturally occurring apolar fatty acid amide in mammalian brain and a method for its quantitative determination
Authors: Carbonare Maurizio Dalle , Tonidandel Loris , Berto Fiorenzo , Luise Diego , Mardegan Andrea , Giordano Giuseppe , Dalt Liviana Da , Guiotto Adriano , Battistin Leontino , Leon Alberta , Traldi Pietro
Published: December 2005

Fatty acid amides (FAAs), such as the N‐acylamides, N‐acylethanolamides, N‐acyldopamines and N‐acylamino acids, are now emerging as an important new class of lipid‐signalling molecules. This paper provides evidence, based on high‐performance liquid chromatography/electrospray ionisation mass spectrometry (HPLC/ESI‐MS/MS), gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) and 1H‐NMR, of the occurrence in mouse and bovine brain extracts of a compound characterised by a mass spectrum attributable to a FAA not previously described, namely, the isopropyl‐amide of stearic acid (SIPA). A highly sensitive GC/MS method was developed for quantification of naturally occurring SIPA and, also, for purposes of comparison, that of palmitoylethanolamide (PEA), a structurally related compound commonly determined in animal tissues. The results obtained show that SIPA levels in mouse brain are 8–10‐fold higher than those of PEA. Moreover, SIPA was found in human neuroblastoma cell (SHSY‐5Y) extracts, at significantly higher levels following exposure of the cells to the mitochondrial inhibitor rotenone. All this evidence not only shows surprisingly that SIPA may be found naturally in mammalian biological extracts despite the unusual functional group (i.e. isopropylamide) implicated, but also raises many important questions concerning its biological origin. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Estimation of genetic and environmental factors for melanoma onset using population‐based family data
Authors: Lindström L. , Pawitan Y. , Reilly M. , Hemminki K. , Lichtenstein P. , Czene K.
Published: December 2005

Estimation of genetic and environmental contributions to cancers falls in the framework of generalized linear mixed modelling with several random effect components. Computational challenges remain, however, in dealing with binary or survival phenotypes. In this paper, we consider the analysis of melanoma onset in a population of 2.6 million nuclear families in Sweden, for which none of the current survival‐based methodologies is feasible. We treat the disease outcome as a binary phenotype, so that the standard proportional hazard model leads to a generalized linear model with the complementary‐log link function. For rare diseases this link is very close to the probit link, and thus allows the use of marginal likelihood for the estimation of the variance components. We correct for the survival length bias by censoring the parent generation within each family at the time they attain the same cumulative hazard as the child generation, thus improving the validity of the estimates. Our finding that childhood shared environment in addition to genetic factors had a considerable effect on the development of melanoma is consistent with epidemiological studies. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A sequential design to estimate sensitivity and specificity of a diagnostic or screening test
Authors: Wruck Lisa M. , Yiannoutsos Constantin T. , Hughes Michael D.
Published: December 2005

We consider efficient study designs to estimate sensitivity and specificity of a candidate diagnostic or screening test. Our focus is the setting in which the candidate test is inexpensive to administer compared to evaluation of disease status, and the test results, available in a large cohort, can be used as a basis for sampling subjects for verification of disease status. We examine designs in which disease status is verified in a sample chosen so as to optimize estimation of either sensitivity or specificity. We then propose a sequential design in which the first step of sampling is conducted to efficiently estimate specificity. If the candidate test is determined to be of sufficient specificity, then step two of sampling is conducted to estimate sensitivity. We propose estimators based on this sequential sampling scheme, and show that the performance of these estimators is excellent. We develop sample size calculations for the sequential design, and show that this design, in most situations, compares favourably in terms of expected sample size to a fixed size design. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A hierarchical non‐homogenous Poisson model for meta‐analysis of adenoma counts
Authors: Rutter Carolyn M. , Yu Onchee , Miglioretti Diana L.
Published: December 2005

We use a hierarchical model for a meta‐analysis that combines information from autopsy studies of adenoma prevalence and counts. The studies we included reported findings using a variety of adenoma prevalence groupings and age categories. We use a non‐homogeneous Poisson model for multinomial bin probabilities. The Poisson model allows risk to depend on age and sex, and incorporates extra‐Poisson variability. We evaluate model fit using the posterior predicted distribution of adenoma prevalence reported by the studies included in our analyses and validate our model using adenoma prevalence reported by more recent colonoscopy studies. For 1990, the estimated adenoma prevalence among Americans at age 60 is 40.3 per cent for men compared to 29.2 per cent for women. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The non‐surgical management of ectopic pregnancy
Authors: Kirk E. , Condous G. , Bourne T.
Published: December 2005

Ectopic pregnancy can now be detected at earlier gestations in asymptomatic women. As a consequence conservative treatment strategies may be more appropriate than surgical intervention. This review aims to discuss the diagnosis and the non‐surgical management options for ectopic pregnancy, in particular expectant management and the use of methotrexate. Copyright © 2005 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Acoustic streaming in two endometriomas: the exception to the rule?
Authors: Van Holsbeke C. , Meuleman C. , Timmerman D.
Published: December 2005

The presence of acoustic streaming in ovarian cysts can be determined by ultrasound imaging and provides an indication of the viscosity of the cyst content. It has previously been demonstrated that the absence of acoustic streaming in endometriomas could be a pathognomonic feature of endometriomas. In this report we demonstrate the presence of acoustic streaming in two endometriomas. Copyright © 2005 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Fetal magnetic resonance imaging in the prenatal diagnosis of cerebellar hemorrhage
Authors: Gorincour G. , Rypens F. , Lapierre C. , Costa T. , Audibert F. , Robitaille Y.
Published: December 2005

We report the case of a fetus with a sonographic mid‐gestation diagnosis of hyperechogenic cerebellum suspected to be of hemorrhagic origin on fetal brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). No etiological factors for fetal hemorrhage were found other than a maternal heterozygocity for factor V Leiden. Following termination of the pregnancy, autopsy confirmed the prenatal diagnosis of massive cerebellar hemorrhage without underlying vascular anomaly. As an additional tool to ultrasonography, fetal brain MRI can affirm the hemorrhagic origin of hyperechogenic cerebellar lesions, especially by showing a high signal on T1‐weighted images. Copyright © 2005 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A novel approach to first‐trimester screening for early pre‐eclampsia combining serum PP‐13 and Doppler ultrasound
Authors: Nicolaides K. H. , Bindra R. , Turan O. M. , Chefetz I. , Sammar M. , Meiri H. , Tal J. , Cuckle H. S.
Published: December 2005

Objective

To investigate the value of maternal serum placental protein 13 (PP‐13) measurement and uterine artery Doppler during first‐trimester screening in the prediction of early pre‐eclampsia.

Methods

This was a nested case‐control prospective study of pregnancies at 11 + 0 to 13 + 6 weeks of gestation. The pulsatility index (PI) of blood flow in the uterine arteries and the maternal serum concentration of PP‐13 were measured in 10 women who went on to develop pre‐eclampsia that necessitated delivery before 34 weeks, and in 423 unaffected women. Results were expressed as multiples of the gestation‐specific median in controls (MoM). A logistic regression model was used to predict detection and false‐positive rates.

Results

In the cases that developed pre‐eclampsia requiring delivery before 34 weeks, compared with the unaffected pregnancies, the median uterine artery PI was higher (1.43 MoM) and the median serum PP‐13 level was lower (0.07 MoM; P < 0.001, Wilcoxon rank sum test for both). Modeling predicted that for a 90% detection rate of pre‐eclampsia requiring delivery before 34 weeks, the false‐positive rate of screening by PP‐13 was 12%, by uterine artery PI was 31% and by a combination of the two methods was 9%. A policy of contingency screening, whereby all women are screened by maternal serum PP‐13 and only the 14% at highest risk are then screened by Doppler, achieved a detection rate of 90% with an overall false‐positive rate of 6%.

Conclusion

Effective screening for pre‐eclampsia requiring delivery before 34 weeks can potentially be provided by assessment of a combination of maternal serum PP‐13 and uterine artery Doppler in the first trimester of pregnancy. Copyright © 2005 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The YIG1 (YPL201c) encoded protein is involved in regulating anaerobic glycerol metabolism in Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Authors: Granath K. , Modig T. , Forsmark A. , Adler L. , Lidén G.
Published: December 2005

Under anaerobic conditions S. cerevisiae produces glycerol to regenerate NAD+ from the excess NADH produced in cell metabolism. We here report on the role of an uncharacterized protein, Yig1p (Ypl201cp), in anaerobic glycerol production. Yig1p was previously shown to interact in two‐hybrid tests with the GPP1 and GPP2 encoded glycerol 3‐phosphatase (Gpp), and we here demonstrate that strains overexpressing YIG1 show strongly decreased Gpp activity and content of the major phosphatase, Gpp1p. However, cells overexpressing YIG1 exhibited only slightly decreased GPP1 transcript levels, suggesting that Yig1p modulates expression on both transcriptional and post‐transcriptional levels. In agreement with such a role, a GFP‐tagged derivate of Yig1p was localized to both the cytosol and the nucleus. Deletion or overexpression of YIG1 did not, however, significantly affect growth yield or glycerol yield in anaerobic batch cultures, which is consistent with the previously proposed low flux control exerted at the Gpp level. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Rapid asymmetrical evolution of Saccharomyces cerevisiae wine yeasts
Authors: Ambrona Jesús , Vinagre Antonia , Ramírez Manuel
Published: December 2005

Genetic instability causes very rapid asymmetrical loss of heterozygosity (LOH) at the cyh2 locus and loss of killer K2 phenotype in some wine yeasts under the usual laboratory propagation conditions or after long freeze‐storage. The direction of this asymmetrical evolution in heterozygous cyh2R/CYH2S hybrids is determined by the mechanism of asymmetrical LOH. However, the speed of the process is affected by the differences in cell viability between the new homozygous yeasts and the original heterozygous hybrid cells. The concomitant loss of ScV‐M2 virus in the LOH process may increase cell viability of cyh2R/cyh2R yeasts and so favour asymmetrical evolution. The presence of active killer K2 toxin, however, abolishes the asymmetrical evolution of the hybrid populations. This phenomenon may cause important sudden phenotype changes in industrial and pathogenic yeasts. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
New phenotypes of functional expression of the mKir2.1 channel in potassium efflux‐deficient Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains
Authors: Kolacna Lucie , Zimmermannova Olga , Hasenbrink Guido , Schwarzer Sarah , Ludwig Jost , Lichtenberg‐Fraté Hella , Sychrova Hana
Published: December 2005

The functional expression of the mouse Kir2.1 potassium channel in yeast cells lacking transport systems for potassium and sodium efflux (ena1‐4Δ nha1Δ) resulted in increased cell sensitivity to high external concentrations of potassium. The phenotype depended on the level of Kir2.1 expression and on the external pH. The activity of Kir2.1p in the yeast cells was almost negligible at pH 3.0 and the highest at pH 7.0. Kir2.1p was permeable for both potassium and rubidium cations, but neither sodium nor lithium were transported via the channel. Measurements of the cation contents in cells confirmed the higher concentration of potassium in cells with Kir2.1p. Specific inhibition of the mKir2.1 channel activity by Ba2+ cations was observed. The use of a mutant strain lacking both potassium efflux and uptake transporters (ena1‐4Δ nha1Δ trk1Δ trk2Δ) enabled the monitoring of channel activity on two levels—the provision of the necessary amount of intracellular K+ in media with low potassium concentrations, and simultaneously, the channel's contribution to cell potassium sensitivity in the presence of high external K+. This combination of mutations proved to be a new, sensitive and practical tool for characterizing the properties of heterologously expressed transporters mediating both the efflux and influx of alkali‐metal‐cations. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Ziprasidone-induced priapism requiring surgical treatment
Authors: Kaufman Kenneth R. , Stern Lauren , Mohebati Arash , Olsavsky Aviva , Hwang Jonathan
Published: December 2005

Both typical and atypical antipsychotic psychotropics have been reported to cause ischemic priapism presumptively secondary to alpha1-adrenergic blockade. This condition is a urologic emergency for if not evaluated and treated appropriately, long-term sequelae include erectile dysfunction and impotence. This paper addresses the first reported case of priapism requiring surgical intervention presumed to be secondary to ziprasidone. Increased clinician and patient education regarding priapism is required in order to minimize this adverse event and to maximize immediate treatment.
The experience of carers of patients with severe mental illness: a comparison between London and Bologna
Authors: Tarricone Ilaria , Leese Morven , Szmukler George I. , Bassi Mariano , Berardi Domenico
Published: December 2005

Purpose.

The experience of care giving inventory (ECI) is a self-reported measure of the caregiving experience as seen by the carer of a person with a serious mental illness. It comprises eight negative subscales and two positive subscales; positive and negative scores are obtained from these (ECI total positive and ECI total negative). This study aims to assess the validity and the reliability of the Italian version of the ECI and to compare the experience of carers in London and Bologna as measured by the ECI.

Method.

The sample consisted of 95 Bologna carers and 69 London carers of patients suffering from a functional psychotic disorder. The internal consistency of the Italian ECI and correlation between the Italian ECI total negative and the GHQ-12 (external validity) were estimated. Independent t-tests and chi-squared tests were used to compare sample characteristics and mean ECI scores. Regression analyses were used to control for confounders.

Results.

Internal consistency and validity of the Italian ECI were similar to these previously found. The Bologna caregivers had a higher ECI total negative than London carers; this difference was partially explained by worse patients' functioning and by a higher proportion of parents in Bologna. Bologna carers scored significantly lower on ECI total positive after controlling for relationship and patient functioning.

Conclusions.

The Italian ECI is a well-accepted and valid instrument to describe caregiving experiences. The similar scores in ECI total negative between London and Bologna underline a cross-cultural consistency of negative experience of caregiving and re-emphasise the importance of patients functioning in different cultural contexts. The differences found for ECI total positive suggest area for further research.
Evaluation of Microwave Reactors for Prep-Scale Synthesis in a Kilolab
Authors: Lehmann Hansjoerg , LaVecchia Luigi
Published: December 2005

Microwave-assisted organic chemistry has received considerable attention during the last decade and nowadays, more and more research chemists are applying microwave technology to organic reactions on a small scale successfully. However, efficient application of this technology to cover the specific needs of larger-scale preparations, e.g., in a kilolab, remains to be shown. Therefore, the current study was initiated to investigate the scalability of the microwave technology. Two different microwave systems designed for large-scale operation (Multiwave 3000 and CEM Voyager SF) were evaluated to characterize strengths and weaknesses of each instrument for special use in a kilolab with focus on temperature/pressure limits, handling of suspensions, ability for rapid heating and cooling, robustness, and overall processing time. (JALA 2005;10:412–7)
A 21st Century HPLC Workflow for Process R&D
Authors: Karcher Brent D. , Davies Merrill L. , Delaney Edward J. , Venit John J.
Published: December 2005

A unique high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) workflow specifically designed for the rigors of process development has been developed. A key feature of the workflow is the creation of an HPLC software–hardware platform designed to automatically and systematically screen samples using a matrix of columns and eluents to aggressively search for impurities. The workflow platform was assembled from commercial hardware components and both custom and commercial HPLC software. The platform can be used to challenge existing HPLC methods or to develop new methods. The screening conditions are complementary to each other, and are useful to assess the complexity of a sample and to chromatographically resolve impurities that may coelute using any single method. The workflow has been designed to support several different modes of HPLC, and can be used with absorption detection, photodiode array spectrometers, evaporative light scattering (ELS) devices, and mass spectrometric (MS) detection. The custom software interface contains a data-viewing feature to simplify analysis of results. The platform is designed to be used by process scientists, and the same simple user-interface is used to control analytical HPLC, LC–MS, and preparative HPLC. Three real world examples are provided to illustrate the utility of the platform to rigorously assess the complexity of samples and to develop new and improved HPLC methods. (JALA 2005;10:381–93)
The implications of socialization and integration in supply chain management
Authors: Cousins Paul D. , Menguc Bulent
Published: December 2005

For many years, firms have been organizing supplier conferences, conducting on‐site visits, and talking about the concept of joint buyer/supplier teams. It is believed that the implementation of these concepts enhances inter‐firm relationships. Furthermore, as firms move towards closer and more integrated supply chains it is argued that socialization is an increasingly important mechanism in facilitating and enhancing the supply integration process. This paper has taken these activities and embedded them in the theory of ‘socialization’ and supply chain integration. The authors propose and test a model on how buyers can use the concepts of supply chain integration and socialization to achieve improved supplier communication and operational performance, and therefore, to improve the buyer's perceived level of the supplier's contractual conformance. The findings reveal that socialization is essential for the development of any significant business relationship and the enhancement of a supply integration strategy.
A QTL analysis of female variation contributing to refractoriness and sperm competition in Drosophila melanogaster
Authors: LAWNICZAK MARA K. N. , BEGUN DAVID J.
Published: December 2005

Sperm competition is an important fitness component in many animal groups. Drosophila melanogaster males exhibit substantial genetic variation for sperm competitive ability and females show considerable genetic variation for first versus second male sperm use. Currently, the forces responsible for maintaining genetic variation in sperm competition related phenotypes are receiving much attention. While several candidate genes contributing to the variation seen in male competitive ability are known, genes involved in female sperm use remain largely undiscovered. Without knowledge of the underlying genes, it will be difficult to distinguish between different models of sexual selection such as cryptic female choice and sexual conflict. We used quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping to identify regions of the genome contributing to female propensity to use first or second male sperm, female refractoriness to re-mating, and early-life fertility. The most well supported markers influencing the phenotypes include 33F/34A (P2), 57B (refractoriness) and 23F/24A (fertility). Between 10% and 15% of the phenotypic variance observed in these recombinant inbred lines was explained by these individual QTLs. More detailed investigation of the regions detected in this experiment may lead to the identification of genes responsible for the QTLs identified here.
QTL-based evidence for the role of epistasis in evolution
Authors: MALMBERG RUSSELL L. , MAURICIO RODNEY
Published: December 2005

The extent to which epistasis contributes to adaptation and speciation has been a controversial topic in evolutionary genetics. One experimental approach to study epistasis is based on quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping using molecular markers. Comparisons can be made among all possible pair-wise combinations of the markers, irrespective of whether an additive QTL is associated with a marker; several software packages have been developed that facilitate this. We review several examples of using this approach to identify epistatic QTLs for traits of evolutionary or ecological interest. While there is variability in the results, the number of epistatic QTL interactions is often greater than or equal to the number of additive QTLs. The magnitude of epistatic effects can be larger than the additive effects. Thus, epistatic interactions seem to be an important part of natural genetic variation. Future studies of epistatic QTLs could lead to descriptions of the genetic networks underlying variation for fitness-related traits.
Vestibular assessment in a patient with confirmed lateral medullary syndrome
Authors: Butler Katrina F L , Humphriss Rachel L , Lennox Graham
Published: December 2005

The results of vestibular investigations in a patient with confirmed lateral medullary syndrome are presented. This patient showed a unilateral weakness on caloric testing which has not been reported previously in a patient with lateral medullary syndrome. The case for the possibility of a ‘central’ canal paresis on caloric testing is presented.
Improving Public Services: Public Administration Reform in Northern Ireland
Authors: KNOX COLIN , CARMICHAEL PAUL
Published: December 2005

The devolved government in Northern Ireland set about the task of putting in place ‘a modern and effective system of public administration that can deliver high quality public services to our citizens’. It did so through a review of public administration launched in June 2002. This article offers a formative evaluation of the quest to improve the quality of public services, now being taken forward by a British minister since the suspension of devolution. It argues that the review is being driven by institutional concerns and is devoid of a public service modernising agenda. Additionally, it contends that how people in Northern Ireland perceive public services is contingent on their views on its constitutional status (Direct Rule or devolved government) which, in turn, is linked to their support for the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement, rather than the performance of public bodies. As a consequence, the reforms may result in little more than institutional tinkering with doubtful impact on the quality of public services.
Deviant (M)others: The Construction of Teenage Motherhood in Contemporary Discourse
Authors: WILSON HELEN , HUNTINGTON ANNETTE
Published: December 2005

Paradoxically, the focus on teen motherhood as an object of concern in the West has coincided with declining rates of teen birth. This suggests that the view of teenage motherhood as problematic is underpinned by changing social and political imperatives regarding the role of women in these countries. This article examines the literature surrounding teenage motherhood from the United States, United Kingdom and New Zealand, and explores the way in which normative perceptions of motherhood have shifted over the past few decades to position teenage mothers as stigmatised and marginalised. Two specific discourses – those of welfare dependency and social exclusion – are highlighted, and their mediation through scientific discourses examined. The increasing trend to evidence-based policy development has masked the ideological basis of much policy in this area and highlights the importance of critical evaluation of the discourses surrounding teenage motherhood. A critical examination of the literature suggests that teenage mothers are vilified, not because the evidence of poor outcomes for teen mothers and their children is particularly compelling, but because these young women resist the typical life trajectory of their middle-class peers which conforms to the current governmental objectives of economic growth through higher education and increased female workforce participation.
A New Method of Ship Routing on Raster Grids, with Turn Penalties and Collision Avoidance
Authors: Szlapczynski Rafal
Published: December 2005

The article introduces a method of finding optimal routes on raster planes. The method presented takes advantage of a new algorithm that tends to minimize a number of direction changes within a route, while steering clear of the obstacles. Two different schemes, suitable for restricted area Vessel Traffic Service (VTS) system and collision avoidance system located on the own ship are described. The VTS-oriented scheme supports VTS priority policy that may extend or override international give-way regulations. The own-ship routing scheme in a give-way situation is capable of determining the shortest safe path to the destination point. The method takes into account own ship dynamics. It has linear time and space complexities and therefore is sufficiently fast to perform real-time routing on the raster grids. Both the general method and the algorithm it uses are presented in detail in the paper. Implementation issues are also discussed.
Route Recapitulation and Route Loyalty in Homing Pigeons: Pilotage From 25 km?
Authors: Biro Dora , Meade Jessica , Guilford Tim
Published: December 2005

We utilised precision Global Positioning System (GPS) tracking to examine the homing paths of pigeons (Columba livia) released 20 times consecutively 25 km from the loft. By the end of the training phase, birds had developed highly stereotyped yet individually distinct routes home, with detailed recapitulation evident at each stage of the journey. Following training, birds also participated in a series of releases from novel sites at perpendicular distances of up to 3 km from their established routes. Results showed that subjects were attracted back to their established routes and recapitulated them from the point of contact. Naïve conspecifics (yoked controls) released from the same off-route sites confirmed that the experienced birds' route choices were not influenced by constraints exerted by terrain features, but that increased experience with the general area conferred a homing advantage in the form of more efficient flight tracks, even from these novel sites. Patterns in the paths taken by experienced birds to rejoin their established routes are discussed with reference to navigational mechanisms employed by homing pigeons in their familiar area.
Louis Hartz and the Liberal Metaphor: A Half-Century Later
Authors: Gunnell John G.
Published: December 2005

In his introduction to the 1991 edition of Louis Hartz's The Liberal Tradition in America, journalist Tom Wicker noted its relevance for understanding the ambivalent appeal of values that had led both to the downfall of communism and to the “demonization” of Saddam Hussein. Wicker also noted that Hartz's synoptic use of “liberal” as encompassing what is commonly referred to in American political discourse as “liberal” and “conservative” ideologies might “add to some Americans' confusion” about the already “confused and abused” use of the term. As we reach the fiftieth anniversary of the publication of Hartz's book, it is important to reassess the work, especially in light of what might seem an obvious parallel between his concerns in the context of the Cold War and contemporary worries about the relationship between American foreign policy and domestic politics that has evolved since 2001. Whether the valence has been negative or positive, Hartz's image of a liberal consensus in the United States has created a picture that has held the academic mind captive and shaped its approach to both scholarship and political analysis.
Association between indicators of cattle density and incidence of paediatric haemolytic – uraemic syndrome (HUS) in children under 15 years of age in France between 1996 and 2001: an ecological study
Authors: HAUS-CHEYMOL R. , ESPIE E. , CHE D. , VAILLANT V. , DE VALK H. , DESENCLOS J. C.
Published: December 2005

Over the past years Shiga-like toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) O157:H7 emerged as an important cause of severe gastrointestinal illnesses and haemolytic–uraemic syndrome (HUS) with up to 10% of children infected with STEC developing HUS. We conducted a geographical ecological study using the district as the statistical unit. For each district, we estimated the incidence of HUS among children <15 years for the period 1996–2001 from national HUS surveillance data and data obtained on cattle density. We used multivariate Poisson regression to quantify the relation, adjusted for covariates, between paediatric HUS incidence and exposure to cattle. In univariate analysis, a positive association was observed between several cattle-density indicators and HUS incidence. In multivariate analysis, HUS paediatric incidence was associated with dairy cattle density and the ratio of calves to children <15 years (P<0·001). Our findings are consistent with previous studies in other countries and support the recommendation to limit exposure of children to dairy cattle and manure to reduce the risk of STEC infection.
The SARS outbreak in a general hospital in Tianjin, China – the case of super-spreader
Authors: WANG SH. X. , LI Y. M. , SUN B. C. , ZHANG S. W. , ZHAO W. H. , WEI M. T. , CHEN K. X. , ZHAO X. L. , ZHANG Z. L. , KRAHN M. , CHEUNG A. C. , WANG P. P.
Published: December 2005

Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is a newly emerged infectious disease with a high case-fatality rate and devastating socio-economic impact. In this report we summarized the results from an epidemiological investigation of a SARS outbreak in a hospital in Tianjin, between April and May 2003. We collected epidemiological and clinical data on 111 suspect and probable cases of SARS associated with the outbreak. Transmission chain and outbreak clusters were investigated. The outbreak was single sourced and had eight clusters. All SARS cases in the hospital were traced to a single patient who directly infected 33 people. The patients ranged from 16 to 82 years of age (mean age 38·5 years); 38·7% were men. The overall case fatality in the SARS outbreak was 11·7% (13/111). The outbreak lasted around 4 weeks after the index case was identified. SARS is a highly contagious condition associated with substantial case fatality; an outbreak can result from one patient in a relatively short period. However, stringent public health measures seemed to be effective in breaking the disease transmission chain.
LATE TERMINATION OF PREGNANCY FOR FETAL ANOMALY
Authors: VILLE Y , CABARET AS
Published: December 2005

Rapid and constant progress in prenatal diagnosis has made screening and diagnosis for fetal aneuploidy available in the first and early second trimester. However, relatively late diagnosis of severe fetal conditions has also increased due to better performance of routine second trimester ultrasound examination together with a systematic approach to fetal evaluation and determination of prognostic factors with increasing gestation. Such situations include fetal infections, brain abnormalities, and several osteochondrodysplasias. Prognostic uncertainty is often weighed against ethical and legal issues in the decision making process, leading to either early termination of a potentially normal fetus or a late termination of a fetus more severely affected with better definition of overall prognosis. Our aim is to review the current literature with regard to technique and potential complications of late terminations of pregnancy.
CHOICE AND ROUTE OF OPIOIDS FOR ANALGESIA DURING LABOUR
Authors: PENNING DONALD H
Published: December 2005

Reports in the 1970's by Snyder and others of opioid receptors in the brain and the substantia gelatinosa of the spinal cord triggered a search for endogenous opioid ligands (β-endorphin and the encephalin peptides) which might modify pain transmission. It was not long after that morphine was administered into the human epidural space for pain control, including obstetric patients.
A Systematic Review of Suicide Rating Scales in Schizophrenia
Authors: Preston Emma , Hansen Lars
Published: December 2005

Abstract. In spite of a substantial number of suicides in patients with schizophrenia, this area of research has until very recently been the Cinderella of schizophrenia research. Both clinical and research practices have been hampered by a lack of assessment tolls specifically designed to measure suicidality in patients with schizophrenia. This has partly been because of uncertainty about what constitutes reliable risk factors for suicide in schizophrenia. A literature search following evidence-based guidelines was carried out. A number of relevant articles were found, which were then critically reviewed. The majority of rating scales used for patients with schizophrenia were actually based - at least partly - on patients with other diagnoses than schizophrenia (affective conditions, schizoaffective disorder). This procedure could result in misleading conclusions as a result of the heterogeneity of the different mental illnesses. We conclude that, at present, only one rating scale measuring suicidality specifically designed for patients with schizophrenia (the InterSePT-scale) is based on both sound methodology and has clinical relevance. Suicide in patients with schizophrenia remains a pressing problem in the treatment of this high-risk group.
Some Problems of Research on the Association Between Blood Types and Suicide Mortality
Authors: Voracek Martin
Published: December 2005

Abstract. This is a comment on the ecological finding of a negative association of national suicide rate and national proportion of people with Type O blood ( Lester, 2004 ). Current knowledge on this topic is reviewed and several problems, limitations, and discrepancies within this research line are noted. Specifically, it is suggested that (1) this association appears to have been subject to attenuation recently; (2) available ecological evidence on this association is contradictory to both individual-level findings on the same topic and similar ecological-level findings pertaining to personality-related risk factors and antecedents of suicide; (3) a negative association of one of the four ABO phenotypes with suicide mortality does not help single out phenotypes with possibly increased suicide risk; and (4) genetic suicide risk factors may well be associated with other ABO phenotypes than Type O and may further coincide with other blood polymorphisms than the ABO system.
Development of a simple lateral preferential flow model with steady state application in hillslope soils
Authors: Tsutsumi Daizo , Sidle Roy C. , Kosugi Ken'ichiro
Published: December 2005

A general model describing three‐dimensional lateral preferential water flow in a hillslope with soil pipes was developed. Matrix flow and pipe flow were regarded as separate flow systems and computed using the governing equations (Richards' and Manning's equations, respectively), while simultaneously considering the interaction between these two flow systems. The model accommodates both partially filled and full pipe flow, seepage into the pipe, and backflow from the pipe into the surrounding soil matrix. Simulations were conducted for conditions outlined in an earlier bench‐scale experiment, including differing internal roughness configurations within the pipe. Both groundwater levels and preferential flow under steady state conditions were simulated for different roughness elements within the soil pipe; previous models have not simulated such conditions. Six different pipe arrangements were also simulated: no pipe (uniform matrix flow), single straight pipe, two sets of discontinuous pipes, branched pipes, and unopened pipe. Branched pipes had the highest discharge, and even the unopened pipe contributed to an enhanced total discharge compared to the no pipe simulation. These simulations demonstrated the versatility of the model under the steady state conditions, although the model can also be applied to transient conditions.
Microbial community composition and growth rates in the NW Pacific during spring 2002
Authors: Selph Karen E. , Shacat Joseph , Landry Michael R.
Published: December 2005

The IOC North Pacific expedition in spring (May 2002) sailed from Osaka, Japan, to Honolulu, Hawaii, and surveyed the region from roughly 22 to 50°N and 147°E to 158°W. Nine stations were chosen to characterize three distinct water masses, as well as their boundary regions: the Kuroshio Current, the North Pacific subarctic gyre, and the North Pacific subtropical gyre. Grazing largely balanced growth at all stations, with an average net growth rate of 0.11 ± 0.16 d−1 (cell‐based) and 0.06 ± 0.15 d−1 (chlorophyll‐based). The stations could be distinguished, however, by phytoplankton community composition and growth response to nutrient additions (ammonium, phosphate, manganese, and iron). Nutrients were undetectable in surface waters of the Kuroshio Current, where a centric diatom‐dominated bloom showed a significant growth response to added nutrients. Iron limitation was observed for the cyanobacteria Synechococcus at the two subarctic gyre stations; however, the photosynthetic eukaryotes, which dominated the photosynthetic biomass at these stations, were not nutrient‐limited. Four oligotrophic subtropical gyre stations were dominated by photosynthetic bacteria (Prochlorococcus and Synechococcus) and small (<5 μm) eukaryotic autotrophs, which exhibited a dramatic increase in growth rate with macronutrient additions but displayed little or no increased growth with iron additions alone. Overall, the ratio of heterotroph consumer biomass to autotroph biomass was higher in the Prochlorococcus‐dominated subtropical gyre sites (0.5) than the subarctic or Kuroshio Current sites (0.2–0.3).
An evaluation of controls on planktonic foraminiferal Sr/Ca: Comparison of water column and core‐top data from a North Atlantic transect
Authors: Mortyn P. Graham , Elderfield Henry , Anand Pallavi , Greaves Mervyn
Published: December 2005

Sr/Ca in planktonic foraminifera recovered from the water column over 0–800 m along a meridional transect in the North Atlantic Ocean from 30° to 60°N were compared with data from core‐top samples on the same transect and with in situ temperatures determined from water column CTD profiles. Species belonging to the globorotaliid genus show significant variability in Sr/Ca from place to place, whereas non‐globorotaliid species show no significant variability. This variability for the globorotaliid species in core‐top samples has already been shown to covary with calcification temperature derived from δ18O, but it also covaries with bottom depth (symptomatic of a dissolution artifact). These alternatives are distinguishable from the water column data for which the globorotaliid species show a small temperature dependence of 0.025 mmol/mol/°C within the range 5–15°C. However, temperature dependence is not supported by glacial‐interglacial differences in Sr/Ca for globorotaliid and non‐globorotaliid species, and at least from this perspective, a [CO32−] influence seems more likely.
Radiative effect of ozone on the quasi‐biennial oscillation in the equatorial stratosphere
Authors: Shibata Kiyotaka , Deushi Makoto
Published: December 2005

The radiative effect of ozone on the quasi‐biennial oscillation (QBO) is investigated with a chemistry‐climate model. The model employs spectral T42 truncation and 68 layers, and contains major stratospheric chemical species including HOx, NOx, ClOx, and BrOx. Two control runs are designed to simulate the QBO with realistic period of the oscillation; the one with non‐interactive ozone reproducing a 27‐month period and the other with interactive ozone yielding a 31‐month period. Two experiment runs are made by switching on and off the ozone radiative feedback for the non‐interactive and the interactive control runs, respectively. The QBO period is prolonged from 27 to 48 months in the switched‐on run, while it is shortened from 31 to 20 months in the switched‐off run, demonstrating that the interactive ozone does prolong the QBO period. The elongation is primarily due to the fact that the QBO component of the solar heating cancels 1/3 to 1/2 of that of the terrestrial heating in the interactive ozone runs, yielding substantially weaker radiative heating than that in the non‐interactive ozone runs.
Modeling the atmospheric response to solar irradiance changes using a GCM with a realistic QBO
Authors: Palmer M. A. , Gray L. J.
Published: December 2005

The impact of solar irradiance changes on the winter polar stratosphere is investigated using a general circulation model in which the equatorial Quasi‐Biennial Oscillation (QBO) is internally generated and self‐sustaining. The model results compare favorably with observations, supporting previous findings that the equatorial zonal wind modulates the polar stratospheric response to solar irradiance changes. In the QBO easterly phase, Northern Hemisphere sudden stratospheric warmings are found to be more prevalent under solar minimum conditions than under solar maximum conditions. However, in the QBO westerly phase the reverse is true. The possible solar‐modulation of the QBO period is also investigated. Although small changes are evident in the same sense as those observed, i.e. a lengthening of the period during solar minimum conditions, longer simulations would be required to verify the statistical significance of this result.