bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Detection of tumor‐specific DNA in blood and bone marrow plasma from patients with prostate cancer
Authors: Schwarzenbach Heidi , Chun Felix K.‐H. , Lange Imke , Carpenter Sebastian , Gottberg Miriam , Erbersdobler Andreas , Friedrich Martin G. , Huland Hartwig , Pantel Klaus
Published: January 2007

Tumor tissues, blood plasma and bone marrow (BM) aspirates of 57 prostate cancer patients (PCa) without clinical signs of overt metastases were assessed for LOH (loss of heterozygosity) by a PCR‐based fluorescence microsatellite analysis, using a panel of 15 markers. Additionally, micrometastatic tumor cells in BM were monitored by an immunocytological cytokeratin assay. In total, 25 (44%), 32 (56%) and 41 (72%) of the patients had at least 1 LOH in their blood, BM and tumor samples, respectively. Among the informative cases, the frequency of LOH was highest in blood plasma for the markers D8S360 (18%) and D10S1765 (15%), and in BM plasma for THRB (24%) and D8S137 (22%). Comparison of blood plasma and BM with tumors showed discrepant results in 35% and 45% of patients, respectively. Whereas all LOHs at THRB in BM plasma were also detected in the autologous tumor tissues, LOHs at D6S474 and D11S898 in BM were not retrieved in the tumors. The comparison with established risk factors showed a correlation of borderline significance for LOH at D9S1748 in the BM aspirates (p = 0.055) and a significant correlation in the tumor samples (p = 0.004) with increasing pathologic Gleason scores. Interestingly, 22% of the PCa patients harbored tumor cells in their BM and tended (p = 0.065) to have more frequent LOH (16%) in BM plasma compared to patients without tumor cells (9%). These data demonstrate, for the first time, the presence of free tumor‐specific DNA in blood and BM of PCa patients and suggest a possible relationship to BM micrometastasis. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Isolation and quantitation of lectins from vegetable oils
Authors: Klurfeld David M. , Kritchevsky David
Published: January 2007

The factor(s) responsible for the unexplained atherogenicity of peanut oil remain to be elucidated. To this end, we developed a technique to determine if lectin was present in the oil and to quantitate its concentration. This technique was applied to other vegetable oils including corn, soybean, and sunflower. Crude, unprocessed corn and soybean oils were also analyzed for lectin content. The crude oils contained from 858 to 2983 μg lectin per kg, while the refined oils contained 24 to 55 μg/kg of biologically active lectin. The identities of the isolated lectins were confirmed by electrophoresis on SDS‐polyacrylamide gels. The biological significance of the presence of lectin in these oils remains to be determined.
Effects of cholesterol and 25‐hydroxycholesterol on smooth muscle cell and endothelial cell growth
Authors: Cox Donald C. , Comi Karen , Goldstein Ann L.
Published: January 2007

Auto‐oxidation products of cholesterol may play a role in atherogenesis. In order to determine whether cholesterol or 25‐hydroxycholesterol, a cholesterol auto‐oxidation product, affected growth of vessel wall cells, sparse and confluent cultures of rabbit thoracic aorta smooth muscle cells and human umbilical vein endothelial cells were exposed to these compounds for 88 hr. The compounds were administered at 10−4, 10−5, 10−6 or 10−7 M in either ethanol or fetal bovine serum (FBS) vehicle. Cells were counted electronically, and the results were expressed as the percent growth in experimental vs control wells. Cholesterol did not inhibit cell growth under any experimental condition. 25‐Hydroxycholesterol had the following effects: inhibited confluent smooth muscle cell growth at 10−4 M in ethanol vehicle only; inhibited sparse smooth muscle cell growth in a dose‐related manner at 10−4, 10−5 and 10−6 M in ethanol vehicle, but in FBS vehicle inhibited at only 10−4 and 10−5 M; inhibited confluent human umbilical vein endothelial cells at 10−4 M in ethanol vehicle only; and inhibited sparse human umbilical vein endothelial cell growth at 10−4 and 10−5 M in ethanol vehicle only. Thus, rabbit aortic smooth muscle cell growth was more sensitive to inhibition by 25‐hydroxycholesterol than human umbilical vein endothelial cell growth was.
Fatty acid composition of seeds from the AustralianAcacia species
Authors: Brown A. J. , Cherikoff V. , Roberts D. C. K.
Published: January 2007

Presented are the lipid content and fatty acid composition of 20 species of edible AustralianAcacia seeds. Aborigines reportedly have used at least 18 of these as foods. Seed lipid content ranged from 3% to 22%, with an average of 11% on a dry weight basis. Linoleic (12–71%), oleic (12–56%) and plamitic (7–35%) acids were the major fatty acids. Smaller proportions of behenic, stearic and vaccenic acids were detected. Seventeen of the 20 species were found to have polyunsaturated to saturated (P/S) fatty acid ratios greater than 1, with four species having ratios in excess of 4. The persistent arils attached to the seeds of certain AustralianAcacias and containing a portion of the total lipid were associated with a significantly reduced proportion of linoleic acid in the total seed material. This observation was explained by the aril lipid possessing a markedly different fatty acid composition from that of the seed lipid. For comparison, seeds from two non‐AustralianAcacia species (A. farnesiana andA. cavenia) were analyzed. Australian and non‐Australian were found to exhibit markedly different fatty acid profiles.
Effect of cholestyramine on bile acid metabolism in conventional rats
Authors: Imai Yasuharu , Kawata Sumio , Inada Masami , Miyoshi Shio , Minami Yuzo , Matsuzawa Yuji , Uchida Kiyohisa , Tarui Seiichiro
Published: January 2007

Effects of cholestyramine on biliary secretion of cholesterol, phospholipids and bile acids and fecal excretion of sterols and bile acids were examined in Wistar male rats. Six rats were fed a basal diet, and the other six were fed a basal diet supplemented with 5% cholestyramine for eight days. Bile flow and biliary secretion of bile acids and phospholipids (per hour per rat) decreased with cholestyramine treatment, while biliary cholesterol secretion (per hour per rat) remained unchanged. In the biliary bile acid composition, a marked increase of chenodeoxycholic acid with a concomitant decrease of β‐muricholic acid was observed in cholestyramine‐treated rats. Fecal excretion of total sterols and bile acids increased about three‐and four‐fold, respectively, after cholestyramine treatment. The increase of fecal bile acids derived from cholic acid was more predominant than that derived from chenodeoxylcholic acid, resulting in an increase of the cholic acid group/chenodeoxycholic acid group ratio.
Lipid peroxidation in rat tissue slices: Effect of dietary vitamin E, corn oil‐lard and menhaden oil
Authors: Leibovitz Brian E. , Hu Miao‐Lin , Tappel Al L.
Published: January 2007

Rats were fed for 5 weeks either 10% (w/w) menhaden oil (MO) or a 10% corn oil‐lard (COL) mixture (1∶1) in diets with ≤5 IU or ≤2 IU/kg vitamin E, respectively, or the same diets supplemented with d‐α‐tocopheryl succinate to a total of 35 and 180 IU vitamin E/kg, respectively. Slices of liver and heart from these rats were used to study lipid peroxidationin vitro. Thiobarbituric acid‐reactive substances (TBARS) were measured in the medium after incubation of the slices at 37°C for 1 hr in the absence (uninduced) and presence of 0.5 mM tert‐butyl hydroperoxide (induced). The release of TBARS from slices of heart and liver from rats fed either lipid decreased with increasing levels of dietary vitamin E. At the same level of dietary vitamin E, TBARS release was greater for slices of liver and heart from the MO‐fed rats than from the COL‐fed rats. Application of the TBARS data to a model simulating the experimental conditions showed a good correlation (r=0.95, p<0.001) between experimental and simulated values. Of the 16∶0–22∶6 fatty acids measured in liver from MO‐fed rats, 15.4% was n−6 fatty acids and 29.9% was n−3 fatty acids; in liver from COL‐fed rats, the respective values were 37.4% and 3.7%. Liver and kidney vitamin E levels were unaffected by the dietary lipid. This study demonstrated that a dietary fish oil increased the susceptibility of rat liver and heart toin vitro lipid peroxidation, and that vitamin E decreased TBARS in tissues from rats fed COL to lower levels than for tissues from rats fed MO. The results suggest that there might also be an increased requirement for dietary antioxidants by humans using fish oil supplements.
A tetrameric dialdehyde formed in the reaction of butyral dehyde and benzylamine: A possible intermediary component for protein cross‐linking induced by lipid oxidation
Authors: Kikugawa Kiyomi , Kato Tetsuta , Iwata Atsushi
Published: January 2007

We investigated the reaction of butyraldehyde and benzylamine and analyzed the products to identify the components that produce protein cross‐linking in the reaction of butyraldehyde and proteins. When the mixtures of butyraldehyde and benzylamine were incubated at pH 7 and 37°C for 48 hr, many reaction products other than 2‐ethyl‐2‐hexenal and Schiff bases of butyraldehyde and 2‐ethyl‐2‐hexenal were produced. Fluorescent substance(s) were formed only in the presence of dissolved oxygen in the reaction mixture. Three new nonflourescent products—d,e andf—were isolated, and their structures are suggested to be 2,9‐dibenzyl‐4,6,8‐triethyl‐7‐propyl‐2,9‐diazabicyclo[3,3,1] nona‐3‐ene (d), 1‐phenyl‐2‐benzyl‐ 4,5,7‐triethyl‐6‐propyl‐1H,2H,3H,5H,6H,7H,8H‐pyrido[1,2‐clpyrimidine (e) and 1‐phenyl‐2‐benzyl‐4,5,7‐triethyl‐6‐propyl‐1H,2H,4aH,5H,6H,7H,8H‐pyrido[1,2‐c]pyrimidine (f). Formation of these compounds suggested that the protein, cross‐linking with butyraldehyde is caused by the tretrameric dialdehyde formed by repeated aldol condensation and Michael reaction of butyraldehyde.
Identification of a novel bifunctional Δ12/Δ15 fatty acid desaturase from a basidiomycete, Coprinus cinereus TD#822‐2
Authors: Zhang Shuo , Sakuradani Eiji , Ito Kuni , Shimizu Sakayu
Published: January 2007

A new gene encoding a Δ12 fatty acid desaturase‐related protein was cloned from a multicellular basidiomycete Coprinus cinereus TD#822‐2. The 1326 bp full‐length gene, designated as Cop‐odeA, codes for a putative protein of 442 amino acids with a MW of 49 224. The Cop‐odeA yeast transformant accumulated four new fatty acids identified as 9,12‐hexadecadienoic acid, 9,12,15‐hexadecatrienoic acid, linoleic acid, and α‐linolenic acid, which comprised 8.8%, 1.0%, 29.0%, and 0.6% of the total fatty acids, respectively. The Cop‐odeA protein was confirmed to be a novel bifunctional fatty acid desaturase with both high Δ12 desaturase activity and unusual Δ15 desaturase activity.
Bessie Smith's ‘Back-Water Blues’: the story behind the song
Authors: EVANS DAVID
Published: January 2007

‘Back-Water Blues’, composed by Bessie Smith and recorded by her on 17 February 1927, has long been associated in the popular mind and even by some writers with the great flood of the lower Mississippi River and its tributaries that occurred that year. This is historically problematical because that flood began two months after Smith recorded her song. Through an examination of Smith's touring itinerary, the testimony of fellow entertainers who toured with her, newspaper reports, and other documents, it can be shown that the song was composed about a flood of the Cumberland River that struck Nashville, Tennessee, on Christmas morning, 1926. The lyrics of the song are interpreted with respect to the events of that flood.
Integration or co-optation? Traditional knowledge and science in the Alaska Beluga Whale Committee
Authors: FERNANDEZ-GIMENEZ MARIA E. , HUNTINGTON HENRY P. , FROST KATHRYN J.
Published: January 2007

Traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) has become a focus of increasing attention by natural resource managers over the past decade, particularly in the context of the shared management authority between resource users and government agencies (co-management). Little work has been done on how TEK can be successfully integrated with science and applied in contemporary science-based resource management institutions, and the efficacy and legitimacy of co-management and associated attempts to document TEK or integrate it with science have recently been questioned. The cooperative research programme of one co-management group, the Alaska Beluga Whale Committee (ABWC), was studied to describe how TEK and science are integrated and applied in the research process, document perceptions and attitudes of native hunters and scientists towards TEK and science, and identify organizational characteristics that facilitate knowledge integration. Hunters and TEK played a variety of roles in ABWC's research programme, including hypothesis generation, sample collection and data interpretation. Hunters and scientists defined TEK similarly, but differed in their views of science, which hunters often perceived as a tool of state control. Despite political undercurrents, the ABWC displayed several indicators of successful knowledge integration. Organizational characteristics that facilitated integration included a membership structure fostering genuine power-sharing and a range of opportunities for formal and informal interactions among hunters and scientists leading to long-term relationships and an organizational culture of open communication and transparency in decision-making. Given the importance of long-term relationships between scientists and hunters for successful knowledge integration, this study raises questions about (1) the potential for meaningful integration in short-term projects such as environmental impact assessment and (2) the use of TEK documentation studies in the absence of other forms of active participation by TEK- holders.
Stress gradient damping of thermoviscous ice flow instabilities
Authors: Hindmarsh Richard C. A.
Published: January 2007

Calculations of thermomechanically coupled ice sheet evolution using the shallow ice approximation exhibit the development of fingering instabilities in velocity, temperature, and thickness, which have been argued to resemble and therefore explain ice stream formation. However, workers have had difficulty in obtaining comparable results. It has been suggested that this is due to ill‐posing of the evolution problem when the shallow ice approximation is used. The influence of additional mechanical terms are examined, using both the full system and the hybrid lubrication/membrane stress approximation (the three‐dimensional equivalent of the longitudinal stress approximation). Linearization techniques are used to formulate an analytical problem and a numerical eigenvalue problem. The analysis shows that the shallow ice approximation gives highly erroneous stability maps for the combination of shorter transverse wavelengths and longer along‐flow wavelengths (i.e., ice stream dimensions), while the lubrication/membrane stress approximation and full systems give different but consistent results which remove the ill‐posing. Calculations in two horizontal dimensions of thermoviscous coupling using the shallow ice approximation, which comprise a large proportion of ice sheet modeling results, need reexamination.
Behavior of boundary layer ozone and its precursors over a great alluvial plain of the world: Indo‐Gangetic Plains
Authors: Beig G. , Ali K.
Published: January 2007

We investigate the special behavior in the distribution of boundary layer ozone and its precursors over world's most extensive tract of uninterrupted alluvium and intensively farmed zones situated in the foothills of Himalayas as major river basin, known as Indo‐Gangetic Plains (IGP). The study makes use of a Chemistry‐Transport Model forced with dynamical fields and new emission inventories of pollutants established for 2001. It is found that the IGP region is highly vulnerable to human induced pollutant emissions due to conducive synoptic weather pattern which make it a source regions of ozone precursors within which these tracers remain confined and reinforce photochemical production of ozone. In addition, the continental tropical convergence zone and long range transport play a vital role. As a result, elevated levels of ozone concentration (maximum up to 80 ppbv) and its precursors with cellular structure of spatial variation with large seasonality are noticed.
Effects of source temporal resolution on transport simulations of boreal fire emissions
Authors: Hyer Edward J. , Kasischke Eric S. , Allen Dale J.
Published: January 2007

The quality of temporal information from daily burned area inputs was evaluated using a transport and chemistry experiment. Carbon monoxide emissions from boreal forest fires were estimated using burned area inputs with daily resolution. Averaging of emissions data to create 30‐day aggregate data reduced the variance by 80%, indicating a substantial loss of information. Data from Russia, Canada, and Alaska were tested for periodicity to uncover systematic gaps in daily data. Some evidence of periodicity was found in data from Alaska, where temporal information came from fire mapping by the Alaskan Fire Service. Autocorrelation decayed rapidly and nearly monotonically for Canada and Russia, where temporal information came from Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) satellite observations. Daily data as well as 7‐day and 30‐day aggregates were used as input to the University of Maryland Atmospheric Chemistry and Transport Model, and output was compared with CO observations from the Cooperative Air Sampling Network (CASN); continuous measurements from Mace Head, Ireland; and total column CO retrievals from the Measurement of Pollution in the Troposphere (MOPITT) instrument. CASN flask measurements showed no sensitivity to high‐frequency variability in the source, indicating the effectiveness of the filtering protocol at ensuring only well‐mixed air masses are sampled in this data set. Differences between daily and 7‐day simulations were too small for quantitative comparison in any of the data. For cases where the differences were substantial, simulations using daily and 7‐day average sources agreed better with observations than 30‐day average sources.
Analytical solutions for whirling groundwater flow in two‐dimensional heterogeneous anisotropic aquifers
Authors: Hemker Kick , Bakker Mark
Published: January 2007

Analytical solutions are derived for steady state groundwater flow in a heterogeneous, anisotropic, semiconfined aquifer. The aquifer consists of a number of horizontal layers, while each layer consists of a number of homogeneous cells with different hydraulic conductivity tensors. An exact solution for an arbitrary number of layers and cells is derived using a multilayer approach. Hypothetical models are used to study how flow is affected by heterogeneity in the anisotropy. When the major principal direction of the transmissivity tensor varies between layers, streamlines have the shape of spirals. Bundles of spiraling streamlines rotating in the same direction are called “groundwater whirls.” Analytical and numerical models of hypothetical cases produce the same flow patterns of groundwater whirls. Projected streamlines may be represented by stream function contours, which allows for easy interpretation of the main characteristics of complex whirl patterns. Typical whirl patterns may be identified in relatively simple models. Clockwise and counterclockwise whirl axes occur at the interfaces of adjacent layers. One or more clockwise whirls may occur within one counterclockwise whirl, and vice versa. The practical consequence of groundwater whirls is that the exchange of water between aquifer layers is intensified. This may have a significant impact on contaminant spreading.
H
2
nuclear magnetic resonance study on the molecular motion in cyanoadamantane. II. Orientationally ordered and glassy crystalline phase
Authors: Lusceac S. A. , Roggatz I. , Gmeiner J. , Rössler E. A.
Published: January 2007

The orientationally ordered crystalline and glassy plastically crystalline phase of cyanoadamantane were investigated using H2 NMR. Solid-echo line shape, two-dimensional spectrum, and spin-lattice relaxation were analyzed. In both phases, the molecules display solely a rotation around the molecular C3 symmetry axis. For the orientationally ordered phase, a single correlation time characterizes the motion, and the time constant shows an Arrhenius temperature dependence. In contrast, a broad distribution G[ln(τ)] of correlation times is observed for the glassy plastically crystalline phase that leads to characteristically different NMR features such as “two-phase” spectra and pronounced nonexponential relaxation. The distribution G[ln(τ)] can be derived from a temperature independent distribution of activation energies g(Ea), with its mean value lying significantly below the activation energy corresponding to the ordered phase. Thus, the molecular uniaxial rotation proves to be a sensitive probe for the energy landscape of the orientationally disordered glassy crystalline phase of cyanoadamantane.
Density functional investigation of the interaction of acetone with small gold clusters
Authors: Shafai Ghazal S. , Shetty Sharan , Krishnamurty Sailaja , Shah Vaishali , Kanhere D. G.
Published: January 2007

The structural evolution of Aun (n=2, 3, 5, 7, 9, and 13) clusters and the adsorption of organic molecules such as acetone, acetaldehyde, and diethyl ketone on these clusters are studied using a density functional method. The detailed study of the adsorption of acetone on the Aun clusters reveals two main points. (1) The acetone molecule interacts with one gold atom of the gold clusters via the carbonyl oxygen. (2) This interaction is mediated through back donation mainly from the spd-hybridized orbitals of the interacting gold atom to the oxygen atom of the acetone molecule. In addition, a hydrogen bond is observed between a hydrogen atom of the methyl group and another gold atom (not involved in the bonding with carbonyl oxygen). Interestingly, the authors notice that the geometries of Au9 and Au13 undergo a significant flattening due to the adsorption of an acetone molecule. They have also investigated the role of the alkyl chain attached to the carbonyl group in the adsorption process by analyzing the interaction of Au13 with acetaldehyde and diethyl ketone.
Effect of liquid crystal concentration on the lasing properties of dye-doped holographic polymer-dispersed liquid crystal transmission gratings
Authors: Liu Y. J. , Sun X. W. , Elim H. I. , Ji W.
Published: January 2007

Optically pumped single-mode lasing was achieved from a 4-(dicyanomethylene)-2-methyl-6-(4-dimethylaminostyryl)-4H-pyran dye-doped holographic polymer-dispersed liquid crystal transmission grating with various liquid crystal concentrations, which played an important role in the lasing generation and wavelength selection. With the decrease of the liquid crystal concentration, under the excitation of a frequency-doubled Nd:yttrium aluminum garnet laser operating at 532nm, the lasing wavelength was blueshifted, and the full width at half maximum of the lasing peak became narrower. The lowest threshold pumping energy was found to be about 5μJ∕pulse at a liquid crystal concentration of 19.7wt%. The lasing emission was thermally switchable due to the change of the refractive index modulation.
Risk of Hepatitis B Virus Transmission via Dental Handpieces and Evaluation of an Antisuction Device for Prevention of Transmission
Authors: Hu Tao , Li Gang , Zuo Yuling , Zhou Xuedong
Published: January 2007

We evaluated the risk of hepatitis B virus (HBV) transmission via dental handpieces and the effects of an antisuction device in preventing HBV contamination. The results of our study show that under certain conditions, HBV transmission can occur when an antisuction device is used during dental procedures. We conclude that such devices may decrease contamination, but do not eliminate it.
Prostaglandin H synthase-dependent mutagenic activation of heterocyclic aromatic amines of the IQ-type
Authors: Wild D. , Degen G.H.
Published: January 2007

Microsomes from ram seminal vesides known as a rich source of prostaglandin H synthase (PHS) activate the food mutagen IQ (2-amino-3-methylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoline) to (a) product(s) mutagenic in Salmonella typhimurium TA98. The activation is dependent on the PHS cofactor arachidonic acid and is strongly inhibited by the PHS inhibitor indomethacin. In this system, the mutagenic potency of IQ is 22 and 110 times higher than that of 2-aminofluorene and benzidine, respectively. The high mutagenic potency of IQ observed previously with mono-oxygenase activation is thus extended to the PHS system. The mutagenic activity produced by PHS increases for 4 h; this contrasts with the relatively short lifetime of the activity produced by mono-oxygenase and suggests that different agents are involved in the two processes. The PHS-mediated mutagenic activity of IQ is strongly dependent on the bacterial O -acetyltransferase which is defective in strain TA98/1,8-DNP 6 . Further, the responses of the strains TA1978 and TA1538 indicate that the mutagenic activity is dependent on lack of the bacterial DNA excision repair and independent of the plasmid pkM101 coded error-prone DNA repair system. Structural analogs of IQ without a methyl group on the imidazole ring and with a naphthalene instead of the quinoline ring show greatly diminished PHS-mediated mutagenic activity. The strain response pattern and structure-activity relationships are similar to those found with mono-oxygenase activation of IQ and thus indicate a basic similarity of the IQ activation via PHS with that via mono-oxygenase. It is hypothesized that PHS may activate carcinogenic heterocyclic aromatic amines in vivo .
Successful Food‐Based Programmes, Supplementation and Fortification
Authors: Mannar MG Venkatesh
Published: January 2007

This review highlights interventions and delivery mechanisms to alleviate macro‐ and micronutrient deficiencies in preschool children. These deficiencies can be addressed through an integrated combination of improved dietary intake, supplementation, commercial and home‐based fortification of complementary foods. Several developed and developing countries have implemented successful approaches to eliminate protein‐energy malnutrition and micronutrient deficiencies with sustained impact. These include provision of oral supplements in capsule, tablet or syrup form. Certain micronutrients (eg, vitamin A) can be provided as high‐dose supplements twice per year. Most other vitamins and minerals (eg, iron, zinc, iodine) need to be provided in daily doses. Fortified complementary foods provided through public feeding programmes and commercially marketed foods have also made a positive impact. There is growing evidence of the impact of home‐based fortification of complementary foods using premixes in single‐serving sachets. The fortification of commercially marketed staple foods such as cereal flours, cooking oils and dairy products could have a small but significant impact on preschool children. Cereal flours with iron, folic acid and other nutrients have expanded rapidly, with evidence of impact. A key need is to deliver micronutrients to remote and impoverished populations in an affordable and sustainable manner. Government commitment, clear policy and programme direction, advocacy and communication combined with a strong public–private partnership is essential for successful programmes. Often a period of voluntary fortification needs to be followed by mandatory requirement to ensure full compliance and sustained impact. The review concludes that proven technologies, communications and infrastructure can be harnessed to ensure that the nutrient needs of preschool children are met. When administered systematically with the commitment of and participation by the public and private sectors, most of the major deficiencies can be bridged on a sustained basis, contributing to improved health and well‐being of millions of children around the world.
Opposing actions of chronic Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol and cannabinoid antagonists on hippocampal long-term potentiation
Authors: Hoffman Alexander F. , Oz Murat , Yang Ruiqin , Lichtman Aron H. , Lupica Carl R.
Published: January 2007

Memory deficits produced by marijuana arise partly via interaction of the psychoactive component, Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC), with cannabinoid receptors in the hippocampus. Although cannabinoids acutely reduce glutamate release and block hippocampal long-term potentiation (LTP), a potential substrate for learning and memory, the consequences of prolonged exposure to Δ9-THC for hippocampal function are poorly understood. Rats were injected with Δ9-THC (10 mg/kg, i.p., q.d.) for 1, 3, or 7 d, and electrophysiological recordings were performed in hippocampal slices 1d after the final injection. At this time, Δ9-THC was undetectable in hippocampus using liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC-MS). Hippocampal LTP generated using high-frequency (HFS) or theta burst stimulation was not observed in brain slices from the 7-d Δ9-THC-treated animals. Δ9-THC also blocked HFS-LTP after 3 d, but not 1 d of treatment. The complete blockade of LTP persisted for 3 d after the last Δ9-THC injection, and full reversal of the LTP deficit was not observed up to 14 d following Δ9-THC withdrawal. The cannabinoid antagonist AM251 (2 mg/kg), administered before each Δ9-THC injection prevented the blockade of LTP, and 7-d treatment with AM251 alone significantly increased the level of LTP. Chronic Δ9-THC also produced tolerance to the inhibition of synaptic GABA, but not glutamate release by the agonist WIN55,212-2. These data define consequences of repeated Δ9-THC exposure for synaptic plasticity in the hippocampus that may help explain memory impairments in humans following chronic marijuana use.
Characterization of the IGF system in 15 patients with Alström syndrome
Authors: Maffei Pietro , Boschetti Mara , Marshall Jan D. , Paisey Richard B. , Beck Sebastian , Resmini Eugenia , Collin Gayle B. , Naggert Jürgen K. , Milan Gabriella , Vettor Roberto , Minuto Francesco , Sicolo Nicola , Barreca Antonella
Published: January 2007

Background  Alström syndrome (ALMS) is a rare recessively inherited progressive disease (OMIM 203800). Among its diverse spectrum of clinical features are phenotypes associated with deficiencies of the GH/IGF‐I axis, including short stature, obesity, insulin resistance, hypertriglyceridaemia and heart failure.

Patients and measurements  To characterize the IGF system in ALMS, we evaluated a subset of 15 young adults with ALMS for hepatic, renal and thyroid function. Glycaemic and hormone measurements such as insulin, GH, FSH, LH, testosterone and 17‐beta‐oestradiol were clinically assessed. In addition, we measured IGF‐I, IGF‐II, IGF binding‐protein‐3 (IGFBP‐3) and acid labile subunit (ALS – the subunits that constitute the main somatomedin complex in the circulation), and IGFBP‐1 and IGFBP‐2 (known to influence the bioavailability of the IGFs).

Results  A significantly lower height was observed in ALMS patients compared to age‐matched controls. ALMS patients were clinically obese (by weight and body mass index (BMI) standards) and leptin levels correlated with BMI. Renal and hepatic dysfunction was implicated in some patients by increased values of blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine, and transaminases, respectively. One‐third of the patients presented with fasting hyperglycaemia and 80% were hyperinsulinaemic. TSH was slightly increased in 20% of patients. Baseline FSH and LH in females were within the normal range, while half of the males had abnormally low testosterone values. Male patients with hypogonadism showed significantly lower testosterone, oestrogen and ALS levels. Baseline GH values were not found to be increased. ALS and IGFBP‐1 were significantly reduced and IGFBP‐2 was markedly increased in ALMS patients compared to age‐matched controls. The IGFs and IGFBPs were not significantly different between males and females affected with ALMS. No significant association was observed between IGFs or IGFBPs levels and weight, height, BMI, glycaemia, hyperinsulinaemia and testosterone levels. However, we found a significant association of gamma‐glutamyltransferase (GGT) with IGFBP‐2. IGF‐I levels were significantly associated with LH in female patients.

Conclusions  In summary, the reduction of ALS and the increase of IGFBP‐2 points to a growth hormone deficiency (GHD) condition in ALMS. However, further tests, including GH dynamics, are needed to determine whether, or to what degree disturbances in the GH/IGF axis contribute to the relatively short stature.
Vital pulpotomy in the primary dentition: attitudes and practices of community dental staff in Wales
Authors: HINGSTON EMMA JANE , PARMAR SHARLENE , HUNTER MARGARET LINDSAY
Published: January 2007

Objective. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has classified formaldehyde as carcinogenic to humans, leaving the dental profession to look for viable substitutes to formocresol in the vital pulpotomy technique. This study was designed to examine the attitudes and practices of Community Dental Service (CDS) staff in Wales in relation to vital pulpotomy for primary molars 18 months following the IARC's press release.

Methods. The study employed a postal questionnaire.

Results. Questionnaires were returned by 79 (78.2%) of the CDS staff surveyed, yielding a sample of 65 dentists practising the technique. The most commonly used pulpotomy agents were formocresol, paraformaldehyde and ferric sulphate. Twenty‐seven (41.5%) dentists expressed concern regarding their preferred pulpotomy agent and 17 (26.2%) were considering changing their technique. Only one respondent (1.5% of the sample) routinely took preoperative radiographs; follow‐up radiographs were routinely taken by only three dentists (4.6%). Only 44 respondents (67.7%) always used local anaesthesia for this form of treatment. Amalgam was the most commonly used restorative material. Twenty‐two respondents (33.8%) stated that they would pulp treat a primary molar on more than one occasion.

Conclusions. The results of this study suggest that there is need for relevant continuing professional development courses for CDS staff in Wales.
Improved control of hypertension in children after renal transplantation: Results of a two‐yr interventional trial
Authors: Seeman Tomáš , Šimková Eva , Kreisinger Jiří , Vondrák Karel , Dušek Jiří , Gilík Jiří , Dvořák Pavel , Janda Jan
Published: January 2007

Abstract:  Hypertension is a frequent complication in children after renal transplantation and the control of post‐transplant hypertension is unsatisfactorily low. The aim of this prospective interventional study was to improve the control of hypertension in children after renal transplantation. Thirty‐six children fulfilled the inclusion criteria (≥6 months after transplantation and no acute rejection in the last three months). BP was measured using ABPM. Hypertension was defined as mean ambulatory BP ≥95th‐centile for healthy children and/or using antihypertensive drugs. The study intervention consisted of using intensified antihypertensive drug therapy – in children with uncontrolled hypertension (i.e., mean ambulatory BP was ≥95th centile in treated children), antihypertensive therapy was intensified by adding new antihypertensive drugs to reach goal BP <95th centile. ABPM was repeated after 12 and 24 months. Daytime BP did not change significantly after 12 or 24 months. Night‐time BP decreased from 1.57 ± 1.33 to 0.88 ± 0.84 SDS for systolic and from 1.10 ± 1.51 to 0.35 ± 1.18 SDS for diastolic BP after 24 months (p < 0.05). The number of antihypertensive drugs increased from 2.1 ± 0.9 to 2.7 ± 0.8 drugs per patient (p < 0.05), this was especially seen with the use of ACE‐inhibitors (increase from 19% to 40% of children, p < 0.05). In conclusion, this interventional trial demonstrated that, in children after renal transplantation, the control of hypertension, especially at night‐time, can be improved by increasing the number of antihypertensive drugs, especially ACE‐inhibitors.
Drug therapy for attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder‐like symptoms in autistic disorder
Authors: Hazell Philip
Published: January 2007

Abstract:  Problems of inattention and hyperactivity affect one half of individuals with autistic disorder. Care must be taken to ensure that inattention and hyperactivity are not manifestations of other behavioural pathology seen in association with autistic disorder, as this will affect treatment decisions. The prescribing of psychotropic agents to individuals with autistic disorder is increasing but the evidence base is limited, with some exceptions, to uncontrolled studies. Substantial benefit in reducing inattention and hyperactivity is seen with atypical antipsychotics such as risperidone and quetiapine, although weight gain and sedation are common side effects. Moderate benefit is derived from methylphenidate, atomoxetine, some anticonvulsant medications, guanfacine and donepezil. Data show dexamphetamine, clonidine, clomipramine, mirtazapine, and fluoxetine are of unlikely benefit.
Functional time limit and onset of symptoms in infant abusive head trauma
Authors: Biron Dean L , Shelton Doug
Published: January 2007

Aim:  To analyse medical and witness evidence collected during investigations of infant abusive head trauma with a view to (i) isolating cases where a functional time limit could be established and (ii) examining those cases for evidence of the onset of neurological symptoms.

Methods:  A retrospective study was undertaken of severe infant abusive head trauma cases investigated by the Queensland Police Service over a 10‐year period. In cases where sufficient reliable (non‐perpetrator) evidence was available, a functional time limit was documented. Those files were then examined for further medical, witness or perpetrator evidence of the infant victim’s response to the assault.

Results:  A functional time limit was established in 16 of 52 cases (31%). In 11 of the 16 cases there was evidence of an immediate neurological response on the part of the victim.

Conclusion:  The study suggests that the period between assault and onset of symptoms in infant abusive head trauma is brief, particularly in cases of an acute deterioration where proximate medical intervention is required. In those cases with sufficient evidence of the victim’s condition post‐injury, the symptoms presented without delay.
Freedom from ‘Britain’: A Comment on Recent Elite-Sponsored Political Cultural Identities
Authors: Preston Peter
Published: January 2007

The issue of identity has been widely discussed both in recent social science and in the public sphere; race, ethnicity, gender and nation have all been extensively discussed. A common thread has been the rejection of essentialist arguments that attempt to fix identities in extra-social phenomena in favour of an appreciation of their thoroughgoing social constructedness. Given these sophisticated understandings, how are we to account for the unexpected and seemingly atavistic reassertion of the enduring value of ‘Britishness’ among sections of the United Kingdom elite? Recent public discussion suggests that the Whitehall/Westminster elite have become uneasy about the burgeoning political-cultural diversity of the United Kingdom. However, an elite-specified identity is unlikely to have any purchase among a diverse sophisticated population.
A Theory of Civil Conflict and Democracy in Rentier States*
Authors: Aslaksen Silje , Torvik Ragnar
Published: January 2007

The effects of resource rents on the political equilibrium have been studied in two main types of models. The first tradition uses models of conflict, and studies how resource rents affect the intensity and duration of civil conflict. The second tradition uses political economy models, where resource rents affect the political equilibrium due to changes in the costs and benefits of buying votes. Although they provide considerable insight, these traditions have little to say about when democracy emerges, and about when conflict emerges. In this paper, by integrating the earlier model traditions, we suggest the simplest possible framework we can think of to study the choice between conflict and democracy. We show how factors such as resource rents, the extent of electoral competition, and productivity affect economic and political equilibria.
Controversy and Censorship: The Debate on René Schickele's Hans im Schnakenloch
Authors: McGillicuddy Áine
Published: January 2007

Born into a Franco‐German bilingual environment, René Schickele (1883–1940) grew up in an Alsace that had been annexed to the Second German Empire since the Franco‐Prussian war but which still retained cultural links to France. During this phase of the region's troubled history, which led up to the outbreak of World War I, Schickele insisted on the necessity for Alsace not only to retain its double cultural heritage but also to develop its potential to be a mediator between its neighbouring rivals. Such pacifist discourse was viewed with hostility and suspicion at a time when nationalist sentiment was reaching its apogee. Schickele poignantly depicts the identity crisis and trauma for the people of Alsace at this climactic point of Franco‐German rivalry in his wartime drama Hans im Schnakenloch.

The controversy which Hans im Schnakenloch provoked, given the ambiguous loyalties of its eponymous protagonist Hans, is discussed here with particular reference to the attitude of the Berlin censorship authorities. The lively debate on the political content of the play which took place between the Berlin authorities and the upper echelons of the German army is documented, as well as the hitherto unknown concerted effort between the Germans and Austrians to ban the play in Vienna which led to its subsequent banning all over Germany.
Evaluation of a decision aid for women with breech presentation at term: a randomised controlled trial [ISRCTN14570598]
Authors: Nassar N , Roberts CL , Raynes‐Greenow CH , Barratt A , Peat B ,   Decision Aid for Breech Presentation Trial Collaborators
Published: January 2007

Objectives  To evaluate the effectiveness of a decision aid for women with a breech presentation compared with usual care.

Design  Randomised controlled trial.

Setting  Tertiary obstetric hospitals offering external cephalic version (ECV).

Population  Women with a singleton pregnancy were diagnosed antenatally with a breech presentation at term, and were clinically eligible for ECV.

Methods  Women were randomised to either receive a decision aid about the management options for breech presentation in addition to usual care or to receive usual care only with standard counselling from their usual pregnancy care provider. The decision aid comprised a 24‐page booklet supplemented by a 30‐minute audio‐CD and worksheet that was designed for women to take home and review with a partner.

Main outcome measures  Decisional conflict (uncertainty), knowledge, anxiety and satisfaction with decision making, and were assessed using self‐administered questionnaires.

Results  Compared with usual care, women reviewing the decision aid experienced significantly lower decisional conflict (mean difference −8.92; 95% CI −13.18, −4.66) and increased knowledge (mean difference 8.40; 95% CI 3.10, 13.71), were more likely to feel that they had enough information to make a decision (RR 1.30; 95% CI 1.14, 1.47), had no increase in anxiety and reported greater satisfaction with decision making and overall experience of pregnancy and childbirth. In contrast, 19% of women in the usual care group reported they would have made a different decision about their care.

Conclusions  A decision aid is an effective and acceptable tool for pregnant women that provides an important adjunct to standard counselling for the management of breech presentation.
Recommendations on the Testing and Use of Pseudo‐Random Number Generators Used in Monte Carlo Analysis for Risk Assessment
Authors: Barry Timothy M.
Published: January 2007

Monte Carlo simulation requires a pseudo‐random number generator with good statistical properties. Linear congruential generators (LCGs) are the most popular and well‐studied computer method for generating pseudo‐random numbers used in Monte Carlo studies. High quality LCGs are available with sufficient statistical quality to satisfy all but the most demanding needs of risk assessors. However, because of the discrete, deterministic nature of LCGs, it is important to evaluate the randomness and uniformity of the specific pseudo‐random number subsequences used in important risk assessments. Recommended statistical tests for uniformity and randomness include the Kolmogorov‐Smirnov test, extreme values test, and the runs test, including runs above and runs below the mean tests. Risk assessors should evaluate the stability of their risk model's output statistics, paying particular attention to instabilities in the mean and variance. When instabilities in the mean and variance are observed, more stable statistics, e.g., percentiles, should be reported. Analyses should be repeated using several non‐overlapping pseudo‐random number subsequences. More simulations than those traditionally used are also recommended for each analysis.
Field Measurement of Dermal Soil Loading Attributable to Various Activities: Implications for Exposure Assessment
Authors: Kissel John C. , Richter Karen Y. , Fenske Richard A.
Published: January 2007

Estimates of soil adherence to skin are required for assessment of dermal exposures to contaminants in soils. Previously available estimates depend heavily on indirect measurements and/or artificial activities and reflect sampling of hands only. Results are presented here from direct measurement of soil loading on skin surfaces of volunteers before and after normal occupational and recreational activities that might reasonably be expected to lead to soil contact. Skin surfaces assayed included hands, forearms, lower legs, faces and/or feet. Observed hand loadings vary over five orders of magnitude (roughly from 10–3 to 102 mg/cm2) and are dependent upon type of activity. Hand loadings within the current default range of 0.2 to 1.0 mg/cm2 were produced by activities providing opportunity for relatively vigorous soil contact (rugby, farming). Loadings less than 0.2 mg/cm2 were found on hands following activities presenting less opportunity for direct soil contact (soccer, professional grounds maintenance) and on other body parts under many conditions. The default range does not, however, represent a worst case. Children playing in mud on the shore of a lake generated geometric mean loadings well in excess of 1 mg/cm2 on hands, arms, legs, and feet. Post‐activity average loadings on hands were typically higher than average loadings on other body parts resulting from the same activity. Hand data from limited activities cannot, however, be used to conservatively predict loadings that might occur on other body surfaces without regard to activity since non‐hand loadings attributable to higher contact activities exceeded hand loadings resulting from lower contact activities. Differences between pre‐ and post‐activity loadings also demonstrate that dermal contact with soil is episodic. Typical background (pre‐activity) geometric mean loadings appear to be on the order of 10‐2 mg/cm2 or less. Because exposures are activity dependent, quantification of dermal exposure to soil will remain inadequate until data describing relevant human behavior (type of activity, frequency, duration including interval before bathing, clothing worn, etc.) are generated.