bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Top End Mental Health Services General Practice Clinic: An Initiative for Patients with Serious Mental Illness
Authors: Symonds Diana , Parker Robert
Published: March 2007

Objective: The aim of the present study was to provide an overview of the benefits of establishing a general practice clinic within a community mental health service. The clinic was established via collaboration between the Division of General Practice and the Mental Health Service.

Methods: Data collected over 19 months during the operation of the General Practice Clinic were compared to national benchmarks for similar general practice data.

Results: The clinic was able to offer much longer appointments than would normally be available in most general practices. This allowed for comprehensive screening of serious illness as well as health promotion activities.

Conclusions: The General Practice Clinic was able to address the significant health needs for patients with serious mental illness in a manner that was ahead of national benchmarks for this patient group. Barriers to care in the patient group, such as stigma and non-attendance, were overcome by coordination between the general practitioners staffing the clinic and their collaboration with the case managers and reception staff of the service.
A Tale of Two Cities: A Neuroimaging Investigation of Melbourne–Sydney Rivalry Comparing Cortical Thickness in Healthy Adults
Authors: Velakoulis Dennis , Fornito Alex , Walterfang Mark , Malhi Gin , Yucel Murat , Pantelis Christos
Published: March 2007

Objective: We sought to identify neurobiological correlates of Melbourne–Sydney rivalry through neuroimaging measures of a key brain region involved in cognitive and emotional regulation.

Method: Twenty subjects from each city were recruited from two large neuroimaging databases, and were scanned on a GE Signa 1.5T magnetic resonance imaging scanner. Cortical thickness of the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) was measured using a tessellated mesh method, after image segmentation. These measures were compared with key sporting, financial and academic variables.

Results: Residents of Melbourne had a significantly thicker ACC (p < 0.0001) than Sydney residents, and this difference remained significant when age and intracranial volume were controlled for (p = 0.001). This difference mirrored that in variables measuring wealth, sporting and academic success.

Conclusions: The thinner ACC seen in Sydney-siders may reflect the effects of increased stress due to elevated property prices, relative lack of sporting success and other variables. An alternative explanation is that a thinner ACC is the result of increasing cortical refinement and efficiency, and a marker of a more mature city. However, if these findings are a result of latitudinal effects, this may have significant implications for residents of more northern regions of the Australian continent.
A Recovery-Based Outreach Program in Rural Victoria
Authors: Prabhu Radha , Oakley Browne Mark
Published: March 2007

Objective: A recovery-based outreach program for people with severe mental illness in regional Victoria is described. The paper covers a description of the program, the services provided and outcomes achieved. The program emphasized active collaboration between patients and clinicians as outlined in the collaborative recovery model and recognized that recovery from mental illness is an individual, personal process.

Conclusions: The program provided service to 108 people over 3 years and had a positive impact on clinicians, patients and carers. The benefits of recovery orientation, multidisciplinary teams, collaborative relationships and carer involvement are discussed. The paper highlights the need for a focus on recovery and comprehensive care for people with severe mental illness.
Aboriginal Child and Adolescent Mental Health: A Rural Worker Training Model
Authors: Bartik Warren , Dixon Angela , Dart Katrina
Published: March 2007

Objective: The Third National Mental Health Plan places a strong emphasis on the development of an Aboriginal mental health workforce. This paper documents the establishment, implementation and initial evaluation of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Child and Adolescent Mental Health Traineeship Program, a partnership initiative involving Hunter New England Area Health Service (HNEAHS), Hunter New England Aboriginal Mental Health (HNEAMH) and the Department of Psychological Medicine at the Children's Hospital at Westmead (CHW), with guidance and input from additional collaborators.

Conclusions: The program includes: (i) employment as a child and adolescent mental health worker and professional support and supervision through HNEAHS; (ii) a mentoring program provided through HNEAMH; (iii) formal academic studies in Aboriginal Mental Health; and (iv) a clinical education and supervision program conducted through the Department of Psychological Medicine, CHW. Initial feedback suggests that this is a promising program to train Aboriginal child and adolescent mental health workers. Further evaluation will provide information about its viability and effectiveness in providing an integrated, collaborative child and adolescent mental health service for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and their families.
Cannabinoid Hyperemesis: Marijuana Puts Patients in Hot Water
Authors: Wallace Duncan , Martin Ana-Louise , Park Bianca
Published: March 2007

Objective: This paper describes a case of cannabinoid hyperemesis, a curious, emerging condition associated with long-term cannabis abuse. The authors wish to facilitate its recognition and management by clinicians.

Conclusions: Cannabinoid hyperemesis is a cluster of symptoms characterized by chronic cannabis abuse, cyclical vomiting and compulsive bathing behaviours. The condition can be missed unless an adequate history is taken of illicit drug ingestion. It can be confused with obsessive-compulsive disorder. The treatment consists of supportive measures in the acute phase, followed by complete abstinence from cannabis.
Friends, Family, and Alcohol Abuse: An Examination of General and Alcohol‐Specific Social Support
Authors: Groh David R. , Jason Leonard A. , Davis Margaret I. , Olson Bradley D. , Ferrari Joseph R.
Published: March 2007

Social support may be considered from several different dimensions. While general social support promotes well‐being, specific social support is tied to particular functions, such as alcohol use. Not only may the form of social support vary, but also the source (ie, friends vs. family). This study investigated the impact of general and specific support for alcohol use from family versus friends on alcohol use among 897 U.S. residents of abstinent communal‐living settings (Oxford Houses). Results indicated that general support from friends and length of stay in Oxford House significantly predicted less alcohol use. Implications for alcohol recovery are discussed.
Physiology and Pathobiology of the Pericyte‐Containing Retinal Microvasculature: New Developments
Authors: PURO DONALD G.
Published: March 2007

Evidence is accumulating that pericyte‐containing microvessels, which constitute the largest component of the circulatory system, actively regulate capillary perfusion. Because the retinal vasculature is highly specialized for the local control of blood flow, experimental study of its microvessels is proving useful in the quest to elucidate the mechanisms by which local perfusion is regulated. The microcirculation of the retina is also a focus of considerable attention due to its vulnerability to diabetes, which is a leading cause of vision loss. Based on the premise that the transmembrane movement of ions plays a critical role in regulating the function of pericytes, investigators are using the patch‐clamp technique to study these contractile mural cells. This review highlights recent progress made in understanding how ion channels and transporters mediate responses of the retinal microvasculature to vasoactive signals.
Blood Flow in Snake Infrared Organs: Response‐Induced Changes in Individual Vessels
Authors: GORIS RICHARD C. , ATOBE YOSHITOSHI , NAKANO MASATO , FUNAKOSHI KENGO , TERADA KOKI
Published: March 2007

Objective: In the past the microkinetics of blood flow in the infrared pit organs of pit vipers has been studied with Doppler flowmetry using various infrared stimuli such as a human hand or soldering iron at various distances, lasers of various wavelengths, etc. Quick‐acting variations in blood flow were recorded, and interpreted as a cooling mechanism for avoiding afterimage in the infrared receptors. However, the Doppler measurements provided only the summation of blood flow in a number of vessels covered by the sensing probe, but did not give data on flow in individual vessels.

Methods: In the present work the authors introduced into the bloodstream of Gloydius and Trimeresurus pit vipers fluorescent microspheres labeled with fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) contained in a solution of FITC‐dextran in physiological saline. They observed the passage of the microspheres through individual pit organ vessels with a fluorescent microscope to which was attached a high‐speed video camera and image intensifier. Output of the camera was recorded before, during, and after stimulus with a 810‐nm diode laser. Recording was done at 250 frames/s on high‐speed video apparatus and downloaded to a hard disk. Disk files were loaded into proprietary software and particles were tracked and average velocities calculated. The data were then tested for significance by ANOVA with post hoc tests.

Results: A significant (p < .05) increase in blood velocity was found at the focal point of the stimulus laser, but not anywhere removed from this point. Proximal severing of the pit sensory nerves caused degeneration of the pit receptor terminals and abolished stimulus‐induced blood flow changes, but did not affect normal blood flow.

Conclusions: The authors conclude that the receptors themselves are directly and locally controlling the smooth muscle elements of the blood vessels, in response to heating of the receptors by infrared radiation. They speculate that the heavy vascularization constitutes a cooling system for the radiation‐encoding receptors, and further that the agent of control may be a volatile neuromediator such as nitric oxide.
Excessive Erythrocytosis Does Not Elevate Capillary Oxygen Delivery in Subcutaneous Mouse Tissue
Authors: FRIETSCH THOMAS , GASSMANN MAX , GROTH GESINE , Waschke KLAUS F. , VOGEL JOHANNES , CABRALES PEDRO , VAJKOCZI PETER , DORN‐BEINEKE ALEXANDRA , INTAGLIETTA MARCOS , KERGER HEINZ
Published: March 2007

Objective: Acclimatization to reduced environmental oxygen includes erythropoietin‐regulated increase in erythrocytes enhancing the blood's oxygen content. However, increased hematocrit levels result in elevated blood viscosity that might impair microcirculation and tissue oxygenation. To assess this oxygen supply to the skin, the authors used erythropoietin overexpressing transgenic mice (tg6) that develop excessive erythrocytosis in an oxygen‐independent manner. These animals have been previously reported to elevate their blood viscosity 4‐fold.

Methods: The partial oxygen pressure (pO2) distribution was evaluated in microvessels as well as in subcutaneous interstitial tissue within a dorsal skinfold chamber of resting conscious mice using automated phosphorescence quenching.

Results: Compared to wildtype (wt) animals, transgenic blood viscosity increased 4‐fold but microvessel diameter was not altered. Despite sharing similar blood pO2 as the wt siblings, tg6 animals nearly doubled their oxygen content. Moreover, tg6 erythrocytes reduced hemoglobin's oxygen affinity by decreased 2,3‐DPG levels and an increased Hill number. Transgenic arterioles and venules showed increased pO2 compared to wt controls whereas capillary and tissue pO2 were not altered.

Conclusions: Excessive erythrocytosis does not elevate capillary oxygen delivery.
Exogenous Wild‐Type p53 Gene Improved Survival of Nude Mice Injected with Murine Erythroleukemia Cell Line Through Amelioration of Hemorheological Changes
Authors: ZHANG YINGYU , YAO WEIJUAN , ZENG ZHU , WANG XIANWEI , SUN DAGONG , KA WEIBO , ZHOU SHUPEI , HE DONGQI , WEN ZONGYAO , CHIEN SHU
Published: March 2007

Objectives: Previous investigations have shown that human wild‐type p53 gene (WTp53) inhibits the growth of leukemia and tumor cells in vitro. In the present study, the authors used nude mice and examined the therapeutic role of p53 gene for erythroleukemia in vivo in the absence of MHC effects.

Methods: The nude mice were injected with murine erythroleukemia cells (MEL), MEL cells transfected with wild‐type p53 gene (MEL‐W), and MEL cells transfected with mutated p53 gene (MEL‐M). Abnormalities were found in the hemorheological and biophysical properties of red blood cells in all 3 groups of animals, but the abnormalities were lesser in degree and later in appearance in MEL‐W group than in MEL and MEL‐M groups. Furthermore, the nude mice in MEL‐W group lived longer than those in MEL and MEL‐M groups.

Results: The results showed that WTp53 restrained the growth of erythroleukemia cells in vivo and reduced the erythroleukemia tumorigenesis in the microcirculation by improving the hemorheological and biophysical properties of MEL cells, which helped to prolong the life span of nude mice suffering from erythroleukemia.

Conclusion: These results contribute to our knowledge on the use of wild‐type p53 gene for the treatment of erythroleukemia disease.
2006 American College of Toxicology Distinguished Service Award Lecture: Has Quantitative Risk Assessment Been of Benefit to the Science of Toxicology?
Authors: Rodricks Joseph V.
Published: March 2007

Quantitative approaches to evaluating the risks of chemical toxicity entered the lives of toxicologists in the mid-1970s, and the continuing interaction of toxicology and risk assessment has been of benefit to both disciplines. I will summarize the origins of the interaction, the reasons for it, and the difficult course it has followed. In doing so, I will set the stage for a discussion of how the type of thinking that informs risk-based decision-making provides important benefits to the continuing development of the science of toxicology. There will continue to be societal pressure for the development of reliable knowledge about the public health importance of the enormous variety of chemical exposures we all incur, from conception to death. Risk assessment is the framework used to organize and convey that knowledge. Toxicology is the principle discipline used to give scientific substance to that framework. Social acceptance of every manifestation of the modern chemical age requires high assurance that the public health is not threatened, and that assurance depends upon continued improvements in these two mutually dependant disciplines.
Effect of Clebopride, Antidopaminergic Gastrointestinal Prokinetics, on Cardiac Repolarization
Authors: Kim Ki-Suk , Shin Won-Ho , Park Sang-joon , Kim Eun-Joo
Published: March 2007

The inhibition of the potassium current IKr and QT prolongation has been known to be associated with drug-induced torsades de pointes arrhythmias (TdP) and sudden cardiac death. In this study, the authors investigated the cardiac electrophysiological effects of clebopride, a class of antidopaminergic gastrointestinal prokinetic, that has been reported to prolong the QT interval by using the conventional microelectrode recording techniques in isolated rabbit Purkinje fiber and whole-cell patch clamp techniques in human ether-à-go-go-related gene (hERG)-stably transfected Chinese hamster ovarian (CHO) cells. Clebopride at 10 μM significantly decreased the Vmax of phase 0 depolarization ( p < .05) and significantly prolonged the action potential duration at 90% repolarization (APD90) ( p < .01), whereas the action potential duration at 50% repolarization (APD50) was not prolonged. For hERG potassium channel currents, the IC50 value was 0.62 ± 0.30 μM. Clebopride was found to have no effect on sodium channel currents. When these results were compared with Cmax (1.02 nM) of clinical dosage (1 mg, [p.o.]), it can be suggested that clebopride is safe at the clinical dosage of 1 mg from the electrophysiological aspect. These findings indicate that clebopride, an antidopaminergic gastrointestinal prokinetic drug, may provide a sufficient “safety factor” in terms of the electrophysiological threshold concentration. But, in a supratherapeutic concentration that might possibly be encountered during overdose or impaired metabolism, clebopride may have torsadogenic potency.
Inhibitory Effects of Histone Deacetylase Inhibitor Depsipeptide on Benzo(a)pyrene- and Cyclophosphamide-Induced Genotoxicity in Swiss Albino Mice
Authors: Kumar Radhakrishnan Vinodh , Mu Park Chung , Ravikumar Vilwanathan , Devaki Thiruvengadam
Published: March 2007

Depsipeptide (FK228 or FR901228) was evaluated in the mouse bone marrow micronucleus test for its possible protective effect against chromosomal damage induced by benzo(a)pyrene and cyclophosphamide. Three doses of depsipeptide (0.5, 1, and 1.5 mg/kg body weight) were given intravenously to mice for 7 consecutive days prior to administration of genotoxins under investigation. All the three doses of depsipeptide were effective in exerting a protective effect against both benzo(a)pyrene and cyclophosamide. A significant suppression (34.9% to 67.5%) in the micronuclei formation induced by benzo(a)pyrene and (25.7% to 71.5%) cyclophosphamide was observed following intravenous administration of depsipeptide at doses of 0.5, 1, and 1.5mg/kg in Swiss albino mice.
Protective Role of Melatonin and Coenzyme Q10 in Ochratoxin A Toxicity in Rat Liver and Kidney
Authors: Sutken Emine , Aral Erinc , Ozdemir Filiz , Uslu Sema , Alatas Ozkan , Colak Omer
Published: March 2007

Melatonin (MEL) and coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) both display antioxidant and free radical scavenger properties. In the present study, the effect of MEL and CoQ10 on the oxidative stress and fibrosis induced by ochratoxin A (OTA) administration in rats was investigated. Rats were divided into five equal groups, each consisting of seven rats: (1) controls; (2) OTA-treated rats (289 μg/kg/day); (3) OTA+MEL–treated rats (289 μg/kg/day OTA + 10 mg/kg/day MEL); and (4) OTA+CoQ10–treated rats (289 μg/kg/day OTA +1 mg/100 g/day body weight (bw) CoQ10). After 4 weeks of treatment, the level of malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and hydroxyproline (Hyp) were measured in the homogenates of liver and kidney. In the OTA-treated group, the levels of MDA and Hyp in both liver and kidney were significantly increased when compared with the levels of control, whereas GPx activities decreased. In OTA+MEL–treated rats, the levels of MDA and Hyp in both liver and kidney were significantly decreased when compared with the levels of OTA-treated rats; however; GPX activities increased. In the OTA+CoQ10–treated group, the levels of MDA and Hyp were decreased when compared with the levels of OTA-treated rats, whereas GPx activities increased. In the OTA+CoQ 10–treated group, the levels of MDA, Hyp, and GPx were not significantly changed in kidney when compared with OTA-treated group. MEL has a protective effect against OTA toxicity through an inhibition of the oxidative damage and fibrosis both liver and kidney. Although CoQ10 has protective effect against OTA toxicity in liver tissue, it has no effect in kidney tissue.
Histological and Ultrastructural Evidence for Protective Effects on Aluminium-Induced Kidney Damage by Intraperitoneal Administration of α-Tocopherol
Authors: Kutlubay Recep , Oğuz Emin Oğuzhan , Güven Cengiz , Can Belgin , Sinik Zafer , Tuncay Ömer Levent
Published: March 2007

The nephrotoxic actions of aluminium (Al) arise from its accumulation in the kidneys, with the resultant degeneration of the renal tubular cells. It has been suggested that Al generates reactive oxygen species that cause the oxidative deterioration of cellular lipids, proteins, and DNA. To test this hypothesis, we have here investigated the potential for a protective role of α-tocopherol (vitamin E) during short-term exposure of rats to Al. Al was administered intraperitoneally either alone or in combination with vitamin E at a different point of abdomen, and the alterations in the kidney tissue were analyzed histologically. The results reveal that significant light microscopical and ultrastructural damage is caused by Al, whereas with the immediate coadministration of vitamin E, there is a protective effect against this damage to the kidney tissue. In Al-alone group, the glomeruli and proximal tubuli and the Bowman capsules had swellings, adherence, hemorrhage, increase in mesengial matrix, and marked interstitial tissue fibrosis, indicating severe damage. In the Al and vitamin E immediate coinjected group, renal tubule cells were almost of a normal appearance. A slight stenosis was seen in the capsular area in the Malpighi corpuscules. The tubular organization and the cytoplasmic basophilia were also much the same as in the control group, with the lumen clearly visible in most of the cortical tubuli. The results highlight the need to reduce exposure to Al, with particular attention being paid to the known sources of Al. At the same time, the maintenance of a diet that is rich in vitamin E should be beneficial in the alleviation of Al toxicity.
Assessment of Metal Nanoparticle Agglomeration, Uptake, and Interaction Using High-Illuminating System
Authors: Skebo Jeanne E. , Grabinski Christin M. , Schrand Amanda M. , Schlager John J. , Hussain Saber M.
Published: March 2007

In the present study, an ultrahigh-resolution system was applied as a simple and convenient technique to characterize the extent of metal nanoparticle agglomeration in solution and to visualize nanoparticle agglomeration, uptake, and surface interaction in three cell phenotypes under normal culture conditions. The experimental results demonstrated that silver (25, 80, 130 nm); aluminum (80 nm); and manganese (40 nm) particles and agglomerates were effectively internalized by rat liver cells (BRL 3A), rat alveolar macrophages (MACs), and rat neuroendocrine cells (PC-12). Individual and agglomerated nanoparticles were observed within the cells and agglomerates were observed on the cell surface membranes. The particles were initially dispersed in aqueous or physiological balanced salt solutions and agglomeration was observed using the Ultra Resolution Imaging (URI) system. Different methods, such as sonication and addition of surfactant (0.1% sodium dodecyl sulfate [SDS]) reduced agglomeration. Due to effects of SDS itself on cell viability, the surfactant could not be directly applied during cell exposure. Therefore, following addition of 0.1% SDS, the particles were washed twice with ultrapure water, which reduced agglomeration even further. Reducing the agglomeration of the nanoparticles is important for studying their uptake and in applications that benefit from individual nanoparticles such as diagnostics. In summary, this study demonstrates a simple technique to characterize the extent of nanoparticle agglomeration in solution and visualize nanoparticle (40 nm and larger) uptake and interaction with cells. Additionally, an example application of nanoparticle labeling onto the surface and neurite extensions of murine neuroblastoma cells (N2A) is presented as a potential imaging tool.
Gene Expression Analysis on the Early Development of Pig Embryos Exposed to Malathion
Authors: Salazar Zayil , Ducolomb Yvonne , Betancourt Miguel , Bonilla Edmundo , Cortés Leticia , Hernández-Hernández Fidel , González-Márquez Humberto
Published: March 2007

Malathion is a widely used pesticide and there is evidence that it could alter mammal’s germ and somatic cells, as well as cell lines. There are not enough studies showing how the nonacute malathion doses affect gene expression. This study analyzes gene expression alterations in pig morular embryos exposed in vitro , for 96 h, to several malathion concentrations after in vitro fertilization. cDNA libraries of isolated morular embryos were created and differential screenings performed to identify target genes. Seven clones were certainly identified. Genes related to mitochondrial metabolism as cytochrome c subunits I and III, nuclear genes such as major histocompatibility complex I (MHC I), and a hypothetical protein related with a splicing factor were the target of malathion’s deregulation effect. The widespread use of malathion as a pesticide should be regarded with reproductive implications and more detailed analysis would yield more about molecular mechanisms of malathion injury on embryo cells.
Effects of mRg2, a Mixture of Ginsenosides Containing 60% Rg2, on the Ultraviolet B–Induced DNA Repair Synthesis and Apoptosis in NIH3T3 Cells
Authors: Jeong Se Jin , Han Seol Hee , Kim Don Young , Lee Jeong Chae , Kim Hack Soo , Kim Bo Hyeon , Lee Jung Sup , Hwang Eun Hee , Park Jong Kun
Published: March 2007

Ginseng has been used worldwidely as a traditional medicine of Asian countries for treatment of various diseases including cancer. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of ginseng saponin mRg2, a mixture of ginsenosides containing 60% Rg2, on the repair and apoptosis of ultraviolet B (UVB)-exposed NIH3T3 cells. When cells were exposed to UVB and then incubated with normal growth medium for 48 h, cell viability, as determined by trypan blue exclusion assay decreased to about 25%. However, when mRg2 was included in the postincubation medium, the UVB-induced loss of cell viability was significantly reduced as compared with that postincubated in normal growth medium. 4,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) staining showed that postincubation of the UVB-exposed cells in medium containing mRg2 significantly reduced the apoptotic nuclear fragmentation. Interestingly, when cells were preincubated with mRg2 for 24 h and then exposed to various doses of UV, the amount of repair synthesis significantly increased as compared with those in cells exposed to UVB alone. Western blot analysis indicated that the mRg2 postincubation after UVB exposure potentiated the level of p53 and p21. The level of Triton nonextractable proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) also remained elevated by mRg2 postincubation. All these results suggest that mRg2 protects cells against UVB-induced genotoxicity by increasing DNA repair and decreasing apoptosis, in possible association with the modulation of protein levels involved in cell cycle arrest or progression.
Introduction: A Tale of Two Italies—Continuities and Change in the Italian Republic, 1994–2006
Authors: Parker Simon
Published: March 2007

The idea for this special issue of Modern Italy emerged from the Association for the Study of Modern Italy's annual conference ‘The Second Italian Republic Ten Years On: Prospect and Retrospect’, which was held at the Italian Cultural Institute, London, in November 2004. The conference afforded an opportunity for scholars and observers of contemporary Italy to reflect on one of the most eventful decades in the history of the Italian Republic and to offer an appraisal of how political, economic, social and cultural life had fared since the first election based on the new majoritarian voting system which first brought Silvio Berlusconi's coalition to power in April 1994.
Changing Models of Electoral Choice in Italy
Authors: Bellucci Paolo
Published: March 2007

Scholars argue that the realignment of the electorate which took place with the transition to the so-called Italian Second Republic followed mainly a traditional partisan pattern, with electors of the former centre ruling parties (the Christian Democrats and the Socialists) turning to vote for the new centre and right parties (Forza Italia and the National Alliance), while left-wing voters continued to hold their traditional allegiance. Behind this apparent electoral turmoil there would appear to be little in the way of voter mobility. Such a reading implies continuity in the motivations of voters who behaved according to their previous ‘personal electoral history’ and in accordance with their sub-cultural political identification. Here an alternative interpretation is proposed in which it is argued that as a result of the 1994 realignment elections voters who deserted the centre (the heirs of the Christian Democrats) did so also according to their class interest and in response to the policy proposal of the centre-right. Since that time a ‘valence model’ of electoral behaviour has begun to emerge where ‘reasoning voters’ react to the performance of the incumbent, and voting also depends on an assessment of leadership, policy performance and issues.
Development of phonological representations and phonological awareness in children with speech impairment
Authors: Sutherland Dean , Gillon Gail T.
Published: March 2007

Background: Children with speech impairment are more likely to have difficulty learning to read compared with children with typical speech development. Researchers have hypothesized that a difficulty in accessing good‐quality phonological representations of words stored in the memory may constrain these children's performance on phonological awareness tasks and subsequent early reading acquisition.

Aims: The study investigated the following research questions. (1) Do preschool children with moderate or severe speech impairment show persistent difficulty on tasks designed to tap underlying phonological representations? (2) What is the relationship between performance on phonological representation tasks and measures of speech production, phonological awareness and early print decoding?

Methods & Procedures: Utilizing a longitudinal design, the performance of nine children (aged 3;09–5;03 years at initial assessment) with moderate or severe speech impairment and of 17 children of the same age with typical speech development were assessed on three occasions over a 12‐month period. Assessments included receptive‐based tasks designed to tap underlying phonological representations, speech production and phonological awareness measures.

Outcomes & Results: Children with speech impairment had greater difficulty judging correct and incorrect productions of words, and had difficulty in reflecting on the accuracy of newly learned non‐words. Moderate correlations were observed between performance on phonological representation and phonological awareness tasks.

Conclusions: Poorly specified underlying phonological representations will result in difficulties during listening, speaking and phonological awareness tasks, as well as create additional challenges during the decoding of written words for some children.
NEW MORAL ECONOMIES OF WELFARE: THE CASE OF DOMICILIARY ELDER CARE IN GERMANY, FRANCE AND BRITAIN
Authors: Bode Ingo
Published: March 2007

Currently, deregulation of social welfare provision is underway throughout Western Europe. The major tendency is for disorganisation, together with the emergence of welfare markets. This is also changing the way elderly people are provided with personal and socio-medical services. Focusing on domiciliary eldercare, the paper explores if this is accompanied by a change in what Kohli has termed the moral economy of old age welfare. Departing from a general reflection on the organisation of social services in modern welfare capitalism the paper sketches evolutions in the eldercare system of three major European countries, with a special focus on the role of civic rationales and professional norms in the organisational field under consideration. It is argued that the moral economy of eldercare has become fluid, thus implying a broader transformation in the societal treatment of old age.
RELATIVE TO WHAT?: CROSS-NATIONAL PICTURE OF EUROPEAN POVERTY MEASURED BY REGIONAL, NATIONAL AND EUROPEAN STANDARDS
Authors: Kangas Olli E. , Ritakallio Veli-Matti
Published: March 2007

In this paper three methods of relativizations are used: (1) we apply the conventional poverty approach: the poor are those whose income remains below 60 percent of the national equivalent disposable income, (2) we collapse nations together into one data pool and calculate a poverty line for the EU, and (3) we decompose nation states into smaller units representing the poorest and richest areas. Within-nation differences seem to be more pronounced than differences between nations. In the Nordic countries incomes between regions as well as between individuals are more evenly distributed and, consequently, the national means are more representative for the whole countries. Moreover, the Nordic cluster, together with central Europe, is robust against the method of comparison. The method affects the Mediterranean countries. The use of the European poverty line leads to poverty rates two to three times higher than analyses based on national data. The regional variation in these countries is the widest. For this reason, conclusions based on national means may be misleading and national means obscure more than they reveal. In societies with large socio-economic and regional variation in income, and consequently in consumption capacities, purchasing power parities implicitly assuming homogeneous consumption patterns over society may give a distorted picture of the price levels in the country in question.
THE NORWEGIAN FIELD OF POWER ANNO 2000
Authors: Hjellbrekke Johs. , Le Roux Brigitte , Korsnes Olav , Lebaron Frédéric , Rosenlund Lennart , Rouanet Henry
Published: March 2007

This article, in the line of Bourdieu (1989), belongs to the research domain about elites and the field of power. Using data from the Norwegian Power & Democracy survey on elites, conducted in 2000, it specifically seeks to uncover the main dimensions and fractions in the Norwegian field of power. Multiple Correspondence Analysis (MCA) has been used to address this issue. The three main findings are these: firstly, our results show that the three most important principal dimensions in the field are an economic capital axis, then an educational and social capital axis, and then an axis separating the judicial positions from positions in culture, organizations and politics. Secondly, the political positions are the most accessible. Thirdly, the public judicial group is the most homogeneous.
SOLIDARITY WITHIN EUROPE/SOLIDARITY WITHOUT EUROPE
Authors: Karagiannis Nathalie
Published: March 2007

Both in EU policy discourse and in theoretical interventions on Europe, a dilemma was constructed, which has remained implicit. The dilemma in question concerns on the one hand, European solidarity, that is, solidarity within Europe and, on the other hand, solidarity of Europe with ‘the rest of the world’. It is posed in the usual either/or form: either Europe creates and strengthens its social solidarity (its society) or it creates and strengthens its human solidarity (or solidarity in the name of humanity or humanity); it cannot do both. The dilemma is the wrong way of putting the issue, since it is not only based on an asymmetry between the specificity of ‘social’ Europe and the indeterminacy of ‘the rest of the world’ but it also separates Europe's colonial history from the relevant present. The two solidarities need to be brought back together, both for conceptual and for pragmatic reasons.
MEASURING MATERIAL DEPRIVATION WITH EU-SILC: LESSONS FROM THE IRISH SURVEY
Authors: Whelan Christopher T. , Maître Bertrand
Published: March 2007

In this paper we consider the consequences for measurement of material deprivation, consistent poverty and economic vulnerability of the shift from the ECHP data set to the EU-SILC instrument. Despite the restricted number of deprivation items available in EU-SILC, we show that there is a substantial overlap between such measures when they are estimated using EU-wide and a set of Irish specific indicators. By placing the EU-wide measures in the context of the full range of Irish indicators, we demonstrate that they allow us to identify clusters of individuals sharply differentiated in terms of their multidimensional deprivation profiles. They also provide an understanding of the socio-economic factors associated with such differentiation that departs in only modest respects from that derived from the more comprehensive set of Irish specific indicators.
CHILD POVERTY, EMPLOYMENT AND ETHNICITY IN THE UK: THE ROLE AND LIMITATIONS OF POLICY
Authors: Platt Lucinda
Published: March 2007

In 1999, the British Government stated its resolve to end child poverty within a generation. In doing so it recognised both the extent of child poverty in the UK and the moral imperative to do something about it. At around the same time, a government study of ethnic minority employment was undertaken, which was to lead to the establishment of the cross-departmental ethnic minority employment task force (EMETF) and a Public Services Agreement target for the Department for Work and Pensions on closing the ethnic minority employment gap. Despite apparent overlaps between these two agendas, given that many minority ethnic group families have children, and worklessness is one of the main causes of child poverty (though by no means the sole one), they were not really integrated. Nor has integration between them been seen – or encouraged – in European reporting processes covering topics linked to social inclusion and exclusion. In 2006, however, a link was made when the EMETF asked for a paper on child poverty to form the background to its work. This article builds on that initial link, discussing the intersection between child poverty and ethnic minority unemployment policy by illustrating the extent of child poverty as ethnically differentiated and exploring the ways in which it is related to aspects of employment. It goes on to consider the policy implications for both employment policy and income maintenance policy more generally, before examining the obstacles to an integrated approach both in terms of knowledge/understanding and the ways in which the two policy areas are conceived.
Interpretation of anthropogenic input of metals in the South China Sea bottom sediments off Terengganu (Malaysia) coastline using Al as a reference element
Authors: Shazili N. A. M. , Kamaruzzaman B. Y. , Antonina N. A. , Zauyah S. , Bidai J. , Shamsudin A. A. , Kamil A. R.
Published: March 2007

The metal concentrations in surface sediment of the South China Sea off the Terengganu coastline were determined. Cu, Cr and Zn concentrations were comparable to values for offshore regions of the South China Sea and of concentrations of coastal sediments from the more developed west coast of Malaysia. Direct comparisons with earth crust values for Cd and Pb ratios to Al indicate anthropogenic pollution by these metals. As the sediments of the area studied are composed of significant proportions of quartz and carbonate, from shells and coral, direct ratioing to Al would result in anomalous values. Thus enrichment factor (EF) values using Al as a reference element were determined and showed that sampling sites off the major rivers of Terengganu were anthropogenically influenced by Pb and Cd. Sources of pollution are probably sewage, agricultural wastes and atmospheric deposition of Pb from the use of leaded petrol.
An approach for looking at sediment quality on a national perspective
Authors: Ireland D. S.
Published: March 2007

Sediment quality analyses are conducted for specific reasons and most for some type of regulatory purpose. These purposes could include support for: sediment remediation, dredged material disposal, and sediment monitoring. One such sediment monitoring effort in the United States is to fulfill the requirements set forth in the Water Resources Development Act of 1992 (WRDA). This Act requires EPA to develop the National Sediment Quality Survey, a national evaluation of sediment quality in the United States. The first report was prepared in 1997 and described the incidence and severity of sediment contamination nationwide. The first update to this report was recently released (USEPA, 2004) and is designed to be a screening-level assessment for the identification of potentially contaminated sediments. While there are many challenges to assessing sediment contamination on a localized area, these are drastically magnified at a national scale. One of the biggest challenges was the reliance on existing sediment quality data (mostly with only a single line of evidence reported—sediment chemistry), not collected with the WRDA mandate in mind and providing a limited spatial coverage for most watersheds. Out of the nearly 20,000 stations evaluated in this report (using data from 1990 to 1999), 70% had data available for sediment chemistry only that precluded a weight-of-evidence approach at these stations. Therefore, sediment quality guidelines (SQGs—both empirical and mechanistic) were a primary tool for assessing sediment quality. Other sediment quality benchmarks used in this report included theoretical bioaccumulation potential (TBP), sediment toxicity, and tissue residues. To develop benchmarks for classifying sediments according to possible hazard, some assumptions were made that may not reflect site-specific conditions. While recognizing the inherent limitations of the data and the assessment approach, this is a viable approach to broad scale sediment assessments.
Factors affecting metal mobility and bioavailability in the superficial intertidal sediment layer of the Scheldt estuary
Authors: Du Laing G. , Vanthuyne D. , Tack F. M. G. , Verloo M. G.
Published: March 2007

Many factors and variables govern trace metal behaviour in soils and sediments in complex ways. Understanding metal behaviour in intertidal wetland systems is further complicated because it concerns highly dynamic systems that are continuously subjected to quickly changing environmental conditions governed by alternating low and high tides. We studied the effects of various influencing factors, such as hydraulic regime, organic matter and salinity on metal mobility and bioavailability in the superficial calcareous intertidal sediment layer of the Scheldt estuary. These sediments contain elevated levels of particularly Cd, Cr and Zn. Flooding regime and the supply of organic matter significantly affect pore water metal concentrations and hence potential mobility and bioavailability. Fe, Mn and Ni pore water contents in the upper intertidal sediment layer increased as a result of frequent flooding, whereas Cd, Cu and Zn contents decreased. Organic matter can act as a sink for metals, but it can also induce dissolution of metals which were previously bound to solid sediment compartments, especially Fe, Mn and Ni. Salinity particularly favoured Cd mobility and bioavailability in oxidised sediments, which was confirmed by field monitoring data, but it also affected Zn, Fe and Mn mobility. More detailed speciation analysis of metals in the pore water is needed to improve our understanding about the contribution and importance of various processes in determining the observed metal behaviour.
A qualitative single case study of parallel processes
Authors: Haugaard Jacobsen Claus
Published: March 2007

Parallel process in psychotherapy and supervision is a phenomenon manifest in relationships and interactions, that originates in one setting and is reflected in another. This article presents an explorative single case study of parallel processes based on qualitative analyses of two successive randomly chosen psychotherapy sessions with a schizophrenic patient and the supervision session given in between. The author's analysis is verified by an independent examiner's analysis. Parallel processes are identified and described. Reflections on the dynamics of parallel processes and supervisory interventions are reported and discussed.
How I became a biochemist … and what happened next
Authors: Gannon Frank
Published: March 2007

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Effects of reactive oxygen species (ROS) on antioxidant system and osteoblastic differentiation in MC3T3‐E1 cells
Authors: Arai Masato , Shibata Yasuko , Pugdee Kamolparn , Abiko Yoshimitsu , Ogata Yorimasa
Published: March 2007

Oxidative stress regulates cellular functions in multiple pathological conditions, including bone formation by osteoblastic cells. However, little is known about the cellular mechanisms responsible for the effects of oxidative stress on osteoblast functions in senescence. To clarify the inhibitory effects of oxidative stress on osteoblastic mineralization, we examined the relationship between the antioxidant system and bone formation in MC3T3‐E1 cells. After a single exposure to H2O2 within range of a non‐toxic concentration for cells, the mineralization level was diminished half. Under the same conditions, gene expression of the transcription factor Nrf2, which regulates antioxidant enzymes, was up‐regulated. In addition, gene expression for the osteogenic markers Runx2, ALP, and BSP was lower than that in non‐treated cells, whereas expression of the osteocalcin gene was up‐regulated following H2O2 exposure. These results suggest that reduced mineralization by MC3T3‐E1 cells after H2O2 exposure is the result of an up‐regulated antioxidant system and altered osteogenic gene expression.
IUBMB Life, 59: 27‐33, 2007
Activity of β3‐β4 loop of the PH domain is required for the membrane targeting of SWAP‐70
Authors: Fukui Yasuhisa , Wakamatsu Isamu , Tachikawa Hiroyuki , Okamura Yoshihiko , Tanaka Takayuki , Ihara Sayoko
Published: March 2007

SWAP‐70 translocates to the plasma membrane in a phosphoinositide 3‐kinase (PI 3‐kinase)‐dependent manner and contributes to membrane ruffling. It binds to phosphatidylinositol trisphosphate (PtdIns(3,4,5)P3) through its PH domain, which is essential for the membrane translocation after EGF stimulation. We examined the behavior of the SWAP‐70s which have mutations in the β3/β4 loop of the PH domain. The two mutants fused to green fluorescent protein (GFP) carrying the mutations failed to translocate to the plasma membrane. The sole PH domains carrying the same mutations behaved similarly. The PtdIns(3,4,5)P3 binding activity of two mutants was comparable to that of the wild‐type protein. These results suggest that translocation of SWAP‐70 largely depends on the activity of the PH domain, and that not only PtdIns(3,4,5)P3 binding activity, but also some additional activity of the PH domain is required for the translocation.
IUBMB Life, 59: 99‐103, 2007
Regulation of type II collagen expression by cyclin‐dependent kinase 6, cyclin D1, and p21 in articular chondrocytes
Authors: Hwang Sang‐Gu , Song Sung‐Min , Kim Jeong‐Ran , Park Chun‐Shik , Song Woo‐Keun , Chun Jang‐Soo
Published: March 2007

This study examined whether cell cycle regulatory proteins, such as cyclin‐dependent kinases (CDKs), cyclins, and CDK inhibitors, regulate type II collagen expression and mediate interlukin‐1 (IL‐1β)‐induced suppression of type II collagen expression in articular chondrocytes. IL‐1β inhibited type II collagen expression, but activated CDK6. Ectopic expression of CDK2 did not alter type II collagen expression. However, overexpression of CDK6 inhibited type II collagen expression, whereas inhibition of CDK6 activity blocked IL‐1β‐induced suppression of type II collagen expression. IL‐1β upregulated the expression of cyclin D1, which is known to activate CDK6. In turn, overexpression of cyclin D1 suppressed type II collagen expression. In contrast to cyclin D1, IL‐1β triggered down‐regulation of the CDK inhibitor, p21. Overexpression of p21 blocked IL‐1β‐ or CDK6‐induced suppression of type II collagen expression. Our results collectively indicate that CDK6/cyclin D1/p21 complex regulates type II collagen expression in articular chondrocytes.
IUBMB Life, 59: 90‐98, 2007