bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The GID1-Mediated Gibberellin Perception Mechanism Is Conserved in the Lycophyte Selaginella moellendorffii but Not in the Bryophyte Physcomitrella patens
Authors: Hirano Ko , Nakajima Masatoshi , Asano Kenji , Nishiyama Tomoaki , Sakakibara Hitoshi , Kojima Mikiko , Katoh Etsuko , Xiang Hongyu , Tanahashi Takako , Hasebe Mitsuyasu , Banks Jo Ann , Ashikari Motoyuki , Kitano Hidemi , Ueguchi-Tanaka Miyako , Matsuoka Makoto
Published: October 2007

In rice (Oryza sativa) and Arabidopsis thaliana, gibberellin (GA) signaling is mediated by GIBBERELLIN-INSENSITIVE DWARF1 (GID1) and DELLA proteins in collaboration with a GA-specific F-box protein. To explore when plants evolved the ability to perceive GA by the GID1/DELLA pathway, we examined these GA signaling components in the lycophyte Selaginella moellendorffii and the bryophyte Physcomitrella patens. An in silico search identified several homologs of GID1, DELLA, and GID2, a GA-specific F-box protein in rice, in both species. Sm GID1a and Sm GID1b, GID1 proteins from S. moellendorffii, showed GA binding activity in vitro and interacted with DELLA proteins from S. moellendorffii in a GA-dependent manner in yeast. Introduction of constitutively expressed Sm GID1a, Sm G1D1b, and Sm GID2a transgenes rescued the dwarf phenotype of rice gid1 and gid2 mutants. Furthermore, treatment with GA4, a major GA in S. moellendorffii, caused downregulation of Sm GID1b, Sm GA20 oxidase, and Sm GA3 oxidase and degradation of the Sm DELLA1 protein. These results demonstrate that the homologs of GID1, DELLA, and GID2 work in a similar manner in S. moellendorffii and in flowering plants. Biochemical studies revealed that Sm GID1s have different GA binding properties from GID1s in flowering plants. No evidence was found for the functional conservation of these genes in P. patens, indicating that GID1/DELLA-mediated GA signaling, if present, differs from that in vascular plants. Our results suggest that GID1/DELLA-mediated GA signaling appeared after the divergence of vascular plants from the moss lineage.
A Circadian Rhythm Set by Dusk Determines the Expression of FT Homologs and the Short-Day Photoperiodic Flowering Response in Pharbitis
Authors: Hayama Ryosuke , Agashe Bhavna , Luley Elisabeth , King Rod , Coupland George
Published: October 2007

Seasonal control of flowering through responsiveness to daylength shows extreme variation. Different species flower in response to long days or short days (SDs), and this difference evolved several times. The molecular mechanisms conferring these responses have been compared in detail only in Arabidopsis thaliana and rice (Oryza sativa) and suggest that a conserved pathway confers daylength responses through regulation of FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT) transcription by CONSTANS (CO). We studied Pharbitis (Ipomoea nil; formerly, Pharbitis nil), a widely used SD model species and a member of the Convolvulaceae, and showed using transgenic plants together with detailed expression analysis that two putative orthologs of FT (Pn FT1 and Pn FT2) promote flowering specifically under SDs. These genes are expressed only under SDs, and light flashes given during the night reduce their expression and prevent flowering. We demonstrate that in Pharbitis a circadian rhythm set by the light-to-dark transition at dusk regulates Pn FT expression, which rises only when the night is longer than 11 h. Furthermore, Pharbitis accessions that differ in their critical night-length responses express Pn FT at different times after dusk, demonstrating that natural genetic variation influencing the clock regulating Pn FT expression alters the flowering response. In these assays, Pn FT mRNA abundance was not related to Pn CO expression, suggesting that Pn FT may be regulated by a different transcription factor in Pharbitis. We conclude that SD response in Pharbitis is controlled by a dedicated light sensitive clock, set by dusk, that activates Pn FT transcription in darkness, a different mechanism for measuring daylength than described for Arabidopsis and rice.
Anion modulation of the 1H/2H exchange rates in backbone amide protons monitored by NMR spectroscopy
Authors: Tadeo Xavier , Castaño David , Millet Oscar
Published: October 2007

The ability of three anionic cosolutes (sulfate, thiocyanate, and chloride) in modulating the 1H/2H exchange rates for backbone amide protons has been investigated using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) for two different proteins: the IGg‐binding domain of protein L (ProtL) and the glucose–galactose‐binding protein (GGBP). Our results show that moderate anion concentrations (0.2 M–1 M) regulate the exchange rate following the Hofmeister series: Addition of thiocyanate increases the exchange rates for both proteins, while sulfate and chloride (to a less extent) slow down the exchange reaction. In the presence of the salt, no alteration of the protein structure and minimal variations in the number of measurable peaks are observed. Experiments with model compounds revealed that the unfolded state is modulated in an equivalent way by these cosolutes. For ProtL, the estimated values for the local free energy change upon salt addition (m3,ΔG) are consistent with the previously reported free energy contribution from the cosolute's preferential interaction/exclusion term indicating that nonspecific weak interactions between the anion and the amide groups constitute the dominant mechanism for the exchange‐rate modulation. The same trend is also found for GGBP in the presence of thiocyanate, underlining the generality of the exchange‐rate modulation mechanism, complementary to more investigated effects like the electrostatic interactions or specific anion binding to protein sites.
Atomic‐resolution crystal structure of the antiviral lectin scytovirin
Authors: Moulaei Tinoush , Botos Istvan , Ziółkowska Natasza E. , Bokesch Heidi R. , Krumpe Lauren R. , McKee Tawnya C. , O'Keefe Barry R. , Dauter Zbigniew , Wlodawer Alexander
Published: October 2007

The crystal structures of the natural and recombinant antiviral lectin scytovirin (SVN) were solved by single‐wavelength anomalous scattering and refined with data extending to 1.3 Å and 1.0 Å resolution, respectively. A molecule of SVN consists of a single chain 95 amino acids long, with an almost perfect sequence repeat that creates two very similar domains (RMS deviation 0.25 Å for 40 pairs of Cα atoms). The crystal structure differs significantly from a previously published NMR structure of the same protein, with the RMS deviations calculated separately for the N‐ and C‐terminal domains of 5.3 Å and 3.7 Å, respectively, and a very different relationship between the two domains. In addition, the disulfide bonding pattern of the crystal structures differs from that described in the previously published mass spectrometry and NMR studies.
Crystal structure of the kinase domain of serum and glucocorticoid‐regulated kinase 1 in complex with AMP–PNP
Authors: Zhao Baoguang , Lehr Ruth , Smallwood Angela M. , Ho Thau F. , Maley Kathleen , Randall Tanya , Head Martha S. , Koretke Kristin K. , Schnackenberg Christine G.
Published: October 2007

Serum and glucocorticoid‐regulated kinase 1 (SGK1) is a serine/threonine protein kinase of the AGC family which participates in the control of epithelial ion transport and is implicated in proliferation and apoptosis. We report here the 1.9 Å crystal structure of the catalytic domain of inactive human SGK1 in complex with AMP–PNP. SGK1 exists as a dimer formed by two intermolecular disulfide bonds between Cys258 in the activation loop and Cys193. Although most of the SGK1 structure closely resembles the common protein kinase fold, the structure around the active site is unique when compared to most protein kinases. The αC helix is not present in this inactive form of SGK1 crystal structure; instead, the segment corresponding to the C helix forms a β‐strand that is stabilized by the N‐terminal segment of the activation loop through a short antiparallel β‐sheet. Since the differences from other kinases occur around the ATP binding site, this structure can provide valuable insight into the design of selective and highly potent ATP‐competitive inhibitors of SGK1 kinase.
Effective hydraulic properties of layered soils at the lysimeter scale determined by inverse modelling
Authors: Durner W. , Jansen U. , Iden S. C.
Published: October 2007

The transferability of soil hydraulic properties measured in the laboratory to the field or catchment scale is a key problem in soil hydrology. To narrow the gap between laboratory and field scale we investigated soil water movement at the lysimeter scale. Specific questions of interest are the existence and uniqueness of effective hydraulic properties for lysimeters that are internally heterogeneous. To answer these questions, synthetic measurements of water contents, pressure heads, and fluxes across the system boundaries were generated by forward modelling of water flow, based on the Richards equation, for a variety of homogeneous and layered soils and under varying types of boundary conditions (multistep outflow, evaporation, transient atmospheric). We evaluated the measurements by inverse modelling assuming a homogeneous system. The globally convergent shuffled complex evolution algorithm was applied to avoid parameter estimation problems caused by a rough topology of the objective function. The hydraulic properties of homogeneous soils were always uniquely identified, not only for the classic multistep outflow and evaporation experiments but also under natural atmospheric boundary conditions. Moreover, for the weakly heterogeneous layered soils, the soil water dynamics could be well described with effective homogeneous properties. For highly heterogeneous, layered soils, it was still possible to match the boundary fluxes for all types of experiments. Internal system states could not be matched, however, and the properties identified depended on the type of experiment. For these soils no unique effective soil hydraulic properties exist. We found that for strongly layered soils the simultaneous determination of the hydraulic properties of multiple soil layers by inverse modelling is a practicable alternative to the description with effective parameters.
Correlation between anal manometry and endosonography in females with faecal incontinence
Authors: Titi M. A. , Jenkins J. T. , Urie A. , Molloy R. G.
Published: October 2007

Objective  Female faecal incontinence (FI) is largely because of sphincter injury at childbirth. Sphincter assessment aims to identify surgically correctable defects. We aimed to identify endoanal ultrasonography (EAUS) parameters that correlate with sphincter function.

Method  One hundred females with FI and 28 healthy asymptomatic females were prospectively assessed. Wexner FI score was recorded and all subjects underwent anorectal manometry and EAUS. Multiple EAUS parameters were assessed and correlated with external (EAS) and internal (IAS) anal sphincter function, determined by maximum squeeze pressure (MSP) and maximum resting pressure (MRP) respectively. Parameters included sphincter quality (echogenicity), thickness, perineal body thickness (PBT) and defect characteristics (angle, length). Results are expressed as medians and interquartile range (IQR).

Results  Median Wexner score was 14 (12–17). Maximum EAS thickness significantly correlated with MSP (P = 0.019). EAS defects were detected in 84 patients and seven controls (P < 0.0001). Full‐length EAS defects were only detected in FI group and had significantly lower MSP [MSP mmHg: full length 85 (65–103) vs partial length 119 (75–155), P = 0.006]. FI patients were more likely to have a mixed echogenicity of EAS compared with controls. EAS ring quality, PBT and defect angle were not significant. IAS quality was significantly associated with MRP [MRP mmHg: uniform 62 (43–82) vs mixed 47 (30.5–57.5), P = 0.002].

Conclusion  Certain EAUS parameters can be predictive of anal sphincter function. These include the presence of an EAS defect and its length, EAS maximum thickness, IAS ring quality. Integration of these parameters can give better EAUS correlation with manometry for FI evaluation.
Nutrition and the skin
Authors: VICKERS H. R.
Published: October 2007

The skin is influenced by the whole body and any disease affecting the body also affects the skin to a greater or less extent. Although the state of nutrition of the individual therefore is reflected in the skin, owing to the great variations of individual reaction to given stimuli, it is very difficult to enumerate specific skin changes resulting from dietetic causes. This has been discussed with special reference to vitamin deficiencies and abnormalities of food absorption.
Nutrition and cancer The role of nutrition in the causation of cancer
Authors: HILL MICHAEL
Published: October 2007

A link between diet and cancer of a number of varied sites has been observed. The link is probably best documented in colorectal cancer; a plausible mechanism has been proposed and has been tested. A group of hormone‐related cancers have been correlated with dietary fat. A group of tobacco‐related cancers have also been related to dietary fat, presumably by a different mechanism. Some cancers have been related to alcohol consumption whilst others have been associated with malnutrition in general.

This is not, therefore, a homogeneous picture but shows a varied role of diet in disease. It will have been noted that most of these dietary related cancers are diseases of affluence and are associated with ‘overnutrition’. The same diet, however, is associated with low infant mortality and appears to be protective against the more severe effect of virus infections.

It may be, therefore, that we should not be hasty in modifying our diet and should first ensure that the benefits that accrue from our current diet are not lost in the change.
Breads brown and wholemeal
Authors: COLLINS T. H. , FISHER N. , KNIGHT R. A.
Published: October 2007

In recent years the hypothesis has gained credence that many ills can be alleviated or eliminated through the regular and daily consumption of wholemeal or brown breads. The classification of different flours and breads is briefly described and the application of the current Bread and Flour Regulations to them is outlined.

The nutrient contents of brown, germ and wholemeal breads are summarised and problems relating to the interpretation of analyses of crude fibre and dietary fibre are discussed. Attention is drawn to the variation in composition of samples of wheat from different parts of the cduntry.

In 1957, 92.3 per cent of the bread consumed was white. Since then this proportion has declined, in favour of wholemeal and brown breads, to 82.2 per cent in 1981. Although this change, in relative terms, is large, the fact remains that white bread is still dominant. At least part of the reason for this is related to characteristics of the breads themselves. The causes of difference in consumer appeal are described and also the changes in legislation which will be necessary to allow the full exploitation of the results of current research to improve the eating qualities of wholemeal and brown breads.
‘Desirable’ weight
Authors: GARROW J. S.
Published: October 2007

It has been known for many years that people who were much more than average weight for height tended to die young, and life insurance guidelines indicated that even average weight was a bit too much. In the last ten years there have been considerable advances in techniques for distinguishing between people who are overweight because they are too fat from those who are merely very muscular, and there have also been new surveys relating weight‐for‐height to mortality both among people taking out life insurance and in less selected populations.

The new data confirm that the great majority of people who are significantly overweight are in fact too fat, and that they are prone to a variety of killing and disabling diseases. However the idea that there is an ‘ideal’ weight for a given individual is no longer tenable: the best guide is a range of weight for a given height, and subdivisions of people by frame size to narrow the desirable range of weight has no sound foundation. The newest life insurance guidelines suggest heavier desirable weight for women and short men than the old 1959 standards, but high mortality among thin people is at least partly associated with cigarette smoking.

The desirable weight for men and women according to the latest actuarial data happens to coincide with the aesthetically desirable weight portrayed by the great painters of the Renaissance.
Are the risks of eating worthwhile?
Authors: CONNING D. M.
Published: October 2007

A talk given to sixth formers at a meeting of the North of England Branch of the Institute of Food Science and Technology
Mutagens in Foods
Authors: LODGE DAWN C. , DANIEL W.
Published: October 2007

The application of short‐term tests, particularly those involving the use of bacteria, has demonstrated the presence in foods of several hundred chemicals with mutagenic activity. The pyrolysis of proteins (heating above 30(fC) and the reaction at lower temperatures between carbohydrates and amino‐acids has been shown to result in the formation of a range of potent mutagens. Despite the fact that substances identified as mutagens in short‐term tests are usually carcinogens in animal feeding tests, the value of short‐term tests for predicting human health hazards remains problematical. Foods contain a variety of substances that protect against the effects of some carcinogens and a rational perspective is required when attempting to assess the risk associated with the low levels of mutagens in foods.
Nutrient content of the UK food supplies since 1980
Authors: WENLOCK R. W. , BUSS D. H.
Published: October 2007

Changes in the estimates of the nutrient content of the total food supplies since 1980 are reported. The reasons for these changes and the trends which emerge are discussed.
Changes in body composition during weight loss
Authors: MACDONALD I.
Published: October 2007

Studies based on conditions found in World War II and on the “Minnesota” project show that a reduced intake of energy not only reduces the amount of body fat but also (with the exception of the brain and of bones) all organs are affected to varying degrees. Body water loss is followed by water retention and, during recovery from reduced energy intake, the body fat content increases above pre‐diet levels before returning to normal.
Dietary fibre, fish and blood lipids
Authors: FEHILY ANN M.
Published: October 2007

The effects of dietary fibre and fish consumption on the concentration of the components of blood lipids are discussed. Fibres such as pectin, guar gum and rolled oats reduce serum cholesterol and low density lipoprotein cholesterol, whereas cellulose and wheat bran do not. Fish or fish oils reduce plasma triglyceride concentration, but dietary fibre has no effect. Fish oils may also reduce serum cholesterol and increase high density lipoprotein cholesterol, but these effects are less well defined.
The impact of biotechnology on Africa
Authors: Muller H. G.
Published: October 2007

The following account is based on a lecture given at the invitation of the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation at the Organisation of African Unity/Economic Commission for Africa expert group meeting on the implication of New Technologies for the Lagos Plan of Action, in Mbabane, Swaziland, 22–26 October 1984.
Aspects of dietary survey methodology
Authors: BINGHAM SHEILA
Published: October 2007

The measurement of the dietary intake of individuals is one of the prime requisites of the nutritional sciences. However, considerable care is needed in the use of various methods for assessing dietary intake in order to avoid the substantial errors that can be introduced. The sources and magnitude of errors associated with each stage of dietary assessment are reviewed and their implications for the testing of hypotheses concerning diet and disease in free living individuals is discussed.
Trends in the consumption of red meat and poultry—nutritional implications
Authors: HAZELL T. , SOUTHGATE D. A. T.
Published: October 2007

Meat, both red and poultry, is regarded by most people as an integral part of an acceptable and nutritious diet. All meats contribute protein of high biological value to the diet and in addition contribute significantly to the intake of essential vitamins and minerals. Over the last 30years total meat consumption has risen, with a remarkable increase in the consumption of poultry. The composition of poultry meat is significantly different from red meat in respect of several nutrients and thus changes in the pattern of consumption are likely to have some effects on the supply of nutrients.

Recent recommendations for a reduction in the consumption of animal products are based on epidemiological evidence that increased consumption is associated with increased incidence of coronary heart disease and some cancers. In this respect the selection of meats lower in saturated fats and cholesterol may be desirable. However, the future role of meats in the diet will probably be determined more by economic factors of a world‐wide nature, and meat will continue to be regarded as a highly esteemed part of our diet.
Factors affecting the composition of cow's milk
Authors: GURR M. I.
Published: October 2007

Fat is by far the biggest contributor to the variations in total solids content of milk caused by dietary change. There is a progressive fall in milk fat concentration as the ratio of concentrates to fibrous feed is increased. The overall effects of diet on milk fat yield may be quite small since decreases in fat content tend to be counter balanced by increases in total milk yield. Manipulating the protein content of the diet in a range appropriate to practical feeding systems does not significantly affect milk fat content, although change can be achieved under experimental conditions. Including fat supplements in the diet of dairy cattle can affect both the amount and composition of fatty acids in milk. Any strategy that leads to a reduction in the ratio of lipogenic to gluconeogenic volatile fatty acids in the rumen is likely to result in a significant reduction in milk fat content.

While it is feasible to modify fat content and composition over a wide range, protein concentration varies less than 10 per cent in response to dietary change.

Lactose, the major osmotically active component of milk, plays a vital role in determining the volume of milk secreted. It follows that the concentration of lactose in milk is relatively constant and unaffected by diet, although severe underfeeding may result in a low lactose concentration.
Essential fatty acids
Authors: GARTON G. A.
Published: October 2007

For a fatty acid to be an essential component of an animal's diet it must fulfil two criteria, namely (1) it cannot be synthesised in the body and (2) it, or a metabolic derivative, is necessary for normal growth and physiological integrity. The extent to which linoleic acid and linolenic acid accord with these criteria is considered, particularly in relation to cell membrane structure, cholesterol transport, and the production of prostaglandins and other hormone‐like substances. It is concluded that linoleic acid is an essential fatty acid for mammals (including man) and that some, if not all, fish require dietary linolenic acid. There is some evidence that mammals may have a requirement for linolenic acid.

Providing the food contains linoleic acid in amount sufficient for growth and the normal metabolic needs of man and other mammals, there is probably no dietary requirement for any of its derivatives (for example, arachidonic acid), except in unusual circumstances. Such circumstances include physiologically‐induced or inherent deficiency, or partial deficiency, of enzymes necessary for the metabolism of linoleic acid.
One man and his diet–Extracts from the British Nutrition Foundation Annual Lecture 1985
Authors: MARR JEAN
Published: October 2007

Linking nutritional factors to medical conditions involves the assessment of dietary intakes of individuals, but the development of a much needed valid short cut method has proved somewhat intractable.

In relating the diet of individuals to the development of coronary heart disease, for example, different approaches have been used. Metabolic studies have indicated the importance of a high ratio of polyunsaturated fatty acids to saturated fatty acids in the diet ‐ to lower blood cholesterol levels. Intervention studies based on high P/S ratios followed. Most prospective studies have shown the importance of energy intake in relation to the development of CHD.

Recommendations have been based on between‐country data rather than on individual dietary data. The DHSS COMA report of 1984 identified several risk factors including insufficient physical activity.

The Joint Advisory Committee on Nutrition Education took up the challenge made by the COMA committee that “Means should be found to educate the general population of the UK in habits of eating and physical activity that will minimize the risk of cardiovascular disease and of obesity”.

The publication by the BNF and HEC, “Eating for a Healthier Heart”, seeks to do this by stimulating interest in food and by the understanding of balance, both in output and intake and within intake of foods necessary for health.
Vitamin A and human cancer
Authors: TYLER HAZEL A.
Published: October 2007

In recent years there has been considerable interest in the possibility that preformed vitamin A (retinol) or its precursors (carotenoids) protect against human cancer. Some synthetic analogues of vitamin A (retinoids) have been shown to prevent certain carcinogen‐induced tumours in experimental animals. Case/control and prospective epidemiological studies in man have found that risk of cancer, including lung, gastrointestinal and bladder cancer is inversely related to estimates of dietary vitamin A intake. In most of the studies the estimates of vitamin A intake were crude and probably more closely reflectβ‐carotene intake than total vitamin A intake. This has led to the suggestion thatβ‐carotene may be a protective factor.

Serum retinol and carotenoid concentrations are frequently reduced in cancer. This appears to be largely a consequence of cancer. Patients with advanced disease have lower serum concentrations than those with early disease. Furthermore, recent prospective studies have failed to find low serum retinol, at the time of the study, in people who subsequently developed cancer. Liver retinol reserves are similar in cancer and several other disease stales.
Dietary salt and hypertension
Authors: COTTRELL R. C.
Published: October 2007

This article reviews the evidence that has led to the conclusion that overconsumption of dietary salt is causing raised blood pressure in many individuals within the UK population. Of the various strands of evidence, however, none is reliably interpretable to provide clear guidance to ordinary individuals. Experiments with animals and hypertensive patients are particularly suspect as evidence on which to base dietary guidelines for the general population. While broad generalisations can be deduced concerning the range of intakes within which a safe and adequate consumption level for salt must lie, more precise guidance must await further careful research.
Sucrose in baked products
Authors: LINDLEY M. G.
Published: October 2007

Baked products can be made without the use of sucrose, but sucrose certainly allows the baker to fully demonstrate the range of his expertise in generating variety of texture and flavour. Sweetness, and its influence on consumer acceptability, is obviously very important to products in this food market sector, but it is sucrose's versatile functionality, exemplified by crystallinity, solubility, and water holding capacity which is crucially important to its very widespread use. Alternatives to sucrose may be used in some circumstances, but their use would add to the complexity of manufacture and cost of products in the baked goods sector.
Trans fatty acids — Determination in food fats
Authors: JORDAN M. A.
Published: October 2007

Trans fatty acids are formed during the catalytic hydrogenation of animal and vegetable oils and occur naturally in dairy and ruminant tissue fats. Numerous studies have been made of the physiological effects of these acids.1 Recently, the COMA report on “Diet and Cardiovascular Disease”2 recommended the inclusion of a combined trans and saturated fatty acid contents in labelling of fatty foods. The analysis of trans fatty acids in widely differing food fats is by no means straightforward and the choice of analytical method needs careful consideration. Techniques including infrared spectroscopy, gas chromatography and argentation chromatography are described in this review. The infrared technique is the most suitable for labelling purposes, being rapid, simple, reproducible and applicable to all food fats including those containing hydrogenated fish oils. It is suggested that the IUPA C Official Method3 should be specified in any labelling regulations to ensure the reliability of the data and to facilitate comparison of figures produced by different laboratories.
The natural gums
Authors: ANDERSON DOUGLAS M. W.
Published: October 2007

Gums arabic, tragacanth and karaya can be regarded as natural forms of soluble dietary fibre, with long histories of safe use in food and pharmaceutical formulations. This article summarises the toxicological evidence for their safety as food additives and indicates some dietary aspects of current interest.
Resistant starch — A controversial component of “dietary fibre”
Authors: BERRY COLIN S.
Published: October 2007

Whilst “resistant starch” has both the analytical and, arguably the physiological properties of “dietary fibre”, detailed aspects of its properties have been cited as reasons for excluding it from total fibre for labelling purposes. Do these difficulties add up to a damning indictment or not? A protagonist of one side of the argument throws some new light on the properties of resistant starch, and invites readers to draw their own conclusions.
Food and dental caries — recent developments on testing the cariogenic potential of foods
Authors: CURZON MARTIN E.J.
Published: October 2007

Recent dental research has shown that several methods can measure the ability of a food to promote dental caries and the results have been expressed as a Cariogenic Potential Index (CPI). As more foods are tested, individuals at risk can be counselled to enable them to select those least likely to give rise to decay. Available data show that items of low cariogenic potential include dairy foods. Those of high cariogenic potential include dried fruits, granola cereals and foods high in sugars. The glucose content and fluoride content of foods have been shown to be major predictors of potential cariogenicity.
Energy density of Third World weaning foods
Authors: WALKER ANN F. , PAVITT FIONA
Published: October 2007

In the Third World, weaning foods made from cereals tend to be gruels of low energy density which cannot be consumed by weanlings in quantities adequate to provide energy needs. Raising the energy density by increasing the solid content produces unacceptably viscous results. Addition of fats and oils raises the energy density but may jeopardize protein intake. The use of germinating seeds and fermentation are traditional techniques which can play a useful role in reducing viscosity. The addition of enzyme to hydrolyse starch is a technical solution which can readily be incorporated into traditional techniques at village level. Extrusion processing, while successful in producing a less viscous gruel, is too sophisticated for small scale processing.
Plant pigments for colouring food
Authors: TIMBERLAKE COLIN F.
Published: October 2007

During the past few years the food industry has had to adapt to using natural pigments in many foods and beverages in place of artificial colouring materials. This change has been coupled with overall reduced colour intensity of many products in favour of softer pastel shades. This article describes some of the natural extracts which are used and shows how their limitations can be overcome in many instances. The use of natural colours in the European food industry is extensive and all classes of foods are currently being produced containing such colours.
Curing and smoking
Authors: HOLMES ALAN
Published: October 2007

Curing and smoking are ancient methods of food preservation in which the combined microbial inhibitory effect of reduced water content and curing salts/smoke is accompanied by characteristic flavour and colour change. This paper describes the development of our understanding of the chemical changes and microbial stability on which the modern industry is based.

Cured and smoked foods may contain undesirable components, but which are minimised by modern techniques. Ascorbic acid reduces the possibility of the formation of nitrosamines from nitrite in cured products. Carcinogens naturally present in wood smoke can be reduced by condensation and fractional distillation to produce a ‘liquid smoke’.
Canola Oil
Authors: ESKIN N. A. M. , McDONALD B. E.
Published: October 2007

Canola oil is a low erucic acid rapeseed oil which is now Canada's third most important crop. The low‐linolenate variety of Canola is stable to high frying temperatures and has a bland odour. It is also used in salad oils, and blended with other oils, in margarines and shortenings. Possible health benefits could be provided by canola's relatively high content of oleic and linolenic acids and by its favourable linoleate/linolenate ratio.
The Human Nutrition Research Forum
Authors: ASHWELL MARGARET
Published: October 2007

The Human Nutrition Research Forum was established in 1990 as a joint initiative of the Medical Research Council (MRC) and the Agricultural and Food Research Council (AFRC) with the British Nutrition Foundation performing the Secretariat function. Participating organisations have been drawn from the public sector research base and the food industry. A liaison machinery has thus been set up to help develop awareness of prioritised nutrition research issues and their wider implications.
Sweet potato revisited
Authors: WOOLFE JENNIFER A.
Published: October 2007

In Britain, the sweet potato is a new and exotic addition to the variety of vegetables on offer in retail outlets. However, elsewhere, especially in tropical developing countries, it has been a safeguard against hunger for centuries. The good nutritional qualities and range of sensory characteristics of the sweet potato are now being re‐explored on an international level with a view to development and promotion of the crop and its processed food products in both developed and developing countries.
Salmonella in eggs
Authors: Kinderlerer Judith L
Published: October 2007

The report Salmonella in Eggs by the Advisory Committee on the Microbiological Safety of Foods (ACMSF) considered the scientific and epidemiological evidence up to 1992. Salmonella enteritidis phage type 4 is the most prevalent type of salmonella causing food poisoning in the UK. Microbiological and epidemiological evidence in the UK and abroad has shown a strong association between food poisoning caused by Salmonella enteritidis and the consumption of eggs and poultry.

The ACMSF made recommendations on methods available to the poultry industry, the catering industry and the consumer on how to prevent food poisoning resulting from the consumption of eggs. These include eating eggs within three weeks, and storing them, whether in the home or by caterers, in a refrigerator at 8°C. Eggs must be stored at, and transported within, a system not exceeding 20°C which avoids excessive temperature fluctuations. The use of pasteurised liquid egg should be promoted as a replacement for raw eggs in dishes which traditionally have included raw egg, particularly in those not subject to further cooking prior to consumption. The Committee recommended improving hygiene in the poultry industry and that the industry (including those distributing and retailing egg products) should draw up a code of practice for the handling and storage of eggs. Once more the need for education and training was stressed.
Stimulating thoughts: caffeine and food
Authors: Chan Dr Wynnie
Published: October 2007

The British Nutrition Foundation held an afternoon seminar on the 6th May 1998 at the National Heart and Lung Institute in London to discuss the topic ‘Stimulating Thoughts: Caffeine and Food’
Subsampling Variance Estimation for Non‐stationary Spatial Lattice Data
Authors: EKSTRÖM MAGNUS
Published: October 2007

ABSTRACT. Most proposed subsampling and resampling methods in the literature assume stationary data. In many empirical applications, however, the hypothesis of stationarity can easily be rejected. In this paper, we demonstrate that moment and variance estimators based on the subsampling methodology can also be employed for different types of non‐stationarity data. Consistency of estimators are demonstrated under mild moment and mixing conditions. Rates of convergence are provided, giving guidance for the appropriate choice of subshape size. Results from a small simulation study on finite‐sample properties are also reported.
Dearth and the English revolution: the harvest crisis of 1647–50
Authors: HINDLE STEVE
Published: October 2007

This article reconstructs the nature and scale of dearth in the late 1640s, emphasizing the coincidence of economic distress with constitutional crisis. It reconsiders the parish register evidence for subsistence crisis; examines the responses of central and local government; analyses the role of popular agency, especially though petitioning campaigns, in prompting reluctant magistrates to regulate the grain markets along lines stipulated by the late Elizabethan and early Stuart dearth orders, which had not been proclaimed since 1630; and accordingly suggests that the late 1640s represents a missing link in the historiography of responses to harvest failure.
Disproportionate and Discriminatory: Reviewing the Evidence on Police Stop and Search
Authors: Bowling Ben , Phillips Coretta
Published: October 2007

Eight years after the Lawrence Inquiry, the question of police powers to stop and search people in public places remains at the forefront of debate about police community relations. Police are empowered to stop and search citizens under a wide range of legislative acts and the power is employed daily across Britain. Far from laying the debate to rest, the Lawrence Inquiry prompted new research studies and fresh theories to explain the official statistics. We argue that the statistics show that the use of the powers against black people is disproportionate and that this is an indication of unlawful racial discrimination. If stop and search powers cannot be effectively regulated – and it seems that they cannot – then their continued use is unjustified and should be curtailed.
Pelvic floor disorders 4 years after first delivery: a comparative study of restrictive versus systematic episiotomy
Authors: Fritel X , Schaal JP , Fauconnier A , Bertrand V , Levet C , Pigné A
Published: October 2007

Objective  To compare two policies for episiotomy: restrictive and systematic.

Design  Quasi‐randomised comparative study.

Setting  Two French university hospitals with contrasting policies for episiotomy: one using episiotomy restrictively and the second routinely.

Population  Seven hundred and seventy‐four nulliparous women delivered during 1996 of a singleton in cephalic presentation at a term of 37–41 weeks.

Methods  A questionnaire was mailed 4 years after delivery. Sample size was calculated to allow us to show a 10% difference in the prevalence of urinary incontinence with 80% power.

Main outcome measures  Urinary incontinence, anal incontinence, perineal pain, and pain during intercourse.

Results  We received 627 responses (81%), 320 from women delivered under the restrictive policy, 307 from women delivered under the routine policy. In the restrictive group, 186 (49%) deliveries included mediolateral episiotomies and in the routine group, 348 (88%). Four years after the first delivery, there was no difference in the prevalence of urinary incontinence (26 versus 32%), perineal pain (6 versus 8%), or pain during intercourse (18 versus 21%) between the two groups. Anal incontinence was less prevalent in the restrictive group (11 versus 16%). The difference was significant for flatus (8 versus 13%) but not for faecal incontinence (3% for both groups). Logistic regression confirmed that a policy of routine episiotomy was associated with a risk of anal incontinence nearly twice as high as the risk associated with a restrictive policy (OR = 1.84, 95% CI: 1.05–3.22).

Conclusions  A policy of routine episiotomy does not protect against urinary or anal incontinence 4 years after first delivery.
Tension‐free vaginal tape versus colposuspension for primary urodynamic stress incontinence: 5‐year follow up
Authors: Ward KL , Hilton P ,   UK and Ireland TVT Trial Group
Published: October 2007

Objective  To compare the long‐term outcomes of tension‐free vaginal tape (TVT) and colposuspension as primary treatment for stress incontinence.

Study design  Multicentre randomised controlled trial.

Setting  Secondary and tertiary care gynaecology, urology and urogynaecology departments in 14 centres in the UK and Eire.

Population  Women with urodynamically confirmed stress incontinence and who had previously failed to respond to conservative treatment were invited to participate.

Methods  Three hundred and forty‐four women were randomised; 175 to TVT and 169 to colposuspension. This paper reports the 5‐year outcomes.

Main outcome measures  The primary outcome at 5 years was a 1‐hour perineal pad test; other outcomes included clinical examination, Short Form‐36 (SF‐36) health status and Bristol Female Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms (BFLUTS) questionnaires.

Results  A negative 1‐hour pad test was recorded in 58/72 (81%) women in the TVT group and 44/49 (90%) in the colposuspension group (P= 0.21, Fisher’s exact test) at 5 years. There was an increase in enterocoele and rectocele in the colposuspension group; three late tape complications were seen in the TVT group.

Conclusion  This study did not detect a significant difference between TVT and colposuspension for the cure of stress incontinence at 5 years. The effect of both procedures on cure of incontinence and improvement in quality of life is maintained in the long term. Vault and posterior vaginal wall prolapse are seen more commonly after colposuspension. Tape erosion may occur several years after surgery.
Polymorphic nuclear microsatellite loci for studies of brown crab, Cancer pagurus L.
Authors: MCKEOWN NIALL J. , SHAW PAUL W.
Published: October 2007

Twelve polymorphic microsatellite DNA loci were isolated from the brown crab, Cancer pagurus L., by construction of microsatellite‐enriched genomic libraries. Genotyping of 40 individuals from Norfolk (UK) revealed variable levels of locus polymorphism with an average of 7.75 alleles per locus (range 2–22). The observed and expected heterozygosities per locus ranged from 0.025 to 0.868 and from 0.025 to 0.947, respectively. No evidence of linkage disequilibrium was detected between pairs of loci and genotype proportions at all loci conformed to Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium expectations. The microsatellite loci developed constitute a suite of genetic markers applicable to numerous areas of C. pagurus research.
create: a software to create input files from diploid genotypic data for 52 genetic software programs
Authors: COOMBS J. A. , LETCHER B. H. , NISLOW K. H.
Published: October 2007

create is a Windows program for the creation of new and conversion of existing data input files for 52 genetic data analysis software programs. Programs are grouped into areas of sibship reconstruction, parentage assignment, genetic data analysis, and specialized applications. create is able to read in data from text, Microsoft Excel and Access sources and allows the user to specify columns containing individual and population identifiers, birth and death data, sex data, relationship information, and spatial location data. create's only constraints on source data are that one individual is contained in one row, and the genotypic data is contiguous. create is available for download at http://www.lsc.usgs.gov/CAFL/Ecology/Software.html.
TO TELL OR NOT TO TELL: HIV DISCLOSURE TO FAMILY MEMBERS IN CHINA
Authors: LI LI , LIN CHUNQING , WU ZUNYOU , LORD LYNWOOD , WU SHENG
Published: October 2007

Laws in China relating to HIV disclosure are inconsistent. After a patient has tested HIV‐positive, service providers struggle to decide who should be informed first: patients, family members, or both. To understand service providers' attitudes and practices regarding the HIV notification process in China, 1101 service providers from a southwestern province of China were surveyed. Opinions were gathered from providers at five different levels of health care facilities (provincial, city, county, township and village). A mixed methods approach was used to analyze perceptions of informing family members of a patient's HIV status. Quantitative analysis was used to examine whether providers held a favorable attitude toward notifying family members first and qualitative analysis was used to explore the reasons and consequences of notifying family members first. Nearly half of service providers felt family members should be informed of a patient's HIV status first. Providers who were older, had contact with HIV patients, or had less medical education were more likely to agree with a family‐first notification practice. Psychological pressure, concern about protecting family members, the need for family support, and consideration for local regulations were cited as the main reasons for this practice. There is an immediate need to re‐examine HIV notification policies so that there are consistent guidelines and procedures for providers throughout China.
Cost‐Utility Analysis to Control Campylobacter on Chicken Meat—Dealing with Data Limitations
Authors: Mangen Marie‐Josée J. , Havelaar Arie H. , Poppe Krijn P. , De Wit G. Ardine ,   the CARMA Project Team
Published: October 2007

The current article describes the economic evaluation of interventions to control Campylobacter on chicken meat by means of a cost‐utility analysis. Apart from the methodology used, the main focus of this article is on data gaps and assumptions made, and their impact on results and conclusions. The direct intervention costs, the relative risk, the disease burden (expressed in disability‐adjusted life years (DALYs)), and the costs of illness for the various interventions are necessary inputs for the cost‐utility analysis. The cost‐utility ratio (CUR)—the measure for efficiency—is expressed in net costs per avoided DALY. Most data gaps were of a biological order, but for some interventions, information on costs was also scarce. As a consequence, assumptions had to be made, which had some impact on the estimated CUR. A higher (lower) incidence of Campylobacter infections associated with chicken meat, higher (lower) effectiveness, and lower (higher) intervention costs, respectively, would result in absolute better (worse) CUR estimates. By taking the perspective of all consumers eating Dutch chicken meat, rather than only the Dutch society, absolute better CUR estimates could be obtained. Indirect costs or a shift toward non‐Dutch chicken meat would both result in higher CUR estimates. Despite the assumptions made, three interventions showed for most of the applied sensitivity analyses relatively favorable CUR estimates: limiting fecal leakage during processing, carcass decontamination by dipping in a chemical solution, and the phage therapy. However, all three do have some clauses.