bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
α2‐Adrenoceptor subtypes involved in the regulation of catecholamine release from the adrenal medulla of mice
Authors: Moura E , Afonso J , Hein L , Vieira‐Coelho M A
Published: October 2006

Background and purpose:

This study was carried out to elucidate which α2‐adrenoceptor subtypes mediated the inhibition of noradrenaline and adrenaline release from the adrenal medulla of mice.

Experimental approach:

Isolated adrenal medullae from wild‐type and α2A, α2B and α2C‐adrenoceptor knockout (KO) mice were placed in superfusion chambers. Catecholamine overflow was evoked by 1,1‐dimethyl‐4‐phenylpiperazinium (500 μM) in absence or in presence of the α2‐adrenoceptor agonist medetomidine. The effect of medetomidine was tested in presence of the α‐adrenoceptor antagonists rauwolscine, WB 4101, spiroxatrine, phentolamine and prazosin.

Key results:

In wild‐type mice, medetomidine reduced noradrenaline and adrenaline overflow in a concentration‐dependent manner (EC50 in nM: 1.54 and 1.92; Emax in % of inhibition: 91 and 94, for noradrenaline and adrenaline, respectively). The pK
D values of the antagonists for noradrenaline overflow did not correlate with pKD values at α2A, α2B, or α2C binding sites. The pK
D values of the antagonists for adrenaline overflow correlated positively with pKD values at α2C binding sites (opossum kidney cells). The effect of medetomidine (100 nM) on noradrenaline overflow was significantly reduced in all three α2KO mice (57, 54, 44 % inhibition, for α2A, α2B, and α2C, respectively), whereas the effect of medetomidine on adrenaline overflow was greatly reduced in α2CKO mice (14 % inhibition).

Conclusions and implications:

In the adrenal medulla of mice, all three α2‐adrenoceptor subtypes (α2A, α2B, and α2C) play an equal role in the inhibition of noradrenaline overflow, whereas the α2C‐adrenoceptor is the predominant α2‐adrenoceptor subtype involved in the inhibitory mechanism controlling adrenaline overflow.

British Journal of Pharmacology (2006) 149, 1049–1058. doi:10.1038/sj.bjp.0706950 Published online 30 October 2006
High-throughput charge exchange recombination spectroscopy system on MAST
Authors: Conway N. J. , Carolan P. G. , McCone J. , Walsh M. J. , Wisse M.
Published: October 2006

A major upgrade to the charge exchange recombination spectroscopy system on MAST has recently been implemented. The new system consists of a high-throughput spectrometer coupled to a total of 224 spatial channels, including toroidal and poloidal views of both neutral heating beams on MAST. Radial resolution is ∼1cm, comparable to the ion Larmor radius. The toroidal views are configured with 64 channels per beam, while the poloidal views have 32 channels per beam. Background channels for both poloidal and toroidal views are also provided. A large transmission grating is at the heart of the new spectrometer, with high quality single lens reflex lenses providing excellent imaging performance and permitting the full exploitation of the available etendue of the camera sensor. The charge-coupled device camera chosen has four-tap readout at a maximum aggregate speed of 8.8MHz, and it is capable of reading out the full set of 224 channels in less than 4ms. The system normally operates at 529nm, viewing the C5+ emission line, but can operate at any wavelength in the range of 400–700nm. Results from operating the system on MAST are shown, including impurity ion temperature and velocity profiles. The system’s excellent spatial resolution is ideal for the study of transport barrier phenomena on MAST, an activity which has already been advanced significantly by data from the new diagnostic.
Optical tweezers for force measurements on DNA in nanopores
Authors: Keyser U. F. , van der Does J. , Dekker C. , Dekker N. H.
Published: October 2006

We demonstrate the means to integrate two powerful and widely used single-molecule techniques, viz., optical tweezers and solid-state nanopores. This setup permits simultaneous spatial sampling and high-resolution force measurements of nucleic acids and proteins. First, we demonstrate the rapid spatial localization of nanopores using our custom-built inverted microscope and ionic current measurements. This is made possible by including a specialized flow cell for silicon-based nanopores with an optical window for a high-numerical aperture microscope. Subsequently, we can insert individual DNA molecules into a single nanopore and arrest the DNA during voltage-driven translocation. To detect the position of the trapped particle in the optical trap with high accuracy in the presence of the nanopore, the optical tweezers uses reflected light from the bead for detection. Consequently, we can use our setup to directly determine the force on a DNA molecule in a solid-state nanopore. Finally, we suggest a number of new experiments that become possible with this unique technique.
Optical and structural properties of polycrystalline 3C-SiC films
Authors: Haddad-Adel A. , Inokuma T. , Kurata Y. , Hasegawa S.
Published: October 2006

In this letter, polycrystalline 3C-SiC (111) films were deposited by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition system at a temperature of 670°C using a gas mixture of SiH4∕CH4∕H2∕(CF4). The optical properties of deposited films with different feed gases and different structures were investigated. In these studies, a broad photoluminescence band was observed for films with lower crystallinity and the radiative transitions between the conduction and valance band tails were suggested as the origin of the observed peak. The band gap of these polycrystalline SiC films was estimated at around 2.10eV.
Evidences of F-induced nanobubbles as sink for self-interstitials in Si
Authors: Boninelli S. , Claverie A. , Impellizzeri G. , Mirabella S. , Priolo F. , Napolitani E. , Cristiano F.
Published: October 2006

The beneficial effects of F implantation on the modification of extended defects in Si have been studied. Preamorphized Si samples were implanted with F (75keV, 6×1015F∕cm2) and regrown by solid phase epitaxy (SPE) at 700°C. The formation, just after SPE, of a band of bubbles overlapping the F enriched region has been evidenced, clearly demonstrating the formation of F-vacancy (V) complexes with determined stoichiometry. Moreover, the authors demonstrate that these F-V complexes inhibit the formation of extended defects, acting as efficient traps for Si interstitials. These results represent a promising route toward point defects engineering in microelectronic application.
Quantitative theory for the imaging of conducting objects in electrostatic force microscopy
Authors: Sacha G. M. , Gómez-Navarro C. , Sáenz J. J. , Gómez-Herrero J.
Published: October 2006

A theoretical method for the imaging of metallic objects in electrostatic force microscopy is presented. The technique, based on the generalized image charge method, includes intrinsically the mutual polarization between the tip, the sample, and the metallic objects. Taking also into account the cantilever and macroscopic shape of the tip, the theory gives us a quantitative value for the electrostatic interaction between the tip and the objects over the surface. Experimental data of frequency shifts in an oscillating tip induced by grounded and isolated nanotubes are analyzed finding an excellent quantitative agreement between experimental data and numerical calculations.
Carrier recombination in 1.3μm GaAsSb∕GaAs quantum well lasers
Authors: Hild K. , Sweeney S. J. , Wright S. , Lock D. A. , Jin S. R. , Marko I. P. , Johnson S. R. , Chaparro S. A. , Yu S.-Q. , Zhang Y.-H.
Published: October 2006

In this letter the authors present a comprehensive study of the threshold current and its temperature dependence in GaAsSb-based quantum well edge-emitting lasers for emission at 1.3μm. It is found that at room temperature, the threshold current is dominated by nonradiative recombination accounting for more than 90% of the total threshold current density. From high hydrostatic pressure dependence measurements, a strong increase in threshold current with pressure is observed, suggesting that the nonradiative recombination process may be attributed to electron overflow into the GaAs∕GaAsP barrier layers and, to a lesser extent, to Auger recombination.
Patterning the organic electrodes of all-organic thin film transistors with a simple spray printing technique
Authors: Jang Yunseok , Park Yeong Don , Lim Jung Ah , Lee Hwa Sung , Lee Wi Hyoung , Cho Kilwon
Published: October 2006

The authors have demonstrated the application of spray printing technique for patterning organic electrodes of all-organic transistor on flexible polymeric substrate. Our spray printing technique is a simple, fast, and easy patterning process. The performance of the device obtained with the spray printing technique is shown to be comparable to that of the device with deposited metal electrodes (gold). Thus this spray printing technique provides a method for patterning the electrodes of all-organic transistors.
Dominant surface stress driven by biomolecular interactions in the dynamical response of nanomechanical microcantilevers
Authors: Hwang Kyo Seon , Eom Kilho , Lee Jeong Hoon , Chun Dong Won , Cha Byung Hak , Yoon Dae Sung , Kim Tae Song , Park Jung Ho
Published: October 2006

Nanomechanical microcantilevers have played a vital role in detecting biomolecular interactions. The ability of microcantilevers to detect biomolecular interactions is ascribed to the principle that the surface stress, caused by biomolecular interactions, dominates the dynamical response of the microcantilever. Here we have experimentally studied the correlation between biomolecular interactions and the dynamical response of microcantilevers. Moreover, the authors employed a mechanical beam model to calculate the surface stress, representing the biomolecular interactions, through measuring the resonant frequency shift. The quantitative analysis of surface stress, driven by the specific protein-protein interactions, demonstrated that microcantilevers enable the quantitative study of biomolecular interactions.
Investigation into the Initialization Behaviour of RAFT-Mediated Styrene–Maleic Anhydride Copolymerizations
Authors: van den Dungen Eric T. A. , Rinquest Jacques , Pretorius Nadine O. , McKenzie Jean M. , McLeary James B. , Sanderson Ron D. , Klumperman Bert
Published: October 2006

The living radical alternating copolymerization of styrene and maleic anhydride mediated by the reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization process has been studied at short chain lengths using two different dithiobenzoate RAFT agents. The results indicate specificity of addition of the RAFT-agent leaving groups for either styrene or maleic anhydride. The addition rate of the monomers and the fact that monomers are added individually favour the penultimate unit model of polymer propagation.
Vertebrate MAX-1 is required for vascular patterning in zebrafish
Authors: Zhong Hanbing , Wu Xinrong , Huang Haigen , Fan Qichang , Zhu Zuoyan , Lin Shuo
Published: October 2006

During embryogenesis, stereotypic vascular patterning requires guidance cues from neighboring tissues. However, key molecules involved in this process still remain largely elusive. Here, we report molecular cloning, expression, and functional studies of zebrafish
max-1
, a homolog of
Caenorhabditis elegans max-1
that has been implicated in motor neuron axon guidance. During early embryonic development, zebrafish
max-1
is specifically expressed in subsets of neuronal tissues, epithelial cells, and developing somites through which vascular endothelial cells migrate from large ventral axial vessels to form stereotypic intersegmental blood vessels (ISV). Blocking zebrafish
max-1
mRNA splicing by morpholino injection led to aberrant ISV patterning, which could be rescued by injection of either
C. elegans
or zebrafish
max-1
mRNA. Analysis of motor neurons in the same region showed normal neuronal axon pathfinding. Further studies suggested that the ISV defect caused by
max-1
knockdown could be partially rescued by overexpression of
ephrinb3
and that
max-1
was involved in mediating membrane localization of
ephrin
proteins, which have been shown to provide guidance cues for endothelial cell migration. Our findings therefore suggest that
max-1
, acting upstream of the
ephrin
pathway, is critically required in vascular patterning in vertebrate species.
Cloning of
DOG1
, a quantitative trait locus controlling seed dormancy in
Arabidopsis
Authors: Bentsink Leónie , Jowett Jemma , Hanhart Corrie J. , Koornneef Maarten
Published: October 2006

Genetic variation for seed dormancy in nature is a typical quantitative trait controlled by multiple loci on which environmental factors have a strong effect. Finding the genes underlying dormancy quantitative trait loci is a major scientific challenge, which also has relevance for agriculture and ecology. In this study we describe the identification of the
DELAY OF GERMINATION 1
(
DOG1
) gene previously identified as a quantitative trait locus involved in the control of seed dormancy. This gene was isolated by a combination of positional cloning and mutant analysis and is absolutely required for the induction of seed dormancy.
DOG1
is a member of a small gene family of unknown molecular function, with five members in
Arabidopsis
. The functional natural allelic variation present in
Arabidopsis
is caused by polymorphisms in the cis-regulatory region of the
DOG1
gene and results in considerable expression differences between the
DOG1
alleles of the accessions analyzed.
Reurbanisation—The Policy Implications
Authors: Lever W.F.
Published: October 2006

The paper examines the phenomenon of counter-urbanisation in western Europe and argues that by the late 1980s there was evidence of reurbanisation in some cities. Changes in public finance, in housing preferences and in employment location were leading to a redensification of cities which is likely to continue through the 1990s. The paper uses detailed data from Glasgow and the west central Scotland conurbation, first to indicate how the massive outward movement of residential population to the suburbs and beyond had slowed to the extent that the distribution of residential population between core city, suburban ring and exurbs was almost unchanged in 1981-88, and secondly to show how the inner city's share of the conurbation's employment actually rose after 1984.
The Ralstonia eutropha H16 phasin PhaP1 is targeted to intracellular triacylglycerol inclusions in Rhodococcus opacus PD630 and Mycobacterium smegmatis mc2155, and provides an anchor to target other proteins
Authors: Hänisch Jan , Wältermann Marc , Robenek Horst , Steinbüchel Alexander
Published: October 2006

InRalstonia eutropha, the H16 phasin PhaP1 represents the major phasin that binds to the surface of polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) inclusions. In this study, C-terminal fusions of PhaP1 with enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP) and withEscherichia coliβ-galactosidase (LacZ) were expressed separately in the triacylglycerol (TAG)-accumulating actinomycetesRhodococcus opacusPD630 andMycobacterium smegmatismc2155, employing theM. smegmatisacetamidase (ace) promoter of theEscherichia–Mycobacterium/Rhodococcusshuttle plasmid pJAM2. PhaP1 and the PhaP1 fusion proteins were expressed stably in the recombinant strains. Western blot analysis of cell fractions ofRh. opacusrevealed that PhaP1 and the PhaP1–eGFP fusion protein were associated with the TAG inclusions, whereas no phasin or phasin fusion protein was detected in the soluble and membrane fractions. Additional electron microscopy/immunocytochemistry studies demonstrated that PhaP1 was mainly located on the surface of intracellular TAG inclusions; in addition, some PhaP1 also occurred at the plasma membrane. Fluorescence microscopic investigations of the subcellular distribution of the PhaP1–eGFP fusion proteinin vivoand on isolated TAG inclusions revealed that the fusion protein was bound to TAG inclusions at all stages of their formation, and to some extent at the cytoplasmic membrane. The PhaP1–LacZ fusion protein also bound to the TAG inclusions, and could be separated together with the inclusions fromRh. opacuscrude extracts, thus demonstrating the immobilization ofβ-galactosidase activity on the inclusions. This is believed to be the first report demonstrating the ability of PhaP1 to bind to lipid inclusions in addition to PHA inclusions. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that this non-specificity of PhaP1 can be utilized to anchor enzymically active fusion proteins to a matrix of bacterial TAG inclusions.
ProtoBee: Hierarchical classification and annotation of the honey bee proteome
Authors: Kaplan Noam , Linial Michal
Published: October 2006

The recently sequenced genome of the honey bee (Apis mellifera) has produced 10,157 predicted protein sequences, calling for a computational effort to extract biological insights from them. We have applied an unsupervised hierarchical protein-clustering method, which was previously used in the ProtoNet system, to nearly 200,000 proteins consisting of the predicted honey bee proteins, the SWISS-PROT protein database, and the complete set of proteins of the mouse (Mus musculus) and the fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster). The hierarchy produced by this method has been entitled ProtoBee. In ProtoBee, the proteins are hierarchically organized into 18,936 separate tree hierarchies, each representing a protein functional family. By using the mouse and Drosophila complete proteomes as reference, we are able to highlight functional groups of putative gene-loss events, putative novel proteins of unique functionality, and bee-specific paralogs. We have studied some of the ProtoBee findings and suggest their biological relevance. Examples include novel opsin genes and intriguing nuclear matches of mitochondrial genes. The organization of bee sequences into functional clusters suggests a natural way of automatically inferring functional annotation. Following this notion, we were able to assign functional annotation to about 70% of the sequences. ProtoBee is available at http://www.protobee.cs.huji.ac.il
Function and evolution of a gene family encoding odorant binding-like proteins in a social insect, the honey bee (Apis mellifera)
Authors: Forêt Sylvain , Maleszka Ryszard
Published: October 2006

The remarkable olfactory power of insect species is thought to be generated by a combinatorial action of two large protein families, G protein-coupled olfactory receptors (ORs) and odorant binding proteins (OBPs). In olfactory sensilla, OBPs deliver hydrophobic airborne molecules to ORs, but their expression in nonolfactory tissues suggests that they also may function as general carriers in other developmental and physiological processes. Here we used bioinformatic and experimental approaches to characterize the OBP-like gene family in a highly social insect, the Western honey bee. Comparison with other insects shows that the honey bee has the smallest set of these genes, consisting of only 21 OBPs. This number stands in stark contrast to the more than 70 OBPs in Anopheles gambiae and 51 in Drosophila melanogaster. In the honey bee as in the two dipterans, these genes are organized in clusters. We show that the evolution of their structure involved frequent intron losses. We describe a monophyletic subfamily of OBPs where the diversification of some amino acids appears to have been accelerated by positive selection. Expression profiling under a wide range of conditions shows that in the honey bee only nine OBPs are antenna-specific. The remaining genes are expressed either ubiquitously or are tightly regulated in specialized tissues or during development. These findings support the view that OBPs are not restricted to olfaction and are likely to be involved in broader physiological functions.
An adaptation of recombinant vaccinia-based ELISPOT and intracellular cytokine staining for a comparative measurement of cellular immune responses in HIV-1 and HIV-2 infections in West Africa
Authors: Eshofonie A , Van Der Loeff M Shim , Whittle H , Jaye A
Published: October 2006

An efficient and quantitative tool for rapid assessment of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-induced cellular immune responses is important for resource-limited settings, such as in sub-Saharan Africa. Modifications are required to previously reported methods for evaluating ex-vivo antigen-specific cellular responses based on direct recombinant vaccinia virus (rVV) stimulation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISPOT) and by flow cytometry intracellular cytokine assay (ICA). We made such modifications in order to detect specific responses and compared quantitative cellular immune responses in HIV-1 and HIV-2 infected Gambians. The sensitivity of the rVV-based ELISPOT assay was on average 1·25 interferon (IFN)-γ spot forming cells (SFC) per 50 000 PBMCs specific for either infection, and 5 IFN-γ-secreting CD8+ T cells/50 000 in the ICA. The level of IFN-γ SFC detected by ELISPOT and by ICA were correlated (P < 0·02). ICA detected pol-specific responses in 88% and 67% of HIV-1 and HIV-2 subjects, respectively, and gag-specific responses in more than 80% of both infections. Lower proportions of responders were obtained with ELISPOT, for which pol responses were present in 60% of HIV-1 and 46% of HIV-2 infected patients, and gag responses in 55% and 69%, respectively. The assays did not show any significant difference in cellular immune responses between HIV-1 and HIV-2 infected subjects with CD4% ≥ 20%. These outcomes are comparable with results obtained using standard techniques and thus this method is a suitable, rapid and less expensive assessment of cellular immunity.
Diastase and invertase activities in Andalusian honeys
Authors: Serrano Salud , Espejo Roberto , Villarejo Marta , Jodral Manuela Luisa
Published: October 2006

Forty‐nine samples of unheated, commercially purchased Andalusian (southern Spain) honeys were examined for diastase (α‐ and β‐amylase) and invertase (α‐glucosidase) activities. The honeys were from Citrus sp. (5), Sunflower (2), Rosmarinus (3), Eucalyptus sp. (4) or multifloral in origin (35). Mean value for diastase was 20.48 ± 10.14 (range 3.99–49.42) expressed as diastase number in Gothe's scale, for invertase it was 12.34 ± 8.09 (range 1.2–36.8) expressed as invertase number. Correlation was found between invertase and diastase activities (r = 0.853). These results were compared with literature data and differences are discussed.
Influence of indigenous Saccharomyces paradoxus strains on Chardonnay wine fermentation aroma
Authors: Orlic Sandy , Redzepovic Sulejman , Jeromel Ana , Herjavec Stanka , Iacumin Lucilla
Published: October 2006

Seven indigenous yeast strains of Saccharomyces paradoxus previously isolated and identified using molecular and physiological methods were tested for their fermentation abilities. Chemical analyses of produced wines showed differences compared with the Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain used as a control. The examined S. paradoxus strains showed good fermentation vigour, ethanol tolerance and difference in the fermentation rate. Four of seven analysed S. paradoxus strains (RO66, RO54, RO11 and RO134) metabolised sugar up to 1 g L−1. The total amount of higher alcohol was lower compared with S. cerevisiae wines. Strain RO83 was able to degrade up to 40% malic acid and can be used for biological deacidification. Sensory evaluation of dry and semidry wines underlined good enological properties and positive influence of tested wine strains on final wine quality. All these properties of S. paradoxus strains pointed out the possibility of their application in wine industry.
Marine biogeographical structure in two highly dispersive gastropods: implications for trans‐Tasman dispersal
Authors: Waters Jonathan M. , McCulloch Graham A. , Eason Janelle A.
Published: October 2006

Aim  Recent genetic and ecological studies of marine invertebrate species with planktotrophic larvae have inferred high rates of gene flow across wide oceanic barriers. We therefore aim to test for the genetic signature of long‐distance dispersal in two widespread and abundant marine gastropod taxa.

Location  The intertidal and shallow subtidal zones of southern Australia and New Zealand (NZ), which house similar marine invertebrate assemblages despite being separated by the 2000‐km‐wide Tasman Sea.

Methods  We used mtDNA cytochrome oxidase I gene sequence analysis of two gastropod genera exhibiting trans‐Tasman distributions, namely Austrolittorina (Littorinidae) (139 specimens; 28 localities) and Scutus (Fissurellidae) (154 specimens; 32 localities). The cool‐temperate Australian (A. unifasciata; S. antipodes) and NZ (A. antipodum; S. breviculus) taxa within each genus are morphologically similar but of uncertain taxonomic status.

Results  The mtDNA analyses indicate major trans‐Tasman genetic discontinuities for both gastropod genera, with no evidence of recent or ongoing intercontinental gene flow. Although both Scutus and Austrolittorina show significant east–west structure within southern Australia – consistent with recent studies of regional marine phylogeography – neither taxon exhibits significant differentiation within NZ.

Main conclusions  Morphologically conserved but biogeographically disjunct gastropod populations may exhibit striking phylogeographic discontinuities, even when dispersal abilities appear to be high. On the basis of these data we reject recent calls for the synonymy of NZ and Australian lineages.
Groups or teams in health care: finding the best fit
Authors: Saltman Deborah C. , O’Dea Natalie A. , Farmer Jane , Veitch Craig , Rosen Gaye , Kidd Michael R.
Published: October 2006

Rationale  In the evolution of the team concept, clear distinctions between ‘groups’ and ‘teams’ were made. In this paper we argue that these distinctions were not made explicit in the translation of team structures to health care. Even though teams are appropriate for many health care settings, this paper explores the notion that when teams may not be working, it is the concept of team that may not be appropriate, not the functioning of the team itself.

Methods  This paper reviews the differences between teams and groups, and identifies how these differences are expressed in health care settings using urban and rural examples from the UK and Australia.

Results  Some suggestions about matching structures to suit the unique nature of health care provision, particularly in community health settings, are made.

Discussion  Instead of concentrating on improving the process of teams, the focus could be better directed to ensure that whatever structure is utilized best facilitates the necessary outcomes in the most effective way. The team approach may not always be the best approach, and sometimes referring to a number of people working together as a group is sufficient.
Quality evaluation of total parenteral nutrition in an acute care setting
Authors: Gómez Ramos María Jesús , González Valverde Francisco Miguel , Sánchez Álvarez Carmen
Published: October 2006

Objective  To analyse the degree of compliance with internationally accepted standards defined for total parenteral nutrition (TPN) quality control in our hospital. The problems of quality which exist must be detected and possible solutions put into practice.

Patients and method  Retrospective study of critically ill patients treated with TPN during two years in a university teaching hospital (n = 92). Assessment of quality was performed through measurements of compliance using 20 criteria. These were evaluated both individually and gathered in three categories: appropriate, safe and accurate TPN. Three summary/indicators were also established which assessed simultaneous compliance with all the criteria in each group. Criteria compliance was compared to standards values. Patient (age, sex, diabetes) and process (TPN indication, patient’s outcome, type of diet used) variables were analysed (using logistic regression models) as factors potentially associated with compliance with the quality criteria. Corrective measures aimed at resolving the quality problem were applied to the deficient criteria, paying particular attention to those criteria which presented the highest percentage of errors in the study carried out using a Pareto analysis.

Results  Compliance of six criteria was significantly below standard values. Simultaneous compliance of all criteria by group was 17% in adjusted TPN, 38% in safe TPN and 94% in exact TPN. There was a negative association between an age over 65 years and both a correct indication of TPN (OR: 9.4) and the indicator compliance of all criteria in the adjusted TPN group (OR: 2.9). The absence of metabolic complications was influenced (P < 0.05) by the use of standardized diets (OR: 0.3). Effects of the change: the simultaneous compliance with all the criteria of a group improved in all three groups, but this was statistically significant in the ‘appropriate’ TPN and ‘safe’ TPN groups. The criteria analysed individually improved after the corrective measures in five of the six criteria which had been below standard in the first evaluation.

Conclusions  The correct understanding and application of the indications, physiology and potential complications of TPN constitute the hub of the improvement process.
Methodological aspects of exhaled nitric oxide measurements in infants
Authors: Gabriele Carmelo , Van Der Wiel Els C. , Nieuwhof Eveline M. , Moll Henriette A. , Merkus Peter J. F. M. , De Jongste Johan C.
Published: October 2006

Guidelines for the measurement of fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FENO) recommend refraining from lung function tests (LFT) and certain foods and beverages before performing FENO measurements, as they may lead to transiently altered FENO levels. Little is known of such factors in infants. The aim of the present study was to evaluate whether forced expiratory maneuvers, sedation, nasal contamination, and breastfeeding affect FENO values in infants. FENO was measured off‐line during tidal breathing by means of a facemask covering nose and mouth. FENO measurements were performed in 45 sedated infants (mean age 12.1 months) who underwent LFT because of airway diseases and in 83 unsedated healthy infants (mean age 4.3 months). In infants with airway diseases, no difference was found in FENO values before and 5 min after LFT (n = 19 infants, p = 0.7) and FENO values before sedation did not differ from FENO values during sedation (n = 10 infants, p = 0.2).Oral FENO values were significantly lower than mixed (nasal + oral) FENO (n = 42 infants, p < 0.001). FENO values before and 5 min after breastfeeding were not different (n = 11 healthy infants, p = 0.57). The short‐term reproducibility in healthy infants (n = 54) was satisfactory (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.94). We conclude that, in infants with airway diseases, LFT prior to FENO measurement did not influence FENO values and FENO values did not change after sedation. Oral FENO values were significantly lower than mixed (oral + nasal) FENO, and breastfeeding did not influence FENO. Short‐term reproducibility in awake healthy infants was good.
Comparison of clinically diagnosed asthma with parental assessment of children's asthma in a questionnaire
Authors: Hederos Carl‐Axel , Hasselgren Mikael , Hedlin Gunilla , Bornehag Carl‐Gustaf
Published: October 2006

Epidemiological evaluations of the prevalence of asthma are usually based on written questionnaires (WQs) in combination with validation by clinical investigation. In the present investigation, we compared parental assessment of asthma among their preschool children in response to a WQ with the corresponding medical records in the same region. An International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC)‐based WQ was answered by 75% of the parents of 6295 children aged 1–6 yr. Clinically diagnosed asthma, recorded in connection with admissions to the hospital or a visit to any of the outpatient clinics in the same region, were analysed in parallel. Finally, a complementary WQ was sent to the parents of children identified as asthmatic by either or both of this approaches. In response to the WQ 5.9% were claimed to suffer from asthma diagnosed by a doctor. According to the medical records, the prevalence of clinically diagnosed asthma was 4.9%. The estimated prevalence among children requiring treatment for their asthma was 4.4%. The sensitivity of the WQ was 77%, the specificity 97.5%. In the 1–2 yr age group the sensitivity was only 22%. This WQ was able to identify 54% of the children with a medical record of asthma. Forty percent of the children claimed by their parents to be asthmatic had no medical record of asthma. An ISAAC‐based parentally completed WQ provided an acceptable estimation of the prevalence of asthma in children 2–6 yr of age, although only half of the individual patients identified in this manner are the same as those identified clinically.
Neutral oligosaccharides in colostrum in relation to maternal allergy and allergy development in children up to 18 months of age
Authors: Sjögren Ylva Margareta , Duchén Karel , Lindh Frank , Björkstén Bengt , Sverremark‐Ekström Eva
Published: October 2006

Several recent studies have demonstrated a relationship between the composition of the gut microbiota in infancy and subsequent development of allergic disease. Human milk is the major food in infancy and may thus profoundly influence the composition of the gut flora. Oligosaccharides in breast milk survive the passage through the stomach and are utilized by the gut microbiota. As the relationship between breast feeding and childhood allergy is controversial we hypothesized that the composition of oligosaccharides in breast milk might explain the controversy. Nine of the most abundant neutral oligosaccharides in human milk were analysed in colostrum samples from allergic and non‐allergic women and related to subsequent development of allergy in their children. The carbohydrate fraction of the colostrum was separated by gel permeation chromatography and neutral oligosaccharides, tri‐ to hexasaccharides were collected. Neutral oligosaccharides were analysed with high‐performance liquid chromatography. There was a large variation in the concentration of neutral oligosaccharides in colostrum, which could not be explained by the allergic status of the women. Allergic children consumed higher amounts of neutral oligosaccharides in total, although not significantly (p = 0.12). When different oligosaccharides were analysed separately, there was no significant difference in consumption between the infants who developed atopic allergy later (n = 9) and infants who did not (n = 11). Thus, the amount of neutral oligosaccharides in colostrum does not directly correlate with maternal allergy, nor with allergy development in children up to 18 months of age.
Endosperm tissue is good production platform for artificial recombinant proteins in transgenic rice
Authors: Takaiwa Fumio , Takagi Hidenori , Hirose Sakiko , Wakasa Yuhya
Published: October 2006

Transgenic rice plants expressing 7Crp peptide were generated by Agrobacterium‐mediated transformation. The 7Crp peptide is the hybrid peptide of seven major human T‐cell epitopes derived from Japanese cedar pollen allergens Cry j 1 and Cry j 2. When the 7Crp gene was expressed under the control of the rice AGPase large subunit or maize ubiquitin‐1 promoters, it could only be detected in the endosperm of rice seed, although high levels of RNA transcript were observed in the leaf, stem, and seed embryo. It was demonstrated by confocal and electron microscopy analysis that the 7Crp peptide was mainly localized in the endoplasmic reticulum‐derived protein bodies, designated protein body I (PB‐I). Our results indicate that rice endosperm tissue has advantage over other tissues as a production platform for foreign recombinant proteins.
A Poverty Trap of Crime and Unemployment
Authors: Mauro Luciano , Carmeci Gaetano
Published: October 2006

We present an overlapping generation growth model with an imperfect labor market where the links among crime, growth and unemployment are jointly considered, both in an endogenous and exogenous set‐up. We test the major implications of our theory and verify the two model specifications through the Italian regional data, using the Pooled Mean Group estimator proposed by Pesaran, Shin and Smith (1999). The empirical results are in favor of the exogenous version of the model and suggest that crime and unemployment have long‐run income level effects.
Is International Trade More Beneficial to Lower Income Economies? An Empirical Inquiry
Authors: Rassekh Farhad
Published: October 2006

Does the effect of international trade on income growth depend on the economy’s level of development? More specifically, is trade more beneficial to lower income economies? Does trade contribute to a smaller international income inequality? The present paper seeks to answer these questions by employing the empirical model of Frankel and Romer (1999), which shows trade increases income growth in a cross section of 150 countries. We find evidence in support of the hypothesis that international trade benefits the lower income economies more than it benefits the higher income economies. This finding is robust in the presence of control variables including distance from the equator and institutional quality.
Quality of Governance and the Formation of Preferential Trade Agreements
Authors: Endoh Masahiro
Published: October 2006

This paper investigates economic and political factors which explain the presence or absence of preferential trade agreements (PTAs). A model of three countries with imperfect competition markets is employed for theoretical analysis of political economy. The validity of theoretical results is tested by econometric analysis with a logit model. It is shown that countries with similar incomes are more likely to form PTAs, and that governments with low quality of governance have little incentive to form PTAs.
Multinational Production, Absorptive Capacity, and Endogenous R&D Spillovers
Authors: Grünfeld Leo A.
Published: October 2006

Do R&D spillovers have an impact on whether firms choose to go multinational or not? We present a three‐stage Cournot duopoly model, which identifies under what conditions firms choose to service a foreign market through exports or localized production. The establishment of a foreign subsidiary improves the ability to learn from foreign R&D since spillovers are strongly moderated by geographical distance. We explicitly model the concept of absorptive capacity, where gains from spillovers are determined by own R&D investments. With exogenous R&D investments, the absorptive capacity effect contributes to increase the gains from going multinational when the firm is R&D‐intensive. However, if R&D investments are endogenous, only medium‐sized absorptive capacity effects will result in firms going multinational. Furthermore, higher spillover rates do not necessarily drive down R&D and profits for the multinational firm. This stands in contrast to models that ignore absorptive capacity effects.
Peer Contacts of 15‐Month‐olds in Childcare: Links With Child Temperament, Parent–Child Interaction and Quality of Childcare
Authors: Deynoot‐Schaub Mirjam J. Gevers , Riksen‐Walraven J. Marianne
Published: October 2006

Seventy 15‐month‐old children were observed during 90 minutes of free play with their peers in childcare centers. The study aimed to describe individual differences in the children's contacts with peers and to explain the individual differences in relation to: (1) child temperament, (2) the quality of parental behavior toward the child and (3) the quality of the professional childcare environment. Three distinct peer contact factors emerged from our analyses; one reflects children's involvement in peer contacts initiated by peers and two reflect the positive and negative contacts initiated by the target children themselves. Children in groups with more children per caregiver were found to be involved in more contacts initiated by peers. Children with a relatively difficult temperament were less involved in contacts initiated by peers although only in cases of lower quality childcare, as assessed using the infant/toddler environment rating scale. Boys initiated significantly more negative contacts with peers than girls. In addition, more peer‐directed negative initiatives were observed in lower quality childcare.
The transferential chimera: a clinical approach
Authors: Martin‐Vallas François
Published: October 2006

Abstract:  The author presents four quite different clinical situations which he believes show the development of an aspect of the transference as a genuinely autonomous psychical neo‐reality of the transferential inter‐space, which, in the words of Michel de M'Uzan, he calls the transferential chimera. Basing himself on a reading of ‘The psychology of the transference’, he goes on to propose a more general application of this particular transferential dynamic whose origin lies in matriarchal incest and which develops around the alchemical quaternio of the cross‐projective space of the transference‐counter transference and in the analytic setting. Finally, he examines the four clinical situations in the light of this application of the transference in order to propound an understanding of his reading, and proposes a hypothesis for the constitution of the transferential chimera out of the intermingling of the de‐integrated parts of the self of the analyst and those of the analysand.
Reward‐related decision‐making in pediatric major depressive disorder: an fMRI study
Authors: Forbes Erika E. , Christopher May J. , Siegle Greg J. , Ladouceur Cecile D. , Ryan Neal D. , Carter Cameron S. , Birmaher Boris , Axelson David A. , Dahl Ronald E.
Published: October 2006

Background:  Although reward processing is considered an important part of affective functioning, few studies have investigated reward‐related decisions or responses in young people with affective disorders. Depression is postulated to involve decreased activity in reward‐related affective systems.

Methods:  Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), we examined behavioral and neural responses to reward in young people with depressive disorders using a reward decision‐making task. The task involved choices about possible rewards involving varying magnitude and probability of reward. The study design allowed the separation of decision/anticipation and outcome phases of reward processing. Participants were 9–17 years old and had diagnoses of major depressive disorder (MDD), anxiety disorders, or no history of psychiatric disorder.

Results:  Participants with MDD exhibited less neural response than control participants in reward‐related brain areas during both phases of the task. Group differences did not appear to be a function of anxiety. Depressive and anxiety symptoms were associated with activation in reward‐related brain areas.

Conclusions:  Results suggest that depression involves altered reward processing and underscore the need for further investigation of relations among development, affective disorders, and reward processing.
Impact and risk factors for early‐onset group B streptococcal morbidity: analysis of a national, population‐based cohort in Sweden 1997–2001
Authors: Håkansson S , Källén K
Published: October 2006

Objectives  To study early‐onset group B streptococcal (EOGBS) morbidity, mortality, and maternal risk factors.

Design  Observational, population‐based, retrospective. Data from national registers and medical records.

Setting  Sweden, 1997–2001.

Population  Cohort of 640 infants with a diagnosis of GBS infection out of 435 070 live births.

Method  Infants with diagnoses GBS sepsis (P36.0) and/or pneumonia (P23.3) were analysed. In cases with P36.0, register data were validated against infant and maternal medical records. Odds ratios (OR) were estimated by multiple logistic regression.

Main outcome measures  Incidence of EOGBS morbidity, mortality, frequency of maternal risk factors and administration of intrapartum antibiotics.

Results  There were 319 cases with EOGBS sepsis. Blood culture verified 174 cases. There were 145 with clinical sepsis and 180 with pneumonia only. The incidences were 0.40, 0.33, and 0.41 per 1000 live births, respectively. The mortality was 7.5, 0.7, and 2.2% in respective groups. The frequencies of established maternal risk factors were: membrane rupture ≥18 hours, 44%; prematurity, 26%; temperature during labour ≥38°C, 22%. Novel maternal risk factors identified in verified cases were gestational age (GA) of 37 completed weeks (OR 3.5, 1.8–6.5) and gestational diabetes (OR 3.7, 1.8–8.5). When including clinical sepsis, also epidural anaesthesia, infant large for GA, postmaturity, and high maternal age were significant risk factors.

Conclusion  The incidence of verified EOGBS disease was 0.4 per 1000 live births with a total burden of EOGBS morbidity approximately three times higher. GA of 37 completed weeks and gestational diabetes were identified as additional significant risk factors.
Face Memory in MRI‐Positive and MRI‐Negative Temporal Lobe Epilepsy
Authors: Bengner Thomas , Malina Thomas , Lindenau Matthias , Voges Berthold , Goebell Einar , Stodieck Stefan
Published: October 2006

Summary:  Purpose: Effects of MRI‐positive (MRI(+)) as compared to MRI‐negative (MRI(−)) temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) on face memory are not yet known.

Methods: We studied 24 MRI(−) (11 right/13 left) and 20 MRI(+) (13 right/7 left) TLE patients, 12 generalized epilepsy patients, and 12 healthy subjects undergoing diagnostic workup with 24–72‐h Video‐EEG‐monitoring. Twenty faces were shown, and had to be recognized from 40 faces immediately and after a 24‐h delay.

Results: MRI(+) and MRI(−) right TLE (RTLE) patients showed deficits in face recognition compared to controls or generalized epilepsy, consistent with right temporal lobe dominance for face recognition. MRI(+) RTLE patients had deficits in both immediate and delayed recognition, while MRI(−) RTLE patients showed delayed recognition deficits only. The RTLE groups showed comparable delayed recognition deficits. Separate analyses in which the MRI(+) group included patients with hippocampal sclerosis only, did not alter results. Furthermore, MRI(−) RTLE had a worse delayed recognition than MRI(−) left TLE (LTLE). On the other hand, MRI(+) RTLE did not differ from MRI(+) LTLE in delayed recognition. Combining MRI(−) and MRI(+) TLE groups, we found differences between RTLE and LTLE in delayed, but not immediate face recognition.

Conclusions: Our results suggest that a delayed recognition condition might be superior to immediate recognition tests in detecting face memory deficits in MRI(−) RTLE patients. This might explain why former studies in preoperative patients did not observe an immediate face recognition dominance of the right temporal lobe when combining MRI(−) and MRI(+) TLE patients. Our data further point to an important role of the right mesial temporal region in face recognition in TLE.