bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Chemical composition, antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of the essential oil of several populations of Algerian Origanum glandulosum Desf.
Authors: Sari Madani , Biondi Daniela M. , Kaâbeche Mohamed , Mandalari Giuseppina , D'Arrigo Manuela , Bisignano Giuseppe , Saija Antonella , Daquino Carmelo , Ruberto Giuseppe
Published: June 2006

Essential oils extracted by hydrodistillation from the aerial parts of 23 samples of Algerian Origanum glandulosum Desf. were analysed by gas chromatography (GC) and GC–mass spectrometry (MS). Overall, 30 components have been fully characterized. However, all the oils were characterized by the predominance of four components, thymol (18.5–73.1%), carvacrol (7.6–72.6%), p‐cymene (1.7–18.5%) and γ‐terpinene (1.1–18.7%). Cluster analysis of the identified components allowed us to establish the presence of three main groups, characterized by carvacrol, thymol and comparable amounts of both compounds, respectively. The free radical scavenging activity of essential oils was determined by the 1,1‐diphenyl‐2‐picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) model system. The SC50 (scavenging concentration) values were in the range 16.2–26.7 µg/ml, representing a good antioxidant effectiveness. The roles of thymol and carvacrol, the main components of all oils, were estimated by measuring their stoichiometric factors. The essential oils were also evaluated for their antimicrobial activity by the agar disc diffusion method and the determination of minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) against six standard strains (Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus hirae, Candida albicans, Candida tropicalis). All microbial strains employed (Gram‐positive and Gram‐negative bacteria and yeasts) showed a fairly similar degree of susceptibility to the essential oils under investigation, although no evident difference was observed in their sensitivity. Furthermore, a similar level of toxicity was observed for all oils examined, with MIC values of 31.25–125.00 µg/ml. Finally, the addition of the emulsifier Tween 80 to the oil or to the agar markedly decreases the antimicrobial activity of the essential oils against all microbial strains employed, thus suggesting that the antimicrobial activity of the essential oils is dependent on the physicochemical characteristics of their components and also on the microbial strains employed. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Adeno‐associated virus (AAV) serotypes 2, 4 and 5 display similar transduction profiles and penetrate solid tumor tissue in models of human glioma
Authors: Thorsen Frits , Afione Sandra , Huszthy Peter C. , Tysnes Berit B. , Svendsen Agnete , Bjerkvig Rolf , Kotin Robert M. , Lønning Per Eystein , Hoover Frank
Published: June 2006

Background

Adeno‐associated viral (AAV) vectors are potent delivery vehicles for gene transfer strategies directed at the central nervous system (CNS), muscle and liver. However, comparatively few studies have described AAV‐mediated gene transfer to tumor tissues. We have previously demonstrated that while AAV2 and Adenoviral (Ad) 5 vectors have similar broad host ranges in tumor‐derived cell lines, AAV2 was able to penetrate human glioblastoma biopsy spheroids and xenografts more efficiently than Ad 5 vectors. These results suggested that AAV vectors could be suitable for therapeutic gene delivery to solid tumor tissue. In the present work, the transduction efficacy of AAV serotypes 4 and 5 were compared to AAV2, both in vitro and in intracranial GBM xenografts derived from patient biopsies implanted into nude rats.

Methods

AAV vector serotypes 2, 4, and 5 containing either the green fluorescent protein (GFP) or the bacterial β‐galactosidase (lacZ) reporter gene were added to five different human glioma cell lines, to multicellular spheroids generated from glioblastoma patient biopsies, and to spheroids xenografted intracranially in nude rats. Transduction efficiency was assessed by fluorescence imaging, histochemistry, immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry.

Results

While all three AAV serotypes were able to transduce the glioma cell lines when added individually or when they were administered in concert, AAV2 transduced the glioma cells most effectively compared to AAV4 or AAV5. Upon infecting glioblastoma spheroids in vitro, all three AAV serotypes efficiently transduced cells located at the surface as well as within deeper layers of the spheroids. In addition, similarly to what was observed for AAV2 16, both AAV4 and AAV5 were able to transduce human glioblastoma xenografts implanted intracranially.

Conclusions

In addition to the widely used AAV2 serotype, AAV4 and AAV5 serotypes may also be used to transduce biologically diverse glioma cell lines. They also penetrate and transduce solid human tumor tissue derived from patient biopsies. Therefore, the data presented here provide a proof of principle for developing AAV4 and AAV5 as treatment vehicles for human malignant gliomas. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Optimising non‐viral gene delivery in a tumour spheroid model
Authors: Mellor H. R. , Davies L. A. , Caspar H. , Pringle C. R. , Hyde S. C. , Gill D. R. , Callaghan R.
Published: June 2006

Background

Our current understanding of how the unique tumour microenvironment influences the efficacy of gene delivery is limited. The current investigation systematically examines the efficiency of several non‐viral gene transfer agents to transfect multicellular tumour spheroids (MCTS), an in vitro model that displays a faithful three‐dimensional (3D) representation of solid tumour tissue.

Methods

Using a luciferase reporter assay, gene transfer to MCTS was optimised for 22 kDa linear and 25 kDa branched polyethyleneimine (PEI), the cationic lipids Lipofectamine™ and DCChol : DOPE, and the physical approach of tissue electroporation. Confocal microscopy was used to take optical tissue slices to identify the tissue localisation of green fluorescent protein (GFP) reporter gene expression and the distribution of fluorescently labelled complexes. A MCTS model of quiescent tumour regions was used to establish the influence of cellular proliferation status on gene transfer efficiency.

Results

Of the polyplexes tested, 22 kDa linear PEI provided optimal gene delivery, with gene expression peaking at 46 h. Despite being the optimal vector tested, PEI‐mediated transfection was limited to cells at the MCTS periphery. Using fluorescent PEI, it was found that complexes could only penetrate the outer 3–5 proliferating cell layers of the MCTS, sparing the deeper quiescent cells. Gene delivery in an MCTS model comprised entirely of quiescent cells demonstrated that in addition to being inaccessible to the vector, quiescent tumour regions are inherently less susceptible to PEI‐mediated transfection than proliferating regions. This ‘resistance’ to transfection observed in quiescent cells was overcome through the use of electroporation. Despite the improved efficacy of electroporation in quiescent tissue, the gene expression was still confined to the outer regions of MCTS. The results suggest that limited access to central regions of an MCTS remain a significant barrier to gene delivery.

Conclusions

This data provides new insights into tumour‐specific factors affecting non‐viral gene transfer and highlights the difficulties in delivering genes to avascular tumour regions. The MCTS model is a useful system for the initial screening of future gene therapy strategies for solid tumours. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
AMS radiocarbon dating of Middle and Upper Palaeolithic bone in the British Isles: improved reliability using ultrafiltration
Authors: Jacobi R. M. , Higham T. F. G. , Ramsey C. Bronk
Published: June 2006

Recent research at the Oxford Radiocarbon Accelerator Unit (ORAU) has shown that ultrafiltration of gelatin from archaeological bone can, in many instances, remove low molecular weight contaminants. These can sometimes be of a different radiocarbon age and, unless removed, may severely influence results, particularly when dating bones greater than two to three half‐lives of 14C. In this study this methodology is applied to samples of Late Middle and Early Upper Palaeolithic age from the British Isles. In many instances the results of redating invite serious reconsideration of the chronology for these periods. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The chronology of abrupt climate change and Late Upper Palaeolithic human adaptation in Europe
Authors: Blockley S. P. E. , Blockley S. M. , Donahue R. E. , Lane C. S. , Lowe J. J. , Pollard A. M.
Published: June 2006

This paper addresses the possible connections between the onset of human expansion in Europe following the Last Glacial Maximum, and the timing of abrupt climate warming at the onset of the Lateglacial (Bölling/Allerød) Interstadial. There are opposing views as to whether or not human populations and activities were directly ‘forced’ by climate change, based on different comparisons between archaeological and environmental data. We review the geochronological assumptions and approaches on which data comparisons have been attempted in the past, and argue that the uncertainties presently associated with age models based on calibrated radiocarbon dates preclude robust testing of the competing models, particularly when comparing the data to non‐radiocarbon‐based timescales such as the Greenland ice core records. The paper concludes with some suggestions as to the steps that will be necessary if more robust tests of the models are to be developed in the future. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Humans in the Hoxnian: habitat, context and fire use at Beeches Pit, West Stow, Suffolk, UK
Authors: Preece R. C. , Gowlett J. A. J. , Parfitt S. A. , Bridgland D. R. , Lewis S. G.
Published: June 2006

A Lower Palaeolithic industry at Beeches Pit, West Stow, Suffolk, occurs within an interglacial sequence that immediately overlies glacial deposits, referable to the Anglian Lowestoft Formation. There is strong biostratigraphical evidence from both vertebrates and molluscs that the interglacial represented is the Hoxnian (MIS 11). This conclusion is supported by uranium series dates from carbonate nodules (>400 kyr), TL dates from burnt flint (414 ± 30 kyr) and a range of amino acid racemisation data. The archaeology consists of flint artefacts of Acheulian character, including many refitting examples. Charred material is abundant in three stratigraphical units and many bones and flints have been burnt, indicating repeated occurrence of fire. Several discrete areas of burnt sediment appear to be hearths. This interpretation is supported by: (1) the intensity of burning (600–800°C) implied by the charred and calcined bones; (2) the intersection of two of the burnt areas, implying separate burning events at slightly different, overlapping locations; (3) the discovery of two burnt flakes that refit onto an adjacent group that are unburnt, indicating that the burning was highly localised; and (4) the spatial distribution of artefacts respects the features interpreted as hearths, suggesting fireside knapping. Fossils associated with the archaeology indicate occupation within closed deciduous forest in a fully temperate climate. Attractions to this unusual environment would have included the fresh water provided by springs, a rich supply of potential food and a prolific source of good quality flint for tool manufacture. The archaeological evidence therefore suggests that the site repeatedly served as an area of focused activities (perhaps a ‘home‐base’) during much of the interglacial. The upper levels of the sequence provide clear faunal evidence of climatic deterioration during which human occupation and fire use persisted. Biostratigraphical correlations with other Lower Palaeolithic sites lend support to the suggestion that Acheulian and Clactonian industries occurred in Britain during the same substage of the Hoxnian, although not necessarily at precisely the same time. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A Lower Palaeolithic industry from the Cromerian (MIS 13) Baginton Formation of Waverley Wood and Wood Farm Pits, Bubbenhall, Warwickshire, UK
Authors: Keen David H. , Hardaker Terry , Lang Alexander T. O.
Published: June 2006

Artefacts of Cromerian (MIS 13) age recovered from extensions to the classic site of Waverley Wood Farm Pit, Warwickshire, give new insights into the Lower Palaeolithic and Pleistocene geological record of the English Midlands. The Baginton Formation in the area to the south and southwest of Coventry has been the major source of Lower Palaeolithic artefacts in the Midlands since the first discoveries in the 1930s. Current sand and gravel workings at Waverley Wood and Wood Farm Pits near the village of Bubbenhall, have provided artefacts of quartzite, andesite and flint together with sparse large mammal material. Some of the Lower Palaeolithic finds were in situ in the succession providing, for the first time, firm evidence of their geological provenance. The variety and number of the artefacts allows detailed evaluation of the largest group of Lower Palaeolithic tools to be found in the West Midlands. The petrology of some of the tools and associated clasts in the gravels at the base of the Baginton Formation allow speculation on the origin of the rock types from northwest and eastern England which may have been brought to the West Midlands by a pre‐Anglian glaciation or just possibly by human transport. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Stabilised cocosoy beverage: physicochemical and sensory properties
Authors: Mepba Horsfall D , Achinewhu Simeon C , Pillay Michael
Published: June 2006

Beverages formulated from extracts of blanched coconut meat and germinated soybean were compared for their proximate composition to achieve the recommendations for vegetable milks. The stability of cocosoy beverage treated with varying levels (0.2–1.0%, v/v) of a 20% gum acacia solution was determined visually and objectively after 5 days of quiescent refrigerated storage. Cocosoy beverage (50:50, v/v coconut milk to soy milk) had 3.51% protein, 3.53% fat and 5.17% carbohydrate. Similarly, it contained 13.0, 5.2, 14.7, 18.7, 0.5 and 0.3 g kg−1 K, Na, Ca, Mg, Fe and P, respectively. Compared with whole coconut milk and reconstituted whole milk powder, cocosoy beverage had significantly higher total solid contents and viscosity but lower pH and buffer index. A total solids top to bottom (T/B) ratio and protein (T/B ratio) of 0.97 and 1.0, respectively, corresponding to a separation index of 1.0, was obtained in cocosoy beverage stabilised with 1.0% gum acacia. Cocosoy beverage stabilised with 1.0% (v/v) gum acacia was rated significantly higher for all the tested sensory attributes. Cocosoy beverage, similar to whole coconut milk, had high contents of glucose and sucrose, a moderate content of fructose, low content of raffinose and no trace of stachyose. Copyright © 2006 Society of Chemical Industry
Textural properties of legume protein isolate and polysaccharide gels
Authors: Makri Eleousa A , Papalamprou Evdoxia M , Doxastakis Georgios I
Published: June 2006

The influence of legume proteins from lupin, pea and fababean on the formation of gels prepared by heat treatment in the absence or presence of xanthan gum, locust bean gum and NaCl was investigated. The resulting fracture and texture properties of gels not only are associated with the heating process used to form the gel but also depend on the conformational aspects of xanthan–locust bean gum in admixture with legume proteins, which after 10 days of aging reinforce the system. The fracture and textural properties are explained in terms of the effect of the protein–polysaccharide molecular structure and physicochemical conditions applied in the gel system during the gel preparation and measurements. Copyright © 2006 Society of Chemical Industry
Study of emulsions and foams stabilized with Phaseolus vulgaris or Phaseolus coccineus with the addition of xanthan gum or NaCl
Authors: Makri Eleousa A , Doxastakis Georgios I
Published: June 2006

The properties of oil/water emulsions stabilized with 1% w/v common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) or scarlet runner bean (P. coccineus L.) proteins, extracted by isoelectric precipitation or ultrafiltration, at pH 7.0 and 5.5 were studied. The stability of emulsions, evaluated on the basis of droplet size, creaming, viscosity and protein adsorption measurements, is increased by the addition of xanthan (0.1 and 0.25% w/v). This is probably due to the increase in the continuous phase viscosity and the creation of a network, which prevents the oil droplets from coalescing. Also, the ability and stability of 1 or 2% w/v foams was studied. Xanthan (0.25% w/v) does not enhance foam formation, but promotes foam stability, possibly owing to the increased viscosity of the aqueous phase, making it more difficult for air to enter the system and create a satisfactory foam volume. The addition of NaCl destabilizes emulsions by lowering the energy barrier and therefore increasing the tendency of the oil droplets to aggregate. However, NaCl at a certain concentration seems to promote the emulsion stability and foaming ability and foam stability. This could be attributed to the alteration of the protein molecule configuration leading to the building of a rigid and viscoelastic protein film around the droplet. Copyright © 2006 Society of Chemical Industry
Comparative study on nutrient and anti‐nutrient changes in Ikivunde and Inyange, two Burundian traditionally processed cassava products
Authors: Aloys Nzigamasabo , Zhou Hui Ming
Published: June 2006

A comparative study on nutrients and anti‐nutrients in Ikivunde and Inyange and a correlation of nutrients and anti‐nutrients with fermentation time during processing of both products were carried out. In Ikivunde, all nutrients and anti‐nutrients had high negative correlations with fermentation time, except for crude fibre, fats and calcium, which showed high positive correlations. In Inyange, all nutrients and anti‐nutrients were positively correlated with fermentation time, except for starch, ash, zinc, magnesium, calcium, glutamine and alanine. Analysis of variance showed that Ikivunde and Inyange differed significantly (P < 0.05) in reducing sugar, protein, ash, cyanide, phytic acid and tannin contents at various fermentation times. There were also significant differences (P < 0.05) between Ikivunde and Inyange in starch and fat contents at 48, 72, 96 and 120 h, while for crude fibre a significant difference was observed from 72 h until the end of fermentation. At the end of the fermentation period (120 h), Inyange had higher starch, protein, amino acid, reducing sugar, ash, iron, zinc, potassium, sodium, magnesium, fat, cyanide, phytic acid and tannin contents but lower crude fibre and calcium contents than Ikivunde. The results from this study showed that Inyange contains more nutrients and anti‐nutrients than Ikivunde. Copyright © 2006 Society of Chemical Industry
Diagnosis and prognosis of fetuses with double outlet right ventricle
Authors: Kim Nancy , Friedberg Mark K. , Silverman Norman H.
Published: June 2006

Objectives

To examine the echocardiographic features, associated anomalies, and outcomes of fetuses diagnosed with double outlet right ventricle (DORV).

Methods

Fetuses with DORV were identified from 987 fetal echocardiograms performed from August 1, 2002 to August 1, 2004. The medical records of 19 fetuses with DORV were reviewed.

Results

Nineteen fetuses were diagnosed with DORV. The pregnancy was terminated in 15.8% (3/19) of cases. Postnatal assessment was not obtained in 26.3% (5/19) cases. Accurate prenatal diagnosis of the relationship of the ventricular septal defect (VSD) with the great arteries was achieved in 14 of 14 cases (100%). Chromosomal abnormalities (21.4%), abnormalities of body situs (35.7%), and other extracardiac abnormalities were diagnosed in association. Only 4 of 13 (30.8%) infants with confirmed DORV survived beyond 28 days.

Conclusions

DORV is found in fetuses with a large spectrum of associated cardiac and extracardiac lesions. The overall prognosis for fetuses with DORV is poor throughout the spectrum of these lesions, not only related to the primary lesion but also depending on the associated intra‐ and extracardiac abnormalities. While the complexity of the heart disease in fetuses with DORV makes detailed fetal diagnosis challenging, it can be accomplished with a high degree of accuracy. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Structural and phenomenological study on the cationic curing of mixtures of epoxy resin and 5,5‐dimethyl‐1,3‐dioxane‐2‐one
Authors: Cervellera Roser , Ramis Xavier , Salla Josep Maria , Serra Angels , Mantecón Ana
Published: June 2006

Ytterbium and lanthanum triflates were used as initiators to cure a mixture of diglycidylether of bisphenol A (DGEBA) and 5,5‐dimethyl‐1,3‐dioxane‐2‐one (DMTMC). The evolution of the curing was studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and Fourier transform infrared in the attenuated‐total‐reflection mode (FTIR/ATR). FTIR/ATR was used to monitor the competitive reactive processes and to quantify the evolution of the groups involved in the curing process. We observed the formation of a five‐membered cyclic carbonate, which remains unreacted at the chain ends because of an equilibrium process between the spiroortho carbonates that had formed as intermediate species and also the loss of CO2, which was quantified by thermogravimetry. The kinetics were studied by DSC and analyzed by isoconversional procedures. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA) experiments were used to evaluate the properties of the thermosets obtained. The phenomenological changes that take place during curing were studied and represented in a time‐temperature‐transformation (TTT) diagram. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 4546–4558, 2006
Impact of the availability of sonography in the acute gynecology unit
Authors: Haider Z. , Condous G. , Khalid A. , Kirk E. , Mukri F. , Van Calster B. , Timmerman D. , Bourne T.
Published: June 2006

Objective

The initial assessment of acute gynecology patients is usually based on history and clinical examination and does not involve ultrasound. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of the availability of transvaginal sonography at the time of initial assessment of the emergency gynecology patient.

Methods

This was a prospective observational study carried out over a 5‐month period in the acute gynecology unit of an inner London teaching hospital. Women were assessed in the routine manner by history‐taking and clinical examination and questionnaires were completed by the doctors, including details of the intention to treat. Transvaginal ultrasound examinations were then performed and a second diagnosis and management plan were made utilizing the extra information from the scan. The plans for clinical management before and after the ultrasound examination were compared.

Results

We originally recruited 1000 consecutive women to the study. The mean age was 31.1 (SD, 9.81) years. Complete data were available for 920 (92%). 84 (9.1%) women did not require a scan. Of the 521 women with a positive pregnancy test, 75.6% were reassured immediately that their pregnancy was intrauterine. 143 women (27.4%) were given the diagnosis of a suspected ectopic pregnancy before sonography, compared with 29 (5.6%) after. Following the ultrasound examination there was a change in clinical management in 54.1% of the women with a positive pregnancy test and a reduction in admissions (including inpatient theater admissions) (from 40.3% to 17.1%) and outpatient follow‐up examinations (from 41.1% to 35.5%). In 90 (23.8%) non‐pregnant women a significant ovarian cyst (> 5 cm) was suspected clinically; 28/90 (31.1%) were confirmed on sonography. Following the ultrasound examination there was a change in clinical management for 38.1% of non‐pregnant women and a reduction in admissions (from 37.1% to 19.4%) and outpatient follow‐up examinations (from 25.7% to 18.1%).

Conclusion

It appears that the availability of transvaginal sonography at the time of initial assessment of emergency gynecology patients improves diagnostic accuracy and reduces unnecessary admissions and follow‐up examinations. Copyright © 2006 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Speciation of selected metals in aerosol samples by TXRF after sequential leaching
Authors: Samek L. , Ostachowicz B. , Worobiec A. , Spolnik Z. , Van Grieken R.
Published: June 2006

Total reflection x‐ray fluorescence (TXRF) spectrometry was applied after sequential leaching for the speciation of selected elements in particulate matter, in order to complete the knowledge of the mobility of the selected elements and to determine which components are harmful to works of art. Samples were collected on filters in two churches, one situated in a rural area and the other in an urban area. A five‐stage sequential leaching scheme for the speciation of K, Ca, Fe, Zn and Pb was applied, the fractions obtained being as follows: exchangeable elements; elements bound to carbonates; elements bound to Fe and Mn oxides; elements bound to organic matter; and the digested insoluble residue. It was found that, in the case of the church in the urban area, much of the K, Fe and Zn appeared as mobile elements, whereas for the church situated in the rural area, the amounts of Ca and Fe were most mobile. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Pregnant Families' Discussions on the Net—From Virtual Connections Toward Real‐Life Community
Authors: Kouri Pirkko , Turunen Hannele , Tossavainen Kerttu , Saarikoski Seppo
Published: June 2006

The aim of this research was to analyze conversations between expectant families (N = 21) in Net Clinic, an Internet‐based service designed for patients using public maternity care. The online conversations, shared opinions about experiences of pregnancy, and family life constituted the data for content analysis. The families developed a sense of virtual community, which gradually evolved into a real‐life community, by discovering the similarity of their life situations and by giving parent‐to‐parent support for everyday life events. As a view of daily family life, Net Clinic offers maternity care professionals a deeper understanding of how to enhance safer pregnancy, birth, and growth of the family.
A Surprising Case of Sustained Antenatal Fetal Bradycardia
Authors: Salazar Susan S.
Published: June 2006

Persistent fetal bradycardia noted in the antenatal period can occur secondary to maternal conditions, fetal cardiac structural defects, or from congenital heart block. Fetal bradycardia can be mistaken for maternal pulse and should be confirmed with ultrasound whenever possible. Prompt evaluation of the fetus with bradycardia can lead to early interventions designed to prevent cardiac damage and/or hydrops.
Maternal Body Mass Index, Delivery Route, and Induction of Labor in a Midwifery Caseload
Authors: Graves Barbara W. , DeJoy Susan A. , Heath Annemarie , Pekow Penelope
Published: June 2006

The purpose of this study was to identify the association between prepregnancy body mass index (BMI), weight gain in pregnancy, and newborn birth weight on route of delivery and induction of labor in patients receiving nurse‐midwifery care. This retrospective cohort study examined the outcomes of 1500 consecutively delivered women who were cared for by two midwifery practices and delivered between January 1, 1998, and December 31, 2000. Cesarean delivery was significantly associated with the obese BMI (P < .001), nulliparity (P < .02), and newborn birth weight (P =.006). Prenatal weight gain did not have a significant correlation with cesarean birth (P = .24). In multivariable modeling, obese BMI, high newborn birth weight, nulliparity, and induction of labor increased the risk of cesarean birth. There was also a significant association between higher BMI and risk of induction of labor (P < .001). In a secondary analysis, obese BMI was associated with increased risk of induction in cases with ruptured membranes (OR 2.2; 95% CI 1.4–3.4) and postdates pregnancy (OR 2.0; 95% CI 1.1–3.4).
Comparison of Selected Outcomes of CenteringPregnancy Versus Traditional Prenatal Care
Authors: Baldwin Karen A.
Published: June 2006

The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of traditional prenatal care versus a group model of care, CenteringPregnancy, on maternal knowledge of pregnancy, social support, health locus of control, and satisfaction. The CenteringPregnancy model of care gives patients extended time with the provider in a group setting. The study used a two‐group, pretest/posttest design of pregnant women who elected either the traditional approach to prenatal care (n = 48) or the Centering approach (n = 50). The results of this study showed statistically significant differences between the groups on posttest in knowledge of pregnancy. For social support and health locus of control, the high scores at pretest contributed to a ceiling effect, which limited the potential for change. Additional research is needed to assess health status outcomes among women electing alternative approaches to prenatal care.
Storytelling as an Educational Strategy for Midwifery Students
Authors: Hunter Lauren P. , Hunter Linda A.
Published: June 2006

This article describes the use of purposive storytelling as a creative teaching strategy in the nurse‐midwifery education program at San Diego State University and the University of California, San Diego. Student evaluations over a 4‐year period showed overwhelming support for the inclusion of storytelling into a weekly didactic midwifery course. Benefits, such as increased cognitive learning, enhanced role transition, and emotional clarification were identified in the students' comments. The students' comments further supported the efficacy of incorporating storytelling into midwifery education. A review of the literature confirms the growing popularity of storytelling in both health care and education, and a conceptual framework is also provided. Further research is needed to examine the benefits of this worthwhile technique in promoting learning, stimulating interest, and facilitating the development of critical thinking.
The Reality of Resistance: The Experiences of Rural Parturient Women
Authors: Kornelsen Jude , Grzybowski Stefan
Published: June 2006

The closure of many local maternity services has given rise to contemporary realities of care for many rural parturient women in Canada, which, in turn, determines their experience of birth. To date, we do not have an understanding of the realities influencing the birthing experiences of rural parturient women. This qualitative investigation explored these issues with women from four rural British Columbian communities through semistructured interviews and focus groups. Women in this study articulated four realities that influenced the nature of their experience of birth, including geographic realities, the availability of local health service resources, and the influence of parity and financial implications of leaving the community to give birth. When these realities were incongruent with participants' needs in birth, participants developed strategies of resistance to mitigate the dissonance. Strategies included trying to time the birth at the referral hospital by undergoing an elective induction and seasonal timing of pregnancies to minimize the risk of winter travel. Some women showed up at the local hospital in an advanced stage of labor to avoid transfer to a referral center, or in some instances, had an unassisted homebirth.
TAX, MARRIAGE AND THE FAMILY
Authors: Tiley John
Published: June 2006

TAX lawyers and family lawyers are being provided with much interest by the recent decision of the Court of Appeal in Jones v. Garnett. The Revenue have obtained leave to appeal to the House of Lords. When that appeal is heard it is to be hoped that the Lordships will not be swayed by one particular point made both in the Court of Appeal (by Chancellor Morritt and Carnwath L.J.), where the taxpayer succeeded, and in the High Court (Park J.), where the Revenue had succeeded.
A RE-APPRAISAL OF THE FIDUCIARY SELF-DEALING AND FAIR-DEALING RULES
Authors: Conaglen Matthew
Published: June 2006

INTito v. Waddell (No. 2), Megarry V.-C. famously described, and differentiated, the two dealing rules, the “self-dealing rule” and the “fair-dealing rule”, that apply to those occupying fiduciary positions: The self-dealing rule is … that if a trustee sells the trust property to himself, the sale is voidable by any beneficiary ex debito justitiae, however fair the transaction. The fair-dealing rule is … that if a trustee purchases the beneficial interest of any of his beneficiaries, the transaction is not voidable ex debito justitiae, but can be set aside by the beneficiary unless the trustee can show that he has taken no advantage of his position and has made full disclosure to the beneficiary, and that the transaction is fair and honest.
BETWEEN THEORY AND PRACTICE: NEW PERSPECTIVES ON THE ROMAN LAW OF LETTING AND HIRING
Authors: Du Plessis Paul
Published: June 2006

JURISTIC writing and Imperial Constitutions on the subject of locatio conductio, collected by the compilers to produce D.19.2 and C.4.65, do not present a complete picture of the Roman law of lease. Not only were most of these texts severed from their original context, but the statements in the Introductory Constitutions to different parts of the Corpus Iuris Civilis also indicate that a large number were eliminated in the compilation process. Although it can hardly be disputed that what the compilers chose to include in these two titles was an accurate account of the law of letting and hiring in force during the time of Justinian, it has been credibly suggested that these titles were given a specific focus in order to project a particular image of the Roman rental economy.
Revision of the middle Cambrian trilobite Paradoxides jemtlandicus
Authors: RUSHTON A. W. A.
Published: June 2006

Paradoxides jemtlandicus Wiman, 1903, from strata near the boundary between the oelandicus Stage and the paradoxissimus Stage of the middle Cambrian in central Sweden, is redescribed using more complete specimens than were known hitherto. It is one of the earliest species of the genus Paradoxides sensu stricto, and though the form of the dorsal exoskeleton and the transverse shape of the hypostome are normal for the genus, compared with typical Paradoxides such as P. paradoxissimus it shows features that can be regarded as primitive. These features include the shape of the glabella, the lack of strong fusion of the rostrum with the hypostome, the acute inner spine angle of the librigena and the short pygidium; they are reminiscent of some species of Hydrocephalus.
Management of clinically diagnosed subacute rhinosinusitis in children under the age of two years: a randomized, controlled study
Authors: El-Hennawi D M , Abou-Halawa A S , Zaher S R
Published: June 2006

Background: In children, a diagnosis of rhinosinusitis is usually made on clinical grounds. Subacute rhinosinusitis (SRS) may be the cause of persistent cough, low-grade fever, snoring, ear problems and difficult feeding in children under the age of two years.

Objective: To compare the efficacy of culture-based antibiotics and empiric amoxicillin–clavulanate (40 mg/kg/day) in treating SRS in children under the age of two years.

Study design: Randomized, controlled study.

Population: Sixty children with persistent nasal discharge and nasal obstruction (and other related symptoms) for 30–90 days.

Methods: Group one (n = 30) received culture-based antibiotics and group two (n = 30) were treated empirically with 40 mg/kg/day of amoxicillin–clavulanate. Treatment was continued for two weeks.

Results: At the end of the three-week follow-up period, statistically significant greater improvements in nasal obstruction (p = 0.037) and nasal discharge (p = 0.003) were seen in group one compared with group two.

Conclusion: culture-based antibiotics were more efficacious than empiric amoxicillin–clavulanate (40 mg/kg/day) in treating SRS in children under the age of two years.
Event-related fMRI of word classification and successful word recognition in subjects at genetically enhanced risk of schizophrenia
Authors: WHYTE MARIE-CLAIRE , C. WHALLEY HEATHER , SIMONOTTO ENRICO , FLETT SUSANNA , SHILLCOCK RICHARD , MARSHALL IAN , H. GODDARD NIGEL , JOHNSTONE EVE C. , LAWRIE STEPHEN M.
Published: June 2006

Background. Verbal declarative memory is a core deficit in schizophrenia patients, seen to a lesser extent in unaffected biological relatives. Neuroimaging studies suggest volumetric differences and aberrant function in prefrontal and temporal regions in schizophrenia patients compared to controls. These deficits are also reflected in the small number of similar investigations in unaffected biological relatives. However, it is unclear the extent to which dysfunction is genetically mediated or a feature of the established illness.

Method. Event-related blood-oxygen-level-dependent (BOLD) functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used to measure brain activation in 68 biological relatives of schizophrenia patients (of whom 27 experienced transient or isolated psychotic symptoms) and 21 controls during verbal classification and recognition.

Results. During word classification, the high-risk group showed a greater response relative to controls in the right inferior frontal gyrus. During correct recognition (relative to correct rejection), the high-risk group showed significantly greater response relative to controls in the right cerebellum. When the high-risk group was split into those with (HR+) and without (HR−) psychotic symptoms, the increased response in the right inferior frontal gyrus was only seen when the HR+ were compared to controls. The greater cerebellar response was seen when both HR groups were compared to controls.

Conclusions. Activation increases in the right inferior frontal gyrus and cerebellum in high-risk subjects compared to controls during a relatively low-load memory task are likely to represent compensation for genetically mediated abnormalities. This is consistent with a leftward shift of the inverted ‘U’ load–response model of cognitive function in schizophrenia.
Prey evolution on the time scale of predator–prey dynamics revealed by allele-specific quantitative PCR
Authors: Meyer Justin R. , Ellner Stephen P. , Hairston Nelson G. , Jones Laura E. , Yoshida Takehito
Published: June 2006

Using rotifer–algal microcosms, we tracked rapid evolution resulting from temporally changing natural selection in ecological predator–prey dynamics. We previously demonstrated that predator–prey oscillations in rotifer–algal laboratory microcosms are qualitatively altered by the presence of genetic variation within the prey. In that study, changes in algal gene frequencies were inferred from their effects on population dynamics but not observed directly. Here, we document rapid prey evolution in this system by directly observing changes in
Chlorella vulgaris
genotype frequencies as the abundances of these algae and their consumer,
Brachionus calyciflorus
, change through time. We isolated a group of algal clones that we could distinguish by using microsatellite-DNA markers, and developed an allele-specific quantitative PCR technique (AsQ-PCR) to quantify the frequencies of pairs of clones in mixed culture. We showed that two of these genotypes exhibited a fitness tradeoff in which one was more resistant to predation (more digestion-resistant), and the other had faster population growth under limiting nitrogen concentrations. A fully specified mathematical model for the rotifer–algal population and evolutionary dynamics predicted that these two clones would undergo a single oscillation in clonal frequencies followed by asymptotic fixation of the more resistant clone, rather than the recurrent oscillations previously observed with other algal clones. We used AsQ-PCR to confirm this prediction: the superior competitor dominated initially, but as rotifer densities increased, the more predator-resistant clone predominated.
Structure–function–folding relationship in a WW domain
Authors: Jäger Marcus , Zhang Yan , Bieschke Jan , Nguyen Houbi , Dendle Maria , Bowman Marianne E. , Noel Joseph P. , Gruebele Martin , Kelly Jeffery W.
Published: June 2006

Protein folding barriers result from a combination of factors including unavoidable energetic frustration from nonnative interactions, natural variation and selection of the amino acid sequence for function, and/or selection pressure against aggregation. The rate-limiting step for human Pin1 WW domain folding is the formation of the loop 1 substructure. The native conformation of this six-residue loop positions side chains that are important for mediating protein–protein interactions through the binding of Pro-rich sequences. Replacement of the wild-type loop 1 primary structure by shorter sequences with a high propensity to fold into a type-I′ β-turn conformation or the statistically preferred type-I G1 bulge conformation accelerates WW domain folding by almost an order of magnitude and increases thermodynamic stability. However, loop engineering to optimize folding energetics has a significant downside: it effectively eliminates WW domain function according to ligand-binding studies. The energetic contribution of loop 1 to ligand binding appears to have evolved at the expense of fast folding and additional protein stability. Thus, the two-state barrier exhibited by the wild-type human Pin1 WW domain principally results from functional requirements, rather than from physical constraints inherent to even the most efficient loop formation process.
Implications of structures of synaptic tetramers of γδ resolvase for the mechanism of recombination
Authors: Kamtekar Satwik , Ho Roger S. , Cocco Melanie J. , Li Weikai , Wenwieser Sandra V. C. T. , Boocock Martin R. , Grindley Nigel D. F. , Steitz Thomas A.
Published: June 2006

The structures of two mutants of the site-specific recombinase, γδ resolvase, that form activated tetramers have been determined. One, at 3.5-Å resolution, forms a synaptic intermediate of resolvase that is covalently linked to two cleaved DNAs, whereas the other is of an unliganded structure determined at 2.1-Å resolution. Comparisons of the four known tetrameric resolvase structures show that the subunits interact through the formation of a common core of four helices. The N-terminal halves of these helices superimpose well on each other, whereas the orientations of their C termini are more variable. The catalytic domains of resolvase in the unliganded structure are arranged asymmetrically, demonstrating that their positions can move substantially while preserving the four-helix core that forms the tetramer. These results suggest that the precleavage synaptic tetramer of γδ resolvase, whose structure is not known, may be formed by a similar four-helix core, but differ in the relative orientations of its catalytic and DNA-binding domains.
GEP
100
/BRAG2: Activator of ADP-ribosylation factor 6 for regulation of cell adhesion and actin cytoskeleton via E-cadherin and α-catenin
Authors: Hiroi Toyoko , Someya Akimasa , Thompson Walter , Moss Joel , Vaughan Martha
Published: June 2006

GEP
100
(p100) was identified as an ADP-ribosylation factor (ARF) guanine nucleotide-exchange protein (GEP) that partially colocalized with ARF6 in the cell periphery. p100 preferentially accelerated guanosine 5[γ-thio]triphosphate (GTPγS) binding by ARF6, which participates in protein trafficking near the plasma membrane, including receptor recycling, cell adhesion, and cell migration. Here we report that yeast two-hybrid screening of a human fetal brain cDNA library using p100 as bait revealed specific interaction with α-catenin, which is known as a regulator of adherens junctions and actin cytoskeleton remodeling. Interaction of p100 with α-catenin was confirmed by coimmunoprecipitation of the endogenous proteins from human HepG2 or CaSki cells, although colocalization was difficult to demonstrate microscopically. α-Catenin enhanced GTPγS binding by ARF6
in vitro
in the presence of p100. Depletion of p100 by small interfering RNA (siRNA) treatment in HepG2 cells resulted in E-cadherin content 3-fold that in control cells and blocked hepatocyte growth factor-induced redistribution of E-cadherin, consistent with a known role of ARF6 in this process. F-actin was markedly decreased in normal rat kidney (NRK) cells overexpressing wild-type p100, but not its GEP-inactive mutants, also consistent with the conclusion that p100 has an important role in the activation of ARF6 for its functions in both E-cadherin recycling and actin remodeling.
The Nup107-160 Nucleoporin Complex Is Required for Correct Bipolar Spindle Assembly
Authors: Orjalo Arturo V. , Arnaoutov Alexei , Shen Zhouxin , Boyarchuk Yekaterina , Zeitlin Samantha G. , Fontoura Beatriz , Briggs Steven , Dasso Mary , Forbes Douglass J.
Published: June 2006

The Nup107-160 complex is a critical subunit of the nuclear pore. This complex localizes to kinetochores in mitotic mammalian cells, where its function is unknown. To examine Nup107-160 complex recruitment to kinetochores, we stained human cells with antisera to four complex components. Each antibody stained not only kinetochores but also prometaphase spindle poles and proximal spindle fibers, mirroring the dual prometaphase localization of the spindle checkpoint proteins Mad1, Mad2, Bub3, and Cdc20. Indeed, expanded crescents of the Nup107-160 complex encircled unattached kinetochores, similar to the hyperaccumulation observed of dynamic outer kinetochore checkpoint proteins and motors at unattached kinetochores. In mitotic Xenopus egg extracts, the Nup107-160 complex localized throughout reconstituted spindles. When the Nup107-160 complex was depleted from extracts, the spindle checkpoint remained intact, but spindle assembly was rendered strikingly defective. Microtubule nucleation around sperm centrosomes seemed normal, but the microtubules quickly disassembled, leaving largely unattached sperm chromatin. Notably, Ran-GTP caused normal assembly of microtubule asters in depleted extracts, indicating that this defect was upstream of Ran or independent of it. We conclude that the Nup107-160 complex is dynamic in mitosis and that it promotes spindle assembly in a manner that is distinct from its functions at interphase nuclear pores.
Measuring Nanometer Scale Gradients in Spindle Microtubule Dynamics Using Model Convolution Microscopy
Authors: Pearson Chad G. , Gardner Melissa K. , Paliulis Leocadia V. , Salmon E. D. , Odde David J. , Bloom Kerry
Published: June 2006

A computational model for the budding yeast mitotic spindle predicts a spatial gradient in tubulin turnover that is produced by kinetochore-attached microtubule (kMT) plus-end polymerization and depolymerization dynamics. However, kMTs in yeast are often much shorter than the resolution limit of the light microscope, making visualization of this gradient difficult. To overcome this limitation, we combined digital imaging of fluorescence redistribution after photobleaching (FRAP) with model convolution methods to compare computer simulations at nanometer scale resolution to microscopic data. We measured a gradient in microtubule dynamics in yeast spindles at ∼65-nm spatial intervals. Tubulin turnover is greatest near kinetochores and lowest near the spindle poles. A β-tubulin mutant with decreased plus-end dynamics preserves the spatial gradient in tubulin turnover at a slower time scale, increases average kinetochore microtubule length ∼14%, and decreases tension at kinetochores. The β-tubulin mutant cells have an increased frequency of chromosome loss, suggesting that the accuracy of chromosome segregation is linked to robust kMT plus-end dynamics.