bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Recent development in preparation reactivity and biological activity of enaminoketones and enaminothiones and their utilization to prepare heterocyclic compounds
Authors: Negri Giuseppina , Kascheres Concetta , Kascheres Albert J.
Published: March 2009

Enaminoketones and esters are gaining increased interest, particularly cyclic‐β‐enaminoesters, which are known as important intermediates for the synthesis of heterocycles and natural products, because the enantioselective preparation of highly functionalized compounds is of central importance in synthetic chemistry. Enaminones are versatile synthetic intermediates that combine the ambident nucleophilicity of enamines with the ambident eletrophilicity of enones. Enaminoketones and enaminonitriles have proven to be versatile building blocks for the synthesis of various heterocycles such as pyridine, pyrimidine and pyrrole deriva tives. Enaminones systems have “enone” character, and may act as acceptors in both 1,2 and 1,4‐additions. In this way the enaminone serves as a scaffold for annulation, and can gain access to systems such as pyrroles indolizidines, quinolizidines and perhydroindoles, all of which are common motifs in alkaloid structures. Enaminones are frequently employed as building blocks for the preparation of a variety of bicyclic compounds of biological interest and have been recently recognized as potential anticonvulsant compounds. Since a large number of developments in the use of enaminones in heterocyclic synthesis have occurred, a review of the recent developments in the synthetic approaches, covering the literature since 1995 until 2004, to these interesting molecules and their useful chemical transformations and biological activity can be considered of considerable value.
Thermal transformation of arylamidoximes in the presence of phosphorus ylides. Unexpected formation of 3‐aryl‐5‐arylamino‐1,2,4‐oxadiazoles
Authors: Nicolaides Demetrios N. , Litinas Konstantinos E. , Vrasidas Ioannis , Fylaktakidou Konstantina C.
Published: March 2009

The unexpected formation of 3‐aryl‐5‐arylamino‐1,2,4‐oxadiazoles took place, when arylamidoximes reacted thermally with ethoxycarbonylmethylene(triphenyl)phosphorane. Furoxans, nitriles, ureas were also isolated suggesting aryl cyanide oxides as intermediates. 3‐Aryl‐5‐arylamino‐1,2,4‐oxadiazoles were formed via an aryl migration from the carbon atom to the nitrogen atom of the amidoxime, and the structure was further proved from the X‐ray crystal structure of the N‐(4‐bromobenzoyl) derivative.
Atomic force microscopy study of the antimicrobial activity of aqueous garlic versus ampicillin against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus
Authors: Perry Christopher C , Weatherly Monique , Beale Tiffany , Randriamahefa Alexandrine
Published: March 2009

BACKGROUND: In this study the effects of ampicillin and aqueous garlic extract on Escherichia coli (ATCC 9637) and Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 25923) were compared. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) was used to study the possible mechanisms of membrane disruption.

RESULTS: Ampicillin disrupted the cell membrane of E. coli, inducing pores and cell leakage. Aqueous garlic extract also induced leakage from the cell membrane in E. coli, but no pores were observed. The trend in Young's modulus for E. coli was Enative ≈ Eage > Eamp. In contrast, S. aureus incubated with low ampicillin (≤50µg mL−1) and garlic (≤50 mg mL−1) concentrations showed no significant changes in surface morphology compared with the untreated bacterium. The trend in Young's modulus for S. aureus was Enative ≈ Eage ≈ Eamp.

CONCLUSION: The trend Enative ≈ Eage for E. coli and S. aureus supports the hypothesis that the compounds in garlic show intracellular activity. This proof‐of‐concept study of the aqueous crude isolate of garlic points to the feasibility of further AFM investigations to compare the antimicrobial properties of various pure thiosulfinate isolates found in garlic. Copyright © 2009 Society of Chemical Industry
Preparation of solid alkaline fuel cell binders based on fluorinated poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride)s [poly(DADMAC)] or poly(chlorotrifluoroethylene‐co‐DADMAC) copolymers
Authors: Valade David , Boschet Frédéric , Roualdès Stéphanie , Ameduri Bruno
Published: March 2009

A membrane or an electrode binder to be used in a solid alkaline fuel cell (SAFC) needs to (i) be insoluble in both aqueous solutions and the required fuels, and (ii) exhibit an hydroxide ion conductivity. To achieve these goals, two pathways were employed: (i) one consists of the radical copolymerization of diallyldimethylammonium chloride (DADMAC) with chlorotrifluoroethylene (CTFE) while (ii) the other one is based on the counter‐ion exchange of a poly(DADMAC) by fluorinated anions. First, the radical copolymerization of CTFE with DADMAC under various experimental conditions was achieved in yields up to 85%, and DADMAC percentages in the copolymers were higher than those in the feed compositions. To obtain insoluble copolymers, high CTFE feed contents (>70 mol %) were required. The other route consisting in the partial replacement of the Cl− counter‐ions in the water‐soluble poly(DADMAC) by bistrifluoromethanesulfonimide (TFSI−) did confer the starting material insolubility in water while maintaining its conductivity. When the fluorinated poly(DADMAC) was obtained from concentrated solutions of fluorinated surfactant, it was observed that the amount of counter‐ions exchanged was difficult to control, which limits optimization. Nevertheless, under diluted conditions, membranes with ion exchange capacity up to 0.7 meq g−1, and conductivities close to 1 mS cm−1 were obtained. Although their conductivities were low, these membranes fulfill the requirements for a SAFC membrane in terms of solubility in DMSO, water insolubility, and thermal stability (Td,10% > 320 °C). When used in a fuel cell, as a binder in the membrane‐electrode assembly (MEA), significant improvements were noted (+50% of the open circuit voltage, +580% in current density, and +540% in accessible power). © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 47: 2043–2058, 2009
Solid acid clay mediated copolymerization of methyl acrylate and 1‐octene: 2D NMR substantiation of predominant alternating comonomer sequence
Authors: Kaur Sukhdeep , Singh Gurmeet , Gupta Virendra K.
Published: March 2009

Montmorillionite K10 powder presence during radically initiated copolymerization of methyl acrylate (M) and 1‐octene (O) gave copolymers with higher incorporation of alkene unit. Highly viscous and transparent copolymers showed alternation irrespective of the copolymer composition. Increasing the amount of K10 powder increased the total percentage conversion, as well as 1‐octene incorporation. The monomodal curves obtained in gel permeation chromatography (GPC) substantiated that true copolymers were formed. The alternation in the copolymers was authenticated through Heteronuclear Multiple Quantum Correlation (HMQC) experiments in conjugation with Total Correlated Spectroscopy (TOCSY). © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 47: 2156–2162, 2009
Near‐field air concentrations of pesticides in potato agriculture in Prince Edward Island
Authors: Garron Christine A , Davis Kimberly C , Ernst William R
Published: March 2009

BACKGROUND: Pesticides in air have become of increasing concern in recent years. This study examined downwind air concentrations of carbofuran, methamidophos, mancozeb and diquat dibromide resulting from spray drift within 24 h of application, within 100 m of potato fields.

RESULTS: Concentrations ranged from less than 0.05 µg m−3 in prespray samples to 6.37 µg m−3 for methamidophos at 3 h post‐spray. For most applications, air concentrations decreased with distance from the field and with time after application. Methamidophos concentrations in the air downwind continued to increase up to 3 h after spray. Air concentrations during spray were positively correlated with application rate (r = 0.904), and air concentrations at 1 h and 3 h post‐spray were positively correlated with vapour pressure (r = 1.000 and r = 0.999 respectively). Carbofuran, methamidophos and diquat dibromide concentrations during spray were above some Canadian and international health protection guidelines.

CONCLUSION: Although pesticide air concentrations measured in this study are generally consistent with other studies, maximum concentrations are greater than those that have been measured elsewhere, and some are above published air quality guidelines. An evaluation of the degree of risk posed by these and other pest control products to human and wildlife receptors is recommended. Copyright © 2009 Crown in the right of Canada. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Fitness and maternal effects in hybrids formed between transgenic oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.) and wild brown mustard [B. juncea (L.) Czern et Coss.] in the field
Authors: Di Kun , Stewart C Neal , Wei Wei , Shen Bao‐cheng , Tang Zhi‐Xi , Ma Ke‐Ping
Published: March 2009

BACKGROUND: Gene flow between crops and weedy relatives depends on the survivorship and reproduction of early‐generation hybrids in a field environment. The primary aim of this study was to compare the fitness of transgenic crop × wild hybrids with their parental types and a non‐transgenic crop type in the field under enhanced temperature and humidity.

RESULTS: Transgenic insect‐resistant oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.), wild brown mustard [B. juncea (L.) Czern et Coss.], their hybrids and non‐transgenic B. napus were grown in such a way as to mimic field conditions after harvest under which volunteer plants might appear in agricultural settings. Factor analysis revealed that vegetative growth characteristics explained most of the observed differences among plant types. Wild brown mustard had the highest fitness during its entire life history. Hybrids had intermediate composite fitness and lowest reproductive fitness. The hybrid and the wild weed shared similar vegetative growth characteristics and seed dormancy in their respective progenies.

CONCLUSION: These data indicate that there might be enhanced persistence of the transgene in warmer climates. The absence of fitness cost of the transgenes might allow transgenes to persist in ecosystems. These data will contribute to risk assessments of transgene persistence and weed management against the backdrop of global climate change. Copyright © 2009 Society of Chemical Industry
Kinematic synthesis of tendon-driven robotic manipulators using singular value decomposition
Authors: Sheu Jinn-Biau , Huang Jyun-Jheng , Lee Jyh-Jone
Published: March 2009

This work describes a systematic methodology for the synthesis of tendon-driven manipulators. A method for enumerating the topology of tendon routings is first established. To conform with the enumerated structures, the kinematic synthesis of the manipulator using singular value decomposition is then developed. Design equations for synthesizing a general tendon-driven manipulator with isotropic transmission characteristics are subsequently derived. It is shown that the design methodology may give designers wider selection in determining the tendon routing topology than prior methods by other literature.
‘A Society for People’
Authors: Townsend Peter
Published: March 2009

Those who grew up in the war, as I did, could not fail to be aware of the lowering of social barriers and of the popular support for social reform. Whether by eating in communal restaurants and sleeping in air raid shelters, accommodating evacuees and the victims of the, blitz, joining in firewatching and civil defence, doing holiday work on farms or serving in the armed forces, people were obliged to meet, and get to know, many others of different class, occupation and background. They had a common interest and a common purpose. One of my most vivid memories is of the shock felt by the middle classes in Black-pool upon the arrival of families evacuated from the Liverpool slums. As in many other places, people came to understand for the first time how the other half lived, and what the years of unemployment had wrought. Here were two nations confronted.
Introduction: Mental Health and Human Rights: Social Policy and Sociological Perspectives
Authors: Lewis Lydia
Published: March 2009

Recognition of the effects of social, economic, political and cultural conditions on mental health and the personal, social and economic costs of a growing global mental health crisis (WHO, 2001; EC, 2005) mean that mental health and well-being are a current feature of social policy agendas at UK, European and world levels, with debate increasingly becoming framed in human rights terms. In the UK, policy drives to address social exclusion and health inequalities as key social and economic rights issues have encompassed attention to mental health and distress (DoH, 2003; Social Exclusion Unit, 2004) and mental health has been identified as a priority area for the new Equality and Human Rights Commission (Diamond, 2007; DRC, 2007). At the European level too, rights-based social policy approaches to promoting social cohesion (European Committee for Social Cohesion, 2004) and policy directives on the ‘right to health’ (Commission of the European Communities, 2007) have been centrally concerned with mental health and well-being, and have been accompanied by a European strategy on mental health for the EU (EC, 2005). At a global level, the World Health Organisation has declared enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health to be a fundamental human right (WHO, 2006). It has launched a new appeal on mental health which draws attention to the impact of human rights violations and cites social isolation, poor quality of life, stigma and discrimination as central issues for those with mental health needs (Dhanda and Narayan, 2007; Horton, 2007; WHO, 2007).
High catalytic activity of Au/CeO
x
/TiO
2
(110) controlled by the nature of the mixed-metal oxide at the nanometer level
Authors: Park Joon B. , Graciani Jesus , Evans Jaime , Stacchiola Dario , Ma Shuguo , Liu Ping , Nambu Akira , Sanz Javier Fernández , Hrbek Jan , Rodriguez José A.
Published: March 2009

Mixed-metal oxides play a very important role in many areas of chemistry, physics, materials science, and geochemistry. Recently, there has been a strong interest in understanding phenomena associated with the deposition of oxide nanoparticles on the surface of a second (host) oxide. Here, scanning tunneling microscopy, photoemission, and density-functional calculations are used to study the behavior of ceria nanoparticles deposited on a TiO
2
(110) surface. The titania substrate imposes nontypical coordination modes on the ceria nanoparticles. In the CeO
x
/TiO
2
(110) systems, the Ce cations adopt an structural geometry and an oxidation state (+3) that are quite different from those seen in bulk ceria or for ceria nanoparticles deposited on metal substrates. The increase in the stability of the Ce
3+
oxidation state leads to an enhancement in the chemical and catalytic activity of the ceria nanoparticles. The codeposition of ceria and gold nanoparticles on a TiO
2
(110) substrate generates catalysts with an extremely high activity for the production of hydrogen through the water–gas shift reaction (H
2
O + CO → H
2
+ CO
2
) or for the oxidation of carbon monoxide (2CO + O
2
→ 2CO
2
). The enhanced stability of the Ce
3+
state is an example of structural promotion in catalysis described here on the atomic level. The exploration of mixed-metal oxides at the nanometer level may open avenues for optimizing catalysts through stabilization of unconventional surface structures with special chemical activity.
DV-Curve: a novel intuitive tool for visualizing and analyzing DNA sequences
Authors: Zhang Zhu-Jin
Published: March 2009

Motivation: The rapid growth of DNA sequence data creates a need to find graphic tools to study DNA sequence in a perceivable form. A large number of scholars work hard in this field. However, it is difficult to handle the following problems in one graph: (i) degeneracy, (ii) loss of information, (iii) difficulty of observing in multi-dimensional graph, (iv) difficulty of visualization when representing long DNA sequences and (v) need to reflect useful information.

Results: DV-Curve (Dual-Vector Curve) using two vectors to represent one alphabet of DNA sequences not only avoids degeneracy and loss of information, but also has good visualization no matter whether sequences are long, and can reflect the length of DNA sequence. The applications of the DV-Curve on mutation analysis and two types of similarity analysis are presented in detail. DV-Curve is a significative tool by which biologists could find useful biological knowledge.

Availability: The corresponding software of DV-Curve is available at http://bmchust.3322.org/Data/Soft/332-DV-Curve2.0.zip

Contact:  zhangzhujin@gmail.com
Dietary beliefs and behaviour of a UK Somali population
Authors: McEwen A. , Straus L. , Croker H.
Published: March 2009

Background:  Somalis comprise one of the largest asylum seeking populations in the UK, yet very little is known about how this migration has affected traditional attitudes towards food or eating habits. The present study was commissioned to examine the health behaviours (smoking, diet and exercise) of a Somali population in London; the study focuses on the dietary beliefs and self‐reported eating behaviours of these subjects.

Methods:  Because of the documented difficulty of engaging black and minority ethnic groups in research, a mixed methodology was used, involving focus groups to elicit specific dietary themes and a questionnaire survey to attempt to quantify community concordance with these themes. Eight focus groups were held in London in 2006; there were two women’s and six men’s groups, with 62 participants in total. The questionnaire was developed following analysis of the focus group discussions and opportunistically distributed via local Somali community organisations (77 respondents).

Results:  The typical diet of focus group participants largely consisted of rice, pasta and red meat. There was low consumption of fruit and vegetables reported among the focus group participants: of survey respondents 97% reported eating less than two pieces of fruit, and 92% less than two portions of vegetables, a day.

Conclusions:  Fruit and vegetable consumption was low and there was uncertainty about what constituted a healthy diet and a stated desire for education around this. Cultural factors such as the traditional Somali diet, social associations of food and lack of appropriate information are issues that need to be addressed.
Species relative abundance and direction of introgression in oaks
Authors: LEPAIS O. , PETIT R. J. , GUICHOUX E. , LAVABRE J. E. , ALBERTO F. , KREMER A. , GERBER S.
Published: March 2009

Successful hybridisation and subsequent introgression lead to the transfer of genetic material across species boundaries. In this process, species relative abundance can play a significant role. If one species is less abundant than the other, its females will receive many heterospecific gametes, increasing mate‐recognition errors and thus hybridisation rate. Moreover, first‐generation hybrids will also more likely mate with the more abundant species, leading to asymmetric introgression. These predictions have important fundamental consequences, especially during biological invasions or when a rare species threatened by extinction is surrounded by individuals from a related species. However, experimental tests in nature of the importance of the relative abundance of each species on hybridisation dynamics remain scarce. We assess here the impact of species relative abundance on hybridisation dynamics among four species from the European white oak species complex. A total of 2107 oak trees were genotyped at 10 microsatellite markers and Bayesian clustering methods were used to identify reference trees of each species. We then used these reference trees to simulate purebred and hybrid genotypes to determine optimal threshold for genetic assignment. With this approach, we found widespread evidence of hybridisation between all studied oak species, with high occurrence of hybrids, varying from 11% to 31% according to stand and sampling strategies. This finding suggests that hybridisation is a common phenomenon that plays a significant role in evolution of this oak species complex. In addition, we demonstrate a strong impact of species abundance on both hybridisation rate and introgression directionality.
Pre‐pregnancy body mass index change between pregnancies and preterm birth in the following pregnancy
Authors: Chen Aimin , Klebanoff Mark A. , Basso Olga
Published: March 2009

Maternal pre‐pregnancy body mass index (BMI) may affect the risk of preterm birth. However, it is unclear how changes in BMI between pregnancies modify the risk of preterm birth in the following pregnancy. We studied this effect in the Collaborative Perinatal Project, when obesity was uncommon and the prevalence of induction of labour was low. This analysis included 1892 primiparae whose first enrolled (index) pregnancy was a singleton livebirth and the second enrolled (outcome) pregnancy was a consecutive singleton pregnancy (both pregnancies within 20–51 weeks of gestation). We used the Cox regression model to calculate the hazard ratio (HR) of preterm birth at the outcome pregnancy as a function of reduced BMI (<25thpercentile of change) and increased BMI (>75thpercentile), compared with stable BMI (25th–75thpercentile), adjusted for pre‐pregnancy BMI at the index pregnancy and other covariates.

Body mass index reduction was associated with a non‐significant increased risk of preterm birth, adjusted HR 1.17 [95% confidence interval 0.90, 1.53]; BMI increase had effects close to null (adjusted HR 1.08 [0.83, 1.41]). In the model with linear BMI change, each 1 kg/m2increase was associated with an HR of 0.96 [0.89, 1.03]. The estimates associated with a BMI reduction were higher in women whose index pregnancy ended preterm (HR 1.49 [0.90, 2.44]) and in those with BMI < 25 kg/m2at the index pregnancy (HR 1.30 [0.98, 1.71]). This study involved mainly low‐to‐normal weight women with spontaneous deliveries, and might suffer from type II error owing to small sample size. The effect of BMI change in overweight and obese women needs to be studied using contemporary data.
Genetic evaluation of Australian dairy cattle for somatic cell scores using multi‐trait random regression test‐day model
Authors: Konstantinov K.V. , Beard K.T. , Goddard M.E. , Van Der Werf J.H.J.
Published: March 2009

Summary A multi‐trait (MT) random regression (RR) test day (TD) model has been developed for genetic evaluation of somatic cell scores for Australian dairy cattle, where first, second and third lactations were considered as three different but correlated traits. The model includes herd‐test‐day, year‐season, age at calving, heterosis and lactation curves modelled with Legendre polynomials as fixed effects, and random genetic and permanent environmental effects modelled with Legendre polynomials. Residual variance varied across the lactation trajectory. The genetic parameters were estimated using asreml. The heritability estimates ranged from 0.05 to 0.16. The genetic correlations between lactations and between test days within lactations were consistent with most of the published results. Preconditioned conjugate gradient algorithm with iteration on data was implemented for solving the system of equations. For reliability approximation, the method of Tier and Meyer was used. The genetic evaluation system was validated with Interbull validation method III by comparing proofs from a complete evaluation with those from an evaluation based on a data set excluding the most recent 4 years. The genetic trend estimate was in the allowed range and correlations between the two sets of proofs were very high. Additionally, the RR model was compared to the previous test day model. The correlations of proofs between both models were high (0.97) for bulls with high reliabilities. The correlations of bulls decreased with increasing incompleteness of daughter performance information. The correlations between the breeding values from two consecutive runs were high ranging from 0.97 to 0.99. The MT RR TD model was able to make effective use of available information on young bulls and cows, and could offer an opportunity to breeders to utilize estimated breeding values for first and later lactations.
Seagrass meadows at the extreme of environmental tolerance: the case of Posidonia oceanica in a semi‐enclosed coastal lagoon
Authors: Tomasello Agostino , Di Maida Germana , Calvo Sebastiano , Pirrotta Maria , Borra Marco , Procaccini Gabriele
Published: March 2009

Atoll‐like structures of the endemic Mediterranean seagrass Posidonia oceanica were encountered in the innermost area of the Stagnone di Marsala, a semi‐enclosed coastal lagoon along the western coasts of Sicily. The area is characterized by limited water exchange with the open sea and by a marked seasonal variation of water salinity and temperature, reaching beyond the theoretical tolerance limits of the species. In the present study we determined the genetic composition of the atoll‐like structures, as well as the growth performance and flowering rate of these stands. We also assessed whether and to what extent the atoll‐like structures are genetically isolated from plants growing in meadows outside the lagoon. For this purpose we utilized 13 microsatellite markers to genotype single shoots sampled inside and outside the lagoon. Lepidochronological analyses were performed on the same shoots to determine the annual rhizome growth rate, the number of leaves and the inflorescences formed as an estimate of growth‐ and reproductive performance over the years. The innermost area of the lagoon showed a lower number of alleles, a lower percentage of polymorphic loci, a lower clonal diversity, but higher heterozygosis excess with respect to the other areas analysed. Spatial autocorrelation was here significant, up to slightly below 300 m. Shoots collected in the atolls exhibited a 25% lower vertical growth rate and 16% lower leaf formation in comparison to those in open‐sea meadows. No flowering events were recorded during 24 years of investigation, whereas inflorescences were observed frequently in meadows outside the lagoon. Results from Fst and factorial correspondence analysis confirmed the expected genetic isolation of the confined atolls with respect to the meadows outside the lagoon and revealed limited gene flow within the lagoon itself. Apparently, the enclosed system of the Stagnone lagoon is genetically isolated, with a possible selection of genotypes adapted to persistent stressful conditions, consistent with reduced growth and lack of flowering events.
Application of per oral cholangiopancreatoscopy in pancreatobiliary diseases
Authors: Nguyen Nam Q
Published: March 2009

Pancreaticobiliary ductal diseases are largely investigated by indirect imaging techniques. Therefore, the pathology of up to 30% of cases remains undetermined. Cholangiopancreatoscopy allows direct visualization of ductal abnormalities with the ability to sample tissue and deliver a number of endotherapies. The technique can be broadly categorized into either two‐operator or single‐operator systems. Both systems provide important diagnostic information in the investigation of undetermined biliary or pancreatic strictures, intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasia, occult ductal malignant changes in patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis and occult intraductal stones in patients with complex biliary stone diseases. Therapeutically, cholangiopancreatoscopy‐guided endotherapies provide a highly effective and safe alternative to surgery for patients with difficult extrahepatic and intrahepatic ductal stones that are not amenable to conventional endoscopic extraction by endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography. The clinical application of cholangiopancreatoscopy, however, will be limited unless the technology is further refined to improve its durability, image quality, therapeutic capability and technical feasibility.
Haemorrhoidectomy by vessel sealing system under local anaesthesia in an outpatient setting: preliminary experience
Authors: Luo C.‐H. , Zang C.‐B. , Zhang G.‐K. , Liu H.‐Y.
Published: March 2009

Aim  This prospective study was designed to assess the feasibility of local anaesthesia for LigaSureTM haemorrhoidectomy in an outpatient setting.

Method  From April 2006 to March 2007, 207 consecutive patients (median age 42, 126 males) with grade III (147) and grade IV (60) haemorrhoids, underwent Milligan–Morgan haemorrhoidectomy with LigaSureTM under local anaesthesia (lidocaine 1%, mean dose 27 ± 1.7 ml) in an outpatient setting. Postoperative pain was assessed by a visual analogue scale (VAS).

Results  Two, three and four files were removed in 120, 51 and 36 patients. Mean operative time was 12 ± 5.2 min and mean blood loss was 3.4 ± 3.9 ml. The mean postoperative pain scores were 6.2 ± 2.1 for the maximal pain intensity and 6.1 ± 2.5 for the pain on defecation. All patients left hospital after surgery within 2 h and 33 (15.9%) required analgesics. They returned to normal daily activity after 12.2 ± 7.9 days including work (12.1 ± 7.8 days). The wounds had healed by 32.2 ± 9.1 days. At a follow‐up of at least 6 months, only six cases of major bleeding had occurred and 24 patients had skin tags. The median satisfaction score was +2 (−2 to +3).

Conclusion  LigaSureTM haemorrhoidectomy under local anaesthesia in the outpatient setting is safe and effective.
Impact of clinical factors, including a point‐of‐care nuclear matrix protein‐22 assay and cytology, on bladder cancer detection
Authors: Lotan Yair , Capitanio Umberto , Shariat Shahrokh F. , Hutterer Georg C. , Karakiewicz Pierre I.
Published: March 2009

OBJECTIVE

To determine whether the nuclear matrix protein‐22 (NMP22) assay can improve the accuracy of discriminating between high‐risk patients with and without bladder cancer.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Age, gender, race, smoking status, haematuria and its extent, and the NMP22 and urinary cytology results, were available for 1272 patients. The data of 670 (52.7%) from four study sites were used to develop a logistic regression model‐based nomogram to predict the presence of bladder cancer. The remaining data from 602 (47.3%) patients from nine study sites were used to externally validate the nomogram. A separate nomogram was developed for urinary cytology, and for the combination of NMP22 and urinary cytology findings.

RESULTS

Of 1272 patients, 76 (6.0%) had bladder cancer, 217 (17.1%) were NMP22‐positive and 17 (1.3%) had malignant cells on urinary cytology. NMP22 and urinary cytology results were independent predictors of bladder cancer (P = 0.005 and 0.007, respectively). In external validation, the area under the curve (AUC) for NMP22 was 76.0% vs 56.2% for cytology. External validation of the multivariable NMP22‐based bladder cancer nomogram gave an AUC of 82.4% vs 74.7% for the multivariable cytology‐based nomogram (gain 7.7%; P = 0.006) vs 82.6% for the multivariable nomogram combining NMP22 and cytology results (gain 0.2%; P = 0.1).

CONCLUSIONS

The ability of the NMP22 test to predict bladder cancer in high‐risk patients significantly exceeds that of urinary cytology. The NMP22‐based nomogram can help to identify individuals at risk of bladder cancer.
Tubeless percutaneous nephrolithotomy: 3 years of experience with 454 patients
Authors: Shah Hemendra , Khandkar Amit , Sodha Hiren , Kharodawala Shabbir , Hegde Sunil , Bansal Manish
Published: March 2009

OBJECTIVE

To present our experience with 454 patients who had tubeless percutaneous nephrolithotomy (TPCNL) over last 3 years.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

From September 2004 to August 2007, all patients aged >14 years and undergoing PCNL were considered for TPCNL. Exclusion criteria were the presence of pyonephrosis, matrix calculi, significant bleeding or residual stone burden and need for three of more percutaneous accesses. These patients had a nephrostomy tube placed after PCNL (control group). The remaining patients undergoing TPCNL (study group) had antegrade ureteric stenting. Demographic and perioperative data were compared retrospectively.

RESULTS

Of 840 patients who had PCNL during the study period, 454 had TPCNL. The two groups had comparable demographic data except for a smaller stone burden (322.8 vs 832.2 mm2) and fewer staghorn calculi (94 vs 154) in patients undergoing TPCNL (P < 0.001). The mean number of tracts per renal unit and operative duration were statistically higher in patients undergoing standard PCNL (1.5 vs 1.1, and 68.8 vs 52.2 min, respectively). The decrease in haemoglobin, complication and stone‐free rates were comparable. TPCNL was associated with less postoperative pain, analgesia requirement and earlier discharge (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

TPCNL can be used with a favourable outcome and no increase in complications in selected patients, with the potential advantages of decreased postoperative pain, analgesia requirement and hospital stay. Its application can be extended to patients with a solitary kidney, previous ipsilateral open surgery, raised serum creatinine level, in the presence of three renal accesses or supracostal access, and in patients undergoing bilateral synchronous PCNL or contralateral endourological stone treatment.
Determinants of HIV Knowledge and Condom Use among Women in Madagascar: An Analysis Using Matched Household and Community Data
Authors: Glick Peter , Randriamamonjy Josée , Sahn David E.
Published: March 2009

Abstract:  We estimate the determinants of HIV/AIDS knowledge and related behavior (use of condoms) among women in Madagascar, a country where prevalence remains low but conditions are ripe for a rapid increase in infections. In both rural and urban areas, more educated and wealthier women are more likely to know about means of preventing infection, less likely to have misconceptions about transmission, and more likely to use condoms. Community factors such as availability of health centers and access to roads also are associated with greater HIV knowledge. However, most of the large rural‐urban difference in mean knowledge is due not to location per se but to differences in schooling and wealth; rather than simply being geographically targeted, AIDS education efforts must be designed to target and be understood by uneducated and poor subpopulations.
The Challenges of Socially Responsible Investment Among Institutional Investors: Exploring the Links Between Corporate Pension Funds and Corporate Governance
Authors: VIVÓ LAURA ALBAREDA , FRANCH MARÍA ROSARIO BALAGUER
Published: March 2009

During the last few decades, globalization of finance markets has come under increasing pressure to manage the many risks that companies face due to the negative impact that certain financial crises have had on securities quoted on the stock exchange. Simultaneously, there is a growing tendency among different institutional investors to take into account nonfinancial aspects—social, environmental, and ethical values—of company management. In this respect, increasing numbers of asset managers are aware of the importance of nonfinancial aspects of company management for finance markets. Asset managers integrate corporate social responsibility, sustainability policies and corporate governance strategies as indicators in risk management and the search for long‐term investments. The largest segment of socially responsible investment (SRI) screened and mutual funds are portfolios that are privately managed on behalf of institutions. Socially responsible investors include private and public pension funds, mutual funds, and private accounts that are managed on behalf of institutional investors such as corporations, universities, hospitals, religious institutions, and nonprofit organizations, among others. The aim of this paper is to analyze the development of SRI‐screened management corporate pension plans in the Spanish finance market. Spain is one of the European countries with a less developed SRI institutional market. Since SRI is still at the fledgling stage in the Spanish institutional market, this analysis is restricted to the awareness of SRI among a sample of the total number of corporate pension funds or schemes in Spain. The paper concludes with some proposals to encourage wider SRI acceptance and practice in Spain.
Europe and the Common
Authors: White Jonathan
Published: March 2009

Significant attention has been given to the necessary conditions for a viable and legitimate European polity. Drawing on traditions in political philosophy, a central strand of this debate has concerned what must be common to a set of people such that they may be ruled through the same institutions, with various types of collective bond proposed as possible bases for political community. The argument of this article is that many such approaches, which conceive a bond in terms of shared interests, cultural attributes or shared values and principles, are liable either to underplay or to overplay how much the citizens of a polity must have in common, tending either to empty public life of the pursuit of shared ends or conversely to downgrade the importance of adversarialism. Both may be seen as depoliticising moves. The article goes on to explore how a more explicitly political bond, based on the appraisal of political problems, might be conceived for a European polity.
Attentional processing of location and color cues during driving
Authors: XIA RUTING , FUKUSHIMA MASATO , DOI SHUN’ICHI , KIMURA TAKAHIKO , MIURA TOSHIAKI
Published: March 2009

Studies have shown that prior information concerning the spatial location of a subsequent target facilitates the selection of that target for further visual processing in three‐dimensional (3‐D) space. Using Posner's cuing paradigm, our work examined the reaction time of drivers when cue duration and peripheral environment luminance was changed, and explored the effect color and location on reaction time. Experiment 1 showed that reaction time was not affected by cue duration, and that shifts of attention operated more efficiently for cue location validity. Experiment 2 showed that there was no main effect of background luminance on reaction time. Experiment 3 showed that location produces a greater effect than color.
Reducing Obesity: Motivating Action While Not Blaming the Victim
Authors: ADLER NANCY E. , STEWART JUDITH
Published: March 2009

Context:The rise in obesity in the United States may slow or even reverse the long‐term trend of increasing life expectancy. Like many risk factors for disease, obesity results from behavior and shows a social gradient. Especially among women, obesity is more common among lower‐income individuals, those with less education, and some ethnic/racial minorities.

Methods:This article examines the underlying assumptions and implications for policy and the interventions of the two predominant models used to explain the causes of obesity and also suggests a synthesis that avoids “blaming the victim” while acknowledging the role of individuals' health behaviors in weight maintenance.

Findings:(1) The medical model focuses primarily on treatment, addressing individuals' personal behaviors as the cause of their obesity. An underlying assumption is that as independent agents, individuals make informed choices. Interventions are providing information and motivating individuals to modify their behaviors. (2) The public health model concentrates more on prevention and sees the roots of obesity in an obesogenic environment awash in influences that lead individuals to engage in health‐damaging behaviors. Interventions are modifying environmental forces through social policies. (3) There is a tension between empowering individuals to manage their weight through diet and exercise and blaming them for failure to do so. Patterns of obesity by race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status highlight this tension. (4) Environments differ in their health‐promoting resources; for example, poorer communities have fewer supermarkets, more fast‐food outlets, and fewer accessible and safe recreational opportunities.

Conclusions:A social justice perspective facilitates a synthesis of both models. This article proposes the concept of “behavioral justice” to convey the principle that individuals are responsible for engaging in health‐promoting behaviors but should be held accountable only when they have adequate resources to do so. This perspective maintains both individuals' control and accountability for behaviors and society's responsibility to provide health‐promoting environments.
Physical Activity and Food Environments: Solutions to the Obesity Epidemic
Authors: SALLIS JAMES F. , GLANZ KAREN
Published: March 2009

Context: Environmental, policy, and societal changes are important contributors to the rapid rise in obesity over the past few decades, and there has been substantial progress toward identifying environmental and policy factors related to eating and physical activity that can point toward solutions. This article is a status report on research on physical activity and food environments, and it suggests how these findings can be used to improve diet and physical activity and to control or reduce obesity.

Methods: This article summarizes and synthesizes recent reviews and provides examples of representative studies. It also describes ongoing innovative interventions and policy change efforts that were identified through conference presentations, media coverage, and websites.

Findings: Numerous cross‐sectional studies have consistently demonstrated that some attributes of built and food environments are associated with physical activity, healthful eating, and obesity. Residents of walkable neighborhoods who have good access to recreation facilities are more likely to be physically active and less likely to be overweight or obese. Residents of communities with ready access to healthy foods also tend to have more healthful diets. Disparities in environments and policies that disadvantage low‐income communities and racial minorities have been documented as well. Evidence from multilevel studies, prospective research, and quasi‐experimental evaluations of environmental changes are just beginning to emerge.

Conclusions: Environment, policy, and multilevel strategies for improving diet, physical activity, and obesity control are recommended based on a rapidly growing body of research and the collective wisdom of leading expert organizations. A public health imperative to identify and implement solutions to the obesity epidemic warrants the use of the most promising strategies while continuing to build the evidence base.
Public Health Law and the Prevention and Control of Obesity
Authors: DIETZ WILLIAM H. , BENKEN DONALD E. , HUNTER ALICIA S.
Published: March 2009

Context: Obesity constitutes a major public health challenge in the United States. Obesogenic environments have increased owing to the consumption of calorie‐dense foods of low nutritional value and the reduction of daily physical activity (e.g., increased portion sizes of meals eaten in and out of the home and fewer physical activity requirements in schools). Policymakers and public health practitioners need to know the best practices and have the competencies to use laws and legal authorities to reverse the obesity epidemic. For instance, statutes and regulations at the federal, state, and local levels of government have been implemented to improve nutritional choices and access to healthy foods, encourage physical activity, and educate consumers about adopting healthy lifestyles.

Methods: In an effort to understand the application of laws and legal authorities for obesity prevention and control, in June 2008 the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention convened the National Summit on Legal Preparedness for Obesity Prevention and Control. An outcome of this summit will be the publication of the proceeding's white papers written by eight law and subject‐matter experts with substantive contributions from summit participants, which will identify actionable options that sectors and organizations at various jurisdictional levels can consider adopting.

Findings: Law has played a critical role in the control of chronic diseases and the behaviors that lead to them. The use of a systematic legal framework—the use of legislation, regulation, and policy to address the multiple factors that contribute to obesogenic environments—can assist in the development, implementation, and evaluation of a variety of legal approaches for obesity prevention and control.

Conclusions: Although public health–focused legal interventions are in an early stage and the direct and indirect impact they may have on the obesity epidemic is not yet understood, efforts such as the summit and white papers should help determine potentially viable legal interventions and assess their impact on population‐level change.
A retrospective analysis of treatment responses of palmoplantar psoriasis in 114 patients
Authors: Adışen E , Tekin O , Gülekon A , Gürer MA
Published: March 2009

Background  Treatment options remain unsatisfactory for patients with palmoplantar psoriasis (PP) and palmoplantar pustular psoriasis (PPP).

Aim  To evaluate the therapeutic responses of PP and PPP patients that were treated in our psoriasis polyclinic between 2003 and 2007.

Methods  This retrospective study comprised PP (n = 62) and PPP (n = 52) patients. Treatments were individualized according to patient compliance and associating systemic diseases. The effect of systemic treatments was grouped as follows: ‘no improvement’: patients unresponsive for the present treatment; ‘partial improvement’: < 50% decrease in severity or affected area; ‘moderate improvement’: 50–75% decrease in severity or affected area, and ‘marked improvement’: > 75% decrease of the disease compared to baseline.

Results  In the PP group, 17 of 62 patients showed marked improvement to topical agents, while the remaining patients required systemic agents including oral retinoids (n = 24), local psoralen plus ultraviolet A (PUVA; n = 12), methotrexate (n = 9) and cyclosporine (n = 2). Marked improvement was achieved in 53%, 45%, 47% and 100%, respectively. In these patients, two (n = 10), three (n = 5), or four (n = 5) systemic agents were used alternately.

In the PPP group, 18 of 52 patients achieved marked improvement by topical agents. Patients that required systemic agents were treated with colchicum (n = 19), local PUVA (n = 8), methotrexate (n = 4), oral retinoids (n = 3) and cyclosporine (n = 2). These treatments achieved a marked improvement in 60%, 33%, 57%, 83%, and 50% of the patients, respectively. In the course of the disease, 18 patients required two and 3 patients required three systemic agents alternately.

Conclusions  Although the success rates appeared to be high, the high number of patients who required multiple systemic agents emphasized the fact that localized forms of psoriasis were resistant to therapy.

Conflicts of interest

None declared