bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Language and scientific publication statistics
Authors: Sandelin Bo , Sarafoglou Nikias
Published: September 2007

The article examines the number of contributions to scientific journals by authors from various OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) countries in 1998–2000 according to the commonly used ISI (Institute for Scientific Information) databases SSCI (Social Sciences Citation Index), A&HCI (Arts and Humanities Citation Index) and SCI Expanded (Science Citation Index Expanded). The number of contributions per million inhabitants is related to the main language of the country, the gross domestic product per capita and whether a country is a former socialist country or not. The social sciences, the arts and humanities, and the natural sciences are studied separately. It turns out that there is a tendency for a higher publication rate for English-language countries, slightly lower for countries with small languages, and even smaller for countries with large non-English languages. This is consistent with the hypotheses that there is a bias in the data bases from the ISI such that English-language journals tend to be overrepresented, that scholars from English-language countries write almost exclusively in English, and that scholars from other countries tend to publish less in English and more in their domestic language the larger their domestic language. This calls for caution in using these databases for international comparisons of research activity.
La planificación lingüística y la revaloración del guaraní en el Paraguay
Authors: Choi Jinny K.
Published: September 2007

Mientras que el español ha sido la única lengua de la administración, educación e ingreso social y económico por casi 500 años en el Paraguay, el guaraní, recién en 1992, se reconoce como una de las lenguas oficiales y sirve de lengua de instrucción en el sistema educativo con la introducción del Plan Nacional de Educación Bilingüe de Mantenimiento. El presente estudio compara los datos de investigaciones llevadas a cabo en dos ocasiones diferentes: en 1990 y en el año 2000. Se examina el efecto de los esfuerzos de revaloración de la lengua guaraní y los incidentes significativos en la planificación lingüística, acontecidos especialmente durante la última década del siglo XX. Un total de 1035 estudiantes de las escuelas secundarias han participado en el presente proyecto.

Summary

Language planning and language spread of Guaraní in Paraguay: Comparison, evaluation and implication

Spanish has been the sole language of administration, education and social and economic advancement for nearly 500 years in Paraguay. Recently, in 1992, Guaraní was recognized as an official language and it serves as the language of instruction in the educational system with the introduction of the National Plan for Bilingual Education and Maintenance. The present study compares data from research projects carried out on two separate occasions: in 1990 and in the year 2000. The effects of the efforts to promote the Guaraní language and the significant events in language planning, especially those which occurred during the last decade of the 20th century, are examined. A total of 1,035 secondary school students participated in this project.

Resumo

Lingvoplanado kaj lingvodisvastiĝo de la guarania en Paragvajo: Komparo, takso kaj implicoj

Dum preskaŭ kvincent jaroj la hispana estis la sola lingvo de administrado, edukado, kaj socia kaj ekonomia evoluigo en Paragvajo. Lastatempe, en 1992, oni ekrekonis la guaranian kiel oficialan lingvon, kaj ĝi rolas kiel la instrulingvo en la eduka sistemo per enkonduko de la Nacia Plano por Dulingva Edukado kaj Konservado. La nuna studo komparas datenojn el esplorprojektoj realigitaj je du apartaj okazoj: en la jaroj 1990 kaj 2000. La artikolo ekzamenas la rezultojn de tiuj klopodoj antaŭenigi la guaranian lingvon kaj la signifajn paŝojn en lingvoplanado, precipe tiujn de la fina jardeko de la dudeka jarcento. Entute 1.035 mezlernejanoj partoprenis la projekton.
Simple English in the South Seas Evangelical Mission
Authors: Mühlhäusler Beverly S. , Mühlhäusler Peter
Published: September 2007

The general point of this paper is to highlight the important role of Christian missions in the development of language planning. We document this with a case study: the attempt of the South Seas Evangelical Mission to devise a simplified English, intermediate between Pidgin English and full Standard English for their mission work in the south west Pacific. The relatively unsophisticated approach to corpus planning by this body is contrasted with Ogden’s more elaborate proposals for Basic English.
Current trends in literary production in Esperanto
Authors: Pietiläinen Jukka
Published: September 2007

We can divide Esperanto literature into four historical periods. The first (1887–1920) was characterised by the important role of translations. The second period (1921–1945) was marked by the development of poetry and also, to some extent, of prose and drama. The third period (1946–1974), while beset with difficulties, continued the development started in the second period and made some new innovations, especially in poetry. The fourth period (since 1975) has so far been a period in which the novel and experimental poetry have flourished. Unlike the earlier periods, the fourth period is no longer dominated by a small group of authors and influential literary magazines: Esperanto literature is now more diverse and fragmented, leaving space for different schools and linguistic styles.
Shifts in linguistic identities in a global world
Authors: Djité Paulin G.
Published: September 2007

Language diversity and the necessity of communicating across language boundaries have almost naturally fostered a desire to learn the languages of one’s neighbors, the languages of the playground and/or the languages of the market place. This process continues to increase with internal (rural exodus) and international migration, urbanization and exogamous marriages, leading to a changing language demography, where language shift and language learning are constant and ongoing processes. A cursory look at what people have always done and do with language(s) and an epistemological approach to their language repertoire(s) suggest that individuals and communities are very active agents, whose language practices show an incredible capacity and resourcefulness in empowering themselves where and when it matters most. And yet, the concept of “linguistic identity” tries to cast a mold around individuals and speech-communities, as if they are to belong to a given language or identity to the exclusion of (an) other(s). This paper explores the concept of “linguistic identity” and asks whether it is possible to argue that we actually have one identity, whether language is intricately tied to identity or whether language itself has an identity. It concludes with some considerations about language management.
Publishing for a diaspora
Authors: Becker Ulrich
Published: September 2007

The distribution of information is one of the key elements in maintaining an international community such as the Esperanto movement. This includes information about the language itself, appropriate to newcomers to the language and its community, as well as information regarding developments within the Esperanto community, and fiction, specialized literature and entertainment. This paper outlines some of the historical problems associated with the production, distribution and sales of both printed and electronic Esperanto-language materials. The large number of unknown and former students of Esperanto outside of the community’s (or movement’s) active core constitutes an element that may very well determine the profitability of publishing in Esperanto and, hence, its growth and degree of professionalism. Fortunately, recent trends in publishing, e.g. electronic publishing and online sales through established distribution channels, have the potential to include more of this diaspora in the exchange of information.
Narrative identity and sexual difference
Authors: Löyttyniemi Varpu
Published: September 2007

This article adheres to the theorizing on narrative as dialogue and communication. It attempts to wed the notions of narrative and narrative identity — the words given to the self in time — to Luce Irigaray’s writings on dialogue and difference. In this frame, identity is regarded as a continuous becoming of an embodied self in relation to another self. The words that are needed in this becoming express the bodily self and touch the other at the same time. By emphasizing narrating as poiesis and creative work of imagination, it is possible to weave Irigaray’s ideas into a notion of narrative identity that moves between gathering the self in terms of emplotting on the one hand, and talking to the other in poetic words and rhythms that can express the identity as bodily and relational, on the other.
Linking early narrative skill to later language and reading ability in Mandarin-speaking children
Authors: Chang Chien-ju
Published: September 2007

The aim of this study is to examine the relationship between Mandarin Chinese-speaking children’s narrative skill in telling personally experienced stories in preschool and their later language and reading ability. Fourteen Mandarin-speaking children, 8 boys and 6 girls, were visited at home when they were 3;6, 7;5, and 10;1. The children were asked to tell personal narratives to the experimenter at 3;6 and 7;5 and to complete word definition, receptive vocabulary, and Chinese reading comprehension tests at 7;5 and 10;1. Two of the children’s stories with the greatest number of narrative clauses were selected and measured using adaptations of the narrative assessment profile developed by McCabe and Bliss (2003). A number of significant positive correlations were observed between the children’s narrative skills and their receptive vocabulary, definition, and reading comprehension abilities. These findings suggest that the children who had good narrative skill in preschool also performed better in reading comprehension and language tasks in primary school. This study shows that the continuous and interrelated relationship between early oral narrative and later language and literacy is evident not only in English-speaking children but also in Mandarin-speaking children. The educational implications for this study are highlighted.
Mining term similarities from corpora
Authors: Nenadic Goran , Spasic Irena , Ananiadou Sophia
Published: September 2007

In this article, we present an approach to the automatic discovery of term similarities, which may serve as a basis for a number of term-oriented knowledge mining tasks. The method for term comparison combines internal (lexical similarity) and two types of external criteria (syntactic and contextual similarities). Lexical similarity is based on sharing lexical constituents (i.e. term heads and modifiers). Syntactic similarity relies on a set of specific lexico-syntactic co-occurrence patterns indicating the parallel usage of terms (e.g., within an enumeration or within a term coordination/conjunction structure), while contextual similarity is based on the usage of terms in similar contexts. Such contexts are automatically identified by a pattern mining approach, and a procedure is proposed to assess their domain-specific and terminological relevance. Although automatically collected, these patterns are domain dependent and identify contexts in which terms are used. Different types of similarities are combined into a hybrid similarity measure, which can be tuned for a specific domain by learning optimal weights for individual similarities. The suggested similarity measure has been tested in the domain of biomedicine, and some experiments are presented.
Abducing term variant translations in aligned texts
Authors: Carl Michael , Rascu Ecaterina , Haller Johann , Langlais Philippe
Published: September 2007

Term variation is an important issue in various applications of natural language processing (NLP) such as machine translation, information retrieval and text indexing. In this paper, we describe an ‘Abductive Terminological Database’ (ATDB) aiming to detect translations of terms and their variants in bilingual texts. We describe abduction as the process to infer specific term translation templates from multiple resources which have been induced from a bilingual text. We show that precision and recall of the ATDB increase when using more resources and when the resources interfere in a less restricted way. We discuss a way to feed back evaluation values into the induced resources thus allowing for weighted abduction which further enhances the precision of the tool.
Terminological phrasemes in OntoTerm®
Authors: Montero Martínez Silvia , Garcia de Quesada Mercedes , Fuertes Olivera Pedro A.
Published: September 2007

In this article we describe a theoretical and practical approach to the analysis of phraseological units, specifically terminological phrasemes (Meyer and Mackintosh 1994, 1996), as entities determined by predicate relations, leaving aside, therefore, the traditional view of collocations and compounds as static structures following specific syntactic patterns. Instead, we claim that these units can be considered as terminographic formalizations of a conceptual structure, a phraseme template, established according to certain ontological patterns. This phraseological analysis accounts for phenomena such as multidimensionality, recursiveness and inheritance, which pose a problem in the management of multiword units. We are currently implementing this methodology in OntoTerm®, a concept-oriented tool for terminology management used in a research project called OncoTerm, whose scope of study has been, so far, the subdomain of oncology.
Methodology for the design of a standard research protocol for measuring terminology usage
Authors: Quirion Jean
Published: September 2007

Many states have undertaken language and terminology planning programmes and have reached the point where they must evaluate the progress realized up to the present time. In the case of terminology planning programmes, such an evaluation requires a method to measure the degree to which the terminology has been implanted. In this paper, a research protocol for measuring terminology implantation is presented; this protocol is based on institutional communications. First, a critical examination of prior research on the subject is made in order to identify the desired characteristics of a precise, scientific measurement protocol. It is an accepted postulate that the constitution of a representative corpus forms the basis of a solution. Statistical sampling methods have been adapted in order to design a measurement protocol that respects the above conditions. The paper concludes with an overview of the results of a terminology implantation survey carried out using the research protocol presented; the survey concerns transportation terminology. This overview is followed by a brief discussion of the future possibilities offered by the scientific measurement of terminology implantation.
Terminology extraction for global content management
Authors: Bernth Arendse , McCord Michael , Warburton Kara
Published: September 2007

The role of terminology in content management has often been underrated. Term extraction has been identified by the information industry as an area requiring focus. Term extraction benefits both the content authoring and the translation process. Supplying key product terms to translation services several weeks before the actual translation begins reduces translation time, improves translation quality, and saves effort (and thus money) by reducing duplication of work. Getting the key terms ready in a timely manner can be difficult without some automation. This paper describes the process of proposing, designing, developing, and deploying a terminology extraction tool. The tool extracts nouns and noun groups, excludes non-translatable terms and known product terms, and displays a context for each extracted item. This is done based on full parsing of the text with a broad-coverage parser. The tool is made available to users on a Web server.
Intralinguistic analysis of medical research papers and abstracts
Authors: Méndez-Cendón Beatriz , López Arroyo Belén
Published: September 2007

Studies related to ESP genres have been carried out lately focusing on different levels of analysis, such as internal ordering, lexico-grammatical patterns or terminology. However, there are not many studies combining different levels of analysis so as to observe how information is rendered in scientific genres. The present study intends to offer a description of rhetorical and phraseological patterns observed in medical research papers and abstracts using a semantic and functional approach. Our methodology is descriptively performed on a comparable corpus composed of research papers and abstracts in the field of diagnostic imaging and published in esteemed journals. We will determine composition strategies by means of the description of the authors’ favourite structures found in our corpus. Once these favourite structures have been obtained for every genre, we will proceed with semantic analysis so as to establish their similarities and differences. Our results will, primarily, help translators, technical writers and ESP students to infer discursive strategies in these genres, as well as to better understand some of the discourse aspects of rendering scientific information in general.
The Pharmacological Management of Behavioural Disturbance in Psychosis: a Naturalistic Study
Authors: Daniel Jeffrey , Chamberlain James , Castle David
Published: September 2007

Objective: The aim of the study was to compare the efficacy of atypical and typical anti-psychotics in treating behavioural disturbance in people with psychotic disorders, in a naturalistic setting.

Method: This was a prospective naturalistic study of 303 incidents of behavioural disturbance at Royal Melbourne Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.

Results: There was no significant difference between atypicals and typicals on two efficacy measures and some evidence on a third measure, that typicals are more effective.

Conclusions: In the pharmacological treatment of behavioural disturbance in psychosis, typical and atypical anti-psychotics have largely comparable efficacy.
The global trace graph, a novel paradigm for searching protein sequence databases
Authors: Heger Andreas , Mallick Swapan , Wilton Christopher , Holm Liisa
Published: September 2007

Motivation: Propagating functional annotations to sequence-similar, presumably homologous proteins lies at the heart of the bioinformatics industry. Correct propagation is crucially dependent on the accurate identification of subtle sequence motifs that are conserved in evolution. The evolutionary signal can be difficult to detect because functional sites may consist of non-contiguous residues while segments in-between may be mutated without affecting fold or function.

Results: Here, we report a novel graph clustering algorithm in which all known protein sequences simultaneously self-organize into hypothetical multiple sequence alignments. This eliminates noise so that non-contiguous sequence motifs can be tracked down between extremely distant homologues. The novel data structure enables fast sequence database searching methods which are superior to profile-profile comparison at recognizing distant homologues. This study will boost the leverage of structural and functional genomics and opens up new avenues for data mining a complete set of functional signature motifs.

Availability:  http://www.bioinfo.biocenter.helsinki.fi/gtg

Contact:  liisa.holm@helsinki.fi

Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Rudolf Ernst Peierls. 5 June 1907 — 19 September 1995
Authors: Lee Sabine
Published: September 2007

Born into an assimilated Jewish family in Berlin in the early twentieth century, Rudolf Peierls studied theoretical physics with many of the greatest minds within the physics community, including Sommerfeld, Heisenberg, Pauli and Bohr. His Jewish background made a career in Germany all but impossible, and Rudolf Peierls and his Russian–born wife, Genia, settled in the UK, where Peierls took up a professorship in mathematical physics at Birmingham in 1937. Peierls's discovery, together with his Birmingham colleague Otto Frisch, of the theoretical feasibility of an atomic weapon based on a self–sustaining nuclear chain reaction was instrumental in the setting up of the UK government committee studying the possibility of manufacturing nuclear weapons. Peierls continued to contribute to the British and later to the British–American–Canadian effort to produce an atomic bomb, and he became group leader of the implosion group at Los Alamos. After the war Peierls returned to the UK and he built a world–class school of theoretical physics at Birmingham before moving on to Oxford in 1963. Like many of his colleagues who had contributed to the development of nuclear weapons, Peierls devoted much of his time and energy to the control of these weapons, to nuclear disarmament and to the promotion of greater understanding between East and West, most notably through his activities within the framework of the Pugwash Movement.
Raoul Harry Bott. 24 September 1923 — 20 December 2005
Authors: Atiyah Michael
Published: September 2007

Raoul Bott was one of the outstanding geometers of our time, whose influence on mathematics owed much to the warmth of his personality.
Digby Johns McLaren. 11 December 1919 — 8 December 2004
Authors: Hattersley-Smith Geoffrey
Published: September 2007

Digby McLaren was born in Carrickfergus near Belfast, Northern Ireland, the only child of James McLaren and his wife Louie (
née
Kinsey). The elder McLaren was a land agent; he was also an amateur geologist, from whom the young Digby gained his early interest in that field.
David Arthur John Tyrrell. 19 June 1925 — 2 May 2005
Authors: Kerr J. R. , Taylor-Robinson D.
Published: September 2007

David Tyrrell is remembered by physicians and scientists principally for his discovery of the common cold viruses and elucidation of their pathogenesis, but also for his work in various other areas, including influenza, bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). David possessed a deep humanity, honesty, perseverance and a vision of collaboration as a means of making discoveries that would contribute meaningfully to the alleviation of human suffering. He also had a warmth and a mischievous sense of humour that was frequently directed at bureaucracy, which he thoroughly disliked.
Arthur John Birch. 3 August 1915 — 8 December 1995
Authors: Rickards Rodney W. , Cornforth John
Published: September 2007

Arthur John Birch AC CMG FAA FRS was one of the great masters of organic chemistry of the twentieth century. His extraordinary creativity left its imprint across the breadth of the subject in its broadest sense, from synthesis to biochemistry to organometallic chemistry. He remains best known for the reaction that bears his name, the Birch reduction of aromatic compounds by solutions of sodium and ethanol in liquid ammonia. This process has wide application, most notably in the commercial synthesis of oral contraceptives, giving rise to his being called ‘the father of the pill’, although he himself preferred the more remote ‘grandfather’ relationship. His polyketide theory, which accounts for the biosynthetic origins of a wide range of natural products, is less widely acknowledged today simply because it has become absorbed into the accepted knowledge base of the subject. His final researches on the use of diene iron tricarbonyl derivatives in synthesis are equally distinguished and have prompted others to extend their application. During his career he was involved in the design of three new university chemistry buildings, one of which now bears his name, and contributed influential advice to governments on national science policies.
James Hunter Whitelaw. 28 January 1936 — 16 August 2006
Authors: Launder Brian E.
Published: September 2007

James Hunter Whitelaw, after an education in Scotland and postdoctoral research in the USA, spent his subsequent career at Imperial College, London, where, over the ensuing 36 years, he led the development of laser–Doppler anemometry and subsequent laser–based instrumentation for flow characterization. These he used to gain insights into the measured behaviour of a multitude of complex turbulent flows encountered in engineering, particularly flows undergoing combustion.
Identification of human leukocyte antigen‐A24‐restricted epitope peptides derived from gene products upregulated in lung and esophageal cancers as novel targets for immunotherapy
Authors: Suda Takako , Tsunoda Takuya , Daigo Yataro , Nakamura Yusuke , Tahara Hideaki
Published: September 2007

For the development of cancer vaccine therapies, we have searched for possible epitope peptides that can elicit cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) to the TTK protein kinase (TTK), lymphocyte antigen 6 complex locus K (LY6K) and insulin‐like growth factor (IGF)‐II mRNA binding protein 3 (IMP‐3), which were previously identified to be transactivated in the majority of lung and esophageal cancers. We screened 31, 17 and 17 candidate human leukocyte antigen (HLA)‐A*2402‐binding peptides to parts of TTK, LY6K and IMP‐3, respectively. As a result, we successfully established strong CTL clones stimulated by TTK‐567 (SYRNEIAYL), LY6K‐177 (RYCNLEGPPI) and IMP‐3‐508 (KTVNELQNL) that have specific cytotoxic activities against the HLA‐A24‐positive target cells pulsed with the candidate peptides. Subsequent analysis of the CTL clones also revealed their cytotoxic activities against lung and esophageal tumor cells that endogenously express TTK, LY6K or IMP‐3. A cold target inhibition assay further confirmed that the CTL cell clones specifically recognized the MHC class I–peptide complex. Our results strongly imply that TTK, LY6K and IMP‐3 are novel tumor‐associated antigens recognized by CTL, and TTK‐567 (SYRNEIAYL), LY6K‐177 (RYCNLEGPPI) and IMP‐3‐508 (KTVNELQNL) are HLA‐A24‐restricted epitope peptides that can induce potent and specific immune responses against lung and esophageal cancer cells expressing TTK, LY6K and IMP‐3. (Cancer Sci 2007; 98: 1803–1808)
Crack–heroin speedball injection and its implications for vein care: qualitative study
Authors: Rhodes Tim , Briggs Daniel , Kimber Jo , Jones Steve , Holloway Greg
Published: September 2007

Background  We report on an exploratory qualitative study investigating drug injectors' narratives of vein damage and groin (femoral vein) injection associated with the injection of crack–heroin speedball.

Methods  We undertook 44 in‐depth qualitative interviews among injectors of crack–heroin speedball in Bristol and London, England, in 2006.

Findings  The data suggest an emerging culture of crack‐based speedball injection. Injectors' narratives link speedball injection with shifts towards groin injection articulated as an acceptable risk, and not merely as a last resort in the face of increased vein deterioration associated with speedball. Accounts of vein damage linked to speedball emphasize ‘missed hits’ related to the local anaesthetic action of crack, the excess use of citric in the preparation of speedball injections and ‘flushing’ when making a hit. We find that groin injection persists despite an awareness of health risks and medical complications.

Conclusions  We emphasize an urgent need for reviewing harm reduction in relation to vein care in the context of shifts to crack‐based speedball injection, and the use of the femoral vein, among UK injectors. There is an additional need for interventions to promote safer groin and speedball injecting as well as to prevent transitions toward groin and crack injection.
Young Australians and alcohol: the acceptabllity of ready‐to‐drink (RTD) alcoholic beverages among 12–30‐year‐olds
Authors: Copeland Jan , Stevenson Richard J. , Gates Peter , Dillon Paul
Published: September 2007

Background  Concern has been expressed regarding the influence of the newer premixed alcohols, known as ready‐to‐drinks (RTDs), on adolescent alcohol use as a result of their sweet and milky flavours. Use of these flavours may reduce the natural barrier of the often strong and unpleasant flavour of alcohol to early experimentation and regular and heavy use.

Aim  To determine the acceptability and alcohol detectability of a range of alcoholic and non‐alcoholic beverages to young adolescents and young adults.

Design  A convenience sample of 350 participants was recruited, 70 in each of five age groups. Participants were grouped according to age into 12–13 years, 14–15 years, 16–17 years, younger adults of 18–23 years and older adults of 24–30 years, with even gender distribution in an experimental design comparing blind and labelled acceptability testing of a range of RTDs and their alcohol and soft drink components, beer, wine and a novel beverage.

Findings  The acceptability of alcohol increased with age; however, chocolate ‘Mudshake’, and to a lesser extent watermelon ‘Breezer’, had acceptability scores more like their soft drink base than their alcohol component. There were no significant differences in the ability to detect the presence of alcohol in the RTDs across age or beverage types.

Conclusion  Public policy makers and others concerned with preventing early initiation to alcohol use and binge drinking among adolescents should be aware that when using milk as a base for an RTD, particularly with an alcoholic base such as vodka, the drink may have high acceptance with young adolescents and equal palatability to milk, even though the presence of alcohol is not completely masked. Further research with a wider range of RTDs is required.
Comparative toxicology of fatal heroin overdose cases and morphine positive homicide victims
Authors: Darke Shane , Duflou Johan , Kaye Sharlene
Published: September 2007

Aims To compare the blood toxicology of heroin overdose cases and morphine positive homicide victims.

Design Analysis of coronial cases.

Setting Sydney, Australia.

Cases A total of 705 cases of death due to opioid toxicity and 28 morphine positive homicide cases (1 January 1998–31 December 2002).

Findings There was no significant difference between the median morphine concentrations of the overdose and homicide groups (0.50 versus 0.45 mg/l). The overdose group was more likely to have blood alcohol (OR 3.21) present, but less likely to have methadone (OR 0.26) and cannabis (OR 0.04). There was a significant negative correlation between blood morphine and alcohol concentrations among the overdose group (rho = −0.32), but not among the homicide group (rho = −0.03). Independent predictors of a higher blood morphine concentration were a lower alcohol concentration and a higher methadone concentration.

Conclusions Morphine concentrationsper seare not diagnostic of overdose. The study confirms the salience of concomitant alcohol consumption in such events.
A comparison of the forces exerted during laryngoscopy
Authors: McCOY E. P. , MIRAKHUR R. K. , RAFFERTY C. , BUNTING H. , AUSTIN B. A.
Published: September 2007

The forces exerted at laryngoscopy with the McCoy and Macintosh blades have been compared in 40 patients. The variables measured were the duration of laryngoscopy, the three maximally‐applied forces and the mean force. The mean (SD) forces recorded were 18.9 (7.82) and 10.1 (5.33) N, respectively, with the Macintosh and the McCoy blades (p < 0.001) with a similar duration of laryngoscopy. There was a significant positive correlation between the mean force and patients' weight, height and body mass index for the Macintosh blade but only for weight and height for the McCoy blade. It is concluded that the use of the McCoy blade results in significantly less force being applied during laryngoscopy. This may be the reason for the reduction in the stress response reported previously with the use of the McCoy blade.
Neuromuscular and cardiovascular advantages of combinations of mivacurium and rocuronium over either drug alone
Authors: KIM S. Y. , CHO M. H.
Published: September 2007

We Investigated isobolic mixtures of mivacurium and rocuronium to determine if the combination offered any advantages over either drug alone. We used five dose regimens to achieve ED95× 2: {(1.5 × ED95 mivacurium) + (0.5 × ED95 rocuronium); (I × ED95 mivacurium) + (1 × ED95 rocuronium); (0.5 × ED95 mivacurium) + (1.5 × ED95 rocuronium); (2 × ED95 mivacurium); (2 × ED95 rocuronium)}. We studied onset time, duration of block, recovery of block, arterial blood pressure and heart rate. Mivacurium alone produced the block of shortest duration (p < 0.001). Onset time was shortest in the rocuronium alone group and was significantly faster in all the rocuronium treated groups compared to mivacurium alone (p < 0.001). Arterial blood pressure and heart rate decreased transiently in the mivacurium alone group but not in the other groups. These results demonstrate increased cardiovascular stability and more rapid onset of block with combinations of mivacurium and rocuronium without significant prolongation of the block.
Did the use of chloroform by Queen Victoria influence its acceptance in obstetric practice?
Authors: CONNOR H. , CONNOR T.
Published: September 2007

Examination of contemporaneous publications suggests that the use of chloroform by Queen Victoria in 1853 did not result in the major breakthrough in the acceptability of obstetric anaesthesia with which the event has been credited by some later writers.
Feasibility of day case laparoscopic cholecystectomy in unselected patients
Authors: Tuckey J. P. , Morris G. N. , Peden C. J. , Tate J. J. T.
Published: September 2007

The feasibility of clay ease laparoscopic cholecystectomy was assessed in unselected patients using a standard anaesthetic protocol. Postoperative pain and nausea were assessed at 6 and 24 h postoperatively (visual analogue scale, range 0‐10). Thirty‐two patients were studied (23 female. 9 male, mean age 49.6 years). The mean duration of surgery was 68 mitt. At 6 h after surgery, 10 patients (31%) had no pain at rest. For the group as a whole, the median pain score was 3 at rest (range 0‐6), 4 on movement (0 9), and 5 on coughing (0 9) and eight patients (25%) were nauseated. At 24 It, 15 (46.9%) had no pain at rest. For the group as a whole, the median pain score was I at rest (0‐7), 3 (0‐6) on movement and 3 on coughing (0 9). The same eight patients were nauseated. Ten patients (31.3%) were judged fit for discharge at 6h, and 28 (87.5%) by 24h. There was no statistical difference in mean age or duration of surgery in those judged fit for early discharge compared to the study group as a whole. Nausea was an important factor in those unfit for discharge at 24 It. Selection criteria might improve these figures. Front the results of our study, 24 h admission is a more realistic goal and will be suitable for most patients requiring laparoscopic cholecystectomy.
Ambiguous position of the child in supervised meetings
Authors: Forsberg Hannele , Pösö Tarja
Published: September 2007

The paper addresses the ambiguous nature of supervised meetings between children and their non‐residential parent(s) which, according to the current legal idea, should serve the best interest of the child. In Finland the meetings between the child and the non‐residential parent can be ordered supervised if there are justified grounds for assuming that they constitute a risk for the child's safety. In many parts of Europe the need for such kinds of meetings controlled by outsiders has increased. The aim of the paper is to consider the child's position and the closely related issue of the child's interest in supervised meetings, based on the daily experiences of the supervisors. Data are gathered by focus group interviews and analysed qualitatively in terms of categorization analysis. As a result, the child's position is an ambiguous phenomenon with multiple interests. Obviously the child's interests will be met in some cases, although paradoxically it is mostly the interests of the parents and most often the fathers, which seem to demand more attention. Thus adult‐centredness, meanings of gender, time together with both the positive and possible detrimental outcomes for the child need further reflection.
Expression of caveolin‐1 in human adipose tissue is upregulated in obesity and obesity‐associated type 2 diabetes mellitus and related to inflammation
Authors: Catalán Victoria , Gómez‐Ambrosi Javier , Rodríguez Amaia , Silva Camilo , Rotellar Fernando , Gil María J. , Cienfuegos Javier A. , Salvador Javier , Frühbeck Gema
Published: September 2007

Objective  Caveolin‐1 (CAV‐1) plays important roles in many aspects of cellular biology, including vesicular transport, cholesterol homeostasis and signal transduction. The aim of the present study was to explore gene expression levels of CAV‐1 in human adipose tissue in obesity and obesity‐associated type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and to analyse its potential implication in the inflammatory state associated with obesity.

Design and methods  Visceral adipose tissue (VAT) and subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) obtained from 15 females were used in the study. Patients were classified as lean (BMI 20·8 ± 1·0 kg/m2) or obese (BMI 50·5 ± 2·6 kg/m2). The obese group was further subclassified as normoglycaemic (NG) or patients with T2DM. Anthropometric measurements as well as circulating metabolites, hormones and adipokines were determined. Real‐time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analyses were performed to quantify transcript levels of CAV‐1 and monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP‐1).

Results  The presence of CAV‐1 protein was detected in VAT and SAT by immunohistochemistry. Both obese NG and with T2DM patients exhibited significantly higher CAV‐1 expression levels in VAT and SAT compared with lean subjects (P < 0·05). No differences between obese NG and T2DM patients were observed in VAT. However, obese T2DM patients were found to have higher CAV‐1 expression levels in SAT (P < 0·05) compared with obese NG patients. A significant correlation was found between CAV‐1 mRNA expression levels in VAT and different circulating inflammatory markers such as sialic acid (SA) (P < 0·001) and fibrinogen (P < 0·001) as well as with MCP1 mRNA expression (P < 0·05).

Conclusion  Our findings show for the first time the upregulation of mRNA CAV‐1 expression levels in VAT and SAT of obese NG and obese T2DM patients compared with lean controls, suggesting a role for CAV‐1 in obesity and T2DM development. The association with different inflammatory markers further suggests an implication of CAV‐1 in the low‐grade inflammation accompanying obesity.
Seminiferous tubule function in delayed‐onset X‐linked adrenal hypoplasia congenita associated with incomplete hypogonadotrophic hypogonadism
Authors: Bergadá Ignacio , Andreone Luz , Bedecarrás Patricia , Ropelato María Gabriela , Copelli Silvia , Laissue Paul , Rey Rodolfo A. , Campo Stella
Published: September 2007

Objective  X‐linked adrenal hypoplasia congenita (AHC, OMIM 300200) due to mutations in the DAX‐1 gene is frequently associated to hypogonadotrophic hypogonadism (HHG, OMIM 238320). Clinical variants with delayed‐onset have been recognized. The objective of this study is to assess Sertoli cell function throughout pubertal development in patients with childhood‐onset AHC due to stop mutations in the DAX‐1 gene.

Design  Observational follow‐up study of gonadotrophin pulsatility pattern, and serum levels of antimüllerian hormone and inhibin B through pubertal development in these patients.

Patients  Three patients belonging to two families with AHC were included in this study.

Measurements  The gonadotrophic pattern, serum inhibin B and antimüllerian hormone were determined in relation to clinical Tanner stage of pubertal development.

Results  One patient showed a marked elevation in serum FSH concomitantly with low inhibin B and antimüllerian hormone levels, indicating a primary testicular dysfunction. The other two patients showed a gonadotrophic pattern of HHG, and their serum levels of inhibin B and antimüllerian hormone also reflected a moderate primary testicular dysfunction. The three patients were azoospermic.

Conclusions  These cases give further insight into the clinical spectrum of phenotypes of the hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal axis in patients with variants in hypogonadism associated with childhood‐onset X‐linked AHC due to DAX‐1 mutations.
Carotid integrated backscatter analysis in patients with subclinical hypothyroidism
Authors: Franzoni Ferdinando , Galetta Fabio , Fallahi Poupak , Tocchini Leonardo , Braccini Lara , Rossi Marco , Carpi Angelo , Santoro Gino , Antonelli Alessandro
Published: September 2007

Objective  The aim of the present study was to determine whether integrated backscatter (IBS) analysis combined with conventional ultrasonography could differentiate the tissue characteristics of carotid artery intimal hyperplasia in patients with subclinical hypothyroidism (SH).

Methods  Forty‐one patients with SH, as judged by elevated serum TSH levels and free thyroid hormones within the normal range, and 31 sex‐ and age‐matched euthyroid volunteers underwent two‐dimensional conventional ultrasonography and IBS analysis of the carotid wall. Carotid intima–media thickness (IMT) and corrected IBS (C‐IBS), an index of arterial wall degeneration and fibrosis, were evaluated.

Results  Mean IMT as well C‐IBS values were higher in SH than in controls (P < 0·0001 for both), whereas the carotid diameter was not significantly different between the two groups. The distribution of C‐IBS values in each group showed that regions with higher C‐IBS values were found more frequently in SH patients than in control subjects. The percentage of regions that could be considered as fibromatous (C‐IBS value from –18 to –21 dB) was 28% in SH and 9% in euthyroid subjects (P < 0·0001). In the SH group, C‐IBS values were significantly and positively associated with plasma TSH (r = 0·32, P < 0·05 and r = 0·59, P < 0·0001, respectively) and with both total cholesterol (r = 0·46, P = 0·01) and low density lipoprotein (LDL)‐cholesterol (r = 0·55, P = 0·001).

Conclusions  Carotid IMT in subclinically hypothyroid patients is higher than that in euthyroid controls. This is characterized by increased IBS values, which are related to the collagen content of the arterial wall. The severity of this remodelling process seems to be related to TSH and cholesterol levels.
Crayfish assemblage shifts in a large drought‐prone wetland: the roles of hydrology and competition
Authors: DORN NATHAN J. , TREXLER JOEL C.
Published: September 2007

1. Faster growing, larger and/or more aggressive crayfish species are predicted to dominate permanent waterbodies. We tested this prediction using a 9 year dataset for two species of crayfish (Procambarus alleni and Procambarus fallax) co‐existing in a sub‐tropical flowing slough in southern Florida. Using a series of laboratory and mesocosm experiments we also compared life history traits and performance of the respective species to test mechanisms that could explain dominance shifts in the local crayfish assemblages.

2. Over the 9‐year period, P. alleni densities were the greatest in shallower, shorter‐hydroperiod areas bordering the slough, while P. fallax densities were higher in deeper, longer‐hydroperiod central areas. These areas were separated by 0.8–2 km of continuous wetland with no apparent barriers to movement between them.

3. Density of P. fallax was not strongly affected by any measures of hydrological variation, while P. alleni density increased with more severe drought conditions. Following the strongest droughts, P. alleni colonized areas in the centre of the slough where they had been absent or scarce in wetter years.

4. We conducted experiments to compare growth rates, drought tolerance, and competitive dominance of these species. P. alleni survived drought conditions better, had higher growth rates, and was the dominant competitor for space and food. While drought probably limits P. fallax in the drier slough habitats, neither drought sensitivity nor interspecific competition with P. fallax can explain decreases of P. alleni with wetter conditions.

5. Our results indicate that a competition‐colonization tradeoff cannot explain the crayfish compositional dynamics in this wetland because P. alleni is both the best competitor and the best at surviving in and colonizing areas with the strongest droughts. Future attention should focus on the potential for selective effects of predators that co‐vary with hydrology.

6. The traits (large size, fast growth, competitive dominance) exhibited by P. alleni, which is absent in long‐hydroperiod wetlands, are those exhibited by dominant crayfish in permanent lakes and streams containing fish. Although these traits make crayfish less vulnerable to fish in some lakes and streams, life‐history models of community structure across permanence gradients suggest the opposite traits should be favoured for co‐existence with fish.
The mode of nutrition of mixotrophic flagellates determines the food quality for their consumers
Authors: WEITHOFF G. , WACKER A.
Published: September 2007

Mixotrophic organisms can combine two functionally different modes of nutrition to acquire carbon: (i) by using photosynthesis for inorganic carbon fixation; and (ii) by taking up organic sources. Because of these different metabolic pathways, their biochemical composition, for example, the amount and composition of consumer‐relevant compounds such as polyunsaturated fatty acids, varies, and thus, we tested the hypothesis that the mode of nutrition of an osmo‐mixotrophic flagellate determines the food quality for their consumers: three rotifer species.

Using life table experiments with auto‐, mixo‐ and heterotrophically grown Chlamydomonas acidophila as food sources, we found species‐specific differences in life span, fecundity, population growth rate, egg size and maternal effects on the starvation resistance of neonates between the three rotifer species.

Population growth of two out of the three rotifers (Brachionus sericus and Elosa worallii) was negatively affected when fed with heterotrophic food, compared to animals fed with autotrophic food. In contrast, Cephalodella sp. was able to use all C. acidophila with similar efficiency.

These results explain the vertical distribution of two of the rotifers in their natural habitat, where Cephalodella sp. dominates over E. worallii in deep water layers characterized by light intensities below the compensation point for autotrophic growth of C. acidophila. It is hypothesized that temporal changes in the mode of nutrition of mixotrophs have consequences for the outcome of the competition between consumers and for the carbon transfer in many planktonic food webs.
Defective mRNA in myotonic dystrophy accumulates at the periphery of nuclear splicing speckles
Authors: Holt Ian , Mittal Saloni , Furling Denis , Butler‐Browne Gillian S , David Brook J. , Morris Glenn E.
Published: September 2007

Nuclear speckles are storage sites for small nuclear RNPs (snRNPs) and other splicing factors. Current ideas about the role of speckles suggest that some pre‐mRNAs are processed at the speckle periphery before being exported as mRNA. In myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1), the export of mutant DMPK mRNA is prevented by the presence of expanded CUG repeats that accumulate in nuclear foci. We now show that these foci accumulate at the periphery of nuclear speckles. In myotonic dystrophy type 2 (DM2), mRNA from the mutant ZNF9 gene is exported normally because the expanded CCUG repeats are removed during splicing. We now show that the nuclear foci formed by DM2 intronic repeats are widely dispersed in the nucleoplasm and not associated with either nuclear speckles or exosomes. We hypothesize that the expanded CUG repeats in DMPK mRNA are blocking a stage in its export pathway that would normally occur at the speckle periphery. Localization of the expanded repeats at the speckle periphery is not essential for their pathogenic effects because DM1 and DM2 are quite similar clinically.