bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Inhibition of platelet phospholipase A2 activity by catuaba extract suggests antiinﬂammatory properties
Authors: Barbosa Nádia R. , Fischmann Lygia , Talib Leda L. , Gattaz Wagner F.
Published: December 2004

In the inﬂammation process, phospholipase A2 (PLA2) catalyses the cleavage of the sn‐2 ester‐linked fatty acids from phospholipids, being the enzyme responsible for arachidonic acid (AA) release by cells for the biosynthesis of the prostaglandins and thromboxanes via the cyclooxygenase system, and the leukotrienes and eicosatetraenoids via the lipoxygenase pathway. AA mobilization by PLA2 and subsequent prostaglandins synthesis is considered to be a pivotal event in inﬂammation. Therefore, drugs that inhibit PLA2, thus blocking the COX and LOX pathways in the AA cascade, may be effective in the treatment of inﬂammatory processes. New strategies for the treatment of inﬂammatory processes could be detected by a search for active principles of vegetal origin that control the lipid mediator production by inhibition of PLA2. The present data are part of a wide explorative investigation on the effects of Trichilia catigua (catuaba), which found that PLA2 activity was totally inhibited by catuaba at a concentration of 120 µg/mL, suggesting that this natural substance may have antiinﬂammatory properties. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Determination of type B fumonisin mycotoxins in maize and maize‐based products by liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry using a QqQlinear ion trap mass spectrometer
Authors: Faberi Angelo , Foglia Patrizia , Pastorini Elisabetta , Samperi Roberto , Laganà Aldo
Published: December 2004

A sensitive liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) method for determining the type B fumonisin mycotoxins in corn‐based foodstuffs is described. Fumonisins FB1 and FB2 were extracted from a 1 g sample by homogenization with acetonitrile/water (75:25, v/v, 50 mmol/L formic acid, 25 mL final volume) and the extract was defatted on C18 phase. Volumes of 5 mL of crude extracts were cleaned up on Carbograph‐4 cartridges. The final solution was analyzed by HPLC with electrospray ionization mass spectrometry in positive ion mode using multiple reaction monitoring with a QqQ linear ion trap mass spectrometer. Recoveries for spiked corn‐based foodstuffs ranged from 91–105% (RSD% ≤8%), and method detection limits were ≤2 ng/g for FB1 and ≤1 ng/g for FB2. Two different spiking levels were tested (5000 and 100 ng/g for FB1, 1000 and 20 ng/g for FB2). Quantitation was achieved by an external calibration procedure using matrix‐matched standards, with diclofenac added post‐cleanup as internal standard for the LC/MS/MS analyses. Calibration curves showed linearity in the concentration range 0.005–5 ng/μL of final extract (0.992 ≤ R2 ≤ 0.995). Two other fumonisins, FB3 and FB4, were identified in naturally contaminated samples of corn meal using an information‐dependent acquisition protocol that looped three experiments, including neutral loss scan, enhanced resolution scan, and enhanced product ion scan. FB3 and FB4 quantitation was estimated as peak area ratios relative to the FB2 response in view of the lack of both standards. This work also includes an application of the present LC/MS/MS method to some maize and maize‐based product samples (corn meal, cornflakes and popcorn) collected from Italian stores. FB1 and FB2 contamination levels exceeding the European Union recommendation were found in 8 out of 15 corn meal samples. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Orthogonal trap time‐of‐flight mass spectrometer using a collisional damping chamber
Authors: Hashimoto Yuichiro , Waki Izumi , Yoshinari Kiyomi , Shishika Tsukasa , Terui Yasushi
Published: December 2004

We report a new hybrid mass spectrometer, which is a combination of a quadrupole ion trap and an orthogonal time‐of‐flight (TOF) mass spectrometer. This new configuration consists of a collisional‐damping chamber (CDC) inserted between an MSn‐capable ion trap and a high‐mass‐accuracy orthogonal‐TOF mass spectrometer. Because the CDC converted an ion packet into an energy‐focused and quasi‐continuous beam, a high mass resolution of over 10 000 and a high mass accuracy of better than 3 ppm were achieved. Moreover, the ratio of the maximum detectable m/z to the minimum detectable m/z, which is referred to here as the mass window, was improved to more than 10. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Top‐down analysis of protein isoprenylation by electrospray ionization hybrid quadrupole time‐of‐flight tandem mass spectrometry; the mouse Tγ protein
Authors: Kassai Hidetoshi , Satomi Yoshinori , Fukada Yoshitaka , Takao Toshifumi
Published: December 2004

Protein isoprenylation, an important post‐translational modification with a lipid, involves the selective attachment of two types of isoprenoids, farnesyl (C15) and geranylgeranyl (C20). The isoprenoid is linked via a thioether bond to the C‐terminal cysteine residue of a variety of cellular proteins, including the heterotrimeric G protein γ‐subunits. One member of the G protein family, transducin (Tα/Tβγ), plays a central role in visual transduction, and the structure‐function relationship has been extensively studied with purified proteins, predominantly with bovine transducin that was shown to be farnesylated at the C‐terminal cysteine residue of the γ‐subunit (Tγ). We report here the structure of the C‐terminal modification of mouse Tγ, which has not yet been elucidated owing to the low amount of protein that can be isolated from the mouse retina. Electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI‐MS) of the high‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)‐purified Tγ was in good agreement with the calculated mass of the farnesylated and methylated form of mouse Tγ (Pro1‐Cys70). A ‘top‐down’ analysis of intact Tγ using an ESI hybrid quadrupole time‐of‐flight (TOF) tandem mass spectrometer provided isoprenyl‐specific ions that were observed to produce ions separated by 204 Da from the conventional (unmodified) precursor ion or the C‐terminal sequence ions. Such characteristic fragmentation on an isoprenoid observed in top‐down analysis could be useful in general for determining the type of isoprenylation as well as probing the site of modification in the protein sequence. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Synthesis and Crystal Structure of Cesium Hexamminesodium Decahydro‐closo‐decaborate‐Ammonia(1/1), Cs[Na(NH3)6][B10H10]·NH3
Authors: Kraus Florian , Albert Barbara
Published: December 2004

Cs[Na(NH3)6][B10H10]·NH3 was synthesised from cesium and disodium‐decahydro‐closo‐decaborate Na2B10H10 in liquid ammonia, from which it crystallized in form of temperature sensitive colorless plates (triclinic, P1¯, a = 8.4787(7) Å, b = 13.272(1) Å, c = 17.139(2) Å, α = 88.564(1)°, β = 89.773(1)°, γ = 81.630(1)°, V = 1907.5(3) Å3, Z = 4). The compound is the first example of an alkali metal boranate with two different types of cations. The decahydro‐closo‐decaborate dianions [B10H10]2— and the cesium cations form a [Cs2(B10H10)2]2— layer parallel to the ac plane. These layers are separated by N—H···N‐hydrogen bonded hexamminesodium cations.
Using Cost of Infection as a Tool to Demonstrate a Difference in Prophylactic Antibiotic Efficacy: A Prospective Randomized Comparison of the Pharmacoecomonic Effectiveness of Ceftriaxone and Cefotaxime Prophylaxis in Abdominal Surgery
Authors: Woodfield John C. , Van Rij Andre M. , Pettigrew Ross A. , van der Linden Antje , Bolt Donna
Published: December 2004

The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that cost, as well as frequency of infection, could be used to demonstrate a difference in the performance of prophylactic antibiotics. In a prospective, randomized, double‐blind study, 1013 patients undergoing abdominal surgery were given 1 g of intravenous ceftriaxone (R) or cefotaxime (C) at induction of anesthesia, and an additional 500 mg of metronidazole for colorectal surgery. Infection was checked for during the hospital stay and at 30 days postoperatively. The inpatient, outpatient, and community costs of infection were prospectively collected. The frequency of wound infection for appendectomies when additional metronidazole was not administered was greater with cefotaxime (R 6%, C 18%, p < 0.05), but the cost of infection was the same (average cost R $994 ± SD $1101, C $878 ± $1318). For all other procedures, the frequency of wound infection was similar (R 8%, C 10%), but the cost was less with ceftriaxone (R $887 ± $1743, C $2995 ± $6592, p < 0.05). Ceftriaxone decreased the frequency but not the cost of chest and urinary infection (frequency R 6%, C 11%, p < 0.02, cost R $1273 ± 2338, C $1615 ± 4083). Differences in both the frequency and cost of all infection are also presented. Ceftriaxone decreased either the frequency or the cost of different postoperative infections. The cost of infection can increase the discriminatory power of trials comparing antibiotic effectiveness.
A Modified Stapling Technique for Performing Billroth I Anastomosis after Distal Gastrectomy
Authors: Takeuchi Kunio , Tsuzuki Yasushi , Ando Tetsu , Sekihara Masao , Hara Takashi , Kori Takayuki , Nikajima Hiroki , Kuwano Hiroyuki
Published: December 2004

Autosuture staplers have provided various operative and postoperative benefits in gastrointestinal surgery. We describe herein our technique of performing distal gastrectomy followed by side‐to‐end gastroduodenostomy. Eighteen consecutive patients with gastric cancer underwent distal gastrectomy by the staple technique. We propose a modification of the stapling technique to reduce the number of devices used. In our technique, side‐to‐end anastomosis is performed first, followed by gastric resection just distal to the anastomosis. By introducing the stapler through the area to be resected, we can eliminate the need to close the gastrostomy. Anastomotic stricture occurred in only 1 (5.5%) of 18 cases. There have been no other postoperative complications related to the anastomosis. We believe that our technique is superior in simplicity and security to the conventional techniques.
Usefulness of the 3‐Dimensionally Reconstructed Computed Tomography Imaging for Diagnosis of the Site of Tracheal Injury (3D‐Tracheography)
Authors: Moriwaki Yoshihiro , Sugiyama Mitsugi , Matsuda Goro , Toyoda Hiroshi , Kosuge Takayuki , Uchida Keiji , Fukuyama Hiroshi , Iwashita Masayuki , Morimura Naoto , Suzuki Junnichi , Yamamoto Toshiro , Suzuki Noriyuki
Published: December 2004

Computed tomography (CT) has not been considered useful for early diagnosis of traumatized patients who could hardly hold their breath, particularly patients with tracheal injuries. However, the recent development of spiral CT has made it possible to acquire contiguous patient data, which eliminates the respiratory misregistration. Air is easily differentiated from surrounding tissues by striking contrast, and the trachea can therefore be well displayed by three‐dimensional (3D)‐CT. We consider that it is possible to show tracheal injury by 3D‐CT. The aim of this study is to clarify the usefulness of 3D‐CT for detecting the injury site of blunt tracheal injuries. The study was carried out in hemodynamically stable patients who were suspected of having tracheal injury based on clinical manifestations such as hemoptysis, or cervical subcutaneous, deep cervical, or mediastinal emphysema. Repeated bronchoscopy confirmed tracheal injury. The virtual images of the 3D‐CT (3D‐tracheography) were compared with the direct images of bronchoscopic findings. Five cases were examined. In patients with tracheal injury, bronchoscopy revealed laceration of the tracheal lumen or disruption and dislocation of the tracheal cartilage, partially coated by mucus and clot, findings that confirmed the diagnosis of tracheal injury. The virtual images of the 3D‐tracheography clearly showed the injury as a defect in the tracheal wall or a depression in the wall. The site and size of injury shown in the 3D‐tracheography were comparable with those detected by bronchoscopy. We succeeded in detecting tracheal injuries by 3D‐CT imaging, the virtual images of which were comparable with the bronchoscopic findings. 3D‐tracheography is a useful method for diagnosing the site and form of tracheal injury in hemodynamically stable patients.
A Qualitative Study of the Information Needs of Acute Myocardial Infarction Patients, and Their Preferences for Follow-up Contact After Discharge
Authors: Aminda Hanssen Tove , Nordrehaug Jan Erik , Hanestad Berit Rokne
Published: December 2004

Background: Several studies have claimed that patients have unmet information needs after discharge following acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Our overall goal is to develop a post-discharge nursing intervention program to provide patients with appropriate information and support in contexts where existing follow-up services are poorly developed.

Aims: To explore the information needs of inpatients with AMI and their preferences for follow-up contact after discharge from hospital.

Methods: Fourteen AMI patients aged 42–69 years participated in one of three focus groups, held between 3 and 5 months after their discharge.

Results and conclusions: The findings are grouped into three themes corresponding to the major topics in the interview guide: the hospital stay, coming home, and patients' follow-up preferences. The data support the findings of previous studies that there is a systemic failure to meet patients’ in-hospital and post-discharge information needs. Most importantly, our participants’ follow-up preferences favoured open telephone lines and telephone follow-up. The results of this study provide some of the knowledge that is necessary to improve patient information and support following AMI.
PREL1 provides a link from Ras signalling to the actin cytoskeleton via Ena/VASP proteins
Authors: Jenzora Andrea , Behrendt Barbara , Small J. Victor , Wehland Jürgen , Stradal Theresia E.B.
Published: December 2004

Ena/VASP family proteins are important modulators of cell migration and localize to focal adhesions, stress fibres and the very tips of lamellipodia and filopodia. Proline‐rich proteins like vinculin and zyxin are well established interaction partners, which mediate Ena/VASP‐recruitment via their EVH1‐domains to focal adhesions and stress fibres. However, it is still unclear, which binding partners Ena/VASP proteins may have at lamellipodia tips and how their recruitment to these cellular protrusions is regulated. Here, we report the identification of a novel protein with high similarity to the C. elegans MIG‐10 protein, which we termed PREL1 (Proline Rich EVH1 Ligand). PREL1 is a 74 kDa protein and shares homology with the Grb7‐family of signalling adaptors. We show that PREL1 directly binds to Ena/VASP proteins and co‐localizes with them at lamellipodia tips and at focal adhesions in response to Ras activation. Moreover, PREL1 directly binds to activated Ras in a phosphoinositide‐dependent manner. Thus, our data pinpoint PREL1 as the first direct link between Ras signalling and cytoskeletal remodelling via Ena/VASP proteins during cell migration and spreading.
Quantitative analysis of the postnatal development of Purkinje neurons in the cerebellum of the cat
Authors: Vastagh Cs. , Víg J. , Takács J. , Hámori J.
Published: December 2004

We have studied the postnatal quantitative changes of cortical Purkinje neurons in the cerebellum of the cat at the following postnatal groups of age: P0, P42, P72 and adults. An unbiased counting method, the optical fractionator was used for the estimation of Purkinje cell numbers. A significant increase of Purkinje cell number was found between P0 (1.097 × 106) and P42/P72 (1.805 × 106 and 1.895 × 106) declining to 1.429 × 106 in the adult, still 30% higher than in the newborn. It was also observed that during the first few postnatal weeks large “gaps” were present in the Purkinje monolayer as revealed by Nissl staining and metabotropic glutamate receptor 1α immunocytochemistry. These Purkinje cell gaps were observed most frequently in well‐definable areas, especially in the intermediate zone of the neocerebellum. Simultaneously with the numerical increase of Purkinje neurons between the P0 and P72 age groups, these gaps disappeared after the third postnatal week resulting in the completion of the Purkinje monolayer in the whole cerebellum.
A Web-Based Instrument Monitoring System
Authors: Echols Martin M. , Smith David K. , Nirschl David S.
Published: December 2004

We present a Web-based system developed at Bristol-Myers Squibb that provides status and queue information for a dispersed group of analytical instruments. Status and queue files maintained by the analytical software on individual instrument computers are copied to a central server, where they are parsed by a custom software application written in Microsoft Visual Basic 6. The parsed information is stored in a database, where it is accessible to custom web server scripts that search, filter, and format the data for display in a Web browser.
Open-Source Tools for Distributed Device Control within a Service- Oriented Architecture
Authors: Mcintosh Roger L.
Published: December 2004

Within the past few years a new paradigm for software organization and intercommunication has emerged—SOA, or Service-Oriented Architecture. This article explores the relevance of this approach to automation and control of laboratory devices and examines some of the excellent open-source software tools, libraries, and frameworks available to implement software according to SOA principles. Not only can the open-source packages described here serve as the basis for practical laboratory automation systems, they also can serve an educational role to illustrate the principles and advantages of an SOA approach. Open-source software represents a significant opportunity for leveraging the skills and budgets of small automation development groups to produce very sophisticated and reliable software systems that would otherwise be out of reach for such small teams. An added benefit is that because of the standardized protocols involved, opportunities for interoperation with other systems that are following a similar approach becomes a realistic possibility. Although intellectual property and licensing issues may represent a barrier to the open-source approach for commercial developers seeking to market their solutions, it may be the ideal approach for many in-house projects and for standardized elements within commercial packages.
Overview and Architecture of the Java Integration Framework, Hybrid Scheduler, and Web-Enabled LIMS
Authors: Rodziewicz Paul , Bell Blane
Published: December 2004

Most of the scheduling software and instrument integration frameworks are written in Visual Basic, C/C++, or the LabView programming environment. A lot of these frameworks are proprietary tools of instrument vendors and are used by these companies during system integration of their instruments. In addition to the closed architecture of these products, the scheduler choice is very limited. ReTiSoft Inc. has created a suite of software products that address these problems.

In this article we would like to introduce ReTiSoft's open-architecture framework for instrument integration, a hybrid scheduler (static and dynamic) and a Web-enabled interface to the automated system. In addition to ReTiSoft's integration framework (Genera) and the hybrid-scheduling software (Supra), we recently developed a Web-enabled application that allows scientists to log onto the automated system remotely, set up and run assays, examine and analyze the data produced during the experiment. The software is called DataPilot and is comprised of a high-performance database engine and the Apache Web server.

In unison with Genera's and Supra's open-architecture approach, DataPilot can be modified and customized by system integrators to suit their specific application needs. The application serves as a data repository and adheres to guidelines presented by the Code of Federal Regulations for electronic records and electronic signatures; the guidelines are known as 21 CFR Part 11.

This article provides an architectural overview of our software products and justifies its merits in comparison to other technologies commonly used in laboratories. We describe our Genera integration framework, give an overview of our scheduling algorithms, describe a Web-enabled data-tracking software and the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA assay), and describe different methods of automated system validation using our software. We also offer some conclusions.
Concepts for Dynamic Scheduling in the Laboratory
Authors: Schäfer Reinhold
Published: December 2004

Laboratory environments are controlled more and more by automated systems. Written procedures and lab journals are replaced by workflow description languages and electronic notebooks, which not only describe the processes but are used also for the control of the entire workbench, data acquisition, and documentation. Dynamic scheduling is needed in such an environment. Multiple samples with different procedures are processed in parallel, competing for the instruments. The whole environment may be also underlaid by optimization strategies like throughput or minimum sample processing time.

The modeling of all components interacting on the workbench—samples, devices, sensors, results, database systems, and so on—needs to rely on concepts building a consistent framework. This article gives a set of terms and definitions used in a dynamic scheduling environment. It describes most of these entities in detail, including their functionality and attributes as well as their logical and physical interactions. It also describes concepts such as workflows with activities and constraints, functional libraries, hidden transport, and dynamic execution. Maintenance, calibration, and error management also are included. Finally, it discusses how the entities interact with the different components in the scheduling system.
An articulated antibiotic spacer used for infected total knee arthroplasty: A comparative in vitro elution study of Simplex® and Palacos® bone cements
Authors: Stevens C. Melinda , Tetsworth Kevin D. , Calhoun Jason H. , Mader Jon T.
Published: December 2004

For the staged management of infected total knee arthroplasty (TKA), antibiotic laden polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) spacers have been recommended. Antibiotic‐impregnated PMMA spacers target drug delivery, achieving high local levels while limiting the potential for host toxicity associated with parenteral antimicrobial therapy. This study examined the elution characteristics of an articulating PMMA TKA spacer that has been useful clinically. Tobramycin and vancomycin are both active against many organisms leading to joint infections. We used various combined antibiotic concentrations (maintaining a relative ratio of 55% tobramycin to 45% vancomycin w/w), and then assayed the elution profile of the TKA spacer in vitro. Additionally, the elution qualities of two brands of bone cement, Simplex® and Palacos®, were compared. Briefly, three groups of PMMA spacers, impregnated with different antibiotic loads, were fashioned from a mold replicating a femoral TKA component. The entire spacer surface area was immersed in sterile phosphate buffered saline (PBS) in a 1:6 ratio of grams of cement to milliliters of PBS and incubated at 37 °C for 24 h. After 24 h, aliquot eluates were taken, the PBS discarded, and replaced with fresh, sterile PBS. PBS was changed daily and an aliquot was taken at least weekly for nine weeks. Eluate samples were stored at −70 °C until assayed. Each spacer eluate sample's antibiotic concentration was determined by disc diffusion bioassay against Bacillus subtilis. Mean zone inhibition diameters were extrapolated from the standard curve to yield micrograms per milliliter of antibiotic in PBS. In all groups the Palacos® spacers demonstrated higher elution levels, above the MIC for the organism used, for a longer period of time than those made with Simplex®. Based on the observed elution profiles, antibiotic‐impregnated Palacos® bone cement may offer a more effective vehicle for local drug delivery during staged treatment of infected TKA. © 2004 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Toltrazuril treatment to control diaplacentalNeospora caninumtransmission in experimentally infected pregnant mice
Authors: GOTTSTEIN B. , RAZMI G. R. , AMMANN P. , SAGER H. , MÜLLER N.
Published: December 2004

We addressed the question whether diaplacental transmission ofNeospora caninumcan be controlled by metaphylactic chemotherapy using toltrazuril or enrofloxacin. Female C57/BL6 mice, infected on day 10 of pregnancy, were medicated for 6 consecutive days p.i. with 52·5 mg toltrazuril or – as an out-group control medication – 16·7 mg enrofloxacin per kg body weight per day. Other control groups received either infection but no medication orvice versa. Toltrazuril treatment significantly reduced pre- and perinatal losses (10 deliveries of healthy newborns,versus1 abortion and 4 failures) when compared to control-enrofloxacin (2 deliveries,versus1 abortion, 7 failures and 2 pre-parturient deaths of dams) and non-treated animals (3 deliveries,versus6 abortions, 8 failures and 4 pre-parturient deaths). Simultaneously, PCR-based parasite detection in the brain of mothers, histopathological findings as well as clinical fatality were significantly less frequent in toltrazuril-treated dams. The overall toltrazuril treatment efficacy was determined as 87%, that of enrofloxacin-treatment as 17%. The progenies of toltrazuril-treated dams also exhibited a very low rate of PCR-positivity in their brain (3 out of 39), whereas untreated dams delivered litters with mostly PCR-positive brains (12 out of 14) and a relatively high death rate post-partum (5 out of 19 newborns died). Mice subjected to a second mating delivered newborns all negative byN. caninum-PCR, indicating that diaplacental tachyzoite passage does not occur in a later, repeated pregnancy. Overall, our experiments showed that toltrazuril-treatment of an acuteN. caninum-infection – induced during pregnancy – results in a clear reduction of fetal losses and a marked reduction of diaplacental passage of the parasite to the fetal brain, whereas enrofloxacin, as an out-group control substance, failed to show the same effect.
Population, settlement and economy in Late Roman and Byzantine Palestine (70–641 AD)
Authors: BAR DORON
Published: December 2004

This paper outlines the centrality of the Late Roman period in the settlement history of Palestine, and the marginal contribution of the Christian establishment to the development of the land. Settlement momentum during these periods resulted from the fact that Palestine was part of the Roman Empire. The historical trends in Palestine should be regarded as part of a broader political settlement drive that characterized the eastern parts of the Roman realm during the period under discussion. The argument that the process of expansion was unique and stemmed from Palestine's holiness in the eyes of the Christian world is unfounded.
Breathing and the oboe: playing, teaching and learning
Authors: Gaunt Helena
Published: December 2004

Breathing and breath control are central to playing the oboe, yet few detailed educational resources are available to support their teaching and learning. This paper presents a review of existing knowledge and expertise in the field. It highlights common ground and points of controversy, and indicates some key areas for consideration. It points to the need for further research to establish both a more detailed picture of the anatomy and physiology of breathing practices in playing and effective teaching and learning strategies.
Teaching composing as creative problem solving: conceptualising composing pedagogy
Authors: Berkley Rebecca
Published: December 2004

This article reports on a school-based research project into teaching composing at GCSE, setting this alongside a review of the literature. It suggests that research into cognition in composing in school students and teaching composing within a school context may be synthesised by understanding composing as problem solving. Composing is described as knowledge-rich, complex, multiple and creative problem solving, requiring the development of skills of hypothesis and verification in students. A series of case studies of individual teachers is analysed using Bernstein's framework for coding knowledge in the curriculum. Research data presented suggest that although there is significant variation in the practice of individual teachers, teaching composing is characterised in the main activities of instruction and training in composing skills and knowledge; management of a positive creative learning environment; and facilitation of ownership, autonomy and authority in students. The article concludes by suggesting that conceptualising teaching composing as problem solving enables music educators to rationalise the specific demands of the curriculum context in which they are operating by providing students with a framework for cognitive development in composing.
Melting, dehydration, and the geochemistry of off‐axis plume‐ridge interaction
Authors: Hall Paul S. , Kincaid Chris
Published: December 2004

We present results from a series of two‐dimensional numerical experiments in which synthetic melt compositions are calculated for a system in which a thermally buoyant, off‐axis mantle plume interacts with a nearby ridge axis. Spatial gradients in synthetic melt properties are compared to observed spatial gradients in geochemistry from the Easter–Salas y Gomez system in an effort to constrain the dynamics of mantle flow in off‐axis plume‐ridge systems. Results indicate that observed gradients in radiogenic isotopic ratios between the ridge axis and the plume require significant heating of the ambient mantle adjacent to the plume. This heating allows ambient mantle to melt off‐axis but also attenuates the flow from the plume to the ridge. When increases in viscosity due to dehydration during melting are considered, spatial gradients in the geochemical properties of synthetic melts become extremely sharp, at odds with the observational data. This may indicate that viscosity increases due to dehydration are not significant in off‐axis plume‐ridge systems.
Spring‐summer frontogenesis at the mouth of Block Island Sound: 2. Combining acoustic Doppler current profiler records with a general circulation model to investigate the impact of subtidal forcing
Authors: Edwards C. A. , Fake T. A. , Codiga D. L. , Bogden P. S.
Published: December 2004

The use of a one‐layer inverse model to improve the fidelity of a three‐dimensional primitive equation model is explored in the region just south of Block Island Sound in the Middle Atlantic Bight. The inverse model, based on the theory of Bennett and McIntosh, produces a solution to the linear, shallow‐water equations that minimizes model‐data misfit and the resulting open boundary velocity variance. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology general circulation model is configured regionally and includes realistic tidal forcing, surface warming, and wind stress, as well as climatological buoyancy gradients between the estuary and the shelf. A 15 day record from two acoustic Doppler current profiler moorings, deployed in spring 2000 south of the entrance of Block Island Sound, allows assessment of the forward model and provides data to improve subtidal boundary conditions. Model‐data misfit decreases notably for both the depth‐averaged and vertically sheared flow, indicating that improvements to the depth‐averaged circulation positively impact the three‐dimensional circulation in this shallow shelf environment. The role of wind stress in modulating the position of the buoyant plume that characterizes the regional hydrography is also examined. A distinctly three‐dimensional circulation is observed, with a growing offshore plume at the mouth of the sound during northward stress followed by rapid alongshelf advection during periods of southwestward or weak winds. Although, on the timescales considered here, wind stress forcing dominates the buoyancy‐driven motion, it is overwhelmed by the tidally driven rectified flow just south of Montauk Point, which provides the inshore boundary of the front even in downwelling favorable conditions.
Tectonic/volcanic segmentation and controls on hydrothermal venting along Earth's fastest seafloor spreading system, EPR 27°–32°S
Authors: Hey Richard , Baker Edward , Bohnenstiehl DelWayne , Massoth Gary , Kleinrock Martin , Martinez Fernando , Naar David , Pardee Debra , Lupton John , Feely Richard , Gharib Jim , Resing Joe , Rodrigo Cristian , Sansone Francis , Walker Sharon
Published: December 2004

We have collected 12 kHz SeaBeam bathymetry and 120 kHz DSL‐120 side‐scan sonar and bathymetry data to determine the tectonic and volcanic segmentation along the fastest spreading (∼150 km/Myr) part of the global mid‐ocean ridge system, the southern East Pacific Rise between the Easter and Juan Fernandez microplates. This area is presently reorganizing by large‐scale dueling rift propagation and possible protomicroplate tectonics. Fracture patterns observed in the side‐scan data define structural segmentation scales along these ridge segments. These sometimes, but not always, correlate with linear volcanic systems defining segmentation in the SeaBeam data. Some of the subsegments behave cohesively, with in‐phase tectonic activity, while fundamental discontinuities occur between other subsegments. We also collected hydrothermal plume data using sensors mounted on the DSL‐120 instrument package, as well as CTDO tow‐yos, to determine detailed structural and volcanic controls on the hydrothermal vent pattern observed along 600 km of the Pacific‐Nazca axis. Here we report the first rigorous correlation between coregistered hydrothermal plume and high‐resolution marine geophysical data on similar scales and over multisegment distances. Major plume concentrations were usually found where axial inflation was relatively high and fracture density was relatively low. These correlations suggest that hydrothermal venting is most active where the apparent magmatic budget is greatest, resulting in recent eruptions that have paved over the neovolcanic zone. Areas of voluminous acoustically dark young lava flows produced from recent fissure eruptions correlate with many of the major hydrothermal vent areas. Increased crustal permeability, as gauged by increased fracture density, does not enhance hydrothermal venting in this area. Axial summit troughs and graben are rare, probably because of frequent volcanic resurfacing in this superfast spreading environment, and are not good predictors of hydrothermal activity here. Many of the hydrothermal areas are found in inflated areas near the ends of segments, suggesting that abundant magma is being supplied to these areas.
The influence of data assimilation on the age of air calculated with a global chemistry‐transport model using ECMWF wind fields
Authors: Meijer Ernst W. , Bregman Bram , Segers Arjo , van Velthoven Peter F. J.
Published: December 2004

The age of air is a useful integrated quantity that represents transport processes. Most atmospheric models underestimate the age of air, especially when wind fields from data assimilation systems are used. Nonetheless data assimilation is necessary to provide realistic winds. The European Centre for Medium‐Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) uses different assimilation procedures with various forecast periods, where forecasting allows the model to recover from the non‐physical adjustments of the assimilation procedure. In this study we examine the impact of different assimilation procedures and forecast periods on ECWMF wind fields by performing simulations of the age of air. For all data sets the age of air is too young, and for the 45‐years re‐analysis data (ERA‐40) it is even anomalously young, which has to be attributed to the data assimilation procedure used in ERA‐40. Extending the forecast period partially remedies the low ages of air, but to an unsatisfactory degree.
Joint probability of precipitation and discharge deficits in the Netherlands
Authors: Beersma Jules J. , Buishand T. Adri
Published: December 2004

The Netherlands are situated at the downstream end of the Rhine River. A large part of the country can be supplied with water from the river in the case of precipitation deficits. For drought assessment it is therefore necessary to consider the joint distribution of precipitation and discharge deficits. A transformed bivariate normal distribution as well as a bivariate Gumbel distribution are fitted to this data. In addition, nearest‐neighbor resampling is used to estimate joint probabilities of precipitation and discharge deficits. Both the reproduction of the marginal distributions and the dependence structure are explored. It is found that the transformed bivariate normal distribution underestimates the probability that both the precipitation and discharge deficit are extreme due to its asymptotic independence. Nearest‐neighbor resampling also underestimates this probability, mainly because the upper tails of the marginal distributions are not properly reproduced by the simulations. From the two fitted bivariate distributions a novel bivariate distribution is constructed with transformed normal marginals and a logistic Gumbel dependence structure, which gives the best description of the upper tail of the joint distribution. The use of a failure region based on economic damage rather than on joint exceedances considerably reduces the differences between the probabilities of drought from the various bivariate models.
Opioid rotation in chronic non‐malignant pain patients
Authors: Thomsen A. B. , Becker N. , Eriksen J.
Published: December 2004

Background: The clinical advantage of opioid rotation is probably due to incomplete cross‐tolerance favouring analgesia more than adverse effects. The objectives of opioid rotation in chronic non‐malignant patients are 1): rotation between different long‐acting opioids (LAO) to improve analgesia and reduce side‐effects, and 2): rotation from short‐acting opioids (SAO) to LAO to establish stable analgesia in order to minimise withdrawal symptoms, risk of tolerance and addiction.

Methods: A retrospective analysis of 37 rotations between different LAO and 59 rotations from SAO to LAO.

Results: The main reason for opioid rotation was insufficient pain relief. Opioid rotations resulted in significantly better pain control in 59% (CI95=49–76%) of the patients rotated between different LAO and 73% (CI95 =60–84%) of the patients rotated from SAO to LAO. During rotations symptoms of withdrawal and overdosing were relatively frequent in both groups. No significant dose changes were seen when rotating between different LAO. However, the consequence of rotation from SAO to LAO was a 74% increase in the opioid dose (CI95 =30–117%).

Conclusion: Opioid rotations between different LAO resulted in better pain control and fewer side‐effects at dose levels predicted to be equianalgesic. The majority of the patients rotated from SAO to LAO obtained improved analgesia, but the cost was a 74% increase in the opioid dose.
Julfar and the urbanisation of Southeast Arabia
Authors: Kennet Derek
Published: December 2004

The fourteenth‐sixteenth‐century town of Julfar (al‐Mataf) in Ras al‐Khaimah (UAE) is one of the most fully investigated archaeological sites in the Gulf, having been the subject of seven different excavation projects. Evidence from the published reports, when brought together, provides a detailed and coherent picture of the development of the site from a small fishing community in the mid‐fourteenth century to a fully urbanised settlement by the mid‐fifteenth century, and then attests to its eventual decline and abandonment by the late sixteenth century.

Julfar was the first example of true urbanism in this part of Arabia, and therefore marks a significant historical turning point. Its development is believed to have been linked to the expanding mercantile economy of Hormuz, but it occurred at the same time as a period of spectacular rural growth in its own immediate hinterland, evidence for which has been produced by archaeological field survey. Together these phenomena suggest the development of a local market economy, perhaps for the first time, which would have had significant implications for the social and economic structure of the area.
Cerebral blood flow in alcohol withdrawal: relation to severity of dependence and cognitive impairment
Authors: Hamdi E. , Al-Suhaili A. , Abou-Saleh M. T. , Amin Y. , Prais V.
Published: December 2004

Background:

Alcohol dependence affects cerebral function in complex, still unsettled ways.

Methods:

Thirty exclusively alcohol-dependent patients in various stages of withdrawal and 25 matched controls were examined for regional uptake of 99mTc-HMPAO in nine homologous regions of the cerebral cortex by single photon emission tomography (SPET). Image analysis reports regional uptake/uptake in homologous hemisphere.

Results:

Alcohol dependence is associated with diminished perfusion in the anterior, and middle frontal regions, and increased perfusion in the posterior temporal regions. Frontal hypoperfusion is related to alcohol withdrawal because it disappears with longer time between imaging, last intake and correlates with a composite index of cognitive impairment at the time. Temporal hyperperfusion persists for longer periods. Severe dependence correlates with both frontal, and temporal altered perfusion.

Discussion:

Alcohol withdrawal leads to redistribution of blood flow favouring the temporal, and more posterior regions of the cortex at the expense of frontal flow.
The Causal Role of Consciousness: A Conceptual Addendum to Human Evolutionary Psychology
Authors: Bering Jesse M. , Shackelford Todd K.
Published: December 2004

By concentrating on the unconscious processes driving evolutionary mechanisms, evolutionary psychology has neglected the role of consciousness in generating human adaptations. The authors argue that there exist several “Darwinian algorithms” that are grounded in a novel representational system. Among such adaptations are information-retention homicide, the killing of others who are believed to possess information about the self that has the potential to jeopardize inclusive fitness, and those generating suicide, which may necessitate the capacity for self-referential emotions such as shame. The authors offer these examples to support their argument that human psychology is characterized by a representational system in which conscious motives have inserted themselves at the level of the gene and have fundamentally changed the nature of hominid evolution.
Haidt's Moral Intuitionist Theory: A Psychological and Philosophical Critique
Authors: Saltzstein Herbert D. , Kasachkoff Tziporah
Published: December 2004

Jon Haidt's (2001) proposal for a moral intutionist theory of morality is criticized on psychological and philosophical grounds, including (a) the apparent reduction of social influence to one kind, overt compliance, and the virtual ignoring of the role of persuasion in moral and other decision making; (b) the failure to distinguish development of a psychological entity from its deployment or functioning; and (c) the failure to consider, in distinguishing cause and reason as explanatory concepts, the motivating power of reasons. Arguments for an evolutionary approach to morality are also faulted on the grounds that they assume that adaptation is served by nonmoral rather than moral (fairness- and benevolence-based) criteria. Finally, the authors suggest that an intuitionist approach such as that of Haidt may obscure important aspects of moral decision making.
How the human telomeric proteins TRF1 and TRF2 recognize telomeric DNA: a view from high‐resolution crystal structures
Authors: Court Robert , Chapman Lynda , Fairall Louise , Rhodes Daniela
Published: December 2004

Human telomeres consist of tandem arrays of TTAGGG sequence repeats that are specifically bound by two proteins, TRF1 and TRF2. They bind to DNA as preformed homodimers and have the same architecture in which the DNA‐binding domains (Dbds) form independent structural units. Despite these similarities, TRF1 and TRF2 have different functions at telomeres. The X‐ray crystal structures of both TRF1‐ and TRF2‐Dbds in complex with telomeric DNA (2.0 and 1.8 Å resolution, respectively) show that they recognize the same TAGGGTT binding site by means of homeodomains, as does the yeast telomeric protein Rap1p. Two of the three G‐C base pairs that characterize telomeric repeats are recognized specifically and an unusually large number of water molecules mediate protein–DNA interactions. The binding of the TRF2‐Dbd to the DNA double helix shows no distortions that would account for the promotion of t‐loops in which TRF2 has been implicated.
Factor structure of DSM‐IV criteria for obsessive compulsive personality disorder in patients with binge eating disorder
Authors: Grilo C. M.
Published: December 2004

Objective: To examine the factor structure of DSM‐IV criteria for obsessive compulsive personality disorder (OCPD) in patients with binge eating disorder (BED).

Method: Two hundred and eleven consecutive out‐patients with axis I diagnoses of BED were reliably assessed with semi‐structured diagnostic interviews. The eight criteria for the OCPD diagnosis were examined with reliability and correlational analyses. Exploratory factor analysis was performed to identify potential components.

Results: Cronbach's coefficient alpha for the OCPD criteria was 0.77. Principal components factor analysis with varimax rotation revealed a three‐factor solution (rigidity, perfectionism, and miserliness), which accounted for 65% of variance.

Conclusion: The DSM‐IV criteria for OCPD showed good internal consistency. Exploratory factor analysis, however, revealed three components that may reflect distinct interpersonal, intrapersonal (cognitive), and behavioral features.
Buprenorphine in pregnant opioid‐dependent women: first results of a prospective study
Authors: Lacroix I. , Berrebi A. , Chaumerliac C. , Lapeyre‐Mestre M. , Montastruc J. L. , Damase‐Michel C.
Published: December 2004

Aim  To report results on the prospective follow‐up of 34 pregnant women exposed to buprenorphine maintenance for opiate dependence.

Design and setting  Prospective multicentre study: all pregnant women receiving buprenorphine as maintenance therapy were included as early as possible during their pregnancy.

Participants  The pregnant women were recruited from opiate maintenance therapy centres, general practitioner‐networks involved in addiction, maternity hospitals and centres for drug information during pregnancy.

Measurements  Women: drugs and medications consumed, medical and obstetrical events; offspring: withdrawal syndrome, malformation, neonatal disease.

Findings  The buprenorphine‐exposed pregnancies resulted in 31 live births, one stillbirth, one spontaneous abortion and one voluntary termination. A neonatal withdrawal syndrome was observed in 13 cases (41.9%) and eight of these babies required opiate treatment. Two neonates had a malformation: a premature ductus arteriosus stricture and a tragus appendix.

Conclusion  Taken together with other prospective studies, no alarming results were observed concerning pregnancy outcomes. However, further data from the comparative prospective study are required to determine whether buprenorphine can be considered as a good alternative to methadone treatment in pregnant women.
Immunohistochemical Study on the Chicken Adenohypophysis Using Monoclonal Mouse Anti‐Human FSH as a Primary Antibody
Authors: Erdost H.
Published: December 2004

This experiment was conducted to investigate the use of monoclonal mouse anti‐human FSH as a primary antibody for the immunohistochemical staining on chicken adenohypophysis paraffin sections. The use of monoclonal mouse anti‐human primary antibody on chicken tissues has been developed. The protocol has been modified by comparing the results of the different groups. Briefly, this present protocol suggests modification in two areas; first, the antigen retrieval step, by placing the slides into the buffered citrate in microwave oven at 700 watt for 5 min, 3 times, and antigen–antibody reactions. Secondly, the incubation with the primary antibody (dilution 1/100 for anti‐FSH) at 37°C for 90 min.