bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Use of Psychotropic Medication for People with Severe Disabilities and Challenging Behavior: Current Status and Future Directions
Authors: Kennedy Craig H. , Meyer Kim A.
Published: June 2006

People with severe disabilities who engage in challenging behavior are often prescribed psychotropic medication as a form of intervention. Although the goal of the medication is to reduce challenging behavior, limited empirical evidence is available to support the use of psychotropic intervention for people with severe disabilities. However, across a range of drug classes basic research suggests that many psychotropic medications selectively affect dimensions of behavior that could be of benefit in reducing challenging behavior. Currently, researchers cannot demonstrate whether most drugs prescribed to reduce challenging behavior are effective or predict when adverse side effects will emerge from their use. In this article we review the basic literature on behavioral pharmacology and integrate those findings with existing applied research to update JASH readers regarding the status of psychotropic medication. From this review, we present a set of suggestions that include: (a) improving research practices, (b) increasing the diversity of individuals involved in decision-making processes regarding medication use, and (c) developing consumer-friendly strategies for monitoring drug effects.
Parent Perspectives on the Roles of Paraprofessionals
Authors: French Nancy K. , Chopra Ritu V.
Published: June 2006

This article examines parent perceptions of paraprofessional roles and employment conditions. Nineteen mothers of 23 children who received special education services in general education classrooms with support from paraprofessionals participated in focus group interviews. This exploratory study revealed that these mothers identified closely with paraprofessionals and believed that they were compassionate, dedicated people who functioned in four major roles: Connector, team member, instructor, physical caregiver/health needs provider. Participants also identified problems associated with paraprofessional employment including the lack of training, low pay, and lack of respect for the position, resulting in high levels of turnover. Respect for paraprofessionals was of particular concern to the mothers, who believed that the respect accorded to paraprofessionals reflected the respect accorded to their children.
Curriculum and Instruction in General Education: Implications for Service Delivery and Teacher Preparation
Authors: Agran Martin , Alper Sandra
Published: June 2006

Despite the many reports describing the benefits of inclusive education, there is a lack of information on the instructional strategies and behavior change procedures that general educators use to facilitate skills development. Also, there is not much information on the procedures used to analyze student performance data. Additionally, limited information has been reported on the curricular domains and skills that educators value for instructing students with severe and other disabilities. With this information, better implementation of effective instructional practices in general education may be achieved. To address this issue, survey input from samples of general and special educators across two states was obtained. The findings suggested that general education teachers reported using many, but not all, behavior analytic instructional strategies considered to be best practice. In addition, special educators regarded social interactions and friendships and self-determination skills the most important skills for successful inclusion.
Educational Validity: Procedures to Evaluate Outcomes in Programs for Severely Handicapped Learners
Authors: Voeltz Luanna M. , Evans Ian M.
Published: June 2006

Documentation of positive outcomes for severely handicapped learners as a function of their educational programs is receiving increased attention as the major focus of program development, monitoring, and evaluation efforts. At the same time, those strategies that have been used predominantly to determine program effectiveness—particularly single-subject experimental designs and developmentally-based assessments—are being challenged as inadequate methods for accomplishing this task. This paper outlines existing concerns and argues for the general evaluative concept of educational validity. Suggestions are provided for measuring the three criteria that are essential components of educational validity. Also emphasized is the professional's obligation to advocate on behalf of program needs based upon knowledge and professional judgment.
Effect of volume decrease on fluidization quality of fluidized catalyst beds
Authors: Kai T. , Toriyama K. , Nishie K. , Takahashi T. , Nakajima M.
Published: June 2006

The fluidization quality significantly decreased when the reaction involving a decrease in the gas volume was carried out in a fluidized catalyst bed. In the present study, we carried out the hydrogenation of carbon dioxide in a transparent column to observe the bed behavior. When the reaction rate was increased, the fluidity of the emulsion phase decreased and channeling occurred. When the fluidity of the emulsion phase decreased even further, the upper part of the bed was defluidized and this part was lifted up through the column. This phenomenon caused the entrainment of a large amount of catalyst particles from the reactor. We studied the effects of the reduction rate of the gas volume and the maximum gas contraction ratio on the fluidization behavior. The criterion for a stable operation, which could be successfully given by the gas‐volume reduction rate, is useful for determining the operating conditions needed to establish good fluidization when the reactions involving a decrease in the gas volume are carried out in a fluidized catalyst bed. © 2006 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2006
The Route to the Structure Determination of Amorphous Solids: A Case Study of the Ceramic Si3B3N7
Authors: Jansen Martin , Schön J. Christian , van Wüllen Leo
Published: June 2006

Si3B3N7 is the parent compound of a new class of amorphous ceramics containing silicon, boron, nitrogen, and carbon that display a unique spectrum of properties. It consists of a random network in which the constituent elements are linked by predominantly covalent bonds. Similarly to quartz glass, the composition of amorphous Si3B3N7 is virtually stoichiometric. As all three of its constituent elements can serve as the objects of various structural probes, Si3B3N7 was selected as the basis of a systematic structural investigation, in which methods for the structure determination of solids without translational symmetry could be validated and improved. However, as the complete amorphous structure cannot be deduced from experimental data, these results must be complemented by computer simulations. Thus, five classes of structure models were generated and compared to experimental results. Only the models generated by following the actual synthesis route as closely as possible agreed well with the experimental data.
Role of anatomy in our contemporary age and the history of the Anatomy Museum of Naples
Authors: Esposito Vincenzo , Chiapparo Simona
Published: June 2006

This work analyzes the significance of anatomical knowledge in the contemporary age through the history of a prestigious institution, the Anatomy Museum of Naples. The museum's past was ineluctably linked not only to the local sociopolitical events but also to the scientific developments of medicine. The museum is an academic place where the importance of the anatomic science in the contemporary age both in the scientific and in the cultural fora is evident. Anat Rec (Part B: New Anat) 289B:92–97, 2006. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Patterns of care for men with prostate cancer after failure of primary treatment
Authors: Krupski Tracey L. , Saigal Christopher S. , Hanley Janet , Schonlau Matthias , Litwin Mark S. ,   for the Urologic Diseases in America Project
Published: June 2006

BACKGROUND.

This study sought to determine trends in patterns of care after failure of primary prostate cancer treatment and to determine whether nonclinical factors influenced the receipt of secondary treatment.

METHODS.

The authors identified individuals treated for nonmetastatic prostate cancer in the years 1991–1999 from the linked databases of Medicare and the National Cancer Institute's Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results registry. The outcome of interest was receipt of secondary therapy. They performed Cox proportional hazard analyses to investigate the link between demographic and clinical characteristics and the likelihood of receiving secondary treatment after either surgery or radiation.

RESULTS.

Of 65,716 subjects who met our inclusion criteria, 10,200 (15%) received some form of secondary therapy. For men undergoing initial surgical or radiation therapy, tumor grade, year of diagnosis, and geographic region were associated with secondary therapy. No socioeconomic factors such as education, ethnicity, or income level were associated with secondary therapy.

CONCLUSIONS.

Patterns of care after primary prostate cancer therapy continue to vary regionally. Standardized clinical algorithms and utilization of prostate‐specific antigen testing appear to have influenced secondary therapy rates. Cancer 2006. © 2006 American Cancer Society.
A 1HMRS study of the anterior cingulate gyrus in euthymic bipolar patients
Authors: de M. S. Amaral Jose Antonio , Tamada Renata S. , Issler Cilly K. , Caetano Sheila C. , Cerri Giovanni G. , de Castro Claudio C. , Lafer Beny
Published: June 2006

Introduction

The anterior cingulate region has been implicated in the pathophysiology of mood disorders. Studies have reported anatomical and functional abnormalities in this region in bipolar disorder patients. Few neurochemical studies have evaluated this region, especially on medicated bipolar patients. Lithium has been reported to increase NAA levels but not by all studies. We used proton magnetic spectroscopy (1HMRS) to measure the levels of N‐acetyl‐L‐aspartate (NAA) and choline (Cho) relative to creatine (Cr) in the anterior cingulate of euthymic medicated bipolar subjects.

Methods

1HMRS was performed using a GE Signa 1.5 Tesla scanner in 13 euthymic bipolar patients who were taking lithium for at least four weeks before the scan and in 15 normal controls. The 1HMRS signal was collected from an 8 cm3 voxel placed in the anterior cingulate. Data analysis was performed with the automated PROBE/SV quantification tool.

Results

NAA/Cr and Cho/Cr ratios were not significantly different between patients and controls (NAA/Cr: 1.60 ± 0.34 in patients, 1.68 ± 0.34 in controls; Cho/Cr: 1.13 ± 0.13 in patients, 1.11 ± 0.20 in controls).

Conclusions

We did not find a significant difference in the NAA/Cr and Cho/Cr ratio between bipolar patients and healthy controls. Chronic administration of psychotropic drugs could have had an effect on NAA/Cr levels of bipolar patients. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Differences in cognitive factors between “true drug” versus “placebo pattern” response to fluoxetine as defined by pattern analysis
Authors: Farabaugh Amy H. , Sonawalla Shamsah B. , Fava Maurizio , Pedrelli Paola , Papakostas George I. , Schwartz Faye , Mischoulon David
Published: June 2006

Objective

Pattern analysis has identified two types of response patterns to antidepressants: “true drug” response (TDR) and “placebo pattern” response (PPR). This study examines the relationship between cognitive factors and TDR and PPR to fluoxetine.

Methods

We assessed 310 outpatients meeting DSM‐III‐R criteria for major depressive disorder (MDD) who were enrolled in an 8‐week open trial of fluoxetine 20 mg/day. Response patterns were determined using the clinical global impressions‐improvement (CGI‐I). We administered the following self‐rated scales to all patients at the baseline visit and at endpoint: perceived stress scale (PSS), cognitions questionnaire (CQ), Beck hopelessness scale (BHS) and dysfunctional attitudes scale (DAS).

Results

One hundred and thirty‐four patients had TDR, 66 patients had PPR, and 110 patients were non‐responders (NR). Demographic variables and severity of depression at baseline (HAMD‐17) were not significantly different between the two response pattern groups. We compared cognitive factors before and after treatment across patients with TDR and PPR, and there were no significant differences at baseline in CQ, PSS, BHS, and DAS scores. At endpoint, outpatients with PPR had significantly lower scores on the PSS (p < 0.001) compared to the patients with TDR, even after adjusting for multiple comparisons and severity of depression at endpoint.

Conclusions

Significant differences in cognitive/psychological factors, specifically lower post‐treatment perceived stress, accompany “placebo” pattern of response to antidepressant treatment and differentiate it from “true drug” response pattern, as defined by pattern analysis. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A gene regulation system with four distinct expression levels
Authors: Krueger Christel , Danke Christina , Pfleiderer Klaus , Schuh Wolfgang , Jäck Hans‐Martin , Lochner Susanne , Gmeiner Peter , Hillen Wolfgang , Berens Christian
Published: June 2006

Background

The amount of a particular protein, and not just its presence or absence, frequently determines the outcome of a developmental process or disease progression. These dosage effects can be studied by conditionally expressing such proteins at different levels. With typical gene regulation systems like the Tet‐On system, intermediate expression levels can be obtained by varying the effector concentration. However, this strategy is limited to situations in which these concentrations can be precisely controlled and, thus, not suited for animal models or gene therapy approaches. Here, we present a Tet transregulator setup that allows establishment of four levels of promoter activity largely independent of effector concentration.

Methods

A newly introduced transsilencer is combined with a reverse transactivator. As the regulators respond differentially to tetracycline derivatives, four expression levels are obtained by adding different effectors. To facilitate integration of the components, we generated versatile all‐in‐one vectors. Apart from a cassette expressing the transregulators and a selection marker, these vectors encode a bidirectional, regulated promoter driving expression of GFP and the gene of interest. The features of this stepwise regulation system were analyzed by transient and stable transfections of human cell lines.

Results

We demonstrate in a variety of experimental settings that coexpression of these transregulators leads to robust stepwise regulation. Depending on the respective effectors, four expression levels are achieved with different responsive promoters, cell lines and target genes.

Conclusions

This system shows that a promoter can be adjusted to different activities and provides an excellent strategy to investigate protein dosage effects. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
DNA degradation in nuclei of muscle cells followed by ischemic injury in a rabbit amputation model
Authors: Wang Qing , Zhang Jian , Chen Tong‐Yi , Chen Zhong‐Wei , Chen Michael B. , Lineaweaver William C. , Zhang Feng
Published: June 2006

This study evaluated DNA degradation in nuclei of muscle cells during ischemia in a rabbit limb amputation model. Seven New Zealand rabbits were used. The left rear limb of the animal was amputated. The quadriceps femoris muscle was biopsied, as well as the rabbit carotid arteries. Half of the tissue samples were preserved at a cold temperature (2–4°C), and the other half were kept at room temperature (25°C, global ischemia). Immediately and 4, 8, 12, 16, and 24 h after amputation, muscle tissue samples were stained with the Feulgen reaction and analyzed by an image‐analysis system to detect DNA contents in muscle cell nuclei. Samples from carotid arteries were examined with a transmission electron microscope. The results showed that the DNA content in muscle cell nuclei was slightly decreased at 4 and 8 h of global ischemia. At 12 h after global ischemia, the DNA content was found to be significantly decreased (80.03% of baseline). The DNA content dropped to 53.93% of baseline at 16 h of global ischemia. However, in the muscle that was preserved at cold temperature, the DNA contents were only slightly changed along with the ischemia time at 24 h. The DNA changes were confirmed by transmission electron microscopic observations. The present findings could provide evidence for the study of revascularization of ischemic muscle. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc. Microsurgery, 2006.
Two‐step procedure of whole orthotopic intestinal transplantation in rats: Considerations of techniques and graft functional adaptation
Authors: Li Yousheng , Zhu Liang , Li Jieshou
Published: June 2006

Intestinal transplantation may eventually become the definitive therapeutic modality for irreversible intestinal failure. To date, immunological, functional, and technical problems still hamper clinical success. In this paper, the technical aspects of a two‐stage procedure for a whole orthotopic intestinal transplantation model of rats with systemic drainage are illustrated. Graft mucosal Na+/K+‐ATPase and disaccharidase revealed recovery of graft function. From this study, we conclude that the present model may provide an excellent tool to further investigate the physiology and immunology of intestinal transplantation. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc. Microsurgery, 2006.
SN2 reaction of a sulfonate ester in the presence of alkyltriphenylphosphonium bromides and mixed cationic‐cationic systems
Authors: Mohareb Michael M. , Ghosh Kallol K. , Orlova Galina , Palepu Rama M.
Published: June 2006

The effects of alkyltriphenylphosphonium bromides (CnTPB, n = 10, 12, 14, 16) on the rates of SN2 reactions of methyl 4‐nitrobenzenesulfonate and bromide ion have been studied. Observed first‐order rate constants are significantly higher than those found for other cationic surfactants for the same reaction. The results have been analyzed by the pseudophase model of micellar kinetics and show true micellar catalysis in the sense that second‐order micellar rate constants are higher than the second‐order rate constants in water. An attempt has also been made to investigate mixed cationic–cationic surfactant systems with respect to observed rates and pseudophase regression parameters. In addition, modeling of some cationic head groups has illustrated possible differences in head group charges and counterion interactions that may prove kinetically relevant. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Organic biradical compounds with a mesogenic core and long alkoxy groups: preparation, structures and magnetic properties
Authors: Nakatsuji Shin'ichi , Amano Takamitsu , Akutsu Hiroki , Yamada Jun‐ichi
Published: June 2006

Series of organic biradical compounds 3a–3h consisting of a mesogenic core (biphenyl, naphthalene, azobenzene and azoxybenzene) and long alkoxy groups with PROXYL or TEMPO radicals were prepared. The TEMPO derivatives (3b, 3d, 3f, and 3h) were found to show fairly large antiferromagnetic interactions (J = −34 ∼ −45 K) being well expressed by singlet‐triplet model irrespective of the mesogenic cores and the behavior is understandable by taking a hand‐in‐hand like assembled structure into consideration. On the other hand, only weak antiferromagnetic interactions with Curie–Weiss behavior were observed in all of the PROXYL derivatives (3a, 3c, 3e, and 3d) affording a sharp contrast with the TEMPO‐based biradicals. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
310‐helices in proteins are parahelices
Authors: Enkhbayar Purevjav , Hikichi Kunio , Osaki Mitsuru , Kretsinger Robert H. , Matsushima Norio
Published: June 2006

The 310‐helix is characterized by having at least two consecutive hydrogen bonds between the main‐chain carbonyl oxygen of residue i and the main‐chain amide hydrogen of residue i + 3. The helical parameters — pitch, residues per turn, radius, and root mean square deviation (rmsd) from the best‐fit helix — were determined by using the HELFIT program. All 310‐helices were classified as regular or irregular based on rmsd/(N − 1)1/2 where N is the helix length. For both there are systematic, position‐specific shifts in the backbone dihedral angles. The average ϕ, ψ shift systematically from ∼ −58°, ∼ −32° to ∼ −90°, ∼ −4° for helices 5, 6, and 7 residues long. The same general pattern is seen for helices, N = 8 and 9; however, in N = 9, the trend is repeated with residues 6, 7, and 8 approximately repeating the ϕ, ψ of residues 2, 3, and 4. The residues per turn and radius of regular 310‐helices decrease with increasing length of helix, while the helix pitch and rise per residue increase. That is, regular 310‐helices become thinner and longer as N increases from 5 to 8. The fraction of regular 310‐helices decreases linearly with helix length. All longer helices, N ≥ 9 are irregular. Energy minimizations show that regular helices become less stable with increasing helix length. These findings indicate that the definition of 310‐helices in terms of average, uniform dihedral angles is not appropriate and that it is inherently unstable for a polypeptide to form an extended, regular 310‐helix. The 310‐helices observed in proteins are better referred to parahelices. Proteins 2006. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Application of the convolution formalism to the ocean tide potential: Results from the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE)
Authors: Desai S. D. , Yuan D.‐N.
Published: June 2006

A computationally efficient approach to reducing omission errors in ocean tide potential models is derived and evaluated using data from the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) mission. Ocean tide height models are usually explicitly available at a few frequencies, and a smooth unit response is assumed to infer the response across the tidal spectrum. The convolution formalism of Munk and Cartwright (1966) models this response function with a Fourier series. This allows the total ocean tide height, and therefore the total ocean tide potential, to be modeled as a weighted sum of past, present, and future values of the tide‐generating potential. Previous applications of the convolution formalism have usually been limited to tide height models, but we extend it to ocean tide potential models. We use luni‐solar ephemerides to derive the required tide‐generating potential so that the complete spectrum of the ocean tide potential is efficiently represented. In contrast, the traditionally adopted harmonic model of the ocean tide potential requires the explicit sum of the contributions from individual tidal frequencies. It is therefore subject to omission errors from neglected frequencies and is computationally more intensive. Intersatellite range rate data from the GRACE mission are used to compare convolution and harmonic models of the ocean tide potential. The monthly range rate residual variance is smaller by 4–5%, and the daily residual variance is smaller by as much as 15% when using the convolution model than when using a harmonic model that is defined by twice the number of parameters.
Depositional ice nucleation on crystalline organic and inorganic solids
Authors: Shilling J. E. , Fortin T. J. , Tolbert M. A.
Published: June 2006

This work describes measurements of the heterogeneous depositional nucleation of ice on micrometer‐sized (NH4)2SO4 (AS), maleic acid (C4H4O4) (MA), and mixed AS/MA particles and on thin NH4NO3 (AN) films. The critical saturation ratio (Scrit) required for heterogeneous nucleation was found to be similar and temperature‐dependent for all solids, ranging from Scrit = 1.42 ± 0.04 at 190 K to Scrit = 1.04 ± 0.05 at 240 K. Deliquescence of the solids was not observed in any experiment; ice nucleation always occurred below the deliquescence relative humidity. The observed saturation ratios for ice nucleation were all substantially lower than the saturation ratios required for homogeneous nucleation. These results suggest that vapor deposition of ice may compete with deliquescence for crystalline organic and inorganic solids below the eutectic temperature.
Induced TRPC1 expression sensitizes intestinal epithelial cells to apoptosis by inhibiting NF-κB activation through Ca2+ influx
Authors: Marasa Bernard S. , Rao Jaladanki N. , Zou Tongtong , Liu Lan , Keledjian Kaspar M. , Zhang Ai-hong , Xiao Lan , Chen Jie , Turner Douglas J. , Wang Jian-Ying
Published: June 2006

Apoptosis occurs within crypts and at the intestinal luminal surface and plays a critical role in mucosal homoeostasis. NF-κB (nuclear factor-κB) is the central regulator of the transcription of genes involved in apoptosis, and its activity is highly regulated in the intestinal mucosa. We have recently demonstrated that TRPC1 (transient receptor potential canonical-1) is expressed in IECs (intestinal epithelial cells) and functions as a Ca2+ permeable channel activated by Ca2+ store depletion. The present study tests the hypothesis that TRPC1 channels are implicated in the regulation of apoptosis by inhibiting NF-κB through the induction of TRPC1-mediated Ca2+ influx in the IEC-6 line. The expression of TRPC1 induced by stable transfection of IEC-6 cells with the wild-type TRPC1 gene (IEC-TRPC1 cells) increased Ca2+ influx after Ca2+ store depletion and repressed NF-κB transactivation, which was associated with an increase in susceptibility to apoptosis induced by exposure to TNFα (tumour necrosis factor-α) plus CHX (cycloheximide) (TNF-α/CHX), or STS (staurosporine). By contrast, the induction of endogenous NF-κB activity, by the depletion of cellular polyamines, promoted resistance to apoptosis, which was prevented by the ectopic expression of the IκBα super-repressor. Furthermore, inhibition of TRPC1 expression by transfection with siRNA (small interfering RNA) targeting TRPC1 (siTRPC1) decreased Ca2+ influx, increased NF-κB transactivation, and prevented the increased susceptibility of IEC-TRPC1 cells to apoptosis. Decreasing Ca2+ influx by exposure to a Ca2+-free medium also induced NF-κB activity and blocked the increased susceptibility to apoptosis of stable IEC-TRPC1 cells. These results indicate that induced TRPC1 expression sensitizes IECs to apoptosis by inhibiting NF-κB activity as a result of the stimulation of Ca2+ influx.
Eicosanoids and renal vascular function in diseases
Authors: Imig John D.
Published: June 2006

Arachidonic acid metabolites are vital for the proper control of renal haemodynamics and, when not properly controlled, can contribute to renal vascular injury and end-stage renal disease. Three major enzymatic pathways, COX (cyclo-oxygenase), CYP450 (cytochrome P450) and LOX (lipoxygenase), are responsible for the metabolism of arachidonic acid metabolites to bioactive eicosanoids. These eicosanoids can dilate or constrict the renal vasculature and maintain vascular resistance in the face of changing vasoactive hormones. Renal vascular generation of eicosanoids is altered in pathophysiological conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, metabolic syndrome and acute renal failure. Experimental evidence supports the concept that altered eicosanoid metabolism contributes to renal haemodynamic alterations and the development and progression of nephropathy. The possible beneficial renal vascular actions of enzymatic inhibitors, eicosanoid analogues and receptor antagonists have been examined in hypertension, diabetes and metabolic syndrome. This review highlights the roles of renal vascular eicosanoids in the pathogenesis of nephropathy and therapeutic targets for renal disease related to hypertension, diabetes, metabolic syndrome and acute renal failure.
BMI: new aspects of a classical risk factor for hypertensive disorders in pregnancy
Authors: Leeners Brigitte , Rath Werner , Kuse Sabine , Irawan Claudia , Imthurn Bruno , Neumaier-Wagner Peruka
Published: June 2006

HDP (hypertensive diseases in pregnancy) are one of the leading causes of maternal and fetal mortality and morbidity. BMI (body mass index) is an established risk factor for pre-eclampsia, but its role in HELLP syndrome is unknown. We therefore investigated BMI as a risk factor in the development of HELLP syndrome. At the beginning of pregnancy, BMI was measured in 1067 women with a history of HDP and 1063 controls. Diagnoses of HDP were classified according to ISSHP (International Society for the Study of Hypertension in Pregnancy) and BMI according to WHO (World Health Organization) criteria. After verification of exclusion criteria and matching for confounders, 687 women with hypertensive diseases in pregnancy and 601 controls remained for statistical evaluation by χ2 test and multiple logistic regressions. As a continuous variable, the increase in BMI was associated with an increase in the development of gestational hypertension {OR (odds ratio), 1.1 [95% CI (confidence interval) 1.062–1.197]} and pre-eclampsia [OR, 1.1 (95% CI, 1.055–1.144)]}, but not for HELLP syndrome. According to WHO definitions, overweight women (BMI ≥25 and <30 kg/m2) had a 2-fold (95% CI, 1.365–2.983) risk and obese women (BMI ≥30 kg/m2) had a 3.2-fold (95% CI, 1.7–5.909) risk of developing pre-eclampsia when compared with women of normal weight (BMI ≥15.5 and <25 kg/m2). Being overweight or having obesity had no effect on the risk of HELLP syndrome. As an increased BMI is correlated with the risk of developing pre-eclampsia but not HELLP syndrome, both diseases have a different risk profile. This finding supports that underlying physiological mechanisms in pre-eclampsia vary from those in HELLP syndrome.
Electronic structure calculations on the C4 cluster
Authors: Massó H. , Senent M. L. , Rosmus P. , Hochlaf M.
Published: June 2006

The ground and the electronically excited states of the C4 radical are studied using interaction configuration methods and large basis sets. Apart from the known isomers [l-C4(XΣg−3) and r-C4(XAg1)], it is found that the ground singlet surface has two other stationary points: s-C4(XAg1) and d-C4(XA11). The d-C4 form is the third isomer of this cluster. The isomerization pathways from one form to the other show that deep potential wells are separating each minimum. Multireference configuration interaction studies of the electronic excited states reveal a high density of electronic states of these species in the 0–2eV energy ranges. The high rovibrational levels of l-C4(Σu−3) undergo predissociation processes via spin-orbit interactions with the neighboring Σg+5 state.
Matrix effects in the carbon 1s near edge x-ray absorption fine structure spectra of condensed alkanes
Authors: Urquhart Stephen G. , Gillies Rob
Published: June 2006

The carbon 1s near edge x-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) spectra of simple gaseous alkane molecules differ from the spectra of the same alkane molecules in the condensed phase. The origin of these large, systematic differences is poorly understood. The NEXAFS spectra of gaseous alkanes are interpreted as a progression of core→Rydberg transitions with distinctive vibronic structure. The interpretation of the NEXAFS spectra of condensed phase alkanes is varied. Specifically, the degree of Rydberg character in the preedge core excited states of condensed alkanes is controversial. We determined the character of core excited states in condensed alkanes with a combination of experiment and computational study. From this, we have determined the nature of matrix effects for these species. The high-resolution carbon 1s NEXAFS spectrum of gaseous neopentane is dramatically different from its condensed phase spectrum, a striking illustration of the dramatic spectroscopic changes that occur upon condensation. High quality ab initio calculations of a cluster designed to model the solid phase environment provide definitive evidence for the reduction of Rydberg character and support the assignment of σC–H* valence character in the preedge features in the NEXAFS spectra of condensed alkanes.
A DNA insulator prevents repression of a targeted X-linked transgene but not its random or imprinted X inactivation
Authors: Ciavatta Dominic , Kalantry Sundeep , Magnuson Terry , Smithies Oliver
Published: June 2006

Some genes on the inactive X chromosome escape silencing. One possible escape mechanism is that heterochromatization during X inactivation can be blocked by boundary elements. DNA insulators are candidates for blocking because they shield genes from influences of their chromosomal environment. To test whether DNA insulators can act as boundaries on the X chromosome, we inserted into the mouse X-linked
Hprt
locus a GFP transgene flanked with zero, one, or two copies of a prototypic vertebrate insulator from the chicken β-globin locus, chicken hypersensitive site 4, which contains CCCTC binding factor binding sites. On the active X chromosome the insulators blocked repression of the transgene, which commences during early development and persists in adults, in a copy number-dependent manner. CpG methylation of the transgene correlated inversely with expression, but the insulators on the active X chromosome were not methylated. On the inactive X chromosome, insulators did not block random or imprinted X inactivation of the transgene, and both the insulator and transgene were almost completely methylated. Thus, the chicken hypersensitive site 4 DNA insulator is sufficient to protect an X-linked gene from repression during development but not from X inactivation.
THESEUS: maximum likelihood superpositioning and analysis of macromolecular structures
Authors: Theobald Douglas L. , Wuttke Deborah S.
Published: June 2006

Summary: THESEUS is a command line program for performing maximum likelihood (ML) superpositions and analysis of macromolecular structures. While conventional superpositioning methods use ordinary least-squares (LS) as the optimization criterion, ML superpositions provide substantially improved accuracy by down-weighting variable structural regions and by correcting for correlations among atoms. ML superpositioning is robust and insensitive to the specific atoms included in the analysis, and thus it does not require subjective pruning of selected variable atomic coordinates. Output includes both likelihood-based and frequentist statistics for accurate evaluation of the adequacy of a superposition and for reliable analysis of structural similarities and differences. THESEUS performs principal components analysis for analyzing the complex correlations found among atoms within a structural ensemble.

Availability: ANSI C source code and selected binaries for various computing platforms are available under the GNU open source license from or

Contact:  douglas.theobald@colorado.edu

Supplementary Information: Supplementary data including details of the ML superpositioning algorithm are available at Bioinformatics online.
On Taylor dispersion in oscillatory channel flows
Authors: Jansons Kalvis M
Published: June 2006

We revisit Taylor dispersion in oscillatory flows at zero Reynolds number, giving an alternative method of calculating the Taylor dispersivity that is easier to use with computer algebra packages to obtain exact expressions. We consider the effect of out-of-phase oscillatory shear and Poiseuille flow, and show that the resulting Taylor dispersivity is independent of the phase difference. We also determine exact expressions for several examples of oscillatory power-law fluid flows.
Genetics of obesity
Authors: O'Rahilly Stephen , Farooqi I.Sadaf
Published: June 2006

Considerable attention is currently being paid to the secular changes in food intake and physical activity that underlie the increase in the prevalence of obesity that is apparent in many societies. While this is laudable it would be unwise to view these environmental factors in isolation from the biological factors that normally control body weight and composition and the compelling evidence that inter-individual differences in susceptibility to obesity have strong genetic determinants. This is particularly important, as it is only in the past decade that we have begun to obtain substantive information regarding the molecular constituents of pathways controlling mammalian energy balance and therefore, for the first time, are in a position to achieve a better mechanistic understanding of this disease. Population-based association and linkage studies have highlighted a number of loci at which genetic variation is associated with obesity and related phenotypes and the identification and characterization of monogenic obesity syndromes has been particularly fruitful. While there is widespread acceptance that hereditary factors might predispose to human obesity, it is frequently assumed that such factors would influence metabolic rate or the selective partitioning of excess calories into fat. However, it is notable that, thus far, all monogenic defects causing human obesity actually disrupt hypothalamic pathways and have a profound effect on satiety and food intake. To conclude, the evidence we have to date suggests that the major impact of genes on human obesity is just as likely (or perhaps more likely) to directly impact on hunger, satiety and food intake rather than metabolic rate or nutrient partitioning. At the risk of oversimplification, it seems that from an aetiological/genetic standpoint, human obesity appears less a metabolic than a neuro-behavioural disease.
Appetite and energy balance signals from adipocytes
Authors: Trayhurn Paul , Bing Chen
Published: June 2006

Interest in the biology of white adipose tissue has risen markedly with the recent surge in obesity and its associated disorders. The tissue is no longer viewed simply as a vehicle for lipid storage; instead, it is recognized as a major endocrine and secretory organ. White adipocytes release a multiplicity of protein hormones, signals and factors, termed adipokines, with an extensive range of physiological actions. Foremost among these various adipokines is the cytokine-like hormone, leptin, which is synthesized predominantly in white fat. Leptin plays a critical role in the control of appetite and energy balance, with mutations in the genes encoding the hormone or its receptor leading to profound obesity in both rodents and man. Leptin regulates appetite primarily through an interaction with hypothalamic neuroendocrine pathways, inhibiting orexigenic peptides such as neuropeptide Y and orexin A, and stimulating anorexigenic peptides such as proopiomelanocortin. White fat also secretes several putative appetite-related adipokines, which include interleukin-6 and adiponectin, but whether these are indeed significant signals in the regulation of food intake has not been established. Through leptin and the other adipokines it is evident that adipose tissue communicates extensively with other organs and plays a pervasive role in metabolic homeostasis.
Suppression of Both ELIP1 and ELIP2 in Arabidopsis Does Not Affect Tolerance to Photoinhibition and Photooxidative Stress
Authors: Rossini Silvia , Casazza Anna Paola , Engelmann Enrico C.M. , Havaux Michel , Jennings Robert C. , Soave Carlo
Published: June 2006

ELIPs (early light-induced proteins) are thylakoid proteins transiently induced during greening of etiolated seedlings and during exposure to high light stress conditions. This expression pattern suggests that these proteins may be involved in the protection of the photosynthetic apparatus against photooxidative damage. To test this hypothesis, we have generated Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) mutant plants null for both elip genes (Elip1 and Elip2) and have analyzed their sensitivity to light during greening of seedlings and to high light and cold in mature plants. In particular, we have evaluated the extent of damage to photosystem II, the level of lipid peroxidation, the presence of uncoupled chlorophyll molecules, and the nonphotochemical quenching of excitation energy. The absence of ELIPs during greening at moderate light intensities slightly reduced the rate of chlorophyll accumulation but did not modify the extent of photoinhibition. In mature plants, the absence of ELIP1 and ELIP2 did not modify the sensitivity to photoinhibition and photooxidation or the ability to recover from light stress. This raises questions about the photoprotective function of these proteins. Moreover, no compensatory accumulation of other ELIP-like proteins (SEPs, OHPs) was found in the elip1/elip2 double mutant during high light stress. elip1/elip2 mutant plants show only a slight reduction in the chlorophyll content in mature leaves and greening seedlings and a lower zeaxanthin accumulation in high light conditions, suggesting that ELIPs could somehow affect the stability or synthesis of these pigments. On the basis of these results, we make a number of suggestions concerning the biological function of ELIPs.
A Critique of Schopenhauer's Metaphysic
Authors: Wells G.A.
Published: June 2006

Schopenhauer's metaphysic is not more credible than the systems of his contemporaries Fichte, Schelling and Hegel, all of whom he criticised so severely. But as his writings, unlike theirs, are so lucid, they illustrate very clearly the metaphysician's endeavour to reach knowledge that is immediate and indubitable, not mediated by the sense organs and the brain, as is knowledge of the external world. He argues that ‘das Einzige wirklich und unbedingt Gegebene ist das Selbstbewußtsein’, which alone can yield ‘die letzten und wichtigsten Aufschlüsse über das Wesen der Dinge’. He himself was not religious, but this doctrine has appealed to theologians seeking a basis for their belief that is independent of external (historical) testimony. In this connection, Albert Schweitzer expressly urged a return to the German metaphysical tradition, in particular to Schopenhauer's view of the will as the transcendent reality at the basis of self‐consciousness.

 The present article argues, in the British empirical tradition, that there is really no reason to distinguish self‐consciousness and experiences attributable to will from other kinds of experience. The practical distinction is that the idea of self depends largely not on the sensations provided by readily observable senses such as sight and hearing, but on muscular, articular and visceral receptors which constitute a less accessible internal sensorium.
‘Ein neues, mächtiges Volkstum’: Eugenic Discourse and its Impact on the Work of Gerhart Hauptmann
Authors: Ní Dhúill Caitríona
Published: June 2006

This essay compares the negative portrayal of dogmatic eugenicism in Gerhart Hauptmann's early play Vor Sonnenaufgang (1889) with ways in which the eugenics question was articulated in Hauptmann's later works, specifically the novels Atlantis (1912) and Die Insel der großen Mutter (1924). The differences between early and later iterations of this theme in Hauptmann's work are contextualised with reference to the increasing popularity of eugenics in the intervening period. The novels under consideration are shown to reflect the contemporary eugenicist commitment to the promotion of the healthy body as a cornerstone of social and cultural renewal. The appeal of eugenics to the maternalist feminism to which Hauptmann gave imaginative free rein in Die Insel der großen Mutter is located in the view of woman as guardian of the future. Building on recent research into the interaction between eugenic and aesthetic discourse in Hauptmann's dramas, the essay examines the function of eugenics as an aesthetics of reproduction which is shaped by and in turn contributes to the cultural construction of categories such as ‘nature’ and ‘health’.
Self transglutaminase‐based rapid coeliac disease antibody detection by a lateral flow method
Authors: RAIVIO T. , KAUKINEN K. , NEMES É. , LAURILA K. , COLLIN P. , KOVÁCS J. B. , MÄKI M. , KORPONAY‐SZABÓ I. R.
Published: June 2006

Background

The conventional coeliac disease antibody tests require patient's sera, and are laborious and time‐consuming.

Aim

To evaluate a newly developed rapid whole blood test in coeliac disease antibody detection, and its suitability for office use.

Methods

Endogenous tissue transglutaminase found in red blood cells in a whole blood fingertip or venous sample is liberated upon haemolysis and complexes with tissue transglutaminase antibodies, if present. The complexes, captured by a lateral flow system, are visualized within 5 min. Stored samples from 121 untreated, 106 treated coeliac disease patients and 107 controls were evaluated and compared with serum endomysium and tissue transglutaminase antibody tests and histology; 150 patients were prospectively tested on site in the doctor's office.

Results

The rapid test showed sensitivity (96.7%) comparable with the serum endomysium and tissue transglutaminase antibody tests from stored samples; specificity was slightly lower (93.5%). When tested on site the results were concordant in 96.7% of cases compared with endomysium and tissue transglutaminase antibody results. The test recognized the disappearance of tissue transglutaminase antibodies on a gluten‐free diet.

Conclusions

The self tissue transglutaminase‐based rapid test can be easily carried out from a fingertip blood sample on site in the physician's office for both coeliac disease case finding and dietary monitoring purposes.
Recent trends in hospital admissions and mortality rates for peptic ulcer in Scotland 1982–2002
Authors: KANG J. Y. , ELDERS A. , MAJEED A. , MAXWELL J. D. , BARDHAN K. D.
Published: June 2006

Background

While overall hospital admission rates for peptic ulcer declined in England in the 1990 s, they increased among the elderly, especially for complicated ulcer. However, peptic ulcer admissions fell for all age groups in the United States.

Aim

To examine time trends in the incidence of hospital admissions, mortality and operations because of peptic ulcer in Scotland from 1982 to 2002, and the use of various drugs relevant to the aetiology and treatment of peptic ulcer from 1992 to 2002.

Results

There was a general decrease in admission rates, especially for younger individuals. For individuals aged above 74 years, admission rates actually increased for gastric ulcer with haemorrhage among men, and for duodenal ulcer haemorrhage between both sexes. The number of operations fell dramatically, especially for younger patients. Mortality rates generally declined. Case fatality rates were greater for women than men, and declined over the study period for gastric ulcer, but increased for duodenal ulcer. The use of low‐dose aspirin, oral anticoagulants, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and proton‐pump inhibitors increased while those of non‐steroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs and histamine‐2 antagonists declined.

Conclusions

Admission rates for peptic ulcer generally fell for younger individuals, but increased for older people with haemorrhage.