bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The relationships between stocking density and welfare in farmed rainbow trout
Authors: Ellis T. , North B. , Scott A. P. , Bromage N.R. , Porter M. , Gadd D.
Published: April 2005

There is increasing public, governmental and commercial interest in the welfare of intensively farmed fish and stocking density has been highlighted as an area of particular concern. Here we draw scientific attention and debate to this emerging research field by reviewing the evidence for effects of density on rainbow trout. Although no explicit reference to ‘welfare’ has been made, there are 43 studies which have examined the effects of density on production and physiological parameters of rainbow trout. Increasing stocking density does not appear to cause prolonged crowding stress in rainbow trout. However, commonly reported effects of increasing density are reductions in food conversion efficiency, nutritional condition and growth, and an increase in fin erosion. Such changes are indicative of a reduced welfare status—although the magnitude of the effects has tended to be dependent upon study‐specific conditions. Systematic observations on large scale commercial farms are therefore required, rather than extrapolation of these mainly small‐scale experimental findings. There is dispute as to the cause of the observed effects of increasing density, with water quality deterioration and/or an increase in aggressive behaviour being variously proposed. Both causes can theoretically generate the observed effects of increasing density, and the relative contribution of the two causes may depend upon the specific conditions. However, documentation of the relationship between density and the effects of aggressive behaviour at relevant commercial densities is lacking. Consequently only inferential evidence exists that aggressive behaviour generates the observed effects of increasing density, whereas there is direct experimental evidence that water quality degradation is responsible. Nevertheless, there are contradictory recommendations in the literature for key water quality parameters to ensure adequate welfare status. The potential for welfare to be detrimentally affected by non‐aggressive behavioural interactions (abrasion, collision, obstruction) and low densities (due to excessive aggressive behaviour and a poor feeding response) have been largely overlooked. Legislation directly limiting stocking density is likely to be unworkable, and a more practical option might be to prescribe acceptable levels of water quality, health, nutritional condition and behavioural indicators.
Discrimination of New Zealand stream waters by glass eels of Anguilla australis and Anguilla dieffenbachii
Authors: McCleave J. D. , Jellyman D. J.
Published: April 2005

This study tested the hypotheses, using glass eels of longfin eels Anguilla dieffenbachii and shortfin eels Anguilla australis migrating into fresh waters, (1) that both species prefer water from their river of collection to well water, (2) that shortfin eels prefer lowland, pastoral stream water to mainstem river water, (3) that longfin eels are attracted to both waters but do not prefer one to the other, and (4) both prefer water scented with geosmin, a widely occurring metabolite of bacteria and algae, to well water. Glass eels of both species from a river on the west coast of South Island, New Zealand, and shortfin glass eels from an east coast river significantly preferred water from their river of capture to well water. Two to three times as many eels chose their own river water as chose well water. Longfin eels were rare in the east coast river. Shortfin glass eels from the two rivers chose lowland stream water to mainstem river water about two to one in three experiments with different pairs of waters to which they had no prior exposure. Longfin glass eels significantly chose mainstem river water over lowland water in one pair but showed no preference when presented with a different pair. Reactions to solutions of geosmin at concentrations of 10–5‐10–7 mg 1–1 were inconclusive, with geosmin being preferred significantly, by shortfin eels, in only one experiment. The interspecific differences in discrimination of natural waters demonstrated in this study, with shortfin eels preferring lowland waters and longfin eels more indifferent to water types, are in broad agreement with both the distribution of adults and observations on their habitat preferences.
Failure of interspecies androgenesis in salmonids
Authors: Babiak I. , Dobosz S. , Kuzminski H. , Goryczko K. , Ciesielski S. , Brzuzan P. , Urbányi B. , Horváth Á. , Lahnsteiner F. , Piironen J.
Published: April 2005

Androgenetic development of salmonid embryos was induced in recipient oocytes from the same or other species (intra‐ or interspecies androgenesis). Parameters for induced androgenesis were investigated in brown trout Salmo trutta and brook trout Salvelinus fontinalis. Reciprocal androgenetic and control crosses were conducted among fishes from three genera: Oncorhynchus (rainbow trout, O. mykiss), Salmo (brown trout) and Salvelinus (brook trout), and within two genera: Salmo (brown trout and Atlantic salmon, S. salar) and Salvelinus (brook trout and Arctic charr, S. alpinus). Live hatched androgenetic progenies were obtained in all intraspecies variants, where oocytes and sperm originated from the same species. Interspecies androgenesis resulted in no viable larvae, despite the fact that most hybrid controls and intraspecies androgenetic individuals were viable. When recipient oocytes originated from other genera (interspecific intergeneric androgenesis), embryonic development ceased in early developmental stages, except for haploid controls of brook trout produced in eggs of brown trout. Survival of embryos to the eyed‐egg stage was relatively high in the intrageneric androgenesis experiment. Nevertheless, none of these embryos survived to hatching. Some of the presumed Atlantic salmon individuals developing in brown trout eggs contained maternal DNA, questioning the accuracy of enucleation using irradiation. The inability to induce interspecific androgenesis among the examined salmonid species may have been the result of substantial kariotypical and developmental differences between spermatozoal donors and oocyte recipients, causing an incompatibility between maternal cytoplasmic regulatory factors and the paternal nuclear genome.
Hospital to home: An integrated approach to discharge planning in a rural South Australian town
Authors: Bolch Denise , Johnston Julie B. , Giles Lynne C. , Whitehead Craig , Phillips Paddy , Crotty Maria
Published: April 2005

Objective:  To produce safer and more integrated hospital discharge planning practices for older people living in rural and remote settings.

Design:  Plan–Do–Study–Act framework using case‐note audit and focus groups.

Setting:  Central Yorke Peninsula Hospital in South Australia.

Subjects:  All patients aged 65 years or older admitted between October 2001 and June 2002.

Interventions:  Range of communication strategies designed to improve discharge planning practices.

Main outcome measures:  Percentage of patients with documented discharge plan, Percentage of patients risk screened, Percentage of community health service provider referrals, Percentage of patients followed up within 10 days of discharge.

Results:  There was a significant increase in the proportion of patients with a documented discharge plan for both non‐Aboriginal (23%) and Aboriginal patients (52%). There was also a significant increase in the proportion of patients who received timely and informative risk screening (41% for non‐Aboriginal and 58% for Aboriginal patients). Referrals to community health service providers also increased significantly from baseline to the intervention period (14% for non‐Aboriginal and 33% for Aboriginal patients). The project also resulted in improved communication processes between hospital staff and community health service providers.

Conclusions:  This National Demonstration Hospitals Program project has impacted on both hospital discharge planning and the hospital–community interface. Flow‐on effects to other initiatives within the region are likely.
Dual Roles of an E-Helix Residue, Glu167, in the Transcriptional Activator Function of CooA
Authors: Youn Hwan , Thorsteinsson Marc V. , Conrad Mary , Kerby Robert L. , Roberts Gary P.
Published: April 2005

CooA is a transcriptional activator that mediates CO-dependent expression of the genes responsible for CO oxidation in
Rhodospirillum rubrum
. In this study, we suggest in vitro and in vivo models explaining an unusual requirement of CooA for millimolar levels of divalent cations for high-affinity DNA binding. Several lines of evidence indicate that an E-helix residue, Glu167, plays a central role in this requirement by inhibiting sequence-specific DNA binding via charge repulsion in the absence of any divalent cation and that divalent cations relieve such repulsion in the process of DNA binding by CooA. Unexpectedly, the Glu167 residue is the optimal residue for in vivo transcriptional activity of CooA. We present a model in which the Glu167 from the downstream subunit of CooA helps the protein to interact with RNA polymerase, probably through an interaction between activating region 3 and σ subunit. The study was further extended to a homologous protein, cyclic AMP receptor protein (CRP), which revealed similar, but not identical, roles of the residue in this protein as well. The results show a unique mechanism of CooA modulating its DNA binding and transcriptional activation in response to divalent cations among the CRP/FNR (fumarate and nitrate reductase activator protein) superfamily of regulators.
TheBacillus subtilisSinR and RapA Developmental Regulators Are Responsible for Inhibition of Spore Development by Alcohol
Authors: Gottig Natalia , Pedrido María Eugenia , Méndez Marcelo , Lombardía Esteban , Rovetto Adrián , Philippe Valeria , Orsaria Lelia , Grau Roberto
Published: April 2005

Even though there is a large body of information concerning the harmful effects of alcohol on different organisms, the mechanism(s) that affects developmental programs, at a single-cell level, has not been clearly identified. In this respect, the spore-forming bacteriumBacillus subtilisconstitutes an excellent model to study universal questions of cell fate, cell differentiation, and morphogenesis. Here, we demonstrate that treatment with subinhibitory concentrations of alcohol that did not affect vegetative growth inhibited the initiation of spore development through a selective blockage of key developmental genes under the control of the master transcription factor Spo0A∼P. Isopropyl-β-d-thiogalactopyranoside-directed expression of a phosphorylation-independent form of Spo0A (Sad67) and the use of an in vivo mini-Tn10insertional library permitted the identification of the developmental SinR repressor and RapA phosphatase as the effectors that mediated the inhibitory effect of alcohol on spore morphogenesis. A doublerapA sinRmutant strain was completely resistant to the inhibitory effects of different-C-length alcohols on sporulation, indicating that the two cell fate determinants were the main or unique regulators responsible for the spo0 phenotype of wild-type cells in the presence of alcohol. Furthermore, treatment with alcohol produced a significant induction ofrapAandsinR, while the stationary-phase induction ofsinI, which codes for a SinR inhibitor, was completely turned off by alcohol. As a result, a dramatic repression ofspo0Aand the genes under its control occurred soon after alcohol addition, inhibiting the onset of sporulation and permitting the evaluation of alternative pathways required for cellular survival.
Crystal Structure of the Flagellar Rotor Protein FliN from
Thermotoga maritima
Authors: Brown Perry N. , Mathews Michael A. A. , Joss Lisa A. , Hill Christopher P. , Blair David F.
Published: April 2005

FliN is a component of the bacterial flagellum that is present at levels of more than 100 copies and forms the bulk of the C ring, a drum-shaped structure at the inner end of the basal body. FliN interacts with FliG and FliM to form the rotor-mounted switch complex that controls clockwise-counterclockwise switching of the motor. In addition to its functions in motor rotation and switching, FliN is thought to have a role in the export of proteins that form the exterior structures of the flagellum (the rod, hook, and filament). Here, we describe the crystal structure of most of the FliN protein of
Thermotoga maritima
. FliN is a tightly intertwined dimer composed mostly of β sheet. Several well-conserved hydrophobic residues form a nonpolar patch on the surface of the molecule. A mutation in the hydrophobic patch affected both flagellar assembly and switching, showing that this surface feature is important for FliN function. The association state of FliN in solution was studied by analytical ultracentrifugation, which provided clues to the higher-level organization of the protein.
T. maritima
FliN is primarily a dimer in solution, and
T. maritima
FliN and FliM together form a stable FliM
1
-FliN
4
complex.
Escherichia coli
FliN forms a stable tetramer in solution. The arrangement of FliN subunits in the tetramer was modeled by reference to the crystal structure of tetrameric HrcQB
C
, a related protein that functions in virulence factor secretion in
Pseudomonas syringae
. The modeled tetramer is elongated, with approximate dimensions of 110 by 40 by 35Å, and it has a large hydrophobic cleft formed from the hydrophobic patches on the dimers. On the basis of the present data and available electron microscopic images, we propose a model for the organization of FliN subunits in the C ring.
A MATHEMATICAL THEORY FOR LEARNING, AND ITS APPLICATION TO TIME-VARYING COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY
Authors: PERLOVSKY LEONID , DEMING ROSS
Published: April 2005

The brain has evolved to enable organisms to survive in a complicated and dynamic world. Its operation is based upon a priori models of the environment which are adapted, during learning, in response to new and changing stimuli. The same qualities that make biological learning mechanisms ideal for organisms make their underlying mathematical algorithms ideal for certain technological applications, especially those concerned with understanding the physical processes giving rise to complicated data sets. In this paper, we offer a mathematical model for the underlying mechanisms of biological learning, and we show how this mathematical approach to learning can yield a solution to the problem of imaging time-varying objects from X-ray computed tomographic (CT) data. This problem relates to several practical aspects of CT imaging including the correction of motion artifacts caused by patient movement or breathing.
METAL CATALYST DESIGN AND PREPARATION IN CONTROL OF DEACTIVATION
Authors: Spencer Michael S. , Twigg Martyn V.
Published: April 2005

▪ Abstract  Catalyst life (with activity and selectivity) is one of the three essential properties of a practical catalyst, both in laboratory and industrial usage. For most catalysts in which the active phase is a metal, high activity requires a high metal surface area. In all cases, for long life, the metal surface area has to be maintained. The various modes of catalyst deactivation leading to loss of metal surface area are described (sintering, poisoning, coking, etc.). The choice of catalyst components for both active metal phases and for support phases is shown to be subject to thermodynamic and kinetic limits. Routes for the preparation of catalysts need to be and can be designed to give not only active, but also stable catalysts. Examples described include copper/zinc catalysts for hydrogenation/dehydrogenation reactions, iron catalysts for ammonia synthesis, nickel catalysts for hydrogenation reactions, automobile exhaust catalysts, and Raney catalysts.
Differential response of TIMP-3 null mice to the lung insults of sepsis, mechanical ventilation, and hyperoxia
Authors: Martin Erica L. , McCaig Lynda A. , Moyer Brent Z. , Pape M. Cynthia , Leco Kevin J. , Lewis James F. , Veldhuizen Ruud A. W.
Published: April 2005

An imbalance in matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and the tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs) leads to excessive or insufficient tissue breakdown, which is associated with many disease processes. The TIMP-3 null mouse is a model of MMP/TIMP imbalance, which develops air space enlargement and decreased lung function. These mice responded differently to cecal ligation and perforation (CLP)-induced septic lung injury than wild-type controls. The current study addresses whether the TIMP-3 knockout lung is susceptible to different types of insults or only those involving sepsis, by examining its response to lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced sepsis, mechanical ventilation (MV), and hyperoxia. TIMP-3 null noninjured controls of each insult consistently demonstrated significantly higher compliance vs. wild-type mice. Null mice treated with LPS had a further significantly increased compliance compared with untreated controls. Conversely, MV and hyperoxia did not alter compliance in the null lung. MMP abundance and activity increased in response to LPS but were generally unaltered following MV or hyperoxia, correlating with compliance alterations. All three insults produced inflammatory cytokines; however, the response of the null vs. wild-type lung was dependent on the type of insult. Overall, this study demonstrated that 1) LPS-induced sepsis produced a similar response in null mice to CLP-induced sepsis, 2) the null lung responded differently to various insults, and 3) the null susceptibility to compliance changes correlated with increased MMPs. In conclusion, this study provides insight into the role of TIMP-3 in response to various lung insults, specifically its importance in regulating MMPs to maintain compliance during a sepsis.
Mechanisms of Reactive Oxygen Species–Dependent Downregulation of Insulin Receptor Substrate-1 by Angiotensin II
Authors: Taniyama Yoshihiro , Hitomi Hirofumi , Shah Anand , Alexander R. Wayne , Griendling Kathy K.
Published: April 2005

Objective—

Angiotensin II has been implicated in the pathogenesis of the vascular complications of insulin resistance. Recently, serine phosphorylation and degradation of insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1) were shown to inhibit Akt activation and reduce glucose uptake. Therefore, we examined the effects of chronic angiotensin II treatment on IRS-1 phosphorylation and protein expression in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs).

Methods and Results—

Using Western analysis, we found that angiotensin II (100 nmol/L; 18 hours) caused a 61±5% degradation of IRS-1 and abolished insulin-induced activation of Akt. Phosphorylation of IRS-1 on Ser307, which leads to subsequent IRS-1 degradation, was stimulated by angiotensin II. This phosphorylation was blocked by the Src inhibitor PP1 and by the antioxidants
N
-acetylcysteine and ebselen. Stable overexpression of catalase abrogated angiotensin II–induced IRS-1 phosphorylation and IRS-1 degradation. Similarly, a mutant phosphoinositide-dependent kinase-1 (PDK1) that cannot associate with Src abolished IRS-1 phosphorylation and degradation induced by angiotensin II. Proteasome inhibitors also prevented IRS-1 degradation.

Conclusions—

Thus, angiotensin II decreases IRS-1 protein levels in VSMCs via Src, PDK1, and reactive oxygen species–mediated phosphorylation of IRS-1 on Ser307 and subsequent proteasome-dependent degradation. These events impair insulin signaling and provide a molecular basis for understanding the clinical observation that angiotensin II type 1 receptor antagonists improve insulin resistance and its associated vasculopathies.
Youth Violence and Self-Help
Authors: Nijboer Jan , de Haan Willem
Published: April 2005

In this article, the focus is on youth violence in neighbourhoods, including confrontations with the police. In the light of Black's theory of crime as a form of social control, we raise the question whether this kind of youth violence can be explained as a form of self-help. In the aftermath of two cases involving public disorder, we interviewed offenders, victims, bystanders and residents as well as members of the police force, the justice department and the city government about their views on the events in question as well as why they thought confrontations with the police had occurred. Based on an analysis of risk factors, we conclude that three particular conditions are necessary for youth violence: institutionalised mistrust, a neighbourhood subculture with strong elements of territoriality, and an environment that harbours a continuous threat of violence.
Heterosocial Behaviors in Early Adolescent African American Girls: The Role of Mother-Daughter Relationships
Authors: Aronowitz Teri , Rennells Rachel E. , Todd Erin
Published: April 2005

Recent epidemiological trends in HIV/AIDS have helped draw attention to minority adolescents as especially high risk for HIV acquisition. Research shows the importance of maternal-child closeness and sexual communication in decreasing adolescent risk behaviors. The information, motivation, behavioral skills model (IMB) formed the framework for this pilot study whose purpose was to examine the informational and motivational antecedents of heterosocial risks in African American middle-school-aged girls and the maternal influence on these risks. Thirty-nine mother-daughter dyads participated, of whom 54% were impoverished. The girls’ intent to stay safe, perceived social norms, and closeness to mother were negatively correlated with reported participation in potentially risky situations. Early interventions may enhance mother-daughter bonding, increasing sexual communication, and decreasing girls’ participation in risky behaviors. This pilot study provides direction regarding testing of the IMB model in studies focused on early adolescent behaviors and mother-daughter interactions.
The Strategic Levers of Yield Management
Authors: Kimes Sheryl E. , Chase Richard B.
Published: April 2005

Yield management, controlling customer demand through the use of variable pricing and capacity management to enhance profitability, has been examined extensively in the services literature. Most of this work has been tactical and mathematical rather than managerial. In this article, the authors suggest that a broader view of yield management is valuable to both traditional and nontraditional users of the approach. Central to this broader view is the recognition of how different combinations ofpricing and duration can be used as strategic levers to position service firms in their markets and the identification of tactics by which management can deploy these strategic levers. The authors also propose that further development of yield management requires that when the service is delivered be treated as a design variable that should be as carefully managed as the service process itself.
Cancer Clinical Trials Education Program: A Training Program to Reach Patients and the Public
Authors: Dean-Clower E. , Scheytt J. , Harley K. , Aikin J. , Axelrod A. , Graves C. , Julesberg K. , Van Herle M.-P. , Robinett H. , Liu I. , Crosson K.
Published: April 2005

Despite advances in cancer research, accrual of cancer patients or participants to clinical trials, as a treatment or prevention option, has remained low, hindering both research progress and patient access to potentially beneficial therapy. As one response, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and the NCI-supported Cancer Information Service, partnered with the Oncology Nursing Society, the Association of Oncology Social Work, and Novartis Oncology, to implement the NCI’s Cancer Clinical Trials Education Program (CCTEP) for health professionals, using a “train-the-trainer” approach. From June 1997-June 1999, approximately 300 “charter” trainees completed the training program and presented programs for over 1,500 participants. Evaluation efforts are ongoing. The CCTEP was developed and is being implemented within a collaborative partnership model, insuring a broad reach to health professionals, patients and the public. The use of this partnership model for a far-reaching educational effort can be adapted by other program planners.
Training and Workforce Diversity as Keys to Eliminating Health Disparities
Authors: Scharff Darcell P. , Kreuter Matthew W.
Published: April 2005

As eliminating health disparities becomes a national priority, schools of public health must respond by increasing the number of minority students who graduate with degrees in public health. Creating a more diverse workforce will have a positive impact on the disparities that currently exist. This article offers a rationale for increasing diversity in the public health workforce and describes a project funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) designed to train minority graduate students in public health to eliminate health disparities.
The Interactive Domain Model of Best Practices in Health Promotion: Developing and Implementing a Best Practices Approach to Health Promotion
Authors: Kahan Barbara , Goodstadt Michael
Published: April 2005

This paper discusses issues associated with taking a best practices approach to health promotion including determining factors, implementation, and implications for practitioners and policy makers. We suggest that health promotion effectiveness will be increased through adoption of a systematic and critically reflective approach to practice—one which considers all major factors affecting practice and is consciously guided by health promotion values and goals, theories and beliefs, evidence, and understanding of the environment. To help practitioners develop and implement best practices, we outline our Inter-active Domain Model of Best Practices in Health Promotion, the IDM Operational Framework, and a set of best practices criteria. The conceptual model, framework, and criteria are based on three domains (i.e., underpinnings, understanding of the environment, and practice) and related subdomains, all of which interact with each other within the context of the immediate and broader environments.
Expanded Health Education roles in Managed Care: Relationships between CHES, HEDIS®, and NCQA
Authors: Barnes Michael D. , Neiger Brad L. , Mondragón Delfi , Hanks Walter A. , Brandon Jeffrey E.
Published: April 2005

Prevention-based activities and other Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) skills are currently in demand in managed care organizations. An important set of roles for managed care that requires select health education skills continues to emerge through the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) and the Health Plan Employer Data and Information Set® (HEDIS®). This article identifies expanded roles for health educators in managed care organizations by comparing CHES responsibilities to HEDIS® and NCQA standards. The responsibilities for CHES in relation to both HEDIS® and NCQA are complementary. These health education functions within managed care are clearly associated to the responsibilities of certified health education specialists and quality assurance managers. To increase marketability and collaboration with clinical staff, professional health educators must be trained to perform key health education functions that relate to the practice roles of managed care organizations. Specific recommendations for professional preparation and professional practice are discussed.
Weight Control Behaviors of Low-Income, African American Women
Authors: Nothwehr Faryle , Stump Timothy
Published: April 2005

Obesity is extremely common among African American women, and many women express interest in losing weight. To better understand current weight management practices in this population, this study measured behaviors and attitudes believed important to successful weight management. Data were obtained via telephone survey. The study involved 155 low-income African American women aged 30 to 69 identified through an urban primary care clinic. Results were compared between those women currently trying to lose weight (n = 80) and those who were not (n = 75). Those women trying to lose weight were more likely to engage in goal setting and dieting strategies categorized as planning and preparation, communication about diet, and cognitive strategies. Among those currently trying to lose weight, considerable room for improvement in the degree to which the women used the various strategies remained. Public health communications and health care provider interactions may need to deliver a broader, stronger message about healthy and successful weight management for this population.
Implementing a Natural Helper Lay Health Advisor Program: Lessons Learned from Unplanned Events
Authors: Bishop Caroline , Earp Jo Anne , Eng Eugenia , Lynch Kathy S.
Published: April 2005

Programs that train natural helpers, or members of the community to whom others naturally turn for help, to be lay health advisors (LHAs) have proliferated throughout the United States; evaluations of these programs, however, are uncommon. The goal of this exploratory study was to understand how the natural helper LHA approach, as operationalized by the North Carolina Breast Cancer Screening Program (NC-BCSP), was translated from idea into practice. Data from document review and in-depth interviews with 24 LHAs and four of their coordinators were used to compare theory-based program plans with actual practice. Results suggest that although in large part the natural helper model was followed, program implementation departed from program plans in several unanticipated ways in the areas of (a) recruitment, (b) program direction, and (c) LHA activities. Differences illustrate the tensions between theory and practice and between community and program planners that may be inherent in a natural helper program, and highlight the need to include community members and program participants in all aspects of planning.
Participatory Evaluation Model for Coalitions: The Development of Systems Indicators
Authors: Wallerstein Nina , Polascek Michele , Maltrud Kristine
Published: April 2005

This article presents the evolution of a comprehensive participatory coalition evaluation model and a workbook that emerged from a 6-year Healthier Communities initiative in New Mexico. Despite the explosion of interest in a new paradigm for coalition evaluation, few models in the literature encompass coalition effectiveness, capacity and health outcomes, and a dynamic process of community participation. The New Mexico model features a participatory evaluation process that emphasizes community system changes and population health changes. Several community case stories illustrate the difficulties and potentials of using the participatory evaluation model. Lessons learned include the need for guiding principles so that issues such as power relationships and collaborative decision making are “above board,” understanding the complexity of coalition evaluation, the need to clarify evaluator roles to enhance buy-in, the use of a logic model to clarify a common vision of change, and the importance of using community-friendly, jargon-free language.
Airway epithelial cell tolerance to Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Authors: Wu Qi , Lu Zhong , Verghese Margrith W , Randell Scott H
Published: April 2005

Background

The respiratory tract epithelium is a critical environmental interface that regulates inflammation. In chronic infectious airway diseases, pathogens may permanently colonize normally sterile luminal environments. Host-pathogen interactions determine the intensity of inflammation and thus, rates of tissue injury. Although many cells become refractory to stimulation by pathogen products, it is unknown whether the airway epithelium becomes either tolerant or hypersensitive in the setting of chronic infection. Our goals were to characterize the response of well-differentiated primary human tracheobronchial epithelial cells to Pseudomonas aeruginosa, to understand whether repeated exposure induced tolerance and, if so, to explore the mechanism(s).

Methods

The apical surface of well-differentiated primary human tracheobronchial epithelial cell cultures was repetitively challenged with Pseudomonas aeruginosa culture filtrates or the bacterial media control. Toxicity, cytokine production, signal transduction events and specific effects of dominant negative forms of signaling molecules were examined. Additional experiments included using IL-1β and TNFα as challenge agents, and performing comparative studies with a novel airway epithelial cell line.

Results

An initial challenge of the apical surface of polarized human airway epithelial cells with Pseudomonas aeruginosa culture filtrates induced phosphorylation of IRAK1, JNK, p38, and ERK, caused degradation of IκBα, generation of NF-κB and AP-1 transcription factor activity, and resulted in IL-8 secretion, consistent with activation of the Toll-like receptor signal transduction pathway. These responses were strongly attenuated following a second Pseudomonas aeruginosa, or IL-1β, but not TNFα, challenge. Tolerance was associated with decreased IRAK1 protein content and kinase activity and dominant negative IRAK1 inhibited Pseudomonas aeruginosa -stimulated NF-κB transcriptional activity.

Conclusion

The airway epithelial cell response to Pseudomonas aeruginosa entails adaptation and tolerance likely mediated, in part, by down-regulation of IRAK1.
Pharmacokinetics, safety, and tolerability of a depot formulation of naltrexone in alcoholics: an open-label trial
Authors: Galloway Gantt P , Koch Monika , Cello Ryan , Smith David E
Published: April 2005

Background

Naltrexone is an effective medication for treatment of alcohol dependence, but its efficacy is limited by lack of adherence to the oral dosage form. A long-acting depot formulation of naltrexone may increase adherence.

Methods

A single site, 6-week open label study was conducted with 16 alcohol dependent subjects each receiving 300 mg of Naltrexone Depot by intramuscular injection. The main outcomes were safety and tolerability of the Naltrexone Depot formulation, blood levels of naltrexone and its main metabolite 6-beta naltrexol, and self-reported alcohol use. All subjects received weekly individual counseling sessions.

Results

The medication was well tolerated with 88% of subjects completing the 6-week trial. The most common side effect experienced was injection site complications. There were no serious adverse events. Subjects had naltrexone and 6-beta-naltrexol concentrations throughout the trial with mean values ranging from 0.58 ng/mL to 2.04 ng/mL and 1.51 ng/mL to 5.52 ng/mL, respectively, at each sampling time following administration. Compared to baseline, subjects had significantly reduced number of drinks per day, heavy drinking days and proportion of drinking days.

Conclusion

Naltrexone Depot is safe and well tolerated in alcoholics and these findings support the further investigation of its utility in larger double-blind placebo controlled trials.
A Pain in the ACC
Authors: Frankland Paul W , Teixeira Cátia M
Published: April 2005

An emerging theme in systems neurobiology is that even simple forms of memory depend on activity in a broad network of cortical and subcortical brain regions. One key challenge is to understand how different components of these complex networks contribute to memory. In a new study in Molecular Pain, Tang and colleagues use a novel set of approaches to characterize the role of the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) in the formation of Pavlovian fear memories.
Characteristics of Cocaine Users Presenting to an Emergency Department Chest Pain Observation Unit
Authors: Booth Brenda M. , Weber Jim Edward , Walton Maureen A. , Cunningham Rebecca M. , Massey Lynn , Thrush Carol R. , Maio Ronald F.
Published: April 2005

Objectives: This report examines the sociodemographic and substance use characteristics, co‐occurring psychological status, substance abuse consequences, and prior experiences with substance abuse treatment among patients with cocaine‐associated chest pain presenting to an emergency department chest pain observation unit. Methods: This was a consecutive cohort of patients in the emergency department chest pain observation unit aged 18–60 years with low to moderate risk for acute coronary syndrome and recent cocaine use. Responses on standardized and validated instruments were used to examine demographic and clinical characteristics of the sample and to compare patients who met Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM‐IV) criteria for past three‐month substance abuse or substance dependence with patients who did not. Results: Of 145 eligible patients identified between June 1, 2002, and February 29, 2004, 86% met criteria for a lifetime DSM‐IV substance use disorder and 50% met past three‐month criteria. Approximately one half of the total sample reported substantial symptoms of depression. Substance use frequency and consequences, depression, and psychological distress were significantly more severe among those with past three‐month substance use diagnoses; however, most sociodemographic characteristics were not associated with substance use diagnoses. Interest in treatment services and treatment history was also significantly associated with the presence of a substance use disorder diagnosis. Conclusions: Findings regarding diversity in alcohol and drug involvement, current level of psychological functioning, depressive symptomatology, and interest in treatment services provide useful information for designing emergency department–based interventions for this population.
Is the Charlson Comorbidity Index Useful for Predicting Trauma Outcomes?
Authors: Gabbe Belinda J. , Magtengaard Kirstine , Hannaford Andrew P. , Cameron Peter A.
Published: April 2005

Background: Inclusion of a measure of comorbidity in trauma scoring has been suggested due to the potential for preexisting conditions to impact on patient outcomes, but studies have reported varied results. The Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) includes 19 diseases weighted on the basis of their association with mortality, and can be extrapolated from International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD‐9) codes for administrative databases. Objectives: To evaluate the CCI as a predictor of trauma outcome. Methods: Major trauma patient data from the Victorian State Trauma Registry (VSTR) were used to evaluate the CCI (n= 2,819). The CCI was scored from ICD‐10 codes through modification of a previous method of mapping ICD‐9 codes to the CCI. Logistic regression was used to determine the association between the CCI and mortality, the effect of adding the CCI to the Trauma and Injury Severity Score (TRISS) methodology, and the impact of adding the CCI to a modification of the TRISS methodology. Model performance was assessed through discrimination and calibration. Results: The CCI was associated with death (p < 0.001), but adding the CCI to TRISS [area under the receiver‐operating characteristic curve (AUC) 0.86; 95% CI = 0.84 to 0.88] did not result in improved discrimination over TRISS alone (AUC 0.83; 95% CI = 0.81 to 0.86). Modifying TRISS methodology, with age left as a continuous variable, performed better than the original TRISS (AUC 0.91; 95% CI = 0.89 to 0.92), but the addition of the CCI did not further improve this model (AUC 0.91; 95% CI = 0.89 to 0.92). Conclusions: While the CCI can be extrapolated from ICD codes and provides a measure of comorbid condition severity and was associated with mortality, addition of the CCI to prediction models did not result in a substantial improvement in performance.
Immunohistochemical Expression of p16INK4a and bcl-2 According to HPV Type and to the Progression of Cervical Squamous Intraepithelial Lesions
Authors: Guimarães Márcia C.M. , Gonçalves Maria Alice G. , Soares Christiane P. , Bettini Jussara S.R. , Duarte Roberta A. , Soares Edson G.
Published: April 2005

Inactivation of the cell cycle inhibitor gene p16MTS1 seems to be involved in human papillomavirus (HPV)-related carcinogenesis because E6 and E7 oncoproteins may impair p16INK4a and, indirectly, bcl-2 functions. In this study, we analyzed the role of immunohistochemical expression of p16INK4a and bcl-2 in HPV-infected cervical biopsies as prognostic markers of the progression of squamous intraepithelial lesion (SIL). Sixty-five cervical biopsies were stratified into two subgroups according to the second biopsy: 27 of them maintained a low-grade (LG)-SIL diagnosis, and 38 progressed from LG-SIL to high-grade (HG)-SIL. p16INK4a and bcl-2 quantitative expression levels were measured by the immunoperoxidase method. PCR-DNA techniques were used to detect and type HPV. The Wilcoxon and Fisher exact tests were employed for the statistical analysis. In the group with an LG-SIL diagnosis at the second biopsy, no significant associations were found between p16INK4a and bcl-2 expression and presence of HPV16/18. In the group that progressed to HG-SIL, a significant association was observed between p16INK4a overexpression and HPV16/18 presence ( p=0.021), but none with bcl-2 levels. It is concluded that immunohistochemical bcl-2 expression may not be useful for predicting the progression of HPV-related SIL. In contrast, p16INK4a overexpression seemed to be associated with HPV 16 and 18, suggesting that it may be a good marker for predicting SIL progression.
Study of the thermal release behaviour of mercury and thallium from liquid eutectic lead-bismuth alloy
Authors: Neuhausen Jörg , Eichler B.
Published: April 2005

The release of mercury and thallium from liquid eutectic lead-bismuth alloy (LBE) under a flowing Ar/7%-H2 atmosphere has been studied in the temperature range from 408 to 1292 K using γ-ray spectroscopy. For technical applications such as liquid metal spallation targets or accelerator driven systems, where liquid LBE is planned to be used as target material, the release of radioactive mercury isotopes produced by spallation is expected to be one of the major safety issues.

During short-term experiments significant amounts of mercury begin to evaporate from liquid LBE at temperatures starting from about 475 K. 80% of the mercury present in the sample is released from samples of approximately 1.5–3 g within one hour at temperatures higher than 625 K. Thallium release in the temperature range investigated is below experimental error. Long-term experiments reveal that even at temperatures as low as 476 K about 25% of the mercury present in the samples is released per day under a flowing Ar/7%-H2 atmosphere.
Charge density research: from inorganic and molecular materials to proteins
Authors: Lecomte Claude , Aubert Emmanuel , Legrand Vincent , Porcher Florence , Pillet Sébastien , Guillot Benoît , Jelsch Christian
Published: April 2005

This paper intends to present applications of experimental charge density research in physics, chemistry and biology. It describes briefly most methods for modelling the charge density and calculating and analyzing derived properties (electrostatic potential, topological properties). These methods are illustrated through examples ranging from material science and coordination chemistry to biocrystallography, like the estimation of electrostatic energy in a zeolite-like material or the relation between electrostatic energy and spin density to macroscopic magnetic properties in a ferrimagnetic molecular material. The accurate structure and charge density of a coordination compound exhibiting LIESST effect is also described, together with an exemple of transferability of charge density methods to macromolecular science and protein crystallography.
Discrete time adaptive control for a MEMS gyroscope
Authors: Park Sungsu , Horowitz Roberto
Published: April 2005

This paper presents a discrete time version of the observer‐based adaptive control system for micro‐electro‐mechanical systems gyroscopes, which can be implemented using digital processors. A stochastic analysis of this control algorithm is developed and it shows that the estimates of the angular rate and the fabrication imperfections are biased due to the signal discretization errors in the feedforward control path introduced by the sampler and holder. Thus, a two‐rate discrete time control is proposed as a compromise between the measurement biases and the computational burden imposed on the controller. The convergence analysis of this algorithm is also conducted and an analysis method is developed for determining the trade‐off between the controller sampling frequency and the magnitude of the angular rate estimate biased errors. All convergence and stochastic properties of a continuous time adaptive control are preserved, and this analysis is verified with computer simulations. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Mutational screening and association study of glutamate decarboxylase 1 as a candidate susceptibility gene for bipolar affective disorder and schizophrenia
Authors: Lundorf M.D. , Buttenschøn H.N. , Foldager L. , Blackwood D.H.R. , Muir W.J. , Murray V. , Pelosi A.J. , Kruse T.A. , Ewald H. , Mors O.
Published: April 2005

Recent evidence from postmortem studies suggests thatGAD1encoding the gamma‐aminobutyric acid (GABA) synthetic enzyme GAD67 is a functional candidate susceptibility gene for both bipolar affective disorder (BPAD) and schizophrenia. Previous studies suggest linkage between D2S326 nearGAD1and BPAD. We systematically screenedGAD1exons, flanking intronic sequences, and the promoter sequence for polymorphisms in 16 BPAD patients and five controls from Denmark. We identified eight single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) including two in the promoter sequence. An association study of SNPs coveringGAD1was performed in a Danish sample of 82 BPAD subjects and 120 controls and in a Scottish sample of 197 individuals with schizophrenia, 200 BPAD subjects and 199 controls. Linkage disequilibrium (LD) and haplotype frequencies were estimated from genotype data from eight SNPs. Strong pairwise LD was observed among all pairs of neighboring markers. In the Danish sample, we found weak association between BPAD and two promoter SNPs spaced 1 kb apart. Furthermore, one, two, and three loci haplotype analysis showed weak association with BPAD in the Danish sample. The results from the association studies indicate that promoter variants are of importance for the Danish BPAD cases and we cannot reject the hypothesis ofGAD1as a functional candidate gene for BPAD. No association was observed between BPAD or schizophrenia and any of the investigated SNPs in the Scottish sample set. Thus the results obtained from the Scottish sample suggest that theGAD1gene variants do not play a major role in the predisposition to schizophrenia. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Association of the apolipoprotein A‐IV: 360 gln/his polymorphism with cerebrovascular disease, obesity, and depression in a Brazilian elderly population
Authors: Ejchel T.F. , Araújo L.M.Q. , Ramos L.R. , Cendoroglo M.S. , Smith Marília de Arruda Cardoso
Published: April 2005

The identification of genetic polymorphisms as risk factors for complex diseases can be relevant for their prevention, diagnosis, and prognosis. The apolipoprotein A‐IV: 360 Gln/His polymorphism was investigated in 383 elderly individuals, who were participants of a longitudinal study commenced in 1991. The major morbidities that affect elderly people, such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, low cognitive function, depression, and obesity, were extensively investigated. DNA was isolated from blood cells, amplified by PCR, and digested with Fnu4HI. In this population the frequency of the His allele was 0.056 and the genotypes were distributed according to Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium. Logistic regression analysis showed a significant association between the presence of His allele and cerebrovascular disease and/or transitory ischemic attack (odds ratio) (OR = 3.070, P = 0.027), obesity (OR = 2.241, P = 0.047), and depression (OR = 2.879, P = 0.005). This study indicates that the presence of the rare allele in elderly people can play a significant role in the occurrence of multifactorial diseases. This is the first study analyzing this polymorphism in elderly people in Brazil. More studies should be encouraged to elucidate the mechanisms involved in these diseases. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.