bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Strengthening food control in a multi‐cultural society: Abu Dhabi food safety training initiatives
Authors: Mariam Harib Sultan Al Yousuf H.E. , Taylor Eunice
Published: November 2011

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to report on a number of initiatives currently being taken by the Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority to improve food safety across the food chain. It focuses on the piloting of a new photographic food safety examination for food handlers designed to meet the needs of the multi‐cultural workforce. It is the fourth paper in a themed issue of Worldwide Hospitality and Tourism Themes presenting international food safety management challenges and solutions.

Design/methodology/approach

The piloting of the photographic examination involved 121 candidates who undertook the examination in January 2011. The results were compared with the cumulative data from the previous three years (n=40,862) with additional analysis of the performance of each question.

Findings

The results of the pilot suggest that replacing the written multiple choice examination paper with a photograph‐based alternative, increased the pass rate by almost 20 per cent, whilst retaining the overall level of difficulty of the examination.

Practical implications

The paper will be of value to practitioners, trainers, education specialists, policy makers and other stakeholders involved in the food safety training initiatives.

Originality/value

This is a unique study providing a mechanism for food handlers with low levels of literacy to become “qualified” to international standards.
The Sharjah Food Safety Program
Authors: Ahmed Bin Sultan Al‐Qassemi Rasha , Ahmed Ibrahim Mohammed , Azzam Basem , Taylor Jerry , Shannon Dave
Published: November 2011

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present the latest food safety initiatives for hospitality businesses in the Emirate of Sharjah, UAE. It is the fifth paper in a themed issue of Worldwide Hospitality and Tourism Themes presenting international food safety management challenges and solutions.

Design/methodology/approach

The Sharjah Food Safety Program is presented, with a detailed description of the phased, multi‐layered management approach, with progress to date.

Findings

Initial results indicate recognizable improvements in food safety awareness and performance in the businesses.

Practical implications

The paper will be of value to practitioners, researchers, policy makers, and other stakeholders involved in the food industry.

Originality/value

This paper presents an innovative strategy of integrating training, HACCP implementation and verification. It offers governments and other stakeholders a practical “template” that can accelerate HACCP implementation.
An exploration of food safety culture in a multi‐cultural environment: next steps?
Authors: Taylor Joanne
Published: November 2011

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the concept of food safety culture in a multi‐cultural environment. It is the eighth paper in a themed issue of Worldwide Hospitality and Tourism Themes presenting international food safety management challenges and solutions.

Design/methodology/approach

A literature review brings together theories and practical research in the fields of management, international business, psychology and food safety.

Findings

A theoretical framework is developed using a wide range of theories and research findings, with the aim of broadening the current understanding of the concept of food safety culture while also clarifying it.

Practical implications

The paper will be of value to practitioners, researchers and other stakeholders involved in the food industry.

Originality/value

This paper presents a unique insight into the concept of food safety culture, and presents an in‐depth theoretical framework.
Short‐term study abroad: a transformational approach to global business education
Authors: Hallows Karen , Porter Wolf Paige , Marks Michelle A.
Published: November 2011

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to offer an approach to global business education that offers a transformative experience for students and results in greater confidence and expertise.

Design/methodology/approach

A model of global business competence is described, as well as an approach to global business education involving a short‐term study abroad experience. Transformational learning practices were embedded in the course design. Surveys were collected at two different times in the short‐term study abroad course to demonstrate changes in students' confidence and expertise. The first survey was conducted after completing reading assignments and classroom‐based instruction (Time 1) and the second was collected upon returning from the study abroad experience (Time 2).

Findings

Results indicated a significant change in students' perceptions of their global business competence from Time 1 to Time 2, indicating the benefits of the short‐term study abroad experience beyond classroom instruction and readings.

Research limitations/implications

Further clarification regarding the specific short‐term study abroad experiences that had the most impact on student outcomes would further our knowledge of how to design and structure these experiences to maximally enhance global business expertise and effectiveness for business students. In addition, future research may explore longer‐term student outcomes as a result of the short‐term study abroad experience.

Practical implications

Business school faculty and administrators may identify practices described in this study that they could incorporate to enhance their global business education courses or study abroad experiences.

Originality/value

This paper builds on transformational learning and global business literature to provide a practical approach to graduate business education. A framework for defining global business competence and pedagogical design principles that promote transformational learning is offered and may be of interest to business school faculty and administrators.
Integrative model of students' attitude to educational loan repayment
Authors: Ismail Shafinar , Serguieva Antoaneta , Singh Satwinder
Published: November 2011

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to measure the antecedents of students' attitude and the impact of students' attitude on the intention to repay study loans.

Design/methodology/approach

Primary data from 428 students in universities in Malaysia are collected and six constructs from theory are identified: perceptions that loan repayment will affect the quality of life after graduation; awareness of loan repayment issues created by media; perceptions towards loan agreement; parental influence; students' attitude towards loan repayment; and intention to repay loan. Structural equation modelling approach is adopted to analyze the data.

Findings

Constructs of parental influence and perceptions that loan repayment will affect the quality of life after graduation are found to have a direct relationship with students' attitude towards loan repayment; perceptions towards loan agreement is found to influence belief that loan repayment will affect the quality of life after graduation; and awareness of loan repayment issues created by media is found to affect parental influence. The relationship between students' attitude and intention is found to be statistically positive and significant.

Research limitations/implications

The study has been conducted in aggregate form. Future studies could account for ethnic, gender, and regional differences.

Practical implications

The primary users of the results of this study would be the countries that provide education loans, and keen to cut down on student loan defaults.

Originality/value

The study is first of its kind to approach the issue of student loan defaults in a multi‐method manner and develop a comprehensive theoretical model that can be put to empirical test by future researchers.
Sustainable business model for biofuel industries in Indonesia
Authors: Jupesta Joni , Harayama Yuko , Parayil Govindan
Published: November 2011

Purpose

This study aims to focus on the design of a sustainable business model on the development of a biofuel industry in Indonesia.

Design/methodology/approach

The changed status from a net oil exporter to net importer in 2004, the highly subsidized price of fossil fuel, the depleting oil resources and a strong dependency on oil for domestic production are the driving forces for introducing biofuel in Indonesia. The Indonesian government enacted an energy policy in 2006 which aims to partially shift fossil fuel consumption to renewable energy sources including biofuel. The mandatory requirement to use biofuel and the given subsidies will help to make biofuel competitive. However, till now, biofuel still has not achieved the aimed target for several reasons, e.g. higher cost of production relative to fossil fuel, distribution barriers due to geographical constraints, reluctance from industry due to uncertain markets and relative low participation from local government. This paper develops strategic analysis based on the diffusion process of biofuel development.

Findings

The tools applied are a SWOT analysis, Porter 5 Force analysis, and Business Portfolio analysis to understand the position of the biofuel industry.

Originality/value

This study provides an innovative business model to accelerate the integration of biofuel into the Indonesian energy markets and create profitable and sustainable business.
Protecting and regaining clarity of mission in the microfinance industry
Authors: Epstein Marc J. , Yuthas Kristi
Published: November 2011

Purpose

The paper's aim is to thoroughly examine solutions to mission diffusion and mission drift in the microfinance industry.

Design/methodology/approach

Extensive field experience relating to individual microfinance institutions and industry trends provide the grounding for a review of the trade and academic literatures in microfinance and social enterprise management.

Findings

Mission diffusion arises from pursuing diverse approaches to poverty alleviation and addressing disparate and changing stakeholder interests. Mission drift arises from commercialization and conversion activities aimed toward enhancing ratings and achieving scale. Mission clarity can be regained through clarification of the mission along with more effective corporate governance and performance management systems, and a research function.

Practical implications

The tension between financial and social performance is not merely ideological – economic realities make it almost impossible to stay on mission. Understanding these realities can help microfinance institutions maintain and regain clarity of mission.

Originality/value

The paper sheds new light on solutions for challenges of mission drift and diffusion in the microfinance industry. Addressing this would enable the industry to deliver on promises of poverty alleviation during a period of heavy demand rapid scaling.
Hearing voices and befriending schemes
Authors: Holttum Sue
Published: November 2011

Purpose

This Research Watch seeks to summarise two recent research papers. The first examines the case for understanding hearing voices as part of normal experience, while the second looks at befriending schemes.

Design/methodology/approach

A search was carried out for research papers with a mental health and social inclusion focus published within the previous 12 months.

Findings

Studies spanning more than 100 years suggest that hearing voices is more common than usually thought. There is a case for viewing this experience more positively than at present. Interviews involving eight people with mental health conditions and their befrienders suggested that demonstrating empathy and being non‐judgmental helped people with mental health conditions to talk things through with both parties learning from one another. Going out together helped befriendees gain greater confidence to participate in further activities and feel less isolated.

Originality/value

This paper summarises research relating to mental health and social inclusion that has emerged within the previous 12 months.
Conflict dynamics in a dam construction project: a case study
Authors: Kishor Mahato Braj , Ogunlana Stephen O.
Published: November 2011

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present a model for a comprehensive and integrated approach to managing interface conflict from the early stages of a dam construction project.

Design/methodology/approach

A case study methodology is adopted. Following comprehensive literature review, qualitative data were gathered from case studies through interviews conducted on the Middle Marsyangdi Hydroelectric Project (MMHEP) dam project in Nepal. Causal loop diagrams on the typical evolution of key indicators of interface conflict were then developed and a simulate‐able model of interface conflict was derived using system dynamic modeling technique. The model was then simulated to derive viable policies for future management of dam construction projects in developing countries.

Findings

The study reveals that interface conflicts at the construction stage of projects are caused mainly by lack of effective Environmental Impact Assessment, public participation and mutual consultation, on timely basis and accurate information from the early stages of projects. The system dynamic model is able to replicate general behavior of evolution of interface conflict in a dam construction project. Furthermore, the study explored three viable policies to avoid and minimize interface conflict in the construction stage of a dam project. The policies were tested and demonstrated to be useful in improving the value of projects to stakeholders. It is demonstrated that a combination of policies is better than adopting a single policy to stakeholder management.

Originality/value

The paper demonstrates the utility of system dynamics as a modeling tool for understanding the dynamics of conflicts on dam construction projects. The model should be helpful to policy makers on large projects, especially those likely to be subject to social and environmental conflict. Policies derived from the model have the potential of being used to assess and take proactive measures to manage conflicts effectively and efficiently from early in a project's life.
Bayesian analysis for causes of failure at a water utility
Authors: Singh Amarjit
Published: November 2011

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to inform facility managers of the type of failure affecting certain pipe types more than others. This is useful in asset management as preventive maintenance can be undertaken for those pipe types that experience high probabilities of failure.

Design/methodology/approach

The probability of a specific pipe type failing given the cause of break, age at failure, pipe diameter, and type of soil at the location of the break was found using inventory and main break data from the Honolulu Board of Water Supply (HBWS). Bayes’ theorem was then applied to find the posterior probabilities of failure starting from the prior probabilities of failure.

Findings

It was observed that the greatest probabilities of failure involved corrosion, pipes aged between 20‐30 years, 8″ pipes, and pipes in fill material. The pipe types were ranked and scored based on their probability of failing due to break cause, age, diameter, and soil type. Cast iron pipes were shown to have the highest probability of failing. As such, attention should be given to replace segments of cast iron pipes as they reach the end of their service lives.

Practical implications

This study serves to address a major query in asset management at a public utility, that of which pipes should be selected for replacement when they reach the end of their service life. In addition, this study helps to understand the causes of failure for the various types of pipe.

Social Implications

The importance of having reliable water supply at low cost has immense social implications in modern communities. To deliver such service, water pipe assets have to be managed efficiently.

Originality/value

This paper addresses the probability of failure in a straightforward manner that the water utility can easily apply to its own data, both in its design and asset management.
Quantification of the adverse effect of ethinylestradiol containing oral contraceptive pills when used in conjunction with growth hormone replacement in routine practice
Authors: Phelan Niamh , Conway Sophy H. , Llahana Sofia , Conway Gerard S.
Published: November 2011

Objective  Oestrogen antagonizes the action of growth hormone (GH). For women with combined GH and oestrogen deficiency, transdermal oestradiol is more favourable in this regard compared to oral oestradiol. Oral contraceptive pills containing ethinylestradiol (EE) are commonly used in young women with GHD and there is little information on the impact of this form of oestrogen.

Design  A case note review of women with growth hormone deficiency (GHD) attending a tertiary endocrine clinic comparing the dose of GH and serum insulin‐like growth factor 1 concentrations and the type of exogenous oestrogen.

Methods  All women with GHD between the ages of 18 and 47 attending University College London Hospitals (UCLH) were included and grouped according to type of oestrogen replacement. Weight, GH dose and serum IGF‐I concentrations were recorded at 121 visits in 88 women.

Results  The daily dose of GH was significantly higher and the GH responsivity was significantly lower in the EE group compared to those taking no oestrogen and transdermal oestrogen. The additional cost of GH for women using EE compared to transdermal oestradiol was £6016 per patient per year. Effectiveness of GH improved in all women changing from EE to another form of oestrogen.

Conclusion  Use of oral contraceptive pills containing EE should be avoided in women receiving treatment with GH. Alternative options include oral or transdermal hormone replacement therapy (HRT) preparations for those that require oestrogen replacement or a progesterone‐based regimen for contraceptive purposes.
Complementary therapies in rehabilitation: stroke patients’ narratives. Part 2
Authors: van der Riet Pamela , Dedkhard Saowapa , Srithong Kannapatch
Published: November 2011

Aims and objectives.  To document the narratives of nursing staff and patients in a Thailand Rehabilitation Centre where complementary therapies are used and to discuss perceived progress of these stroke patients. Specific complementary therapies used at this Rehabilitation Centre include Thai massage and herbal therapies.

Background.  Whilst there has been a small amount of quantitative research on stroke patients and complementary therapies there has been no qualitative research on the experience of stroke patients and the use of complementary therapies.

Design.  Qualitative pilot study using narrative inquiry and discourse analysis framed by poststructural theory.

Method.  Six stroke patients were interviewed about their involvement in complementary therapy practice and treatments and their experiences of these therapies in rehabilitation.

Results.  This study represents a reflective mining of patients’ stories and captures the main theme of changes in stroke patients’ embodiment and a main discourse of attending to and enabling progress. Throughout the storylines there are many other discourses such as hope, desire, helplessness, despair, fear, motivation, gratefulness, gladness and fragility.

Conclusion.  Threaded throughout the stroke patients’ stories of their rehabilitation there is a layering of discourses involving tensions and a longing to overcome their disability. There are twists and detours in their stories that show the complexity of the illness experience. Progress is not straightforward with a quick recovery. Many contexts or variables influence progress such as spatiality, temporality and people.

Relevance to clinical practice.  What is offered here is the reality of the rehabilitation process for stroke patients. Through the use of narrative inquiry the contexts of people, spatiality (environment) and temporality (time) are an important part of rehabilitation process.
The risk factors effecting the dry mouth in inpatients in Hospital in west Anatolia
Authors: Güneş Zeynep , Denat Yıldız , Müezzinoğlu Merve , Şen Şahsene , Yılmaz Sezen , Atlı Ezgi
Published: November 2011

Aim.  The aim of the present study was to evaluate the inpatients with dry mouth and the associated risk factors.

Background.  Dry mouth is defined as the excessive decrease in the amount of saliva. Hyposalivation may lead to rapid deterioration in oral health and may facilitate the development of opportunistic oral infections. Oral hygiene and evaluation of oral health are basic nursing activities.

Design.  Cross‐sectional.

Participants.  The sample size was determined to be 90 inpatients according to the power analysis calculated for the patients with dry mouth who were able or unable to take oral liquids. The study was completed with 247 inpatients in the Internal Medicine Clinic.

Methods.  A patient information form was used to collect the data for the present study. Saliva samples taken for analyses of flow rates.

Results.  The amount of saliva of patients who were unable to take oral liquid was 10·7 times lower than those taking >1500 ml of liquids daily. The amount of saliva of patients receiving humidified oxygen was 2·3 times lower than those not receiving humidified oxygen. The amount of saliva of those receiving anticholinergic drugs was 3·64 times lower than those not receiving anticholinergic drugs.

Conclusions.  Inability to take oral liquids and receiving humidified oxygen and anticholinergic drug therapy were significant factors for the development of dry mouth.

Relevance to clinical practice.  The results are important for determining the risk factors for dry mouth. Being aware of dry mouth and knowing the associated risk factors are valuable information for nurses to initiate required procedures, as well as to prevent the development of oral health problems.
Dual involvement of a Medicago truncatula NAC transcription factor in root abiotic stress response and symbiotic nodule senescence
Authors: de Zélicourt Axel , Diet Anouck , Marion Jessica , Laffont Carole , Ariel Federico , Moison Michaël , Zahaf Ons , Crespi Martin , Gruber Véronique , Frugier Florian
Published: November 2011

Legume crops related to the model plant Medicago truncatula can adapt their root architecture to environmental conditions, both by branching and by establishing a symbiosis with rhizobial bacteria to form nitrogen‐fixing nodules. Soil salinity is a major abiotic stress affecting plant yield and root growth. Previous transcriptomic analyses identified several transcription factors linked to the M. truncatula response to salt stress in roots, including NAC (NAM/ATAF/CUC)‐encoding genes. Over‐expression of one of these transcription factors, MtNAC969, induced formation of a shorter and less‐branched root system, whereas RNAi‐mediated MtNAC969 inactivation promoted lateral root formation. The altered root system of over‐expressing plants was able to maintain its growth under high salinity, and roots in which MtNAC969 was down‐regulated showed improved growth under salt stress. Accordingly, expression of salt stress markers was decreased or induced in MtNAC969 over‐expressing or RNAi roots, respectively, suggesting a repressive function for this transcription factor in the salt‐stress response. Expression of MtNAC969 in central symbiotic nodule tissues was induced by nitrate treatment, and antagonistically affected by salt in roots and nodules, similarly to senescence markers. MtNAC969 RNAi nodules accumulated amyloplasts in the nitrogen‐fixing zone, and were prematurely senescent. Therefore, the MtNAC969 transcription factor, which is differentially affected by environmental cues in root and nodules, participates in several pathways controlling adaptation of the M. truncatula root system to the environment.
Mutagenesis of cysteine 81 prevents dimerization of the APS1 subunit of ADP‐glucose pyrophosphorylase and alters diurnal starch turnover in Arabidopsis thaliana leaves
Authors: Hädrich Nadja , Hendriks Janneke H.M. , Kötting Oliver , Arrivault Stéphanie , Feil Regina , Zeeman Samuel C. , Gibon Yves , Schulze Waltraud X. , Stitt Mark , Lunn John E.
Published: November 2011

Many plants, including Arabidopsis thaliana, retain a substantial portion of their photosynthate in leaves in the form of starch, which is remobilized to support metabolism and growth at night. ADP‐glucose pyrophosphorylase (AGPase) catalyses the first committed step in the pathway of starch synthesis, the production of ADP‐glucose. The enzyme is redox‐activated in the light and in response to sucrose accumulation, via reversible breakage of an intermolecular cysteine bridge between the two small (APS1) subunits. The biological function of this regulatory mechanism was investigated by complementing an aps1 null mutant (adg1) with a series of constructs containing a full‐length APS1 gene encoding either the wild‐type APS1 protein or mutated forms in which one of the five cysteine residues was replaced by serine. Substitution of Cys81 by serine prevented APS1 dimerization, whereas mutation of the other cysteines had no effect. Thus, Cys81 is both necessary and sufficient for dimerization of APS1. Compared to control plants, the adg1/APS1C81S lines had higher levels of ADP‐glucose and maltose, and either increased rates of starch synthesis or a starch‐excess phenotype, depending on the daylength. APS1 protein levels were five‐ to tenfold lower in adg1/APS1C81S lines than in control plants. These results show that redox modulation of AGPase contributes to the diurnal regulation of starch turnover, with inappropriate regulation of the enzyme having an unexpected impact on starch breakdown, and that Cys81 may play an important role in the regulation of AGPase turnover.
Genetic testing and screening of individuals at risk of NF2
Authors: Evans DG , Raymond FL , Barwell JG , Halliday D
Published: November 2011

Evans DG, Raymond FL, Barwell JG, Halliday D. Genetic testing and screening of individuals at risk of NF2.

Genetic testing and management of the at‐risk individual for neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2) is complicated by the well‐documented risk of mosaicism that causes a milder later onset more asymmetrical disease course. Risks of NF2 were derived from genetic testing of over 1000 individuals through the Manchester NF2‐testing service. Individuals are at risk of NF2 or have ‘potential’ NF2 if they have features of the disease that fall short of diagnostic criteria or are the first‐degree relative of someone with NF2 or suspected NF2. The present protocol devised for the Nationally Commissioned Group (NCG) NF2 service in England addresses the risks, genetic testing and screening protocol for individuals at risk of NF2. Screening with cranial magnetic resonance imaging is advised until the risk of NF2 falls below a pragmatic threshold of 1%. Multiple case scenarios are shown to illustrate how to use the protocol.
Towards an evidence‐based process for the clinical interpretation of copy number variation
Authors: Riggs ER , Church DM , Hanson K , Horner VL , Kaminsky EB , Kuhn RM , Wain KE , Williams ES , Aradhya S , Kearney HM , Ledbetter DH , South ST , Thorland EC , Martin CL
Published: November 2011

Riggs ER, Church DM, Hanson K, Horner VL, Kaminsky EB, Kuhn RM, Wain KE, Williams ES, Aradhya S, Kearney HM, Ledbetter DH, South ST, Thorland EC, Martin CL. Towards an evidence‐based process for the clinical interpretation of copy number variation.

The evidence‐based review (EBR) process has been widely used to develop standards for medical decision‐making and to explore complex clinical questions. This approach can be applied to genetic tests, such as chromosomal microarrays, in order to assist in the clinical interpretation of certain copy number variants (CNVs), particularly those that are rare, and guide array design for optimal clinical utility. To address these issues, the International Standards for Cytogenomic Arrays Consortium has established an EBR Work Group charged with building a framework to systematically assess the potential clinical relevance of CNVs throughout the genome. This group has developed a rating system enumerating the evidence supporting or refuting dosage sensitivity for individual genes and regions that considers the following criteria: number of causative mutations reported; patterns of inheritance; consistency of phenotype; evidence from large‐scale case‐control studies; mutational mechanisms; data from public genome variation databases; and expert consensus opinion. The system is designed to be dynamic in nature, with regions being reevaluated periodically to incorporate emerging evidence. The evidence collected will be displayed within a publically available database, and can be used in part to inform clinical laboratory CNV interpretations as well as to guide array design.
Overnight changes in waking auditory evoked potential amplitude reflect altered sleep homeostasis in major depression
Authors: Goldstein M. R. , Plante D. T. , Hulse B. K. , Sarasso S. , Landsness E. C. , Tononi G. , Benca R. M.
Published: November 2011

Goldstein MR, Plante DT, Hulse BK, Sarasso S, Landsness EC, Tononi G, Benca RM. Overnight changes in waking auditory evoked potential amplitude reflect altered sleep homeostasis in major depression.

Objective:  Sleep homeostasis is altered in major depressive disorder (MDD). Pre‐ to postsleep decline in waking auditory evoked potential (AEP) amplitude has been correlated with sleep slow wave activity (SWA), suggesting that overnight changes in waking AEP amplitude are homeostatically regulated in healthy individuals. This study investigated whether the overnight change in waking AEP amplitude and its relation to SWA is altered in MDD.

Method:  Using 256‐channel high‐density electroencephalography, all‐night sleep polysomnography and single‐tone waking AEPs pre‐ and postsleep were collected in 15 healthy controls (HC) and 15 non‐medicated individuals with MDD.

Results:  N1 and P2 amplitudes of the waking AEP declined after sleep in the HC group, but not in MDD. The reduction in N1 amplitude also correlated with fronto‐central SWA in the HC group, but a comparable relationship was not found in MDD, despite equivalent SWA between groups. No pre‐ to postsleep differences were found for N1 or P2 latencies in either group. These findings were not confounded by varying levels of alertness or differences in sleep variables between groups.

Conclusion:  MDD involves altered sleep homeostasis as measured by the overnight change in waking AEP amplitude. Future research is required to determine the clinical implications of these findings.
Predictors of persistence in girls with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: results from an 11‐year controlled follow‐up study
Authors: Biederman J. , Petty C. R. , O’Connor K. B. , Hyder L. L. , Faraone S. V.
Published: November 2011

Biederman J, Petty CR, O’Connor KB, Hyder LL, Faraone SV. Predictors of persistence in girls with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: results from an 11‐year controlled follow‐up study.

Objective:  This study sought to examine the age‐dependent persistence of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and its predictors in a large sample of girls with and without ADHD followed prospectively for 11 years into young adulthood.

Method:  Participants were girls with (N = 96) and without (N = 91) ADHD and were 6–17 years old at the baseline assessment (mean age, 11 years) and 15–30 years old at the follow‐up assessment (mean: 22 years). Participants were comprehensively and blindly assessed with structured diagnostic interviews and assessments of cognitive, social, school, and family functioning.

Results:  At the 11‐year follow‐up, 33.3% met full criteria for ADHD, 29.2% showed partial persistence of the disorder, 10.4% had impaired functioning, and 4.2% were remitted but treated (77.1% of the sample). Predictors of persistence were psychiatric comorbidity, family history of psychopathology, and family and school functioning at baseline.

Conclusion:  These long‐term, prospective, follow‐up findings extend to girls findings that ADHD is persistent over the long term and can be predicted from psychosocial adversity and psychiatric comorbidity ascertained 11 years earlier.
Combined immunohistochemistry for thyroid peroxidase, galectin‐3, CK19 and HBME‐1 in differential diagnosis of thyroid tumors
Authors: PAUNOVIC IVAN , ISIC TIJANA , HAVELKA MARIJA , TATIC SVETISLAV , CVEJIC DUBRAVKA , SAVIN SVETLANA
Published: November 2011

Paunovic I, Isic T, Havelka M, Tatic S, Cvejic D, Savin S. Combined immunohistochemistry for thyroid peroxidase, galectin‐3, CK19 and HBME‐1 in differential diagnosis of thyroid tumors. APMIS 2012; 120: 368–79.

We evaluated some proposed molecular thyroid tumor markers: thyroid peroxidase (TPO), galectin‐3, cytokeratin‐19, and HBME‐1, individually and in combination, by immunohistochemistry in a total of 242 archival thyroid tissue sections. The expression of each individual marker was most helpful for the diagnosis of papillary carcinoma and its follicular variant. However, none of them was sensitive and specific enough to discriminate between Hürthle adenoma and carcinoma. Galectin‐3 and HBME‐1 could be used as single discriminators between follicular thyroid adenoma and carcinoma, but HBME‐1 is the better choice. As a single test, all analyzed tumor markers had sufficient power to predict differentiated thyroid cancer, with sensitivities ranging from 66.5% to 82.2%. The sensitivity was improved by using combinations of some proposed markers. Only two antigens, HBME‐1 and TPO, had distinct predictive values for different diagnostic alternatives i.e. a sequential combination improved diagnostic accuracy between follicular thyroid adenoma and the follicular variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma to 92.6% and consequently, between overall benign and malignant thyroid tumors to 89.1%. HBME‐1 is the most accurate ancillary stain in discriminating well‐differentiated thyroid carcinomas from benign tumors, although the addition of TPO did improve accuracy and served as a useful confirmatory marker.
Impact of interleukin‐8 gene polymorphisms and environmental factors on oral cancer susceptibility in Taiwan
Authors: Liu C‐M , Yeh C‐J , Yu C‐C , Chou M‐Y , Lin C‐H , Wei L‐H , Lin C‐W , Yang S‐F , Chien M‐H
Published: November 2011

Oral Diseases (2012) 18, 307–314

Objectives:  Interleukin‐8 (IL‐8), which is an angiogenic chemokine with a high expression level in tumor tissues, plays important roles in developing many human malignancies including oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). This study was designed to examine the association of IL‐8 gene polymorphisms with the susceptibility and clinicopathological characteristics of OSCC.

Methods:  A total of 270 patients with OSCC and 350 healthy control subjects were recruited. Four single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of IL‐8 genes were analyzed using polymerase chain reaction–restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR‐RFLP) genotyping analysis.

Results:  Results showed that four IL‐8 SNPs (−251 T/A, +781 C/T, +1633 C/T, and +2767 A/T) were not associated with oral cancer susceptibility as well as clinicopathological parameters. But among 345 smokers, IL‐8 polymorphisms carriers with betel quid chewing were found to have a 17.41‐ to 23.14‐fold risk to have oral cancer compared to IL‐8 wild‐type carriers without betel quid chewing. Among 262 betel quid chewers, IL‐8 polymorphisms carriers with smoking have a 10.54‐ to 20.44‐fold risk to have oral cancer compared to those who carried wild type without smoking.

Conclusions:  Our results suggest that the combination of IL‐8 gene polymorphisms and environmental carcinogens might be highly related to the risk of oral cancer.
Independent genetic loci for sensorimotor gating and attentional performance in BXD recombinant inbred strains
Authors: Loos M. , Staal J. , Pattij T. ,   Neuro‐BSIK Mouse Phenomics Consortium, Smit A. B. , Spijker S.
Published: November 2011

A startle reflex in response to an intense acoustic stimulus is inhibited when a barely detectable pulse precedes the startle stimulus by 30–500 ms. It has been theorized that this phenomenon, named prepulse inhibition (PPI) of a startle response, is an automatic early‐stage gating process contributing to the ability to focus attention. Deficits in PPI may therefore contribute to deficits in attentional processing. Both deficits are observed in schizophrenia spectrum disorders. Here, we investigated whether there is overlap in genetic control of PPI and attentional processing phenotypes in the panel of BXD recombinant inbred strains of mice. Using an individually titrated prepulse intensity to handle differences in perceived prepulse intensities among strains, we identified a significant quantitative trait locus (QTL) for PPI at the mid‐distal end of chromosome 17. A measure of attentional processing in the five‐choice serial reaction time task, response variability, mapped to a different locus on proximal‐mid chromosome 16. In addition, the estimated genetic and environmental correlations between PPI and several attentional phenotypes were low and not significant. Taken together, the observation of separate genetic loci for PPI and attention and the absence of genetic and environmental correlations indicate that differences in sensorimotor gating do not contribute to differences in attentional performance. Therefore, it is worth pursuing the causative genes residing in both attention and PPI QTL, as these may contribute to separate molecular pathways implicated in neuropsychiatric diseases, such as schizophrenia.
Vitiligo as an inflammatory skin disorder: a therapeutic perspective
Authors: Taïeb Alain
Published: November 2011

From a therapeutic standpoint, vitiligo is still regarded by many physicians as a simple problem of regenerative medicine, with the main aim to repopulate the depigmented skin with functional melanocytes from the margins of the lesions or from intact progenitors in hair follicles. However, recent research in vitiligo suggests that various local triggers alert the skin immune innate system and may precede adaptive immune responses targeting melanocytes. This scenario is close to that of other common skin inflammatory disorders like psoriasis and atopic, and suggests to target as a priority this clinically silent inflammatory component of he disease. This perspective highlights possible targets for intervention.
Molecular Clues To Understand the Aerotolerance Phenotype of Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis
Authors: Ruiz Lorena , Gueimonde Miguel , Ruas-Madiedo Patricia , Ribbera Angela , de los Reyes-Gavilán Clara G. , Ventura Marco , Margolles Abelardo , Sánchez Borja
Published: November 2011

Oxygen is one of the abiotic factors negatively affecting the survival of
Bifidobacterium
strains used as probiotics, mainly due to the induction of lethal oxidative damage. Aerobic conditions are present during the process of manufacture and storage of functional foods, and aerotolerance is a desired trait for bifidobacteria intended for use in industry. In the present study, the molecular response of
Bifidobacterium animalis
subsp.
lactis
IPLA4549 to aerobic conditions is presented. Molecular targets affected by oxygen were studied using two-dimensional electrophoresis (2DE) and quantitative reverse transcriptase (qRT) PCR. Globally, oxygen stress induced a shift in the glycolytic pathway toward the production of acetic acid with a concomitant increase in ATP formation. Several changes in the expression of genes coding for enzymes involved in redox reactions were detected, although the redox ratio remained unaltered. Interestingly, cells grown under aerobic conditions were characterized by higher activity of coproporphyrinogen III oxidase, which can directly detoxify molecular oxygen, and by higher NADH oxidase specific activity, which can oxidize NADH using hydrogen peroxide. In turn, this is in agreement with the glycolytic shift toward acetate production, in that more NADH molecules may be available due to the lower level of lactic acid formation. These findings further our ability to elucidate the mechanisms by which
B. animalis
copes with an oxygen-containing atmosphere.
Effect of a Synbiotic Yogurt on Levels of Fecal Bifidobacteria, Clostridia, and Enterobacteria
Authors: Palaria Amrita , Johnson-Kanda Ivy , O'Sullivan Daniel J.
Published: November 2011

While ingestion of synbiotic yogurts containing
Bifidobacterium animalis
subsp.
lactis
and inulin is increasing, their effect on certain microbial groups in the human intestine is unclear. To further investigate this, a large-scale, crossover-design, placebo-controlled study was utilized to evaluate the effect of a synbiotic yogurt containing
B. animalis
subsp.
lactis
Bb-12 and inulin on the human intestinal bifidobacteria, clostridia, and enterobacteria. Fecal samples were collected at 14 time points from 46 volunteers who completed the study, and changes in the intestinal bacterial levels were monitored using real-time PCR. Strain Bb-12 could not be detected in feces after 2 weeks of washout. A live/dead PCR procedure indicated that the Bb-12 strain detected in the fecal samples was alive. A significant increase (
P
< 0.001) in the total bifidobacterial numbers was seen in both groups of subjects during the final washout period compared to the prefeeding period. This increase in total bifidobacteria corresponded with a significant decrease (
P
< 0.05) in numbers of clostridia but not enterobacteria. No significant differences in numbers of bifidobacteria, clostridia, or enterobacteria were observed between the probiotic and placebo groups during any of the feeding periods. However, subgrouping subjects based on lower initial bifidobacterial numbers or higher initial clostridial numbers did show corresponding significant differences between the synbiotic yogurt and placebo groups. This was not observed for a subgroup with higher initial enterobacterial numbers. While this synbiotic yogurt can increase bifidobacterial numbers and decrease clostridial numbers (but not enterobacterial numbers) in some individuals, it cannot modulate these microbial groups in the majority of individuals.
Production of 7-
O
-Methyl Aromadendrin, a Medicinally Valuable Flavonoid, in Escherichia coli
Authors: Malla Sailesh , Koffas Mattheos A. G. , Kazlauskas Romas J. , Kim Byung-Gee
Published: November 2011

7-
O
-Methyl aromadendrin (7-OMA) is an aglycone moiety of one of the important flavonoid-glycosides found in several plants, such as
Populus alba
and
Eucalyptus maculata
, with various medicinal applications. To produce such valuable natural flavonoids in large quantity, an
Escherichia coli
cell factory has been developed to employ various plant biosynthetic pathways. Here, we report the generation of 7-OMA from its precursor,
p
-coumaric acid, in
E. coli
for the first time. Primarily, naringenin (NRN) (flavanone) synthesis was achieved by feeding
p
-coumaric acid and reconstructing the plant biosynthetic pathway by introducing the following structural genes: 4-coumarate–coenzyme A (CoA) ligase from
Petroselinum crispum
, chalcone synthase from
Petunia hybrida
, and chalcone isomerase from
Medicago sativa.
In order to increase the availability of malonyl-CoA, a critical precursor of 7-OMA, genes for the acyl-CoA carboxylase α and β subunits (
nfa9890
and
nfa9940
), biotin ligase (
nfa9950
), and acetyl-CoA synthetase (
nfa3550
) from
Nocardia farcinica
were also introduced. Thus, produced NRN was hydroxylated at position 3 by flavanone-3-hydroxylase from
Arabidopsis thaliana
, which was further methylated at position 7 to produce 7-OMA in the presence of 7-
O
-methyltransferase from
Streptomyces avermitilis
. Dihydrokaempferol (DHK) (aromadendrin) and sakuranetin (SKN) were produced as intermediate products. Overexpression of the genes for flavanone biosynthesis and modification pathways, along with malonyl-CoA overproduction in
E. coli
, produced 2.7 mg/liter (8.9 μM) 7-OMA upon supplementation with 500 μM
p
-coumaric acid in 24 h, whereas the strain expressing only the flavanone modification enzymes yielded 30 mg/liter (99.2 μM) 7-OMA from 500 μM NRN in 24 h.
Bacterial Chitin Hydrolysis in Two Lakes with Contrasting Trophic Statuses
Authors: Köllner Krista E. , Carstens Dörte , Keller Esther , Vazquez Francisco , Schubert Carsten J. , Zeyer Josef , Bürgmann Helmut
Published: November 2011

Chitin, which is a biopolymer of the amino sugar glucosamine (GlcN), is highly abundant in aquatic ecosystems, and its degradation is assigned a key role in the recycling of carbon and nitrogen. In order to study the significance of chitin decomposition in two temperate freshwater lakes with contrasting trophic and redox conditions, we measured the turnover rate of the chitin analog methylumbelliferyl-
N
,
N
′-diacetylchitobioside (MUF-DC) and the presence of chitinase (
chiA
) genes in zooplankton, water, and sediment samples. In contrast to the eutrophic and partially anoxic lake,
chiA
gene fragments were detectable throughout the oligotrophic water column and
chiA
copy numbers per ml of water were up to 15 times higher than in the eutrophic waters. For both lakes, the highest
chiA
abundance was found in the euphotic zone—the main habitat of zooplankton, but also the site of production of easily degradable algal chitin. The bulk of chitinase activity was measured in zooplankton samples and the sediments, where recalcitrant chitin is deposited. Both,
chiA
abundance and chitinase activity correlated well with organic carbon, nitrogen, and concentrations of particulate GlcN. Our findings show that chitin, although its overall contribution to the total organic carbon is small (∼0.01 to 0.1%), constitutes an important microbial growth substrate in these temperate freshwater lakes, particularly where other easily degradable carbon sources are scarce.
Indole Production Promotes Escherichia coli Mixed-Culture Growth with Pseudomonas aeruginosa by Inhibiting Quorum Signaling
Authors: Chu Weihua , Zere Tesfalem R. , Weber Mary M. , Wood Thomas K. , Whiteley Marvin , Hidalgo-Romano Benjamin , Valenzuela Ernesto , McLean Robert J. C.
Published: November 2011

Indole production by
Escherichia coli
, discovered in the early 20th century, has been used as a diagnostic marker for distinguishing
E. coli
from other enteric bacteria. By using transcriptional profiling and competition studies with defined mutants, we show that cyclic AMP (cAMP)-regulated indole formation is a major factor that enables
E. coli
growth in mixed biofilm and planktonic populations with
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
. Mutants deficient in cAMP production (
cyaA
) or the cAMP receptor gene (
crp
), as well as indole production (
tnaA
), were not competitive in coculture with
P. aeruginosa
but could be restored to wild-type competitiveness by supplementation with a physiologically relevant indole concentration.
E. coli
sdiA
mutants, which lacked the receptor for both indole and
N
-acyl-homoserine lactones (AHLs), showed no change in competitive fitness, suggesting that indole acted directly on
P. aeruginosa
. An
E. coli
tnaA
mutant strain regained wild-type competiveness if grown with
P. aeruginosa
AHL synthase (
rhlI
and
rhlI lasI
) mutants. In contrast to the wild type,
P. aeruginosa
AHL synthase mutants were unable to degrade indole. Indole produced during mixed-culture growth inhibited pyocyanin production and other AHL-regulated virulence factors in
P. aeruginosa
. Mixed-culture growth with
P. aeruginosa
stimulated indole formation in
E. coli
cpdA
, which is unable to regulate cAMP levels, suggesting the potential for mixed-culture gene activation via cAMP. These findings illustrate how indole, an early described feature of
E. coli
central metabolism, can play a significant role in mixed-culture survival by inhibiting quorum-regulated competition factors in
P. aeruginosa
.