bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
How optimal life history changes with the community size-spectrum
Authors: Thygesen Uffe Høgsbro , Farnsworth Keith D , Andersen Ken Haste , Beyer Jan E
Published: June 2005

This paper derives optimal life histories for fishes or other animals in relation to the size spectrum of the ecological community in which they are both predators and prey. Assuming log-linear size-spectra and well known scaling laws for feeding and mortality, we first construct the energetics of the individual. From these we find, using dynamic programming, the optimal allocation of energy between growth and reproduction as well as the trade-off between offspring size and numbers. Optimal strategies were found to be strongly dependent on size spectrum slope. For steep size spectra (numbers declining rapidly with size), determinate growth was optimal and allocation to somatic growth increased rapidly with increasing slope. However, restricting reproduction to a fixed mating season changed optimal allocations to give indeterminate growth approximating a von Bertalanffy trajectory. The optimal offspring size was as small as possible given other restrictions such as newborn starvation mortality. For shallow size spectra, finite optimal maturity size required a decline in fitness for large size or age. All the results are compared with observed size spectra of fish communities to show their consistency and relevance.
The effects of climate change on storm surges around the United Kingdom
Authors: Lowe J.A , Gregory J.M
Published: June 2005

Coastal flooding is often caused by extreme events, such as storm surges. In this study, improved physical models have been used to simulate the climate system and storm surges, and to predict the effect of increased atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases on the surges. In agreement with previous studies, this work indicates that the changes in atmospheric storminess and the higher time-average sea-level predicted for the end of the twenty-first century will lead to changes in the height of water levels measured relative to the present day tide. However, the details of these projections differ somewhat from earlier assessments.

Uncertainty in projections of future extreme water levels arise from uncertainty in the amount and timing of future greenhouse gas emissions, uncertainty in the physical models used to simulate the climate system and from the natural variability of the system. The total uncertainty has not yet been reliably quantified and achieving this should be a priority for future research.
The Croonian Lecture 2001 Hunting the antisocial cancer cell: MCM proteins and their exploitation
Authors: Laskey Ronald
Published: June 2005

Replicating large eukaryotic genomes presents the challenge of distinguishing replicated regions of DNA from unreplicated DNA. A heterohexamer of minichromosome maintenance (MCM) proteins is essential for the initiation of DNA replication. MCM proteins are loaded on to unreplicated DNA before replication begins and displaced progressively during replication. Thus, bound MCM proteins license DNA for one, and only one, round of replication and this licence is reissued each time a cell divides. MCM proteins are also the best candidates for the replicative helicases that unwind DNA during replication, but interesting questions arise about how they can perform this role, particularly as they are present on only unreplicated DNA, rather than clustered at replication forks. Although MCM proteins are bound and released cyclically from DNA during the cell cycle, higher eukaryotic cells retain them in the nucleus throughout the cell cycle. In contrast, MCMs are broken down when cells exit the cycle by quiescence or differentiation. We have exploited these observations to develop screening tests for the common carcinomas, starting with an attempt to improve the sensitivity of the smear test for cervical cancer. MCM proteins emerge as exceptionally promising markers for cancer screening and early diagnosis.
The influence of hot pack therapy on the blood flow in masseter muscles
Authors: OKADA K. , YAMAGUCHI T. , MINOWA K. , INOUE N.
Published: June 2005

summary The purpose of this study was to clarify whether hot pack therapy can change the blood flow of human masseter muscles. Thirty‐two healthy subjects with no history of muscle pain in the masticatory system participated and were divided into two groups. One group underwent proper hot pack therapy (hot pack group) and the other underwent sham hot pack therapy (control group). Continuous and non‐invasive measurements of haemoglobin volumes and oxygen saturation levels (StO2) were determined with a near‐infrared spectroscope. The blood flow parameters were total haemoglobin volume (THb), oxygenated haemoglobin volume (OXHb), deoxygenated haemoglobin volume (deOXHb) and oxygen saturation level (StO2). In hot pack group, results showed that the THb, OXHb and StO2 after the hot pack application were significantly larger than those before the hot pack. In control group, the THb, OXHb, deOXHb, StO2 and heart rates showed no significant differences between the values before and after the sham hot pack application. The THb, OXHb and StO2 after the hot pack application in hot pack group were significantly larger than those in control group, while the deOXHb after the hot pack was significantly smaller than that in control group. The heart rates showed no significant differences between the groups. The results suggest that hot pack therapy can increase regional blood flow of human masseter muscles and creates an advantageous condition for aerobic energy metabolism in the muscles.
The prevalence of signs and symptoms of temporomandibular disorders in very old subjects
Authors: SCHMITTER M. , RAMMELSBERG P. , HASSEL A.
Published: June 2005

summary Previous studies on the prevalence of signs of temporomandibular disorders (TMD) in elderly people have used non‐standardized and invalidated examination protocols. The prevalence of the different signs of TMD in this group is therefore still unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of signs of TMD in subjects of advanced aged, using a standardized and validated examination protocol. Additionally, young subjects were examined as a control group. Fifty‐eight old peoples’ home inhabitants and 44 young subjects were examined using a standardized and validated examination protocol. Differences between the groups were assessed using Mann–Whitney U‐test or t‐test. Geriatric subjects more often exhibited objective symptoms of TMD (38% exhibited joint sounds on opening), but rarely suffered from pain (pain at rest: 0%, joint pain: 0%, muscle pain: 12%). In contrast, young subjects rarely exhibited objective symptoms (joint sounds: 7%), but suffered more frequently from pain (facial: 7%, joint pain: 16%, muscle pain: 25%). The mandibular range of motion was higher in young subjects. Differences between the groups with respect to joint sounds, muscular palpation pain and mandibular range of motion were significant. Although older subjects more frequently exhibited objective signs (joint sounds) of TMD, they rarely suffered from pain. In contrast, younger subjects rarely exhibited objective TMD signs but more frequently suffered from subjective signs (muscular pain on palpation) and facial pain.
Oral health‐related quality of life of stroke survivors on discharge from hospital after rehabilitation
Authors: MCMILLAN A. S. , LEUNG K. C. M. , POW E. H. N. , WONG M. C. M. , LI L. S. W. , ALLEN P. F.
Published: June 2005

summary The study aimed to investigate oral health‐related quality of life (OHR‐QoL) of stroke survivors on hospital discharge after rehabilitation. It was a cross‐sectional study involving 43 elderly survivors of mild to moderate stroke about to be discharged from hospital after rehabilitation and a comparison group of 43 community‐dwelling elderly people. The Medical Outcomes Short Form 36 (SF‐36) measure, the General Oral Health Assessment Index (GOHAI) and an oral health transition scale were administered prior to a dental examination. Median SF‐36 subscale scores were significantly different between groups (P < 0·05). In physical function, role‐physical, role‐emotional and mental health domains, stroke survivors had significantly lower scores indicating poorer health. The median GOHAI score for the stroke group was 52 and 54 for the comparison group with no significant difference between groups although more stroke survivors had difficulty speaking compared with the comparison group. About 75% of stroke survivors considered their appearance to be worse, half of them felt that speech was worse and about a third had difficulty chewing hard food compared with the pre‐stroke condition (P < 0·05). Most participants were partially dentate with no significant difference in DMFT scores or prosthetic status between groups (P > 0·05). Health‐related quality of life in general was significantly poorer after stroke although patients were considered physically well enough to be discharged from hospital. There was some impairment of OHR‐QoL. The nature of the stroke, the hospital environment including diet, coping strategies and elderly Chinese peoples’ perception of health should be taken into account when interpreting measures of health status in stroke survivors.
Comparative prospective study on splint therapy of anterior disc displacement without reduction
Authors: STIESCH‐SCHOLZ M. , KEMPERT J. , WOLTER S. , TSCHERNITSCHEK H. , ROSSBACH A.
Published: June 2005

summary A prospective randomized study was carried out to compare the therapeutic success of two different types of splint in patients with painful anterior disc displacement of the temporomandibular joint. The patients in Group I (n = 20) received stabilization splint therapy and the patients in Group II (n = 20) pivot splint therapy. Clinical investigation of the craniomandibular system was performed before and 1, 2 and 3 months after therapy and this was accompanied by subjective evaluation by the patients of their symptoms, using a validated questionnaire with visual analogue scales (VAS). There was a significant increase in maximum jaw opening and a significant reduction in subjective pain in both groups during the course of therapy (Wilcoxon test, P < 0·05). Active jaw opening increased by a mean of 8·05 mm in the group of patients treated with a stabilization splint (Group I). The comparable figure with pivot splint therapy (Group II) was 8·26 mm. The VAS scale value in Group I was reduced by 30·54 units and in Group II by 39·36 scale units. However, neither of these differences between the groups was statistically significant (Mann–WhitneyU‐test, P > 0·05). It can be concluded that both types of splint provided effective therapy in patients with anterior disc displacement.
Breathing type and body position effects on sternocleidomastoid and suprahyoid EMG activity
Authors: DE MAYO T. , MIRALLES R. , BARRERO D. , BULBOA A. , CARVAJAL D. , VALENZUELA S. , ORMEÑO G.
Published: June 2005

summary The objective of this study was to determine the effects of breathing type and body position on sternocleidomastoid and suprahyoid electromyographic (EMG) activity. The sample included 18 subjects with upper costal breathing type (study group) and 15 subjects with costo‐diaphragmatic breathing type (control group). All individuals had natural dentition and bilateral molar support. EMG recordings at rest and while swallowing saliva were carried out by placing surface electrodes on the left sternocleidomastoid and left suprahyoid muscles. EMG activity was recorded while standing, seated upright, and in the lateral decubitus position. Upper costal breathing type subjects showed a significantly higher suprahyoid EMG activity at rest than costo‐diaphragmatic subjects in all body positions studied (mixed model with unstructured covariance matrix). In the lateral decubitus position, both breathing types showed a significantly higher sternocleidomastoid EMG activity at rest and while swallowing saliva. The suprahyoid muscles demonstrated a significantly higher EMG activity at rest as well as in the lateral decubitus position (mixed model with unstructured covariance matrix). These results are relevant because sternocleidomastoid and suprahyoid muscles play an important role in controlling the head posture and mandible dynamics. The neurophysiological mechanisms involved are discussed.
Adherence of Candida albicans to glow‐discharge modified acrylic denture base polymers
Authors: YILDIRIM M. S. , HASANREİSOǦLU U. , HASIRCI N. , SULTAN N.
Published: June 2005

summary An important aetiologic factor in the pathogenesis of denture‐induced stomatitis, is the presence of numerous yeasts, usually Candida albicans, on the fitting surfaces of dentures. In the present study, effect of glow‐discharge plasma, a technique applied to increase surface wettability of acrylic resins, on candidial adherence was evaluated. The durability of glow‐discharge modification with saliva coating was also evaluated. Samples including control and experimental groups were prepared by using heat compression mould technique. To create a hidrophobicity gradient, experimental groups were exposed to a radiofrequency glow discharge in an O2 atmosphere under different discharge powers. To characterize the wetting properties, an expression of surface hidrophobicity, contact angle measurements were performed by the sessile drop method. The organism used was C. albicans (ATTC10321). Acrylic samples were coated with unstimulated whole saliva collected from a healthy man. The fungal suspension was poured on saliva‐inoculated samples and incubated at 37° for 2 h. The samples were then fixed with glutaraldehyde and Gram stained. Adhered candidial cells were examined by light microscope. Diffuse Reflectance FTIR (DRIFT) and scanning electron‐microscope examinations were also performed to evaluate the surface composition and roughness of the test groups. Glow‐discharge plasma was found to be an effective means of increasing surface wettability even with salivary pellicle. Amounts of candida cells adhered were significantly higher in all the plasma treated surfaces than the unmodified control group (P < 0·001). It was concluded that improving the surface wettability of acrylic resins by glow‐discharge plasma in O2 atmosphere increased the adherence of the C. albicans.
3D finite element model and cervical lesion formation in normal occlusion and in malocclusion
Authors: BORCIC J. , ANIC I. , SMOJVER I. , CATIC A. , MILETIC I. , RIBARIC S. PEZELJ
Published: June 2005

summary The aim of this study was to develop a three‐dimensional (3D) finite element model (FEM) of the first maxillary premolar in order to compare the stress profiles in the buccal and palatal cervical regions. The 3D geometry of the tooth was reconstructed, the solid model was transferred into a finite element program where a 3D mesh was created, and the stress distribution analysis was performed. Two typical cases have been considered: the tooth under normal occlusion (case I) and the tooth under malocclusion (case II). In case I, larger compressive stresses were found in the cervical enamel and dentine. Tensile stresses were found in the fissure system, adjacent area, and at the vestibular surface of the buccal cusp. The peak values for the principal stress ranged from −259 to +2·25 MPa in the cervical areas. In the case II, larger compressive stresses were found in the palato‐cervical enamel and dentine. Tensile stresses were found inside the enamel in the fissure system, adjacent area, at the vestibular surface of the buccal cusp, and in the bucco‐cervical enamel. The peak values for the principal stress ranged from −501·947 MPa in palatal region to +82·4 MPa in the buccal region This study implies a role of occlusal forces in development of non‐carious lesions. In the case of malocclusion, tensile stresses generated on the cervical areas were higher compared with the stresses generated in the case of normal occlusion and it is probably capable of producing non‐carious cervical lesion.
In vitro IL‐1β release from gingival fibroblasts in response to pure metals, dental alloys and ceramic
Authors: OZEN J. , ATAY A. , BEYDEMIR B. , SERDAR M. A. , URAL A. U. , DALKIZ M. , SOYSAL Y.
Published: June 2005

summary Little information is available on the immunological basis for side‐effects of dental materials. The objective of this study is to evaluate effects of pure metals, dental alloys and ceramic on cell viability and interleukin‐1 beta (IL‐1β) release in three‐dimensional human gingival fibroblast cultures as an indicator of their biological performance in gingival tissues. The gingival fibroblast cultures were exposed to test specimens fabricated from nickel, iron, molybdenum, copper, indium, gold, Ni–Cr–Mo alloy (Remanium CS), Au–Pt–In alloy (Pontostar) and a dental ceramic (In‐ceram). Cell viability was determined by the MTT method 24 and 48 h after exposure. Assays for IL‐1β were carried out by ELISA. Statistical analysis was performed applying the non‐parametric Mann–Whitney pairwise test. Dental ceramic and gold did not influence cell viability after 24 and 48 h. Cell viability was determined after 24 and 48 h to nickel (79–77%), iron (92–90%), molybdenum (86–83%), copper (48–36%), indium (90–90%), Remanium CS (83–80%), Pontostar (94–91%) compared with control cultures. Dental ceramic, Pontostar and gold had no significant influence on IL‐1β secretion. The highest amounts of IL‐1β (10‐fold) levels were determined in cell cultures exposed to copper. Indium, molybdenum and iron induced twofold IL‐1β levels compared with untreated control cultures. These results support that some metals may alter immune responses and thereby contribute to a variety of dental pathological conditions and three‐dimensional cell culture models for gingival fibroblasts appear to be suitable for in vitro studies.
Clinical marginal and internal gaps of Procera AllCeram crowns
Authors: KOKUBO Y. , OHKUBO C. , TSUMITA M. , MIYASHITA A. , VULT VON STEYERN P. , FUKUSHIMA S.
Published: June 2005

summary This study evaluated the marginal and internal gaps of Procera AllCeram crowns in vivo using silicone materials. Ninety Procera AllCeram crowns were evaluated before final cementation. White and black silicone materials were used to record the marginal and internal fit; then the crowns were sectioned bucco‐lingually and mesio‐distally to measure the thickness of the silicone layer using a microscope. Sixteen reference points were measured on each specimen. Mean marginal gaps among anterior, premolar and molar teeth, and mean gaps at the reference points within the groups were compared by analysis of variance and Dunnett T3 test. The mean values at the margins were the smallest in all tooth groups, whereas those at the rounded slope of the chamfer were the largest. There were significant differences (P < 0·001) in the mean gaps at the four reference points (margin, rounded slope of the chamfer, axial wall and occlusal surface) in each group, except for the molar teeth. The mean marginal gaps of the Procera AllCeram crowns were within the range of clinical acceptance.
Microtensile bond strengths to enamel of self‐etching and one bottle adhesive systems
Authors: PILECKI P. , STONE D. G. , SHERRIFF M. , WATSON T. F.
Published: June 2005

summary This study compared the enamel bond strengths of self‐etching and one bottle adhesives, and evaluated microscopically their debonding modes. Evaluated systems were: Self‐etch– Prompt L‐Pop (LP); one bottle, total etch– Single Bond (SB), Prime & Bond NT (PB); compomer– Hytac Aplitip (HA), F2000 (F2); resin composite– Reference 21 Aplitip (R2), Herculite XRV (XRV), Esthet.X (EX); in the following combinations: LP/HA; LP/R2; SB/F2; SB/XRV; PB/EX. Flat surfaces of enamel were ground on caries free extracted third molars. An adhesive resin was applied to this surface and a restorative material built on it. The teeth were sectioned longitudinally into 1 mm thick specimens and trimmed to a 1 mm2 area at the enamel/adhesive interface. For each material combination, 10 specimens were tested. Microtensile bond strengths were determined at 0·5 mm min−1. Fractured specimens were examined using confocal and scanning electron microscopy to determine failure modes. Bond strength data was analysed using Kaplan–Meier survival analysis, a log‐rank test and a Bonferroni multiple comparison. Failure mode data was analysed with a χ2 test. The interface of additional fluorescent‐labelled specimens was examined by laser scanning confocal microscopy. The bond strength data showed significant differences: LP/R2 > LP/HA, SB/F2 and PB/EX; SB/F2 < LP/HA, SB/XRV and PB/EX. Both compomers principally exhibited cohesive failure. Resin composite materials showed more complex failure modes. Fluorescence images demonstrated interfacial characteristics consistent with the failure modes observed. Significance: bond strength was not influenced by the use of self‐etch or one bottle adhesives.
Rehabilitation of a bilateral maxillectomy patient with a free fibula osteocutaneous flap*
Authors: MUKOHYAMA H. , HARAGUCHI M. , SUMITA Y. I. , IIDA H. , HATA Y. , KISHIMOTO S. , TANIGUCHI H.
Published: June 2005

summary  Rehabilitation of patients who have undergone bilateral maxillectomy is difficult because of extensive loss of bone and soft tissue. In this clinical report, prosthodontic rehabilitation of oral function in a bilateral maxillecitomy patient combined with a new fibular osteocutaneous flap, which was designed to have two oronasal slits for the retention of an obturator prosthesis, was described. A 58‐year‐old man with a maxillary alveolar carcinoma underwent bilateral maxillectomy. The defect was reconstructed using a vascularized fibular bone wrapped circumferentially with a peroneal flap, which was fixed with miniplates between the right malar prominence and cut edge of the left zygoma remaining two slits anterior and posterior to the graft. Two and half weeks after the surgery, a delayed surgical obturator was delivered and an obturator prosthesis was delivered 6 weeks after the surgery. This obturator prosthesis could be extended into the slits to engage the tissue undercuts, and was stable during use. Mastication, deglutition, articulation and the mid‐facial profile of the patient were rehabilitated. After installation of the obturator prosthesis, relining of the prosthesis base was carried out alongside the healing process of the graft, and adjustment of occlusions and high‐pressure spots was carried out. No clinical disorders were observed either in the grafted tissue or the obturator prosthesis with a 3‐year prognosis. Newly designing a fibular osteocutaneous flap combined with tissue‐borne obturator prosthesis is one successful approach to the restoration of oral function, and increases the patient's quality of life after bilateral maxillectomy.
Active Epstein–Barr virus infection after allogeneic stem cell transplantation: re‐infection or reactivation?
Authors: Meijer E. , Spijkers S. , Moschatsis S. , Boland G.J. , Thijsen S.F.T. , Van Loon A.M. , Verdonck L.F.
Published: June 2005

Abstract: Recipients of allogeneic stem cell transplants (SCT) often show active Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) infection, which may progress to EBV‐associated lymphoproliferative disorders. It is not known whether these EBV infections are true reactivations of the endogenous EBV strain or re‐infections with an exogenous EBV strain. Fifty‐three recipients of matched related or matched unrelated donor grafts were studied. EBV monitoring was based on a realtime TaqMan™ EBV DNA polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay in plasma. In 17 patients, EBV DNA PCR monitoring was performed in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) as well. Mouth washings (MWs) were collected pre‐transplant from all patients and family donors. Both pre‐transplant EBV DNA from MWs and post‐transplant EBV DNA from plasma or PBMCs were successfully obtained in 6 patients. A nested PCR targeting the EBV latent membrane protein‐1 C‐terminus gene was used to determine sequence variations enabling EBV strain typing. In 3 of 6 patients, the post‐transplant EBV sequence pattern differed from the pre‐transplant pattern, indicating a re‐infection post‐transplant with an exogenous strain instead of a reactivation of the original endogenous EBV strain. In the other 3 patients, the endogenous strain was identified. Active EBV infection resulting from re‐infection was more severe compared with active EBV infection because of reactivation. In conclusion, active EBV infections after allogeneic SCT frequently result from re‐infection with an exogenous EBV strain instead of a true reactivation of the endogenous strain and are potentially more severe.
Pre‐ and post‐engraftment bloodstream infection rates and associated mortality in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients
Authors: Almyroudis N.G. , Fuller A. , Jakubowski A. , Sepkowitz K. , Jaffe D. , Small T.N. , Kiehn T.E. , Pamer E. , Papanicolaou G.A.
Published: June 2005

Abstract: We report on bloodstream infection (BSI) rates, risk factors, and outcome in a cohort of 298 adult and pediatric hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) recipients at Memorial Sloan‐Kettering Hospital from September 1999 through June 2003.

Methods. Prospective surveillance study. BSI rates are reported per 10,000 HSCT days. Date of engraftment is defined as the first of at least 3 consecutive dates of absolute neutrophil count >500/mm3 after stem cell infusion. BSI severity grades: severe (intravenous antibiotics), life threatening (sepsis), or fatal (caused or contributed to death).

Results. The incidence of pre‐ and post‐engraftment BSI was 22% and 19.5%, respectively. Pre‐engraftment highest rates were observed for viridans streptococci (58), Enterobacteriaceae (39), and Enterococcus faecium (34). Post‐engraftment rates ranged from 0.2 to 2.9 without any predominant pathogen. In multivariate analyses, pre‐engraftment BSI was associated with diagnosis of chronic myelogenous leukemia, age >18 years and peripheral blood stem cell graft; post‐engraftment BSI was associated with acute graft‐versus‐host disease, neutropenia, and liver or kidney dysfunction. Attributable mortality was 12.5% and 1.7% for pre‐ and post‐engraftment BSI, respectively. BSI fatality rates were 24% for viridans streptococci, 8% for E. faecium, 11% for Staphylococcus aureus, and 67% for Candida.

Conclusions. Pre‐engraftment BSI, especially by viridans streptococci and E. faecium, was associated with substantial attributable mortality. Post‐engraftment BSI was a marker of post‐transplant complications and rarely the primary cause of death.
Sexually dimorphic expression of Usp9x is related to sex chromosome complement in adult mouse brain
Authors: Xu J. , Taya S. , Kaibuchi K. , Arnold A. P.
Published: June 2005

We found the expression of Usp9x, an X‐linked gene which encodes a ubiquitin protease implicated in synaptic development, to be significantly higher in the adult female mouse brains than in male brains. The sex difference in expression of Usp9x was localized to specific brain regions such as neocortex. Furthermore, in gonadally intact and gonadectomized mice, XX mice expressed Usp9x mRNA and protein more highly than XY mice irrespective of their gonadal type. No sex difference was found in the neonatal brain or peripheral tissues such as the adult kidney. This finding implies that the difference in sex chromosome complement between XY males and XX females could potentially contribute to sexual differentiation of brain structure and function. The relation of genomic dose and Usp9x expression could help explain the neural and behavioural phenotype of women with XO Turner syndrome.
A role for nitric oxide in sensory‐induced neurogenesis in an adult insect brain
Authors: Cayre M. , Malaterre J. , Scotto‐Lomassese S. , Holstein G.R. , Martinelli G.P. , Forni C. , Nicolas S. , Aouane A. , Strambi C. , Strambi A.
Published: June 2005

In the adult cricket, neurogenesis occurs in the mushroom bodies, the main integrative structures of the insect brain. Mushroom body neuroblast proliferation is modulated in response to environmental stimuli. However, the mechanisms underlying these effects remain unspecified. In the present study, we demonstrate that electrical stimulation of the antennal nerve mimics the effects of olfactory activation and increases mushroom body neurogenesis. The putative role of nitric oxide (NO) in this activity‐regulated neurogenesis was then explored. In vivo and in vitro experiments demonstrate that NO synthase inhibition decreases, and NO donor application stimulates neuroblast proliferation. NADPH‐d activity, anti‐l‐citrulline immunoreactivity, as well as in situ hybridization with a probe specific for Acheta NO synthase were used to localize NO‐producing cells. Combining these three approaches we clearly establish that mushroom body interneurons synthesize NO. Furthermore, we demonstrate that experimental interventions known to upregulate neuroblast proliferation modulate NO production: rearing crickets in an enriched sensory environment induces an upregulation of Acheta NO synthase mRNA, and unilateral electrical stimulation of the antennal nerve results in increased l‐citrulline immunoreactivity in the corresponding mushroom body. The present study demonstrates that neural activity modulates progenitor cell proliferation and regulates NO production in brain structures where neurogenesis occurs in the adult insect. Our results also demonstrate the stimulatory effect of NO on mushroom body neuroblast proliferation. Altogether, these data strongly suggest a key role for NO in environmentally induced neurogenesis.
Type 2 diabetes in rural and urban population: diverse prevalence and associated risk factors in Bangladesh
Authors: Hussain A. , Rahim M. A. , Azad Khan A. K. , Ali S. M. K. , Vaaler S.
Published: June 2005

Aims  To describe differences in prevalence of Type 2 diabetes mellitus with its associated risk factors between rural and urban populations in Bangladesh. Diagnostic criteria [fasting blood glucose (FBG) and oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTT)] were compared and reviewed for both populations.

Methods  A total of 1555 subjects from urban and 4757 from rural communities (age ≥ 20 years) with similar cultural and ethnic backgrounds were randomly selected in a cross‐sectional survey. FBG values were determined from all and 2‐h post‐glucose capillary blood samples were determined after a 75‐g oral glucose load for a selected number (urban 476, rural 1046).

Results  A higher prevalence of diabetes was found in urban (8.1%) compared with rural populations (2.3%). Age, sex and waist‐to‐hip ratio for men were significant risk factors for both urban and rural subjects following fasting and 2‐h post‐glucose values adjusted for a number of confounding variables. Poor agreement was observed between FBG and OGTT for both urban (kappa 0.41) and rural (kappa 0.40) areas.

Conclusions  A higher prevalence of diabetes mellitus (DM) in the urban population was observed compared with rural subjects despite similar body mass indexes (BMI). Differences in obesity, waist/hip ratio or hypertension failed to explain the increasing occurrence of T2DM in the urban population.
The Lisbon Process: a European Odyssey
Authors: DION DAVID‐PASCAL
Published: June 2005

This article deals with the process in the field of education and training that the European Union has put forward to tackle the main challenges it is facing: globalisation, ageing and the ICT revolution. In order to take advantage of the opportunities brought by these three forces and to counteract their potential negative impact, the European Union defined a strategy in 2000: the Lisbon process. It aims at determining the adequate policies to improve Europe's growth potential, employment participation and social cohesion. Five years after its launch, the Lisbon process suffers from a clear lack of implementation that partly explains Europe's lacklustre economic and social performance. The success of the Lisbon process hinges more than ever on the optimal formation and usage of the stock of human capital. Human resources are the main engine for the creation, dissemination and application of knowledge essential for the increase in productivity and creation of jobs necessary for the sustainability of the European economic and social model. The article shows why and how human capital policies aiming at more efficient and more equitable European education and training systems are crucial to the achievement of the economic and social goals set at Lisbon.
Family‐based services in children's mental health: a research review and synthesis
Authors: Hoagwood Kimberly Eaton
Published: June 2005

A systematic review was undertaken of scientifically rigorous studies of family‐based services in children's health and mental health. From a pool of over 4000 articles since 1980 in health and mental health that examined either specific family‐based interventions for families of children or the processes of involvement, 41 studies were identified that met the methodological criteria for inclusion. These 41 studies encompassed 3 distinct categories: families as recipients of interventions (e.g., family education, support, engagement, empowerment); (b) families as co‐therapists; and (c) studies of the processes of involvement (e.g., therapeutic alliance, engagement, empowerment, expectancies, and choice). Too few experimental studies exist to conclude decisively that family‐based services improve youth clinical outcomes. However, those studies that have been rigorously examined demonstrate unequivocal improvements in other types of outcomes, such as retention in services, knowledge about mental health issues, self‐efficacy, and improved family interactions – all outcomes that are essential ingredients of quality care. Four implications are drawn from this review. (1) Effective family education and support interventions from studies of adults with mental illnesses and from studies of families of high‐risk infants exist and can be imported into the field of children's mental health. (2) The range of outcomes that are typically assessed in clinical treatment studies is too narrow to afford an adequate view of the impact of family‐based interventions. A broader view of outcomes is needed. (3) The absence of a robust literature on process variables other than therapeutic alliance limits conclusions about how and why interventions are effective. Attention to the processes by which families become involved in services will require a more robust and nuanced range of studies that attend simultaneously to processes of change and to outcome improvement. (4) Linkage of effective family‐based interventions to delivery of evidence‐based services is likely to amplify the impact of those services and improve outcomes for youth and families.
Medical decision making: a selective review for child psychiatrists and psychologists
Authors: Galanter Cathryn A. , Patel Vimla L.
Published: June 2005

Physicians, including child and adolescent psychiatrists, show variability and inaccuracies in diagnosis and treatment of their patients and do not routinely implement evidenced‐based medical and psychiatric treatments in the community. We believe that it is necessary to characterize the decision‐making processes of child and adolescent psychiatrists using theories and methods from cognitive and social sciences in order to design effective interventions to improve practice and education. This paper selectively reviews the decision‐making literature, including recent studies on naturalistic decision making, novice–expert differences, and the role of technology on decision making and cognition. We also provide examples from other areas of medicine and discuss their implications for child psychiatry.
The impact of preschool inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity on social and academic development: a review
Authors: Spira Elana Greenfield , Fischel Janet E.
Published: June 2005

The literature on the prevalence and stability of preschool problems of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity suggests a number of links to early literacy skills and broader school achievement. Developmental considerations in the assessment of preschool ADHD are reviewed in this paper, along with evidence for the stability of symptoms over time and the relationship between early symptoms of ADHD and elementary school achievement. Emphasis is placed on describing the nature of the connection between preschool ADHD symptoms and academic achievement, as few studies to date have focused specifically on that relationship. Several explanations for the relationship between preschool ADHD symptoms and achievement are analyzed, including an explanation that focuses on the relationship between inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity and the acquisition of emergent literacy and language skills. Finally, the evidence for four models that have been proposed to account for the link between behavior and learning is reviewed and critically analyzed. Suggestions are made for future research that might resolve important questions only partially addressed in studies to date.
Review of the efficacy and safety of antidepressants in youth depression
Authors: Cheung Amy H. , Emslie Graham J. , Mayes Taryn L.
Published: June 2005

Background:  Depression in children and adolescents is a cause of substantial morbidity and mortality in this population. It is a common disorder that affects 2% of children and up to 6% of adolescents. Although antidepressants are used frequently for the treatment of this disorder, there has been recent controversy about the efficacy and safety of these medications in this population. This review examined the available evidence from clinical trials of antidepressants in adolescents and children with depression.

Methods:  Clinical trial data reviewed were obtained from published reports, including peer review journals and meeting abstracts, as well as unpublished data in the public domain. Clinical trials in this review included large RCTs of antidepressants in youth under the age of 19 with depression. Studies were identified in 2 stages: 1) all RCTs included in the 2004 FDA safety report were reviewed; and 2) to ensure that no additional studies not reported to the FDA were missed, MEDLINE and PSYCH Info were searched from inception until December 2004. A total of 8 published studies and 9 unpublished studies were identified and reviewed.

Results:  Efficacy and safety results from each study are reviewed in detail. There are significant differences in remission and response rates between different antidepressants but also between placebo groups across studies. Adverse events are common in clinical trials involving children and adolescents with depression. Due to lack of access to full data sets, effect sizes could not be calculated.

Conclusions:  With the variability in trial methodology and the variation in the drug/placebo response rates within a single trial, clinicians need to be judicious in their interpretation of research data on pediatric antidepressant trials. Significant methodological issues may also have affected the efficacy and safety results from these clinical trials.
Are endophenotypes based on measures of executive functions useful for molecular genetic studies of ADHD?
Authors: Doyle Alysa E. , Faraone Stephen V. , Seidman Larry J. , Willcutt Erik G. , Nigg Joel T. , Waldman Irwin D. , Pennington Bruce F. , Peart Joanne , Biederman Joseph
Published: June 2005

Background:  Behavioral genetic studies provide strong evidence that attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has a substantial genetic component. Yet, due to the complexity of the ADHD phenotype, questions remain as to the specific genes that contribute to this condition as well as the pathways from genes to behavior. Endophenotypes, or phenotypes that are more closely linked to the neurobiological substrate of a disorder, offer the potential to address these two issues simultaneously (Freedman, Adler, & Leonard, 1999). Thus far, potential endophenotypes for ADHD have not been systematically studied.

Method:  The current paper reviews evidence supporting the use of deficits on neurocognitive measures of executive functions for this purpose.

Results:  Such deficits are a correlate of ADHD and show preliminary evidence of heritability and association with relevant candidate genes. Nonetheless, studies that have assessed the familial and genetic overlap of neurocognitive impairments with ADHD have yielded inconsistent results.

Conclusions:  In order for executive function deficits to be used as an endophenotype for ADHD, we recommend greater attention to the neurocognitive heterogeneity of this disorder and to the precision of measurement of the neuropsychological tests employed. We also discuss empirical strategies that may be necessary to allow such research to progress prior to full resolution of the pathophysiological basis of ADHD.
Life events and hemodynamic stress reactivity in the middle‐aged and elderly
Authors: Carroll Douglas , Phillips Anna C. , Ring Christopher , Der Geoff , Hunt Kate
Published: June 2005

Recent versions of the reactivity hypothesis, which consider it to be the product of stress exposure and exaggerated hemodynamic reactions to stress that confers cardiovascular disease risk, assume that reactivity is independent of the experience of stressful life events. This assumption was tested in two substantial cohorts, one middle‐aged and one elderly. Participants had to indicate from a list of major stressful life events up to six they had experienced in the previous 2 years. They were also asked to rate how disruptive and stressful they were, at the time of occurrence and now. Blood pressure and pulse rate were measured at rest and in response to acute mental stress. Those who rated the events as highly disruptive at the time of exposure and now exhibited blunted systolic blood pressure reactions to acute stress. The present results suggest that acute stress reactivity may not be independent of stressful life events experience.
Subjective and objective probability effects on P300 amplitude revisited
Authors: Rosenfeld J. Peter , Biroschak Julianne R. , Kleschen Melissa J. , Smith Kyle M.
Published: June 2005

Does objective probability affect P300 size independently and in addition to subjective probability? The latter was manipulated by the number of stimuli presented and classification task. Five groups saw target and frequent stimuli. Two saw these with p=.2 or .067, with two different button presses. Three groups saw two additional nontarget stimuli each with p=.067. One group pressed a different button for each stimulus. A second group pressed one button for the three oddballs, another for the frequent. A third critical group pressed one button for the target and another for other stimuli. In this group, P300 was larger for targets versus nontargets, and larger for nontargets versus frequents. Although nontargets were classified with frequents, their actual low probability distinguished them from frequents, and their subjective probability distinguished them from targets. Therefore, actual and subjective probability effects were independently found.
The effect of glucose and mental stress on cutaneous microvascular endothelial function
Authors: Brion Marie‐Jo , Drummond Peter D.
Published: June 2005

Glucose and mental stress, independently, have been found to impair arterial endothelial function (an indicator of vascular health). The present study sought to determine whether the combination of glucose and stress would have a greater effect on microvascular endothelial function than each on its own. To assess endothelial function, surges in skin blood flow (reactive hyperemia), following the release of cuff pressure to the upper arm at 200 mmHg for 5 min, were measured with laser Doppler flowmetry in 40 young, healthy females. Endothelial function did not change significantly following a 5‐min mathematics stressor or the consumption of 75 g of glucose. However, the combination of glucose and stress impaired endothelium‐dependent dilatation 30 min after glucose consumption. These findings suggest that combinations of vascular risk factors may be more threatening to cardiovascular health than singularly occurring factors.
Electrophysiological correlates of change detection
Authors: Eimer Martin , Mazza Veronica
Published: June 2005

To identify electrophysiological correlates of change detection, event‐related brain potentials (ERPs) were recorded while participants monitored displays containing four faces in order to detect a face identity change across successive displays. Successful change detection was mirrored by an N2pc component at posterior electrodes contralateral to the side of a change, suggesting close links between conscious change detection and attention. ERPs on undetected‐change trials differed from detected‐change and no‐change trials. We suggest that short‐latency ERP differences between these trial types reflect trial‐by‐trial fluctuations in advance task preparation, whereas differences in the P3 time range are due to variations in the duration of perceptual and decision‐related processing. Overall, these findings demonstrate that ERPs are a useful tool for dissociating processes underlying change blindness and change detection.
Automatic word form processing in masked priming: An ERP study
Authors: Grossi Giordana , Coch Donna
Published: June 2005

Five prime types (unrelated words, pronounceable nonwords, illegal strings of letters, false fonts, or neutral strings of Xs) preceded word and nonword targets in a masked priming study designed to investigate word form processing as indexed by event‐related potentials (ERPs). Participants performed a lexical decision task on targets. In the 150–250‐ms epoch at fronto‐central, central, and temporo‐parietal sites ERPs were smallest to targets preceded by words and nonwords, followed by letter strings, false fonts, and finally neutral primes. This refractory pattern sensitive to orthography supports the view that ERPs in the 150–250‐ms epoch index activation of neural systems involved in word form processing and suggests that such activation may be graded, being maximal with word‐like stimuli and relatively reduced with alphabet‐like stimuli. Further, these results from a masked priming paradigm confirm the automatic nature of word form processing.
A freezing‐like posture to pictures of mutilation
Authors: Azevedo Tatiana M. , Volchan Eliane , Imbiriba Luiz A. , Rodrigues Erika C. , Oliveira José M. , Oliveira Liliam F. , Lutterbach Luiz G. , Vargas Claudia D.
Published: June 2005

Postural sway and heart rate were recorded in young men viewing emotionally engaging pictures. It was hypothesized that they would show a human analog of “freezing” behavior (i.e., immobility and heart rate deceleration) when confronted with a sustained block of unpleasant (mutilation) images, relative to their response to pleasant/arousing (sport action) or neutral (objects) pictures. Volunteers stood on a stabilometric platform during picture viewing. Significantly reduced body sway was recorded during the unpleasant pictures, along with increased mean power frequency (indexing muscle stiffness). Heart rate during unpleasant pictures also showed the expected greater deceleration. This pattern resembles the “freezing” and “fear bradycardia” seen in many species when confronted with threatening stimuli, mediated by neural circuits that promote defensive survival.
Vagal withdrawal to a sad film predicts subsequent recovery from depression
Authors: Rottenberg Jonathan , Salomon Kristen , Gross James J. , Gotlib Ian H.
Published: June 2005

Cardiac vagal tone, as indexed by abnormalities in the level and/or reactivity of respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA), has been related to psychiatric impairment, including risk for depression. Longitudinal studies of depression have focused on RSA levels and have found mixed support for the hypothesis that low RSA levels predict a more pernicious course of depression. The current investigation focuses on the relation between RSA reactivity and the course of depression. We measured depressed persons' RSA reactivity to sadness‐, fear‐, and amusement‐inducing emotion films and reassessed participants' diagnostic status 6 months later. Depressed persons who exhibited a higher degree of vagal withdrawal to the sad film were more likely to recover from depression. Implications for the study of RSA in depression are discussed.