bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The inhibitory effect on aldose reductase by an extract of Ganoderma lucidum
Authors: Fatmawati Sri , Kurashiki Kenji , Takeno Sayaka , Kim Yong‐ung , Shimizu Kuniyoshi , Sato Masao , Imaizumi Katsumi , Takahashi Kaori , Kamiya Shinji , Kaneko Shuhei , Kondo Ryuichiro
Published: December 2008

The human aldose reductase inhibitory effects of the methanol extracts of 17 medicinal and edible mushrooms were examined. Ganoderma lucidum showed the highest aldose reductase inhibitory activity compared with the other mushrooms. The effect of an ethanol extract of G. lucidum on the galactitol level in the eye lens was studied in a galactosemic rat model in vivo. This mushroom significantly decreased the galactitol accumulation. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Search for antimycobacterial constituents from a Tibetan medicinal plant, Gentianopsis paludosa
Authors: Yeung Ming‐Fai , Lau Clara B. S. , Chan Raphael C. Y. , Zong Yuying , Che Chun‐Tao
Published: December 2008

From the whole plant of Gentianopsis paludosa seven compounds were isolated and identified to be 1,7‐dihydroxy‐3,8‐dimethoxyxanthone (1), 1,7,8‐trihydroxy‐3‐methoxyxanthone (2), 1‐hydroxy‐3,7,8‐trimethoxyxanthone (3), 1,8‐dihydroxy‐2,6‐dimethoxyxanthone (4), oleanolic acid (5), 4′,5,7‐trihydroxyflavone (6) and luteolin‐7‐O‐glucoside (7). Compounds 1, 2, 3 and 5 showed modest inhibitory effect against the growth of Mycobacterium smegmatis and M. tuberculosis. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Cytotoxic activity of alkaloids isolated from Stephania rotunda in vitro cytotoxic activity of cepharanthine
Authors: Bun Sok‐Siya , Laget Michèle , Chea Aun , Bun Hot , Ollivier Evelyne , Elias Riad
Published: December 2008

Three major alkaloids: cepharanthine (1), tetrahydropalmatine (2) and xylopinine (3) isolated from Stephania rotunda tuber were investigated for their cytotoxic activity in a panel of human cancer cells (HT29, LS174T, SW620 and HepG2) using MTT assay. In the present study, cepharanthine (1) exerted potent cytotoxicity against colon and hepatoma cancer cell lines with IC50 values between 2.4 and 5.3 µM while tetrahydropalmatine (2) and xylopinine (3) displayed weak cytotoxicity. In addition, the mutagenic activity of cepharanthine (1) was investigated using a modified liquid incubation technique of the Salmonella/microsomal assay. This alkaloid (1) was found to be non‐mutagenic for doses up to 8.2 µM. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Protective effect of daidzin against d‐galactosamine and lipopolysaccharide‐induced hepatic failure in mice
Authors: Kim Sung‐Hwa , Heo Jeong‐Haing , Kim Yeong Shik , Kang Sam Sik , Choi Jae Sue , Lee Sun‐Mee
Published: December 2008

This study examined the effects of daidzin, a major isoflavone from Puerariae Radix, on d‐galactosamine (d‐GalN) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)‐induced liver failure. Mice were given an intraperitoneal injection of daidzin (25, 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg) 1 h before receiving an injection of d‐GalN (700 mg/kg)/LPS (10 µg/kg). Daidzin markedly reduced the elevated serum aminotransferase activity and the levels of lipid peroxidation and tumor necrosis factor‐α. The glutathione content was lower in the d‐GalN/LPS group, which was attenuated by daidzin. The daidzin pretreatment attenuated the swollen mitochondria observed in the d‐GalN/LPS group. Daidzin attenuated the apoptosis of hepatocytes, which was confirmed using the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase‐mediated dUTP nick end‐labeling method and a caspase‐3 assay. Overall, these results suggest that the liver protection of daidzin is due to reduced oxidative stress and its antiapoptotic activity. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Yeast hydrolysate induces longitudinal bone growth and growth hormone release in rats
Authors: Kim Jung Min , Kim Seong‐Yeong , Jung Eun‐Young , Bae Song Hwan , Suh Hyung Joo
Published: December 2008

This study investigated the growth promoting effects of yeast extract (YH) fed to Sprague‐Dawley male rats (3 weeks old) for 4 weeks. The negative (N)‐control and positive (P)‐control groups were given a daily oral administration of saline and foremilk (1 g/kg of BW), respectively, and the YH‐1 and YH‐2 groups were given daily administrations of YH (0.5 and 1 g/kg of BW, respectively). After 4 weeks, the YH‐1, YH‐2 and P‐control groups showed significant differences in the body weight gain compared with the N‐control group (p < 0.05). The YH‐1 and YH‐2 groups also had significantly different tibial bone growths (0.47 and 0.49 mm/day, respectively) and femur bone growths (0.52 and 0.53 mm/day, respectively) compared with the N‐control group (0.37 mm/day of tibial growth and 0.42 mm/day of femur growth) (p < 0.05). The YH‐1 and YH‐2 groups had significantly different growth plate (proximal epiphysis) height increments (0.62 and 0.56 mm, respectively) compared with the N‐control group (0.17 mm) (p < 0.05). Lastly, the YH‐1 and YH‐2 groups presented different growth hormone (GH) levels (1.77 and 2.10 ng/mL, respectively) than the N‐control group (0.82 ng/mL) (p < 0.05). YH administration increased longitudinal bone growth and GH secretion in rats. Consequently, YH may offer an improved ability to treat GH deficiency‐related disorders. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Antiretroviral activity of fucoidans extracted from the brown seaweed Adenocystis utricularis
Authors: Trinchero Juan , Ponce Nora M. A. , Córdoba Osvaldo L. , Flores María L. , Pampuro Sandra , Stortz Carlos A. , Salomón Horacio , Turk Gabriela
Published: December 2008

Treatment of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV‐1, causative agent of AIDS) infection represents a major challenge in antiviral therapeutics. Many difficulties are associated with the treatment, including toxicity, resistance and high costs. Taking this into account, research for novel compounds able to overcome these limitations is needed. Sulfated polysaccharides appear to be interesting, given their abundance as components of seaweeds. Herein, a series of fractions obtained from the brown seaweed Adenocystis utricularis was analysed for in vitro anti‐HIV‐1 activity. These fractions, which have anti‐herpes simplex virus activity, were determined previously to belong to the family of fucoidans, sulfated polysaccharides obtained from the cell walls of brown seaweeds. Assays in human PBMC primary cell culture demonstrated that two of the five fractions analysed had potent anti‐HIV‐1 activity both against WT and drug‐resistant HIV‐1 strains. For active fractions, it was also shown that the inhibitory effect was not due to an inactivating effect on the viral particle (i.e. no virucidal activity was detected) but rather to a blockade of early events of viral replication. Given these encouraging results, these seaweed‐derived fractions appear as good candidates for further studies on their potential for in vivo therapy and/or prophylaxis of HIV‐1 infection. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Process monitoring with ICA‐based signal extraction technique and CART approach
Authors: Huang Shien‐Ping , Chiu Chih‐Chou
Published: December 2008

In order to reduce the variation in a manufacturing process, traditional statistical process control (SPC) techniques are the most frequently used tools in monitoring engineering process control (EPC)‐controlled processes for detecting assignable cause process variation. Even though application of SPC with EPC can successfully detect time points when abnormalities occur during process, their combination can also cause an increased occurrence of false alarms when autocorrelation is present in the process. In this paper, we propose an independent component analysis‐based signal extraction technique with classification and regression tree approach to identify disturbance levels in the correlated process parameters. For comparison, traditional cumulative sum (CUSUM) chart was constructed to evaluate the identifying capability of the proposed approach. The experimental results show that the proposed method outperforms CUSUM control chart in most instances. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Calculation of transition matrix elements by nonsingular orbital transformations
Authors: Kývala Mojmír
Published: December 2008

A general strategy is described for the evaluation of transition matrix elements between pairs of full class CI wave functions built up from mutually nonorthogonal molecular orbitals. A new method is proposed for the counter‐transformation of the linear expansion coefficients of a full CI wave function under a nonsingular transformation of the molecular‐orbital basis. The method, which consists in a straightforward application of the Cauchy–Binet formula to the definition of a Slater determinant, is shown to be simple and suitable for efficient implementation on current high‐performance computers. The new method appears mainly beneficial to the calculation of miscellaneous transition matrix elements among individually optimized CASSCF states and to the re‐evaluation of the CASCI expansion coefficients in Slater‐determinant bases formed from arbitrarily rotated (e.g., localized or, conversely, delocalized) active molecular orbitals. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2009
System supports for protocol and application adaptation in vertical handoffs
Authors: Chang Hsung‐Pin , Lin Yu‐Chieh , Chen Shiu‐Hau
Published: December 2008

In overlay networks, the network characteristics before and after a vertical handoff would be drastically different. Consequently, in this paper, we propose an end‐to‐end based scheme to support protocol and application adaptation in vertical handoffs. First, we proposed a Vertical‐handoff Aware TCP, called VA‐TCP. VA‐TCP can identify the packet losses caused by vertical handoffs. If segments losses are due to vertical handoffs, VA‐TCP only retransmits the missing segments but does not invoke the congestion control procedure. Moreover, VA‐TCP dynamically estimates the bandwidth and round‐trip time in a new network. Based on the estimated bandwidth and round‐trip time, VA‐TCP adjusts its parameters to respond to the new network environment. Second, during a vertical handoff, applications also need to be adapted accordingly. Therefore, we design a programming interface that allows applications to be notified upon and adapt to changing network environments. To support our interface, we utilize the signal mechanism to achieve kernel‐to‐user notification. Nevertheless, signals cannot carry information. Thus, we implement the shared memory mechanism between applications and the kernel to facilitate parameters exchange. Finally, we also provide a handoff‐aware CPU scheduler so that tasks that are interested in the vertical‐handoff event are given preference over other processes to attain a prompt response for new network conditions. We have implemented a prototype system on the Linux kernel 2.6. From the experimental results, our proposed protocol and application adaptation mechanisms are shown to effectively improve the performance of TCP and applications during vertical handoffs. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Three‐dimensional ultrasound diagnosis of cleft palate: ‘reverse face’, ‘flipped face’ or ‘oblique face’–which method is best?
Authors: Martínez Ten P. , Pérez Pedregosa J. , Santacruz B. , Adiego B. , Barrón E. , Sepúlveda W.
Published: December 2008

Objectives

To compare the performance of three sonographic techniques, the ‘reverse‐face’, ‘flipped‐face’ and ‘oblique‐face’ methods, for visualizing the hard and soft palate in diagnosing cleft lip and palate (CLP).

Methods

A total of 60 fetuses (10 with CLP) with a gestational age ranging from 20 to 33 weeks were examined. We compared visualization of the secondary palate with the previously described reverse‐face and flipped‐face methods (the latter modified by us) and the oblique‐face method developed by us using Oblique View® imaging technology.

Results

Among the 10 fetuses with CLP the defect involved the lip, alveolus and secondary palate in seven, and the primary palate only in the remaining three. The upper lip and alveolar ridge were well visualized in all cases with all three methods. Involvement of the hard palate was diagnosed correctly in 71% (5/7) of the cases using the reverse‐face view, in 86% (6/7) with the flipped‐face view, and in 100% (7/7) with the oblique‐face view; the hard palate was correctly found to be intact in 78%, 84% and 86%, respectively, of the 50 normal fetuses examined with each view. Involvement of the soft palate was diagnosed correctly in only one of the seven fetuses with defects of the secondary palate in flipped‐face and oblique‐face views, and was correctly considered intact in only 16% of normal fetuses in flipped‐face view and in 26% in oblique‐face images.

Conclusions

Accurate visualization of the soft palate requires an excellent initially acquired volume, fluid between the fetal tongue and palate, and curving of the plane to follow the structure of the palate. The oblique‐face or flipped‐face views make it possible to visualize the soft palate well in selected cases. Copyright © 2008 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
UHMWPE for arthroplasty: past or future?
Authors: Brach del Prever Elena Maria , Bistolfi Alessandro , Bracco Pierangiola , Costa Luigi
Published: December 2008

Wear debris related osteolysis is recognised as being the main cause of failure in joint replacements based on UHMWPE inserts. However, many solutions and “new” polyethylenes have been suggested in order to address this issue. This review discusses “historical” issues associated with UHMWPE, such as oxidation, sterilization method and storage, as well as “new” topics, such as crosslinking and stabilization. The final aim is to aid orthopaedic surgeons in their selection of polyethylene inserts and in the information given to the patients. The main problem for the polymer is degradative oxidation, which is caused by the combination of the irradiation used for sterilization and oxygen, and which leads to a decrease in wear resistance and mechanical properties. Irradiation and packaging in the absence of oxygen can only reduce the oxidation, while sterilization with gas (EtO or gas plasma) is the only method that effectively eliminates it. Manufacturing processes are of great relevance to the clinical duration and must be considered by surgeons. Crosslinked polyethylene has been developed for joint inserts due to its superior wear resistance compared to conventional UHMWPE; to prevent the oxidation, crosslinked polyethylene requires post-irradiation thermal treatment, which reduces its mechanical properties and which depends on the producer. Several good clinical results from the use of crosslinked acetabular cups have reported at mid-term, while early results for knee replacements are also encouraging. Recently, the use of the antioxidant vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) has been introduced for joint prostheses in order to prevent the oxidation of both crosslinked and noncrosslinked UHMWPE.
Analysis of Alternatively Spliced Rice Transcripts Using Microarray Data
Authors: Jung Ki-Hong , Bartley Laura E. , Cao Peijian , Canlas Patrick E. , Ronald Pamela C.
Published: December 2008

Alternative splicing creates a diversity of gene products in higher eukaryotes. Twenty-five percent (1,583/6,371) of predicted alternatively spliced transcripts can be detected using the NSF45K rice whole-genome oligonucleotide array. We used the NSF45K array to assess differential expression patterns of 507 loci showing at least a twofold change in expression between light- and dark-grown seedlings. At least 42% of these loci show evidence of alternative splicing in aerial seedling tissue of Oryza sativa ssp. japonica cv. Nipponbare. Most alternative splice forms display the same pattern of regulation as the primary, or most highly expressed, transcript; however, splice forms for ten loci, represented by 35 oligos, display opposite expression patterns in the light vs. dark. We found similar evidence of alternative splicing events in Affymetrix microarray data for Nipponbare rice treated with the causative agent of fungal rice blast, Magnaporthe grisea. This strategy for analyzing alternative splicing in microarray data will enable delineation of the diversity of splicing in rice.
Effects of methodological variation on assessment of riboflavin status using the erythrocyte glutathione reductase activation coefficient assay
Authors: Hill Marilyn H. E. , Bradley Angela , Mushtaq Sohail , Williams Elizabeth A. , Powers Hilary J.
Published: December 2008

Riboflavin status is usually measured as thein vitrostimulation with flavin adenine dinucleotide of the erythrocyte enzyme glutathione reductase, and expressed as an erythrocyte glutathione reductase activation coefficient (EGRAC). This method is used for the National Diet and Nutrition Surveys (NDNS) of the UK. In the period between the 1990 and 2003 surveys of UK adults, the estimated prevalence of riboflavin deficiency, expressed as an EGRAC value ≥ 1·30, increased from 2 to 46 % in males and from 1 to 34 % in females. We hypothesised that subtle but important differences in the detail of the methodology between the two NDNS accounted for this difference. We carried out an evaluation of the performance of the methods used in the two NDNS and compared against an ‘in-house’ method, using blood samples collected from a riboflavin intervention study. Results indicated that the method used for the 1990 NDNS gave a significantly lower mean EGRAC value than both the 2003 NDNS method and the ‘in-house’ method (P < 0·0001). The key differences between the methods relate to the concentration of FAD used in the assay and the duration of the period of incubation of FAD with enzyme. The details of the EGRAC method should be standardised for use in different laboratories and over time. Additionally, it is proposed that consideration be given to re-evaluating the basis of the EGRAC threshold for riboflavin deficiency.
The tidally induced bottom boundary layer in the rotating frame: development of the turbulent mixed layer under stratification
Authors: SAKAMOTO KEI , AKITOMO KAZUNORI
Published: December 2008

To investigate turbulent properties and the developing mechanisms of the tidally induced bottom boundary layer in the linearly stratified ocean, numerical experiments have been executed with a non-hydrostatic three-dimensional model in the rotating frame, changing the temporal Rossby numberRot= |σ/f|, i.e. the ratio of the tidal frequency σ to the Coriolis parameterf. After the flow transitions to turbulence, the entire water column can be characterized by three layers: the mixed layer where density is homogenized and the flow is turbulent (zzt); and the interfacial layer between them where the flow is turbulent but the stratification remains (zm<z<zt). Turbulence is scaled by the frictional velocityuτand the mixed-layer thicknesszm(uτanduτ/NwhereNis the buoyancy frequency) in the mixed (interfacial) layer, and has similarity. The mixed layer is thickened by the process where light water of the upper stratified layer is mixed with the lower unstratified layer water through the interfacial layer. AsRotapproaches unity, i.e. near the critical latitude, the mixed layer develops more rapidly according to the following mechanism. As becomesRotcloser to unity, the current shear in the interfacial layer is intensified, since the difference of velocity becomes larger between the lower turbulent mixed and upper laminar stratified layers, and this leads to thickening of the interfacial layer. As a result, density deviation of the water entrained from above becomes larger, and this causes more rapid development of the mixed layer. In terms of the energy conversion from the eddy kinetic energy (EKE) to the potential energy (PE), the efficiency factor β which is the ratio of the conversion rate from EKE to PE to that from the tidal shear to EKE increased from 0.25% forRot= 0.5 to 3.5% forRot= 1.05 on average. When the time is normalized by the period required for the mixed layer to be thickened to the unstratified turbulent boundary layer δ =uτ/|f+σ|, the mixed layer development occurred in a similar manner in all cases. This similarity suggests the possibility of universal formulation for the turbulent tidal mixing under stratification.
On the generation of lift forces in random soft porous media
Authors: MIRBOD P. , ANDREOPOULOS Y. , WEINBAUM S.
Published: December 2008

In this paper, we examine the generation of pressure and lift forces in a random soft fibrous media layer that is confined between two planar surfaces, an infinite horizontal lower boundary and a horizontal inclined upper boundary, in the lubrication limit where the characteristic thickness of the fibre layerH≪Lthe length of the inclined surface. The model for the fibre layer is a Brinkman equation and the Darcy permeabilityKpis described by the widely used Carman–Kozeny equation for random porous media. Two cases are considered: (a) an inclined upper boundary which slides freely on top of a stationary fibre layer which is firmly attached to the lower boundary and (b) an inclined stationary upper boundary with an attached fibre layer in which the horizontal lower boundary slides freely in its own plane beneath it. Superficially, the problems appear equivalent to the classical problem for a slider bearing where the solutions for the pressure distribution and lift force are independent of which boundary is moving. In this problem there is an optimum compression ratiok=h1/h2= 2.2, whereh1andh2are the heights at the leading and trailing edges, for maximum lift force. However, this symmetry is lost if the intervening space is filled with a soft porous fibrous material since the Brinkman equation is not invariant under a transformation of coordinates in which the inherently unsteady problem in case (a) is transformed to a steady reference frame in which the inclined upper boundary is stationary and the horizontal boundary with the adhered fibre layer moves below it. Although in the steady reference frame case (a) now appears to resemble case (b), the solutions are strikingly different and depend critically on the value of the dimensionless fibre interaction layer thickness$\alpha\,{=}\, H/\sqrt{K_p}$. For α ≪ 1 the solutions for both cases approach the classical solution for a slider bearing. For α ≫ 1 we show, using asymptotic analysis that the solutions diverge dramatically. In case (a) the pressure and lift force increase as α2and asymptotically approach a limiting behaviour for large values of α, first predicted in Feng and Weinbaum (J. Fluid Mech., vol. 422, 2000, p. 288), while in case (b) the pressure and lift force decay as α−2since the inclined upper boundary is screened by the fibre layer and the amount of fluid dragged through the fluid gap decreases as α increases and vanishes for α ≫ 1. The solution in case (a), where the inclined upper boundary moves, is of particular interest since it reveals the potential to generate enormous lift forces using commercially available inexpensive soft porous materials provided the lateral leakage at the edge of the planform can be eliminated through the use of a channel with impermeable sidewalls as first proposed in the work by Wu, Andreopolous and Weinbaum (Phys. Rev. Lett., vol. 93, 2004, p. 194501). The behaviour is illustrated for both a toboggan sliding in such a channel and a larger planform that might be useful in commercial transportation.
Electrokinetic instabilities of non-dilute colloidal suspensions
Authors: NAVANEETHAM GURU , POSNER JONATHAN D.
Published: December 2008

An experimental investigation of electrokinetic instabilities (EKIs) of non-dilute colloidal suspensions in microchannels is presented. The addition of charged colloidal particles to a solution can alter the solution's electrical conductivity and permittivity as well as the average particle electrophoretic mobility. In this work, a colloidal (500 nm polystyrene) volume fraction gradient is achieved at the intersection of a Y-shaped polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) microchannel. The flow becomes unstable when the electroviscous stretching and folding of the conductivity and permittivity interfaces exceed the dissipative effects of viscous forces and particle diffusion. The suspension conductivity as a function of the particle volume fraction is presented. The critical conditions required for flow instability are measured along with a scaling analysis which shows that the flow becomes unstable due to a coupling of applied electric fields and the electrical conductivity and permittivity gradients in the flow. The flow becomes unstable at a critical electric Rayleigh number ofRae= 1.8 × 105for a wide range of applied electric fields spanning three orders of magnitude and colloid volume fractions varying two orders of magnitude. EKIs of non-dilute colloidal suspensions may be important for applications such as the electrophoretic deposition of micropatterned colloidal assemblies, electrorheological devices and on-chip electrokinetic (EK) manipulation of colloids.
An evaluation of antigen B family ofEchinococcus granulosus, its conformational propensity and elucidation of the agretope
Authors: Bhattacharya D. , Pan D. , Das S. , Bera A.K. , Bandyopadhyay S. , Das S.K.
Published: December 2008

The present communication evaluates the antigen B (AgB) family of bubaline isolates ofEchinococcus granulosuswith respect to their conformational propensity and also discusses the stretches of agretope. AgB, which is abundantly present in hydatid cyst fluid, is encoded by a gene family,AgB1–AgB5. Hydatidosis is of zoonotic and economic importance in India. Buffaloes serve as the intermediate host. However, to date the AgB family has not been fully analysed. During the present study two different primers used for amplification ofAgB1revealed homology toEchinococcus canadensis(G8) as well asE. granulosus sensu stricto(G1/G2). The sequence of AgB3 is homologous to that of the well-defined species,Echinococcus ortleppi(G5), and the predicted amino acid sequence of AgB4 is homologous to bovine isolates identified earlier. α- and β-amphipathic structures were recorded in all the antigens designated as T-cell receptor sites. The antigenic index of different stretches correlated with hydrophilicity because the hydrophobic residues are not accessible to the cells. In this study, we investigated the binding propensity of AgB to MHC II in order to determine stretches of agretope. Agretopes began with four hydrophilic residues. Two to three additional hydrophilic residues were present in the internal motif. This comparison of AgB and its family of bubaline isolates, with respect to their sequence information, α- and β- amphipathic regions, antigenic index and stretches of agretope is the first such report from India.
Do we need a symbol for a central open vowel?
Authors: Barry William J. , Trouvain Jürgen
Published: December 2008

The present discussion re-opens an old issue that was ‘officially discussed’ in Kiel in 1989 but has not been offered for debate in the wider phonetic community. It is argued that there is a logical and practical gap in the present IPA vowel chart. The lack of a central open vowel is unsatisfactory, in particular because more languages have a single open vowel with an apparently more central than fronted or backed quality. Arguments and suggestions for a number of alternative solutions to the problem are presented for discussion.
William Stacy Johnson, A Time to Embrace: Same-Gender Relationships in Religion, Law, and Politics
Authors: Witte John
Published: December 2008

In this important new volume, William Stacy Johnson, a lawyer and a chaired theology professor at Princeton Theological Seminary, provides a detailed and helpful typology of seven positions on same-sex relationships at work in American churches. These range from the ‘non-affirming’ positions of (1) prohibition, (2) toleration and (3) accommodation, to the ‘affirming’ positions of (4) legitimation, (5) celebration, (6) liberation and (7) consecration.
From sound to syntax: phonological constraints on children's lexical categorization of new words
Authors: FITNEVA STANKA A. , CHRISTIANSEN MORTEN H. , MONAGHAN PADRAIC
Published: December 2008

Two studies examined the role of phonological cues in the lexical categorization of new words when children could also rely on learning by exclusion and whether the role of phonology depends on extensive experience with a language. Phonological cues were assessed via phonological typicality – an aggregate measure of the relationship between the phonology of a word and the phonology of words in the same lexical class. Experiment 1 showed that when monolingual English-speaking seven-year-olds could rely on learning by exclusion, phonological typicality only affected their initial inferences about the words. Consistent with recent computational analyses, phonological cues had stronger impact on the processing of verb-like than noun-like items. Experiment 2 revealed an impact of French on the performance of seven-year-olds in French immersion when tested in a French language environment. Thus, phonological knowledge may affect lexical categorization even in the absence of extensive experience.
Prevalence and incidence of hepatitis C in injecting drug users attending genitourinary medicine clinics
Authors: BALOGUN M. A. , MURPHY N. , NUNN S. , GRANT A. , ANDREWS N. J. , TEO C. G. , RAMSAY M. E. , PARRY J. V.
Published: December 2008

Surveillance reports and prevalence studies have indicated that injecting drug users (IDUs) contribute more to the hepatitis C epidemic in the United Kingdom than any other risk group. Information on both the prevalence and incidence of hepatitis C in IDUs is therefore essential to understanding the epidemiology of this infection. The prevalence of hepatitis C in specimens from the Unlinked Anonymous Prevalence Monitoring Programme collected in 1995, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, and 2001 was determined using residual syphilis serology specimens from IDUs attending 15 genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinics in and outside London. These specimens were tested for antibodies to hepatitis C virus (anti-HCV). Using this cross-sectional design, anti-HCV-negative specimens were tested for HCV RNA to identify incident infections during the ‘window’ period of infection, and thus to estimate HCV incidence. Results of the multivariable analysis showed that there was marked variation in prevalence by clinic (P<0·0001) and age (P<0·0001). Overall the majority of infections were in males and the overall prevalence in injectors declined over the study period from 36·9% to 28·7%. The annual incidence in these injectors was estimated as being 3·01% (95% CI 1·25–6·73). Over the study period HCV incidence decreased by 1·2% per year. Genotyping of the incident infections identified the most common genotype as type 1 with type 3 being more frequently seen after 1998. Of the prevalent infections, genotype 1 was the most common. The study has confirmed a higher prevalence of anti-HCV in IDUs in the London area compared to those outside London. How representative of the current injecting drug user population are IDUs attending GUM clinics is unclear. Even so, such studies allow prevalence and incidence to be estimated in individuals who have ever injected drugs and inform ongoing public health surveillance.
A national outbreak of verotoxin-producingEscherichia coliO157 associated with consumption of lemon-and-coriander chicken wraps from a supermarket chain
Authors: WHITTAKER P. J. , SOPWITH W. , QUIGLEY C. , GILLESPIE I. , WILLSHAW G. A. , LYCETT C. , SURMAN-LEE S. , BAXTER D. , ADAK G. K. , SYED Q.
Published: December 2008

A national outbreak of verotoxin-producingEscherichia coliO157 infection affected five English regions and Wales. Twelve cases were associated with lemon-and-coriander chicken wrap from a single supermarket chain consumed over a 5-day period. An outbreak investigation aimed to identify the source of infection. Descriptive epidemiology and phenotypic and genotypic tests on human isolates indicated a point-source outbreak; a case-control study showed a very strong association between consumption of lemon-and-coriander chicken wrap from the single supermarket chain and being a case (OR 46·40, 95% CI 5·39–∞,P=0·0002). Testing of raw ingredients, products and faecal samples from staff in the food production unit did not yield any positive results. The outbreak was probably caused by one contaminated batch of an ingredient in the chicken wrap. Even when current best practice is in place, ready-to-eat foods can still be a risk for widespread infection.
Type-safe pattern combinators
Authors: RHIGER MORTEN
Published: December 2008

Macros still haven't made their way into typed higher-order programming languages such as Haskell and Standard ML. Therefore, to extend the expressiveness of Haskell or Standard ML, one must express new linguistic features in terms of functions that fit within the static type systems of these languages. This is particularly challenging when introducing features that span across multiple types and that bind variables. We address this challenge by developing, in a step by step manner, mechanisms for encoding patterns and pattern matching in Haskell in a type-safe way.
Do cognitively impaired patients benefit from rehabilitation?
Authors: Poynter Lynn , Kwan Joseph , Sayer Avan Aihie , Vassallo Michael
Published: December 2008

Rehabilitation in broad terms is a process aimed at restoring a person's functional capacity particularly in relation to activities of daily living. Studies have shown that hospitalization of older patients is a major risk factor for an often irreversible decline in function, and that functional decline from baseline occurs as early as day two of admission. Rehabilitation is therefore often required for older patients following an admission to an acute hospital. Older patients admitted for rehabilitation are more likely to be functionally impaired and are more medically complex than younger patients.
Cognitive representation of colour in bilinguals: The case of Greek blues
Authors: ATHANASOPOULOS PANOS
Published: December 2008

A number of recent studies demonstrate that bilinguals with languages that differ in grammatical and lexical categories may shift their cognitive representation of those categories towards that of monolingual speakers of their second language. The current paper extended that investigation to the domain of colour in Greek–English bilinguals with different levels of bilingualism, and English monolinguals. Greek differentiates the blue region of colour space into a darker shade calledbleand a lighter shade calledghalazio. Results showed a semantic shift of category prototypes with level of bilingualism and acculturation, while the way bilinguals judged the perceptual similarity between within- and cross-category stimulus pairs depended strongly on the availability of the relevant colour terms in semantic memory, and the amount of time spent in the L2-speaking country. These results suggest that cognition is tightly linked to semantic memory for specific linguistic categories, and to cultural immersion in the L2-speaking country.
The well-being of children in food-insecure households: results from The Eastern Caribbean Child Vulnerability Study 2005
Authors: Racine Elizabeth F , Jemison Kyle , Huber Larissa R , Arif Ahmed A
Published: December 2008

Objective

To examine the relationship between food insecurity and child well-being indicators.

Design

Cross-sectional survey conducted in 2344 households with children. The main exposure measure was food insecurity status, which was categorized as food secure or food insecure based on two or more food insecurity questions answered in the affirmative. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to model the association between food insecurity status and selected child well-being indicators.

Setting

Barbados, St. Lucia and St. Vincent and the Grenadines (hereafter St. Vincent), three Eastern Caribbean countries, 2005.

Subjects

A random sample of households with children was identified by the governments of Barbados, St. Lucia and St. Vincent. In-home interviews were conducted by social workers.

Results

One-third (33 %) of households were categorized as food insecure. Food-insecure households were more likely to include a chronically ill parent (OR = 2·48; 95 % CI 1·76, 3·49), a recently divorced parent (OR = 1·92; 95 % CI 1·21, 3·05), a child requiring multiple visits to a health-care provider for a disability (OR = 3·98; 95 % CI 1·20, 13·19) or injury (OR = 1·78; 95 % CI 1·12, 2·83), a child with a learning disability (OR = 2·08; 95 % CI 1·16, 3·74) or a child with a physical disability (OR = 2·54; 95 % CI 1·22, 5·32) after adjustment for poverty and other demographic variables.

Conclusions

The results indicate that food-insecure households were more likely to be burdened by child disability (learning and physical), family system disruption (recent divorce and chronic illness) and child health-care needs (for disability and injury) than food-secure households. The implementation of programmes and policies to minimize food insecurity in the Eastern Caribbean may be warranted.
Two-year controlled effectiveness trial of a school-based intervention to prevent obesity in Chilean children
Authors: Kain Juliana , Leyton Barbara , Cerda Ricardo , Vio Fernando , Uauy Ricardo
Published: December 2008

Objective

Obesity prevalence among Chilean children is 19·4 %. The present study aimed to assess the effectiveness of a school-based obesity prevention programme.

Design

Non-randomized controlled study. The intervention included activities in nutrition and physical activity, fully applied the first year and partially in the second one. Primary outcomes were BMI Z-score (BMIZ) and obesity prevalence; secondary outcomes were waist circumference and triceps skinfold thickness. Time effects were assessed by changes in BMI-related variables by gender and period (ANOVA and Tukey test), while intervention effects were determined by comparing changes in (i) obesity prevalence by gender and period (PROC GENMOD) and (ii) BMIZ according gender, age and period (PROC MIXED).

Setting

Primary schools in the Chilean cities of Casablanca (intervention group) and Quillota (control group).

Subjects

One thousand seven hundred and fifty-nine children from three schools (intervention group) and 671 from one school (control group).

Results

Over the two years, obesity prevalence and BMIZ declined significantly in the intervention group; from 17·0 % to 12·3 % and 14·1 % to 10·3 % in boys and girls, respectively, and from 0·62 to 0·53 and 0·64 to 0·58, respectively. In the control group, obesity remained stable at about 21 % and 15 %, while BMIZ increased significantly in the second year. BMIZ declined in both genders and all age categories in the intervention group during the first year (significant only in younger boys). No changes occurred during the summer, while during the second year, BMIZ increased in boys and girls from both groups (significant only in the younger control boys). Obesity declined significantly only in boys during the first year.

Conclusion

Effectiveness was greater in the first school year and more evident in younger boys.
Validation of an FFQ for evaluation of EPA and DHA intake
Authors: Lucas Michel , Asselin Geneviève , Mérette Chantal , Poulin Marie-Josée , Dodin Sylvie
Published: December 2008

Objective

To validate an FFQ for the assessment of dietary EPA and DHA against their relative concentrations in red blood cells (RBC).

Design

Cross-sectional analysis of baseline data. Intakes of marine food products and EPA and DHA were estimated by FFQ on the basis of consumption of marine food products in the last month. Fatty acid composition of RBC membranes was quantified by GC.

Setting

Saint-François d’Assise Hospital, Québec, Canada.

Subjects

A total of sixty-five middle-aged women who participated in a randomized clinical trial.

Results

Spearman’s correlation coefficient between intake of EPA, DHA and EPA + DHA and their corresponding concentration in RBC was 0·46, 0·40 and 0·42, respectively (allP< 0·05). Multiple regression analysis of EPA+DHA intake and RBC EPA + DHA concentration indicated positive and significant correlations for oily fish (β= 0·44, 95 % CI 0·16, 0·72,P= 0·0027), total fish (β= 0·42, 95 % CI 0·19, 0·64,P= 0·0005) and marine food products (β= 0·42, 95 % CI 0·20, 0·64,P= 0·0003). No other marine food products significantly predicted RBC EPA + DHA concentration.

Conclusions

Although the present validation study was undertaken among middle-aged women with low consumption of marine food products (<3 servings/week), our FFQ provided estimates of EPA and DHA intakes that correlated fairly well with their RBC concentrations. However, the absence of correlations between EPA + DHA intakes from different marine species suggests that a minimum EPA + DHA intake is necessary to observe a relationship with RBC EPA + DHA concentrations.
Determinants of ferritin and soluble transferrin receptors as iron status parameters in young adult women
Authors: Pynaert Ilse , De Bacquer Dirk , Matthys Christophe , Delanghe Joris , Temmerman Marleen , De Backer Guy , De Henauw Stefaan
Published: December 2008

Objective

To investigate associations between nutritional and non-nutritional variables and Fe status parameters, i.e. serum ferritin and soluble transferrin receptors (sTfR).

Design

Cross-sectional design. Fe status parameters were determined on a fasting venous blood sample. Nutritional variables were assessed using a 2 d food record and non-nutritional variables by a general questionnaire. A general linear model was used to investigate associations between the variables and Fe status parameters.

Setting

Region of Ghent, Dutch-speaking part of Belgium.

Subjects

Random sample of 788 women (aged 18–39 years).

Results

Median (interquartile range) ferritin and sTfR were 26·3 (15·9, 48·9) ng/ml and 1·11 (0·95, 1·30) mg/l, respectively. BMI and alcohol intake were positively associated and tea intake was negatively associated with serum ferritin. Women who used a non-hormonal intra-uterine device, who gave blood within the past year or who had been pregnant within the past year had lower serum ferritin values than their counterparts. Significant determinants of sTfR were smoking habit and pregnancy, with higher values for non-smokers and women who had been pregnant within the past year.

Conclusions

The present study indicates that contraceptive use, time since last blood donation, time since last pregnancy, BMI, alcohol and tea intake are determinants of Fe stores, whereas smoking habit and time since last pregnancy are determinants of tissue Fe needs. When developing strategies to improve Fe status, special attention should be given to women who use a non-hormonal intra-uterine device, gave blood within the past year and had been pregnant within the past year.
The Lisbon Treaty: The Irish ‘No’.: National Parliaments and Subsidiarity
Authors: Bermann George A.
Published: December 2008

Comparative perspective – Guardians of subsidiarity in United States? Not senators, not state legislators – Contrast with EU – EU parliaments do double duty – COSAC – Re-entry of federal courts on the scene – In EU: possible lessening of pressure on European Court – Insufficient time
Bildgebung im Thoraxraum
Authors: Alkadhi Hatem , Russi Erich W.
Published: December 2008

Die Bildgebung des Thorax hat in den letzten zwanzig Jahren große Fortschritte gemacht. Das Thorax-Röntgenbild bleibt eine der wichtigsten diagnostischen Zusatzuntersuchungen im medizinischen Alltag. Die Wahl einer geeigneten weiterführenden Spezialuntersuchung richtet sich nach der im Vordergrund stehenden diagnostischen Fragestellung. Grundkenntnisse der einzelnen Verfahren erleichtern die diagnostische Entscheidungsfindung und eine gemeinsame Terminologie fördern die Kommunikation zwischen Auftraggeber und Radiologen. Die heute gebräuchlichen Verfahren zeichnen sich nicht nur durch eine höhere Sensitivität und Spezifität gegenüber früheren Untersuchungstechniken aus, sie sind auch mit einer deutlichen geringeren Belastung für den Patienten verbunden.
Bildgebung bei unspezifischen Abdominalbeschwerden
Authors: Criblez Dominique , Treumann Thomas , Metzger Jürg
Published: December 2008

Die Diagnose von funktionellen Abdominalbeschwerden fußt hauptächlich auf Anamnese und (blandem) klinischem Befund. Die Herausforderung besteht darin, das richtige Maß an absichernder Bildgebung zu finden. Bei der funktionellen Dyspepsie stehen die Gastroskopie und die Oberbauch-Sonographie im Vordergrund. Beim Reizdarmsyndrom ist speziell im Alter über 50 Jahren die Indikation zur Koloskopie großzügig zu stellen, da in dieser Altersgruppe Überlegungen zur Vorsorge des kolorektalen Karzinoms hineinspielen. Der obstipationsdominante Reizdarm lässt sich mit der Kolontransitzeitbestimmung (Marker-Studie) gegen eine Slow-Transit-Constipation abgrenzen. Chronische Abdominalschmerzen werden mit der abdominalen Computertomographie, in selektionierten Fällen mittels Laparoskopie abgeklärt.
Bildgebung bei Erkrankungen der Leber, Galle und Bauchspeicheldrüse – die richtige Untersuchung ist das günstigste Verfahren
Authors: Banz Vanessa M. , Candinas Daniel
Published: December 2008

Ziel dieses Kapitels ist es, einen praktisch-klinisch orientierten Überblick über die optimale Bildgebung der häufigsten Erkrankungen des hepato-pankreatikobiliären Systems aufzuzeichnen. Zu diesem Zweck werden Leberparenchym, Gallenwege, Pankreas und die hepatische Gefäßversorgung separat betrachtet. Je nach vermuteter Pathologie kann dann kostensparend und zeiteffizient die aussagekräftigste Bildgebung gewählt werden.
Vortest-Wahrscheinlichkeit – Bildgebung – Nachtest-Wahrscheinlichkeit: Wen kümmert das?
Authors: Steurer Johann
Published: December 2008

Die «Aussagekraft» und indirekt damit auch der «Wert» eines diagnostischen Tests, zum Beispiel eines Ultraschalls bei Verdacht auf akute Appendizitis, werden mit den Begriffen der Sensitivität und Spezifität beschrieben. Nach gängiger Lehrmeinung schätzt der Arzt aufgrund der Beschwerden des Patienten eine Vortestwahrscheinlichkeit für die vermutete Erkrankung und berechnet dann aufgrund des Testresultates und der Sensitivität und Spezifität die Wahrscheinlichkeit der vermuteten Erkrankung. Realität ist, dass Ärzte in der Praxis praktisch nie so vorgehen. Warum? Krankheitswahrscheinlichkeiten quantitativ festzulegen ist schwierig, die Werte für die Sensitivität und Spezifität der Tests sind dem Arzt meist nicht bekannt und Berechnungen mit diesen Werten anzustellen ist in der Praxis zu umständlich. Hilfreich sind oder wären verlässliche Empfehlungen der Experten welcher Test bei welcher Indikation, abhängig vom Kontext, am besten zu verwenden ist.
Bildgebung bei neurologischen Symptomen
Authors: Wiest Roland , Schroth Gerhard , Mattle Heinrich P.
Published: December 2008

Bildgebende Verfahren haben in der Diagnostik und Therapiekontrolle neurologischer und neurochirurgischer Erkrankungen in den letzten 20 Jahren drastisch an Bedeutung gewonnen. Häufig bestehen jedoch Unklarheiten, bei welcher Erkrankung welches bildgebende Verfahren sinnvoll ist, und wann therapeutische bildgestützte Verfahren zum Einsatz kommen sollen. Hierbei hat sich insbesondere gezeigt, dass die Wahl des geeigneten Verfahrens nur dann mit optimaler Sensitivität und Spezifität eingesetzt werden kann, wenn anhand von Anamnese und klinisch-neurologischer Untersuchung die entsprechenden Leitsymptome definiert werden und eine gezielte Indikationsstellung erfolgen kann. Im Folgenden sollen die häufigsten Leitsymptome, die eine bildgebende Abklärung erfordern, dargestellt werden und eine Einschätzung der geeigneten Abklärungsverfahren erfolgen.