bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
EPIDEMIOLOGICAL STUDY OF GAMBLING IN THE NON‐METROPOLITAN REGION OF CENTRAL QUEENSLAND
Authors: Schofield Grant , Mummery Kerry , Wang Wei , Dickson Geoff
Published: January 2004

Objective:   The purpose of the research was to provide a contemporary description of the gambling behaviours of people in Central Queensland.

Design:   The South Oaks Gambling Screen (SOGS), a clinical diagnostic tool for identifying problem and pathological gamblers was utilised.

Setting:   Central Queensland extends from Bundaberg to Mackay and west to the Queensland – Northern Territory border. The region incorporates a number of rural and regional centres and the major centres of Rockhampton, Gladstone, Mackay and Bundaberg.

Subjects:   Computer‐aided telephone interviews were conducted with a random sample of 1029 adults.

Main outcome measure a: a comparison of CQ gambling rates with national averages.

Results:  Over 90% of the population had engaged in some form of gambling activity in the past month. One point eight percent of the sample fulfilled criteria for ‘problem gambling’. The prevalence of ‘probable pathological gambling’, was 0.8%. An additional 1% of the population were identified as being ‘problem gamblers’. These rates are slightly lower than the Australian average identified by the Productivity Commission in 1999. Nonetheless, they indicate the presence of a large number of individuals affected by problem gambling.

Conclusions:  Comparisons of these data with treatment statistics available from the regional counselling service for problem gamblers indicate that the majority of these gamblers do not seek treatment. It is clear that many gamblers with serious pathology go undetected and untreated. General practitioners are suggested as one appropriate point for screening and further referral. A whole‐of‐government approach to problem and pathological gambling is also advocated.

What is already known:   Gambling is increasingly recognised as a health determinant for individuals, families and communities throughout metropolitan and non‐metropolitan Australia. Previous research has not yet identified the prevalence rate of problem gambling in non‐metropolitan communities within Australia.

What this study adds:   The prevalence of problem gambling in Central Queensland identified by this study does not exceed national rates. Central Queensland's gambling problem is likely to be at least the equal as the rest of Australia.
RURAL NURSE PRACTITIONERS IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA: RECOGNITION FOR REGISTERED NURSES ALREADY FULFILLING THE ROLE
Authors: Bagg Judy
Published: January 2004

ABSTRACT: The introduction of the nurse practitioner role is hailed as a new initiative in the South Australian public health system. In reality, some registered nurses working in rural public health care facilities have been practicing in the role for many years. The role of the rural registered nurse, the pathway towards achieving rural nurse practitioner status and the anticipated advantages of implementing the rural nurse practitioner role will be presented.
IMPLEMENTING COMPUTERISED WORKLOAD DATA COLLECTION IN RURAL PRIMARY HEALTH CARE
Authors: West Christina , Farmer Jane , Whyte Bruce
Published: January 2004

Objective:   Describes the implementation of a computerised information system to collect workload data and discusses feedback from staff evaluation of use and value.

Design:   Feedback interviews following service implementation.

Setting:   Remote rural primary health care, Scotland.

Subjects:  Thirty‐three primary health care staff.

Main outcome measures:  Not relevant, as the study was service development with qualitative evaluation.

Results:  Findings of evaluation interviews indicate a number of themes common to remote rural practice that make implementing a computerised information system problematical. These include: logistical problems caused by small practice teams and wide areas covered; inadequate allowance for recording of blurred roles and the wide range of non‐clinical duties carried out; lack of local contextual and cultural information, which is necessary to make sense of data collected. Remote rural health professionals found reports from the system of limited value as they felt they already had good knowledge of local activities and had few opportunities, due to small teams, to use data for service redesign.

Conclusion:  Remote rural primary care is underpinned by a number of organisational and philosophical features that require understanding when considering the implementation of initiatives developed in an urban working environment.

What is already known on the subject:  A small number of studies have evaluated the implementation of information systems in primary health care, but there is little information about the feasibility and value of routinely gathering data in rural areas. This work was required to assess the extent to which information systems developed in urban practice can be implemented and are applicable to rural practice.

What does this study add:  This evaluation shows that certain features of rural practice may mean that data gathering has to be adapted and that, in any case, rural practices may find less value in the outputs of information systems compared with urban counterparts. Those considering the dissemination of national initiatives should consider the need to adapt their policies for implementation in rural settings.
PREVALENCE OF OVERWEIGHT AND SMOKING PATIENTS WITH CORONARY HEART DISEASE IN RURAL CHINA
Authors: Wang Lexin , Yao Daokuo , Wu Tongguo
Published: January 2004

Objective: To investigate the prevalence of overweight and/or smoking patients with coronary artery disease in rural China.

Design: A prospective survey with qualitative, open‐ended questionnaires.

Setting: Tertiary referral centre.

Subjects: 158 hospitalised patients (71 men and 87 women) with established coronary heart disease.

Main outcome measures: To determine the prevalence of overweight and /or smoking hospitalised patients who had a definitive diagnosis of coronary artery disease and to determine participants understanding of these risk factors.

Results: Being overweight and smoking cigarettes were found in 32.7% and 15.2% of the participants, respectively. More than 70% of the overweight participants had neither knowledge nor counselling on their weight before the study. Most smokers believed smoking was harmful to their health and cardiac condition, and had tried unsuccessfully to quit smoking.

Conclusions: There was a high prevalence of overweight and/or smoking patients with coronary heart disease. A systematic approach is urgently required to educate patients and primary care physicians, and to improve the management of being overweight and smoking cigarettes.
Postsynaptic calcium contributes to reinforcement in a three‐neuron network exhibiting associative plasticity
Authors: Balaban P. M. , Korshunova T. A. , Bravarenko N. I.
Published: January 2004

We show that activation of a single serotonergic cell is sufficient to trigger long‐term associative enhancement of synaptic input to the withdrawal interneuron in a simple network consisting of three interconnected identified cells in the nervous system of terrestrial snail Helix. 1,2‐bis (2‐aminophenoxy) Ethane‐N,N,N′,N′‐tetraacetic acid (BAPTA) injection in the postsynaptic neuron abolishes the pairing‐specific enhancement of synaptic input. Activation of a single modulatory cell that we used to reinforce the synaptic input induced an increase of the intracellular [Ca2+] in the ipsilateral withdrawal interneuron without any changes of its membrane potential or input resistance. Similar changes in intracellular [Ca2+] were observed in the same withdrawal interneuron under bath application of 10−5 m serotonin. Responses to repeated glutamate applications to the soma of synaptically isolated withdrawal interneurons increased after 10 min of serotonin or thapsigargin bath application, but were absent in conditions of preliminary BAPTA intracellular injection, significantly decreased under heparin injection. Thus, activity of a single modulatory cell may mediate reinforcement via an increase of [Ca2+] in the postsynaptic cell in a simple network consisting of neurons with defined behavioural roles.
Rearrangement of the retino‐collicular projection after partial optic nerve crush in the adult rat
Authors: Kreutz Michael R. , Weise Jens , Dieterich Daniela C. , Kreutz Martin , Balczarek Peter , Böckers Tobias M. , Wittkowski Werner , Gundelfinger Eckart D. , Sabel Bernhard A.
Published: January 2004

The establishment of retino‐collicular topography is a well‐investigated model of axon pathfinding and it was believed that this topography is irreversibly fixed throughout life. We now report that, after partial crush of the adult rat optic nerve, the anterograde transport of intravitreally‐injected tracers via axons of surviving retinal ganglion cells (RGC) in all retinal quadrants is confined to the rostro‐medial part of the superior colliculus (SC). This indicates that the retino‐collicular topography is rearranged after partial crush of the adult rat optic nerve. The reorganization starts in the injured optic nerve where surviving axonal fibres are demyelinized and bundled in the periphery of the optic nerve distal to the crush site. This is followed by a displacement of surviving axons to the medial part of the optic tract (OT) within 2 weeks. The infiltration of macrophages with the subsequent production of tumour necrosis factor‐α at the lesion site is a prerequisite for the altered retino‐collicular projection as blockade of tumour necrosis factor‐α signalling with the neutralizing antibody Infliximab abolishes reorganization in the SC and lateralization of RGC axons in the optic nerve and OT. This suggests that optic nerve inflammation is necessary for a progressive bundling of surviving RGC axons, probably via clearance of cellular debris which, in turn, may lead to a redistribution of RGC axons to the medial OT and rostro‐medial SC.
Activation of a subpopulation of orexin/hypocretin‐containing hypothalamic neurons by GABAA receptor‐mediated inhibition of the nucleus accumbens shell, but not by exposure to a novel environment
Authors: Baldo Brian A. , Gual‐Bonilla Lisa , Sijapati Karuna , Daniel Roger A. , Landry Charles F. , Kelley Ann E.
Published: January 2004

γ‐Amino butyric acid (GABA)A receptor stimulation in the nucleus accumbens shell produces intense hyperphagia in rats and increases Fos expression in the lateral hypothalamus. To explore the involvement of hypothalamic orexin/hypocretin‐ or melanin concentrating hormone‐immunoreactive neurons in this effect, the GABAA agonist, muscimol (0, 50 ng), was infused directly into the nucleus accumbens shell of rats; 90 min later, their brains were collected and subsequently processed for immunohistochemistry. A group exposed to a novel environment was included to evaluate the specificity of Fos expression changes with regard to general arousal. Alternating sections through the hypothalamus were double‐stained for orexin/hypocretin–Fos or melanin concentrating hormone–Fos combinations. Intra‐accumbens shell muscimol treatment significantly increased the percentage of orexin/hypocretin‐containing neurons expressing Fos in the lateral, but not medial, portion of the perifornical/lateral hypothalamic area. Regardless of treatment condition, greater percentages of orexin/hypocretin‐containing neurons in the medial portion of the hypothalamus expressed Fos relative to cells located more laterally. None of the manipulations increased Fos expression in melanin concentrating hormone‐immunoreactive neurons. Muscimol treatment also markedly increased Fos expression in the arcuate nucleus, which connects reciprocally to the lateral/perifornical hypothalamic area. Thus, orexin/hypocretin‐containing neurons in lateral sectors of the hypothalamus, along with cells in the arcuate nucleus, display phasic increases in Fos expression after an orexigenic pharmacological manipulation of the nucleus accumbens shell, but to a lesser degree after the heightened arousal associated with exposure to a novel environment.
Toxicity of glutathione depletion in mesencephalic cultures: a role for arachidonic acid and its lipoxygenase metabolites
Authors: Kramer Brian C. , Yabut Jocelyn A. , Cheong Julie , Jnobaptiste Ruth , Robakis Thalia , Olanow C. Warren , Mytilineou Catherine
Published: January 2004

The contribution of arachidonic acid (AA) release and metabolism to the toxicity that results from glutathione (GSH) depletion was studied in rat mesencephalic cultures treated with the GSH synthesis inhibitor l‐buthionine sulfoximine. Our data show that GSH depletion is accompanied by increased release of AA, which is phosholipase A2 (PLA2) dependent. Exogenous AA is toxic to GSH‐depleted cells. This toxicity is prevented by inhibition of lipoxygenase activity, suggesting participation of toxic byproducts of AA metabolism. Hydroxyperoxyeicosatetraenoic acid (HPETE), one of the primary products of AA metabolism by lipoxygenase is also toxic to GSH‐depleted cells, whereas hydroeicosatetraenoic acid (HETE) is not. Cell death caused by GSH depletion is prevented by: (i) replenishment of GSH levels with GSH‐ethyl ester; (ii) inhibition of PLA2 activity; (iii) inhibition of lipoxygenase activity; and (iv), treatment with ascorbic acid. These data suggest that the following events likely contribute to cell death when GSH levels become depleted. Loss of GSH results in increased release of AA, which is PLA2 dependent. Metabolism of arachidonic acid via the lipoxygenase pathway results in generation of oxygen free radicals possibly produced during conversion of HPETE to HETE, which contribute to cellular damage and death. Our study suggests that limiting AA release and metabolism may provide benefit in conditions with an existing depletion of GSH, such as Parkinson's disease.
Magnetoencephalography indicates finger motor somatotopy
Authors: Beisteiner Roland , Gartus Andreas , Erdler Marcus , Mayer Dagmar , Lanzenberger Rupert , Deecke Lüder
Published: January 2004

The existence or non‐existence of fine‐scale motor somatotopy of the hand is a fundamental problem with regard to the functioning of the human brain. In contrast to seldom contradicted early twentieth century descriptions of activation overlap, descriptions of finger motor somatotopy faced disagreement. Recent blood‐flow‐related brain mapping data achieved with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) argue in favour of fine‐scale somatotopy. However, considerable discrepancies between blood oxygen‐level‐dependent fMRI activations and intracortically recorded neuronal activity have been reported and it is unclear whether the blood flow results truly reflect the neuronal situation. We have used recent advances in magnetoencephalography to detect signals deriving directly from neuronal tissue. Besides replication of the overlap aspect, we found statistically significant evidence for the existence of a somatotopic aspect of human hand motor representation when comparing the fifth and first finger motor dipoles along the superior–inferior axis. The average location of the fifth finger was found to be 2.31 mm superior to the first finger.
12‐ and 18‐month‐old infants follow gaze to spaces behind barriers
Authors: Moll Henrike , Tomasello Michael
Published: January 2004

Infants follow the gaze direction of others from the middle of the first year of life. In attempting to determine how infants understand the looking behavior of adults, a number of recent studies have blocked the adult's line of sight in some way (e.g. with a blindfold or with a barrier). In contrast, in the current studies an adult looked behind a barrier which blocked the child's line of sight. Using two different control conditions and several different barrier types, 12‐ and 18‐month‐old infants locomoted a short distance in order to gain the proper viewing angle to follow an experimenter's gaze to locations behind barriers. These results demonstrate that, contra Butterworth, even 12‐month‐old infants can follow gaze to locations outside of their current field of view. They also add to growing evidence that 12‐month‐olds have some understanding of the looking behaviors of others as an act of seeing.
Hemispheric asymmetries in children's perception of nonlinguistic human affective sounds
Authors: Pollak Seth D. , Holt Lori L. , Wismer Fries Alison B.
Published: January 2004

In the present work, we developed a database of nonlinguistic sounds that mirror prosodic characteristics typical of language and thus carry affective information, but do not convey linguistic information. In a dichotic‐listening task, we used these novel stimuli as a means of disambiguating the relative contributions of linguistic and affective processing across the hemispheres. This method was applied to both children and adults with the goal of investigating the role of developing cognitive resource capacity on affective processing. Results suggest that children's limited computational resources influence how they process affective information and rule out attentional biases as a factor in children's perceptual asymmetries for nonlinguistic affective sounds. These data further suggest that investigation of perception of nonlinguistic affective sounds is a valuable tool in assessing interhemispheric asymmetries in affective processing, especially in parceling out linguistic contributions to hemispheric differences.
When left means right: an explanation of the left cradling bias in terms of right hemisphere specializations
Authors: Bourne Victoria J. , Todd Brenda K.
Published: January 2004

Previous research has indicated that 70–85% of women and girls show a bias to hold infants, or dolls, to the left side of their body. This bias is not matched in males (e.g. deChateau, Holmberg & Winberg, 1978; Todd, 1995). This study tests an explanation of cradling preferences in terms of hemispheric specialization for the perception of facial emotional expression. Thirty‐two right‐handed participants were given a behavioural test of lateralization and a cradling task. Females, but not males, who cradled a doll on the left side were found to have significantly higher laterality quotients than right cradlers. Results indicate that women cradle on the side of the body that is contralateral to the hemisphere dominant for face and emotion processing and suggest a possible explanation of gender differences in the incidence of cradling.
Two‐year‐olds’ sensitivity to speakers’ intent: an alternative account of Samuelson and Smith
Authors: Diesendruck Gil , Markson Lori , Akhtar Nameera , Reudor Ayelet
Published: January 2004

Seventy‐two 2‐year‐olds participated in a study designed to test two competing accounts of the effect of contextual change on children's ability to learn a word for an object. The mechanistic account hypothesizes that any change in context that highlights a target object will lead to word learning; the social‐pragmatic account maintains that a change in context must be perceived as relevant to the speaker's communicative intentions. Consistent with the latter account, we found that children learned the word when a change in context was intentional but not when it was accidental, and children failed to learn the word for the highlighted object when a speaker naive to the preceding context named the object.
Auditory–oral matching behavior in newborns
Authors: Chen Xin , Striano Tricia , Rakoczy Hannes
Published: January 2004

Twenty‐five newborn infants were tested for auditory–oral matching behavior when presented with the consonant sound /m/ and the vowel sound /a/ – a precursor behavior to vocal imitation. Auditory–oral matching behavior by the infant was operationally defined as showing the mouth movement appropriate for producing the model sound just heard (mouth opening for /a/ and mouth clutching for /m/), even when the infant produced no sound herself. With this new dependent measure, the current study is the first to show matching behavior to consonant sounds in newborns: infants showed significantly more instances of mouth opening after /a/ models than after /m/ models, and more instances of mouth clutching after /m/ models than after /a/ models. The results are discussed in the context of theories of active intermodal mapping and innate releasing mechanisms.
Training 2;6‐year‐olds to produce the transitive construction: the role of frequency, semantic similarity and shared syntactic distribution
Authors: Abbot‐Smith Kirsten , Lieven Elena , Tomasello Michael
Published: January 2004

Childers and Tomasello (2001) found that training 21/2‐year‐olds on the English transitive construction greatly improves their performance on a post‐test in which they must use novel verbs in that construction. In the current study, we replicated Childers and Tomasello's finding, but using a much lower frequency of transitive verbs and models in training. We also used novel verbs that were of a different semantic class to our training verbs, demonstrating that semantic homogeneity is not crucial for generalization. We also replicated the finding that 4‐year‐olds are significantly more productive than 21/2‐year‐olds with the transitive construction, with the new finding that this is also true for verbs of emission. In addition, ‘shared syntactic distribution’ of novel verb and training verbs was found to have no observable effect on the number of 21/2‐year‐olds who were productive in the post‐test.
Effect of visual experience on face processing: a developmental study of inversion and non‐native effects
Authors: Sangrigoli Sandy , De Schonen Scania
Published: January 2004

In adults, three phenomena are taken to demonstrate an experience effect on face recognition: an inversion effect, a non‐native face effect (so‐called ‘other‐race’ effect) and their interaction. It is crucial for our understanding of the developmental perception mechanisms of object processing to discover when these effects are present in childhood. Three‐ to 5‐year‐old Caucasian children (N = 64) were asked to recognize upright and inverted Caucasian and Asian faces. Recognition was tested with a forced‐choice procedure. Overall performance improved with age. However, there was an interaction between the inversion and non‐native effects that did not change with age between ages 3 and 5: (a) the inversion effect with native (Caucasian) faces was larger than with non‐native (Asian) faces, and (b) upright native faces were recognized better than upright non‐native faces. These results show that face orientation and morphology constrain face processing in 3‐ to 5‐year‐olds. The first 3 years of life during which the brain and the environment interact are sufficient to build a face‐processing system that constrains recognition.
The impact of child maltreatment on expressive syntax at 60 months
Authors: Eigsti Inge‐Marie , Cicchetti Dante
Published: January 2004

Although child maltreatment has often been described as leading to language deficits, the few well‐controlled investigations of language acquisition in maltreated children have focused on language content rather than form, or have used qualitative rather than quantitative measures. This study examines syntactic complexity in 19 maltreated and 14 nonmaltreated preschool‐aged children. Mother–child dyads participated in play sessions that were transcribed and scored for the presence of morphosyntactic forms in child speech and for specific sentence constructions in maternal speech. Findings indicated that child maltreatment was associated with language delay in both vocabulary and production of syntactic structures. There were also qualitative differences in characteristics of maternal utterances between maltreating and comparison groups. Because maltreatment initially occurred before age 2, this study highlights the long‐lasting negative influence of maltreatment on language development and also provides the first demonstration of child language delays and differences in maternal speech within a single maltreatment sample.
A longitudinal, microgenetic study of the emergence of false belief understanding and inhibition skills
Authors: Flynn Emma , O'Malley Claire , Wood David
Published: January 2004

Two theories that attempt to explain the relationship between false belief understanding and inhibition skills were investigated: (1) theory of mind development improves self‐control, and (2) executive control is necessary for developing a theory of mind. A microgenetic approach was adopted, with a group of 21 children completing a battery of inhibition and false belief understanding tasks every four weeks for six phases of testing. The results showed that the majority of children were able to perform well on a test of executive inhibition before having a good understanding of false beliefs, thus supporting theory (2). The results also illustrated that while the children's inhibition skills developed relatively gradually, their understanding of false beliefs progressed from a consistent lack of understanding through a period of unstable performance, during which some children failed tests that they had previously passed.
Visual search in typically developing toddlers and toddlers with Fragile X or Williams syndrome
Authors: Scerif Gaia , Cornish Kim , Wilding John , Driver Jon , Karmiloff‐Smith Annette
Published: January 2004

Visual selective attention is the ability to attend to relevant visual information and ignore irrelevant stimuli. Little is known about its typical and atypical development in early childhood. Experiment 1 investigates typically developing toddlers’ visual search for multiple targets on a touch‐screen. Time to hit a target, distance between successively touched items, accuracy and error types revealed changes in 2‐ and 3‐year‐olds’ vulnerability to manipulations of the search display. Experiment 2 examined search performance by toddlers with Fragile X syndrome (FXS) or Williams syndrome (WS). Both of these groups produced equivalent mean time and distance per touch as typically developing toddlers matched by chronological or mental age; but both produced a larger number of errors. Toddlers with WS confused distractors with targets more than the other groups; while toddlers with FXS perseverated on previously found targets. These findings provide information on how visual search typically develops in toddlers, and reveal distinct search deficits for atypically developing toddlers.
Increasing the impact of European obesity research in preparation for the European research area: a report on the 2003 European Commission obesity workshop*
Authors: Mercer J. G. , O'Reilly L. M. , Morgan P. J.
Published: January 2004

Leading obesity researchers from across Europe assembled in Aberdeen, Scotland, in January 2003 to consider how to increase the impact of European obesity research. The workshop was funded by the European Commission and hosted by the Rowett Research Institute, Aberdeen. The delegates identified the need to (i) develop a portfolio of studies that integrate genetics and mechanisms through parallel study of humans and animal models and (ii) establish major intervention studies in weight management and early life nutrition. It was recommended that these goals would be best achieved under the umbrella of a virtual European Obesity Research Institute, or Network of Excellence in Obesity Research under Framework Programme 6, that would facilitate harmonization of methodology, manage centralized standardized resources, coordinate training initiatives, workshops and working groups, and increase focus.
Caloric restriction, body fat and ageing in experimental models
Authors: Das M. , Gabriely I. , Barzilai N.
Published: January 2004

Caloric restriction in animal models delays many age‐related pathological conditions. Ageing rats have characteristically increased body weight, fat mass and a specific body fat distribution. This report will focus on the potential cause–effect relationship between increased fat mass and accelerated ageing. In humans, increased fat mass (obesity), and in particular increases in abdominal obesity as a result of deposition of visceral fat, are associated with the metabolic syndrome of ageing. This syndrome is associated with hyperinsulinaemia, dyslipidaemia, type 2 diabetes mellitus, atherosclerosis, hypercoagulability and hypertension. Fat tissue, however, plays a major role by secreting multiple metabolically active factors, which are potentially responsible for the development of insulin resistance. This article will review various experimental models (in animals) used to prevent insulin resistance of ageing by decreasing fat mass, and in particular, decreasing visceral fat. We suggest that this decrease in fat mass and its beneficial repercussions observed in ageing animal models may apply also to human ageing and its related pathology.
Role of candidate genes in the responses to long‐term overfeeding: review of findings
Authors: Ukkola O. , Bouchard C.
Published: January 2004

An overfeeding experiment conducted with 12 pairs of young male identical twins revealed that genetic factors were likely to play an important role in the response to caloric affluence. Significant intrapair resemblance was observed for the overfeeding‐induced changes in body weight, fat mass, abdominal fat, fasting insulin, fasting cholesterol and triglycerides. In an attempt to define the molecular basis of these genotype–energy balance interaction effects, a panel of candidate genes has been investigated. Among the most significant findings, an adipsin polymorphism was associated with increases in body weight, total fat mass and subcutaneous fat in response to overfeeding. In addition, the beta2 adrenergic receptor gene Gln27Glu polymorphism showed a strong association with the gains in body weight and subcutaneous fat. Only a few markers were related to abdominal fat changes and, among them, the adipsin Hinc II polymorphism was associated with both computed tomography (CT)‐measured abdominal visceral and total fat. The changes in insulin parameters brought about by long‐term overfeeding were influenced most consistently by leptin receptor (LEPR) Gln223Arg and insulin‐like growth factor‐II Apa I polymorphisms. The LEPR Gln223Arg variant was also associated with the changes in plasma total triglycerides and high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations. Further research with larger sample sizes should make it possible to identify the specific contributions of DNA sequence variations at multiple candidate gene loci in the complex response to chronic positive energy balance.
Current status of bariatric surgery in the treatment of type 2 diabetes
Authors: Pinkney J. , Kerrigan D.
Published: January 2004

Bariatric surgery (from the Greek words baros meaning ‘weight’ and iatrikos‘the art of healing’) is a rapidly evolving branch of surgical science. The aim is to induce major weight loss in those whose obesity places them at high risk of serious health problems. In an attempt to balance the risks of surgery against the benefits of weight loss, bariatric operations are currently performed only in the morbidly obese, or those with a body mass index (BMI) > 35 kgm−2 who already have developed comorbidity such as type 2 diabetes. Although weight loss is beneficial for obese patients with diabetes, current medical treatment for obesity is difficult. In contrast, observational studies show a major impact of bariatric surgery on diabetes, raising the question whether this approach should be used more widely to treat diabetes in obese patients? If bariatric surgery were shown to be the best way to treat diabetes in obese subjects the implications for health services would be wide‐ranging. Bariatric surgery leads to withdrawal of diabetic treatment in about 60% or more of patients, and reductions of therapy for many others. Although data on bariatric surgery in subjects with diabetes are provocative, most studies have been uncontrolled or flawed in other ways. Most importantly, bariatric surgery has not yet been compared against standard medical treatment for diabetes in randomized controlled trials with diabetes‐specific endpoints in all relevant patient groups. Potential indications for bariatric surgery are discussed, and the unanswered questions that need to be addressed by clinical trials are summarized. Although small numbers of patients may be interested in bariatric surgery for type 2 diabetes, current data are insufficient to endorse its wide scale use for this indication. Until essential studies are undertaken the role and economics of bariatric surgery in the diabetic clinic will remain uncertain.
Fatty acid composition of fats is an early determinant of childhood obesity: a short review and an opinion
Authors: Ailhaud G. , Guesnet P.
Published: January 2004

The importance of dietary fat in human obesity remains a controversial issue as the prevalence of overweight and obesity has increased despite no dramatic change in the amount of ingested fats over the past few decades. However, qualitative changes (i.e. the fatty acid composition of fats) have been largely disregarded. In this review, we summarize experimental evidence which supports polyunsaturated fatty acids of the ω6 series as being potent promoters of both adipogenesis in vitro and adipose tissue development in vivo during the gestation/lactation period. This conclusion is also supported by epidemiological data from infant studies as well as by the assessment of the fatty acid composition of mature breast milk and formula milk. It is proposed that unnoticed changes in fatty acid composition of ingested fats over the last decades have been important determinants in the increasing prevalence of childhood overweight and obesity.
A systematic review of the clinical effectiveness of orlistat used for the management of obesity
Authors: O'Meara S. , Riemsma R. , Shirran L. , Mather L. , Ter Riet G.
Published: January 2004

The aim of this paper is to assess the clinical effectiveness of orlistat used for the management of obesity. Nineteen electronic databases were searched for randomized controlled trials evaluating the effectiveness of orlistat for weight loss or maintenance of weight loss in overweight or obese patients. Each included trial was assessed for methodological quality. Statistical pooling was performed when trials were considered to be sufficiently similar. Twenty‐three trials were eligible for inclusion. Placebo‐controlled trials recruiting patients with uncomplicated obesity reported statistically significant differences in favour of orlistat for weight loss and changes in obesity‐related risk factors at all time points. Trials in obese patients with defined risk factors at baseline showed similar results, however, smaller effect sizes were observed in patients with type 2 diabetes. The effectiveness of orlistat relative to other anti‐obesity drugs is currently unclear. When orlistat was added to simvastatin, this proved to be more effective for weight loss than either drug used individually. Orlistat use is associated with a higher incidence of gastrointestinal adverse events compared with placebo. In conclusion, orlistat is more effective than placebo in promoting weight loss, maintenance of weight loss, and improving cardiovascular risk factor profiles. Baseline parameters of patients seen in clinical practice should be taken into account when considering treatment.
Hepatic steatosis in obese patients: clinical aspects and prognostic significance
Authors: Festi D. , Colecchia A. , Sacco T. , Bondi M. , Roda E. , Marchesini G.
Published: January 2004

Non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease is a new clinicopathological condition of emerging importance, now recognized as the most common cause of abnormal liver tests. It is characterized by a wide spectrum of liver damage: simple steatosis may progress to advanced fibrosis and to cryptogenic cirrhosis through steatohepatitis, and ultimately to hepatocellular carcinoma. Obesity is the most significant single risk factor for the development of fatty liver, both in children and in adults; obesity is also predictive of the presence of fibrosis, potentially progressing to advanced liver disease. From a pathogenic point of view, insulin resistance plays a central role in the accumulation of triglycerides within the hepatocytes and in the initiation of the inflammatory cascade. Chronic hepatocellular injury, necroinflammation, stellate cell activation, progressive fibrosis and ultimately, cirrhosis may be initiated by peroxidation of hepatic lipids and injury‐related cytokine release. In the last few years, several pilot studies have shown that treatment with insulin‐sensitizing agents, anti‐oxidants or cytoprotective drugs may be useful, but there is no evidence‐based support from randomized clinical trials. Modifications in lifestyle (e.g. diet and exercise) to reduce obesity remain the mainstay of prevention and treatment of a disease, which puts a large number of individuals at risk of advanced liver disease in the near future.
Effects of weight loss in overweight/obese individuals and long‐term lipid outcomes – a systematic review
Authors: Poobalan A. , Aucott L. , Smith W. C. S. , Avenell A. , Jung R. , Broom J. , Grant A. M.
Published: January 2004

This paper aims to review the evidence for long‐term effectiveness of weight loss on cholesterol, high‐density lipoprotein (HDL), low‐density lipoprotein (LDL) and triglycerides in overweight/obese people. Current evidence is mostly based on short‐term studies. A systematic review of long‐term lipid outcomes of weight loss in studies published between 1966 and 2001, was conducted. Inclusion criteria included all cohort studies and trials carried out on participants with body mass index of greater than or equal to 28 kg m−2. Studies had at least two weight change measurements and follow‐up of more than 2 years. Thirteen long‐term studies with a follow‐up of more than 2 years were included. Cholesterol has a significant positive linear relationship with weight change (r = 0.89) where change in weight explains about 80% of the cholesterol difference variation (Adj R2 = 0.80). For every 10 kg weight loss a drop of 0.23 mmol L−1 in cholesterol may be expected for a person suffering from obesity or are grossly overweight. Weight loss has long‐term beneficial effects especially on LDL and cholesterol. Weight loss in obese patients should be encouraged and sustained.
Is There a Third Way for Industrial Relations?
Authors: Howell Chris
Published: January 2004

There has been little systematic analysis of what the ‘Third Way’ means in the sphere of industrial relations. This paper examines the record of the New Labour government in order to evaluate the distinctiveness, innovation and coherence of its industrial relations policy. It argues that many of the limitations of this policy result from the institutional context within which it was introduced. In comparative perspective, Third Way industrial relations can be thought of as a policy adaptation specific to centre–left governments in weakly co‐ordinated liberal market economies.
Social Partnership or a ‘Complete Sellout’? Russian Trade Unions’ Responses to Conflict
Authors: Ashwin Sarah
Published: January 2004

In 1990 the former communist trade unions in Russia adopted a programme of social partnership, the aim of which was to defend their members’ interests during transition while also maintaining social peace. But critics of social partnership within the union movement argue that it amounts to little more than an excuse for inaction. To examine whether social partnership represents a departure from the collaborationist habits of the Soviet past, I examine 33 case studies of conflict at enterprise level conducted between 1999 and 2000. This analysis reveals considerable continuity with Soviet practice.
Global Collective Bargaining on Flag of Convenience Shipping
Authors: Lillie Nathan
Published: January 2004

The most significant case of transnational union bargaining co‐ordination in existence is in the maritime shipping industry. A global union association, the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF), and a global employers’ federation, the International Maritime Employers’ Committee (IMEC), now negotiate over pay scales for seafarers on Flag of Convenience (FOC) ships. These negotiations set the pattern for pay and working conditions for a signifi‐cant portion of the global seafaring work‐force. The ITF brought about global wage bargaining by building and enforcing a global inter‐union consensus between developed and developing countries around a uniform wage rate.
Influences on Trade Union Organizing Effectiveness in Britain
Authors: Charlwood Andy
Published: January 2004

Do British trade unions vary in their effectiveness in maintaining organization and membership in workplaces where they have an established bargaining presence? Do highly developed national union recruitment strategies and innovation in recruitment strategy boost consolidatory organizing and recruitment effectiveness (CORE)? Results suggest that (1) there is some variation in internal organising effectiveness between unions, and (2) national union innovation in recruitment policy is positively associated with internal organizing effectiveness where unions organize blue‐collar workers, but negatively associated with internal organizing effectiveness where unions organize white‐collar workers.
Works Councils and Plant Closings in Germany
Authors: Addison John T. , Bellmann Lutz , Kölling Arnd
Published: January 2004

This paper is the first study to investigate the impact of workplace representation on plant closings in Germany, using data from a nationally representative establishment panel. Across all establishments in our sample, we find evidence of a positive association between works council presence and plant closings. There is the contrary suggestion that industry‐wide collective bargaining plays a neutral to benign role. As for the interaction between collective bargaining and workplace representation, this appears strongest for establishments with fewer than 50 employees: such plants are much more likely to close if they have a works council and are not covered by a collective agreement.
Actual and Preferred Working Hours
Authors: Böheim René , Taylor Mark P.
Published: January 2004

We use British panel data to investigate whether or not subjective data on desired labour supply provide information on future labour market behaviour. We find that, although men and women are able to adjust their work hours in line with preferences, this is greatly facilitated through within‐ and between‐employer job changes. We also find that hours constraints are significant determinants of leaving the labour market and within‐ and between‐employer mobility. We conclude that rigidities in the labour market exist and that these rigidities impair the welfare of employees.
On the Intergenerational Incidence of Wage and Consumption Taxes
Authors: Wigger Berthold U.
Published: January 2004

This paper identifies the conditions that determine the intergenerational incidence of wage and consumption taxes. It emphasizes the role of the households' age‐earnings and age‐consumption profiles for an understanding of various intergenerational incidence patterns. Furthermore, the paper considers some political economy implications of the intergenerational incidence of wage and consumption taxes. It demonstrates that the distributional impact of wage versus consumption taxes bears the potential of a conflict between the young and the old on the one side and the middle‐aged on the other.
Time Consistent Optimal Redistribution Policy in an Overlapping Generations Model
Authors: Lorz Oliver
Published: January 2004

This paper analyzes optimal redistribution policy in a two‐period version of the overlapping generations model with heterogeneous individuals and asymmetric information between the government and the private sector. The government of the first period determines redistribution transfers for the first period but is not able to set the policy variables for the second period. With respect to savings the paper considers two scenarios: In the first scenario savings are observable and the government can set individual savings levels in addition to redistributive transfers. In the second scenario savings and capital incomes are not observable. In both cases the redistribution equilibrium is not second‐best efficient.
Efficient Allocations in Club Economies
Authors: Berliant Marcus , Edwards John H. Y.
Published: January 2004

We explore the characteristics of Pareto‐optimal allocations in the context of local public goods or clubs. A set of first‐order conditions for Pareto optimality is provided. Classical treatments apparently neglect an important term related to migrant compensation, and thus are incorrect. A Pareto optimum is shown to exist.
Decentralization via Federal and Unitary Referenda
Authors: Lockwood Ben
Published: January 2004

This paper studies a model where the power to set policy (a choice of project) may be assigned to central or regional government via either a federal or unitary referendum. The benefit of central provision is an economy of scale, while the cost is political inefficiency. The relationship between federal and unitary referenda is characterized in the asymptotic case as the number of regions becomes large, under the assumption that the median project benefit in any region is a random draw from a fixed distribution, G. Under some symmetry assumptions, the relationship depends only on the shape of G, not on how willingness to pay is distributed within regions. The relationship to Cremer and Palfrey's “principle of aggregation” is established. Asymptotic results on the efficiency of the two referenda are also proved.
Regular Distributive Social Systems
Authors: Y Thier Jean Mercier
Published: January 2004

I consider abstract social systems where individual owners make gifts according to their preferences on the distribution of wealth in the context of a noncooperative equilibrium. I define a condition of regularity and a condition of strong regularity of these social systems. I prove notably that: regularity is generic, and implies the local uniqueness of equilibrium and the uniqueness of status quo equilibrium; strong regularity is nongeneric, implies that an equilibrium exists for all initial distributions of wealth, whenever an equilibrium exists for one of them, and implies the connectedness of the range of the equilibrium correspondence. These properties have strong implications for distributive theory and policy, summarized in a general hypothesis of perfect substitutability of private and public transfers. The formulation and discussion of this hypothesis lead to a general assessment of the explanatory power of the theory.
Restricted and Unrestricted Dominance for Welfare, Inequality, and Poverty Orderings
Authors: Duclos Jean‐Yves , Makdissi Paul
Published: January 2004

This paper extends the previous literature on the ethical links between the measurement of poverty, social welfare and inequality. We show inter alia, how, when the range of possible poverty lines is unbounded above, a robust ranking of absolute poverty may be interpreted as a robust ranking of social welfare, and a robust ranking of relative poverty may be interpreted as a robust ranking of inequality, and this, for any order of stochastic dominance.
Production Efficiency and the Direct‐Indirect Tax Mix
Authors: Blackorby Charles , Brett Craig
Published: January 2004

In the design of the optimal direct/indirect tax mix, the canonical view was laid by Atkinson and Stiglitz (1976) who showed that commodity taxes are unnecessary in an economy in which there is an optimal nonlinear income tax provided that commodities are separable from labor in the utility functions of all taxpayers, that the aggregators over these commodities are ordinally equivalent and that wages are fixed. When wages are endogenous, Naito (1999) showed that this result may not hold and in addition that production efficiency may not be Pareto optimal. Given an optimal nonlinear income tax, we show that production inefficiency is Pareto optimal if the aggregate technology set is strictly concave. The Atkinson–Stiglitz condition is neither necessary nor sufficient for zero commodity taxation and commodity taxes are part of almost all Pareto optima.