bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Carriage ofStaphylococcus aureusAmong Injection Drug Users: Lower Prevalence in an Injection Heroin Maintenance Program Than in an Oral Methadone Program
Authors: Bassetti Stefano , Wolfisberg Lea , Jaussi Barbara , Frei Reno , Kuntze Marcus F. , Battegay Manuel , Widmer Andreas F.
Published: April 2006

Objectives:

To compare the prevalence ofStaphylococcus aureusand methicillin-resistantS. aureus(MRSA) carriage among injection drug users (IDUs) treated in an injection heroin maintenance program with that among IDUs treated in an oral methadone program, and to determine predictors ofS. aureuscarriage.

Design:

Survey.

Setting:

Two opiate maintenance programs at a psychiatrie university clinic.

Participants:

A volunteer sample consisting of 94 (74%) of 127 IDUs treated in an injection opiate maintenance program with at least twice daily injections of heroin, and 70 (56%) of 125 IDUs treated in an oral methadone program.

Results:

Addicts treated in the intravenous heroin substitution program had a significantly lower overall rate ofS. aureuscarriage (37 of 94 [39.4%] vs 42 of 70 [60%];P= .009) and a significantly lower rate of nasal carriage (21 of 94 [22.3%] vs 30 of 70 [42.9%];P= .005) than did addicts treated in the oral methadone program. Being treated in the oral methadone program was the only independent predictor ofS. aureuscarriage (odds ratio, 2.27; 95% confidence interval, 1.19-4.31;P=.012). AllS. aureusisolates were susceptible to oxacillin.

Conclusions:

The regular use of needles under aseptic conditions did not increase the rate ofS. aureuscarriage among IDUs. Further studies are necessary to investigate whether the lower rate ofS. aureuscarriage among IDUs treated with intravenous heroin leads to a lower incidence ofS. aureusinfections in these patients.
Chloramphenicol Resistance in Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococcal Bacteremia: Impact of Prior Fluoroquinolone Use?
Authors: Gould Carolyn V. , Fishman Neil O. , Nachamkin Irving , Lautenbach Ebbing
Published: April 2006

Objective:

The prevalence of vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) has increased markedly during the past decade. Few data exist regarding the epidemiology of resistance of VRE to chloramphenicol, one of the few therapeutic options.

Design:

Survey and case-control study.

Setting:

A 725-bed, tertiary-care academie medical center and a 344-bed urban community hospital.

Patients:

Hospitalized patients with blood cultures demonstrating VRE.

Methods:

We examined the trends in the prevalence of chloramphenicol resistance in VRE blood isolates at our institution from 1991 through 2002 and conducted a case-control study to identify risk factors for chloramphenicol resistance among these isolates.

Results:

From 1991 through 2002, the annual prevalence of chloramphenicol-resistant VRE increased from 0% to 12% (P < .001, chi-square test for trend). Twenty-two case-patients with chloramphenicol-resistant VRE bloodstream isolates were compared with 79 randomly selected control-patients with chloramphenicol-susceptible VRE. Independent risk factors for chloramphenicol-resistant VRE were prior chloramphenicol use (odds ratio [OR], 10.9; 95% confidence interval [CI95], 1.72-68.91; P = .01) and prior fluoroquinolone use (OR, 4.74; CI95, 1.15-19.42; P = .03). Chloramphenicol-resistant VRE isolates were more likely to be susceptible to beta-lactams and resistant to tetracycline than were chloramphenicol-susceptible VRE isolates.

Conclusions:

Significant increases in the prevalence of chloramphenicol-resistant VRE may limit the future utility of chloramphenicol in the treatment of VRE infections, and close monitoring of susceptibility trends should continue. The association between fluoroquinolone use and chloramphenicol-resistant VRE, reflecting possible co-selection of resistance, suggests that recent dramatic increases in fluoroquinolone use may have broader implications than previously recognized.
Which Strategies Follow From the Surveillance of Multidrug-Resistant Bacteria to Strengthen the Control of Their Spread? A French Experience
Authors: Lepelletier Didier , Perron Stéphanie , Huguenin Hélène , Picard Monique , Bemer Pascale , Caillon Jocelyne , Juvin Marie-Emmanuelle , Drugeon Henri Bernard
Published: April 2006

Efforts to enhance standard precautions and to isolate patients with positive routine clinical cultures during 3 years were insufficient to decrease multidrug-resistant bacteria infection rates. Routine screening for carriage in high-risk patients may be necessary to hait transmission and control the hospital reservoir.
Aggressive Control Measures for ResistantAcinetobacter baumanniiand the Impact on Acquisition of Methicillin-ResistantStaphylococcus aureusand Vancomycin-ResistantEnterococcusin a Medical Intensive Care Unit
Authors: Wright Marc-Oliver , Hebden Joan N. , Harris Anthony D. , Shanholtz Cari B. , Standiford Harold C. , Furuno Jon P. , Perencevich Eli N.
Published: April 2006

The medical ICU implemented aggressive control measures following an outbreak of multidrug-resistant, clonalAcinetobacter baumannii.Multivariable regression analyses comparing acquisition (6 months preceding to 6 months during or following the outbreak) revealed decreased VRE and MRSA acquisition. Aggressive control measures can reduce VRE, and perhaps MRSA, transmission.
Nasal Carriage of Methicillin-ResistantStaphylococcus aureusAmong Hospital Staff and Outpatients
Authors: Cesur Salih , Çokça Fügen
Published: April 2006

This study sought to determine the rate of nasal methicillin-resistantStaphylococcus aureus(MRSA) carriage among hospital staff and outpatients. Nasal swabs were obtained from 500 outpatients and 500 hospital staff. Hospital staff were 2.3-fold more likely to carry MRSA than were outpatients (6% vs 2.6%,P= .013).
Partial Shotgun Sequencing of the Boechera stricta Genome Reveals Extensive Microsynteny and Promoter Conservation with Arabidopsis
Authors: Windsor Aaron J. , Schranz M. Eric , Formanová Nataša , Gebauer-Jung Steffi , Bishop John G. , Schnabelrauch Domenica , Kroymann Juergen , Mitchell-Olds Thomas
Published: April 2006

Comparative genomics provides insight into the evolutionary dynamics that shape discrete sequences as well as whole genomes. To advance comparative genomics within the Brassicaceae, we have end sequenced 23,136 medium-sized insert clones from Boechera stricta, a wild relative of Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). A significant proportion of these sequences, 18,797, are nonredundant and display highly significant similarity (BLASTn e-value ≤ 10−30) to low copy number Arabidopsis genomic regions, including more than 9,000 annotated coding sequences. We have used this dataset to identify orthologous gene pairs in the two species and to perform a global comparison of DNA regions 5′ to annotated coding regions. On average, the 500 nucleotides upstream to coding sequences display 71.4% identity between the two species. In a similar analysis, 61.4% identity was observed between 5′ noncoding sequences of Brassica oleracea and Arabidopsis, indicating that regulatory regions are not as diverged among these lineages as previously anticipated. By mapping the B. stricta end sequences onto the Arabidopsis genome, we have identified nearly 2,000 conserved blocks of microsynteny (bracketing 26% of the Arabidopsis genome). A comparison of fully sequenced B. stricta inserts to their homologous Arabidopsis genomic regions indicates that indel polymorphisms >5 kb contribute substantially to the genome size difference observed between the two species. Further, we demonstrate that microsynteny inferred from end-sequence data can be applied to the rapid identification and cloning of genomic regions of interest from nonmodel species. These results suggest that among diploid relatives of Arabidopsis, small- to medium-scale shotgun sequencing approaches can provide rapid and cost-effective benefits to evolutionary and/or functional comparative genomic frameworks.
A Comparative Genomics Strategy for Targeted Discovery of Single-Nucleotide Polymorphisms and Conserved-Noncoding Sequences in Orphan Crops
Authors: Feltus F.A. , Singh H.P. , Lohithaswa H.C. , Schulze S.R. , Silva T.D. , Paterson A.H.
Published: April 2006

Completed genome sequences provide templates for the design of genome analysis tools in orphan species lacking sequence information. To demonstrate this principle, we designed 384 PCR primer pairs to conserved exonic regions flanking introns, using Sorghum/Pennisetum expressed sequence tag alignments to the Oryza genome. Conserved-intron scanning primers (CISPs) amplified single-copy loci at 37% to 80% success rates in taxa that sample much of the approximately 50-million years of Poaceae divergence. While the conserved nature of exons fostered cross-taxon amplification, the lesser evolutionary constraints on introns enhanced single-nucleotide polymorphism detection. For example, in eight rice (Oryza sativa) genotypes, polymorphism averaged 12.1 per kb in introns but only 3.6 per kb in exons. Curiously, among 124 CISPs evaluated across Oryza, Sorghum, Pennisetum, Cynodon, Eragrostis, Zea, Triticum, and Hordeum, 23 (18.5%) seemed to be subject to rigid intron size constraints that were independent of per-nucleotide DNA sequence variation. Furthermore, we identified 487 conserved-noncoding sequence motifs in 129 CISP loci. A large CISP set (6,062 primer pairs, amplifying introns from 1,676 genes) designed using an automated pipeline showed generally higher abundance in recombinogenic than in nonrecombinogenic regions of the rice genome, thus providing relatively even distribution along genetic maps. CISPs are an effective means to explore poorly characterized genomes for both DNA polymorphism and noncoding sequence conservation on a genome-wide or candidate gene basis, and also provide anchor points for comparative genomics across a diverse range of species.
Temporal variation in abundance, return rate and life histories of previously spawned Atlantic salmon in a large subarctic river
Authors: Niemelä E. , Erkinaro J. , Julkunen M. , Hassinen E. , Länsman M. , Brørs S.
Published: April 2006

The 30 year time series analyses revealed large temporal variation in the return rates and a recent increase in abundance of previous spawning Atlantic salmon Salmo salar in the River Teno, northern Scandinavia. The mean proportion of repeat spawners was 7 and 4% in the total Atlantic salmon catch and 9 and 22% in multi‐sea‐winter (MSW) catch component for females and males, respectively. Previous spawners constituted on the average 7% of the catch in mass but up to 20%(31 t) and 30%(19 t) in 2003 and in 2004, respectively. In 1975–2000, the proportion of previous spawners varied between 1 and 6%(3–12% of MSW Atlantic salmon), whereas in 2001–2004, they accounted for 8–21%(16–35% of MSW Atlantic salmon) of the total Atlantic salmon catch. The number of previous spawners in the catch correlated significantly with the preceding numbers of respective 1–3 sea‐winter (SW) maiden Atlantic salmon 2 years earlier. The recent increase in the numbers of 1S1 and 2S1 (1 or 2 years at sea followed by first spawning and 1 year reconditioning period at sea) alternate spawning Atlantic salmon was a consequence of higher numbers of maiden 1SW and 2SW Atlantic salmon in the catches and increased sea temperatures. Similarly, the return rate of 1SW Atlantic salmon to second spawning has improved in recent years. Most previous spawners ascended and were captured early in the fishing season. The smolt and sea‐age combinations of repeat spawners comprised 68 age groups contributing with the annual mean of 15 age groups to the great diversity of the River Teno Atlantic salmon population complex.
Photopigment spectral absorbance of Lake Malaŵi cichlids
Authors: Jordan R. , Kellogg K. , Howe D. , Juanes F. , Stauffer J. , Loew E.
Published: April 2006

To predict spectral sensitivity, microspectrophotometry (MSP) was used to measure absorbance of photoreceptor cells from 15 species of Lake Malaŵi cichlids. Each fish had one rod and at least three cone pigments. UV‐sensitive pigments were common, but spectral sensitivity did not clearly correlate with feeding mode or habitat.
Onset of maturity and cohort composition at spawning of Baltic sprat Sprattus sprattus on the basis of otolith macrostructure analysis
Authors: Reglero P. , Mosegaard H.
Published: April 2006

Data on catch per unit effort (CPUE) from the Danish commercial fishery showed dense aggregations of sprat Sprattus sprattus born in 1997 in the main spawning area of the Baltic Sea during May 1999. After the analysis of their otolith macrostructure, these fish were found to have a shorter distance to the beginning of the first winter zone compared to fish from the same cohort caught in other months. At the same time, the number of fish with large otoliths at the period of winter zone formation tended to decrease or even disappear. The otolith size at winter zone formation (OW) was found to be a good predictor of sprat total length (LT) and mass (M) in age group 0 years. Changes in the otolith size distribution over time were related to variations in cohort composition depending on the LT and M attained during the juvenile stage. Examination of the gonads suggested two life history patterns: 1) individuals achieving a larger LT and M during the first growing season may contribute at age 1 years to the spawning stock and the fishery, whereas 2) individuals attaining smaller LT and M contribute in larger amounts to both the spawning stock and the fishery later, when they are at age 2 years. Moreover, changes in the relationship between OW and LT and M were related to differences in growth trajectories for sprat born during the same spawning season. Smaller sprat as group 0 years continued growing during the second growing season delaying maturity compared to larger individuals from the same cohort.
A note on the development of the embryos of anglerfish Lophius piscatorius
Authors: Laurenson C. H.
Published: April 2006

Embryo development over a 5 day period are shown and described from a rare find of anglerfish Lophius piscatorius spawn that was obtained at the Shetland Islands, U.K. The stage of development shown is earlier than that previously available for the species.
Discrimination of Baltic herring populations with respect to Anisakis simplex larvae infection
Authors: Podolska M. , Horbowy J. , Wyszyński M.
Published: April 2006

Samples of herring Clupea harengus in the Baltic were collected during the spawning season in western, middle and eastern waters off the Polish coast. Two samples were taken per area, several morphometric characters were measured and some meristic characters (vertebrae and gill rakers) were counted. Infection with Anisakis simplex larvae, total length, age and maturity stage were recorded. Univariate and multivariate statistical tests were used to compare the samples, discriminant analysis was applied to separate herring populations and the fraction of herring populations in each area was estimated. The results obtained indicated that infected fish represented a mixed group of western and central Baltic herring. In the first samples collected from each area, the share of the western population decreased from 40% in the western to 18% in the middle and 13% in the eastern coasts. The share of western herring was higher in the second samples collected in the same area and decreased from 91% in the western coast to 14 and 32% in the middle and eastern ones, respectively.
Effects of different incubation temperatures on the yolk‐feeding stage of Eupallasella percnurus(Pallas)
Authors: Kamiński R. , Kamler E. , Korwin‐Kossakowski M. , Myszkowski L. , Wolnicki J.
Published: April 2006

Embryos and yolk‐feeding larvae of lake minnow Eupallasella percnurus were reared at 13, 16, 19, 22 and 25° C with no access to external food. Time from egg activation to first embryonic movements, hatching, filling of swimbladder and final yolk resorption increased with decreasing temperature. At 13° C, c. 40% of larvae were unable to fill their swimbladder. The predicted lower temperature at which development and growth ceased (biological zero, t0) was the same for both processes, c. 7·5–10·5° C. There was no ontogenetic shift in the t0 value. Temperature coefficients for development (Q10dev.) ranged from 2 to 3 at 19–25° C, but were higher in hatched larvae at lower temperatures. Eggs of E. percnurus had a combination of small size, high hydration and low caloric value of fresh matter. Dry mass of larval tissue on yolk, percentage of dry matter in wet matter, and specific growth rate were maximized at 22 and 25° C. At 19–25° C, energy and matter contained in the initial eggs were converted to body tissue most efficiently. Temperatures from 22 to 25° C are considered optimal for E. percnurus embryos and yolk‐feeding larvae and are recommended for their indoor rearing.
Intraspecific variation in the pelagic larval duration of tropical reef fishes
Authors: Bay L. K. , Buechler K. , Gagliano M. , Caley M. J.
Published: April 2006

Estimates of pelagic larval duration (PLD) for 10 species of Pomacentridae and two species of Gobiidae were made. In eight of the 12 species examined, within‐population mean PLDs differed between sampling times, locations within regions and among regions. In contrast, the range of these same PLD estimates overlapped at all spatial and temporal scales examined in 11 of the 12 species, but not between regions in one species (Amphiprion melanopus). Therefore, despite tight error estimates typically associated with estimates of PLD taken from a particular population at a particular time in some taxa, the overlapping ranges in PLD reported here indicate that the length of the pelagic larval phase is a much more plastic trait than previously appreciated. Within‐species variation in PLD has considerable potential to provide further insights into the ecology and evolution of tropical reef fishes.
Timing of downstream migration and food uptake of juvenile North Sea houting stocked in the Lower Rhine and the Lippe (Germany)
Authors: Borcherding J. , Scharbert A. , Urbatzka R.
Published: April 2006

In 1992 a stocking programme was established to re‐introduce North Sea houting Coregonus oxyrinchus, which disappeared from the River Rhine in the 1940s, in the Lower Rhine. Juvenile North Sea houting have been stocked since 2001 in a gravel pit lake permanently connected to the Lower Rhine, and in the Lippe, a potamal tributary of the Rhine. Monitoring studies showed that the majority of the small North Sea houting left the gravel pit lake within 4 days after stocking. In the Lippe, some of the juveniles were found in the drift immediately after stocking, generally preferring the middle surface areas of the river. Other North Sea houting waited until dawn before they started their downstream migration. Juveniles immediately started to feed on the zooplankton resources in both waters. Pond studies revealed high growth rates of juvenile North Sea houting, ranging from 0·44 to 0·94 mm day−1. This study suggests that the stocking strategies at both waters of the Lower Rhine comply with the requirements of the migration behaviour of juvenile North Sea houting.
Non‐viral vectors for cancer therapy
Authors: Kaneda Yasufumi , Tabata Yasuhiko
Published: April 2006

Cancers are diverse and often resistant to therapeutic strategies. Gene therapy has yet to meet the promise of a breakthrough in cancer therapy. There are several barriers to overcome in cancer gene therapy. One of the biggest challenges is the design of appropriate vectors. Numerous viral and non‐viral methods for gene transfer have been developed for human gene therapy, but both viral and non‐viral vectors have limitations and advantages. In this review article, recent improvements in the development of non‐viral vectors for delivering gene therapy for the treatment of cancer will be discussed. (Cancer Sci 2006; 97: 348 –354)
Lung as a new target in rats of 2‐amino‐3‐methylimidazo[4,5‐f]quinoline carcinogenesis: Results of a two‐stage model initiated with N‐bis(2‐hydroxypropyl)nitrosamine
Authors: Kitamura Yasuki , Umemura Takashi , Kanki Keita , Ishii Yuji , Kuroiwa Yuichi , Masegi Toshiaki , Nishikawa Akiyoshi , Hirose Masao
Published: April 2006

The effects of IQ on the promotion stage of DHPN‐induced lung carcinogenesis and contributions of oxidative stress were investigated in rats. Groups of 20 male 6‐week‐old F344 rats were given 0.1% DHPN in their drinking water for 2 weeks for initiation. From the age of 9 weeks, they were treated with 0, 150 and 300 p.p.m. of IQ in the diet for 27 weeks. Control rats were similarly fed 300 p.p.m. IQ or basal diet alone without the preceding initiation. IQ clearly (P < 0.01) enhanced the multiplicity of lung tumors in a dose‐dependent manner (DHPN alone, 3.63 ± 1.80; DHPN +150 p.p.m. IQ, 11.50 ± 5.04; DHPN +300 p.p.m. IQ, 18.83 ± 4.58 [no./rat]). In addition, the incidence of lung tumors in the 300 p.p.m. IQ alone group (25%) was significantly (P < 0.05) higher than that in the non‐treatment group (0%). In a second experiment, male rats were given IQ at doses of 0 and 300 p.p.m. in the diet for one week in order to analyze 8‐OHdG formation, levels of TBARS and BrdU‐LI in the lungs. There were no changes in 8‐OHdG or TBARS levels, but significant elevation of BrdU‐LI occurred in the IQ administration group. The overall data clearly indicate that IQ is a potent lung carcinogen in rats, in which oxidative stress may not be involved in lung carcinogenesis. (Cancer Sci 2006; 97: 368 –373)
Detection of germline deletions using real‐time quantitative polymerase chain reaction in Japanese patients with von Hippel–Lindau disease
Authors: Hattori Keiko , Teranishi Jun‐ichi , Stolle Catherine , Yoshida Minoru , Kondo Kei‐ichi , Kishida Takeshi , Kanno Hiroshi , Baba Masaya , Kubota Yoshinobu , Yao Masahiro
Published: April 2006

Germline mutations of the VHL gene are responsible for VHL. Approximately 70% of VHL families display small intragenic mutations detectable by sequencing, whereas partial‐ or whole‐gene deletions have been described in the majority of the remaining families. For such large deletions, complex genetic techniques other than sequencing might have to be used. In this study, we describe an RQ‐PCR assay with TaqMan fluorescent probes to detect germline VHL deletions. The RQ‐PCR primer/probe sets were designed for the three VHL coding exons as well as for the 5′ promoter and 3′ untranslated regions. The RQ‐PCR assay for 30 normal and 10 known VHL deletion control samples demonstrated high sensitivity and specificity. We then screened 29 individuals from 19 classical VHL families (16 type 1, 2 type 2A, and one type 2B) and one PHEO family, as well as four solitary suspected cases, none displaying any sequence changes, for VHL deletions by the RQ‐PCR assay. We detected germline deletions in 17 (89%) classical families including 15 type 1, one type 2A, and one type 2B. We also identified two mutation carriers and two non‐carriers in our family cohort. The one PHEO family and four solitary cases did not display any deletion patterns. These findings indicated that the TaqMan‐based RQ‐PCR assay is a simple and potent technique for the rapid, sensitive, and specific investigation of VHL genetic diagnoses that could be used profitably before more complex large‐deletion detection techniques. (Cancer Sci 2006; 97: 400 –405)
Identification of secernin 1 as a novel immunotherapy target for gastric cancer using the expression profiles of cDNA microarray
Authors: Suda Takako , Tsunoda Takuya , Uchida Naotaka , Watanabe Takeshi , Hasegawa Suguru , Satoh Seiji , Ohgi Shigetsugu , Furukawa Yoichi , Nakamura Yusuke , Tahara Hideaki
Published: April 2006

Despite the discovery of multiple TAAs, only a limited number is available for clinical application, particularly against epithelial malignancies. In this study we searched for novel TAAs using expression profiles of gastric cancer examined with cDNA microarray, and identified the SCRN1 gene as a candidate. SCRN1 was confirmed to be expressed in five out of seven gastric cancers with semiquantitative RT‐PCR. With Northern blot analysis, it was detected abundantly in the testis and ovary, but it was barely detectable in 14 other normal human adult organs. Colony formation assay revealed that its augmented expression is associated with promoted cell growth. As these expression profiles and functional features of SCRN1 appeared to be compatible with the characteristics of the hypothesized ideal TAAs, we examined whether SCRN1 protein contains antigenic epitope peptides restricted to HLA‐A*0201. We synthesized the candidate peptides derived from SCRN1, and tried to induce CTLs with each peptide. The CTL clones were successfully induced with a peptide SCRN1‐196 (KMDAEHPEL), and they lyzed not only the peptide‐pulsed targets but also the tumor cells expressing both SCRN1 and HLA‐A*0201 endogenously. These results strongly suggest that SCRN1‐196 is an epitope peptide restricted to HLA‐A*0201. Furthermore, we synthesized an anchor‐modified peptide SCRN1–9 V (KMDAEHPEV), in which leucine at position 9 was substituted for valine to increase the binding affinity to the HLA‐A*0201 molecules. The CTL clones induced by SCRN1–9 V also recognized tumor cells expressing its natural SCRN1 protein endogenously. These results strongly suggest that SCRN1 is a novel TAA and these peptides, both native and modified, may be applicable for cancer vaccines to treat gastric cancer. (Cancer Sci 2006; 97: 411–419)
Transient facilitative effects of heather on Scots pine along a grazing disturbance gradient in Scottish moorland
Authors: BROOKER R. W. , SCOTT D. , PALMER S. C. F. , SWAINE E.
Published: April 2006

Facilitation between neighbouring plants can promote species survival and regulate community composition. However, the role of facilitation varies along environmental severity gradients. It is important to understand the shape of this relationship to improve our ability to predict the impact of a changing environment on biodiversity.

We used Scots pine saplings growing within heather to examine the shape of the relationship between facilitative interactions (protection from browsing) and the severity of the environment (deer browsing intensity). We also investigated whether protection from browsing translated into a biomass response of saplings.

In the first winter following planting heather had a facilitative effect on saplings by reducing the probability of browsing. This effect was strongest at intermediate deer browsing intensities, thus producing a hump‐backed relationship between facilitative effects and the severity of the environment.

Protection from browsing did not lead to longer‐term biomass gains for the saplings. The competitive effects of heather on sapling growth therefore outweighed the beneficial effects of protection from browsing.

These results provide much‐needed information on the shape of the severity–interactions relationship with respect to a key natural disturbance phenomenon (herbivory), and demonstrate that an observable interaction relationship does not necessarily translate into a biomass response.

This illustrates the complex and potentially transient nature of plant–plant interactions, and the potential difficulty that would be associated with using shelter effects of heather as a management tool to promote Scots pine regeneration.
Detection of infectious haematopoietic necrosis virus and infectious salmon anaemia virus by molecular padlock amplification
Authors: Millard P J , Bickerstaff L E , LaPatra S E , Kim C H
Published: April 2006

A new method for the molecular detection of the fish pathogens, infectious haematopoietic necrosis virus (IHNV) and infectious salmon anaemia virus (ISAV), is described. By employing molecular padlock probe (MPP) technology combined with rolling circle amplification (RCA) and hyperbranching (Hbr), it is possible to detect RNA target sequence from these viruses at levels comparable with those detected by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), but without prior reverse transcription. The use of MPP technology combined with RCA and Hbr for the detection of IHNV and ISAV in fish exhibited selectivity comparable with that of PCR while potentially reducing the time and cost required for analysis. The method described was used to detect as few as 104 DNA oligonucleotide targets and was sequence‐specific at the single base level. Viral RNA could be detected directly, either alone or in the presence of non‐viral RNA from fish tissue. This technology is applicable for detecting a variety of microbes, in addition to IHNV and ISAV, and is ideal for further integration into a biosensor platform for on‐site diagnosis of pathogen infection in fish.
Quantitative expression (Walbaum) of immunological factors in rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss (Walbaum), after infection with either Flavobacterium psychrophilum, Aeromonas salmonicida, or infectious haematopoietic necrosis virus
Authors: Overturf K , LaPatra S
Published: April 2006

To further enhance our understanding of immunological gene expression in rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss, after infection with naturally occurring pathogens, a series of probes and primers were developed for the quantification of immune factors. Separate groups of specific‐pathogen‐free rainbow trout were infected with either Flavobacterium psychrophilum, Aeromonas salmonicida or infectious haematopoietic necrosis virus (IHNV). Three different concentrations of each pathogen were used and samples from infected and mock‐infected fish were taken at either 1 or 5 days after infection. Ten fish were sampled at each time point for individual sections of liver, spleen and head kidney. Organ specimens from five of the fish were used to re‐isolate and quantify the pathogen at the time the samples were taken. Total RNA was extracted from the organs of the remaining five animals. Using real‐time polymerase chain reaction with fluorescent‐labelled probes, the RNA from these organs was examined for the level of expression of the following immunological factors; an interferon related protein (MX‐1), interleukin‐8 (IL‐8), the cytotoxic T‐cell marker CD‐8 and complement factor C3 (C3). They were also measured for the level of β‐actin, which was used as a standardization control for cellular RNA expression. Infection with IHNV produced the greatest change in expression level for all the immunological related factors examined in this study. IHNV elicited the best dose response profile, which was typically seen at 5‐days post‐infection for MX‐1, C3, IL‐8 and CD‐8. Infection with A. salmonicida and F. psychrophilum showed elevated, but variable expression levels for several of the genes tested.
Apoptosis in Ichthyophthirius multifiliis is associated with expression of the Fas receptor of theronts
Authors: Xu D‐H , Klesius P H , Shoemaker C A
Published: April 2006

The expression of type I membrane Fas receptors on the surface of Ichthyophthirius multifiliis (Ich) theronts and the possible association between Fas expression and theront apoptosis induced by the immune antibody was examined. Fas receptors were detected on the theront surface using fluorescein isothiocyanate‐conjugated mouse monoclonal antibody against Fas. Fas‐positive theronts significantly increased with time during in vitro incubation and with increasing theront concentration. Furthermore, the immune cutaneous antibody induced theront apoptosis; however, Fas ligand did not. A highly significant correlation was noted between theront Fas expression and immune cutaneous antibody‐induced theront apoptosis. Numbers of apoptotic theronts increased with increasing number of Fas‐positive theronts. The data indicated that theront apoptosis induced by immune cutaneous antibody appears to be positively correlated with the expression of Fas on the surface of Ich theronts.
Longitudinal study of a natural outbreak of heart and skeletal muscle inflammation in Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L.
Authors: Kongtorp R T , Halse M , Taksdal T , Falk K
Published: April 2006

Heart and skeletal muscle inflammation (HSMI) is a transmissible disease of farmed Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L. It is characterized by significant epi‐, endo‐ and myocarditis, as well as myositis, particularly involving red skeletal muscle. The aetiology of HSMI is currently unresolved, though a viral cause is suspected. Since its discovery in 1999, HSMI has become an increasing problem for the Norwegian farming industry, with some farms experiencing yearly outbreaks and subsequent economic losses. In the present study an Atlantic salmon farm was studied from December 2003 to April 2005. Samples from apparently healthy as well as clinically diseased fish were collected monthly and examined histopathologically. The first fish to be diagnosed with HSMI was sampled in May, 8 months after transfer to sea. A clinical outbreak of HSMI followed in June, when all fish in the sample had lesions consistent with HSMI. Subsequent samples revealed that cardiac lesions decreased in severity 2 months after the start of the outbreak, but that multiple foci of cellular infiltration and necrosis persisted throughout the year. There appeared to be a shift in lesion location from being most severe in the compact myocardium in early stages of disease to a greater involvement of the atrium and spongy layer of the ventricle in later samples. Late samples also showed increased fibrosis of cardiac tissue. In conclusion, HSMI appears to be a severe disease with elevated mortality, morbidity close to 100% and prolonged duration.
Benign osteoblastoma of the occipital bone: Case report and literature review
Authors: Moon Kyung‐Sub , Jung Shin , Lee Jae‐Hyuk , Jung Tae‐Young , Kim In‐Young , Kim Soo‐Han , Kang Sam‐Suk
Published: April 2006

We present a case of benign osteoblastoma of the occipital bone. Benign osteoblastoma is an uncommon primary bone tumor, which usually involves the vertebrae and the long bones. This tumor rarely develops in the calvaria, showing a preference for the temporal and frontal bones when it does. To the best of our knowledge, this case is only the eighth reported case of benign osteoblastoma confined to the occipital bone. A 20‐year‐old male presented with a mild tender mass lesion of the occipital area, just below the lambda. Plain X‐ray films and CT scans demonstrated an osteolytic mass surrounded by the sclerotic rim within the diploic space. MRI proved to be effective for the evaluation of the intracranial and intraosseous extensions of the tumor. However, it was very difficult to formulate a differential diagnosis against other osteoblastic tumors, or osteoid osteoma, in view of its radiological appearance. The final diagnosis was obtained by careful consideration of the histopathological characteristics of the tumor combined with its clinical and radiological features. Although generally regarded as benign, a complete resection is preferred over conventional curettage as this can guard against possible recurrence and malignant transformation.
Hypoglycemic encephalopathy with extensive lesions in the cerebral white matter
Authors: Mori Fumiaki , Nishie Makoto , Houzen Hideki , Yamaguchi Jun , Wakabayashi Koichi
Published: April 2006

Here we report an autopsy case of hypoglycemic encephalopathy with prolonged coma. Laboratory data obtained when the patient lapsed into a coma showed that she had a low level of serum glucose (27 mg/dL). Although the level of glucose returned to within the normal range rapidly after glucose infusion, the patient remained in a coma for 22 months. It was presumed that the state of hypoglycemia persisted for about 4 h. There was no evidence of hypotension or hypoxia. Magnetic resonance imaging was performed 3 h after glucose administration; diffusion‐weighted images revealed hyperintensity in the cerebral white matter and in the boundary zone between the middle and posterior cerebral arteries. Post‐mortem examination revealed superficial laminar necrosis throughout the cerebral cortex. Neuronal necrosis was also found in the hippocampus and dentate gyrus, although the CA3 region appeared normal. In addition to these lesions, which are consistent with hypoglycemia‐induced brain damage, the cerebral white matter exhibited severe loss of myelin and axons with reactive astrocytosis and macrophage infiltration. Old infarcts were also present in the bilateral occipital lobes. Since the cerebral blood flow is reported to be decreased during severe hypoglycemia, the present findings suggest that white matter lesions and boundary‐zone infarctions may develop primarily in uncomplicated hypoglycemia.
Pineal parenchymal tumors of intermediate differentiation in adults: Case report and literature review
Authors: Pusztaszeri Marc , Pica Alessia , Janzer Robert
Published: April 2006

Pineal parenchymal tumors (PPT), including pineoblastomas, are very uncommon, especially in adults. Because of the small number of reported cases, the histological and biological features of these tumors are still being defined, as is their optimal management. Also, the pathological variability of these tumors makes it difficult to draw general conclusions about their behavior. We report the case of a PPT of intermediate differentiation (PPTID) with an excellent outcome. A 3.2 cm tumor in the pineal and tectal region with obstructive hydrocephalus was found in a 28‐year‐old female complaining of headaches and hypoesthesia of the right side of the face. Stereotactic biopsy revealed a highly cellular tumor composed of small cells that contained little cytoplasm that were arranged in a diffuse pattern. Mitotic activity was low and there was no evidence of necrosis. Immunohistochemical examination demonstrated positive staining for neuron‐specific enolase and synaptophysin. There was no expression of neurofilaments or GFAP. Ki‐67 proliferation index was 12%. The diagnosis was a PPTID. Treatment consisted of combined neoadjuvant chemotherapy and craniospinal radiotherapy. Six years after treatment, the patient is alive and free of any clinical or radiological signs of relapse. This paper discusses the pathological and biological features of these tumors and the treatment options available.
Expression patterns of 5‐lipoxygenase in human brain with traumatic injury and astrocytoma
Authors: Zhang Lei , Zhang Wei‐Ping , Hu Hua , Wang Meng‐Ling , Sheng Wen‐Wen , Yao Hong‐Tian , Ding Wei , Chen Zhong , Wei Er‐Qing
Published: April 2006

5‐Lipoxygenase (5‐LOX) is a key enzyme in the metabolism of arachidonic acid to leukotrienes. The levels of leukotrienes increase after brain injury and when tumors are present. It has been reported that 5‐LOX is widely expressed in the brain and that 5‐LOX inhibition provides neuroprotection. However, there is still no information available for the expression patterns of 5‐LOX in human brain following trauma or with astrocytomas. We investigated its expression patterns by immunohistochemistry. We found that 5‐LOX is normally expressed in neurons and glial cells. In neurons, it was expressed in two patterns: in the cytosol and nucleus or only in the cytosol. In traumatic brain injury, 5‐LOX expression increased in glial cells and neutrophils. Double‐labeling immunohistochemistry showed that part of the 5‐LOX‐positive glial cells were GFAP positive. No 5‐LOX expression was found in brain microvessel endothelia, except in the regenerated endothelia of a patient 8 days following brain trauma. Furthermore, 5‐LOX expression increased and showed a granular pattern in high‐grade (grade III/IV) astrocytoma. These results indicate that 5‐LOX has multiple expression patterns, and can be induced by brain injury, which implies that 5‐LOX might have pathophysiological roles in the human brain.
Creating Stepfamilies: Integrating Children Into the Study of Union Formation
Authors: Goldscheider Frances , Sassler Sharon
Published: April 2006

As a result of the growth in out‐of‐wedlock childbearing and union instability, adults contemplating forming a new union are often already parents. This article examines the role of children in stepfamily formation, both coresident and not, using the 2,594 respondents in the National Survey of Families and Households who were not living with a partner in 1987/1988. We consider children of the respondent and of the partner, which allows us to examine the determinants of entering a stepfamily. We found that being a coresident father dramatically increases forming a union with a woman with children. Women’s coresidential children reduce women’s odds of forming unions with men who do not have children and increase them for unions with men who do.
Developmental Processes in African American Families: An Application of McLoyd’s Theoretical Model
Authors: Nievar M. Angela , Luster Tom
Published: April 2006

In accordance with McLoyd’s model of African American children’s development, we examined the linkages among family income, maternal psychological distress, marital conflict, parenting, and children’s outcomes in early and middle childhood, using a sample of 591 African American children from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth. Income during early childhood had a direct effect on behavior problems and reading recognition in middle childhood. Income also had an indirect effect on the child outcomes via maternal psychological distress and parenting. In a comparison of African American and White families, marital conflict predicted children behavior problems only in White families. Findings suggest that family psychological and material resources influence parenting as well as behavioral and cognitive outcomes for African American children.
The Best Laid Plans: Expectations, Preferences, and Stability of Child‐Care Arrangements
Authors: Gordon Rachel A. , Högnäs Robin S.
Published: April 2006

This study considers whether an earlier and more extensive search for child care, and a match of the type used to the type preferred, predicts arrangement stability. We used the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Study of Early Child Care to estimate multinomial logit models of arrangement changes over 3‐month intervals between 3 and 12 months (n= 958 children and 2,223 observations). Use of preferred care predicted greater arrangement stability, and parents who settled early on 1 option were less likely later to switch care types. Those who planned earlier were more likely to use their preferred care type and to use higher quality settings. This study encourages future research on how, when, and with what success parents search for child care.
Impact of Adult Sons’ Incarceration on African American Mothers’ Psychological Distress
Authors: Green Kerry M. , Ensminger Margaret E. , Robertson Judith A. , Juon Hee‐Soon
Published: April 2006

This longitudinal study examines the effect of sons’ incarceration on their mothers’ psychological distress. Interviews were conducted over the life course with a community cohort of African American mothers who had children in first grade in 1966 – 1967 when the study began (N =615). Thirty years later, their sons had significant rates of incarceration (22.4%). Structural equation modeling showed that the more recent the incarceration, the greater the mothers’ psychological distress, even controlling for earlier socioeconomic status and psychological well‐being. Financial difficulties and greater burden of grandparenting are associated with having a son incarcerated and they mediate the relationship between the incarceration and a mother’s psychological distress. Results suggest that incarceration has important effects on family members’ well‐being.
Multiple Segment Factorial Vignette Designs
Authors: Ganong Lawrence H. , Coleman Marilyn
Published: April 2006

The multiple segment factorial vignette design (MSFV) combines elements of experimental designs and probability sampling with the inductive, exploratory approach of qualitative research. MSFVs allow researchers to investigate topics that may be hard to study because of ethical or logistical concerns. Participants are presented with short stories about hypothetical characters. These stories comprise 2 – 5 segments in which randomly assigned dimensions are introduced sequentially. Researchers control the occurrence and timing of when dimensions are presented. Respondents are asked questions after each segment. MSFVs may include written, oral, and visual stimuli. These efficient designs elicit quantitative data about causal relations and qualitative data within complex, multidimensional contexts. We discuss how to develop MSFV and suggest ways to avoid problems.
Contemporaneous Versus Retrospective Reports of Cohabitation in the Fragile Families Survey
Authors: Teitler Julien O. , Reichman Nancy E. , Koball Heather
Published: April 2006

We compare contemporaneous and retrospective reports of cohabitation among unmarried mothers in the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing survey (N =2,524). We find that (a) many mothers revise their reports of whether they cohabited at the time of the birth of their child and (b) revisions in reports are systematically related to individuals’ characteristics and the quality and trajectory of parents’ relationships. These results have important implications for analyses of determinants and consequences of family structure using these data and, potentially, any retrospective data on relationships and family structure.
No Longer Intending: The Relationship Between Relinquished Fertility Intentions and Distress
Authors: White Lynn , McQuillan Julia
Published: April 2006

We use data from both waves of the National Survey of Families and Households to assess whether relinquishing a serious intention to have (more) children leads to greater increases in depressive symptoms than continuing confidence in childbearing intentions. Our sample includes 2,200 individuals of childbearing age, men and women, all parities, and all marital statuses. Change score analysis shows that individuals who relinquished a serious intent to have children had elevated distress at Time 2 and that the association is conditioned by gender, health, and education. We find that fertility potential can be important to psychosocial well‐being and that closing the door on future fertility, especially for women, those in ill health, and the better educated, leads to increased distress.
Healthy eating: information and advice in primary care
Authors: Lyon Phil , Colquhoun Anne , Hillman Marjatta , Alho Eija‐Riitta
Published: April 2006

General practice surgeries and health centres often provide patients with healthy eating advice during consultation for specific problems, or in the context of general health monitoring. In some circumstances, patients will be referred for specialist dietary advice but, for most, all advice is provided from the resources of the practice. Advice about what patients should be eating or avoiding has long been a legitimate part of the consultation process for some illnesses, but diet is now seen as significant in a wider range of conditions, and in actively promoting healthy lifestyle. The research evidence as to whether primary care staff are able to effectively deliver healthy eating advice is equivocal. This paper reports Scottish data (n = 101) collected in a study of Scottish and Finnish practice nurses’ practical food knowledge conducted in 2003/2004. In this sample, practice nurses often demonstrated very good levels of nutritional knowledge to underpin basic advice, although sometimes there was considerable variation among these nurses. By comparison with earlier studies in the UK, practical cooking advice was extremely limited. This may have reflected an awareness of changed eating‐out patterns, and the increased consumption of processed foods or ready meals at home, but the need for care with snacking behaviour or the need to restrict portion size, whether eating at home or eating out, was not typically part of their healthy eating advice.