bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Functionality of probiotics in milk and juice.
Authors: Saarela M.
Published: May 2008

The symptoms of many gastrointestinal (GI) disorders and diseases can potentially be alleviated and prevented by consuming probiotic foods. Probiotics are currently defined as 'live microorganisms which when administered in adequate amounts confer a health benefit on the host' and they are typically represented by the bacterial genera
Lactobacillus
and
Bifidobacterium
. Good viability is a prerequisite for optimal probiotic functionality and therefore probiotic foods should contain high enough levels of the specific probiotic strain(s) throughout storage and during consumption. This review focuses on two specific food carriers for probiotics, namely milk and juice (vegetable or fruit). Probiotic strains typically grow poorly in milk owing to their low proteolytic activity, inability to utilize lactose, or because of special needs for certain growth factors missing in milk. Probiotics, especially bifidobacteria, usually survive better in non-fermented milk than in fermented milk. This is mainly due to the higher pH values of non-fermented products compared with fermented ones. Several
in vitro
studies have shown that milk or milk components can protect lactobacilli and bifidobacteria against low pH and also against bile. The protective effect of milk has also been shown
in vivo
, when the survival of differently formulated probiotics through the human GI tract was studied. Many probiotic strains are able to grow and maintain their viability in vegetable juices, but their growth and viability in fruit juices is hampered by the presence of organic acids and low pH. Depending on the strain and its susceptibility to organic acids, low pH and possible antimicrobial compounds present in fruit juices, a satisfactory stability in fruit juices can, however, still be achieved. All food applications have some kind of limitation regarding the viability and stability of probiotics. Therefore, special attention has to be paid to the selection of the suitable probiotic strain for a specific food application or to enhance the survival of a specific strain selected for the product.
Boosting beneficial phytochemicals in vegetable crop plants.
Authors: Schijlen E. G. W. M. , Beekwilder J. , Hall R. D. , Meer I. M. van der
Published: May 2008

Plants contain an astonishing diversity of biochemical pathways, which eventually result in the production and accumulation of innumerable phytochemical compounds. From an historical point of view, people have primarily selected plants on the basis of traits that are linked to the presence of beneficial phytochemicals. During the past decade, biotechnology has improved the possibilities of changing the biochemical composition of several crop plants and consequently has opened up new opportunities for targeted crop improvement or even for the development of new crops or converting existing crops for other uses. In this review, we will give an overview of strategies and progress made in modifications of some of the important compounds of importance to the food industry in particular. The focus is placed on the flavonoid, vitamin, essential amino acid and polyunsaturated fatty acid composition of vegetable crops and hence topics such as food quality improvement, food fortification, nutritional value and functional foods are broadly illustrated.
Fish ecolabels and consumer choice: weighing the factors.
Authors: Johnston R. J.
Published: May 2008

Ecolabelling is a stringent subset of environmental labelling in which the production processes of market goods are evaluated against established environmental standards by independent third-party certifiers. If the production process meets these standards, the producer or marketer may use a specific label in its marketing. The use of ecolabels is grounded in the assumption that consumers are willing to pay a price premium for labelled products, thereby providing a market incentive for more sustainable or 'environmentally friendly' production methods. This paper reviews the literature regarding seafood ecolabels and consumer choice, with an emphasis on systematic, quantitative assessments of consumer behaviour in hypothetical and actual markets. As shown by this review, there are a variety of published works addressing theoretical and empirical aspects of labelling in seafood and non-seafood markets. However, while seafood ecolabels have garnered substantial interest among many public and private organizations, there is a paucity of quantitative evidence regarding the impact of ecolabels on consumer behaviour. Evidence that does exist is found primarily in the stated preference literature, and suggests that while there may be a positive willingness to pay for seafood certification, consumers may be unwilling to give up a favoured seafood species in exchange for an ecolabel.
Balancing industrial and recreational use of forests - a review of empirical studies.
Authors: Bostedt G. , Brännlund R.
Published: May 2008

The value of the forest and how it should be utilized is the subject of a heated debate. The objective of this study is to review the literature on the benefits and costs of forest conservation and the adaptations of forest management practices, to improve the forest landscape for recreation. The overview focuses mainly on studies in the Nordic countries published in the last 15 years. The benefit studies provide distinct conclusions regarding the preferences of recreational users: they tend to prefer old growth rather than young forests, and favour a mixture of conifers and broadleaves over a pure conifer stand. On the cost side, there seems to be a consensus that forest conservation for recreation or biodiversity purposes has an opportunity cost in terms of foregone timber revenues. However, there is no evidence from the reviewed studies that such a conservation policy would hamper economic growth in the regions that are directly subject to the policy. On the contrary, there is some evidence that conservation can have a positive effect on local economies, mostly the result of an economic diversification towards tourism and commercial recreation. Overall, there is a striking lack of connection between the benefits and costs of forest conservation. Very few benefit studies make the extra effort to estimate the cost of the changes in forest management that the respondents in the non-market valuation studies are asked to value. Thus, one suggestion for future research is to improve the use of various methods in practical applications to ensure that guidance is comprehensive for policy decision-making.
Nature, extent and developmental regulation of somagenetic variations.
Authors: Li XiuQing Li XiuQing
Published: May 2008

Accumulated evidence indicates that the genome of somatic cells continues to vary after meiosis or sexual conjugation. This review reviews various types of somagenetic variations that usually do not cause significant modification of the genome size. The concept of somagenetic variation (changes of DNA sequence in somatic cells) differs from the classical concept variation associated with meiotic recombination, epigenetics (variations without changes in DNA sequence), and somaclonal variation (tissue-culture-induced genetic and epigenetic changes), and goes beyond mutagen-caused DNA sequence changes. Some examples of somagenetic variation include high-frequency gene conversion in fungi, continued immunoglobulin gene formation during development in animals, extrachromosomal DNA formation in
Xenopus
embryo and systemic increase of DNA rearrangement after pathogen infection in
Arabidopsis
. Mutagens and environmental stresses can enhance somagenetic variation rates; however, some of the enhanced rates are likely the organisms' repair responses to the DNA damage caused by the mutagens or stresses. The somagenetic mutation/variation activity of the organism is likely a balance between the selection for relative stability and the need for evolutional adaptation to environment. Somagenetic variations are largely developmentally regulated and genetically controlled processes.
Strain-specific requirement for eosinophils in the recruitment of T cells to the lung during the development of allergic asthma
Authors: Walsh Elizabeth Rose , Sahu Nisebita , Kearley Jennifer , Benjamin Ebony , Kang Boo Hyon , Humbles Alison , August Avery
Published: May 2008

Eosinophils have been implicated as playing a major role in allergic airway responses. However, the importance of these cells to the development of this disease has remained ambiguous despite many studies, partly because of lack of appropriate model systems. In this study, using transgenic murine models, we more clearly delineate a role for eosinophils in asthma. We report that, in contrast to results obtained on a BALB/c background, eosinophil-deficient C57BL/6 ΔdblGATA mice (eosinophil-null mice via the ΔDblGATA1 mutation) have reduced airway hyperresponsiveness, and cytokine production of interleukin (IL)-4, -5, and -13 in ovalbumin-induced allergic airway inflammation. This was caused by reduced T cell recruitment into the lung, as these mouse lungs had reduced expression of CCL7/MCP-3, CC11/eotaxin-1, and CCL24/eotaxin-2. Transferring eosinophils into these eosinophil-deficient mice and, more importantly, delivery of CCL11/eotaxin-1 into the lung during the development of this disease rescued lung T cell infiltration and airway inflammation when delivered together with allergen. These studies indicate that on the C57BL/6 background, eosinophils are integral to the development of airway allergic responses by modulating chemokine and/or cytokine production in the lung, leading to T cell recruitment.
Bathymetric preferences of juvenile European hake (Merluccius merluccius)
Authors: Bartolino Valerio , Ottavi Alessandro , Colloca Francesco , Ardizzone Gian Domenico , Stefánsson Gunnar
Published: May 2008

Bartolino, V., Ottavi, A., Colloca, F., Ardizzone, G. D., and Stefánsson, G. 2008. Bathymetric preferences of juvenile European hake (Merluccius merluccius). – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 65: 963–969. The concept of a recruit is a basic notion in fisheries science, but it is still far from being an unequivocal term, and many diverse, even ambiguous, definitions can be found in the literature. We propose a more objective and biologically meaningful way to define the length range of recruits for species that have clear bathymetric segregation during the early stages of their life cycle. The bathymetric distribution of juvenile European hake was studied by fitting a thin plate spline to data from the national autumn trawl survey. Hake showed a stable pattern of depth preference in the 6-year dataset examined. Small hake had the greatest preference for depths of 170–220 m and appeared to move slightly deeper when they reached 10-cm total length. Larger hake persisted on the continental shelf with a preference for water 70–100 m deep, especially when they reached 18–20 cm long. The length at migration was defined as the length at which the minimum depth preference was shown, and it ranged between 13.2 and 15.8 cm depending on the year. There was a relationship between length at and depth of migration, and we provide a full description of the depth preference of juvenile hake, and test the effectiveness of the analytical approach used.
Historical background
Authors: Epstein M. A.
Published: May 2008

The persisting ancient view of cancer as a contagious disease ended with 19th century scientific investigations which seemed to show it was not. The resulting dogma against an infectious cause for cancer produced great prejudice in the scientific community against the first report of an oncogenic virus by Rous early in the 20th century and, even in the 1950s, against Gross's finding of a murine leukaemia virus and a murine virus causing solid tumours. The Lucké frog renal carcinoma virus was the first cancer–associated herpesvirus. Intriguingly, an environmental factor, ambient temperature, determines virus genome expression in the poikilothermic frog cells. Although an α–herpesvirus, Marek's disease virus of chickens shares some aspects of biological behaviour with Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) of man. Very significantly, its lymphomas are the first naturally occurring malignancy to be controlled by an antiviral vaccine, with implications for human virus–associated cancers. The circumstances and climate of opinion in which successive γ–herpesviruses were discovered are described. The identification of EBV involved two unconventionalities: its finding in cultured Burkitt's lymphoma cells when no human lymphoid cell had ever been maintained
in vitro
, and its recognition in the absence of biological activity by the then new technique of electron microscopy. These factors engendered hostility to its acceptance as a new human tumour–associated virus. The EBV–like agents of Old World apes and monkeys and the T–lymphotropic γ–herpesviruses of New World monkeys were found at about the same time, not long after the discovery of EBV. For many years these were thought to be the only γ–herpesviruses of non–human primates; however, very recently B–lymphotropic EBV–like agents have been identified in New World species as well. Mouse herpesvirus 68 came to light by chance during a search for arboviruses and has become important as a laboratory model because of its close genetic relatedness to EBV and its comparable biological behaviour. The discovery of Kaposi's sarcoma–associated herpesvirus six years ago was made using unconventional new methods, but, unlike with EBV 30 years before, this did not hinder its acceptance. This contrast is discussed in the context of the great progress in human tumour virology which has been made in recent years.
Impulsivity, age of first alcohol use and substance use disorders among male adolescents: a population based case–control study
Authors: Von Diemen Lisia , Bassani Diego Garcia , Fuchs Sandra Costa , Szobot Claudia Maciel , Pechansky Flavio
Published: May 2008

Aims  To evaluate the association between impulsivity, age of first alcohol consumption (AFD) and substance use disorders (SUD) in a non‐clinical sample of adolescents.

Design and setting  Population‐based case–control study of male adolescents between 15 and 20 years of age nested in a community survey in southern Brazil.

Participants  Cases were drug or alcohol abusers/dependents defined according to DSM‐IV abuse/dependence criteria (n = 63). Individuals who had experienced alcohol use but where non‐abusers served as controls (n = 355). Cases and controls completed a structured face‐to‐face interview.

Measurements  The Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI) was completed during the original survey and used to identify cases and controls. Impulsivity was measured by means of the Barratt Impulsivity Scale (BIS 11). Self‐reported AFD and socio‐demographic data were collected and analyzed through logistic regression according to a hierarchical model.

Findings  Impulsivity and AFD were significantly associated with SUD. Both higher impulsivity [odds ratio (OR) 3.3, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.4–7.8] and earlier AFD (OR 1.2, 95% CI 1.0–1.3) remained associated with SUD after model adjustments.

Conclusions  The findings from this population‐based case–control study suggest that impulsivity and age of first alcoholic drink are associated strongly with alcohol and drug problems. Additionally, impulsivity seems to contribute to a premature exposure to alcohol by hastening the AFD. If the temporal effect of these associations is confirmed in longitudinal designs including broader population groups, our findings may contribute to the development of clinical and policy interventions aiming at reducing the incidence and morbidity associated with substance‐related problems among adolescents.
Consequences of lifetime isolated growth hormone (GH) deficiency and effects of short‐term GH treatment on bone in adults with a mutation in the GHRH‐receptor gene
Authors: De Paula Francisco J. A. , Góis‐Júnior Miburge B. , Aguiar‐Oliveira Manuel H. , Pereira Francisco de A. , Oliveira Carla R. P. , Pereira Rossana M. C. , Farias Catarine T. , Vicente Tábita A. R. , Salvatori Roberto
Published: May 2008

Objective  Growth hormone (GH) influences bone mass maintenance. However, the consequences of lifetime isolated GH deficiency (IGHD) on bone are not well established. We assessed the bone status and the effect of 6 months of GH replacement in GH‐naïve adults with IGHD due to a homozygous mutation of the GH‐releasing hormone (GHRH)‐receptor gene (GHRHR).

Patients and methods  We studied 20 individuals (10 men) with IGHD at baseline, after 6 months of depot GH treatment, and 6 and 12 months after discontinuation of GH. Quantitative ultrasound (QUS) of the heel was performed and serum osteocalcin (OC) and C‐terminal cross‐linking telopeptide of type I collagen (ICTP) were measured. QUS was also performed at baseline and 12 months later in a group of 20 normal control individuals (CO), who did not receive GH treatment.

Results  At baseline, the IGHD group had a lower T‐score on QUS than CO (–1·15 ± 0·9 vs.–0·07 ± 0·9, P < 0·001). GH treatment improved this parameter, with improvement persisting for 12 months post‐treatment (T‐score for IGHD = –0·59 ± 0·9, P < 0·05). GH also caused an increase in serum OC (baseline vs. pGH, P < 0·001) and ICTP (baseline vs. pGH, P < 0·01). The increase in OC was more marked during treatment and its reduction was slower after GH discontinuation than in ICTP.

Conclusions  These data suggest that lifetime severe IGHD is associated with significant reduction in QUS parameters, which are partially reversed by short‐term depot GH treatment. The treatment induces a biochemical pattern of bone anabolism that persists for at least 6 months after treatment discontinuation.
Relationship between serum free T4 (FT4) levels and metabolic syndrome (MS) and its components in healthy euthyroid subjects
Authors: Kim Beom‐Jun , Kim Tae Yong , Koh Jung‐Min , Kim Hong‐Kyu , Park Joong‐Yeol , Lee Ki‐Up , Shong Young Kee , Kim Won Bae
Published: May 2008

Background  The metabolic syndrome (MS) is associated with increased life‐time risk for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. While some reports suggest that MS and/or insulin resistance is associated with low serum free T4 (FT4) level in euthyroid subjects, this remains a controversial issue.

Objective  To clarify the association of serum FT4 level with presence of MS and its components in healthy euthyroid subjects.

Subjects and measurements  For 44 196 euthyroid subjects (including 25 147 males) not taking thyroid hormone or antithyroid‐drug and without liver or renal disease who participated in a routine health screening examination, we measured serum FT4, high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL‐C), triglycerides (TG), fasting glucose, blood pressure (BP), height, weight, and waist circumference. Subjects were categorized into five groups according to their serum FT4 concentration. The association of FT4 quintiles with clinical and metabolic parameters of MS was analysed by significance test for linearity, and logistic regression analysis was used to calculate odds ratios (ORs) for risk of MS and each of its components, before and after adjustment for age.

Results  In males, serum FT4 concentrations were positively associated with BP, fasting glucose, HDL‐C, and TG levels, and negatively associated with waist circumference after adjustment for age (P for trend = 0·033 to < 0·001). Females also showed similar findings except that FT4 had no correlation with TG after adjustment for age (all P for trend < 0·001 except TG). The negative association between FT4 and waist circumference was not present in younger male subjects (< 50 years), and the positive association between FT4 and BP was more prominent in younger female subjects (< 50 years) than in older females (P < 0·05). In both sexes, the ORs for elevated BP and elevated fasting glucose were significantly higher in subjects in the highest FT4 quintile than those in the lowest FT4 quintile, while the ORs for abdominal obesity and low HDL‐C were significantly lower. Subjects in the higher FT4 quintiles had a significantly lower prevalence of MS than those in the lowest FT4 quintile, but such differences disappeared after adjustment for age in both males and in females.

Conclusion  These results suggest that the interaction between serum FT4 and MS components could be different according to age as well as gender in euthyroid subjects. Although thyroid hormone significantly affected each component of MS, there was no association between serum FT4 level and presence of MS after adjustment for age in healthy euthyroid subjects.
New advances in the therapeutic and laboratory management of patients with haemophilia and inhibitors
Authors: DARGAUD Y. , LAMBERT T. , TROSSAERT M.
Published: May 2008

Summary.  The management of haemophilia patients with high inhibitor titres remains a major clinical challenge. In this manuscript, we present the new developments in the treatment and laboratory monitoring of these patients. First, we discuss a general treatment algorithm to control severe bleeding episodes in these patients, established by an international panel of haemophilia specialists. The main features of this algorithm concern (i) the optimal timing of clinical and therapeutic decisions and (ii) the appropriate use of recombinant activated factor VII (rFVIIa) or activated prothrombin complex concentrates. However, until the clinical value of this algorithm is validated in real‐world practice, the use of single high doses of rFVIIa should be considered as a valuable therapeutic option. Secondly, we present four laboratory assays, potential surrogate markers for the efficacy of bypassing agents used in haemophilia patients with high titre inhibitors. Preliminary data suggest that some of these tests, notably thromboelastography and the thrombin generation test, may be helpful for predicting the individual bleeding risk and for providing individually tailored treatment regimens. Overall, it may be hoped that these new developments will lead to a marked improvement in the clinical management of haemophilia patients with inhibitors in the near future.
Primary peritoneal mesotheliomas in children: a clinicopathological and immunohistochemical study of eight cases
Authors: Moran C A , Albores‐Saavedra J , Suster S
Published: May 2008

Aims:  To present eight cases of primary diffuse peritoneal malignant mesothelioma in children <15 years old, with a discussion of the pitfalls of this diagnosis in the paediatric age group.

Methods and results:  The cases were selected based on the following criteria: (i) primary peritoneal neoplasms confined grossly or radiographically to the abdominal cavity; (ii) negative history of previous or another associated malignancy; (iii) histopathological confirmation. All patients (five female, three male) presented clinically with symptoms of abdominal pain, distention and ascites. Grossly, the tumours showed multiple, diffuse peritoneal nodules. Histologically, seven cases corresponded to epithelioid mesotheliomas and one case displayed biphasic (epithelioid and spindle) cellular proliferation. Immunohistochemical studies for cytokeratin (CK) 5/6, calretinin and low‐molecular‐weight CK (CAM5.2) showed strong cytoplasmic positivity in the neoplastic cells. Three patients were treated by chemotherapy. On clinical follow‐up, four patients with epithelioid mesotheliomas were alive and well from 12 to 18 months after initial diagnosis; one patient with a mixed (biphasic epithelioid/sarcomatoid) mesothelioma died of tumour 24 months after diagnosis.

Conclusions:  Peritoneal malignant mesothelioma in children is a rare condition that can introduce difficulties in histopathological diagnosis.
Tissue microarray technology in the routine assessment of HER‐2 status in invasive breast cancer: a prospective study of the use of immunohistochemistry and fluorescence in situ hybridization
Authors: Graham A D , Faratian D , Rae F , J Thomas J St
Published: May 2008

Aims:  To compare tissue microarray (TMA) and whole‐section (WS) techniques in the routine assessment of HER‐2 status in invasive breast cancer by immunohistochemistry and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH).

Methods and results:  HER‐2 status was assessed prospectively in 106 consecutive cases of excised high‐grade and/or node‐positive breast carcinoma using both WS‐ and TMA‐based techniques. Whole sections were assessed by immunohistochemistry with FISH being performed on equivocal cases (scoring 2+ on Hercep®Test) and randomly selected 3+ cases included for quality assurance. Five 0.6‐mm cores from each tumour allowed accurate immunohistochemical and FISH testing in >95% of cases. Ninety‐seven per cent concordance was achieved between WS and TMA approaches to FISH analysis, the only discrepancies being in cases that were borderline or near borderline by both techniques. TMA and WS approaches were comparable in terms of time for preparation and scoring.

Conclusions:  TMA technology is a robust method of assessing HER‐2 status in invasive breast cancer. This is directly comparable to the current standard methodology using whole sections. The use of TMA technology offers several advantages over existing full‐section methods in terms of cost, quality control, facilitation of future research and the facility to provide a high‐throughput testing methodology.
Development of a Chinese short form of the Prenatal Self‐Evaluation Questionnaire
Authors: Lin Chun‐Ting , Cheng Chung‐Ping , Kuo Shih‐Hsien , Chou Fan‐Hao
Published: May 2008

Aims.  To develop a short‐form version of the Chinese Prenatal Self‐Evaluation Questionnaire and to examine its reliability and validity.

Background.  Health professionals are short of screening instruments, especially in Chinese, to assess adaptation of pregnant women.

Design.  A cross‐sectional research design was used. Pregnant women who visited prenatal clinics in southern Taiwan were recruited for this study. This study was conducted in two phases. The first phase was to develop a Chinese short form of the Prenatal Self‐Evaluation Questionnaire, using a convenience sample that consisted of 600 pregnant women. The second phase was to examine the reliability and validity of the short‐form Chinese Prenatal Self‐Evaluation Questionnaire, and used a convenience sample consisting of 225 pregnant women. Internal consistency and split‐half reliability were used to assess reliability. Construct, convergent and discriminate validities were conducted to assess the validity.

Results.  Item, correlation, factor and cluster analyses were used to eliminate 35 items from the questionnaire and to retain 44 items in phase one. The correlation coefficient between the short‐form Chinese Prenatal Self‐Evaluation Questionnaire and the original Chinese Prenatal Self‐Evaluation Questionnaire was 0·95, indicating that the short‐form Chinese Prenatal Self‐Evaluation Questionnaire was acceptable. In phase two, 35 items were eventually retained and divided into six factors: concern for well‐being of self and baby (seven items), acceptance of pregnancy (six items), identification of a motherhood role (three items), preparation for labour (six items), relationship with own mother (eight items) and relationship with husband (five items), accounting for 50·42% of the total variance. The convergent and discriminant validities were good, because the correlation coefficients between subscales and the total scale as well as between subscales and subscales were 0·57–0·71 and 0·18–0·41 (p < 0·01), respectively. The Cronbach's α and split‐half reliabilities of the short form were 0·90 and 0·88, respectively.

Conclusions.  A 35‐item Chinese short form of the Prenatal Self‐Evaluation Questionnaire was developed. The results of this study can be used as a measurement tool for widespread, cost‐effective clinical assessment and further research.

Relevance to clinical practice.  Use of the new tool may help nurses to understand the adaptation status of pregnant women and thereby provide suitable nursing care for good adaptation to pregnancy as well as enhanced quality of life.
Enhancing pregnant, donor oocyte recipient women’s health in the infertility clinic and beyond: a phenomenological investigation of caring behaviour
Authors: Hershberger Patricia E , Kavanaugh Karen
Published: May 2008

Aim.  To describe pregnant, donor oocyte recipient women’s perceptions of the essence of caring behaviour among nurses and other healthcare providers who they encountered in the clinic environment.

Background.  Despite the ever increasing use of donor oocytes to treat infertility worldwide, little is known about the caring behaviour of nurses and other healthcare providers that support and enhance the health of pregnant, donor oocyte recipient women.

Design.  Qualitative, descriptive interviews.

Method.  A Husserlian phenomenological approach.

Results.  Eight women participated in a larger phenomenological study that examined the lived experience of pregnant, donor oocyte recipient women. Five components of caring behaviour among nurses and other healthcare providers emerged from the in‐depth interviews with the women and were: being available, providing communication, exhibiting compassion, demonstrating competency and promoting empowerment. Being available was described when the participants had ongoing access to or were humanly present with nurses. The ability of nurses to provide communication and education about complex information was perceived as supportive. Nurses exhibited compassion through words and behaviours that expressed empathy and a deep understanding of the women’s experience. Competency was demonstrated when a healthy pregnancy was achieved and maintained and through behaviours where a high level of technical and ethical knowledge and skill was observed. Empowerment occurred when nurses encouraged the women to engage in aspects of decision making and when a sense of control over infertility treatment and obstetrical care was promoted.

Conclusions.  For donor oocyte recipient women, caring behaviour in the clinic environment consists of five essential components. The findings support a link between empowerment and the concept of caring.

Relevance to clinical practice.  The dense empirical description of the women’s perceptions of caring behaviour are directly applicable to clinical practice, delineating areas for improvement and providing specific data driven interventions including the development of a ‘hope box’.
Relative information content of polymorphic microsatellites and mitochondrial DNA for inferring dispersal and population genetic structure in the olive sea snake, Aipysurus laevis
Authors: LUKOSCHEK V. , WAYCOTT M. , KEOGH J. S.
Published: May 2008

Polymorphic microsatellites are widely considered more powerful for resolving population structure than mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) markers, particularly for recently diverged lineages or geographically proximate populations. Weaker population subdivision for biparentally inherited nuclear markers than maternally inherited mtDNA may signal male‐biased dispersal but can also be attributed to marker‐specific evolutionary characteristics and sampling properties. We discriminated between these competing explanations with a population genetic study on olive sea snakes, Aipysurus laevis. A previous mtDNA study revealed strong regional population structure for A. laevis around northern Australia, where Pleistocene sea‐level fluctuations have influenced the genetic signatures of shallow‐water marine species. Divergences among phylogroups dated to the Late Pleistocene, suggesting recent range expansions by previously isolated matrilines. Fine‐scale population structure within regions was, however, poorly resolved for mtDNA. In order to improve estimates of fine‐scale genetic divergence and to compare population structure between nuclear and mtDNA, 354 olive sea snakes (previously sequenced for mtDNA) were genotyped for five microsatellite loci. F statistics and Bayesian multilocus genotype clustering analyses found similar regional population structure as mtDNA and, after standardizing microsatellite F statistics for high heterozygosities, regional divergence estimates were quantitatively congruent between marker classes. Over small spatial scales, however, microsatellites recovered almost no genetic structure and standardized F statistics were orders of magnitude smaller than for mtDNA. Three tests for male‐biased dispersal were not significant, suggesting that recent demographic expansions to the typically large population sizes of A. laevis have prevented microsatellites from reaching mutation‐drift equilibrium and local populations may still be diverging.
Enteric nervous system abnormalities in inflammatory bowel diseases
Authors: Villanacci V. , Bassotti G. , Nascimbeni R. , Antonelli E. , Cadei M. , Fisogni S. , Salerni B. , Geboes K.
Published: May 2008

Abstract  Various studies have described abnormalities of the enteric nervous system (ENS) in tissue samples from patients with chronic idiopathic inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). The distribution of density of the different cell types of the ENS was however not studied in a systematic way. The aim of this study was to examine the density of neurons, enteroglial cells and interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC) in the different plexuses of the ENS in samples from patients with Crohn’s disease (CD), ulcerative colitis (UC) and controls. Tissue samples from 16 patients with CD (ileum) and 16 patients with UC obtained in involved and non‐involved areas were studied using immunohistochemistry with antibodies directed against neuron‐specific enolase, S100, C‐Kit and CD3. Sections were analysed blindly by two pathologists and the number of positive cells was counted for each type. Overall, an increase was noted for neuronal cell bodies, enteroglia and ICC in the deep muscular plexus in CD. In uninvolved areas of CD patients, the number of enteroglial cells was decreased. In UC, an increase of ICC in the muscularis propria and enteroglial cells was observed in diseased tissue. The study confirms the presence of abnormalities of the different cells of the ENS in IBD. The presence of lesions in samples from uninvolved areas, such as a reduction of enteroglia, supports a pathogenetic role of the ENS.
In pregnant mice, the infection of Toxoplasma gondii causes the decrease of CD4+CD25+‐regulatory T cells
Authors: GE Y. Y. , ZHANG L. , ZHANG G. , WU J. P. , TAN M. J. , HU W. , LIANG Y. J. , WANG Y.
Published: May 2008

Acute maternal infection with Toxoplasma gondii during pregnancy is associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes. Although previous reports have indicated that T. gondii may result in abortion without direct transmission of the parasite to the foetus, the molecular mechanism remains unclear. CD4+CD25+‐regulatory T cells are known to be involved in maternal tolerance toward the foetus‐bearing alloantigens. With a model of pregnant mice infected with T. gondii, we found that Foxp3 mRNA expression levels in both splenocytes and placenta were reduced markedly during the process of infection. Furthermore, the numbers of splenic CD4+CD25+‐regulatory T cells and placental Foxp3+ cells decreased synchronously in the infected mice, and the reduction of splenic CD4+CD25+‐regulatory T cells were associated with apoptosis induced by the infection. Additionally, injection of pregnant mice with excretory–secretory antigens (ESA) of T. gondii also resulted in foetal loss, which could be partly prevented by adoptive transfer of CD4+CD25+‐regulatory T cells from normal pregnant mice. These data suggest that foetal loss caused by T. gondii can be independent of vertical infection and that the decrease of CD4+CD25+‐regulatory T cells during infection may represent a previously unrecognized mechanism for the pathogenesis of abortion caused by this parasite.
Increasing amino acid supply in pea embryos reveals specific interactions of N and C metabolism, and highlights the importance of mitochondrial metabolism
Authors: Weigelt Kathleen , Küster Helge , Radchuk Ruslana , Müller Martin , Weichert Heiko , Fait Aaron , Fernie Alisdair R. , Saalbach Isolde , Weber Hans
Published: May 2008

The application of nitrogen to legumes regulates seed metabolism and composition. We recently showed that the seed‐specific overexpression of amino acid permease VfAAP1 increases amino acid supply, and the levels of N and protein in the seeds. Two consecutive field trials usingPisum sativumAAP1 lines confirmed increases in the levels of N and globulin in seed; however, compensatory changes of sucrose/starch and individual seed weight were also observed. We present a comprehensive analysis of AAP1 seeds using combinatorial transcript and metabolite profiling to monitor the effects of nitrogen supply on seed metabolism. AAP1 seeds have increased amino acids and stimulated gene expression associated with storage protein synthesis, maturation, deposition and vesicle trafficking. Transcript/metabolite changes reveal the channelling of surplus N into the transient storage pools asparagine and arginine, indicating that asparagine synthase is transcriptionally activated by high N levels and/or C limitation. Increased C‐acceptor demand for amino acid synthesis, resulting from elevated levels of N in seeds, initiates sucrose mobilization and sucrose‐dependent pathways via sucrose synthase, glycolysis and the TCA cycle. The AAP1 seeds display a limitation in C, which leads to the catabolism of arginine, glutamic acid and methionine to putrescine, β‐alanine and succinate. Mitochondria are involved in the coordination of C/N metabolism, with branched‐chain amino acid catabolism and a γ‐amino‐butyric acid shunt. AAP1 seeds contain higher levels of ABA, which is possibly involved in storage‐associated gene expression and the N‐dependent stimulation of sucrose mobilization, indicating that a signalling network of C, N and ABA is operating during seed maturation. These results demonstrate that legume seeds have a high capacity to regulate N:C ratios, and highlight the importance of mitochondria in the control of N–C balance and amino acid homeostasis.
Evaluation of storage mite contamination of commercial dry dog food
Authors: Brazis Pilar , Serra Montserrat , Sellés Alex , Dethioux Fabienne , Biourge Vincent , Puigdemont Anna
Published: May 2008

Storage mites may be considered important allergens in dogs with atopic dermatitis. High sensitization rates to Tyrophagus, Acarus, and Lepidoglyphus species have been reported in atopic dogs, and dry pet food has been suggested as a potential source of storage mite exposure. The aim of the present study was to evaluate commercial dry dog food for contamination with storage mites, and how storage time and conditions could influence the risk of contamination. Ten different premium commercial dry dog foods formulated for skin disorders were selected. Food bags were opened and stored for 6 weeks under two different environmental conditions. At different time points, samples from each bag were collected and analysed by microscopy, guanine test, storage mite‐specific traps, and a modified flotation technique.

On opening, two storage mites identified as Acarus siro were isolated from one of the 10 bags by flotation technique, indicating that storage mites can be present in packaged dry dog food bags. After 5 weeks of storage under environmental conditions optimal for mite growth (23.2 ± 2.1 °C and 71 ± 5.6% of relative humidity), mites were detected by microscopic observation in nine of the 10 diets. When mites were identified by the flotation technique, Tyrophagus spp. were found to be the most common contaminating species. These results show that dry dog food can be a suitable substrate for storage mite reproduction, and that environmental and storage conditions may influence food contamination and mite development.
The shaded side of apple fruit becomes more sensitive to photoinhibition with fruit development
Authors: Li Pengmin , Cheng Lailiang
Published: May 2008

Developmental changes of photochemical and non‐photochemical processes and the antioxidant system in the shaded peel vs the sun‐exposed peel of ‘Gala’ apple and their responses to sudden exposure of high light were determined to understand the susceptibility of the shaded peel to high light damage with fruit development. As fruit developed, actual PSII efficiency of the shaded peel decreased, whereas non‐photochemical quenching (mainly the slow component) increased at any given PFD. Photochemical quenching coefficient of the shaded peel decreased at any given PFD with fruit development. As fruit developed, the activity of superoxide dismutase, ascorbate peroxidase and dehydroascorbate reductase and the level of reduced ascorbate and total ascorbate decreased; the activity of monodehydroascorbate reductase and glutathione reductase remained low, whereas catalase activity and the level of reduced glutathione and total glutathione increased in the shaded peel. Exposure to high light (1500 μmol m−2 s−1) for 2 h significantly decreased the maximum quantum efficiency of PSII (FV/FM) in the shaded peel at each developmental stage, with the decrease being larger with fruit development. The FV/FM of the sun‐exposed peel was also decreased by the high light treatment, but the decrease was much smaller than that in the shaded peel at each developmental stage. We conclude that the shaded peel of apple fruit becomes more sensitive to photoinhibition with fruit development, and this increased sensitivity is apparently related to the decease in the overall capacity for photosynthesis and photoprotection of the shaded peel with fruit development.
Effect of growth temperature and total non‐structural carbohydrate accumulation on growth coefficient in Petunia × hybrida petals
Authors: Hachiya Takushi , Noguchi Ko
Published: May 2008

It is widely believed that growth coefficient [g, respiratory cost consumed for synthesis of a unit dry weight (DW)] is independent of growth temperature. However, some studies using regression analysis indicated an increase in g at high temperatures. These two conflicting conclusions may be affected by the differences in total non‐structural carbohydrate (TNC) accumulation between growth temperatures. Here, we evaluated whether g is independent of growth temperature in Petunia × hybrida petal after excluding TNC from DW. We also examined changes in g during petal development. We measured amounts of carbon, nitrogen, minerals and TNC and theoretically estimated construction cost and g. The results showed that the estimated g greatly changed with age and differed between growth temperatures. The estimated g was markedly increased by excluding TNC from DW. The effect of accumulation of TNC on the estimated g was observed at later stage of petal development. At earlier stage, the estimated g depended on the N amount. These results indicate that g changes with growth temperature and suggest that TNC accumulation must be taken into account in the estimation.
Adaptations of higher plant cell walls to water loss: drought vs desiccation
Authors: Moore John P. , Vicré‐Gibouin Mäite , Farrant Jill M. , Driouich Azeddine
Published: May 2008

Water‐deficit stress poses unique challenges to plant cells dependent on a hydrostatic skeleton and a polysaccharide‐rich cell wall for growth and development. How the plant cell wall is adapted to loss of water is of interest in developing a general understanding of water stress tolerance in plants and of relevance in strategies related to crop improvement. Drought tolerance involves adaptations to growth under reduced water potential and the concomitant restructuring of the cell wall that allow growth processes to occur at lower water contents. Desiccation tolerance, by contrast, is the evolution of cell walls that are capable of losing the majority of cellular water without suffering permanent and irreversible damage to cell wall structure and polymer organization. This minireview highlights common features and differences between these two water‐deficit responses observed in plants, emphasizing the role of the cell wall, while suggesting future research avenues that could benefit fundamental understanding in this area.
Size exclusion limits and lateral heterogeneity of the stomatal foliar uptake pathway for aqueous solutes and water‐suspended nanoparticles
Authors: Eichert Thomas , Kurtz Andreas , Steiner Ulrike , Goldbach Heiner E.
Published: May 2008

Penetration rates of foliar‐applied polar solutes are highly variable and the underlying mechanisms are not yet fully understood. The contribution of stomata especially, is still a matter of debate. Thus, the size exclusion limits of the stomatal foliar uptake pathway, its variability and its transport capacity have been investigated. The size exclusion limits were analyzed by studying the penetration of water‐suspended hydrophilic particles of two different sizes (43 nm or 1.1 μm diameter) into leaves of Vicia faba (L.). To avoid agglutination of the particles, plants were kept in water‐saturated atmosphere. Penetration of the larger particles was never detected, whereas after 2 to 9 days, the smaller particles occasionally penetrated the leaf interior through stomatal pores. Permeability of stomata to Na2‐fluorescein along the leaf blade of Allium porrum (L.) was highly variable and not correlated with the position on the leaf. When evaporated residues of the foliar‐applied solutions were rewetted repeatedly, approximately 60% of the previously penetrated stomata were penetrated again. The average rate constant of penetration of an individual stoma was in the same order of magnitude as typical rate constants reported for the cuticular pathway. The observed sparseness of stomatal penetration together with its high lateral variability but local and temporal persistency was taken as evidence that stomata contributing to uptake differ from non‐penetrated ones in the wettability of their guard cell cuticle. These results show that the stomatal pathway is highly capacitive because of its large size exclusion limit above 10 nm and its high transport velocity, but at the same time the high variability renders this pathway largely unpredictable.
Leiomyosarcoma of the urinary bladder in a patient with bilateral retinoblastoma
Authors: Minagawa Tomonori , Okaneya Toshikazu , Kamigaito Muneyuki , Nishizawa Shuji , Ogawa Teruyuki , Kawakami Masako , Nakayama Tsuyoshi , Imamura Tetsuya , Kato Haruaki , Nishizawa Osamu
Published: May 2008

Abstract:  We report a case of bladder leiomyosarcoma in a 27‐year‐old woman who had previously been treated with surgery and radiation for bilateral retinoblastoma. The patient was admitted to hospital with discomfort on micturition. Cystoscopy revealed a bladder tumor covered by normal urothelium. Transurethral resection of the bladder tumor was performed, and the histopathological diagnosis was leiomyosarcoma. Partial cystectomy was performed. The leiomyosarcoma of the bladder did not invade the muscle layer. However, bladder tumors recurred at new intravesical locations repeatedly. After transurethral resection of the bladder tumor had been performed twice, total cystectomy and creation of an ileal conduit were performed.