bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Haemorrhoids – a collagen disease?
Authors: Willis S. , Junge K. , Ebrahimi R. , Prescher A. , Schumpelick V.
Published: July 2009

Objective  The cause of haemorrhoidal disease is unknown, epidemiological data and histopathological findings support the hypothesis that reduced connective tissue stability is associated with the incidence of haemorrhoids. Therefore the aim of this study was to analyse the quantity and quality of collagen formation in the corpus cavernosum recti in patients with III°/IV° haemorrhoids in comparison with persons without haemorrhoids.

Method  Haemorrhoidectomy specimens of 31 patients with III°/IV° haemorrhoids were examined. The specimens of 20 persons who died a natural death and who had no haemorrhoidal disease served as the controls. The amount of collagen was estimated photometrically by calculating the collagen/protein ratio. The collagen I/III ratio served as parameter for the quality of collagen formation and was calculated using cross polarization spectroscopy.

Results  Patients with haemorrhoids had a significantly reduced collagen/protein ratio (42.2 ± 16.2 μg/mg vs 72.5 ± 31.0 μg/mg; P = 0.02) and a significantly reduced collagen I/III ratio (2.0 ± 0.1 vs 4.6 ± 0.3; P < 0.001) compared with persons without haemorrhoidal disease. There was no correlation with patients’ age or gender.

Conclusions  There is a fundamental disorder of collagen metabolism in patients with haemorrhoidal disease. It remains unclear whether this is due to exogenous or endogenous influences.
Improved survival after rectal cancer in Denmark
Authors: Bülow S. , Harling H. , Iversen L. H. , Ladelund S. ,   on behalf of The Danish Colorectal Cancer Group
Published: July 2009

Objective  In 1995, an analysis showed an inferior prognosis after rectal cancer in Denmark compared with the other Scandinavian countries. The Danish Colorectal Cancer Group (DCCG) was established with the aim of improving the prognosis, and in this study we present a survival analysis of patients treated from 1994 to 2006.

Method  The study was based on the National Rectal Cancer Registry and the National Colorectal Cancer Database, supplemented with data from the Central Population Registry. The analysis included actuarial overall and relative survival.

Results  A total of 10 632 patients were operated on. The overall 5‐year survival increased from 0.37 in 1994 to 0.51% in 2006; the improvement was greater in men (20% points) than in women (10% points), and greatest in stage III (20% points). The relative 5‐year survival increased from 0.46 to 0.62, including an improvement of 23% points in men and 9% points in women and the greatest in stage III (22% points).

Conclusions  The prognosis has improved substantially, probably mainly because of initiatives taken by the DCCG, among which implementation of total mesorectal excision, improved staging and centralized treatment are considered most important.
Looking at Eye Gaze Processing and Its Neural Correlates in Infancy—Implications for Social Development and Autism Spectrum Disorder
Authors: Hoehl Stefanie , Reid Vincent M. , Parise Eugenio , Handl Andrea , Palumbo Letizia , Striano Tricia
Published: July 2009

The importance of eye gaze as a means of communication is indisputable. However, there is debate about whether there is a dedicated neural module, which functions as an eye gaze detector and when infants are able to use eye gaze cues in a referential way. The application of neuroscience methodologies to developmental psychology has provided new insights into early social cognitive development. This review integrates findings on the development of eye gaze processing with research on the neural mechanisms underlying infant and adult social cognition. This research shows how a cognitive neuroscience approach can improve our understanding of social development and autism spectrum disorder.
Neural Correlates of Direct and Reflected Self‐Appraisals in Adolescents and Adults: When Social Perspective‐Taking Informs Self‐Perception
Authors: Pfeifer Jennifer H. , Masten Carrie L. , Borofsky Larissa A. , Dapretto Mirella , Fuligni Andrew J. , Lieberman Matthew D.
Published: July 2009

Classic theories of self‐development suggest people define themselves in part through internalized perceptions of other people’s beliefs about them, known as reflected self‐appraisals. This study uses functional magnetic resonance imaging to compare the neural correlates of direct and reflected self‐appraisals in adolescence (N = 12, ages 11–14 years) and adulthood (N = 12, ages 23–30 years). During direct self‐reflection, adolescents demonstrated greater activity than adults in networks relevant to self‐perception (medial prefrontal and parietal cortices) and social‐cognition (dorsomedial prefrontal cortex, temporal–parietal junction, and posterior superior temporal sulcus), suggesting adolescent self‐construals may rely more heavily on others’ perspectives about the self. Activity in the medial fronto‐parietal network was also enhanced when adolescents took the perspective of someone more relevant to a given domain.
Revisiting the Strange Stories: Revealing Mentalizing Impairments in Autism
Authors: White Sarah , Hill Elisabeth , Happé Francesca , Frith Uta
Published: July 2009

A test of advanced theory of mind (ToM), first introduced by F. Happé (1994), was adapted for children (mental, human, animal, and nature stories plus unlinked sentences). These materials were closely matched for difficulty and were presented to forty‐five 7‐ to 12‐year‐olds with autism and 27 control children. Children with autism who showed ToM impairment on independent tests performed significantly more poorly than controls solely on the mental, human, and animal stories with greatest impairment on the former and least on the latter. Thus, a mentalizing deficit may affect understanding of biologic agents even when this does not explicitly require understanding others’ mental states.
Neurodevelopmental Correlates of Theory of Mind in Preschool Children
Authors: Sabbagh Mark A. , Bowman Lindsay C. , Evraire Lyndsay E. , Ito Jennie M. B.
Published: July 2009

Baseline electroencephalogram (EEG) data were collected from twenty‐nine 4‐year‐old children who also completed batteries of representational theory‐of‐mind (RTM) tasks and executive functioning (EF) tasks. Neural sources of children’s EEG alpha (6–9 Hz) were estimated and analyzed to determine whether individual differences in regional EEG alpha activity predicted children’s RTM performance, while statistically controlling for children’s age and EF skills. Results showed that individual differences in EEG alpha activity localized to the dorsal medial prefrontal cortex (dMPFC) and the right temporal–parietal juncture (rTPJ) were positively associated with children’s RTM performance. These findings suggest that the maturation of dMPFC and rTPJ is a critical constituent of preschoolers’ explicit theory‐of‐mind development.
Which Penguin Is This? Attributing False Beliefs About Object Identity at 18 Months
Authors: Scott Rose M. , Baillargeon Renée
Published: July 2009

Recent research has shown that infants as young as 13 months can attribute false beliefs to agents, suggesting that the psychological‐reasoning subsystem necessary for attributing reality‐incongruent informational states (Subsystem‐2, SS2) is operational in infancy. The present research asked whether 18‐month‐olds’ false‐belief reasoning extends to false beliefs about object identity. Infants watched events involving an agent and 2 toy penguins; 1 penguin could be disassembled (2‐piece penguin) and 1 could not (1‐piece penguin). Infants realized that outdated contextual information could lead the agent to falsely believe she was facing the 1‐piece rather than the 2‐piece penguin, suggesting that 18‐month‐olds can attribute false beliefs about the identity of objects and providing new evidence for SS2 reasoning in the 2nd year of life.
Cognitive and Neural Development of Individuated Self‐Representation in Children
Authors: Ray Rebecca D. , Shelton Amy L. , Hollon Nick Garber , Michel Bethany D. , Frankel Carl B. , Gross James J. , Gabrieli John D. E.
Published: July 2009

Processing the self‐relevance of information facilitates recall. Similarly, processing close‐other‐related information facilitates recall to a lesser degree than processing self‐relevant information. This memory advantage may be viewed as an index of the degree to which the representation of self is differentiated from representations of close others. To test developmental hypotheses concerning the self, this study examined the relation of memory for self‐ and mother‐referentially processed information in participants age 7–13 years (Experiment 1: N = 37; Experiment 2: N = 14). Memory for words encoded with reference to oneself increases with age, relative to memory for words encoded with reference to one’s mother. When used as an individual difference measure, the difference in self versus mother memory correlates with regions of the rostral anterior cingulate associated with affective salience.
Aspects of Fetal Learning and Memory
Authors: Dirix Chantal E. H. , Nijhuis Jan G. , Jongsma Henk W. , Hornstra Gerard
Published: July 2009

Ninety‐three pregnant women were recruited to assess fetal learning and memory, based on habituation to repeated vibroacoustic stimulation of fetuses of 30–38 weeks gestational age (GA). Each habituation test was repeated 10 min later to estimate the fetal short‐term memory. For Groups 30–36, both measurements were replicated in a second session at 38 weeks GA for the assessment of fetal long‐term memory. Within the time frame considered, fetal learning appeared GA independent. Furthermore, fetuses were observed to have a short‐term (10‐min) memory from at least 30 weeks GA onward, which also appeared independent of fetal age. In addition, results indicated that 34‐week‐old fetuses are able to store information and retrieve it 4 weeks later.
The Motivational Landscape of Early Adolescence in the United States and China: A Longitudinal Investigation
Authors: Wang Qian , Pomerantz Eva M.
Published: July 2009

This research examined motivational trajectories during early adolescence in the United States and China. Upon their entry into middle school at 7th grade and every 6 months thereafter until the end of 8th grade, 825 American and Chinese children (mean age = 12.73 years) reported on their motivational beliefs (e.g., mastery orientation) and behavior (e.g., self‐regulated learning strategies). The quality of children’s motivational beliefs deteriorated over the 7th and 8th grades (e.g., children became less mastery oriented) in both the United States and China. American children also valued academics less, with declines in their motivational behavior as well. Chinese children continued to value academics, sustaining their motivational behavior. In both countries, children’s motivational beliefs and behavior predicted their grades over time.
Early Attachment Organization Moderates the Parent–Child Mutually Coercive Pathway to Children’s Antisocial Conduct
Authors: Kochanska Grazyna , Barry Robin A. , Stellern Sarah A. , O’Bleness Jessica J.
Published: July 2009

This multimethod study of 101 mothers, fathers, and children elucidates poorly understood role of children’s attachment security as moderating a common maladaptive trajectory: from parental power assertion, to child resentful opposition, to child antisocial conduct. Children’s security was assessed at 15 months, parents’ power assertion observed at 25 and 38 months, children’s resentful opposition to parents observed at 52 months, and antisocial conduct rated by parents at 67 months. Moderated mediation analyses indicated that in insecure dyads, parental power assertion predicted children’s resentful opposition, which then predicted antisocial conduct. This mechanism was absent in secure dyads. Early insecurity acts as a catalyst for a dyad embarking on mutually adversarial path toward antisocial outcomes, whereas early security defuses this maladaptive trajectory.
A Good Story: Children With Imaginary Companions Create Richer Narratives
Authors: Trionfi Gabriel , Reese Elaine
Published: July 2009

In line with theories that children’s pretend play reflects and extends their narrative skills, children with imaginary companions were predicted to have better narrative skills than children without imaginary companions. Forty‐eight 5½‐year‐old children and their mothers participated in interviews about children’s imaginary companions. Children also completed language and narrative assessments. Twenty‐three of the children (48%) were deemed to have engaged in imaginary companion play. Children with and without imaginary companions were similar in their vocabulary skills, but children with imaginary companions told richer narratives about a storybook and a personal experience compared to children without imaginary companions. This finding supports theories of a connection between pretend play and storytelling by the end of early childhood.
Firm Profitability, State Ownership, and Top Management Turnover at the Listed Firms in China: A Behavioral Perspective
Authors: Shen Wei , Lin Chen
Published: July 2009

Manuscript Type: Empirical

Research Question/Issue: We attempt to clarify the relationships between firm profitability, state ownership, and top management turnover at partially privatized firms by applying the behavioral theory of organizational search, which proposes that firms focus on target in performance evaluation.

Research Findings/Results: Using data from a large sample of the listed firms in China from 1999 to 2002, we find that firm profitability and state ownership are negatively related to top management turnover only when firm profitability is below target (measured by industry median). We also find that top management turnover has a positive impact on subsequent firm profitability when it occurs under performance below target, but has a negative impact when it occurs under performance above target. Lastly, we find that top management turnover under performance below target has a positive impact on subsequent firm profitability when the state is not the largest shareholder, but has no impact when the state is the largest shareholder.

Theoretical Implications: Our study provides strong support for the argument that state ownership weakens corporate governance quality in partial privatization. It also demonstrates the contribution of the behavioral theory of organizational search to the study of top management turnover in emerging economies where it is difficult to identify forced turnover.

Practical Implications: To further improve the economic performance of partially privatized firms, states should continue to dilute their ownership. In addition, firms should carefully manage top management turnover when performance is above target.
Business Group Affiliation, Firm Governance, and Firm Performance: Evidence from China and India
Authors: Singh Deeksha A. , Gaur Ajai S.
Published: July 2009

Manuscript Type: Empirical

Research Question/Issue: This study seeks to understand how business group affiliation, within firm governance and external governance environment affect firm performance in emerging economies. We examine two aspects of within firm governance – ownership concentration and board independence.

Research Findings/Insights: Using archival data on the top 500 Indian and Chinese firms from multiple data sources for 2007, we found that group affiliated firms performed worse than unaffiliated firms, and the negative relationship was stronger in the case of Indian firms than for Chinese firms. We also found that ownership concentration had a positive effect on firm performance, while board independence had a negative effect on firm performance. Further, we found that group affiliation – firm performance relationship in a given country context was moderated by ownership concentration.

Theoretical/Academic Implications: This study utilizes an integration of agency theory with an institutional perspective, providing a more comprehensive framework to analyze the CG problems, particularly in the emerging economy firms. Empirically, our findings support, as well as contradict, some of the conventional wisdom, and suggest useful avenues for future research.

Practitioner/Policy Implications: This study shows that reforms in general and CG reforms in particular are effective in emerging economies, which is an encouraging sign for policy makers. However, our research also suggests that it may be time for India and China to stop the encouragement for the empire building through group formation in the corporate world. For practioners, our findings suggest that firms need to balance the need for oversight with the need for advice, while selecting independent directors.
Non‐Tradable Share Reform and Corporate Governance in the Chinese Stock Market
Authors: Yeh Yin‐Hua , Shu Pei‐Gi , Lee Tsun‐Siou , Su Yu‐Hui
Published: July 2009

Manuscript Type: Empirical

Research Question/Issue: Prior to China's split‐share structure reform, domestic A shares were divided into non‐tradable and tradable shares. Non‐tradable shareholders represent the government, hold roughly a two‐thirds majority, and manage the firms, while tradable shareholders have little power to affect the decisions made by non‐tradable shareholders. This is a typical structure to exhibit agency problems. The 2005 structure reform program stipulates that non‐tradable shareholders have to bargain with tradable shareholders in order to gain liquidity. The price that non‐tradable shareholders pay to tradable shareholders for gaining liquidity is defined as “compensation.” We explore the issue of why corporate governance might play an important role in affecting the level of compensation.

Research Findings/Insights: Firms with a weak governance structure or severe agency problems are required to have a higher level of compensation. The level of compensation is positively correlated with the non‐tradable shareholding, the pledge ratio, and related‐party transactions, and is negatively correlated with foreign shareholdings. The same set of variables dictates the ex‐post wealth effect of tradable shareholders, but in the reverse direction.

Theoretical/Academic Implications: The share reform provides a natural setting that allows tradable shareholders to reflect their concerns with agency problems. The mechanism could ameliorate the agency problems. Corporate governance, in a broad sense, is related to compensation and the ex‐post wealth effect of tradable shares.

Practitioner/Policy Implications: A successful mechanism should be designed to have minority shareholders involved in the process and have the final compensation reflect the quality of corporate governance.
CSR Communication Intensity in Chinese and Indian Multinational Companies
Authors: Lattemann Christoph , Fetscherin Marc , Alon Ilan , Li Shaomin , Schneider Anna‐Maria
Published: July 2009

Manuscript Type: Empirical

Research Question/Issue: Why do firms in China, which has a higher level of economic development, communicate less CSR than firms in India? We use a model that includes country‐, industry‐, and firm‐level factors to predict CSR communications intensity, a proxy for CSR activities.

Research Findings/Insights: Using data on 68 of the largest multinational companies in China and India, our study shows that Indian firms communicate more CSR primarily due to a more rule‐based, as opposed to relation‐based, governance environment. Firms in the manufacturing industry tend to communicate more CSR. Firm‐level characteristics such as size, duality of CEO and board chairperson, and percentage of external members on the board also have a significant influence on CSR communications.

Theoretical/Academic Implications: The main theoretical contribution of our study is to bring a three‐level perspective, relying not only on firm‐ and industry‐specific factors, but also on the governance environment, to the study of firms' CSR behavior. We show that the national governance environment dominates the national income level in affecting CSR communications intensity. We demonstrate that the macro institutional environment in a country strongly affects firm CSR behavior. Our findings suggest that CSR should be studied by considering multilevel antecedents.

Practitioner/Policy Implications: Our study suggests that in order to improve the CSR of firms, policy makers in India and China must first try to improve public governance at the national level. Executives doing business with Chinese and Indian companies need to better understand the contrasting governance and their effects on the CSR practices in each country. For the international community and those concerned about product safety and other social issues related to China and India, our findings suggest that improvement will not be immediate since the governance environment changes relatively slowly.
The Determinants of Auditor Switching from the Perspective of Corporate Governance in China
Authors: Lin Z. Jun , Liu Ming
Published: July 2009

Manuscript Type: Empirical

Research Question/Issue: This paper reports on the association between the internal corporate governance mechanism of firms and their auditor switching types in the Chinese context. Two types of auditor switching – namely switching to a larger auditor or switching to a smaller auditor – are identified and examined.

Research Findings/Insights: Controlling shareholders have the incentive to seek opaqueness gains. The empirical results demonstrate that to realize opaqueness gains, firms with weaker corporate governance generally are more likely to switch to a smaller auditor rather than to a larger one.

Theoretical/Academic Implications: The empirical results demonstrate that firm‐specific corporate governance devices will affect a firm's auditor switching decision. An effective corporate governance mechanism may inhibit the controlling shareholder from switching to a smaller auditor to exploit the minority shareholders. The emerging economies are usually featured with concentrated ownership and insufficient legal protection of minority shareholders. Compared with prior studies, this paper generates findings more applicable to the emerging economies.

Practitioner/Policy Implications: This study may facilitate market regulators and participants to maintain close monitoring of the structural arrangement of corporate governance of the listed firms, the independent auditing process and the credibility of financial reporting in an emerging market like China. The findings also suggest that in order to bolster the confidence of the market participants, the Chinese government should promote the reform of the corporate governance system and enforce effective regulations, in particular on firms' auditor switches.
Board Structure and Firm Performance: Evidence from India's Top Companies
Authors: Jackling Beverley , Johl Shireenjit
Published: July 2009

Manuscript Type: Empirical

Research Question/Issue: This paper investigates the relationship between internal governance structures and financial performance of Indian companies. The effectiveness of boards of directors, including board composition, board size, and aspects of board leadership including duality and board busyness are addressed in the Indian context using two theories of corporate governance: agency theory and resource dependency theory.

Research Findings/Insights: The study used a sample of top Indian companies taking into account the endogeneity of the relationships among corporate governance, corporate performance, and corporate capital structure. The study provides some support for aspects of agency theory as a greater proportion of outside directors on boards were associated with improved firm performance. The notion of separating leadership roles in a manner consistent with agency theory was not supported. For instance, the notion that powerful CEOs (duality role, CEO being the promoter, and CEO being the only board manager) have a detrimental effect on performance was not supported. There was some support for resource dependency theory. The findings suggest that larger board size has a positive impact on performance thus supporting the view that greater exposure to the external environment improves access to various resources and thus positively impacts on performance. The study however failed to support the resource dependency theory in terms of the association between frequency of board meetings and performance. Similarly the results showed that outside directors with multiple appointments appeared to have a negative effect on performance, suggesting that “busyness” did not add value in terms of networks and enhancement of resource accessibility.

Theoretical/Academic Implications: The two theories of corporate governance, namely agency and resource dependence theory, were each only partially supported, by the findings of this study. The findings add further to the view that no single theory explains the nexus between corporate governance and performance.

Practitioner/Policy Implications: This study demonstrates that corporate governance measures utilized in developed economies related to boards of directors have some synergies and relevance to emerging economies, such as India. However, the nature of business structures in India, for example the large number of family businesses, may limit the generalizability of the findings and signals the need for further investigation of these businesses. The evidence related to multiple appointments of directors suggests that there may be support for restricting the number of directorships held by any one individual in emerging economies, given that the “busyness” of directors was negatively associated with firm performance.
Optimal Tax Policy, Market Imperfections, and Environmental Externalities in a Dynamic Optimizing Macro Model
Authors: CHANG JUIN‐JEN , CHEN JHY‐HWA , SHIEH JHY‐YUAN , LAI CHING‐CHONG
Published: July 2009

This paper develops a dynamic real business cycle model that highlights pollution externalities (on welfare and production) and market imperfections and uses it to determine the socially optimal tax policy that encompasses labor income, capital income, and emission taxes. We show that the optimal tax on capital and labor income only addresses the production inefficiency (and is time‐invariant), while the tax on the environmental externalities affects both the production inefficiency and the environmental spillovers (and is time‐varying). More interestingly, the socially optimal emission tax will be characterized by a Keynesian‐like stabilizer that is designed to mitigate business cycle fluctuations, i.e., that will stimulate the economy with a lower emission tax during recessions. In a positive analysis, we show that the beneficial effects arising from pollution taxation will become larger the greater is the degree of the firms’ monopoly power. In addition, a triple dividend in terms of improving environmental quality and increasing employment and firms’ profit can be simultaneously realized if the environmental production externality is more significant and if the elasticity of intertemporal substitution in consumption is relatively small.
A NEW MEASURE OF US POTENTIAL OUTPUT, INFLATION FORECASTS, AND MONETARY POLICY RULES*
Authors: HARVIE CHARLES , HUH HYEON‐SEUNG
Published: July 2009

This paper proposes a new measure of potential output for the USA. The key idea is that potential output is constructed as the level of output which would correspond to aforecastof no inflation change over the policy horizon. The resultant output gap has a clear interpretation as a measure to gauge future inflationary pressures. It also exhibits better predictability for future inflation changes in comparison with previous output gap measures. Simulation results further demonstrate its usefulness as a feedback variable in the Taylor monetary policy rule for interest rates.
MACROECONOMIC RATES OF RETURN OF PUBLIC AND PRIVATE INVESTMENT: CROWDING‐IN AND CROWDING‐OUT EFFECTS
Authors: AFONSO ANTÓNIO , ST. AUBYN MIGUEL
Published: July 2009

Using annual data from 17 developed economies, we evaluate the macroeconomic effects of public and private investment through a five‐variable vector autoregression. From impulse response functions, we assess the extent of crowding‐in or crowding‐out of both components of investment. We also compute the associated macroeconomic rates of return of public and private investment for each country. The results show the existence of positive effects of public investment and private investment on output. On the other hand, the crowding‐in effects of public investment on private investment vary across countries, while the crowding‐in effect of private investment on public investment is more generalized.
AN ADMISSIBLE TERM STRUCTURE MODEL OF SOVEREIGN YIELD SPREADS WITH MACRO FACTORS: THE CASE OF BRAZILIAN GLOBAL BONDS
Authors: LIU ZHUOSHI , SPENCER PETER
Published: July 2009

We study the term structure of Brazilian sovereign bond yield spreads and their links with the domestic economy using a macro‐finance framework. Our model allows Brazilian macroeconomic variables as well as a latent country risk factor to affect sovereign spreads. We find that although the Brazilian sovereign yield spreads are dominated by the risk factor during the high default risk periods of 1999 and 2002, the effects of macro variables are significant during the rest of the estimation period. In addition, the volatility level of the macroeconomic system is driven by the country risk factor.
Surfactants, skin cleansing protagonists
Authors: Corazza M , Lauriola MM , Zappaterra M , Bianchi A , Virgili A
Published: July 2009

The correct choice of cosmetic products and cleansers is very important to improve skin hydration, to provide moisturizing benefits and to minimize cutaneous damage caused by surfactants. In fact, surfactants may damage protein structures and solubilize lipids. Soaps, defined as the alkali salts of fatty acids, are the oldest surfactants and are quite aggressive. Syndets (synthetic detergents) vary in composition and surfactant types (anionic, cationic, amphotheric, non‐ionic). These new skin cleansing products also contain preservatives, fragrances, and sometimes emollients, humectants and skin nutrients. We present a revision of the literature and discuss recent findings regarding skin cleansers.
Fructan oligomers in Poa ampla
Authors: CHATTERTON N. J. , HARRISON P. A.
Published: July 2009

Ion exchange chromatography of water extracts was used to classify the fructans in leaves of 40 temperate dicots and 110 temperate grass species. Of the 150 species studied, only Poa ampla (Merrill) contained a single β‐2,6 linked fructan series. All other species grown at 10/5°C day/night temperatures (16 h day) contained some β‐1,2 linked oligofructans, even when the major fructan series was β‐2,6 linked. Leaves of P. ampla plants grown at 15/10°C day/night temperatures contained some β‐1,2 linked fructans and rafnnose in addition to the dominant β‐2,6 series, but did not contain significant amounts of 1‐kestose or bifurcose (1&6‐kestotetraose). Leaves of Poa arctica R.Br. and Poa bulbosa L. contained significant amounts of rafnnose and various β‐1,2 linked oligomers but no 1‐kestose. In vivo synthesis of 6‐kestose in leaves of P. ampla grown at 10/5°C proceeds in the absence of significant amounts of either 1‐kestose or bifurcose. Thus P. ampla probably has a specific 6‐SST (6‐sucrose‐sucrosefructosyl transferase) and might provide a ready source of β‐2,6 linked grass fructan.
Structural diversity of fructan in relation to the taxonomy of the Poaceae
Authors: BONNETT G. D. , SIMS I. M. , SIMPSON R. J. , CAIRNS A. J.
Published: July 2009

summary

To test the hypothesis that fructan structure can be used as a taxonomic character for the Poaceae we examined the accumulation of the linear, β‐2,6‐linked fructan series with a terminal glucose residue within the tribes Aveneae and Poeae. Only Dactylis glomerata L. (Poeae) has been shown to contain this series, making it unique among fructan structures and a potential taxonomic marker. To this end, 13 members of the tribes Aveneae and Poeae were surveyed for the presence of this fructan series by comparing extracts of water‐soluble carbohydrate by TLC with an extract of D. glomerata. The fructans of four species were similar to those of D. glomerata, as determined by TLC. Further comparison by anion‐exchange chromatography and linkage analysis demonstrated that Phalaris aquatica L., Puccinellia stricta (Hook, f.) C. H. Blom and Holcus lanatus L. contained a linear, β‐2,6‐linked series of fructan with a terminal glucose residue but that Lagurus ovatus L., although containing predominantly β‐2,6‐linked fructan was composed of more than one series of fructan, one with a terminal glucose residue and one with an internal glucose residue. A linear β‐2,6‐linked series of fructans with a terminal glucose residue was the dominant fructan accumulated by some species of genera belonging to both the Aveneae (Phalaris and Holcus) and the Poeae (Dactylis and Puccinellia). As both of these tribes also contain genera that accumulate fructans with an internal glucose residue, e.g. Avena and Lagurus (Aveneae) and Lolium (Poeae), structure of fructan cannot be used to distinguish these tribes. Review of the literature, however, showed that it is possible to separate the supertribes Triticodae and Poodae on the basis of the structure of the fructan that they accumulate.
Purification and substrate specificity of an extracellular fructanhydrolase from Lactobacillus paracasei ssp. paracasei P 4134
Authors: MÜLLER M. , SEYFARTH W.
Published: July 2009

A novel extracellular fructanhydrolase was isolated from the culture filtrate of Lactobacillus paracasei ssp. paracasei P4134 grown on a mineral medium supplemented with fructan extracted from Timothy (Phleum pratense L.) as the only carbon source. The enzyme was purified by a combination of ammonium sulphate precipitation, affinity chromatography, preparative isoelectric focusing and anion‐exchange chromatography. As a result of these procedures, the specific enzyme activity increased 93‐fold, with a final yield of 28.4%. The substrate‐specific activities against different fructan types were determined by incubating the enzyme fractions with fructan extracted from Timothy (predominantly β‐2,6 fructosyl‐fructose linkages), inulin from Dahlia tubers (mostly β‐2,l fructosyl‐fructose linkages) and sucrose. The purified enzyme catalysed the hydrolysis of β‐2,6‐Hnked fructan more rapidly than the β‐2,l linkages of inulin. Additionally, the enzyme showed low ability to hydrolyse sucrose. Fructose was the main product of the degradation of Timothy fructan and inulin, indicating a high exohydrolytic activity of the enzyme. It is proposed that the fructan‐degrading enzyme from L. paracasei ssp. paracasei P 4134 is a β‐d‐fructan‐fructohydrolase (EC 3.2.1.80). The enzyme preparation showed a single protein band in sodium dodecyl sulphate‐polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis with a mobility corresponding to molecular weight of c. 42 kDa. It was concluded that only one molecular weight of fructan‐degrading enzyme exists in L. paracasei ssp. paracasei P 4134.
Mosses and alternative adaptation to life on land
Authors: Proctor M. C. F.
Published: July 2009

It is easy to dismiss bryophytes as ‘lower’ plants, mere primitive precursors long since left behind in the evolutionary race, and of only rather esoteric and incidental biological interest. But this is to let oneself be led astray by a simplistic image of a tidy evolutionary tree – an image that served Darwin well a century and a half ago (Desmond & Moore, 1992), but which we should now see as an intricately branched evolutionary bush with innumerable shoots reaching out from all depths to the growing apices that represent the present day. The earliest land plants may indeed have been at a bryophyte level of organization, but modern bryophytes, no less than vascular plants, are the product of some 450 million years’ evolution since that time (Edwards et al., 1998). Raven (1977, 1984) has emphasized the importance of the evolution of supracellular transport systems in the origin of vascular land plants. Bryophytes, on the other hand, evolved desiccation tolerance and represent an alternative strategy of adaptation to life on land, photosynthesizing and growing when water is available, and suspending metabolism when it is not. They are limited by their mode of life, but also liberated : they are prominent on hard substrates such as rock and bark, which are impenetrable to roots and untenable to vascular plants. Bryophytes (in species numbers the second biggest group of green land plants) may be seen as the mobile phones, notebook computers and diverse other rechargeable battery‐powered devices of the plant world – not direct competitors for their mains‐based equivalents, but a lively and sophisticated complement to them.
VGLUT1 and VGAT are sorted to the same population of synaptic vesicles in subsets of cortical axon terminals
Authors: Fattorini Giorgia , Verderio Claudia , Melone Marcello , Giovedì Silvia , Benfenati Fabio , Matteoli Michela , Conti Fiorenzo
Published: July 2009

Glutamate and GABA mediate most of the excitatory and inhibitory synaptic transmission; they are taken up and accumulated in synaptic vesicles by specific vesicular transporters named VGLUT1‐3 and VGAT, respectively. Recent studies show that VGLUT2 and VGLUT3 are co‐expressed with VGAT. Because of the relevance this information has for our understanding of synaptic physiology and plasticity, we investigated whether VGLUT1 and VGAT are co‐expressed in rat cortical neurons. In cortical cultures and layer V cortical terminals we observed a population of terminals expressing VGLUT1 and VGAT. Post‐embedding immunogold studies showed that VGLUT1+/VGAT+ terminals formed both symmetric and asymmetric synapses. Triple‐labeling studies revealed GABAergic synapses expressing VGLUT1 and glutamatergic synapses expressing VGAT. Immunoisolation studies showed that anti‐VGAT immunoisolated vesicles contained VGLUT1 and anti‐VGLUT1 immunoisolated vesicles contained VGAT. Finally, vesicles containing VGAT resident in glutamatergic terminals undergo active recycling. In conclusion, we demonstrate that in neocortex VGLUT1 and VGAT are co‐expressed in a subset of axon terminals forming both symmetric and asymmetric synapses, that VGLUT1 and VGAT are sorted to the same vesicles and that vesicles at synapses expressing the vesicular heterotransporter participate in the exo‐endocytotic cycle.
Fractalkine‐induced activation of the phosphatidylinositol‐3 kinase pathway attentuates microglial activation in vivo and in vitro
Authors: Lyons Anthony , Lynch Aileen M. , Downer Eric J. , Hanley Riona , O’Sullivan Joan B. , Smith Andrew , Lynch Marina A.
Published: July 2009

Several neurodegenerative disorders are associated with evidence of inflammation, one feature of which is increased activation of microglia, the most likely cellular source of inflammatory cytokines like interleukin‐1β. It is now recognized that interaction of microglia with other cells contributes to maintenance of microglia in a quiescent state and the complementary distribution of the chemokine, fractalkine (CX3CL1) on neurons and its receptor (CX3CR1) on microglia, suggests that this interaction may play a role in modulating microglial activation. Here we demonstrate that both soluble and membrane‐bound fractalkine attenuate lipopolysaccharide‐induced microglial activation in vitro. We also show that fractalkine expression is reduced in the brain of aged rats and this is accompanied by an age‐related increase in microglial activation. Treatment of aged rats with fractalkine attenuates the age‐related increase in microglial activation and the evidence indicates that fractalkine‐induced activation of the phosphatidylinositol‐3 kinase pathway is required to maintain microglia in a quiescent state both in vivo and in vitro.
The Role of Socioregional Factors in Moderating Genetic Influences on Early Adolescent Behavior Problems and Alcohol Use
Authors: Dick Danielle M. , Bernard Matthew , Aliev Fazil , Viken Richard , Pulkkinen Lea , Kaprio Jaakko , Rose Richard J.
Published: July 2009

Background:  Twin and family studies have demonstrated that adolescent alcohol use and behavior problems are influenced by a combination of genetic and environmental factors. More recently, studies have begun to investigate how genetic and environmental influences may interact, with efforts underway to identify specific environmental variables that moderate the expression of genetic predispositions. Previously, we have reported that community‐level factors, including urban/rural residency, migration rates, and prevalence of young adults, moderate the importance of genetic effects on alcohol use in late adolescence (ages 16 to 18). Here, we extend these findings to test for moderating effects of these socioregional factors on alcohol use and behavior problems assessed in a younger sample of adolescent Finnish twins.

Methods:  Using data from the population‐based Finnish twin study, FinnTwin12, biometric twin models were fit to data on >1,400 twin pairs to examine the significance of each of the socioregional moderating variables on alcohol use measured at age 14, and behavior problems, measured at age 12.

Results:  We find no evidence of a moderating role of these socioregional variables on alcohol use; however, there was significant moderation of genetic influences on behavior problems, with effects limited to girls. Genetic influences assumed greater importance in urban settings, communities with greater migration, and communities with a higher percentage of slightly older adolescents.

Conclusions:  The moderation effects observed on behavior problems in early adolescence paralleled the effects found on alcohol use late in adolescence in an independent sample, providing further support for the idea that behavior problems may represent an earlier manifestation of the predisposition to subsequent alcohol problems. Our findings also support the growing body of evidence suggesting that females may be more susceptible to a variety of environmental influences than males.
Cardiovascular disease on hemodialysis: Predictors of atherosclerosis and survival
Authors: BALSAM Ahmed , EL KOSSI Mohsen M. , LORD Robert , EL NAHAS A. Meguid
Published: July 2009

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of mortality in hemodialysis (HD) patients. This could not be explained by the known traditional CVD risk factors. In this study, we attempted to elucidate the factors influencing atherosclerosis, as measured by carotid artery intima‐media thickness (IMT), in HD patients and their impact on cardiovascular mortality. A cohort of 50 patients started on HD was selected for this study. At baseline, IMT and the presence of atheromatous plaques were assessed. Plasma homocysteine (Hcy), malondialdehyde, total antioxidant capacity, von Willebrand factor, vitamins C, E, B6, B12, folate, and C‐reactive protein (CRP) were also measured. Patients were followed up for 2 years to determine the impact of IMT and associated markers on mortality using survival analysis as well as Cox proportional hazard. At baseline, 40% of the patients had IMT>0.8 mm. They were older, had higher CRP (P<0.001), and lower serum albumin (P=0.03). Intima‐media thickness >0.8 mm was associated with high calcium (risk ratio [RR]: 6.06; confidence interval [CI]: 0.75–12.25) and CRP (RR: 10.94 [CI: 2.56–46.74]). Fifteen patients (30%) died during the 2‐year follow‐up; the main cause of death was CVD (42%). The relative risk mortality was high with increased IMT (RR: 120.04 [CI: 4.18–3445.9]), Index of Coexistent Disease for CVD (RR: 4.04 [CI: 1.92–8.5]), and plasma Hcy (RR: 1.08 [CI: 1.02–1.13]). Markers of inflammation and increased serum calcium were significant predictors of increased carotid artery IMT. High IMT, Index of Coexistent Disease, and Hcy were associated with a high RR of all‐cause mortality among a cohort of HD patients.
Predictors of anemia in patients on hemodialysis
Authors: AASEBØ Willy , HARTMANN Anders , JENSSEN Trond
Published: July 2009

Even though the use of erythropoietin and intravenous iron has improved the treatment of anemia in hemodialysis patients, a considerable proportion of these patients still have anemia. The aim of this study was to identify predictors of anemia in a hemodialysis population. In a single‐center hemodialysis unit, all patients were studied with blood tests and their medication recorded during a period of 22 months. Correlations with hemoglobin (Hb) were performed with a simple regression or a t test. Variables that reached 5% significance were entered in a multiple regression analysis. Selected variables were presented in quartiles with levels of Hb. Mean Hb was 11.3 g/dL, and 53 patients (40%) had Hb<11.0 g/dL. In the simple regression analysis Hb correlated positively with s‐iron, CHr, s‐albumin, and doses of sevelamer, and negatively with sedimentation rate (SR), ferritin, base excess, and doses of erythropoietin. In the multiple regression analysis erythrocytes SR was the only variable that remained significant. Elevated SR is the strongest predictor of anemia in hemodialysis patients receiving adequate treatment with erythropoietin and intravenous iron. Patients using high doses of sevelamer had higher Hb levels than patients using low doses.
The effect of in‐stent restenosis on hemodialysis access patency
Authors: CHAN Micah R. , YOUNG Henry N. , YEVZLIN Alexander S.
Published: July 2009

Endovascular stents have recently been shown to extend access patency in thrombosed and stenotic arteriovenous grafts (AVG). Concern remains over the frequency and severity of in‐stent restenosis, though this has not been rigorously defined to date. The study was a retrospective analysis of hemodialysis patients referred for access dysfunction during a 2‐year period. Using a prospectively collected, vascular access database, we identified 76 patients seen for follow‐up angiography due to access dysfunction after stent placement. We compared the effect of in‐stent restenosis vs. de novo lesions in patients with previously placed endovascular stents. Measured outcomes were primary assisted patency and frequency of in‐stent and de novo lesions. Thirty‐five (46.1%) patients had de novo lesions, while 41 (53.9%) had in‐stent restenosis. In‐stent restenosis was found to be the only factor associated with severity of luminal stenosis (β=0.35, 95% confidence interval 2.21–15.48, P=0.01). In‐stent restenosis was associated with increased primary patency among AVGs (hazards ratio 3.10; 95% confidence interval 1.35–7.10; P=0.008). Primary patency of in‐stent restenosis vs. de novo lesions for AVGs were respectively: 78% vs. 94% at 1 month, 56% vs. 42% at 3 months, 33% vs. 6% at 6 months. For arteriovenous fistulae, the difference in primary patency of in‐stent vs. de novo lesions was not statistically significant. In‐stent restenosis is associated with higher percent luminal diameter lesions, while de novo lesions rather than in‐stent restenosis are associated with higher risk of AVG access failure and reduced primary patency.
Texas Population Substructure and Its Impact on Estimating the Rarity of Y STR Haplotypes from DNA Evidence*
Authors: Budowle Bruce , Ge Jianye , Aranda Xavier G. , Planz John V. , Eisenberg Arthur J. , Chakraborty Ranajit
Published: July 2009

Abstract:  Three sampled populations of unrelated males—African American, Caucasian, and Hispanic, all from Texas—were typed for 16 Y short tandem repeat (STR) markers using the AmpFlSTR® YfilerTM kit. These samples also were typed previously for the 13 core CODIS autosomal STR loci. Most of the 16 marker haplotypes (2478 out of 2551 distinct haplotypes) were observed only once in the data sets. Haplotype diversities were 99.88%, 99.89%, and 99.87% for the African American, Caucasian, and Hispanic sample populations, respectively. FST values were very small when a haplotype comprised 10–16 markers. This suggests that inclusion of substructure correction is not required. However, haplotypes consisting of fewer loci may require the inclusion of FST corrections. The testing of independence of autosomal and Y STRs supports the proposition that the frequencies of autosomal and Y STR profiles can be combined using the product rule.