bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Physical activity and obesity prevention: a review of the current evidence
Authors: Wareham Nicholas J. , van Sluijs Esther M. F. , Ekelund Ulf
Published: June 2005

Ecological data on temporal trends suggest that the rising prevalence of obesity is, at least in part, attributable to declining population energy expenditure. However, population-level data on trends in physical activity are scarce. In longitudinal cohort studies individuals who report higher levels of leisure-time physical activity tend to be less likely to gain weight, but studies vary in their conclusions because of issues of confounding, reverse causality and measurement error. The majority of studies suggest that low levels of activity are only weakly associated with future weight gain. Questions about dose–response can only be properly addressed by studies including objective measures of activity with known measurement error. The observational studies leave uncertainties about the direction of causality, as individuals who are overweight are less likely to stay active. Adjustment for confounding can diminish the impact of known confounders, but only randomisation can deal with issues of unmeasured confounding. Although there are a large number of clinical trials on the treatment of individuals with obesity or the prevention of weight regain among weight losers, the updated review of trials to prevent weight gain de novo only reveals six trials published since 2000 in adults and eleven in children. Not only are these trials relatively few in number but, for various methodological reasons, they are uncertain in their conclusions about whether increasing activity will be effective in preventing obesity. Whilst efforts should continue to enhance the evidence base it is wise, in the meantime, to stick to the consensus public health advice of advocating 45–60 min moderate intensity activity daily to prevent obesity.
Peptide YY, appetite and food intake
Authors: le Roux C. W. , Bloom S. R.
Published: June 2005

Obesity is taking on pandemic proportions. The laws of thermodynamics, however, remain unchanged, as energy will be stored if less energy is expended than consumed; the storage is usually in the form of adipose tissue. Several neural, humeral and psychological factors control the complex process known as appetite. Recently, a close evolutionary relationship between the gut and brain has become apparent. The gut hormones regulate important gastrointestinal functions such as motility, secretion, absorption, provide feedback to the central nervous system on availability of nutrients and may play a part in regulating food intake. Peptide YY (PYY) is a thirty-six amino acid peptide related to neuropeptide Y (NPY) and is co-secreted with glucagon-like peptide 1. Produced by the intestinal L-cells, the highest tissue concentrations of PYY are found in distal segments of the gastrointestinal tract, although it is present throughout the gut. Following food intake PYY is released into the circulation. PYY concentrations are proportional to meal energy content and peak plasma levels appear postprandially after 1 h. PYY3-36 is a major form of PYY in both the gut mucosal endocrine cells and the circulation. Peripheral administration of PYY3-36 inhibits food intake for several hours in both rodents and man. The binding of PYY3-36 to the Y2 receptor leads to an inhibition of the NPY neurones and a possible reciprocal stimulation of the pro-opiomelanocortin neurones. Thus, PYY3-36 appears to control food intake by providing a powerful feedback on the hypothalamic circuits. The effect on food intake has been demonstrated at physiological concentrations and, therefore, PYY3-36 may be important in the everyday regulation of food intake.
Secretory factors from human adipose tissue and their functional role
Authors: Hauner Hans
Published: June 2005

Obesity is characterized by an expanded adipose tissue mass. Recent data suggest that adipose tissue is a multi-functional organ rather than simply a passive storage site for excess energy. It has been clearly demonstrated that human adipose tissue produces a variety of secretory factors that exert multiple effects at both the local and the systemic level. To date, >100 products, covering a broad range of protein families as well as many fatty acids and prostaglandins, have been reported to be secreted by adipose tissue. The source of these secreted factors is not only mature fat cells but also poorly-identified cells present in the stromal–vascular fraction including macrophages. Secreted factors of particular interest include many cytokines or chemokines, such as TNF-α, IL-6, IL-8, as well as plasminogen activator inhibitor-1, angiotensin-II, leptin, and adiponectin. In the obese state the expression and secretion of these factors is disturbed. With the exception of adiponectin, most circulating factors are elevated. From this perspective, obesity can be described as a pro-inflammatory condition. In addition, regional differences in adipose expression of many of these factors have been found. There is now growing evidence that many secretory factors play an important role in the pathophysiology of the metabolic and cardiovascular complications of obesity. The question arising from these observations is how the secretory pattern of adipose tissue can be modified by dietary and pharmacological measures to reduce the health risks of obesity.
Supersimple theories
Authors: Buechler Steven , Pillay Anand , Wagner Frank
Published: June 2005

We prove elimination of hyperimaginaries in supersimple theories. This means that if an equivalence relation on the set of realisations of a complete type (in a supersimple theory) is defined by a possibly infinite conjunction of first order formulas, then it is the intersection of definable equivalence relations.
Boundedness of automorphic 𝐿–functions in vertical strips
Authors: Gelbart Stephen , Shahidi Freydoon
Published: June 2005

In this paper we prove the boundedness in vertical strips of finite width for all the

L
L

–functions that appear in constant terms of Eisenstein series, under a certain natural assumption on local normalized intertwining operators. This result has been quite important in establishing recent cases of Langlands functoriality by Cogdell, Kim, Piatetski-Shapiro, and Shahidi, using converse theorems.
Values of zeta functions at negative integers, Dedekind sums and toric geometry
Authors: Garoufalidis Stavros , Pommersheim James
Published: June 2005

We study relations among special values of zeta functions, invariants of toric varieties, and generalized Dedekind sums. In particular, we use invariants arising in the Todd class of a toric variety to give a new explicit formula for the values of the zeta function of a real quadratic field at nonpositive integers. We also express these invariants in terms of the generalized Dedekind sums studied previously by several authors. The paper includes conceptual proofs of these relations and explicit computations of the various zeta values and Dedekind sums involved.
Double affine Hecke algebras and 2-dimensional local fields
Authors: Kapranov M.
Published: June 2005

We give an interpretation of the double affine Hecke algebra of Cherednik as a (suitably regularized) algebra of double cosets of a group

G
G

by a subgroup

F

\mathcal F

, extending the well-known interpretations of the finite and affine Hecke algebras. In this interpretation,

G
G

consists of

K
K

-points of a simple algebraic group, where

K
K

is a 2-dimensional local field such as

Q

p

(
(
t
)
)

\mathbf Q_p((t))

or

F
q

(
(

t
1

)
)
(
(

t
2

)
)

F_q((t_1))((t_2))

, and

F

\mathcal F

is a certain analog of the Iwahori subgroup.
Multidimensional viscous shocks I: Degenerate symmetrizers and long time stability
Authors: Guès Olivier , Métivier Guy , Williams Mark , Zumbrun Kevin
Published: June 2005

We use energy estimates to study the long time stability of multidimensional planar viscous shocks

ψ
(

x
1

)

\psi (x_1)

for systems of conservation laws. Stability is proved for both zero mass and nonzero mass perturbations, and some of the results include rates of decay in time. Shocks of any strength are allowed, subject to an appropriate Evans function condition. The main tools are a conjugation argument that allows us to replace the eigenvalue equation by a problem in which the

x
1

x_1

dependence of the coefficients is removed and degenerate Kreiss-type symmetrizers designed to cope with the vanishing of the Evans function for zero frequency.
The orbifold Chow ring of toric Deligne-Mumford stacks
Authors: Borisov Lev , Chen Linda , Smith Gregory
Published: June 2005

Generalizing toric varieties, we introduce toric Deligne-Mumford stacks. The main result in this paper is an explicit calculation of the orbifold Chow ring of a toric Deligne-Mumford stack. As an application, we prove that the orbifold Chow ring of the toric Deligne-Mumford stack associated to a simplicial toric variety is a flat deformation of (but is not necessarily isomorphic to) the Chow ring of a crepant resolution.
Polylogarithms, regulators, and Arakelov motivic complexes
Authors: Goncharov A.
Published: June 2005

We construct an explicit regulator map from the weight

n
n

Bloch higher Chow group complex to the weight

n
n

Deligne complex of a regular projective complex algebraic variety

X
X

. We define the weight

n
n

Arakelov motivic complex as the cone of this map shifted by one. Its last cohomology group is (a version of) the Arakelov Chow group defined by H. Gillet and C. Soulé. We relate the Grassmannian

n
n

-logarithms to the geometry of the symmetric space

S

L
n

(

C

)

/

S
U
(
n
)

SL_n(\mathcal {C})/SU(n)

. For

n
=
2

n=2

we recover Lobachevsky’s formula expressing the volume of an ideal geodesic simplex in the hyperbolic space via the dilogarithm. Using the relationship with symmetric spaces we construct the Borel regulator on

K

2
n
−
1

(

C

)

K_{2n-1}(\mathcal {C})

via the Grassmannian

n
n

-logarithms. We study the Chow dilogarithm and prove a reciprocity law which strengthens Suslin’s reciprocity law for Milnor’s group

K
3
M

K^M_3

on curves. Our note,“Chow polylogarithms and regulators”, can serve as an introduction to this paper.
Alternating signs of quiver coefficients
Authors: Buch Anders
Published: June 2005

We prove a formula for the Grothendieck class of a quiver variety, which generalizes the cohomological component formulas of Knutson, Miller, and Shimozono. Our formula implies that the

K
K

-theoretic quiver coefficients have alternating signs and gives an explicit combinatorial formula for these coefficients. We also prove some new variants of the factor sequences conjecture and a conjecture of Knutson, Miller, and Shimozono, which states that their double ratio formula agrees with the original quiver formulas of the author and Fulton. For completeness we include a short proof of the ratio formula.
Symmetric groups and expanders
Authors: Kassabov Martin
Published: June 2005

We construct explicit generating sets

F
n

F_n

and

F
~

n

\tilde F_n

of the alternating and the symmetric groups, which turn the Cayley graphs

C

(

A
l
t

(
n
)
,

F
n

)

\mathcal {C}(\mathrm {Alt}(n), F_n)

and

C

(

S
y
m

(
n
)
,

F
~

n

)

\mathcal {C}(\mathrm {Sym}(n), \tilde F_n)

into a family of bounded degree expanders for all sufficiently large

n
n

. These expanders have many applications in the theory of random walks on groups and in other areas of mathematics.
Spectral and mixing properties of actions of amenable groups
Authors: Avni Nir
Published: June 2005

We generalize two theorems about K-automorphisms from

Z

\mathbb {Z}

to all amenable groups with good entropy theory (this class includes all unimodular amenable groups which are not an increasing union of compact subgroups). The first theorem is that such actions are uniformly mixing; the second is that their spectrum is Lebesgue with countable multiplicity. For the proof we will develop an entropy theory for discrete amenable equivalence relations.
Two Human Orthologues of Eco1/Ctf7 Acetyltransferases Are Both Required for Proper Sister-Chromatid Cohesion
Authors: Hou Fajian , Zou Hui
Published: June 2005

Genetic studies in yeast and Drosophila have uncovered a conserved acetyltransferase involved in sister-chromatid cohesion. Here, we described the two human orthologues, previously named EFO1/ESCO1 and EFO2/ESCO2. Similar to their yeast (Eco1/Ctf7 and Eso1) and fly (deco) counterparts, both proteins feature a conserved C-terminal domain consisting of a H2C2 zinc finger motif and an acetyltransferase domain that is able to catalyze autoacetylation reaction in vitro. However, no similarity can be detected outside of the conserved domain. RNA interference depletion experiment revealed that EFO1/ESCO1 and EFO2/ESCO2 were not redundant and that both were required for proper sister-chromatid cohesion. The difference between EFO1 and EFO2 also is reflected in their cell cycle regulation. In mitosis, EFO1 is phosphorylated, whereas EFO2 is degraded. Furthermore, both proteins associate with chromosomes, and the chromosome binding depends on the diverse N-terminal domains. We propose that EFO1 and EFO2 are targeted to different chromosome structures to help establish or maintain sister-chromatid cohesion.
Structure-based Functional Analysis Reveals a Role for the SM Protein Sly1p in Retrograde Transport to the Endoplasmic Reticulum
Authors: Li Yujie , Gallwitz Dieter , Peng Renwang
Published: June 2005

Sec1p/Munc18 (SM) proteins are essential for membrane fusion events in eukaryotic cells. Here we describe a systematic, structure-based mutational analysis of the yeast SM protein Sly1p, which was previously shown to function in anterograde endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-to-Golgi and intra-Golgi protein transport. Five new temperature-sensitive (ts) mutants, each carrying a single amino acid substitution in Sly1p, were identified. Unexpectedly, not all of the ts mutants exhibited striking anterograde ER-to-Golgi transport defects. For example, in cells of the novel sly1-5 mutant, transport of newly synthesized lysosomal and secreted proteins was still efficient, but the ER-resident Kar2p/BiP was missorted to the outside of the cell, and two proteins, Sed5p and Rer1p, which normally shuttle between the Golgi and the ER, failed to relocate to the ER. We also discovered that in vivo, Sly1p was associated with a SNARE complex formed on the ER, and that in vitro, the SM protein directly interacted with the ER-localized nonsyntaxin SNAREs Use1p/Slt1p and Sec20p. Furthermore, several conditional mutants defective in Golgi-to-ER transport were synthetically lethal with sly1-5. Together, these results indicate a previously unrecognized function of Sly1p in retrograde transport to the endoplasmic reticulum.
AUTOMOBILE FUEL ECONOMY: WHAT IS IT WORTH?
Authors: ESPEY MOLLY , NAIR SANTOSH
Published: June 2005

The marginal value of increased automobile fuel economy is estimated using a hedonic model of 2001 model year automobiles sold in the United States. This value is then compared to the average expected lifetime fuel savings attributable to increased fuel economy. Results indicate that automobile buyers fully internalize fuel cost savings attributable to improved fuel economy at low discount rates, and may partially internalize other perceived benefits of improved fuel economy such as reduction in global warming or fossil fuel dependence.
MULTIPOLLUTANT EFFICIENCY STANDARDS FOR ELECTRICITY PRODUCTION
Authors: SCHWARZ PETER M.
Published: June 2005

This study contains a simulation of a coal‐fired electric plant subject to multiple pollutant standards for SO2 and NOx. It shows that firms may not choose the lowest cost technology. The firm's cost‐minimizing choice is compared for three increasingly stringent standards: the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments, the 1997 New Source Performance Standards, and the 2002 North Carolina Clean Smokestacks Act. The study finds support on cost‐benefit grounds for the 2002 North Carolina standard, which is the most stringent standard, but not for the 1997 NSPS. (JEL Q28, Q25, L94)
OVERSEAS ASSEMBLY PRODUCTION CHOICES
Authors: SWENSON DEBORAH L.
Published: June 2005

This article examines the input choices for producers who assemble their goods abroad and imported them to the United States through the U.S. Overseas Assembly Provisions. Three findings emerge. First, firms reduce their use of foreign parts and assembly when foreign costs rise, but only with a lag. In contrast, recent foreign cost increases boost the foreign portion of final product value. Second, the effects of cost changes are more pronounced for U.S. outsourcing imports from developing countries. Finally, the degree of production responsiveness differs with industry capital intensity and is the greatest for low‐capital intensity projects performed in non‐Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) locations.
BEYOND TEST SCORES: THE IMPACT OF BLACK TEACHER ROLE MODELS ON RIGOROUS MATH TAKING
Authors: KLOPFENSTEIN KRISTIN
Published: June 2005

Rigorous math has a positive impact on ultimate educational attainment and earnings, but black high school students enroll in advanced math classes at low rates. Curriculum choice is determined by prior academic achievement and expectations for future schooling, both of which can be influenced by role models. This article finds that increasing the percentage of math teachers who are black has a nontrivial, positive impact on the likelihood that a black geometry student will enroll in a subsequent rigorous math course. This race‐based role model effect occurs only for opposite‐sex student/teacher matches.
CAPITAL CONTROL AND DOMESTIC INTEREST RATES: A GENERALIZED MODEL
Authors: HSU HSIAO‐TANG
Published: June 2005

This article addresses the question of capital control (inflow) and its varied effect on interest rates and real‐side economy. The moral hazard problem causes interest rates to increase as a function of external debt. Decreased capital inflow (external debt) can reduce moral hazard and outweigh the effect of costly capital transactions, with capital control decreasing interest rates and increasing output. This result runs counter to other theoretical works on capital control. The policy implication is that a government can generate national gains from capital inflow control by prohibiting new external debt (borrowing from abroad). With old debt retired and no new borrowing from abroad, external debt is reduced. This will reduce the moral hazard problem and lead to a drop in interest rates and an increase in output. (JEL F32, F41, E43)
Aromatase pathway mediates sex change in each direction
Authors: Kroon Frederieke J , Munday Philip L , Westcott David A , Hobbs Jean-Paul A , Liley N. Robin
Published: June 2005

The enzyme aromatase controls the androgen/oestrogen ratio by catalysing the irreversible conversion of testosterone into oestradiol (E
2
). Therefore, the regulation of E
2
synthesis by aromatase is thought to be critical in sexual development and differentiation. Here, we demonstrate for the first time that experimental manipulation of E
2
levels via the aromatase pathway induces adult sex change in each direction in a hermaphroditic fish that naturally exhibits bidirectional sex change. Our results demonstrate that a single enzymatic pathway can regulate both female and male sexual differentiation, and that aromatase may be the key enzyme that transduces environmental, including social, cues to functional sex differentiation in species with environmental sex determination.
Outpatient misoprostol cervical ripening without subsequent induction of labor to prevent post‐term pregnancy
Authors: Oboro Victor O. , Tabowei Tabs O.
Published: June 2005

Background.  Interventions that may help shorten the duration of pregnancy in an African setting where facilities for fetal monitoring in post‐term pregnancy are limited, and induction is not without its hazards, are needed.

Aim.  To determine whether outpatient administration of intravaginal misoprostol safely decreases the interval to delivery in postdate pregnancies.

Design.  Open randomized controlled trial.

Setting.  Zonal district hospitals, Kwale, Southern Nigeria (August 2000 to October 2001).

Methods.  Seventy‐seven women were randomized at 40 weeks gestation to receive either 25 µg misoprostol intravaginally (38) or gentle cervical assessment only (39) on an outpatient basis. Subjects were then allowed to go into spontaneous labor unless an indication for induction developed.

Main outcome measures.  Interval to delivery, duration of labor, and incidence of side‐effects.

Results.  Misoprostol was associated with significant decrease in mean time to delivery (4·5 ± 4·1 versus 7·4 ± 5·2 days; P = 0·008), earlier gestational age at delivery (40·6 ± 0·6 versus 41·4 ± 0·05 weeks; P < 0·001) and shorter duration of active labor (6·1 ± 4·0 versus 8·2 ± 5·3 h; P = 0·028), without any significant increase in fetal distress, low Apgar score at delivery or other side‐effects.

Conclusion.  Outpatient administration of low‐dose misoprostol can safely shorten the length of gestation in postdate pregnancies.
The effect of magnesium sulfate treatment on serum cardiac troponin I levels in preeclamptic women
Authors: Atalay Cemal , Erden Gönül , Turhan Turan , Yildiran Gülbin , SaraÇoglu Ö. Ferit , Koca Yüksel
Published: June 2005

Aim.  To investigate serum cardiac troponin I levels before and after magnesium sulfate treatment in preeclamptic pregnant women.

Materials and methods.  Fifty‐five pregnant women were included in the prospectively planned study. Study group patients (n = 25) were pregnant women hospitalized with a preeclampsia diagnosis while the control group (n = 30) were pregnant women with no medical or obstetric problem who had been attending the antenatal clinic. Serum cardiac troponin I levels were compared in the normal pregnant women and in preeclamptic pregnant women. These levels were also compared in the preeclamptic women before and after magnesium sulfate treatment. Mann–Whitney U‐test was used for statistical analysis.

Results.  Groups were similar with respect to age, gravity, parity, and gestational age. The median serum cardiac troponin I levels in preeclamptic patients was 0.20 ng/ml (0.02–4.53) before treatment and 0.09 ng/ml (0.02–3.91) after treatment, while it was 0.02 ng/ml (0.0–0.05) in the control group. The serum cardiac troponin I level in the preeclamptic group was significantly high (P < 0.01), and pretreatment values in this group were significantly higher compared with post‐treatment values (P < 0.01)

Conclusion.  Cardiac troponin I is a sensitive parameter for indicating minor myocardial damage which may occur in preeclampsia and for evaluating the efficiency of magnesium sulfate treatment.
Is preoperative vaginal cleansing necessary for control of infection after first trimester vacuum curettage?
Authors: Varli Ingela Hulthén , Lindelius Anna , Bergström Mats
Published: June 2005

Background.  Traditionally, the vagina is cleansed, before a curettage is performed. A previous study, comparing cleansing with chlorhexidine solution and cleansing with saline solution before vacuum aspiration in the first trimester, did not show any difference in the frequency of postoperative pelvic inflammatory disease. We wanted to investigate whether this was true also for vaginal cleansing with chlorhexidine, compared to no vaginal cleansing at all.

Methods.  Consecutive women having surgical first trimester legal abortions were randomized to vulvar and vaginal cleansing with chlorhexidine or vulvar cleansing only. The frequency of postabortion pelvic inflammatory disease was evaluated with patient questionnaires and study of medical records.

Results.  Of the 486 patients included in the study, vaginal cleansing was performed on 246 and no vaginal cleansing on 240. The frequency of probable pelvic inflammatory disease was 2·4% with cleansing and 2·1% without cleansing (no significant difference).

Conclusions.  Under certain conditions, preoperative vaginal cleansing can be safely omitted.
Interleukin‐6 in preterm premature rupture of membranes as an indicator of neonatal outcome
Authors: Hatzidaki Eleftheria , Gourgiotis Dimitris , Manoura Antonia , Korakaki Eftychia , Bossios Apostolos , Galanakis Emmanouel , Giannakopoulou Christina
Published: June 2005

Background.  The aim of this study was to investigate whether the levels of interleukin‐6 (IL‐6) can be used as markers of adverse outcome in preterm neonates born after preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM).

Methods.  This study involved 109 preterm neonates and their mothers. The PPROM group consisted of 58 neonates who were born after PPROM, and the control group consisted of 51 neonates. IL‐6 levels were measured in umbilical cord blood, maternal blood sampled during delivery and in neonatal blood taken on the fourth day of life.

Results.  In the PPROM group, IL‐6 concentrations in maternal blood, cord blood, and neonatal blood were significantly higher in neonates with sepsis, compared with those without sepsis (P < 0.001). Choosing 108.5 pg/ml as a cut‐off concentration of IL‐6 in umbilical cord blood for neonatal sepsis resulted in sensitivity 95%, specificity 100%, positive predictive value 100%, and negative predictive value 97.4%. Concerning IL‐6 in maternal blood, a cut‐off concentration of 81 pg/ml showed sensitivity 90%, specificity 97.4%, positive predictive value 94.7%, and negative predictive value 94.9%. Eighteen of 20 neonates with early sepsis and seven of nine neonates, who died in the PPROM group, were born of mothers with IL‐6 levels above the cut‐off concentration in their blood during delivery.

Conclusions.  IL‐6 in umbilical cord blood was the most significant variable for predicting early onset sepsis in preterm neonates. IL‐6 in maternal blood was indicative of intrauterine environmental threats and might be used to identify pregnancies where intervention would be appropriate.
Evaluating the impact of methadone maintenance programmes on mortality due to overdose and aids in a cohort of heroin users in Spain
Authors: Brugal M. T. , Domingo‐Salvany A. , Puig R. , Barrio G. , García de Olalla P. , De La Fuente L.
Published: June 2005

Aims  To assess the relationship between methadone treatment (MT) and overdose and HIV/AIDS mortality among heroin users resident in Barcelona city.

Design  All patients who started treatment in any treatment centre between 1992  and 1997 were included in a cohort the first time they were  admitted for heroin addiction treatment. Follow‐up controls were carried out every 9 months, on average, until 31 December 1999. Variables, both constant and varying over time, were fitted into Cox regression models.

Findings  The study recruited 5049 patients, which provided 23 048.2 person‐years. Fifty per cent were in MT during the study period; of the total cohort 1005 patients died: 38.4% due to AIDS, 34.7% to overdose and 27% to other causes. Overall mortality decreased from 5.9 deaths per 100 person‐years in 1992 to 1.6 in 1999. Globally, life expectancy at birth was 39 years, 38 years lower than that of the general population. The main factor for overdose mortality was not being in MT at the time of death [relative ratio (RR) = 7.1]; other factors were being a current injector at baseline and being HIV positive. For AIDS mortality, the main factor was the calendar year (RR for 1996 versus 1999 = 4.6), the next major factor was more than 10 years of heroin consumption, followed by not being in MT, being unemployed, then having a prison record.

Conclusions  The observed mortality decline could be linked to the effectiveness of low‐threshold MT. The life expectancy of heroin users increased by 21 years during the study period.
Depressive symptoms and smoking among Hong Kong Chinese adolescents
Authors: Lam T. H. , Stewart Sunita M. , Ho Sai Yin , Lai Man Kin , Mak Kwok Hang , Chau Ka Vai , Rao Uma , Salili Farideh
Published: June 2005

Aims  To examine associations among depressive symptoms, smoking, smoking trajectories and quitting smoking in Hong Kong.

Design  Prospective longitudinal design, with wave 1 at baseline (T1) and wave 2 (T2) 12 months later.

Setting and participants  Form 1 (equivalent to 7th grade in the United States) students, mean age = 12.7 years, n = 1894.

Measurements  Self‐reported smoking status, attempts to quit and depressive symptoms.

Findings  At both waves, current as well as ex‐smokers had higher depressive symptoms than never smokers. T1 smoking predicted T2 depressive symptoms among those with low baseline depressive symptoms. Depressive symptoms at T1 predicted smoking at T2 among non‐smokers at T1. Trajectories were defined by separating participants who were never smokers at both waves (‘non‐smokers’), those who smoked at both waves (‘persistent smokers’), those who smoked at one time but were not smoking at either wave (‘past smokers), and those who had never smoked at T1 but reported smoking a year later (‘new smokers’). Persistent, past and new smokers had higher depressive symptoms at both waves than non‐smokers. Smokers who reported not wanting or trying to quit and those who had been unsuccessful at quitting had higher depressive symptoms at T2 than those who successfully quit.

Conclusion  Our results suggest that depressive symptoms promote tobacco use in Asian adolescents by making it more likely that an adolescent will begin smoking and less likely that she or he will quit. These findings elucidate risk factors in Hong Kong for two important public health concerns for adolescents: smoking and depression.
Reimbursement for smoking cessation treatment may double the abstinence rate: results of a randomized trial
Authors: Kaper J. , Wagena E. J. , Willemsen M. C. , Van Schayck C. P.
Published: June 2005

Aims  Few smokers who try to quit smoking use smoking cessation treatment (SCT), and cost could be one factor. To increase the number of successful quitters, we assessed whether financial reimbursement for SCT would encourage the use of SCT and would as a result increase the 6‐month point abstinence rate.

Setting and participants  We recruited smokers aged over 18 years from a random sample of Dutch inhabitants insured by one health insurance company.

Intervention and design  The smokers were assigned randomly to the intervention group (n = 632) or control group (n = 634). Respondents in the intervention group received an offer of reimbursement for nicotine replacement therapy, bupropion and behavioural counselling. No reimbursement was offered to the control group. To preclude a change of behaviour due to disappointment in the control group, we used a randomized consent design.

Findings  During the reimbursement period, 10.8% smokers in the intervention group reported having used SCT compared with 4.1% in the control group (OR = 2.9, 95% CI 1.8–4.7). In the intervention group, 23.4% smokers tried to stop compared with 20.8% in the control group (OR = 1.2, 95% CI 0.9–2.4). After 6 months, the biochemically validated 7‐day point prevalence abstinence rate was 5.5% in the intervention group and 2.8% in the control group (OR = 2.3, 95% CI 1.2–4.1).

Conclusions  Reimbursement for SCT seems efficacious in increasing the use of SCT and may double the number of successful quitters.
The relationship between non‐injection drug use behaviors on progression to AIDS and death in a cohort of HIV seropositive women in the era of highly active antiretroviral therapy use
Authors: Kapadia Farzana , Cook Judith A. , Cohen Marge H. , Sohler Nancy , Kovacs Andrea , Greenblatt Ruth M. , Choudhary Imtiaz , Vlahov David
Published: June 2005

Aims  To evaluate the effects of longitudinal patterns and types of non‐injection drug use (NIDU) on HIV progression in the highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) era.

Design  Women's Interagency HIV Study (WIHS), a prospective cohort study conducted at six US sites.

Methods  Data were collected semi‐annually from 1994 to 2002 on 1046 HIV+ women. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards modeling was used to estimate relative hazards for developing AIDS and for death by pattern and type of NIDU.

Findings  During follow‐up, 285 AIDS events and 287 deaths, of which 177 were AIDS‐related, were reported. At baseline, consistent and former NIDU was associated with CD4+ counts of < 200 cells/µl (43% and 46%, respectively) and viral load > 40 000 copies/ml (53% and 55%, respectively). Consistent NIDU reported less HAART use (53%) compared with other NIDU patterns. Stimulant use was associated with CD4+ cell counts of < 200 cells/µl (53%) and lower HAART initiation (63%) compared with other NIDU types. In multivariate analyses, progression to AIDS was significantly higher among consistent (RH = 2.52), inconsistent (RH = 1.63) and former (RH = 1.56) users compared with never users; and for stimulant (RH = 2.04) and polydrug (RH = 1.65) users compared with non‐users. Progression to all‐cause death was higher only among former users (RH = 1.48) compared with never users in multivariate analysis. NIDU behaviors were not associated with progression to AIDS‐related death.

Conclusions  In this study, pattern and type of NIDU were associated with HIV progression to AIDS and all‐cause mortality. These differences were associated with lower HAART utilization among consistent NIDU and use of stimulants, and poor baseline immunological and virological status among former users.
Smoking habits and obesity in young adults
Authors: Zimlichman Eyal , Kochba Ilan , Mimouni Francis B. , Shochat Tzippora , Grotto Itamar , Kreiss Yitshak , Mandel Dror
Published: June 2005

Aims  The aim of this work was to study the association between obesity and smoking habits in young adults. Specifically, we tested the hypothesis that obesity does not prevent young adults from smoking and conversely smoking does not protect against obesity.

Design and setting  Trained nurses interviewed participants concerning demographic data and health behaviors such as smoking. At the time of the interview, weight and height were measured. Data were analyzed retrospectively.

Participants  A representative sample of Israel Defense Force (IDF) personnel upon discharge from compulsory service, usually at the age of 20–21 years.

Findings  Overall, 29 745 participants were included during the 13‐year study (16 363 males and 13 382 females). Smoking rates were higher among obese participants than among overweight and non‐obese participants (34.9%, 37.1%, 43.6% for non‐obese, overweight and obese, respectively; P < 0.001). Mean number of cigarettes smoked per day were also higher among smokers that were obese and overweight compared to the non‐obese (15.2 ± 9.2, 15.6 ± 10.7, 18.0 ± 9.8, respectively; P < 0.001). Overweight and obesity were associated with the father's lower academic educational level. In logistic regression analysis, obesity, year of study and parental academic education were correlated independently with smoking (P < 0.001).

Conclusion  The positive association between obesity and smoking suggests that obesity is not a deterrent to smoking and also that smoking does not help to prevent obesity.
Level of impaired control predicts outcome of moderation‐oriented treatment for alcohol problems
Authors: Heather Nick , Dawe Sharon
Published: June 2005

Aims  To examine the ability of the Impaired Control Scale (ICS) to predict outcome of moderation‐oriented treatment for alcohol problems and to compare this predictive ability directly with that of a widely used measure of alcohol dependence, the Severity of Alcohol Dependence Questionnaire (SADQ).

Design  Prospective follow‐up study.

Setting  Out‐patient treatment centres.

Participants  A combined sample 154 problem drinkers taking part in two clinical trials of Moderation‐oriented Cue Exposure in the UK and Australia. Clients were followed‐up 6 (UK) and 8 (Australia) months after the end of reatment.

Measurements  Outcome was categorized by combining drinking behaviour at follow‐up with changes on the Alcohol Problems Questionnaire from before treatment to follow‐up. Controlling for research site, baseline scores on Part 2 of the ICS (substitution method) and the SADQ‐C were entered in logistic regression analyses with three outcome dichotomies as dependent variables.

Findings  Five per cent of clients were abstinent at follow‐up, 13% non‐problem drinkers, 25% much improved, 24% somewhat improved and 34% unimproved. Location of treatment and ICS2 scores were significant predictors of whether or not clients achieved a successful outcome (abstinence or non‐problem drinking). Using a cut‐point of 25 on the ICS, two‐thirds of outcomes were classified correctly as either treatment successes or failures. SADQ‐C score was not a significant predictor of treatment outcome.

Conclusions  The ICS predicts outcome of moderation‐oriented treatment among moderately dependent problem drinkers recruited mainly via newspaper advertisements. The ICS should replace the SADQ as the basis for advice to clients in this population of problem drinkers regarding whether or not a moderation goal of treatment should be pursued.
Alcohol expectancies, conduct disorder and early‐onset alcoholism: negative alcohol expectancies are associated with less drinking in non‐impulsive versus impulsive subjects
Authors: Finn Peter R. , Bobova Lyuba , Wehner Elizabeth , Fargo Susan , Rickert Martin E.
Published: June 2005

Aims  Research suggests that positive alcohol expectancies promote excessive alcohol use while negative alcohol expectancies discourage excessive alcohol use. Evidence suggests that disinhibitory characteristics, such as conduct disorder and impulsivity, are associated with a general neglect of long‐term negative outcomes. This study assessed whether negative expectancies would be associated more strongly with lower levels of alcohol use for low‐ compared with high‐impulsive individuals.

Design  Positive and negative alcohol expectancies, alcohol use and impulsivity were assessed in a sample of 99 young adults with alcohol dependence (AD) and conduct disorder (CD), 77 with AD and no CD and 124 controls.

Findings  AD/CD subjects had higher proximal (same day) and distal (next day) negative alcohol expectancies, even though they drank more alcohol, compared with AD‐alone and control subjects. Distal negative expectancies were associated more strongly with lower levels of drinking for low‐impulsive compared with high‐impulsive subjects. Proximal negative expectancies were associated more strongly with higher alcohol consumption for high‐ versus low‐impulsive subjects.

Conclusions  Impulsivity and conduct disorder may be important factors in determining how much distal negative alcohol expectancies may discourage excessive alcohol consumption.
The effect of β‐glucan administration on macrophage respiratory burst activity and Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L., challenged with amoebic gill disease – evidence of inherent resistance
Authors: Bridle A R , Carter C G , Morrison R N , Nowak B F
Published: June 2005

Previous studies have demonstrated that β‐glucans stimulate Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L., head kidney macrophages both in vitro and in vivo and increase protection against various pathogens. Based on our previous work that showed potent immunostimulatory CpG motif‐containing oligodeoxynucleotides increased resistance to amoebic gill disease (AGD), the present study investigated the immunostimulatory effects of three commercial β‐glucan‐containing feeds and their ability to increase resistance to AGD. All three commercial β‐glucans were able to stimulate the respiratory burst activity of Atlantic salmon head kidney macrophages in vitro, albeit at different times and concentrations. However, dietary incorporation of the β‐glucans was unable to stimulate the in vivo respiratory burst activity of head kidney macrophages, or serum lysozyme production, and did not increase resistance against AGD. However, this trial showed for the first time that a small subpopulation of Atlantic salmon subjected to a severe AGD infection was able to resist becoming heavily infected and furthermore survive the challenge.
Nocardiosis in large yellow croaker, Larimichthys crocea (Richardson)
Authors: Wang G‐L , Yuan S‐P , Jin S
Published: June 2005

An epizootic in seawater‐cage reared large yellow croaker, Larimichthys crocea, in China was caused by a Nocardia sp. from August to October 2003. The cumulative mortality rate was 15% and the diseased fish were 16 months old with individual length varying from 25 to 30 cm. Multiple, white nodules, 0.1–0.2 cm in diameter, were scattered on the heart, spleen and kidney. The morphology of isolated bacteria from Lowenstein–Jensen medium and tryptic soy agar was bead‐like or long, slender, filamentous rods. Experimental infection indicated that the isolated bacterium was the pathogen responsible for the mortalities. A partial sequence of the 16S rRNA gene of the organism and the type strain of Nocardia seriolae JCM 3360T (Z36925) formed a monophyletic clade with a high sequence similarity of 99.9%. Based on the morphological, physiological, biological properties and the phylogenetic analysis, the pathogenic organism was identified as N. seriolae. This is the first report on N. seriolae‐infected large yellow croaker in aquaculture.
Longitudinal serological surveys of Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L., using a rapid immunoperoxidase‐based neutralization assay for salmonid alphavirus
Authors: Graham D A , Jewhurst V A , Rowley H M , McLoughlin M F , Rodger H , Todd D
Published: June 2005

Longitudinal serological surveys for salmon pancreas disease virus (SPDV), the causal agent of pancreas disease (PD), were conducted on multiple caged populations of Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L., on two farms over a 77‐week period (farm 1, freshwater and marine stages) and a 36‐week period (farm 2, marine stage only), using a microtitre‐based virus neutralization (VN) assay. Collected sera were also screened for viraemia with SPDV, and pancreas, heart and muscle tissues were examined for lesions consistent with PD. Outbreaks of PD occurred during the marine phase on both farms, as demonstrated by seroconversion, the isolation of virus and progressive histopathological changes consistent with a PD outbreak. All populations monitored showed a progressive increase in seroprevalence of 90–100%, typically accompanied by rises in geometric mean antibody titres. With the exception of one caged population, which showed a marked biphasic seroprevalence pattern, the seroprevalence figures in the remaining four monitored populations remained high (≥70%) until the end of the study period. Peak VN titres of ≥1/1280 were detected on both farms. The results provide essential baseline information for the interpretation of SPDV VN serology results, and indicate that this methodology is suited to both the diagnosis and seroepidemiology of SPDV infections.
Genetic structure inOrchesella cincta(Collembola): strong subdivision of European populations inferred from mtDNA and AFLP markers
Authors: TIMMERMANS M. J. T. N. , ELLERS J. , MARIËN J. , VERHOEF S. C. , FERWERDA E. B. , VAN STRAALEN N. M.
Published: June 2005

Population genetic structure is determined both by current processes and historical events. Current processes include gene flow, which is largely influenced by the migration capacity of a species. Historical events are, for example, glaciation periods, which have had a major impact on the distribution of many species. Species with a low capacity or tendency to move about or disperse often exhibit clear spatial genetic structures, whereas mobile species mostly show less spatial genetic differentiation. In this paper we report on the genetic structure of a small, wingless arthropod species (Orchesella cincta: Collembola) in Europe. For this purpose we used mtDNA COII sequences and AFLP markers. We show that large genetic differences exist between populations ofO. cincta, as expected fromO. cincta's winglessness and sedentary lifestyle. Despite the fact that most variability was observed within populations (59%), a highly significant amount of AFLP variation (25%) was observed between populations from northwestern Europe, central Europe and Italy. This suggests that gene flow among regions is extremely low, which is additionally supported by the lack of shared mtDNA alleles between regions. Based on the genetic variation and sequence differences observed we conclude that the subdivision occurred long before the last glaciation periods. Although the populations still interbreed in the lab, we assume that in the long term the genetic isolation of these regions may lead to speciation processes.
Molecular clocks and geological dates: cytochrome b of Anolis extremus substantially contradicts dating of Barbados emergence
Authors: THORPE R. S. , LEADBEATER D. L. , POOK C. E.
Published: June 2005

Even though molecular clocks vary in rate to some extent, they are widely used and very important in a range of evolutionary studies, not least in interpreting cause and colonization in phylogeography. Evolutionists may use island age and emergence to give the earliest possible date for colonization by a species and hence give the lower limit in a molecular clock calibration. The geology of the Lesser Antilles is well studied and Barbados, although composed of some ancient rocks, is thought to have emerged only about 1million years ago (Ma). The cytochrome b mitochondrial gene is the most widely used gene in vertebrate phylogeography, and generally evolves at a rate of 1–2% per million years (Myr) for poikilothermic vertebrates. Divergence measured across almost all of this gene in the endemic anole (Anolis extremus) reveals a mean patristic distance of approximately 8.3% between this clade and its sister, together with distinct divergence and phylogeographical structure within Barbados. The divergence time, estimated by a range of procedures using four calibration points, is not in the least compatible with the proposed geological time of emergence of Barbados. Hence, either the molecular clock rate does not apply to the Barbadian anole population, or the geological dating of the emergence of Barbados is erroneous. The compatibility of geological times and molecular divergence of this complex on Martinique, together with relative rates tests comparing the rates on Barbados and Martinique, do not suggest atypical clock rates. The question of whether Barbados emerged much earlier than is currently thought, or whether the molecular clock assumptions are inappropriate, remains open.
Hydrophilins from distant organisms can protect enzymatic activities from water limitation effectsin vitro
Authors: REYES JOSE L. , RODRIGO MARIA‐J. , COLMENERO‐FLORES JOSE M. , GIL JOSE‐V. , GARAY‐ARROYO ADRIANA , CAMPOS FRANCISCO , SALAMINI FRANCESCO , BARTELS DOROTHEA , COVARRUBIAS ALEJANDRA A.
Published: June 2005

Hydrophilins are a wide group of proteins whose defining characteristics are high hydrophilicity index (> 1.0) and high glycine content (> 6%). The transcripts of most hydrophilins accumulate in response to water deficit in organisms such as plants, fungi and bacteria. In plants, most of the known Late Embryogenesis Abundant (LEA) proteins belong to this group (Garay‐Arroyoet al.,Journal of Biological Chemistry275, 5668–5674, 2000). To gain insight into the function of hydrophilins, anin vitroassay was developed in which the enzymes malate dehydrogenase (MDH) or lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) are subjected to controlled partial water removal. Subtle changes in conformation during partial water removal were detected using 1‐anilinonaphtalene‐8‐sulphonate (ANS), a fluorescent probe, whose emission at 460 nm increases when bound to hydrophobic groups. The results show that water limitation conditions imposed in thisin vitroassay induce changes in MDH or LDH protein structures, which correlate with enzyme inactivation. It is also shown that plant, fungal and bacterial hydrophilins are able to protect enzymatic activities from water‐loss effects in thisin vitrosystem, in a wide range of water potentials. In addition, the data in this work indicate that the presence of hydrophilins also avoids the MDH and LDH conformational modifications caused during the assay. These results show that hydrophilins are able to protect enzymatic activities from inactivation due toin vitropartial water limitation and thus suggest a function for these proteinsin vivo.