bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Unexpected diversity in populations of the many‐celled magnetotactic prokaryote
Authors: Simmons Sheri L. , Edwards Katrina J. 
Published: September 2006

SummaryThe many‐celled magnetotactic prokaryote (MMP) is an uncultivated, highly motile aggregate of 10–30 cells containing numerous chains of greigite (Fe3S4) magnetosomes. It is unique to marine environments and is abundant in slightly sulfidic sediments of the Little Sippewissett salt marsh (Falmouth, MA). We sequenced 16s rDNA genes from a natural population of MMP and found five lineages separated by at least 5% sequence divergence. Fluorescent in situ hybridization probes for three of these lineages showed significant variation in their relative abundances across a seasonal cycle in marsh productivity. The MMP should therefore be considered a separate genus in the δ‐proteobacteria rather than a single species as previously thought. All cells in each aggregate express identical SSU rRNAs, suggesting that the aggregates are composed of a single MMP phylotype. This observation supports a model of the MMP as comprised of clonal cells which reproduce by binary fission of the aggregate.
Molecular characterization of Vibrio harveyi bacteriophages isolated from aquaculture environments along the coast of India
Authors: Shivu Mockshanath M. , Rajeeva Bettada C. , Girisha Shivani K. , Karunasagar Indrani , Krohne Georg , Karunasagar Iddya 
Published: September 2006

SummarySeven bacteriophages specific to Vibrio harveyi, the causative agent of luminous vibriosis in shrimp, were isolated from coastal aquaculture systems like shrimp farms, hatcheries and tidal creeks along the east and west coast of India. All the seven phages were found to have the typical head and tail morphology with double‐stranded DNA as genetic material. Morphologically, six phages were grouped under family Siphoviridae and one under Myoviridae. These phages were further characterized with respect to host range, morphology and structural proteins. Genomic fingerprinting was carried out using restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) and randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD). Major capsid proteins of all the phages detected by SDS‐PAGE were distinct from one another. All the phages were found to be highly lytic for V. harveyi and had different lytic spectrum for the large number of isolates tested. Six of the seven phages isolated had a broad lytic spectrum and could be potential candidates for biocontrol of V. harveyi in aquaculture systems.
Getting a visit: How district nurses and general practitioners ‘organise’ each other in primary care
Authors: Speed Shaun , Luker Karen A. 
Published: September 2006

AbstractThis paper examines the ways in which district nurses and general practitioners interacted and influenced each other's work within primary care services. The data presented here examine how the developments in the organisation of primary care affected the work of district nurses during a time of turbulent change. Qualitative data from 300 hours of participant observation and 40 semi‐structured interviews with 33 district nurses were analysed using grounded theory, after which a literature review was undertaken. The findings from this study were interpreted using a Foucauldian notion of power and Fox's (1995) analysis of ‘organisation’. The shift in power to general practitioners (GPs) has meant that they can exercise ever‐increasing authority over nurses in their employ. Strict rules governed the process of inter‐professional work and nurses and doctors used creative strategies to overcome the problems that existed between them. The data show that nurses could and did resist the power of GPs but this resistance generally elicited other more punishing forms of authority. Direct and indirect threats were commonplace. The data suggest that district nurses were moving into a closer, more business‐like and tightly‐controlled working relationship with general practitioners, through which competing discourses interplayed and circulated between GPs and district nurses in the organisation of primary care services.
The role of etiquette and experimentation in explaining how doctors change behaviour: a qualitative study
Authors: Armstrong David , Ogden Jane 
Published: September 2006

AbstractDespite increasing interest over the last 30 years in individual variations in clinical practice, various research studies have thrown only limited light on either understanding or changing doctors’ behaviour. This qualitative study explored a sample of British general practitioners’ accounts of the influences on their prescribing, and identified the locus of the problem in their defence of professional identity through clinical autonomy, a tactic that precluded use of more customary change agents such as line management and economic incentives. The study identified two mechanisms, clinical etiquette and clinical experimentation, however, that enabled change to occur within the constraints imposed by the commitment to clinical autonomy.
Who Went to College? Socio‐Economic Inequality in Entry to Higher Education in the Republic of Ireland in 2004
Authors: O'Connell Philip J. , McCoy Selina , Clancy David 
Published: September 2006

AbstractIreland has experienced substantial increases in participation in higher education in recent years. This paper examines whether or not increased admission rates between the mid‐1990s and 2000s led to a reduction in social class inequality in access to higher education. We draw on two data sets, one, a dedicated survey of new entrants to higher education in 2004, the other, a combination of the results of a series of school leavers' surveys conducted in the mid‐1990s and early 2000s. We show that the period has been characterised by both continuity and change. Continuity is reflected in persistent social inequalities in access to higher education: the children of higher professionals and farmers, in particular, have maintained their privileged access to higher education. Change is reflected in some closing in relative social inequalities, partly arising as more advantaged groups reach a saturation point in progression to higher education, and partly due to the children of manual workers increasing their participation rates.
Access to and Participation in Higher Education in Northern Ireland
Authors: Osborne Robert D. 
Published: September 2006

AbstractThis paper summarises some of the key characteristics of access to and participation in higher education. In particular, it focuses on the key social characteristics of participation and the interaction with migration to study outside Northern Ireland. Key policy areas relating to student finance and widening access are also considered. The paper also reports on qualitative research conducted with Protestant and Catholic pupils from less well‐off backgrounds about attitudes to further and higher education. The paper concludes by suggesting higher education policy issues for a newly restored devolved administration.
Widening Access or Differentiation and Stratification in Higher Education in Scotland
Authors: Gallacher Jim 
Published: September 2006

AbstractWidening access to higher education (HE) has been an important policy objective in Scotland over the last twenty years. While there is evidence that high levels of participation have been achieved, and some evidence of reduction in inequalities in participation rates among young people entering higher education, there is also evidence of persisting inequalities, and of patterns of differentiation and stratification. As a result there is evidence that, with the development of mass higher education in Scotland, a stratified system of higher education has emerged. Furthermore there is evidence that these patterns of stratification are being maintained over time, despite the policies which are designed to widen access. This paper will review the evidence regarding the nature and extent of these patterns of stratification, and briefly consider the policies which are designed to tackle this issue.
Policy‐Participation Trajectories in English Higher Education
Authors: Parry Gareth 
Published: September 2006

AbstractThe pattern of expansion that brought mass characteristics to English higher education is very different from that intended to achieve near‐universal access by the end of the present decade. The spectacular growth of the late 1980s and early 1990s was neither projected nor planned, with important consequences for the shape of the English system. By contrast, the policies of renewed expansion and widening participation from the late 1990s represent a radical attempt to change the traditional pattern of demand for English undergraduate education, with future growth focused on the short‐cycle forms of vocational higher education. Although influenced by the example of Scotland in building expansion at levels below the first degree, the policy experiment pursued in England is highly distinctive, including the invention of a new undergraduate qualification and a partnership role for further education colleges.
Morbidity of incontinence surgery in women over 70 years old: a retrospective cohort study
Authors: Pugsley Harriet , Barbrook Christopher , Mayne Christopher J. , Tincello Douglas G. 
Published: September 2006

Objective  To compare the success rate and complications after colposuspension and tension‐free vaginal tape (TVT) insertion in women aged 70 years or more compared with younger women.Design  A retrospective study of patients having surgery between November 2000 and October 2002.Setting  A tertiary referral, academic urogynaecology unit in a University teaching hospital.Population  Two hundred and twenty‐six women having surgical treatment for urinary incontinence.Methods  Data on cure/improvement and complications were extracted from the notes. Patients were grouped by age at surgery and the odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for each outcome were calculated.Main outcome measures  Subjective cure rate and the incidence of complications by age group.Results  One hundred and three patients had colposuspension, 11 (10.7%) aged 70 or more. One hundred and twenty‐three patients had TVT insertions, 23 (18.7%) aged 70 or more. The cure rate for each procedure was similar between age groups. After colposuspension, urinary tract infection (UTI; OR 11.33; 95% CI 2.61, 49.28) and long term self‐catheterisation (percentage of difference 9.1; 95% CI 3.0, 15.2) were more common in women over 70. After TVT, repeat urodynamics (OR 3.91; 95% CI 1.11, 13.76), recurrent UTI (OR 4.22; 95% CI 1.03, 17.26) and tape division (OR 29.12; 95% CI 3.20, 264.86) were more common in older women.Conclusions  Incontinence surgery carries a higher risk of complications in the elderly including UTI and voiding dysfunction. Extended antibiotic prophylaxis and intermittent self‐catheterisation training should be offered to elderly women before surgery.
The acceptability of home medical abortion to women in UK settings
Authors: Hamoda Haitham , Critchley Hilary O.D. , Paterson Kate , Guthrie Kate , Rodger Mary , Penney Gillian C. 
Published: September 2006

Objective  To assess the acceptability of home medical abortion to women in UK settings.Design  Questionnaire survey.Setting  Four NHS gynaecology units in England and Scotland.Subjects  Women undergoing conventional, hospital‐based, medical abortion up to nine weeks of gestation.Methods  A self‐complete questionnaire explored the acceptability of abortion in hospital (including pain and bleeding experienced) and at home. Comparisons were made between centres (English and Scottish).Main outcome measure  Women's views on home administration of misoprostol for medical abortion; perceived acceptability and perceived ability to cope with the process at home.Results  Sixty‐six percent (366/553) of the questionnaires were returned: Edinburgh, 204 (56%); London, 92 (25%); Hull, 43 (12%); and Glasgow, 27 (7%). Individual questionnaire items were answered by varying numbers of women: 228/320 (71%; 95% CI: 66–76%) said there was nothing that happened during abortion in the hospital that they would have been unable to cope with at home; 123/342 (36%; 95% CI: 31–41%) said they would have opted to have home abortion, had that choice been available. However, 219/342 (64%; 95% CI: 59–69%) indicated that they would prefer to have abortion in the hospital. The majority of women said they would have coped at home with bleeding (280/355, 79%; 95% CI: 74–83%) and with pain if given analgesia (203/268, 76%; 95% CI: 70–81%).Conclusion  This study suggests that most women would welcome being offered the choice of having medical abortion at home or in hospital. The development of home abortion must be seen as complementary, not an alternative, to hospital services.
Assessment of risk for the development of pre‐eclampsia by maternal characteristics and uterine artery Doppler
Authors: Papageorghiou Aris T. , Yu Christina K.H. , Erasmus Ilse E. , Cuckle Howard S. , Nicolaides Kypros H. 
Published: September 2006

Objective  To develop a method for the estimation of patient‐specific risk for the development of pre‐eclampsia by combining maternal history and uterine artery Doppler.Design  Prospective multicentre observational study.Setting  Antenatal clinics in seven hospitals in the UK and three overseas centres.Population  Unselected women with singleton pregnancies attending for routine antenatal care.Methods  Doppler studies of the uterine arteries were performed using colour flow mapping and pulsed wave Doppler at 23 weeks of gestation. The mean pulsatility index (PI) of the two uterine arteries was calculated. Doppler and maternal history variables were combined to develop a model for risk assessment. The incidence of pre‐eclampsia was used to derive the prior risk for this complication. The posterior risk was derived by multiplying the prior odds with likelihood ratios (LRs) derived from independent risk factors identified from the maternal history, and the LR estimated from the heights of the frequency distributions of mean PI in affected and unaffected pregnancies.Main outcome measure  Pre‐eclampsia.Results  There were 17,480 women recruited to the study, in which 17,319 (99.1%) of these Doppler examination of both uterine arteries were completed, and outcome data were available in 16,806 (97.0%). Pre‐eclampsia occurred in 369 (2.20%) cases. Significant independent prediction of pre‐eclampsia was provided by mean PI, ethnic origin, body mass index (BMI), parity, cigarette smoking, history of hypertension and family or personal history of pre‐eclampsia. Models were derived allowing calculation of patient‐specific risk for development of pre‐eclampsia. For a false‐positive rate of 25%, the detection rate of pre‐eclampsia by screening using maternal history was 45.3%, with uterine artery Doppler it was 63.1% and with combined assessment it was 67.5%.Conclusions  Combining risk factors in the mother's history with Doppler of the uterine arteries allows calculation of patient‐specific risk for the development of pre‐eclampsia.
Investigation and current management of recurrent IVF treatment failure in the UK
Authors: Tan Bee K. , Vandekerckhove Patrick , Kennedy Richard , Keay Stephen D. 
Published: September 2006

Objective  To determine current practice in the management of recurrent in vitro fertilisation (IVF) treatment failure in licensed UK infertility centres.Design  National postal questionnaire study and literature review.Setting  University Hospital, Centre for Reproductive Medicine, Coventry, UK.Sample  Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority licensed centres providing IVF/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) in the UK (n= 79).Methods  A survey was designed that sought to determine how recurrent treatment failure was defined and which, if any, investigations were initiated. Furthermore, we asked which therapeutic options were subsequently recommended.Main outcome measures  Definition of recurrent treatment failure. Investigations undertaken. Clinical or embryology changes recommended following recurrent treatment failure.Results  The response rate was 82%. The most common definition was three unsuccessful IVF cycles (range 2–6). Nineteen percent included frozen embryo replacements (FERs) in this figure. Anticardiolipin antibodies and lupus anticoagulant were the most frequent investigations suggested, followed by hysteroscopy and karyotype. A majority of centres would use a different treatment strategy in a subsequent cycle with blastocyst culture and assisted hatching being most popular.Conclusions  The results of this survey suggest that there is considerable variation in the approach to investigation and management of recurrent IVF treatment failure in the UK, although in some areas (e.g. the definition) there was broad concordance. Not all of these approaches are evidence based.
Pubovaginal sling versus transurethral Macroplastique for stress urinary incontinence and intrinsic sphincter deficiency: a prospective randomised controlled trial
Authors: Maher Christopher F. , O'Reilly Barry A. , Dwyer Peter L. , Carey Marcus P. , Cornish Anne , Schluter Philip 
Published: September 2006

Objective  To compare the pubovaginal sling and transurethral Macroplastique in the treatment of female stress urinary incontinence (SUI) and intrinsic sphincter deficiency (ISD).Design  A prospective randomised controlled trial comparing two surgical treatments for SUI and ISD.Setting  Tertiary referral urogynaecology unit in Australia.Population  Women with SUI and ISD who were suitable for either surgical technique.Methods  Forty‐five women with SUI and ISD were randomly allocated the pubovaginal sling (n= 22) or transurethral Macroplastique (n= 23). Subjective and objective success rates, patient satisfaction and cost measurements at six months and one year following surgery were the primary outcome measures. A telephone questionnaire survey was performed at a mean follow up period of 62 months (43–71).Main outcome measure  Comparison of success rates, complications and costs.Results  The symptomatic and patient satisfaction success rates were similar following the sling and Macroplastique with the objective success rate being significantly greater (P < 0.001) following the sling (81%vs 9%). Macroplastique had significantly lower morbidity but was more expensive than the sling (P < 0.001). Response rate at 62 months follow up was 60% in both groups with the sling group reporting better continence success (69%vs 21%) and satisfaction rates (69%vs 29%, P= 0.057).Conclusions  The pubovaginal sling was more effective and economical than transurethral Macroplastique for the treatment of SUI and ISD. However, transurethral Macroplastique remains an appropriate treatment in selected cases of SUI and ISD.
Chronic unpredictable stress alters gene expression in rat single dentate granule cells
Authors: Qin Yongjun , Karst Henk , Joëls Marian 
Published: September 2006

AbstractThe rat adrenal hormone corticosterone binds to low and high affinity receptors, discretely localized in brain, including the dentate gyrus. Differential activation of the two receptor types under physiological conditions alters gene expression and functional characteristics of hippocampal neurones. In the present study we examined gene expression of electrophysiologically identified dentate granule cells, 1 day after 21 days of unpredictable stress or control treatment, both under basal corticosteroid conditions and after brief in vitro exposure to a high dose of corticosterone. From each cell, RNA was collected, linearly amplified and hybridized with cDNA clones for three calcium channel subunits, four NMDA, two AMPA and 11 GABA receptor subunits. We found that gene expression was not extensively changed after chronic stress when neurones were studied under basal corticosteroid conditions. However, combined with acute exposure to a high corticosterone dose, relative expression of eight transcripts was significantly altered, including a consistent up‐regulation of GABAa receptor α1 and down‐regulation of calcium channel α1A and α1G subunit expression. If translated to the protein level, this may result in more transient GABAa receptor mediated responses and less transient calcium influx. This could contribute to enhanced excitability and vulnerability of granule cells after chronic stress.
Phosphatidylinositol‐3 kinase is distinctively required for µ‐, but not κ‐opioid receptor‐induced activation of c‐Jun N‐terminal kinase
Authors: Kam Angel Y. F. , Chan Anthony S. L. , Wong Yung H. 
Published: September 2006

AbstractOpioid receptors are the therapeutic targets of narcotic analgesics. All three types of opioid receptors (µ, δ and κ) are prototypical Gi‐coupled receptors with common signaling characteristics in their regulation of intracellular events. Nevertheless, numerous signaling processes are differentially regulated by the three receptors. We have recently demonstrated that stimulation of δ‐opioid receptor can up‐regulate the activity of the c‐Jun N‐terminal kinase (JNK) in a pertussis toxin‐sensitive manner (Kam et al. 2003; J. Neurochem. 84, 503–513). The present study revealed that the µ‐opioid receptor could stimulate JNK in both SH‐SY5Y cells and transfected COS‐7 cells. The mechanism by which the µ‐opioid receptor stimulated JNK was delineated with the use of specific inhibitors and dominant‐negative mutants of signaling intermediates. Activation of JNK by the µ‐opioid receptor was mediated through Gβγ, Src kinase, son‐of‐sevenless (Sos), Rac and Cdc42. Interestingly, unlike the δ‐opioid receptors, the µ‐opioid receptor required phosphatidylinositol‐3 kinase (PI3K) to activate JNK. The µ‐opioid receptor‐induced JNK activation was effectively inhibited by wortmannin or the coexpression of a dominant negative mutant of PI3Kγ. Like the δ‐opioid receptor, activation of JNK by the κ‐opioid receptor occurred in a PI3K‐independent manner. These studies revealed that the µ‐opioid receptor utilize a distinct mechanism to regulate JNK.
In vivoevidence that genetic background controls impulse‐dependent dopamine release induced by amphetamine in the nucleus accumbens
Authors: Ventura Rossella , Alcaro Antonio , Mandolesi Laura , Puglisi‐Allegra Stefano 
Published: September 2006

AbstractAmphetamine is known to increase dopamine (DA) release by acting directly on dopamine transporters (DAT), primarily through a mechanism that is independent of impulse flow. We present evidence to show that impulse‐dependent increase in DA outflow in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) is produced by amphetamine depending on genetic background. Systemic amphetamine produced higher accumbal DA release in the widely exploited C57BL/6J background than in the DBA/2J. By contrast, intra‐accumbens perfusion using increasing doses of amphetamine dramatically increased DA outflow in the DBA/2J background, whereas very low DA outflow was evident in C57BL/6J mice. The fast sodium channel blocker tetrodotoxin infused through the microdialysis probe abolished accumbal DA release induced by systemic amphetamine only in the C57BL/6J background. Finally, medial prefrontal excitotoxic lesion abolished amphetamine‐induced mesoaccumbens DA release in C57BL/6J mice, without significantly affecting it in the DBA/2J background. These results represent the first functional evidence in anin vivostudy that amphetamine can increase DA release in the NAc mainly through an impulse‐dependent mechanism regulated by prefronto‐cortical glutamatergic transmission. Moreover, they point to a genetic control of impulse‐dependent DA release in the accumbens, providing an exploitable tool to investigate aetiological factors involved in psychopathology and drug addiction.