bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
An overview of the Scottish multidisciplinary child protection review
Authors: Daniel Brigid 
Published: July 2004

ABSTRACTFollowing the murder of a young child by her stepfather a ministerial review of child protection across Scotland was established. It was carried out by a multidisciplinary team of representatives from education, health‐nursing, health‐medical, police, social work and the Reporter to the Children's Hearing. The review comprised a number of subprojects and included a direct audit of the practice of all the key agencies. The views of the general public, parents, children and professionals were obtained via a set of consultation subprojects. The audit of practice was built around a set of individual, in‐depth case studies. The cases were drawn from the spectrum of child care and protection cases by sampling from cases known to health visitors, education departments, the police and social work departments. The audit considered compliance with guidance, but the key focus was on outcomes for children.The findings indicated that although there were many examples of good practice with children, a significant number of children were left unprotected or their needs were not met. The issues were not unique to Scotland and are discussed under four key areas. The paper sets out the extent of chronic need amongst the child population that the audit revealed, looks at the messages from consultation about issues of accessing help for children or by children directly, and describes some shortcomings of the current system. Finally the paper analyses the ways that the different agencies interact and sets out a model for how the system can provide a protective network for children who are in need of protection and support.
Who Takes Care of Education 18 months on? A follow‐up study of looked after children's perceptions of support for educational progress
Authors: Harker Rachael M. , Dobel‐Ober David , Akhurst Sofie , Berridge David , Sinclair Ruth 
Published: July 2004

ABSTRACTThis paper represents a follow‐up publication to the findings of a previous paper by documenting the views of a follow‐up sample of 56 young people, aged 12–19 years, looked after in three English local authorities. Young people were interviewed on two separate occasions, 18 months apart, to assess their perceptions of educational progress and identify factors that might support or hinder their education. The interviews took place as part of an ongoing evaluation of the Taking Care of Education project, a development programme designed to facilitate improvements in the education of looked after children. Most young people were aware of individual project‐related activities and a number of these were seen to contribute towards educational progress. Perceptions of educational progress were significantly higher at follow‐up interview and an increased proportion of young people reported that being looked after had had a positive impact upon their education. Carers and teachers continued to be the most frequently mentioned providers of educational support, but the proportion of comments relating to educational support from social workers increased at follow‐up. The most consistent explanation given for improved educational progress was the availability of support and encouragement for educational progress and acknowledgement of young people's achievements.
Underpinning knowledge for child care practice: reconsidering child development theory
Authors: Taylor Carolyn 
Published: July 2004

ABSTRACTChild development theory has come to be regarded as essential underpinning knowledge for social work practice, a view reinforced by the current research‐minded agenda. Practitioners are enjoined to acquire a more in‐depth knowledge of child development but in this paper it is argued that this agenda requires more scrutiny if social workers are going to engage more meaningfully with the child development literature and use it in a critical and reflexive way in their practice. To this end some key messages drawn from critical approaches to developmental psychology, a literature to date largely unrecognized by social work, are examined for their relevance to practice.
Research Review: Teenage pregnancy and parenthood: the role of fathers
Authors: Bunting Lisa , McAuley Colette 
Published: July 2004

ABSTRACTFrom the research available in America and Britain it would appear that the men who father children by teenage mothers tend to be a few years older than their teenage partners, although a minority may be significantly older. With regard to the factors associated with fatherhood there are striking similarities to the literature on teenage mothers. Like teenage mothers young fathers tend to be from low socio‐economic backgrounds, experience lower educational attainment and fewer employment opportunities than their childless peers. Similarly they tend to experience greater psychological and emotional difficulties and may have a history of delinquent behaviour.These young fathers are involved in a variety of relationships with teenage mothers, few of which result in marriage and many of which result in the breakdown of cohabitation or the termination of the relationship. This pattern of increasing relationship breakdown over time is related to decreasing paternal contact with children in both America and Britain. Often conflictual relationships with teenage mothers or maternal grandparents and a lack of financial resources are cited by young fathers as barriers to their continued involvement and contact with their children. However, the mothers are much more likely to cite paternal disinterest as the reason for a lack of paternal involvement and there is some indication that mothers and fathers have different views on the level of practical involvement expected from fathers. While most of quantitative data on the subject provides a rather negative picture of paternal involvement, qualitative research highlights how many young fathers genuinely want to be involved with their children and would have more contact and input if they could.While much less is known about the support provided to young fathers in comparison with their female counterparts, there is some suggestion that the support and role expectations provided by the paternal grandmother may influence how involved young fathers are. There is also some indication that a sizeable minority of young men may receive no such support from their family and may also be treated with hostility or ignored by the maternal grandparents. Young fathers also report limited or no contact with midwives, health visitors and social workers.
A new magnetic resonance imaging scoring method for assessment of haemophilic arthropathy
Authors: Lundin B. , Pettersson H. , Ljung R. 
Published: July 2004

Summary.  In a European multicentre study, 39 ankles in 28 haemophilic boys were investigated by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). A new MRI score was developed in the format A(e:s:h) for evaluating haemophilic arthropathy. This scheme provides high resolution and allows separation of different pathological components. The factor A is calculated as the sum of scores for subchondral cysts (maximum value 6), irregularity/erosion of subchondral cortex (maximum 4) and chondral destruction (maximum 6); e, s and h, respectively, represent effusion/haemarthrosis, synovial hypertrophy and haemosiderin deposition, and they are separately evaluated on a scale of 0–4. Working independently, two radiologists scored the 39 ankles twice using both this new ‘European’ scoring method and a previously published ‘Denver’ scoring scheme. Final classification was achieved by consensus. The reproducibility of the readings was assessed, and for both scoring methods the results indicated good or moderate intraobserver agreement, and good, moderate or fair interobserver agreement. These findings suggest that MRI can be useful for semiquantitative evaluation of haemophilic arthropathy, providing the examination is performed according to an appropriate protocol, and the images are evaluated by specially trained radiologists.
Periapical status and quality of root fillings and coronal restorations in an adult Spanish population
Authors: Segura‐Egea J. J. , Jiménez‐Pinzón A. , Poyato‐Ferrera M. , Velasco‐Ortega E. , Ríos‐Santos J. V. 
Published: July 2004

AbstractAim  To investigate the quality of root fillings and coronal restorations and their association with periapical status in an adult Spanish population.Methodology  A total of 180 subjects, aged 37.1 ± 15.7 years, who presented as new patients at the Faculty of Dentistry, Seville, Spain, were examined. All participants underwent a full‐mouth radiographic survey incorporating 14 periapical radiographs. The periapical region of all root filled teeth, excluding third molars, were examined. The technical quality of root fillings was evaluated in terms of length in relation to the root apex and lateral adaptation to the canal wall. Radiographic signs of overhang or open margins associated with coronal restorations were also evaluated. Periapical status was assessed using the Periapical Index score. Statistical analyses were conducted using the Cohen's κ test and logistic regression.Results  The total number of root filled teeth was 93, and 60 (64.5%) had apical periodontitis (AP). Presence of AP in root filled teeth was associated with inadequate adaptation of the filling (OR = 2.29; P = 0.06), inadequate length of the root filling (OR = 2.44; P = 0.048), and with poor radiographic quality of the coronal restoration (OR = 2.38; P = 0.054). Only 34.4% of the root fillings were adequate from a technical perspective. When both root fillings and coronal restorations were adequate the incidence of AP decreased to 31.3% (OR = 5.50; P < 0.01).Conclusions  The incidence of AP in root filled teeth was high. Many root fillings were technically unsatisfactory. Adequate root fillings and coronal restorations were associated with a lower incidence of AP; an adequate root filling had a more substantial impact on the outcome of treatment than the quality of the coronal restoration.
Cultivable microbial flora associated with persistent periapical disease and coronal leakage after root canal treatment: a preliminary study
Authors: Adib V. , Spratt D. , Ng Y.‐L. , Gulabivala K. 
Published: July 2004

AbstractAim  To identify the cultivable bacterial flora in root filled teeth with persistent periapical lesions and to locate their distribution within the root canal system using an in vitro sampling protocol.Methodology  Eight freshly extracted root filled teeth were collected from the Oral and Maxillo‐facial Surgery Department, Eastman Dental Hospital. Seven teeth were associated with persistent apical periodontitis and also showed evidence of coronal leakage. Teeth were transferred to an anaerobic chamber immediately after careful extraction and sectioned transversely to give a crown (in all but one case) and two root segments (coronal and apical). Two samples were obtained from each segment, one from dentine and the other from the restoration or gutta‐percha (GP) root filling (46 sites in total). The samples were dispersed, serially diluted and cultured on blood agar and fastidious anaerobic agar (with 5% defibrinated horse blood). The primary growth was subcultured to obtain pure isolates, which were identified by routine microbiological techniques and commercial enzyme tests.Results  A total of 252 strains were isolated from all the teeth. Of all the isolates, the most prevalent bacteria were Gram‐positive facultative anaerobes 189/252 (75%) with staphylococci (48/252, 19%), streptococci (44/252, 17%), enterococci (20/252, 8%) and Actinomyces species (20/252, 8%) being found in most of the teeth (6/8, 6/8, 5/8, 5/8 and 7/8, respectively). Of the obligate anaerobes (17%), peptostreptococci (7%) were also present in most teeth (7/8). A statistical association between bacterial flora and site (crown/coronal/apical) or surface (dental/GP/restoration) could not be shown.Conclusions  The predominant group of bacteria in root filled teeth with persistent apical periodontitis and coronal leakage was Gram‐positive facultative anaerobes of which staphylococci followed by streptococci and enterococci were the most prevalent.
The parasitic ciliate Ichthyophthirius multifiliis induces expression of immune relevant genes in rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss (Walbaum)
Authors: Sigh J , Lindenstrøm T , Buchmann K 
Published: July 2004

AbstractDuring an infection with the parasitic ciliate Ichthyophthirius multifiliis, expression of genes encoding complement factor C3, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), immunoglobulin (IgM) and major histocompatibility complex (MHC‐II) was examined in the skin, head kidney and spleen of rainbow trout using semi‐quantitative reverse transcriptase‐polymerase chain reaction. Induction of C3 transcription levels was evident in the skin and spleen showing extra‐hepatic production of C3. MHC‐II and IgM levels were increased in both head kidney and skin suggesting a production of antibodies at the site of infection, as well as in the lymphoid organs. iNOS expression was only increased briefly in the skin during the infection. These data suggest that complement is involved in immune reactions against I. multifiliis and that mucosal antibodies might be produced at the site of infection.
Reconstructing and predicting the hepatitis C virus epidemic in Greece: increasing trends of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma despite the decline in incidence of HCV infection
Authors: Sypsa V. , Touloumi G. , Tassopoulos N. C. , Ketikoglou I. , Vafiadis I. , Hatzis G. , Tsantoulas D. , Akriviadis E. , Delladetsima J. , Demonakou M. , Hatzakis A. 
Published: July 2004

Summary.  In this study, a comprehensive methodology for modelling the hepatitis C virus (HCV) epidemic is proposed to predict the future disease burden and assess whether the recent decline in the incidence of HCV may affect the future occurrence of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cases. Using the prevalence of HCV, the distribution of chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients within the various transmission groups and their infection‐onset times, it was possible to reconstruct the incident infections per year in the past that progressed to CHC in Greece. The natural history of the disease was simulated in subcohorts of newly infected subjects using transition probabilities derived either empirically between fibrosis stages 0–4 or from literature review. Annual estimates of the incidence and prevalence of CHC by fibrosis stage, HCC and mortality in Greece were obtained up to 2030. HCV incidence peaked in the late 1980s at five new infections/10 000 person‐years. Under the assumption of 20–100% decline in HCV incidence after 1990, the cumulative number of incident cirrhosis and HCC cases from 2002–2030 was projected to be lower by 9.6–48.2% and 5.9–29.5%, respectively, than that estimated under the assumption of no decline. However, the prevalent cirrhotic/HCC cases and HCV‐related deaths are predicted to decline in the next 30 years only under the assumption of complete elimination of new HCV infections after 1990. Despite the progress in the reduction of HCV transmission, primary prevention does not seem adequate to reverse the rise in the incidence of cirrhosis and HCC.
Activation of fibronectin gene expression by hepatitis B virus x antigen
Authors: Norton P. A. , Reis H. M. G. P. V. , Prince S. , Larkin J. , Pan J. , Liu J. , Gong Q. , Zhu M. , Feitelson M. A. 
Published: July 2004

Summary.  The development of fibrosis and cirrhosis during chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection correlates with the persistent expression of HBV x antigen (HBxAg), which acts in part, by stimulating selected signal transduction pathways, including nuclear factor κB (NF‐κB). To identify NF‐κB responsive genes that are differentially expressed in HBxAg‐positive cells, HepG2 cells were stably transfected with HBxAg, and then with pZeoSV2 or pZeoSV2‐IκBα. When RNAs from each culture were compared by PCR‐select cDNA subtraction, fibronectin (FN) mRNA was shown to be strongly down‐regulated by IκBα. Up‐regulated expression of FN and co‐expression between FN and HBxAg were observed in liver sections from HBV carriers that were stained for HBxAg and analysed for FN mRNA by in situ hybridization (ISH). In liver cell cultures, HBxAg increased the levels of FN mRNA and protein. This was because of the HBxAg‐mediated trans‐activation of the FN promoter, which was NF‐κB‐dependent. HBxAg also antagonized the repression of the FN promoter by the tumour suppressor, p53. Hence, the FN gene may be a natural target for HBxAg trans‐activation, perhaps through activation of NF‐κB and inactivation of p53, thereby contributing to the accumulation of FN in the liver over the course of chronic HBV infection.
RNA interference in Histoplasma capsulatum demonstrates a role for α‐(1,3)‐glucan in virulence
Authors: Rappleye Chad A. , Engle Jacquelyn T. , Goldman William E. 
Published: July 2004

Summary Histoplasma capsulatum is a fungal pathogen that causes respiratory and systemic disease by proliferating within macrophages. While much is known about histoplasmosis, only a single virulence factor has been defined, in part because of the inefficiency of Histoplasma reverse genetics. As an alternative to allelic replacement, we have developed a telomeric plasmid‐based system for silencing gene expression in Histoplasma by RNA interference (RNAi). Episomal expression of long RNAs that form stem–loop structures triggered gene silencing. To test the effectiveness of RNAi in Histoplasma, we depleted expression of a gfp transgene as well as two endogenous genes, ADE2 and URA5, and showed significant reductions in corresponding gene function. Silencing was target gene specific, stable during macrophage infection and reversible. We used RNAi targeting AGS1 (encoding α‐(1,3)‐glucan synthase) to deplete levels of α‐(1,3)‐glucan, a cell wall polysaccharide. Loss of α‐(1,3)‐glucan by RNAi yielded phenotypes indistinguishable from an AGS1 deletion: attenuation of the ability to kill macrophages and colonize murine lungs. This demonstrates for the first time that α‐(1,3)‐glucan is an important contributor to Histoplasma virulence.
A structural step into the SRP cycle
Authors: Wild Klemens , Rosendal Ken R. , Sinning Irmgard 
Published: July 2004

SummaryCo‐translational targeting of secretory and membrane proteins to the translocation machinery is mediated by the signal recognition particle (SRP) and its membrane‐bound receptor (SR) in all three domains of life. Although the overall composition of the SRP system differs, the central ribonucleoprotein core and the general mechanism of GTP‐dependent targeting are highly conserved. Recently, structural studies have contributed significantly to our understanding of the molecular organization of SRP. SRP appears as a structurally flexible particle modulated and regulated by its interactions with the ribosome–nascent chain complex, the translocon and the SR. The SRP core (SRP54 with its cognate RNA binding site) plays a central role in these interactions and communicates the different binding states by long‐range interdomain communication. Based on recent structures of SRP54, a model for signal peptide binding stimulating the GTP affinity during the first step of the SRP cycle is presented. The model is placed in the context of the recent structures of mammalian SRP bound to a ribosome–nascent chain complex and of a subcomplex of SRP–SR.
Translation termination factors function outside of translation: yeast eRF1 interacts with myosin light chain, Mlc1p, to effect cytokinesis
Authors: Valouev I. A. , Urakov V. N. , Kochneva‐Pervukhova N. V. , Smirnov V. N. , Ter‐Avanesyan M. D. 
Published: July 2004

SummaryThe translation termination factor eRF1 recognizes stop codons at the A site of the ribosome and induces peptidyl‐tRNA hydrolysis at the peptidyl transferase centre. Recent data show that, besides translation, yeast eRF1 is also involved in cell cycle regulation. To clarify the mechanisms of non‐translational functions of eRF1, we performed a genetic screen for its novel partner proteins. This screen revealed the gene for myosin light chain, Mlc1p, acting as a dosage suppressor of a temperature‐sensitive mutation in the SUP45 gene encoding eRF1. eRF1 and Mlc1p are able to interact with each other and, similarly to depletion of Mlc1p, mutations in the SUP45 gene may affect cytokinesis. Immunofluorescent staining performed to determine localization of Mlc1p has shown that the sup45 mutation, which arrests cytokinesis, redistributed Mlc1p, causing its disappearance from the bud tip and the bud neck. The data obtained demonstrate that yeast eRF1 has an important non‐translational function effecting cytokinesis via interaction with Mlc1p.
Regulators of G‐protein signalling in Aspergillus nidulans: RgsA downregulates stress response and stimulates asexual sporulation through attenuation of GanB (Gα) signalling
Authors: Han Kap‐Hoon , Seo Jeong‐Ah , Yu Jae‐Hyuk 
Published: July 2004

SummaryRegulators of G‐protein signalling play a crucial role in controlling the degree of heterotrimeric G‐protein signalling. In addition to the previously studied flbA, we have identified three genes (rgsA, rgsB and rgsC) encoding putative RGS proteins in the genome of Aspergillus nidulans. Characterization of the rgsA gene revealed that RgsA downregulates pigment production and conidial germination, but stimulates asexual sporulation (conidiation). Deletion of rgsA (ΔrgsA) resulted in reduced colony size with increased aerial hyphae, elevated accumulation of brown pigments as well as enhanced tolerance of conidia and vegetative hyphae against oxidative and thermal stress. Moreover, ΔrgsA resulted in conidial germination in the absence of a carbon source. Deletion of both flbA and rgsA resulted in an additive phenotype, suggesting that the G‐protein pathways controlled by FlbA and RgsA are different. Morphological and metabolic alterations caused by ΔrgsA were suppressed by deletion of ganB encoding a Gα subunit, indicating that the primary role of RgsA is to control negatively GanB‐mediated signalling. Overexpression of rgsA caused inappropriate conidiation in liquid submerged culture, supporting the idea that GanB signalling represses conidiation. Our findings define a second and specific RGS–Gα pair in A. nidulans, which may govern upstream regulation of fungal cellular responses to environmental changes.