Home About us Contact
|
Home About us Contact | ||
|
|
||
Exclusion
Kinds of Exclusion Terms modified by Exclusion Selected AbstractsSubthreshold depression as a risk indicator for major depressive disorder: a systematic review of prospective studiesACTA PSYCHIATRICA SCANDINAVICA, Issue 5 2004P. Cuijpers Objective:, In order to examine whether the incidence of major depressive disorder (MDD) is increased in subjects with subthreshold depression, or sD (clinically relevant depressive symptoms, without meeting criteria for a full-blown MDD), we conducted a review of prospective studies examining the incidence of MDD in subjects with sD. Method:, A systematic literature search was conducted. For all studies, the relative risk of developing MDD was calculated, based on person-years. Results:, Twenty studies (23 comparisons) were found, based on community samples, general medical patients and high-risk subjects. Most comparisons showed that subjects with sD had a consistently larger chance of developing MDD. The studies differed considerably in the definition of sD, the recency (occurrence of the last sD) and the in-/exclusion of lifetime MDD. Conclusion:, The incidence of MDD in subjects with sD is larger than in subjects without sD. Otherwise, the concept of sD is too broad to be used. In future studies, some consensus should be reached regarding the definition of sD. [source] URBAN PAUPERIZATION UNDER CHINA'S SOCIAL EXCLUSION: A CASE STUDY OF NANJINGJOURNAL OF URBAN AFFAIRS, Issue 1 2008YUTING LIU ABSTRACT:,This article articulates how two new urban poverty groups, namely the new urban poor and poor rural migrants, are pauperized under China's social exclusion. We argue that the two poverty groups experience different pauperization processes and are subjected to distinctive social exclusions with relevance to their institutional-based status and changes in it. The urban poor experience status change from being beneficiaries of the planned economy to being victims of the market economy, and become a vulnerable group characterized by market exclusion and limited welfare dependency. The status of poor rural migrants changes from being institutionally inferior farmers in the planned economy to being a marginal group of urban society, which is now subjected to institutional exclusion and the resultant social exclusion. This research argues that positive social policies should be considered and a social security system should be established to pay more attention to the development issues of the urban poor. [source] PLACE-BASED AND RACE-BASED EXCLUSION FROM MORTGAGE LOANS: EVIDENCE FROM THREE CITIES IN THE NETHERLANDSJOURNAL OF URBAN AFFAIRS, Issue 1 2007MANUEL B. AALBERS ABSTRACT:,Do place and race matter in mortgage loan applications? This article presents evidence from mortgage markets in the Dutch cities of Arnhem, The Hague, and Rotterdam, suggesting that place, and to a lesser extent also race, do matter. In general, race and place are not factors of direct exclusion, but (1) zip codes are included in credit scoring systems, and (2) both place and race are significant factors in the assessments by loan officers because applicants who do not meet all formal criteria are more often accepted ("overrides") for indigenous Dutch and low-risk neighborhoods than for ethnic minorities and high-risk neighborhoods. In addition, a "national mortgage guarantee" is compulsory for loan applications in high-risk neighborhoods and thereby used as a substitute for redlining, comparable to the compulsoriness of private mortgage insurance in the United States. Some lenders also engage in direct redlining by rejecting low-risk "national mortgage guarantee" loans in high-risk neighborhoods, a practice potentially explained by transaction cost economizing. Since the high-risk neighborhoods in all three cities accommodate relatively large shares of ethnic minority groups, they are hit twice: through place-based and through race-based exclusion. In other words, place-based disparate treatment results in race-based disparate impact. The neighborhood does matter; place-based exclusion in the mortgage market has a neighborhood effect. [source] Effects of Human Exclusion on Parasitism in Intertidal Food Webs of Central ChileCONSERVATION BIOLOGY, Issue 1 2005GÉRALDINE LOOT Fissurella crassa; intermareal rocoso; parasitismo; Proctoeces lintoni; reservas marinas Abstract:,Numerous ecological studies have demonstrated the dramatic effects that humans have on coastal marine ecosystems. Consequently, marine reserves have been established to preserve biodiversity. Recent reviews show that this strategy has paid off because inside reserves, most species have rapidly increased in size and abundance. Even though these studies focused on free-living organisms and paid little attention to parasite populations, numerous authors support the hypothesis that parasitism levels could be good indicators of ecosystem stability. We examined harvesting effects on the dynamics of a parasitic trematode ( Proctoeces lintoni) that completes its life cycle in intertidal mussels ( Perumytilus purpuratus), keyhole limpets (Fissurella crassa), and clingfish ( Sicyases sanguineus). All of these species are directly or indirectly affected by humans. Prevalence and abundance of the trematode P. lintoni in the three host species were compared in four study sites that differed in the intensity of human harvest. Parasitism infection in limpets and mussels was significantly higher in areas protected from human harvesting than in open-access areas, which suggests a significant change in parasite dynamics inside reserves. Yet the average parasitic biomass found in the gonads of F. crassa did not differ between protected and open-access areas. These results show, then, that the parasite system responded by increasing infection rates in marine protected areas without implication for reproductive success of the intermediate host. Our findings show that the indirect effects of harvesting by humans on the embedded parasite communities of littoral ecosystems require further scientific investigation. Resumen:,Numerosos estudios ecológicos han demostrado los efectos dramáticos de la actividad humana sobre ecosistemas marinos costeros. Consecuentemente, se han establecido las reservas marinas para preservar la biodiversidad. Revisiones recientes muestran que esta estrategia es adecuada porque la mayoría de las especies dentro de las reservas han incrementado en tamaño y abundancia rápidamente. Aunque, estos estudios se han concentrado en organismos de vida libre y han puesto poca atención a poblaciones de parásitos, numerosos autores apoyan la hipótesis de que los niveles de parasitismo pueden ser buenos indicadores de la estabilidad del ecosistema. Examinamos los efectos de pesquería artesanal sobre la dinámica de un trematodo parásito ( Proctoeces lintoni) que completa su ciclo de vida en mitíldos intermareales ( Perumytilus purpuratus), lapas ( Fissurella crassa) y Sicyases sanguineus, los cuales son afectados por humanos directa o indirectamente. La prevalencia y abundancia del trematodo P. lintoni en las tres especies de hospedadores fueron comparadas en cuatro sitios de estudio que difieren en la intensidad de recolecta por humanos. La infección parasitaria en lapas y mitíldos fue significativamente mayor en áreas protegidas que en áreas de libre acceso, lo que sugiere un cambio significativo en la dinámica del parásito dentro de las reservas, pero, la biomasa promedio de parásitos en gónadas de F. crassa no fue diferente entre áreas protegidas y de libre acceso. Por lo tanto, los resultados muestran que el sistema parásito respondió incrementando tasas de infección en áreas marinas protegidas sin consecuencias sobre el éxito reproductivo del ho spedador intermediario. Nuestros hallazgos muestran que se requiere más investigación científica de los efectos indirectos de los humanos sobre las comunidades de parásitos en ecosistemas litorales. [source] Exclusion of Natural Enemies as a Tool in Managing Rare Plant SpeciesCONSERVATION BIOLOGY, Issue 5 2000S. M. Louda No abstract is available for this article. [source] The braincase of the chondrichthyan Doliodus from the Lower Devonian Campbellton Formation of New Brunswick, CanadaACTA ZOOLOGICA, Issue 2009John Maisey Abstract The braincase of the late Lower Devonian (Emsian) chondrichthyan Doliodus is described for the first time. Its postorbital process is extended ventrally and probably enclosed part of the infraorbital sensory canal, as in some placoderms. Doliodus has a shark-like dentition, but its upper anterior tooth files were supported by the internasal cartilage of the braincase, not by the palatoquadrates. Modern selachian jaws and dentitions are not representative of primitive crown-group gnathostomes because they display a mixture of conserved and derived character states. Separation of the palatoquadrates by the internasal cartilage is probably a primitive condition for crown-group gnathostomes. Continuity of the upper dental arcade across the ethmoid region may represent a synapomorphy of chondrichthyans and some acanthodians (the condition is not found in placoderms or osteichthyans). Exclusion of the arcade from the ethmoid region is probably apomorphic within elasmobranchs. Doliodus has curious bar-like, paired subcranial ridges ending posteriorly at the hyomandibular articulation. These superficially resemble visceral arch infrapharyngohyals fused to the floor of the braincase, adding circumstantial palaeontological support to the old proposal that parts of visceral arches may be incorporated into the gnathostome braincase, although it seems more plausible that they formed in the lateral margins of the embryonic parachordal or hypotic lamina. [source] Protocol for Optimal Detection and Exclusion of a Patent Foramen Ovale Using Transthoracic Echocardiography with Agitated Saline MicrobubblesECHOCARDIOGRAPHY, Issue 7 2006Robert R. Attaran M.B.Ch.B. Agitated saline bubble studies in conjunction with echocardiography, in particular transesophageal echocardiography, are currently the principal means in the diagnosis of patent foramen ovale (PFO). We describe techniques and guidelines for the detection and exclusion of a PFO. The potential for misinterpretation of these bubble studies exists and therefore, several false positive and false negative scenarios are illustrated and discussed. [source] The spatial distribution of badgers, setts and latrines: the risk for intra-specific and badger-livestock disease transmissionECOGRAPHY, Issue 4 2008Monika Böhm The spatial distribution of wildlife hosts and the associated environmental distribution of their excretory products are important factors associated with the risk of disease transmission between wildlife and livestock. At a landscape scale, heterogeneous distribution of a wildlife host will create regional hot spots for disease risk, while at the farm level, distributional patterns of wildlife excretory products as well as habitat use are of primary importance to the assessment of disease risk to livestock. In the UK, badgers have been implicated in the transmission of bovine tuberculosis to cattle. In this study, we focus on the spatial and social organization and habitat use of badgers as well as the distributions of their excretions at latrine and sett sites to assess intra- and inter-species (badger,cattle) disease risk. Across the study site, badger latrines and setts were found in prominent clusters, at distances of up to 250 and 200 m respectively. This was partly due to small-scale clustering of latrines around sett sites, so that disease risk may be higher within the vicinity of setts. The clustered distribution suggests that sites of high risk for TB transmission may be localised within farms. Exclusion of cattle from the few sett and latrine sites within their grazing pasture is therefore likely to provide an effective way of reducing the risk of disease transmission. We also found evidence of social sub-division within badger social groups based on differences in the use of main and outlier setts. This may contribute to localised clusters of infection within the badger population, resulting in heterogeneous patterns of environmental disease risk to the wider host community. A greater understanding of variation in host behaviour and its implications for patterns of disease will allow the development of more targeted and effective management strategies for wildlife disease in group-living hosts. [source] Autosomal Dominant Early-onset Cortical Myoclonus, Photic-induced Myoclonus, and Epilepsy in a Large PedigreeEPILEPSIA, Issue 10 2006Elena Gardella Summary:,Purpose: Cortical tremor, a form of rhythmic cortical myoclonus (rhythmic CM), and epilepsy have been described in families with autosomal dominant inheritance. Linkage analyses revealed two putative loci on chromosome 2p and 8q. Clinical photosensitivity was not a prominent feature in such families. We describe a large Italian family with rhythmic CM, photosensitivity, and epilepsy. Methods: Twenty-three individuals of a five-generation family were studied. Linkage analyses for the loci on chromosome 2p11.1 and 8q23.3 were performed. Results: Of the 23 studied family members, 16 were affected. Rhythmic CM of childhood onset was present in all 16 individuals (onset ranging from 3 to 12 years), was associated with photic-induced myoclonic jerks in seven, and with epileptic seizures in six (onset ranging from 23 to 34 years). Five children of the V generation manifested also episodes of arousal with generalized tremor in early infancy ("tremulous arousals"). Jerk-locked back-averaging of rhythmic CM of six affected individuals, documented a premyoclonic EEG correlate. C-reflex at rest was present in two affected adults. Linkage analyses excluded mapping to the 2p11.1 and 8q23.3 loci. Conclusions: Clinical variability and severity of the phenotypes in this family are in line with those of previously described pedigrees with autosomal dominant cortical myoclonus and epilepsy. In this family, a progression of symptoms was found: rhythmic CM and tremulous arousals occurred in childhood, whereas visually induced manifestations and epileptic seizures occurred during adolescence,adulthood. Exclusion of linkage to the two known loci is consistent with genetic heterogeneity of such familial clustering of symptoms. [source] Inhibition of endogenous pancreatic enzyme secretion by oral pancreatic enzyme treatmentEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF CLINICAL INVESTIGATION, Issue 1 2003J. Walkowiak Abstract Background ,The existence of a feedback mechanism for exocrine pancreatic secretion in humans is controversial. Exclusion of proteases from the duodenum stimulates exocrine pancreatic secretion. Conversely, addition of exogenous enzymes could reduce the enzyme secretion. Further investigation of the feedback mechanism should be performed under the most physiological conditions. In the present study we investigated exocrine pancreatic function by measuring fecal enzyme output in healthy volunteers consuming a normal diet, before and during a time course of exogenous pancreatic enzyme supplementation. Material and methods ,Twenty-five healthy subjects (HS) were given two different doses (30 and 60 FIP proteases kg,1 d,1) divided by the number of meals. In all subjects, fecal elastase-1 (E1) concentrations and chymotrypsin (ChT) activities were measured without and with enzyme supplements after 7 days of treatment. In eight subjects, E1 concentrations and ChT activities were measured daily for 10 consecutive days. The subjects were given a dose regimen of 100 FIP proteases kg,1 d,1 (divided by the number of meals) for the first 7 days. Results ,Oral pancreatic treatment dose-dependently inhibited endogenous pancreatic secretion measured with the use of E1 concentrations. In both regimen groups, the differences were statistically significant. The exogenous enzymes, which interfere with colorimetric method for ChT, dose-dependently increased ChT output. However, only the higher dose resulted in a statistically significant difference. In the subgroup of eight HS, time-dependent changes of fecal enzyme output occurred with a decrease of E1 concentrations and an increase of ChT activity from the second up to eighth or ninth day of the experiment. Conclusion ,Exogenous applied pancreatic enzymes, dose- and time-dependently inhibited endogenous pancreatic secretion. The obtained results strongly support the existence of a protease mediated feedback mechanism in humans. [source] Land use affects the relationship between species diversity and productivity at the local scale in a semi-arid steppe ecosystemFUNCTIONAL ECOLOGY, Issue 5 2006Z. ZHOU Summary 1The accelerating extinction rate of plant species and its effect on ecosystem functioning is a hotly debated topic in ecological research. Most research projects concerning the relationship between species diversity and productivity have been conducted in artificial plant communities, with only a few in natural ecosystems. In this study we examined the relationship between species diversity and above-ground net primary productivity (ANPP) over two consecutive growth seasons (2004 and 2005) in a semi-arid steppe ecosystem of northern China, that were subjected to different land uses. 2Land use affected the relationship between species diversity and ANPP in this semi-arid steppe ecosystem. Exclusion of grazing without or with biomass removal by mowing increased ANPP, species richness and species diversity compared with free grazing; the effect was reflected mainly as enhanced importance of the perennial forbs functional group in terms of their relative contributions to ANPP, plant cover and plant abundance. 3Many mechanisms regulate the relationship between species diversity and productivity. Differential effects of anthropogenic activities on biodiversity and ecosystem functioning greatly complicate the analysis of such relationships. On grazing-exclusion sites the relationship between ANPP and species richness can be best described as an exponential growth function (R2 = 0·99, P < 0·001, n = 24); whereas on the free-grazing site the relationship takes the form of exponential decay (R2 = 0·96, P < 0·001, n = 24). Our study concludes that the mode and severity of disturbance are important factors for interpreting the relationship between species diversity and productivity in semi-arid steppe ecosystems. [source] Chromosome band 16q22-linked familial AML: Exclusion of candidate genes, and possible disease risk modification by NQO1 polymorphismsGENES, CHROMOSOMES AND CANCER, Issue 3 2004Robert Escher Analyses of chromosomal translocation and inversion breakpoints in sporadic acute myeloid leukemias have identified many transcription factors as playing a role in leukemogenesis. Studies of families with a Mendelian predisposition to hematological malignancies have identified the gene coding for the transcription factor RUNX1 as a leukemia-predisposing gene involved in the first steps of leukemogenesis. Using two families, another autosomal dominant familial leukemia locus was linked to chromosome band 16q22 where the CBFB gene maps. Although CBFB forms a core-binding factor transcriptional complex with RUNX1, previous analyses have excluded the CBFB gene as the leukemia-predisposing gene in these families. In the current study, we performed an extended molecular analysis in these families of the four other transcription factor genes in the 16q22 critical region as well as of two other genes with a known association with leukemia. Several previously undescribed but nonpathogenic sequence variants were identified. We demonstrated that the transcription factors E2F4, CTCF, NFATC3, and NFAT5, and the genes coding for NAD(P)H:quinone oxido-reductase 1 (NQO1) and for E-cadherin are not responsible for the leukemia susceptibility in these families. The presence of NQO1 polymorphisms may suggest a role for this gene in disease risk modification in these families. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Exclusion of SMAD4 mutation as an early genetic change in human pancreatic ductal tumorigenesisGENES, CHROMOSOMES AND CANCER, Issue 3 2001Hiroko Inoue Pancreatic ductal carcinoma is one of the malignant diseases with the poorest prognosis. To develop effective methods for better treatment of pancreatic cancer patients, we tried to analyze the course of multistep carcinogenesis of the pancreatic ductal cells. IPMT (intraductal papillary-mucinous tumor) is thought to be one of the premalignant lesions of the pancreas, which would transform into carcinomas. Loss of 18q at the SMAD4 locus is known to be an early genetic change in pancreatic ductal carcinomas. It is not clear, however, whether or not the target gene for inactivation is SMAD4. Using 18 IPMTs, we analyzed LOH at the SMAD4 locus and observed frequent LOH (7/14, 50%). No mutations were observed in any of the tumors. Moreover, the expression level of the SMAD4 protein did not show a reduction in IPMTs. These results suggested that (i) inactivating mutation of the SMAD4 gene is a rather late genetic change in pancreatic carcinogenesis, and (ii) there may be an unknown tumor suppressor gene in 18q, other than SMAD4, that is involved in pancreatic ductal carcinogenesis. © 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Financial Exclusion in Rural and Remote New South Wales, Australia: a Geography of Bank Branch Rationalisation, 1981,98GEOGRAPHICAL RESEARCH, Issue 2 2000N.M. Argent The provision of financial services in rural Australia is a significant public policy issue, reflected in the high level of media and political interest in the recent spate of branch closures. There are, however, many aspects of the current debate regarding the delivery of financial services to rural communities that are, at best, less than ideal and, at worst, erroneous. Using telephone directories for New South Wales, non-metropolitan bank branch listings for the period 1981 to 1998 were collated. A recategorisation of these data according to the Rural, Remote and Metropolitan Areas classification reveals, amidst a spatial realignment of financial service provision, that rural and remote New South Wales have been disproportionately affected by a relatively recent and concerted withdrawal of services. The research demonstrates that corporate-level responses to increased competition within the financial system are significantly more important in deciding rural access to banking services than local and regional population trends. Indeed, two-thirds of rural localities that have lost branches had experienced healthy population growth during the study period. In the wake of the post-deregulation reconfiguration of the bank branch network, the socio-economic marginalisation of rural communities is being compounded, a process of ,financial exclusion' recognised in other parts of the developed world. [source] Seedling recruitment dynamics of forage and weed species under continuous and rotational sheep grazing in a temperate New Zealand pastureGRASS & FORAGE SCIENCE, Issue 2 2005G. R. Edwards Abstract Understanding the grazing conditions under which plant populations are limited by seed availability (seed limitation) is important for devising management schemes that aim to manipulate the establishment of weed and forage species. Seeds of three weed species (Cirsium arvense, C. vulgare and Rumex obtusifolius) and five forage species (Lolium perenne, Lotus uliginosus syn. L. pedunculatus, Paspalum dilatatum, Plantago lanceolata and Trifolium repens) were broadcast sown into L. perenne,T. repens pastures in Manawatu, New Zealand and five sheep-grazing and two slug-grazing (with and without molluscicide) treatments were imposed in a split-plot design. Of the five sheep-grazing treatments, four compared continuous grazing with rotational grazing at intervals of 12, 24 and 36 d in spring, with all four grazed under a common rotation for the remainder of the year. The fifth treatment was continuous grazing all year. Seed sowing increased seedling emergence of C. vulgare, L. perenne, P. lanceolata, R. obtusifolius and T. repens under all sheep- and slug-grazing treatments, with differences in seedling densities persisting for at least 21 months. Seed sowing did not increase seedling densities of C. arvense, L. uliginosus or P. dilatatum. The effects of sheep-grazing management on seedling emergence and survival were uncoupled. For the five seed-limited species, seedling emergence was greater on pastures that were rotationally grazed during spring compared with those that were continuously grazed. However, seedling survival was lower in pastures grazed rotationally during summer, autumn and winter, so that after 21 months seedling numbers were greater on plots that were continuously grazed all year. Exclusion of slugs increased seedling recruitment of T. repens but had no impact on the other species. As weed and forage species responded in a similar way to sheep-grazing management (increased under continuous, decreased under rotational), it is unlikely that the goals of reducing weed invasions and enhancing forage species establishment could be carried out concurrently in established pastures with the same management. [source] Recurrent Peptic Ulcers in Patients Following Successful Helicobacter pylori Eradication: A Multicenter Study of 4940 PatientsHELICOBACTER, Issue 1 2004Hiroto Miwa ABSTRACT Objective., Although curative treatment of Helicobacter pylori infection markedly reduces the relapse of peptic ulcers, the details of the ulcers that do recur is not well characterized. The aim of this study is to describe the recurrence rate and specific features of peptic ulcers after cure of H. pylori infection. Methods., This was a multicenter study involving 4940 peptic ulcer patients who were H. pylori negative after successful eradication treatment and were followed for up to 48 months. The annual incidence of ulcer relapse in H. pylori -cured patients, background of patients with relapsed ulcers, time to relapse, ulcer size, and site of relapsed ulcers were investigated. Results., Crude peptic ulcer recurrence rate was 3.02% (149/4940). The annual recurrence rates of gastric, duodenal and gastroduodenal ulcer were 2.3%, 1.6%, and 1.6%, respectively. Exclusion of patients who took NSAIDs led annual recurrence rates to 1.9%, 1.5% and 1.3%, respectively. The recurrence rate was significantly higher in gastric ulcer. Recurrence rates of patients who smoked, consumed alcohol, and used NSAIDs were significantly higher in those with gastric ulcer recurrence compared to duodenal ulcer recurrence (e.g. 125 of 149 [83.9%] relapsed ulcers recurred at the same or adjacent sites as the previous ulcers). Conclusions., Curative treatment of H. pylori infection is useful in preventing ulcer recurrence. Gastric ulcer is more likely to relapse than duodenal ulcer. Recurrent ulcer tended to recur at the site of the original ulcers. [source] (Re)Framing Education Exclusion and Inclusion DiscoursesIDS BULLETIN, Issue 1 2003Limits, Possibilities First page of article [source] Cancer patterns in nasopharyngeal carcinoma multiplex families in TaiwanINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CANCER, Issue 7 2009Kelly J. Yu Abstract Genetic and environmental factors have been implicated in the etiology of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), a tumor known to be closely associated with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection. Studies have reported familial aggregation of NPC and have suggested the possible aggregation of NPC and other cancers. We evaluated familial aggregation of cancer in 358 high-risk families with two or more NPC cases enrolled in a NPC genetics study in Taiwan. Participants were linked to the Taiwan National Cancer Registry to identify incident cancers diagnosed after study enrollment (started in 1996) and before December 31, 2005, or death. In total, 2,870 individuals from the NPC Multiplex Family Study contributed 15,151 person-years over an average of 5.3 years of follow-up. One hundred ten incident cancers were identified. Multiple-primary standardized incidence ratios (MP-SIRs) were computed to evaluate overall cancer risk associated with infectious agents and with other tumors. The overall MP-SIR was 1.3 (95% CI: 1.1,1.6), which was largely explained by an excess in NPC (MP-SIR = 15; 95% CI: 10,23). Exclusion of incident NPC diagnoses led to an overall MP-SIR of 1.0 (95% CI: 0.83,1.3). Similarly, the observed excess risk of cancers associated with infectious agents (MP-SIR = 2.0; 95% CI: 1.5,2.6) was driven by the excess in NPC; exclusion of NPC cases led to a reduced MP-SIR that did not differ from 1.0. Analysis of the largest NPC multiplex family study to date confirms the presence of coaggregation of NPC within families in Taiwan but does not provide evidence for a broader familial syndrome involving NPC and other tumors. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Fruit and vegetable consumption and lung cancer risk: Updated information from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC)INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CANCER, Issue 5 2007Jakob Linseisen Abstract The association of fruit and vegetable consumption and lung cancer incidence was evaluated using the most recent data from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC), applying a refined statistical approach (calibration) to account for measurement error potentially introduced by using food frequency questionnaire data. Between 1992 and 2000, detailed information on diet and life-style of 478,590 individuals participating in EPIC was collected. During a median follow-up of 6.4 years, 1,126 lung cancer cases were observed. Multivariate Cox proportional hazard models were applied for statistical evaluation. In the whole study population, fruit consumption was significantly inversely associated with lung cancer risk while no association was found for vegetable consumption. In current smokers, however, lung cancer risk significantly decreased with higher vegetable consumption; this association became more pronounced after calibration, the hazard ratio (HR) being 0.78 (95% CI 0.62,0.98) per 100 g increase in daily vegetable consumption. In comparison, the HR per 100 g fruit was 0.92 (0.85,0.99) in the entire cohort and 0.90 (0.81,0.99) in smokers. Exclusion of cases diagnosed during the first 2 years of follow-up strengthened these associations, the HR being 0.71 (0.55,0.94) for vegetables (smokers) and 0.86 (0.78,0.95) for fruit (entire cohort). Cancer incidence decreased with higher consumption of apples and pears (entire cohort) as well as root vegetables (smokers). In addition to an overall inverse association with fruit intake, the results of this evaluation add evidence for a significant inverse association of vegetable consumption and lung cancer incidence in smokers. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Performance of CURB-65 and CURB-age in community-acquired pneumoniaINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CLINICAL PRACTICE, Issue 9 2009P. K. Myint Summary Background:, Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is common and associated with significant mortality. In this study, we validated a newly proposed severity assessment rule for CAP, CURB-age, and also compared with to the currently recommended criteria in UK, CURB-65. Methods:, We conducted a prospective study in three hospitals in Norfolk and Suffolk, UK. One hundred and ninety patients were included and followed up for 6 weeks. Results:, Of 190 patients, 100 were men (53%). The age range was 18,101 years (median 76 years). Sixty-five (34%) had severe pneumonia by CURB-65 and 54 (28%) had severe pneumonia by CURB-age. There were 54 deaths during follow-up. There were 32 deaths (50%) in severe and 22 deaths (18%) in non-severe group by CURB-65. There were 27 deaths each in both the groups by CURB-age (50% of severe cases and 20% of non-severe cases). For CURB-65, sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values were 59.3% (45.0,72.4), 75.7% (67.6,82.7), 49.2% (36.6,61.9) and 82.4% (74.6,88.6), respectively. For CURB-age, the respective values were 50.0% (31.1,63.9), 80.1% (72.4,86.5), 50.0% (36.1,63.9) and 80.1% (72.4,86.5). Exclusion of patients aged < 65 years did not alter the results. Conclusions:, Despite better specificity in correctly identifying 6-week mortality for CAP, CURB-age appears to be less sensitive than CURB-65. Our findings further assure the usefulness of CURB-65 for predicting mortality in CAP. [source] Endoluminal repair of distal aortic arch aneurysms causing aorto-vocal syndromeINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CLINICAL PRACTICE, Issue 10 2008J. P. Morales Summary Purpose:, We have evaluated the efficacy of endovascular repair of distal aortic arch aneurysms (DAAA) causing recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy. Material and methods:, Eight patients (five male and three female) with median age of 72 years (range: 59,80) presented with left recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy associated with DAAA. All patients were considered unfit for open surgery. The median aneurysm size was 5.9 cm (range: 5,7.3). Thirteen stents were deployed: eight Gore, four Endofit and one Talent. Epidural anaesthesia was used in all patients. The left subclavian artery was covered in all and the left common carotid in three who had a preliminary right to left carotid,carotid bypass. Routine follow-up (FU) was with computed tomography (CT) at 3,6 months and yearly thereafter. Results:, Exclusion of the aneurysm sac was achieved in all patients. Thirty-day mortality was 0%, with no paraplegia or stroke. Early complications included: rupture of the external iliac artery (one) and common femoral artery thrombectomy (one). One patient died of unknown cause at 17 months. The mean FU in the remaining seven patients was 21 months (range: 6,51). Aneurysm size decreased in five, was unchanged in one and increased in one. Three patients had improvement in voice quality postoperatively. One patient had a recurrent type 1 endoleak which was restented twice. No late deaths have occurred. Conclusion:, Though technically the procedures involved were more complicated, endovascular repair of DAAA causing aorto-vocal syndrome is safe and offers a realistic alternative to open surgery. Hoarseness of the voice can improve postoperatively and is associated with reduction in aortic sac diameter. [source] Security, Law, Borders: Spaces of ExclusionINTERNATIONAL POLITICAL SOCIOLOGY, Issue 4 2008Tugba Basaran Politics of borders and the distinction between inside/outside have become an important security practice of liberal states. Borders are strategically used to change the balance between security and liberties. This article analyzes the legal constitution of border zones and argues that security is not exceptional in its constitution but results from ordinary law and practices. Illiberal practices at border zones are embedded in ordinary politics of the liberal state. [source] The Concept of Social Exclusion in the European Union: Context, Development and PossibilitiesJCMS: JOURNAL OF COMMON MARKET STUDIES, Issue 3 2000Rob Atkinson In recent years the term ,social exclusion' has come to occupy a central place in the discussion of social policy and inequality in Europe. While the notion has acquired important strategic connotations, by stressing structural and cultural/social processes, the precise meaning of the term remains somewhat elusive. This article focuses on the reason for and the manner in which the notion of social exclusion has developed within the EU social policy discourse, aiming to provide a clearer understanding of its origins, functions and multiple dimensions. Whilst adopting a critical approach to the notion of social exclusion, the article suggests that the concept has played a positive role in keeping issues such as inequality and poverty on the policy agenda. The article also suggests possible ways in which social exclusion might be developed in a climate which has become less conducive, if not hostile, to an autonomous, activist EU social policy. [source] Cultural Exclusion, Normativity, and the Definition of ArtJOURNAL OF AESTHETICS AND ART CRITICISM, Issue 2 2003Paul Crowther First page of article [source] Influence of herbivory, competition and soil fertility on the abundance of Cirsium arvense in acid grasslandJOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY, Issue 2 2000G.R. Edwards Summary 1. ,The extent to which the weed Cirsium arvense (creeping thistle) may be controlled by manipulating interspecific competition and herbivory was examined in two factorial experiments in order to identify non-chemical herbicide-based control methods for the weed. 2. ,In the first experiment, a single spring cultivation of grassland intensively grazed by rabbits led to a 25-fold increase in C. arvense cover within 3 months, the effects of which were still present the following summer. As well as destroying the competing perennial vegetation, cultivation created and dispersed small root fragments (3,5 cm in length) from which almost all shoot recruitment occurred. 3. ,Fencing the cultivated plots against rabbits decreased the cover of C. arvense because ungrazed regrowth from palatable/grazing intolerant species reduced recruitment of C. arvense seedlings and shoots. Seedling competition, in the form of a wildflower seed mix sown soon after cultivation, reduced C. arvense cover on fenced plots to pre-cultivation levels. 4. ,In the second experiment, conducted in a permanent grassland, C. arvense shoot densities on plots fenced against rabbits and treated as a hay meadow were about one-eighth of those found on rabbit-grazed plots where competing vegetation was kept short. Adventitious shoot recruitment was greater on soil disturbances such as molehills and rabbit scrapes than in intact vegetation. Seedling recruitment occurred only on soil disturbances such as molehills. 5. ,Lime and nitrogen fertilizer application to the fenced grassland increased the standing biomass of competing species, which reduced C. arvense shoot density. Outside the fences, rabbit grazing was so concentrated on the competing species of the nitrogen-fertilized and limed areas that C. arvense benefited from competitive release, exhibiting increased shoot density. Cirsium arvense showed pronounced competitive release from grasses, with greater shoot densities where grasses were removed with selective herbicides than where no plant species were removed. 6. ,Exclusion of insects and molluscs with chemical pesticides had no effect on shoot or seedling recruitment or overall shoot density on cultivated soil or in permanent grassland. 7. ,It is concluded that combinations of management procedures that encourage interspecific competition, such as sowing crops soon after cultivation and delaying grazing of them, and nitrogen fertilizer application and non- or reduced grazing of intact grasslands, will help reduce C. arvense abundance. [source] Interrupting the Cycle of Moral Exclusion: A Communication Contribution to Social Justice Research,JOURNAL OF APPLIED SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY, Issue 9 2001Laura Leets This research broadly maps the territory of moral exclusion to include communication within its boundaries. Communicative strategies may provide the means for the interruption or even the reversal of the moral-exclusion cycle. While the current studies do not provide empirical verification of the reversal mechanism, they do prepare the theoretical groundwork through the use of a contemporary example: Romanian orphans. The first study is a survey of 225 Romanian students designed to reveal how they analyze the social issue of orphans and whether it is possible to differentiate between those who have and those who have not excluded orphans from their scope of justice. The second study consists of 2 focus-group discussions conducted in Bucharest: one with project managers from nongovernment organizations working with children in crisis, and the other with ordinary citizens. The results and discussion concentrate on the implications and practical applications for potentially countering moral exclusion. [source] PPAR,1 synthesis and adipogenesis in C3H10T1/2 cells depends on S-phase progression, but does not require mitotic clonal expansionJOURNAL OF CELLULAR BIOCHEMISTRY, Issue 2 2004Young C. Cho Abstract Adipogenesis is typically stimulated in mouse embryo fibroblast (MEF) lines by a standard hormonal combination of insulin (I), dexamethasone (D), and methylisobutylxanthine (M), administered with a fresh serum renewal. In C3H10T1/2 (10T1/2) cells, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor ,1 (PPAR,1) expression, an early phase key adipogenic regulator, is optimal after 36 h of IDM stimulation. Although previous studies provide evidence that mitotic clonal expansion of 3T3-L1 cells is essential for adipogenesis, we show, here, that 10T1/2 cells do not require mitotic clonal expansion, but depend on cell cycle progression through S-phase to commit to adipocyte differentiation. Exclusion of two major mitogenic stimuli (DM without insulin and fresh serum renewal) from standard IDM protocol removed mitotic clonal expansion, but sustained equivalent PPAR,1 synthesis and lipogenesis. Different S-phase inhibitors (aphidicolin, hydroxyurea, l -mimosine, and roscovitin) each arrested cells in S-phase, under hormonal stimulation, and completely blocked PPAR,1 synthesis and lipogenesis. However, G2/M inhibitors effected G2/M accumulation of IDM stimulated cells and prevented mitosis, but fully sustained PPAR,1 synthesis and lipogenesis. DM stimulation with or without fresh serum renewal elevated DNA synthesis in a proportion of cells (measured by BrdU labeling) and accumulation of cell cycle progression in G2/M-phase without complete mitosis. By contrast, standard IDM treatments with fresh serum renewal caused elevated DNA synthesis and mitotic clonal expansion while achieved equivalent level of adipogenesis. At most, one-half of the 10T1/2 mixed cell population differentiated to mature adipocytes, even when clonally isolated. PPAR, was exclusively expressed in the cells that contained lipid droplets. IDM stimulated comparable PPAR,1 synthesis and lipogenesis in isolated cells at low cell density (LD) culture, but in about half of the cells and with sensitivity to G1/S, but not G2/M inhibitors. Importantly, growth arrest occurred in all differentiating cells, while continuous mitotic clonal expansion occurred in non-differentiating cells. Irrespective of confluence level, 10T1/2 cells differentiate after progression through S-phase, where adipogenic commitment induced by IDM stimulation is a prerequisite for PPAR, synthesis and subsequent adipocyte differentiation. © 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Exclusion of livestock grazing and wood collection in dryland savannah: an effect on long-term vegetation successionAFRICAN JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY, Issue 2 2010Pavla Hejcmanová Abstract Sahelian savannah faces increasing pressure from human activities, leading to its degradation. The aim of this study was to investigate the possibility of restoration of dryland savannah vegetation by the elimination of disturbance factors on the ecosystem. Is degraded dryland savannah vegetation able to be restored by means of natural succession? What is the timescale for its recovery? The study took place in the Bandia Reserve, 65 km south-east of Dakar (Senegal), a unique site with two successional stages due to the elimination of uncontrolled exploitation. The vegetation structure of 15 years (15YRS) and 5 years (5YRS) after fencing was compared with vegetation exposed to continuous livestock grazing and wood collection outside the fenced area. Calculated by redundancy analysis, a significant effect of selected areas on the cover of all species was revealed and successional stage explained more than 45% of data variability. Perennial forbs, annual forbs and perennial grasses achieved the highest cover in 5YRS, woody species in 15YRS and annual grasses in the area outside of the fenced reserve. The dominant woody species Acacia seyal, A. ataxacantha, A. nilotica subsp. adstringens and Balanites aegyptiaca reconstituted the dense formation of Acacia bushland by means of natural succession in the 15YRS area. Résumé La savane sahélienne subit une pression croissante des activités humaines, qui entraînent sa dégradation. Le but de cette étude était d'étudier la possibilité de restaurer la végétation de la savane sèche en éliminant les facteurs de perturbation de l'écosystème. La végétation de savane sèche est-elle capable de se rétablir par voie de succession naturelle ? Quelle est l'échelle de temps de cette restauration ? Cette étude a eu lieu dans la Réserve de Bandia, située à 65 km au sud-est de Dakar (Sénégal), un site unique qui enclot deux stades de succession en raison de la fin de son exploitation incontrôlée. La structure de la végétation qui s'est développée quinze ans (15 A) et cinq ans (5 A) après la pose d'une clôture a été comparée à la végétation exposée au pâturage continu du bétail et à la collecte de bois, en dehors de la clôture. Une analyse de redondance a révélé un effet significatif des zones choisies sur la couverture de toutes les espèces, et le stade de succession a permis d'expliquer plus de 45% de la variabilité des données. Les dicotylédones pérennes et annuelles et les monocotylédones pérennes atteignaient la plus grande couverture en 5 A, les espèces ligneuses en 15 A, et les monocotylédones annuelles dans la zone située en dehors de l'aire clôturée. Les espèces ligneuses dominantes, Acacia seyal, A. ataxacantha, A. nilotica subsp. adstringens et Balanites aegyptiaca ont reconstitué la formation dense d'une brousse àAcacia par la succession naturelle dans la zone 15 A. [source] Further evidence of genetic heterogeneity segregating with hereditary gingival fibromatosisJOURNAL OF CLINICAL PERIODONTOLOGY, Issue 8 2009Xiaoqian Ye Abstract Aim: To clinically characterize and map the disease-associated locus in a five-generation Chinese family with autosomal dominant early-onset hereditary gingival fibromatosis (HGF). Material and Methods: A complete oral examination was conducted. Genomic DNA samples were obtained from 14 individuals. Short tandem repeats markers, which encompass four previously known loci related to HGF, were genotyped. Two-point log of the odds (LOD) scores were calculated using MLINK program of the LINKAGE software, multipoint and non-parametric linkage (NPL) analysis were performed using the GENEHUNTER software. Results: Clinical evaluation and histological examination of this family suggested typical features of HGF. The onset age was early in the generations, ranging between 1 and 2 years. None of the tested markers showed cosegregation among affected individuals. Genotyping data from four putative regions yielded significant negative two-point LOD scores (<,2.0) at ,=0. The maximum multipoint LOD scores and NPL analysis revealed exclusion of these loci as well. Conclusions: Exclusion of linkage in this family to any of the known HGF loci proved the existence of a novel locus for autosomal dominant HGF and showed that this rare disorder is far more heterogeneous than previously expected. [source] Formation of Malonaldehyde, Formaldehyde, and Acetaldehyde in Apple Juice Induced by Ionizing RadiationJOURNAL OF FOOD SCIENCE, Issue 7 2002X. Fan And ABSTRACT: We investigated the effects of ionizing radiation on the formation of malonaldehyde (MA), formaldehyde (FA), and acetaldehyde (ACT) in apple juice. The formation of MA, FA, and ACT in both pasteurized and fresh juice increased with radiation dose. The G values (number of species formed per 100 eV absorbed) for MA, FA, and ACT in pasteurized juice were 0.0056, 0.061, and 0.044, respectively. MA concentration decreased rapidly during storage at 5°C, while ACT and FA did not. Irradiation-induced formation of MA, FA, and ACT decreased with decreasing irradiation temperature. Exclusion of oxygen during irradiation reduced formation of ACT and FA, but not MA. Adding 1000 ppm of ascorbate, sorbate, or sulfite to juice before irradiation also decreased MA formation. [source] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||