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Inclusion
Kinds of Inclusion Terms modified by Inclusion Selected AbstractsALLIANCE FOR FINANCIAL INCLUSION: Nairobi ConferenceAFRICA RESEARCH BULLETIN: ECONOMIC, FINANCIAL AND TECHNICAL SERIES, Issue 8 2009Article first published online: 1 OCT 200 No abstract is available for this article. [source] INCLUSION: Confusion about inclusion: patching up or system change?BRITISH JOURNAL OF SPECIAL EDUCATION, Issue 3 2008Klaus Wedell In this article, Klaus Wedell, Emeritus Professor at the Institute of Education, University of London, looks back over 35 years of developments in the worlds of special and inclusive education. He engages directly with the complexities , for example, the tensions between the standards agenda and policy on inclusion , that have led some commentators to adopt controversial positions and that have engendered heated debate. Klaus Wedell also discusses a dilemma that is emerging as a key issue in the field , the relationships between ,difference', stigma, equality of opportunity and ,special' or separate provision. The response provided here takes, as a starting point, the notion of a flexible education system that could recognise diversity among learners while making provision for all. Klaus Wedell explores this possibility in terms of the curriculum, pedagogy, school structures and local authorities. He indicates points at which policies contradict one another and where practice has not evolved to address the challenges raised by innovative thinking. He provides evidence of the need for systemic change. He argues that all young people should be valued as individuals so that the differences between them can be acknowledged without prejudice. Only in this way, suggests Klaus Wedell, can the artificial separation of special educational needs policy and mainstream thinking be ended. [source] FILLING HISTORY OF THE MAUI B FIELD, NEW ZEALAND: NEW INFORMATION FROM OIL INCLUSIONS IN AUTHIGENIC MINERALS FROM THE OIL LEG IN THE MAUI-B1 WELL F SANDSJOURNAL OF PETROLEUM GEOLOGY, Issue 3 2009S. D. Killops A study of the molecular composition of oil inclusions in the Maui field, Taranaki Basin, New Zealand, reveals compositional variation in oil during the filling history of the Paleocene reservoir. The homogenization temperatures of aqueous inclusions in quartz suggest that oil in genetically associated inclusions first reached the proto-Maui structure about 7.0,7.5 Ma ago, and that an effective trap was present at the Paleocene F-sands level, given the abundant oil inclusions. This date coincides with what is believed to represent the early stages of structural development of the trap. The Maui or Pihama sub-basin appears the most likely kitchen for this early charge. The quartz-included oil exhibits a biomarker distribution with a slightly more marine-influenced signature than an oil stain from the same core plug, oil included in authigenic feldspar, and oil-production samples from the overlying Eocene D sands as well as the F sands. The greater similarity of the feldspar-included oil to the production oils together with its possibly slightly lower maturity suggest that the feldspar inclusions formed later than the quartz inclusions. Otherwise, all oil samples examined (inclusion oil, oil / bitumen in sandstones and producible oil) are of similar maturity. [source] At Hospitality's Threshold: From Social Inclusion to Exilic EducationCURATOR THE MUSEUM JOURNAL, Issue 2 2009Edith Doron Museums have strived to be valued resources in an increasingly diverse society. In aspiring to broaden their audience base, their work has shifted from developing educational policies that are "object-centered" to those that are "community-centered" , a change of strategy affecting everything from programs to exhibit design. Children's museums , distinct (if not marginalized) from the serious work of the traditional art or ethnographic or natural history museum , know and indeed say in their very name , "children's museum" , that they are for the sake of someone and not about something. They have always already been attuned to the visitor at the threshold. [source] Randomized controlled trial of physiotherapy in 56 children with cerebral palsy followed for 18 monthsDEVELOPMENTAL MEDICINE & CHILD NEUROLOGY, Issue 1 2001E Bower PhD MCSP Senior Research Fellow This study aimed to determine whether motor function and performance is better enhanced by intensive physiotherapy or collaborative goal-setting in children with cerebral palsy (CP). Participants were a convenience sample of 56 children with bilateral CP classified at level III or below on the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS), aged between 3 and 12 years. A 2 × 2 factorial design was used to compare the effects of routine amounts of physiotherapy with intensive amounts, and to compare the use of generalized aims set by the child's physiotherapist with the use of specific, measurable goals negotiated by the child's physiotherapist with each child, carer, and teacher. Following the six-month treatment period there was a further six-month period of observation. Changes in motor function and performance were assessed by a masked assessor using the Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM) and the Gross Motor Performance Measure (GMPM) at three-month intervals. There was no statistically significant difference in the scores achieved between intensive and routine amounts of therapy or between aim-directed and goal-directed therapy in either function or performance. Inclusion of additional covariates of age and severity levels showed a trend towards a statistically significant difference in children receiving intensive therapy during the treatment period. This advantage declined over the subsequent six months during which therapy had reverted to its usual amount. Differences in goal-setting procedures did not produce any detectable effect on the acquisition of gross motor function or performance. [source] Function of a long-term, GLP-1-treated, insulin-secreting cell line is improved by preventing DPP IV-mediated degradation of GLP-1DIABETES OBESITY & METABOLISM, Issue 5 2005B. D. Green Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) is an important insulinotropic hormone with potential in the treatment of type 2 diabetes. However, the short biological half-life of the peptide after cleavage by dipeptidylpeptidase IV (DPP IV) is a major limitation. Inhibition of DPP IV activity and the development of resistant GLP-1 analogues is the subject of ongoing research. In this study, we determined cell growth, insulin content, insulin accumulation and insulin secretory function of a insulin-secreting cell line cultured for 3 days with either GLP-1, GLP-1 plus the DPP IV inhibitor diprotin A (DPA) or stable N -acetyl-GLP-1. Native GLP-1 was rapidly degraded by DPP IV during culture with accumulation of the inactive metabolite GLP-1(9,36)amide. Inclusion of DPA or use of the DPP IV-resistant analogue, N -acetyl-GLP-1, improved cellular function compared to exposure to GLP-1 alone. Most notably, basal and accumulated insulin secretion was enhanced, and glucose responsiveness was improved. However, prolonged GLP-1 treatment resulted in GLP-1 receptor desensitization regardless of DPP IV status. The results indicate that prevention of DPP IV action is necessary for beneficial effects of GLP-1 on pancreatic , cells and that prolonged exposure to GLP-1(9,36)amide may be detrimental to insulin secretory function. These observations also support the ongoing development of DPP-IV-resistant forms of GLP-1, such as N -acetyl-GLP-1. [source] Drug design: hiding in full viewDRUG DEVELOPMENT RESEARCH, Issue 1 2008Norman S. Radin Abstract Compounds that can produce potent biological effects in cells encompass a variety of structural motifs. Many of these compounds share a structural feature that has rarely been noted. It is an allylic cluster of atoms, a 3-carbon chain with a double bond between two of the atoms and an oxygen atom at the other end. The oxygen can be in a hydroxyl group, or in an ether or ketal or ester linkage, or simply a carbonyl form. In the latter case, the linkage is an allylic ketone (ene-one) structure. Nitrogen is often seen in equivalent forms. Inclusion of at least one allylic moiety appears to be able to turn a modestly active or inert compound into an effective drug or toxin. Some compounds lack the allylic moiety but develop one by enzymatic action, usually via cytochrome P-450 enzymes. These metabolites probably represent the active drug forms. The above concepts seem to be radically simplistic and improbable, but the evidence supporting them and the explanations for the biological activities are hidden "in plain view." Comparisons with the pleiotropic activities of the allylic sphingolipid, ceramide, indicate that many allylic drugs operate by controlling the state of protein phosphorylation, by activating proteases, by generating reactive oxygen species, by slowing mitochondrial electron transport, or by lowering cellular glutathione concentrations. Drug Dev Res 69:15,25, 2008 © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Sensitive fluorescence detection of polyphosphate in polyacrylamide gels using 4,,6-diamidino-2-phenylindolELECTROPHORESIS, Issue 19 2007Stephanie A. Smith Dr. Abstract PAGE is commonly used to identify and resolve inorganic polyphosphates (polyP). We now report highly sensitive and specific staining methods for polyP in polyacrylamide gels based on the fluorescent dye, 4,,6-diamidino-2-phenylindol (DAPI). DAPI bound to polyP in gels fluoresced yellow while DAPI bound to nucleic acids or glycosaminoglycans fluoresced blue. Inclusion of EDTA prevented staining of glycosaminoglycans by DAPI. We also identified conditions under which DAPI that was bound to polyP (but not nucleic acids or other anionic polymers) rapidly photobleached. This allowed us to develop an even more sensitive and specific negative staining method that distinguishes polyP from nucleic acids and glycosaminoglycans. The lower LOD using DAPI negative staining was 4,pmol (0.3,ng) phosphate per band, compared to conventional toluidine blue staining with a lower LOD of 250,pmol per band. [source] Occurrence and fate of micropollutants in the Vidy Bay of Lake Geneva, Switzerland.ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY & CHEMISTRY, Issue 8 2010Part I: Priority list for environmental risk assessment of pharmaceuticals Abstract Pharmaceuticals are substances designed to have a biological effect in humans. Their presence in the environment, especially in surface waters, is of increasing concern because of their potential risk to non-target species. A large number of pharmaceuticals are on the market; for example, approximately 2,000 active ingredients are approved in Europe, and many of them have already been detected in surface water. It is therefore crucial to select the substances that may do the most harm to the environment prior to performing measurements and extensive risk assessment. In the present study, a method to determine a list of pharmaceuticals to survey in surface water is proposed. Inclusion of substances on the list was based on a screening procedure, the analytical feasibility, and previous knowledge of pharmaceuticals detected in water. The screening procedure proposed here is an improvement on the standard procedure of the European Medicine Evaluation Agency (EMEA). It is designed to decrease the number of pharmaceuticals to be evaluated in a stepwise manner, thus decreasing the number of data necessary for the evaluation. We applied our approach to determine a list of 37 pharmaceuticals and four hormones to survey in a specific region of Switzerland, the Lake Geneva area, and discussed the advantages and weak points of the method. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 2010; 29:1649,1657. © 2010 SETAC [source] Health related quality of life, environment, and regulation,ENVIRONMETRICS, Issue 5 2004Peter A. Lachenbruch Abstract This article discusses prevalent and incident environmental events and how they might affect clinical trials. Inclusion of stratification by site and by event time is suggested as a possible method to remove some of the effects in the analysis. Published in 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Intrinsic Ictal Dynamics at the Seizure Focus: Effects of Secondary Generalization Revealed by Complexity MeasuresEPILEPSIA, Issue 2 2007Christophe C. Jouny Summary:,Purpose: Partial seizures (PSs) may be self-limited regional events or propagate further and secondarily generalize. The mechanisms and dynamics of secondarily generalized tonic,clonic seizures (GTCSs) are not well understood. Methods with which to assess the dynamic of those events are also limited. Methods: Seizures were analyzed from patients with intractable partial seizures undergoing monitoring with intracranial electrodes. Inclusion in this study required patients to have at least one PS and one GTCS. From >120 patients, seven patients fulfilled these criteria, three with mesial temporal (MTLE) onset seizures and four with neocortical lesional (NCLE) onset seizures. In total, 50 seizures were analyzed by using the matching pursuit (MP) method and the Gabor atom density (GAD), a measure of signal complexity derived from the MP method. Results: The GAD complexity pattern at the seizure focus for the initial ictal period is remarkably consistent in a given patient, regardless of whether secondary generalization occurs. Secondary generalization produces greater modification of seizure activity at the focus in patients with NCLE than in patients with MTLE. In seizures from four patients with NCLE, secondary generalization resulted in an average increase of 115% in complexity at the focus compared to PSs. Conclusions: GAD shows that seizure dynamics of PSs are often very stereotyped from seizure to seizure in a given patient, particularly during early ictal evolution. Secondary generalization is more likely to produce changes in the duration and dynamics at the seizure focus in NCLE patients compared with MTLE patients. These observations suggest distinct mechanisms (e.g., feedback) that are operational during secondary generalization. [source] Quality-of-Life and Behavioral Outcome Measures in Randomized Controlled Trials of Antiepileptic Drugs: A Systematic Review of Methodology and Reporting StandardsEPILEPSIA, Issue 11 2000Gus A. Baker Summary: Purpose: To review the methodology and use of quality-of-life and behavioral measures used in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of antiepileptic drugs in patients with epilepsy. Methods: Trial reports were found by searching a previously developed comprehensive database of epilepsy RCTs and searching through journals by hand. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied, and methodological and quality-of-life and behavioral measure data were extracted. Results: There were 52 different measures used in 46 trials, with the Profile of Mood States, the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory, and the Washington Psychosocial Seizure Inventory being applied the most frequently. Overall, evidence of the reliability, validity, and sensitivity of measures used in populations of people with epilepsy was sparse. There was also little information on the clinical interpretation of the results. Conclusion: Our results highlight a consistent failure to apply quality-of-life and behavioral measures in RCTs in a systematic way. We found repeated evidence of researchers' failure to review the use of previous measures and selection of measures without evidence of their appropriateness for use in a population with epilepsy. We recommend the use of quality-of-life and behavioral measures in RCTs with proven psychometric properties in a population with epilepsy. [source] Recombinase-deficient T cell development by selective accumulation of CD3 into lipid raftsEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY, Issue 4 2008Denise Ferrera Abstract The pre-T cell receptor (pre-TCR) promotes the development of thymocytes with productive rearrangement at the TCR ,,chain locus by signaling in a ligand-independent fashion. The TCR ,,chain associates with the invariant pre-T, (pT,) chain, which bears specific charged residues in the extracellular portion mediating pre-TCR self-oligomerization. In recombinase-deficient thymocytes, calnexin (CNX) associated with CD3 chains is inefficiently retained in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and weakly expressed in the plasma membrane. Deliberate cross-linking of CNX/CD3 complexes mimics pre-TCR signaling. Here, we show that, analogously to the pT, chain, surface CNX is palmitoylated and that CD3 prominently accumulated in lipid rafts upon cross-linking. Mutant CNX isoforms devoid of ER retention determined pre-TCR-like signaling and simulated ,,selection only when stably translocating CD3 to lipid rafts. Inclusion of the palmitoylated cytoplasmic tail from the pT, chain in recombinant CNX strikingly improved the pre-TCR-like signaling efficiency of CNX/CD3 in rafts. This study indicates that lipid rafts in the plasma membrane represent proficient microdomains for the initiation of pre-TCR signaling, and supports the view that ,,selection by oligomerized pre-TCR is implemented by the pT, cytoplasmic tail. [source] A Dynamically Entangled Coordination Polymer: Synthesis, Structure, Luminescence, Single-Crystal-to-Single-Crystal Reversible Guest Inclusion and Structural TransformationEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF INORGANIC CHEMISTRY, Issue 24 2010Arshad Aijaz Abstract A ZnII coordination polymer {[Zn2(cpa)2(bpy)]·3H2O}n (1) (cpa2, = 4-(methoxycarbonyl)benzoate and bpy = 4,4,-bipyridine) has been synthesized under solvothermal condition and structurally characterized. This coordination polymer has nanotubular threefold entangled (2D,3D) structure with embedded water molecules; the water molecules can be partially exchanged in reversible single-crystal-to-single-crystal (SC-SC) fashion by different solvent molecules like methanol, ethanol and acetone giving rise to {[Zn2(cpa)2(bpy)]·(0.5MeOH)·(2.5H2O)}n (2), {[Zn2(cpa)2(bpy)]·(0.5EtOH)·(0.5H2O)}n (3) and {[Zn2(cpa)2(bpy)]·(0.5Me2CO)·(H2O)}n (4). Inclusion of EtOH or MeOH leaves the size of the voids in the framework unaltered. Inclusion of acetone, however, is accompanied by shrinking of the voids in the framework. Heating of 1 at 100 °C under vacuum for 4 h affords the de-solvated compound, {Zn2(cpa)2(bpy)}n (1,). Single-crystal X-ray structure of 1, shows sliding of the individual nanotubular components expanding the overall framework. Thus, the coordination polymer exhibits dynamic motion of the molecular components in SC-SC fashion. All compounds were further characterized via IR spectroscopy, PXRD, elemental and TGA analysis. When 1 is placed in benzene at 100 °C for 2 days, compound {[Zn2(cpa)2(bpy)]·(2.5H2O)}n (5) is formed in a SC-SC fashion where coordination number of ZnII ion increases from four to five. Compound 1 also exhibits reversible guest-dependent photoluminescence properties. [source] Dicopper(II) Complexes with the Enantiomers of a Bidentate Chiral Reduced Schiff Base: Inclusion of Chlorinated Solvents and Chiral Recognition of1,2-Dichloroethane Rotamers in the Crystal LatticeEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF INORGANIC CHEMISTRY, Issue 14 2006Vamsee Krishna Muppidi Abstract Bisphenoxo-bridged dicopper(II) complexes [Cu2Ln2Cl2] {1 (n = 1) and 2 (n = 2)} with the N,O-donor reduced Schiff bases N -(2-hydroxybenzyl)-(R)-,-methylbenzylamine (HL1) and N -(2-hydroxybenzyl)-(S)-,-methylbenzylamine (HL2) have been synthesised and characterised. In both 1 and 2, the bidentate chiral ligands coordinate the metal centres through the secondary amine N atom and the bridging phenolate O atom. The chloride ion occupies the fourth coordination site and completes a slightly distorted square-planar NO2Cl environment around each copper(II) centre. Magnetic susceptibility measurements in the solid state suggest a strong antiferromagnetic interaction between the metal centres in both complexes. Both 1 and 2 readily form 1:1 host-guest compounds with chlorinated solvents such as CH2Cl2, CHCl3 and Cl(CH2)2Cl. All the host-guest compounds crystallise in noncentrosymmetric space groups. 1·CH2Cl2 and 2·CH2Cl2 crystallise in the P21 space group while 1·CHCl3, 2·CHCl3, 1·Cl(CH2)2Cl and 2·Cl(CH2)2Cl crystallise in the P212121 space group. In these inclusion crystals, the C,H···Cl interactions between the guest and the host molecules are primarily responsible for enclatheration of the chloroalkane molecules. In the case of CH2Cl2, one of its Cl atoms acts as the acceptor. On the other hand, for CHCl3 and Cl(CH2)2Cl, the metal coordinated Cl atom of the host complex acts as the acceptor. The structures of 1·(P)-Cl(CH2)2Cl and 2·(M)-Cl(CH2)2Cl provide rare examples for chiral recognition of the right handed (P) and the left handed (M) gauche forms of Cl(CH2)2Cl in molecular assemblies. (© Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2006) [source] Reducing conditions significantly attenuate the neuroprotective efficacy of competitive, but not other NMDA receptor antagonists in vitroEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE, Issue 11 2000Ashley K. Pringle Abstract Inappropriate activation of NMDA receptors during a period of cerebral ischaemia is a crucial event in the pathway leading to neuronal degeneration. However, significant research has failed to deliver a clinically active NMDA receptor antagonist, and competitive NMDA antagonists are ineffective in many experimental models of ischaemia. The NMDA receptor itself has a number of modulatory sites which may affect receptor function under ischaemic conditions. Using rat organotypic hippocampal slice cultures we have investigated whether the redox modulatory site affects the neuroprotective efficacy of NMDA receptor antagonists against excitotoxicity and experimental ischaemia (OGD). NMDA toxicity was significantly enhanced in cultures pretreated with a reducing agent. The noncompetitive antagonist MK-801 and a glycine-site blocker were equally neuroprotective in both normal and reduced conditions, but there was a significant rightward shift in the dose,response curves of the competitive antagonists APV and CPP and the uncompetitive antagonist memantine. OGD produced neuronal damage predominantly in the CA1 region, which was prevented by MK-801 and memantine, but not by APV or CPP. Inclusion of an oxidizing agent during the period of OGD had no effect alone, but significantly enhanced the neuroprotective potency of the competitive antagonists. These data clearly demonstrate that chemical reduction of the redox modulatory site of the NMDA receptor decreases the ability of competitive antagonists to block NMDA receptor-mediated neuronal damage, and that the reducing conditions which occur during simulated ischaemia are sufficient to produce a similar effect. This may have important implications for the design of future neuroprotective agents. [source] Drastic Solid-State Fluorescence Enhancement Behaviour of Phenanthro[9,10- d]imidazole-Type Fluorescent Hosts upon Inclusion of Carboxylic AcidsEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF ORGANIC CHEMISTRY, Issue 34 2009Yousuke Ooyama Abstract The crystals of phenanthro[9,10- d]imidazole-type fluorescent host 1 exhibit drastic fluorescence enhancement behaviour with a redshift in the emission maximum upon enclathration of various carboxylic acids such as formic acid, acetic acid and propionic acid. The optical changes are greatly dependent on the identity of the enclathrated carboxylic acids. The fluorescent clathrate compounds are formed not only by cocrystallization from carboxylic acid solutions but also by solid (fluorescent host),gas (carboxylic acid vapour) contact. Furthermore, when the acetic acid inclusion crystals are exposed to propionic acid vapour, acetic acid is gradually replaced by propionic acid. The guest exchange of the inclusion crystals was accompanied with colour and fluorescent intensity changes. The X-ray structural analyses of the guest-free and carboxylic acid inclusion compounds demonstrated that the destructions of the ,,, interactions, and the intermolecular hydrogen bonds binding fluorophores were induced by the enclathrated carboxylic acid molecules. Moreover, the imidazole ring of the host is protonated by the enclathrated carboxylic acid proton. On the basis of the spectroscopic data and the crystal structures, the effects of the enclathrated carboxylic acid on the solid-state photophysical properties of the clathrate compounds are discussed.(© Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2009) [source] Process, Responsibility and Inclusion in EU ConstitutionalismEUROPEAN LAW JOURNAL, Issue 1 2003Jo Shaw This paper it looks at some of the normative questions which frame debates about the EU constitutional architecture. Its main objective is to identify the core facets of a ,responsible and inclusive EU constitutionalism', and to argue for a focus on process, freedom, fairness and democracy as well as formal constitution,building within the debates inside and outside the Convention running up to the Intergovernmental Conference anticipated for 2003/2004. A model using the work of Canadian political theorist James Tully is constructed. The paper applies this framework in order to analyse some aspects of the work of the Convention on the Future of the Union, looking especially at questions of autonomy, representativity, internal dynamics, deliberation, receptiveness, and decision,making. The interim conclusion is drawn that the Convention method contains within itself the seeds of a critical and reflexive approach to EU constitutionalism. [source] Functional Characterisation of the Volume-Sensitive Anion Channel in Rat Pancreatic ,-CellsEXPERIMENTAL PHYSIOLOGY, Issue 2 2001L. Best The whole-cell and perforated patch configurations of the patch-clamp technique were used to characterise the volume-sensitive anion channel in rat pancreatic ,-cells. The channel showed high permeability (P) relative to Cl, to extracellular monovalent organic anions (PSCN/PCll= 1.73, Pacetate/PCll= 0.39, Plactate/PCll= 0.38, Pacetoacetate/PCll= 0.32, Pglutamate/PCll= 0.28) but was less permeable to the divalent anion malate (Pmalate/PCll= 0.14). Channel activity was inhibited by a number of putative anion channel inhibitors, including extracellular ATP (10 mM), 1,9-dideoxyforskolin (100 ,M) and 4-OH tamoxifen (10 ,M). Inclusion of the catalytic subunit of protein kinase A in the pipette solution did not activate the volume-sensitive anion channel in non-swollen cells. Furthermore, addition of 8-bromoadenosine 3,,5,-cyclic monophosphate (8-BrcAMP) or forskolin failed to activate the channel in intact cells under perforated patch conditions. Addition of phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate (200 nM), either before or after cell swelling, also failed to affect channel activation. Our findings do not support the suggestion that the volume-sensitive anion channel in pancreatic ,-cells can be activated by protein kinase A. Furthermore, the ,-cell channel does not appear to be subject to regulation via protein kinase C. [source] DNase I hypersensitive sites and transcriptional activation of the lamin A/C geneFEBS JOURNAL, Issue 5 2000Kazuhiko Nakamachi The lamin A/C gene encodes subtypes of nuclear lamins, which are involved in nuclear envelope formation, and was recently identified as the responsible gene for the autosomal dominant Emery,Dreifuss muscular dystrophy. Expression of the lamin A/C gene is developmentally regulated but little is known about the regulatory mechanism. Previous studies of lamin A/C expression suggested that the chromatin structure is important for the regulation of its expression. To elucidate the regulatory mechanism of the lamin A/C gene expression, we have analysed the functional region of the mouse lamin A/C promoter and the chromatin structure of the gene in terms of nucleosome structure and DNase I hypersensitivity. Our analyses revealed disruption of the nucleosome array at the promoter region and the presence of multiple DNase I hypersensitive sites (HSs) which were specifically associated with expression of the lamin A/C gene. Inclusion of a segment which contained the HSs in a lamin A/C promoter-luciferase reporter plasmid showed no effect on the transfected promoter activity in transient expression assays. On the other hand, substantial enhancement of the promoter activity was detected when the transfected DNA was stably integrated into the genome, suggesting the importance of the HSs in the regulation of lamin A/C expression. [source] Diversity and Inclusion of Sociopolitical Issues in Foreign Language Classrooms: An Exploratory SurveyFOREIGN LANGUAGE ANNALS, Issue 1 2003Ryuko Kubota ABSTRACT: One aim of foreign language teaching is to broaden learners' worldviews and promote intercultural communication. Less discussed, however, are domestic diversity and sociopolitical issues. Through a survey of university students of Japanese, Spanish, and Swahili, the authors of this study investigated diversity in the classroom, students' backgrounds and learning experiences, and their perceptions about the relationship between foreign language learning and issues of race, gender, class, and social justice. The study found more racial diversity in Japanese and Swahili than in Spanish classes and in beginning Spanish classes than in advanced Spanish classes. Beginning Spanish students related foreign language learning with social justice issues less frequently than did advanced students. A follow-up survey revealed stigmatized experiences and detachment from ethnic identity among some minority students. [source] Population differences in the International Multi-Centre ADHD Gene ProjectGENETIC EPIDEMIOLOGY, Issue 2 2008Benjamin M. Neale Abstract The International Multi-Centre ADHD Gene sample consists of 674 families from eight countries (Belgium, England, Germany, Holland, Ireland, Israel, Spain, and Switzerland) ascertained from clinics for combined-type attention definity hyperactivity disorder in an offspring. 863 SNPs were successfully genotyped across 47 autosomal genes implicated in psychiatric disorders yielding a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) density of approximately one SNP per 2.5,kb. A global test of heterogeneity showed 269 SNPs nominally significant (expected 43). Inclusion of the Israeli population accounted for approximately 70% of these nominally significant tests. Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium tests suggest that combining all these populations would induce stratification, but that the Northern European populations (Belgium, England, Germany, Holland, and Ireland) could be appropriate. Tag SNPs were generated using pair-wise and aggressive tagging from Carlson et al. [2004] and de Bakker et al. [2005], respectively, in each population and applied to the other populations. Cross-population performance across Northern Europe was consistent with within population comparisons. Smaller sample size for each population tended to yield more problems for the generation of aggressive tags and the application of pair-wise tags. Any case-control sample employing an Israeli sample with Northern Europeans must consider stratification. A Northern European tag set, however, appears to be appropriate for capturing the variation across populations. Genet. Epidemiol. 2008. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Heritability of plasma amyloid , in typical late-onset Alzheimer's disease pedigreesGENETIC EPIDEMIOLOGY, Issue 1 2001Nilufer Ertekin-Taner Abstract Plasma amyloid ,42 peptide (A,42) levels are significantly elevated in all genetic forms of early-onset Alzheimer's disease caused by familial Alzheimer's disease mutations or Down's syndrome. Moreover, recent studies have determined that both plasma A,42 and A,40 levels are significantly elevated in late-onset Alzheimer's disease (LOAD) patients, their cognitively normal first-degree relatives, and members of typical LOAD families when compared to appropriate controls. To determine the magnitude of the genetic component affecting plasma A, levels, we estimated the heritability of plasma A,42 and A,40 in 15 extended, multigenerational LOAD pedigrees, using a variance components method. Heritability estimates as high as 73 and 54% were found for plasma A,42 and A,40 levels, respectively. Inclusion of the ApoE ,4 dosage as a covariate was not found to have a significant effect on the heritability of these traits. These results suggest that genetic determinants other than ApoE account for a very substantial percentage of the phenotypic variance in plasma A, levels. The high heritability and the significant elevation of these traits in LOAD pedigrees suggest that at least some of the genetic determinants of plasma A, levels may lead to elevated A, and LOAD in these families. Thus, we suggest that plasma A, levels are quantitative traits that may be excellent surrogate markers for use in linkage analysis to identify loci that are important in typical LOAD. Genet. Epidemiol. 21:19,30, 2001. © 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Favorable Response to Analgesics Does Not Predict a Benign Etiology of HeadacheHEADACHE, Issue 6 2008Jennifer V. Pope MD Background., Distinguishing between primary and secondary headaches (HAs) is essential for the safe and effective management of patients with HA. A favorable response to analgesics may be observed with both classes of HAs and therefore is not a good predictor of who needs further evaluation. Objective., To systematically review the data that a favorable response to analgesics including triptans should not be used to exclude a serious secondary cause of HA. Design., PubMed search of English-language articles between 1980 and 2007 and reference lists of these articles. Two authors independently reviewed articles for study results and quality. Inclusion was based on 100% agreement between authors. We included articles that described secondary HAs as (1) having a favorable response to analgesics and/or (2) having a favorable response to sumatriptan. Of the 548 studies identified by our search strategy, 18 were included in our final analysis. Results., Seven of the 18 studies found that 46/103 patients (44%) described a significant or complete resolution of secondary HA from medications such as anti-emetics and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Eleven of the 18 articles including 25/25 patients (100%) described a significant or complete resolution of secondary HA from sumatriptan, a serotonin 5HT agonist. Conclusions., A favorable response to analgesics including triptans should not be used to exclude a serious secondary cause of HA. [source] Race and Inclusion in South African EducationIDS BULLETIN, Issue 1 2003Nazir Carrim First page of article [source] The relationship of intracanal medicaments to postoperative pain in endodonticsINTERNATIONAL ENDODONTIC JOURNAL, Issue 12 2003E. H. Ehrmann Abstract Aim, To investigate the relationship of postoperative pain to three different medicaments placed in the root canal after a complete biomechanical debridement of the root canal system in patients presenting for emergency relief of pain. Methodology, Two hundred and twenty-three teeth belonging to 221 patients presenting as emergencies to the Royal Dental Hospital of Melbourne were included in the study. Inclusion was limited to patients with a diagnosis of pulp necrosis and acute apical periodontitis. All teeth underwent conventional root canal treatment, which involved the instrumentation to the apices of each canal at the first visit. Canals were instrumented using a stepback technique and hand-files along with irrigants using Milton's (1% sodium hypochlorite) solution followed by 15% EDTAC. The canals were dried and one of the following three medicaments was inserted into the canal in random sequence: Group 1: Ledermix paste (Lederle Pharmaceuticals, Division of Cyanamid, Wolfratshausen, Germany); Group 2: calcium hydroxide paste (Calcipulpe, Septodont, France); and Group 3: no dressing. Before dismissal, the preoperative pain experienced on the previous night was recorded using a visual analogue pain scale. Patients were then instructed to record the degree of pain experienced 4 h after treatment and daily for a further 4 days. Results, The mean score pain for all three groups was between 42 and 48 prior to treatment being commenced. After 4 days, the pain score for Group 2 was 10, for Group 3 was 7 and for Group 1 was 4. Mean preoperative pain level was 44.4 (of a maximum 100) for all groups, and declined by 50% (to 22.1) after 24 h. Patients in Group 1 (Ledermix) experienced significantly less (P = 0.04) postoperative pain than those in the other two groups. There was no significant difference between Group 2 (calcium hydroxide) and Group 3 (no dressing). Conclusion, Under the conditions of this study, painful teeth with acute apical periodontitis that had been dressed with Ledermix paste gave rise to less pain than that experienced by patients who had a dressing of calcium hydroxide or no dressing at all. Ledermix is an effective intracanal medicament for the control of postoperative pain associated with acute apical periodontitis, with a rapid onset of pain reduction. [source] Solvent Effects on the Architecture and Performance of Polymer White-Light-Emitting Diodes with Conjugated Oligoelectrolyte Electron-Transport LayersADVANCED MATERIALS, Issue 5 2009Yunhua Xu Polymer-based white-light-emitting diodes are fabricated using conjugated oligoelec trolytes as effective electron-injection layers. However, the choice of solvent used to deposit the conjugated oligoelectrolyte bears a strong influence on the final composition of the emissive layer. Inclusion of water decreases the contact with hydrophobic underlying coatings, and minimizes the extraction of one of the molecular components required for function. [source] The surface radiation budget over North America: gridded data assessment and evaluation of regional climate modelsINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CLIMATOLOGY, Issue 15 2009Marko Markovic Abstract While surface station observations of downwelling radiation offer accuracy at high temporal resolution, they do not easily allow an evaluation of model surface radiation budgets (SRB) over a wide geographical area. We evaluate three gridded SRB data sets against detailed observations from six surface radiation sites from the US surface radiation (SURFRAD) network. We subsequently use the most accurate surrogate observational data set for evaluation of model-simulated SRB. The data sets assessed are: ERA40,reanalysis of European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF), North American Regional Reanalysis (NARR),regional reanalysis of National Centres for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) and the surface radiative budget (SRB) from the International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project (ISCCP). Due to varying constraints with respect to temporal coverage of each data set, the evaluation period used in this study is 1996,2001, inclusive. The ERA40 downwelling longwave radiation (DLR) appears the most accurate surrogate observation, while both ERA40 and ISCCP show accurate results when the incoming shortwave radiation (ISR) is considered across the annual cycle. Winter DLR is less accurate in ISCCP with a positive bias and lack of very low (<200 Wm,2) flux values. The NARR SRB shows a large positive bias in the ISR throughout the annual cycle, linked to a significant underestimate of cloud cover. The ERA40 data are subsequently used to evaluate the simulated SRB in three regional climate models across North America. With respect to solar radiation, cloud cover biases are seen to be crucial, while for longwave fluxes both cloud fraction and in-cloud water content are important to simulate correctly. Inclusion of trace gases beyond H2O, CO2 and O3 appears necessary for an accurate calculation of clear-sky longwave radiation. Error compensation frequently occurs between the various components contributing to a model total-sky SRB. This is important to consider when trying to identify the underlying causes of errors in the simulated total SRB. Copyright © 2009 Royal Meteorological Society [source] Implications of system expansion for the assessment of well-to-wheel CO2 emissions from biomass-based transportationINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENERGY RESEARCH, Issue 13 2010Elisabeth Wetterlund Abstract In this paper we show the effects of expanding the system when evaluating well-to-wheel (WTW) CO2 emissions for biomass-based transportation, to include the systems surrounding the biomass conversion system. Four different cases are considered: DME via black liquor gasification (BLG), methanol via gasification of solid biomass, lignocellulosic ethanol and electricity from a biomass integrated gasification combined cycle (BIGCC) used in a battery-powered electric vehicle (BPEV). All four cases are considered with as well as without carbon capture and storage (CCS). System expansion is used consistently for all flows. The results are compared with results from a conventional WTW study that only uses system expansion for certain co-product flows. It is shown that when expanding the system, biomass-based transportation does not necessarily contribute to decreased CO2 emissions and the results from this study in general indicate considerably lower CO2 mitigation potential than do the results from the conventional study used for comparison. It is shown that of particular importance are assumptions regarding future biomass use, as by expanding the system, future competition for biomass feedstock can be taken into account by assuming an alternative biomass usage. Assumptions regarding other surrounding systems, such as the transportation and the electricity systems are also shown to be of significance. Of the four studied cases without CCS, BIGCC with the electricity used in a BPEV is the only case that consistently shows a potential for CO2 reduction when alternative use of biomass is considered. Inclusion of CCS is not a guarantee for achieving CO2 reduction, and in general the system effects are equivalent or larger than the effects of CCS. DME from BLG generally shows the highest CO2 emission reduction potential for the biofuel cases. However, neither of these options for biomass-based transportation can alone meet the needs of the transport sector. Therefore, a broader palette of solutions, including different production routes, different fuels and possibly also CCS, will be needed. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Is It Time for a New Category of Nursing Diagnosis?INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF NURSING TERMINOLOGIES AND CLASSIFICATION, Issue 2 2007Geralyn A. Meyer PhD Professional vigilance, the art of "watching out," is the essence of nursing. Vigilance is the mental process that makes the informed nursing actions of assessment, diagnosis, intervention, and evaluation possible and meaningful. Nursing vigilance must be described in our nursing terminology or it risks remaining invisible to others. We propose that the current definition of nursing diagnosis be expanded to include surveillance diagnoses for which the nurse has the responsibility for problem identification and ongoing monitoring. Inclusion of surveillance diagnoses in the NANDA International taxonomy will better reflect the breadth and depth of nursing practice. [source] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||