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PAC
Terms modified by PAC Selected AbstractsSecondary prostatic adenocarcinoma: A cytopathological study of 50 casesDIAGNOSTIC CYTOPATHOLOGY, Issue 2 2007F.R.C.P.C., Kien T. Mai M.D. Abstract Positive diagnosis of metastatic prostate adenocarcinoma (PAC) can be made by microscopic examination of the cytologic specimens and immunostaining for prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and prostate acid phosphatase (PAP). Immunohistochemical markers have been known to display negative, weak, or focal staining in poorly differentiated PAC and in patients with prior hormonal and/or radiation therapy. The purpose of this study is to characterize the cytopathology of metastatic PAC as it has not been documented in large series. Fifty cases of metastatic PAC with cytological specimens consisting of 41 fine-needle aspiration biopsies (FNAB), 6 pleural fluid aspirates, and 3 catheterized urine samples were reviewed and correlated with the surgical specimens and the clinical charts. Immunostaining for PSA, PAP, cytokeratin AE1/3, cytokeratin 7 (CK7), cytokeratin 20 (CK20), vimentin, and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) was done. Mean patient age was 77 ± 8 yr; serum PSA, 4.1 ± 2.3; and primary PAC Gleason score, 8.1 ± 1.5. Cytologically, the specimens consisted of cell clusters or cell sheets with overlapping uniform hyperchromatic nuclei with or without nucleoli. Twelve cases were not reactive to PSA and PAP and 44 cases displayed negative immunoreactivity to both CK7 and CK20. Carcinoid-like lesions and small cell carcinomas were seen in 4 cases and were misdiagnosed as nonprostatic origin based on the following features: negative immunoreactivity to PSA and PAP with or without positive reactivity to CEA, and different histopathological features when compared with the primary PAC. In addition to the frequency of high-grade PAC, awareness of the negative immunoreactivity to PSA and PAP, the discrepancy in the histopathological patterns between the primary and secondary tumors, especially the frequent neuroendocrine differentiation, are helpful features for the diagnosis of metastases of prostatic origin. Diagn. Cytopathol. 2007;35:91,95. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Pre-operative screening for excessive alcohol consumption among patients scheduled for elective surgeryDRUG AND ALCOHOL REVIEW, Issue 2 2007SWATI SHOURIE Abstract Pre-operative intervention for excessive alcohol consumption among patients scheduled for elective surgery has been shown to reduce complications of surgery. However, successful intervention depends upon an effective and practical screening procedure. This study examines current screening practices for excessive alcohol consumption amongst patients scheduled for elective surgery in general hospitals. It also examines the appropriateness of potential sites and staff for pre-operative screening. Forms used routinely to assess alcohol consumption in the pre-admission clinics (PAC) of eight Sydney hospitals were examined. In addition, the appropriateness of six staff categories (surgeons, surgeons' secretaries, junior medical officer, anaesthetists, nurses and a research assistant) and of two sites (surgeons' office and PAC) in conducting additional screening was assessed at two hospitals. Outcomes included observed advantages and disadvantages of sites and personnel, and number of cases with excessive drinking identified. There was duplication in information collected routinely on alcohol use in the PACs in eight Sydney Hospitals. Questions on alcohol consumption in patient self-completion forms were not validated. The PAC provided for efficient screening but time to surgery was typically too short for successful intervention in many cases. A validated tool and efficient screening procedure is required to detect excessive drinking before elective surgery. Patients often present to the PAC too close to the time of surgery for any change in drinking to reverse alcohol's effects. The role of the referring general practitioner and of printed advice from the surgeon in preparing patients for surgery needs further investigation. [source] Tumor prevalence and biomarkers of exposure and response in brown bullhead (Ameiurus nebulosus) from the Anacostia River, Washington, DC and Tuckahoe River, Maryland, USAENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY & CHEMISTRY, Issue 3 2004Alfred E. Pinkney Abstract We valuated liver and skin tumor prevalence and biomarkers of exposure and response in brown bullhead (Ameiurus nebulosus) from three locations in the Anacostia River (Washington, DC, USA), a Chesapeake Bay region of concern. The Tuckahoe River (Maryland, USA) served as a reference. Each river was sampled in fall 2000 and spring 2001. In the Anacostia, prevalence of liver tumors was 50 to 68%, and prevalence of skin tumors was 13 to 23% in large (,260 mm, age ,3 years) bullheads. Liver and skin tumor prevalence was 10 to 17% and 0%, respectively, in small (150,225 mm, age 1,2 years) bullheads. Tuckahoe bullhead liver tumor prevalence was 0 to 3% (large) and 0% (small); none had skin tumors. Biliary polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH)-like fluorescent metabolites and liver DNA adduct concentrations were elevated in large and small Anacostia bullheads. Mean adduct concentrations were 16 to 28 times higher than those in Tuckahoe fish. Chromatograms revealed a diagonal radioactive zone, indicating polycyclic aromatic compound (PAC)-DNA adducts. The biomarker data and the 10 to 17% liver tumor prevalence at ages 1 to 2 suggest that these year classes are likely to have a high prevalence as they reach age 3 and older. This study provides the strongest evidence to date of the role of PAHs in tumor development in Anacostia bullheads. [source] After the Health Check What is the Future for the Common Agricultural Policy?EUROCHOICES, Issue 1 2009Nach dem Gesundheitscheck: Wie geht es weiter mit der Gemeinsamen Agrarpolitik? Summary After the Health Check What is the Future for the Common Agricultural Policy? The CAP has now completed another stage in its development. The Health Check negotiating marathon has ended. The Czech Republic has been against unequal conditions for member states as these deform fair competition and the common market. Progressive modulation in the originally proposed form would have created barriers to a unified Europe, thus going against the motto of the Czech presidency ,Europe without Barriers'. The Czech Republic can certainly be satisfied with the essence of the compromise. The cancellation of the milk quota in 2015 is a liberalising measure, and as such we support it. The Health Check opens the door to the Czech presidency for a discussion on the elimination of unfair differences in direct payments between member states and we will definitely take up the opportunity. After 2013 the CAP will have to take much greater account of the situation following the unprecedented expansion of the EU in 2004 and 2006. For the Czech Republic, a further reinforcing of freedom in decision making for farmers and their focus on the specific needs of the local, community and global market is fundamental. Further simplification of the CAP and ,better regulation', focussing on a reduction in the administrative burden on farmers, is one of the priority challenges. La PAC a maintenant atteint un autre stade de son développement. Le marathon de négociation du bilan de santé a abouti. La République tchèque s'est opposée aux conditions inégales proposées aux pays membres car elles faussent la concurrence équitable et le marché commun. La modulation progressive sous sa forme initiale aurait créé des barrières dans une Europe unifiée, ce qui va à l'encontre de la devise de la présidence tchèque "Une Europe sans barrières". La République tchèque peut certainement être satisfaite de l'essence du compromis. La suppression du système des quotas laitiers en 2015 est une mesure de libéralisation et nous la soutenons en tant que telle. Le bilan de santé ouvre la porte à la présidence tchèque pour une discussion sur l'élimination des différences injustes entre paiements directs selon le pays membre et nous profiterons bien entendu de l'occasion. Après 2013, la PAC devra prendre davantage en compte la situation créée par l'élargissement sans précédent de l'UE entre 2004 et 2006. Pour la République tchèque, il est fondamental de renforcer encore la liberté qu'ont les agriculteurs pour prendre leurs décisions et de s'orienter vers les besoins spécifiques du marché local, communautaire et mondial. Un des défis prioritaires est de continuer à simplifier la PAC et d'améliorer la réglementation en s'orientant vers une réduction de la charge administrative qui pèse sur les agriculteurs. Eine weitere Phase in der Entwicklung der Gemeinsamen Agrarpolitik ist nun abgeschlossen. Der Verhandlungsmarathon hinsichtlich des Gesundheitschecks ist vorbei. Die Tschechische Republik war dagegen, dass für die Mitgliedsstaaten unterschiedliche Bedingungen gelten sollen, da diese den fairen Wettbewerb und den gemeinsamen Markt verzerren. Eine progressive Modulation in der ursprünglich vorgeschlagenen Form hätte einem einheitlichen Europa Steine in den Weg gelegt und somit dem Motto "Europa ohne Grenzen" der tschechischen Präsidentschaft widersprochen. Die Tschechische Republik hat zweifellos mit dem Kompromiss ein im Wesentlichen zufriedenstellendes Ergebnis erzielt. Die Abschaffung der Milchquote bis 2015 ist eine Maßnahme zur Liberalisierung, und als solche findet sie unsere Unterstützung. Der Gesundheitscheck eröffnet der tschechischen Präsidentschaft die Diskussion über die Beseitigung unterschiedlich hoher , und somit ungerechter , Direktzahlungen an die Mitgliedsstaaten. Diese Gelegenheit werden wir uns nicht entgehen lassen. Nach 2013 wird sich die GAP sehr viel mehr mit der Situation beschäftigen müssen, die sich aus der beispiellosen EU-Erweiterung aus den Jahren 2004 und 2006 ergibt. Für die Tschechische Republik ist es von grundlegender Bedeutung, die Entscheidungsfreiheit für Landwirte und deren Orientierung an den lokalen, regionalen und globalen Märkten fortwährend zu stärken. Die weitere Vereinfachung der GAP und eine "bessere Regulierung", die den Verwaltungsaufwand für Landwirte verringern soll, gehören zu den vorrangigen Zielen. [source] The Birth of the CAP Die Geburt der GAP La naissance de la PACEUROCHOICES, Issue 2 2008David R. Stead Summary The Birth of the CAP Fifty years ago, a Conference was held at Stresa which could be said to be the single event that most appropriately marks the birth of the CAP. Although five policy objectives had been written into the 1957 Treaty of Rome, these have been widely criticised for being vague and contradictory, and the Treaty contained very few stipulations on the specific policy instruments to be adopted. The Stresa Conference made important, but incomplete, progress towards finalising the policy framework. Most notably, it was generally agreed to avoid a level of price support that created unwanted commodity surpluses and inhibited structural adjustment. But these good intentions, and the positive ,European spirit' of the Conference, began to unravel as soon as the fraught decisions were taken on the details of unifying the protectionist agricultural policies of six different countries. In particular, the decision to fix the initial level of common cereals prices at the upper end of the national spread set an unsatisfactory reference point for other support prices; and an attempt to introduce a genuine common structural policy was rejected. At the turn of the 1970s, the CAP was clearly unbalanced and protectionist, but the Community's first fully-fledged common policy had been constructed. Il y a cinquante ans, s'est tenue à Stresa une Conférence qui pourrait être considérée comme l'évènement unique qui marque le mieux la naissance de la PAC. Bien que cinq objectifs pour l'action publique aient été inscrits dans le Traité de Rome en 1957, leur caractère imprécis et contradictoire a fait l'objet de nombreuses critiques et le Traité ne comportait que de très rares indications sur les instruments de politique à adopter. La Conférence de Stresa a permis de réaliser des progrès importants mais incomplets dans la définition du cadre de l'action publique. Intéressant à noter, il a généralement été convenu d'éviter un niveau de soutien des prix qui engendrerait des surplus excessifs de produits de base et empêcherait l'ajustement structurel. Mais ces bonnes intentions, ainsi que l'esprit "européen" positif de la Conférence, ont commencéà se dissoudre dès que des décisions problématiques furent prises sur le détail de l'uniformisation des politiques agricoles protectionnistes de six pays différents. En particulier, la décision consistant à fixer le niveau initial des prix communs des céréales à la borne supérieur du spectre des prix nationaux a constitué un point de référence peu satisfaisant pour les autres prix de soutien; et la tentative d'introduire une vraie politique commune des structures a avorté. Au tournant des années soixante dix, la PAC était nettement déséquilibrée et protectionniste, mais la première politique complètement commune de la Communautéétait en place. Vor 50 Jahren fand in Stresa eine Konferenz statt, bei welcher es sich wohl um das einzige Ereignis handelt, welches am zutreffendsten als Geburtstag der GAP betrachtet werden kann. Obgleich die politische Zielsetzung bereits 1957 in den Römischen Verträgen festgelegt worden war, standen diese wegen ihrer vagen Formulierung und Widersprüchlichkeit häufig im Kreuzfeuer der Kritik. Die Verträge enthielten nur sehr wenige konkrete Vereinbarungen im Hinblick auf die einzuführenden politischen Instrumente. Durch die Konferenz in Stresa konnten wichtige, jedoch unvollständige, Fortschritte bei der Ausarbeitung der politischen Rahmenbedingungen erzielt werden. Vor allem gab es den allgemeinen Konsens, dass es aufgrund der Preisstützung nicht zu unerwünschten Überschüssen bei Agrarprodukten und zu einer Hemmung der Strukturanpassungen kommen dürfe. Diese guten Absichten und die "europäische Gesinnung" der Konferenz schwanden jedoch, als die bedeutsamen Entscheidungen hinsichtlich der Einzelheiten für die Vereinheitlichung der protektionistischen Agrarpolitiken der sechs verschiedenen Länder getroffen wurden. Insbesondere die Entscheidung, das Anfangsniveau der gemeinsamen Preise für Getreide an der oberen Grenze der nationalen Preisspannen festzumachen, legte einen unbefriedigenden Referenzpunkt für die übrigen Stützpreise fest. Der Vorschlag, eine originär gemeinsame Strukturpolitik einzuführen, wurde abgelehnt. Um 1970 war die GAP eindeutig unausgewogen und protektionistisch; der Entwurf der ersten vollständigen gemeinsamen Politik der Gemeinschaft war jedoch abgeschlossen. [source] Future Directions for the CAP Zukünftige Richtungen der GAP Les futures orientations de la PACEUROCHOICES, Issue 2 2008Wyn Grant No abstract is available for this article. [source] Directions in Rural Development Policy , Lessons from Both Sides of the Atlantic Richtlinien für die ländliche Entwicklungspolitik , Beispiele von diesseits und jenseits des Atlantiks Les orientations de la politique de développement rural , Enseignements en provenance des deux côtés de l'AtlantiqueEUROCHOICES, Issue 1 2008David Blandford Directions in Rural Development Policy , Lessons from Both Sides of the Atlantic A workshop comparing rural development policies in Europe and the US found differences in the social values that shape them. These include different attachments to place, concerns with lagging regions, and interests in the assessment of public interventions. There is also a difference in coverage. In the EU environmental and landscape issues form part of the CAP's Rural Development Pillar, using agriculture as an instrument, whereas in the US these are handled by other policies, some of which can claim deeper historical roots. In the context of rural development policy, the EU attaches intrinsic value to the environment, while in the US the focus is more on economic spin-offs from environmental quality. There are also differences in governance; a complete US view requires taking in Federal, State and local initiatives whereas in the EU a more organised framework is apparent. Nevertheless, when policy is viewed from a bottom-up perspective many common features are found. Improving human and social capital and infrastructure are key factors to stimulating economic development on both sides of the Atlantic, though only some of these drivers form part of the CAP's Pillar II. While in the EU the role of rural development is set to expand, this is far less certain in the US where the emphasis on agricultural support is likely to continue to dominate the political agenda. Les orientations de la politique de développement rural , Enseignements en provenance des deux côtés de l'Atlantique Un atelier comparant les politiques de développement rural en Europe et aux États-Unis a mis en évidence des différences entre les valeurs sociales sur lesquelles sont fondées ces politiques. Ces différences concernent entre autre l'attachement à des lieux particuliers, l'inquiétude pour les régions en retard de croissance, et l'intérêt pour une évaluation des pouvoirs publics. Les différences portent aussi sur l'étendue de la question. Dans l'Union européenne, les questions portant sur le paysage et l'environnement sont abordées dans le cadre du pilier de la PAC sur le développement rural, qui porte sur l'agriculture comme instrument du développement rural, alors qu'aux États-Unis, ces questions sont traitées par d'autres politiques dont certaines remontent à loin. Dans le contexte de la politique de développement rural, l'Union européenne attache une valeur intrinsèque à l'environnement tandis qu'aux États-Unis, l'accent est mis plutôt sur les retombées économiques d'un environnement de qualité. Les différences portent également sur la gouvernance : pour avoir une vue d'ensemble sur les États-Unis, il faut considérer les actions aux niveaux fédéral, des États et du local alors que dans l'Union européenne, un cadre plus organisé est apparent. Cependant, dans le cas de politiques partant de la base (bottom-up), de nombreux points communs existent. L'amélioration du capital social et humain, et celle des infrastructures sont des éléments clés pour stimuler le développement économique des deux côtés de l'Atlantique, même si seuls quelques uns de ces facteurs sont compris dans le deuxième pilier de la PAC. Alors que le rôle du développement rural devrait s'étendre dans l'Union européenne, c'est beaucoup moins certain aux États-Unis où l'accent sur le soutien à l'agriculture continuera probablement à dominer l'ordre du jour de la politique. Richtlinien für die ländliche Entwicklungspolitik , Beispiele von diesseits und jenseits des Atlantiks Im Rahmen eines Workshops wurden europäische und US-amerikanische Politikmaßnahmen zur Entwicklung des ländlichen Raums miteinander verglichen. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass sich die gesellschaftlichen Werte für die Ausgestaltung der Politikmaßnahmen im Hinblick auf Ortsverbundenheit, die Belange der rückständigen Regionen und das Interesse bei der Bewertung öffentlicher Interventionen unterscheiden. Die jeweiligen Geltungsbereiche unterscheiden sich ebenfalls. In der EU bilden Fragestellungen in Bezug auf Umwelt und landschaftliche Gestaltung einen Teil der zweiten Säule der GAP (Entwicklung des ländlichen Raums), und die Landwirtschaft ist dabei ein Mittel zum Zweck. In den USA hingegen werden diese Fragestellungen durch andere Politikmaßnahmen abgedeckt, von denen einige über längere historische Wurzeln verfügen. Im Rahmen der Politik zur Entwicklung des ländlichen Raums misst die EU der Umwelt intrinsischen Wert bei, während sich die USA mehr auf aus der Umweltqualität resultierende wirtschaftliche Nebeneffekte konzentriert. Im Hinblick auf die Governance sind ebenfalls Unterschiede vorhanden: Während es im Falle der USA erforderlich ist, in einer Gesamtbetrachtung die Initiativen auf staatlicher, bundesstaatlicher und kommunaler Ebene zu berücksichtigen, lassen die Rahmenbedingungen in Europa ein höheres Maß an Organisation erkennen. Wird die Politik jedoch aus einer Bottom-up-Perspektive heraus betrachtet, können zahlreiche Gemeinsamkeiten gefunden werden. Bei der Verbesserung des Human- und Sozialkapitals und der Infrastruktur handelt es sich um Schlüsselfaktoren für die Ankurbelung der wirtschaftlichen Entwicklung diesseits und jenseits des Atlantiks, wenngleich nur einige dieser Triebfedern die zweite Säule der GAP ausmachen. Während die Entwicklung des ländlichen Raums in der EU eine immer größere Rolle spielen wird, ist dies in den USA längst nicht sicher; dort wird der Schwerpunkt auf die Agrarstützung wahrscheinlich weiterhin die politische Agenda dominieren. [source] Our Common European Model of AgricultureEUROCHOICES, Issue 3 2006Juha Korkeaoja Our Common European Model of Agriculture Future internal and external forces on European agriculture mean that the CAP may look very different after 2013. However large these changes, the CAP will need to retain its common principles based on the European Model of Agriculture (EMA). This became clear in an informal September meeting of EU agriculture ministers in Oulu, arranged by the Finnish Presidency. A strong CAP will be needed in the future but it will have to evolve to meet upcoming challenges. Work on the future CAP will need to start soon and the Oulu meeting may become known as the starting point for those discussions. The CAP will have to provide a reasonable environment for practicing agriculture for very different farmers in very diverse conditions, and facilitate the supply of a wide variety of goods and services to consumers and taxpayers as only truly multifunctional agriculture can. If the CAP can maintain these characteristics it has an important role to play in a future Europe. The meeting in Oulu was also an important milestone for a very special reason: for the first time, all ten New Member States took an active part in the EMA-debate with full rights and responsibilities as part of the Union. Once again this underlines the central role of our common European Model of Agriculture. Unser gemeinsames Europäisches Land wirts chafts modell Die zukünftigen internen und externen Einflüsse auf die europäische Landwirtschaft könnten zur Folge haben, dass die GAP nach dem Jahr 2013 ganz anders aussieht. Wie umwälzend diese Veränderungen auch sein mögen, die GAP wird ihre allgemeinen, auf dem Europäischen Landwirtschaftsmodell (EMA) beruhenden Grundsätze beibehalten müssen. Dies wurde im September bei einem von der finnischen Präsidentschaft arrangierten informellen Treffen der EU-Landwirtschaftsminister in Oulu deutlich. In der Zukunft brauchen wir eine starke GAP, die jedoch weiterentwickelt werden muss, um den kommenden Herausforderungen gerecht zu werden. Die Arbeit an der zukünftigen GAP muss in nächster Zeit beginnen, und das Treffen in Oulu könnte möglicherweise als Ausgangspunkt dieser Diskussionen gelten. Die GAP wird ein angemessenes Umfeld schaffen müssen, um sehr unterschiedlichen Landwirten mit sehr unterschiedlichen Arbeitsbedingungen die Ausübung der Landwirtschaft sowie Verbrauchern und Steuerzahlern die Versorgung mit einer großen Vielfalt an Waren und Dienstleistungen zu ermöglichen, wie es nur eine wirklich multifunktionale Landwirtschaft zu leisten vermag. Wenn es der GAP gelingt, diese Merkmale beizubehalten, wird ihr im zukünftigen Europa eine wichtige Rolle zukommen. Bei dem Treffen in Oulu handelt es sich auch aus einem ganz besonderen Grund um einen bedeutenden Meilenstein: Zum ersten Mal beteiligte sich jeder der zehn neuen Mitgliedsstaaten mit allen Rechten und voller Verantwortung als Teil der Union aktiv an der Debatte zum Europäischen Landwirtschaftsmodell. Wieder einmal unterstreicht dies die zentrale Rolle unseres gemeinsamen Europäischen Landwirtschaftsmodells. Ce modèle agricole européen qui nous est commun Du fait des forces internes et externes qui vont bientôt s'exercer sur l'agriculture européenne, la physionomie de la PAC après 2013 pourrait bien être très différente de ce qu'elle est maintenant. Quelque soit cependant l'importance de ces changements, la PAC devra conserver sa base commune actuelle, qui repose sur le « modèle agricole européen » (MAE). La chose est apparue clairement lors d'une réunion informelle des ministres de l'agriculture européens organisée par la présidence finnoise à Oulu, en septembre dernier. Une politique agricole musclée sera nécessaire à l'avenir, mais elle devra évoluer pour répondre à de nouveaux défis. Il va bientôt falloir commencer à travailler cette nouvelle PAC, et la réunion d'Oulu restera peut être comme le point de départ des discussions sur le sujet. La PAC devra fournir un environnement convenable pour la pratique d'agricultures diverses, par des agriculteurs différents les uns des autres, dans un vaste éventail de conditions. Elle devra permettre la production d'une grande variété de biens et de services financés par le consommateur ou le contribuable, comme seule une agriculture multifonctionnelle peut le faire. Si la PAC arrive à conserver ces caractéristiques, elle aura un grand rôle à jouer dans l'Europe de demain. Il y a encore une raison plus spécifique pour marquer d'une pierre blanche la réunion d'Oulu : pour la première fois, les dix nouveaux membres de l'Union ont activement participé et de plein droit aux discussions sur le MAE. Cela, une fois de plus, souligne le rôle essentiel du « modèle agricole européen » qui nous est commun. [source] Delivering on the Potential of the New CAPEUROCHOICES, Issue 2 2005Mariann Fischer Boel Recent discussions on the CAP have focused on the budget. However, in the public debate the policy itself is often still a caricature of the old CAP that existed until the early 1990s. The CAP has changed fundamentally over the past decade. The recent direction of the CAP , markets and rural development , was set by the European Council in Göteborg and Lisbon. Strong economic performance must go hand in hand with the sustainable use of natural resources. The key elements of the new CAP are a market policy where intervention is a safety net, income stabilisation is delivered through decoupled aids subject to cross-compliance, and a reinforced rural development policy that focuses on jobs, growth and sustainability. We must use the new CAP to unlock the potential for growth, jobs and innovation and put good ideas into practice. We need to work in partnership with farmers, foresters, the agrifood business, NGOs, the population of rural areas, the research community and of course public authorities. But to achieve all of this we need a stable budgetary environment, in which farmers and businesses can plan. In short, we need the resources to deliver on the potential of the new CAP. Les discussions sur la PAC, récemment, se sont focalisées sur le budget. En même temps, le contenu politique de la réforme, tel qu'il est vu dans le débat public, n'est rien d'autre que la caricature de l'ancienne PAC telle qu'elle existait avant les années 90. Or, au cours de la dernière décennie, la PAC a radicalement changé. Son nouveau cours , axé sur les marchés et le développement rural , a été défini lors des conseils européens de Göteborg et de Lisbonne. Les bonnes performances économiques doivent aller de concert avec l'utilisation durable des ressources naturelles. Une politique de marché, pour laquelle l'intervention n'est qu'un filet de sécurité, une stabilisation des revenus qui prend la forme d'aides découplées sous réserve d'application de normes, un développement rural renforcé, enfin, centré sur les emplois, la croissance et la durabilité, voilà les clés de la nouvelle PAC. Celle-ci doit être utilisée pour déchaîner les possibilités en matière de croissance d'emplois, d'innovation et de durabilité. Il faut pour cela s'appuyer sur les agriculteurs, les forestiers, les industries agroalimentaires, les organisations non gouvernementales, les populations des zones rurales, les chercheurs, et bien sûr les autorités publiques. Mais pour réaliser tout cela, il faut encore un environnement budgétaire stable, permettant aux agriculteurs et aux industriels de planifi er leurs actions. En d'autres termes, il faut des ressources pour que la nouvelle PAC tienne ses promesses. Die jüngsten Diskussionen über die GAP konzentrierten sich auf den Haushalt. In der öffentlichen Debatte ist die Politik selbst jedoch häufig noch ein Zerrbild der alten GAP, wie diese sich bis in die frühen 1990er Jahre darstellte. In den letzten zehn Jahren hat sich die GAP von Grund auf verändert. Die jüngste Richtung der GAP , Märkte und die Entwicklung des ländlichen Raums , wurde vom Europäischen Rat in Göteborg und Lissabon vorgegeben. Eine hohe wirtschaftliche Leistungsfähigkeit muss mit der nachhaltigen Nutzung der natürlichen Ressourcen Hand in Hand gehen. Die Schlüsselelemente der neuen GAP sind eine Marktpolitik, in der die Intervention als Sicherheitsnetz dient und eine Einkommensstabilisierung mittels entkoppelter Beihilfen erfolgt, für die Cross Compliance gilt; sowie eine gestärkte Politik zur Entwicklung des ländlichen Raums, welche sich auf Arbeitsplätze, Wachstum sowie Nachhaltigkeit konzentriert. Wir müssen die neue GAP dazu verwenden, das Potenzial für Wachstum, Arbeitsplätze und Innovationen frei zu setzen, und gute Ideen in die Tat umsetzen. Wir müssen partnerschaftlich mit den Landwirten, Förstern, Unternehmen der Agrar- und Ernährungswirtschaft, Nicht-Regierungsorganisationen (NRG), der Landbevölkerung, der Forschungsgemeinschaft und natürlich der öffentlichen Verwaltung zusammen arbeiten. Dafür benötigen wir jedoch eine stabile Haushaltssituation, die es den Landwirten und Unternehmen ermöglicht zu planen. Kurzum: Wir benötigen die Ressourcen, um das Potenzial der GAP auszuschöpfen. [source] The CAP for Turkey?EUROCHOICES, Issue 2 2005Budgetary Implications, Potential Market Effects EU accession negotiations with Turkey are scheduled to start in October 2005. The period of accession negotiations will probably last for ten years or longer, but the effects of applying the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) to Turkey are currently a controversial discussion in the EU. Effects of Turkish accession on EU agricultural markets are likely to be small. The EU would gain additional export opportunities for cereals and animal products. On the other hand, Turkish agricultural exports to the EU are projected to increase for only a few fruit and vegetable products. EU budgetary outlays for the application of the CAP to Turkey could total between £3.5 and £6.3 billion in 2015 , depending on whether direct payments are phased in or not , and £5.4 billion in 2025. Most of these outlays would be for direct payments to agricultural producers and that may not be in Turkey's best interest. This is because direct payments tend to be capitalized in land prices and may thus inhibit the necessary process of improving the Turkish agricultural structure. Transfers under the second pillar of the CAP may hold more interest for Turkey, because they can be targeted at improving productivity and thereby income. Projected outlays for the CAP take a backseat to projected transfers to Turkey under the structural policy of the EU. Les négociations sur l'adhésion de la Turquie à l'UE doivent commencer en octobre 2005. Les préliminaires vont sans doute durer au moins une dizaine d'années, mais les effets de l'application de la Politique Agricole Commune (PAC) à la Turquie font déjà l'objet de controverses au sein de l'UE. Sur les marchés, on s'attend à des effets plutôt faibles. L'UE gagnerait certaines possibilités d'exportation de céréales et de produits animaux. Par ailleurs, les exportations de la Turquie vers l'UE ne s'accroîtraient que pour quelques fruits et légumes. Les dépenses budgétaires totales qui résulteraient pour l'UE de l'application de la PAC à la Turquie se situeraient en 2015 entre 3,5 et 6,3 milliards d'Euros, selon que les paiements directs seront ou ne seront pas progressivement éliminés. Elles atteindraient 5,4 milliards en 2025. Il s'agirait pour l'essentiel de paiements directs aux producteurs agricoles, ce qui ne correspondrait pas forcément à l'intérêt bien compris de la Turquie. De fait, les paiements directs tendent àêtre capitalisés en valeurs foncières. Ils pourraient par conséquent inhiber le processus d'amélioration des structures, pourtant bien nécessaire. Les transferts liés au second pilier de la PAC pourraient être plus utiles, parce qu'ils peuvent être ciblés sur les accroissements de productivité et donc de revenus. C'est pourquoi il y a lieu d'envisager des transferts à la Turquie au titre des politiques d'amélioration de structures en arrière plan des budgets prévisionnels pour la PAC. Im Oktober 2005 sollen die EU-Beitrittsverhandlungen mit der Türkei beginnen. Diese Verhandlungen werden wahrscheinlich über einen Zeitraum von zehn Jahren oder länger geführt werden, die Auswirkungen der Gemeinsamen Agrarpolitik (GAP) auf die Türkei werden im Moment in der EU jedoch kontrovers diskutiert. Der EU-Beitritt der Türkei wird sich wahrscheinlich nur geringfügig auf die EU-Agrarmärkte auswirken. Die EU erhielte zusätzliche Exportmöglichkeiten für Getreide und tierische Erzeugnisse. Die Agrarexporte der Türkei in die EU hingegen würden vermutlich nur bei einigen wenigen Obstund Gemüseprodukten zunehmen. Durch die Anwendung der GAP auf die Türkei würde der EU-Haushalt im Jahr 2015 mit 3,5 bis 6,3 Milliarden Euro (je nachdem, ob die Direktzahlungen schrittweise eingeführt werden oder nicht) und im Jahr 2025 mit 5,4 Milliarden Euro belastet. Der grö,te Teil dieser Kosten entstünde aufgrund von Direktzahlungen an landwirtschaftliche Erzeuger. Dies dürfte für die Türkei nicht die bestmögliche Alternative darstellen, da Direktzahlungen zumeist in den Bodenpreisen kapitalisiert werden, wodurch der notwendige Prozess zur Verbesserung der türkischen Agrarstruktur ins Stocken geraten könnte. Transferleistungen im Rahmen der zweiten Säule der GAP dürften für die Türkei interessanter sein, da sie auf eine Produktivitätssteigerung ausgerichtet werden könnten, um so die Einkommenssituation zu verbessern. Die zu erwartenden Ausgaben für die GAP im Rahmen der Strukturpolitik der EU spielen im Vergleich zu den zu erwartenden Transferleistungen an die Türkei eine untergeordnete Rolle. [source] Stereoselective biosynthesis of chloroarylpropane diols by the basidiomycete Bjerkandera adusta: exploring the roles of amino acids, pyruvate, glycerol and phenyl acetyl carbinolFEMS MICROBIOLOGY LETTERS, Issue 1 2003Peter James Silk Abstract Bjerkandera adusta produces many chlorometabolites including chlorinated anisyl metabolites (CAMs) and 1-arylpropane-1,2-diols (1, 2, 3, 4) as idiophasic metabolic products of l -phenylalanine. These diols are stereoselectively biosynthesized from a C7 -unit (benzylic, from l -phenylalanine) and a C2 -unit, of unknown origin, as predominantly erythro (1R,2S) enantiomers. Of the labeled amino acids tested as possible C2 -units, at the 4,10 mM level, none were found to efficiently label the 2,3-propane carbons of the diols. However, glycine (2- 13C), l -serine (2,3,3-d3) and l -methionine (methyl-d3) entered the biomethylation pathway. Neither pyruvate (2,3- 13C2), acetate (1,2- 13C2), acetaldehyde (d4) nor ethanol (ethyl-d5) labeled the 2,3-propane carbons of the diols at the 4,10 mM level. Pyruvate (2,3- 13C2) and l -serine (2,3,3-d3) (which also entered the biomethylation pathway) did, however, effectively label the 2,3-propane carbons of the ,-ketols and diols at the 40 mM level as evidenced by mass spectrometry. Glycerol (1,1,2,3,3-d5) also appeared to label one of the 2,3-propane carbons (ca. 5% as 2H2 in the C3 side chain) as suggested by mass spectrometric data and also entered the biomethylation pathway, likely via amino acid synthesis. Glycerol (through pyruvate), therefore, likely supplies C2 and C3 of the propane side chain with arylpropane diol biosynthesis. Incubation of B. adusta with synthetic [2- 2H1,2- 18O]-glycerol showed that neither 2H nor 18O were incorporated in the ,-ketols or diols. The oxygen atom on the C2 of the ketols/diols, therefore, does not appear to come from the oxygen atom on the C2 of glycerol. Glycerol, however, can readily form l -serine (which can then form pyruvate via PLP/serine dehydratase and involve transamination washing out the 18O label and providing the oxygen from water), and can then go on to label the C2 -unit. Labeled ,-ketol, phenyl acetyl carbinol (5) (PAC; ring-d5, 2,3- 13C2 propane) cultured with B. adusta leads to stereospecific reduction to the (1R,2S)-diol (6) (ring-d5 and 2,3- 13C2); in all other metabolites produced, the 2,3- 13C2 label is washed out. Incubation of the fungus with 4-fluorobenzaldehyde (13) produces a pooling of predominantly erythro (1R,2S) 1-(4,-fluorophenyl)-1,2-propane diol (18 as diacetate) (through the corresponding ,-ketols 16, 17). Blocking the para-position with fluorine thus appears to prevent ring oxygenation and also chlorination, forcing the conclusion that para-ring oxygenation precedes meta-chlorination. [source] Functional analysis of lung tumor suppressor activity at 3p21.3GENES, CHROMOSOMES AND CANCER, Issue 12 2006Arja ter Elst The early and frequent occurrence of deletions at 3p21.3 in lung cancer has led to the consideration of this chromosomal region as a lung cancer (LUCA) critical region with tumor suppressor activity. We covered this 19 genes-containing region with overlapping P1 artificial chromosomes (PACs), in which genes are likely accompanied by their own promoters or other regulatory sequences. With these PACs we transfected cells from a small cell lung cancer (SCLC) cell line which readily caused tumors in nude mice. Per PAC we selected two cell clones with a low number of PAC copies integrated at a single genomic site. The selected clones were s.c. injected into nude mice to investigate whether the integrated genes suppressed the tumor-inducing capacity of the original SCLC cell line. We could demonstrate PAC-specific gene expression in the transfected cells. All of the PAC integration sites were different. It appeared that introduction of a PAC or even an empty PAC vector causes some chromosomal instability, which in principle may either promote or inhibit cell growth. However, both cell clones with integration of the same PAC from the centromeric part of the LUCA region in different genomic sites were the sole pair of clones that caused smaller tumors than did the original SCLC cell line. This suggests that rather than the induced chromosomal instability, the DNA sequence of that PAC, which in addition to two protein-encoding genes contains at least one potential miRNA gene, is responsible for the tumor suppressor activity. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Nitrosamine 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone-induced pulmonary adenocarcinomas in Syrian golden hamsters contain beta 2-adrenergic receptor single-nucleotide polymorphismsGENES, CHROMOSOMES AND CANCER, Issue 2 2005Thomas Masi Cigarette smoking contributes to the development of lung cancer throughout the world, with cases of pulmonary adenocarcinoma (PAC) the most numerous. Nitrosamine 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK), which is formed from nicotine, has been demonstrated to cause mutations in genes that affect cell regulation and proliferation. Moreover, NNK has been shown to interact directly with and stimulate beta adrenergic receptor (ADRB) signal transduction pathways. Our goal was to determine whether single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the Adrb2 from PAC tumors were induced in golden hamsters by the injection of NNK. Here we report the cloning and sequencing of Adrb2 clones from either dissected lung tumors from NNK-injected animals or whole-lung tissue from water-injected controls. Both sets of animals contained SNPs; however, we found significantly more SNPs in the Adrb2 from NNK-injected animals than in the controls. The majority of these SNPs were novel, nonsynonymous mutations found in regions of the Adrb2 known to be involved in ligand binding, G-protein coupling, and desensitization/down-regulation. Our data verified the mutagenic effects of NNK as well as demonstrated that this animal model provides an outstanding way of identifying mutations not only in the Adrb2, but also in other genes that may play essential roles in the regulation and growth of pulmonary adenocarcinomas. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] How Much Is Postacute Care Use Affected by Its Availability?HEALTH SERVICES RESEARCH, Issue 2 2005Melinda Beeuwkes Buntin Objective. To assess the relative impact of clinical factors versus nonclinical factors,such as postacute care (PAC) supply,in determining whether patients receive care from skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) or inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs) after discharge from acute care. Data Sources and Study Setting. Medicare acute hospital, IRF, and SNF claims provided data on PAC choices; predictors of site of PAC chosen were generated from Medicare claims, provider of services, enrollment file, and Area Resource File data. Study Design. We used multinomial logit models to predict PAC use by elderly patients after hospitalizations for stroke, hip fractures, or lower extremity joint replacements. Data Collection/Extraction Methods. A file was constructed linking acute and postacute utilization data for all medicare patients hospitalized in 1999. Principal Findings. PAC availability is a more powerful predictor of PAC use than the clinical characteristics in many of our models. The effects of distance to providers and supply of providers are particularly clear in the choice between IRF and SNF care. The farther away the nearest IRF is, and the closer the nearest SNF is, the less likely a patient is to go to an IRF. Similarly, the fewer IRFs, and the more SNFs, there are in the patient's area the less likely the patient is to go to an IRF. In addition, if the hospital from which the patient is discharged has a related IRF or a related SNF the patient is more likely to go there. Conclusions. We find that the availability of PAC is a major determinant of whether patients use such care and which type of PAC facility they use. Further research is needed in order to evaluate whether these findings indicate that a greater supply of PAC leads to both higher use of institutional care and better outcomes,or whether it leads to unwarranted expenditures of resources and delays in returning patients to their homes. [source] Validation of a prediction rule to maximize curative (R0) resection of early-stage pancreatic adenocarcinomaHPB, Issue 7 2009Philip Bao Abstract Background:, The surgeon's contribution to patients with localized pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PAC) is a margin negative (R0) resection. We hypothesized that a prediction rule based on pre-operative imaging would maximize the R0 resection rate while reducing non-therapeutic intervention. Methods:, The prediction rule was developed using computed tomography (CT) and endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) data from 65 patients with biopsy-proven PAC who underwent attempted resection. The rule classified patients as low or high risk for non-R0 outcome and was validated in 78 subsequent patients. Results:, Model variables were: any evidence of vascular involvement on CT; EUS stage and EUS size dichotomized at 2.6 cm. In the validation cohort, 77% underwent resection and 58% achieved R0 status. If only patients in the low-risk group underwent surgery, the prediction rule would have increased the resection rate to 92% and the R0 rate to 73%. The R0 rate was 40% higher in low-risk compared with high-risk patients (P < 0.001). High risk was associated with a 67% rate of non-curative surgery (unresectable disease and metastases). Conclusion:, The prediction rule identified patients most likely to benefit from resection for PAC using pre-operative CT and EUS findings. Model predictions would have increased the R0 rate and reduced non-therapeutic interventions. [source] Randomized Trial of a Delirium Abatement Program for Postacute Skilled Nursing FacilitiesJOURNAL OF AMERICAN GERIATRICS SOCIETY, Issue 6 20100000], [See editorial comments by Dr. Steven A. Levenson on pp 0000 OBJECTIVES: To determine whether a delirium abatement program (DAP) can shorten duration of delirium in new admissions to postacute care (PAC). DESIGN: Cluster randomized controlled trial. SETTING: Eight skilled nursing facilities specializing in PAC within a single metropolitan region. PARTICIPANTS: Four hundred fifty-seven participants with delirium at PAC admission. INTERVENTION: The DAP consisted of four steps: assessment for delirium within 5 days of PAC admission, assessment and correction of common reversible causes of delirium, prevention of complications of delirium, and restoration of function. MEASUREMENTS: Trained researchers screened eligible patients. Those with delirium defined according to the Confusion Assessment Method were eligible for participation using proxy consent. Regardless of location, researchers blind to intervention status re-assessed participants for delirium 2 weeks and 1 month after enrollment. RESULTS: Nurses at DAP sites detected delirium in 41% of participants, versus 12% in usual care sites (P<.001), and completed DAP documentation in most participants in whom delirium was detected, but the DAP intervention had no effect on delirium persistence based on two measurements at 2 weeks (DAP 68% vs usual care 66%) and 1 month (DAP 60% vs usual care 51%) (adjusted P,.20). Adjusting for baseline differences between DAP and usual care participants and restricting analysis to DAP participants in whom delirium was detected did not alter the results. CONCLUSION: Detection of delirium improved at the DAP sites, but the DAP had no effect on the persistence of delirium. This effectiveness trial demonstrated that a nurse-led DAP intervention was not effective in typical PAC facilities. [source] CYP3A4 and pregnane X receptor humanized miceJOURNAL OF BIOCHEMICAL AND MOLECULAR TOXICOLOGY, Issue 4 2007Frank J. Gonzalez Abstract Marked species differences exist in P450 expression and activities. In order to produce mouse models that can be used to more accurately predict human drug and carcinogen metabolism, P450- and xenobiotic receptor humanized mice are being prepared using bacterial artificial chromosomes (BAC) and P1 phage artificial chromosomes (PAC) genomic clones. In some cases, transgenic mice carrying the human genes are bred with null-mice to produce fully humanized mice. Mice expressing human CYP1A1, CYP1A2, CYP2E1, CYP2D6, CYP3A4, and CYP3A7 were generated and characterized. Studies with the CYP3A4-humanized (hCYP3A4) mouse line revealed new information on the physiological function of this P450 and its role in drug metabolism in vivo. With this mouse line, CYP3A4, under certain circumstances, was found to alter the serum levels of estrogen resulting in deficient lactation and low pup survival as a result of underdeveloped mammary glands. This hCYP3A4 mouse established the importance of intestinal CYP3A4 in the pharmacokinetics of orally administered drugs. The hCYP3A4 mice were also used to establish the mechanisms of potential gender differences in CYP3A4 expression (adult female > adult male) that could account for human gender differences in drug metabolism and response. The pregnane X receptor (PXR) is also involved in induction of drug metabolism through its target genes including CYP3A4. Since species differences exist in ligand specificity between human and mice, a PXR -humanized mouse (hPXR) was produced that responds to human PXR activators such as rifampicin but does not respond to the rodent activator pregnenalone 16,-carbonitrile. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biochem Mol Toxicol 21:158,162, 2007; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/jbt.20173 [source] Effect of activation type on bioregeneration of various activated carbons loaded with phenolJOURNAL OF CHEMICAL TECHNOLOGY & BIOTECHNOLOGY, Issue 7 2006Özgür Akta Abstract Thermally and chemically activated powdered carbons (PAC), and their granular countertypes (GAC) with similar physical characteristics were used to investigate the extent of bioregeneration in laboratory-scale activated sludge reactors. Bioregeneration of activated carbon was determined by measurement of bulk phenol concentrations and loadings remaining on activated carbon. It was also followed by oxygen uptake rate measurements. For the carbons used in this study, bioregeneration of chemically activated carbons was found to be higher than thermally activated ones. This was in accordance with their higher reversibility of adsorption and showed that bioregeneration was controlled by the reversibility of adsorption. Oxidative polymerization of phenol was a plausible explanation for low bioregeneration of thermally activated carbons. However, bioregeneration efficiencies of thermally activated carbons were much higher than their total desorbabilities. This unexpectedly high bioregeneration indicated that some exoenzymatic reactions had occurred. These results suggest that carbon activation type is of crucial importance for bioregeneration. PAC and GAC countertypes showed comparable bioregeneration efficiencies indicating that carbon size was not an effective factor. The environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM) studies showed that microorganisms were attached both on the external surface and interval cavities of activated carbon particles. Copyright © 2006 Society of Chemical Industry [source] Biotransformation of benzaldehyde to L -phenylacetylcarbinol (L -PAC) by Torulaspora delbrueckii and conversion to ephedrine by microwave radiationJOURNAL OF CHEMICAL TECHNOLOGY & BIOTECHNOLOGY, Issue 2 2002Vilas B Shukla Abstract In a 5,dm3 stirred tank reactor, bioconversion of 30,g benzaldehyde by cells of Torulaspora delbrueckii yielded 22.9,g of pure L -phenylacetylcarbinol (L -PAC). Facile functional group transformation of 4.5,g of L -PAC to 2-(methylimino)-1-phenyl-1-propanol by exposure to microwave irradiation for 9,min resulted in 2.48,g of product. Conversion of 4.8,g of 2-(methylimino)-1-phenyl-1-propanol to 3.11,g of ephedrine was achieved by exposure to microwaves in a reaction time of 10,min. The identity of all the products was confirmed by 1H NMR and FT-IR analysis. © 2002 Society of Chemical Industry [source] High-level extracellular production of penicillin acylase by genetic engineering of Escherichia coliJOURNAL OF CHEMICAL TECHNOLOGY & BIOTECHNOLOGY, Issue 10 2001Wen-Jer Lin Abstract The extracellular production of penicillin acylase (PAC) in genetically engineered Escherichia coli by coexpression of the brp gene encoding bacteriocin release protein (BRP) and the pac gene was demonstrated. Cell physiology was affected while PAC was released into the medium, depending on the strategy for brp expression. The performance for the production and release of PAC was optimized by taking several culture parameters, including host, inducer (mitomycin C) concentration, and induction timing for brp expression, into consideration. The effect of PAC release on inclusion body formation was also investigated. It was observed that the amount of inclusion bodies was significantly affected by brp expression. A reason for the limitation of PAC production and a strategy for resolving this problem are proposed. © 2001 Society of Chemical Industry [source] Addition of activated carbon to batch activated sludge reactors in the treatment of landfill leachate and domestic wastewaterJOURNAL OF CHEMICAL TECHNOLOGY & BIOTECHNOLOGY, Issue 8 2001Özgür Akta Abstract Leachate from a municipal landfill was combined with domestic wastewater and was treated in batch activated sludge systems. The effectiveness and applicability of the addition of Powdered Activated Carbon (PAC) to activated sludge reactors was investigated. Isotherm tests were carried out with PAC in order to estimate the extent of adsorption of organic matter onto PAC. Then, in activated sludge reactors COD (Chemical Oxygen Demand) removal and nitrification were studied both in the absence and presence of PAC for comparison purposes. In both cases, Oxygen Uptake Rates (OUR) were measured with respect to time in order to investigate substrate removal and change in microbial activity. Addition of PAC to activated sludge increased COD removal by removing mainly the non-biodegradable fraction in leachate. The COD decreases in batch reactors were best expressed by a first-order kinetic model that incorporated this non-biodegradable leachate fraction. With added PAC, nitrification was also enhanced. But in all of the batch runs a significant accumulation of NO2 -N took place, indicating that the second step of nitrification was still inhibited. © 2001 Society of Chemical Industry [source] QUARTZ-TUNGSTEN-HALOGEN AND LIGHT-EMITTING DIODE CURING LIGHTSJOURNAL OF ESTHETIC AND RESTORATIVE DENTISTRY, Issue 3 2006Kraig S. Vandewalle DDS Curing lights are an integral part of the daily practice of restorative dentistry. Quartz-tungsten-halogen (QTH), plasma-arc (PAC), argon laser, and light-emitting diode (LED) curing lights are currently commercially available. The QTH curing light has a long, established history as a workhorse for composite resin polymerization in dental practices and remains the most common type of light in use today. Its relatively broad emission spectrum allows the QTH curing light to predictably initiate polymerization of all known photo-activated resin-based dental materials. However, the principal output from these lamps is infrared energy, with the generation of high heat. Filters are used to reduce the emitted heat energy and provide further restriction of visible light to correlate better with the narrower absorbance spectrum of photo-initiators. The relatively inefficient emission typically requires corded handpieces with noisy fans. PAC lights generate a high voltage pulse that creates hot plasma between two electrodes in a xenon-filled bulb. The irradiance of PAC lights is much higher than the typical QTH curing light, but PAC lights are more expensive and generate very high heat with an inefficient emission spectrum similar to that of QTH bulbs. Light emitted from an argon laser is very different from that emitted from the halogen or PAC lights. The photons produced are coherent and do not diverge; therefore, lasers concentrate more photons of specific frequency into a tiny area. With very little infrared output, unwanted heat is minimized. However, argon lasers are very expensive and inefficient due to a small curing tip. LED curing lights have been introduced to the market with the promise of more efficient polymerization, consistent output over time without degradation, and less heat emission in a quiet, compact, portable device. This review evaluates some of the published research on LED and QTH curing lights. [source] Zebrafish Cx35: Cloning and characterization of a gap junction gene highly expressed in the retinaJOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE RESEARCH, Issue 6 2003Elizabeth McLachlan Abstract The vertebrate connexin gene family encodes protein subunits of gap junction channels, which provide a route for direct intercellular communication. Consequently, gap junctions play a vital role in many developmental and homeostatic processes. Aberrant functioning of gap junctions is implicated in many human diseases. Zebrafish are an ideal vertebrate model to study development of the visual system as they produce transparent embryos that develop rapidly, thereby facilitating morphological and behavioral testing. In this study, zebrafish connexin35 has been cloned from a P1 artificial chromosome (PAC) library. Sequence analysis shows a high degree of similarity to the Cx35/36 orthologous group, which are expressed primarily in nervous tissue, including the retina. The gene encodes a 304-amino acid protein with a predicted molecular weight of approximately 35 kDa. Injection of zebrafish Cx35 RNA into paired Xenopus oocytes elicited intercellular electrical coupling with weak voltage sensitivity. In development, Cx35 is first detectable by Northern analysis and RT-PCR, at 2 days post-fertilization (2 dpf), and in the adult it is expressed in the brain and retina. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that the Cx35 protein is expressed in two sublaminae of the inner plexiform layer of the adult retina. A similar pattern was seen in the 4 and 5 dpf retina, but no labeling was detected in the retina of earlier embryos. © 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] 147 Controlling Harmful Algal Blooms Through Clay FlocculationJOURNAL OF PHYCOLOGY, Issue 2003M. R. Sengco The potential use of clays to control harmful algal blooms (HABs) has been explored in East Asia, Australia, the United States, and Sweden. In Japan and South Korea, minerals such as montmorillonite, kaolinite, and yellow loess, have already been used in the field effectively, to protect fish mariculture from Cochlodinium spp. and other blooms. Cell removal occurs through the flocculation of algal and mineral particles, leading to the formation of larger aggregates (i.e. marine snow), which rapidly settle and further entrain cells during their descent. In the U.S., several clays and clay-rich sediments have shown high removal abilities (e.g. >80% cell removal efficiency) against Karenia brevis, Heterosigma akashiwo, Pfiesteria piscicida and Aureococcus anophagefferens. In some cases, the removal ability of certain clays was further enhanced with chemical flocculants, such as polyaluminum chloride (PAC), to increase their adhesiveness. However, cell removal was also affected by bloom concentration, salinity, and mixing. Cell mortality was observed after clay addition, and increased with increasing clay concentration, and prolonged exposure to clays in the settled layer. Mesocosm, field enclosure, and flume experiments were also conducted to address cell removal with increasing scale and flow, water-column impacts, and the possible benthic effects from clay addition. Results from these studies will be presented, especially those in regards to water quality, seawater chemistry, bottom erodibility and faunal impacts in the benthos. At this time, clay dispersal continues to be a promising method for controlling HABs and mitigating their impacts based on existing information and experimental data. [source] Effect of Light-Curing Method and Cement Activation Mode on Resin Cement Knoop HardnessJOURNAL OF PROSTHODONTICS, Issue 6 2007Rubens Nisie Tango Purpose: To evaluate the Knoop hardness (KHN) of the resin cement Enforce activated by chemical/physical mode or physical mode solely; light-cured directly or through a 1.5 mm thick ceramic disc (HeraCeram) on shade DD2. Materials and Methods: Light-curing was carried out using a conventional quartz tungsten halogen light (QTH) (XL2500) for 40 seconds at 700 mW/cm2; light-emitting diodes (LED) (Ultrablue Is) for 40 seconds at 440 mW/cm2; and Xenon plasma arc (PAC) (Apollo 95E) for 3 seconds at 1600 mW/cm2. Bovine incisors had their buccal faces flattened and hybridized. A mold was seated on these surfaces and filled with cement. A disc of the acid-etched and silanized veneering material was seated over this set for light-curing. After dry storage (24 hours at 37°C), specimens (n= 10) were sectioned for KHN measurements performed in a microhardness tester (50 gf load for 15 seconds). Data were submitted to ANOVA and Tukey's test (,= 0.05). Results: The highest KHN values were obtained with LED, for both dual-cured and light-cured cement. The lowest KHN value was obtained with light-cured PAC. Light-curing with QTH resulted in hardness values similar to PAC in dual-cured groups. Conclusions: Light-curing through HeraCeram can influence resin cement hardness. [source] Pancreatic adenocarcinoma in a young patient population,12-year experience at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer CenterJOURNAL OF SURGICAL ONCOLOGY, Issue 1 2009A. Duffy MD Abstract Background There is a dearth of data in a younger population of patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PAC) regarding epidemiology, genetics, prognosis, and outcome. This report examines a large cohort of patients with PAC ,45 years of age evaluated at MSKCC over a 12-year period. Methods A retrospective analysis of patients referred to MSKCC with PAC identified from the institutional tumor registry, who were ,45 years on the date of the diagnostic biopsy, between January 1995 and February 2008, was performed. Information reviewed included demographics, clinical and pathological staging, surgical management, therapy, date of relapse, death or last follow-up. Survival curves were estimated using the Kaplan,Meier method and compared using the log-rank test. Results One hundred thirty-six cases of PAC, age ,45 years at diagnosis, were identified. Seventy-four (54%) females, 62 (46%) males. Age range: 24,45; 4, 38, and 94 patients in age groups 20,29, 30,39, 40,45 years, respectively. Fifty (37%) had a smoking history. Fourteen (10.3%) had a positive family history of PAC. Thirty-five (25.7%) underwent a curative resection for localized disease. Twenty-eight (20.1%) presented with locally advanced, inoperable disease. Sixty-eight (50%) presented as AJCC Stage IV. Twenty-three (37%) of those resected underwent adjuvant chemoradiation. Thirteen received adjuvant gemcitabine. The median overall survival for the entire cohort was 12.3 months (95% CI 10.2,14.0 months). The median overall survival for the patients with locally resectable disease was 41.8 months (95% CI 20.3,47 months). The median overall survival for the patients who presented with locally advanced, unresectable disease was 15.3 months (95% CI 12,19.3 months). The median overall survival for those who presented with metastatic disease was 7.2 months (95% CI 5.2,9.5 months). Conclusions This is the largest reported cohort of young patients with PAC ,45 years of age. The data suggest that patients with stages I,II disease may have an improved prognosis, however the prognosis for stages III,IV patients appears to be similar to the typical (older) patient population with PAC. J. Surg. Oncol. 2009;100:8,12. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Cure of Helicobacter pylori infection in elderly patients: comparison of low versus high doses of clarithromycin in combination with amoxicillin and pantoprazoleALIMENTARY PHARMACOLOGY & THERAPEUTICS, Issue 7 2001A. Pilotto Background: Advancing age may influence clarithromycin's pharmacokinetics. No studies have yet compared the effects of different dosages of clarithromycin in combination with a proton pump inhibitor and amoxicillin in elderly patients. Aim: To compare the efficacy and tolerability of clarithromycin 250 mg vs. clarithromycin 500 mg twice daily (b.d.) in combination with pantoprazole and amoxicillin in elderly patients. Methods: One hundred and fifty-four elderly patients with H. pylori -associated ulcer disease or chronic gastritis were consecutively randomized to receive pantoprazole 40 mg daily plus amoxicillin 1 g, and either clarithromycin 250 mg b.d. (PAC 250) or clarithromycin 500 mg b.d. (PAC 500). Two months after therapy, endoscopy and gastric biopsies were repeated. Results: The cure rates of H. pylori infection in the PAC 250 and PAC 500 groups were, respectively, 83% and 79% (ITT analysis) and 94% and 88% (PP analysis) (P=N.S.). Significant decreases in chronic gastritis activity both in the body (P < 0.00001) and the antrum (P < 0.0001) of the stomach were found in H. pylori -cured patients, independently of clarithromycin dosage. Four patients in PAC 250 (5%) and seven in PAC 500 (9%) reported adverse events (P=N.S.). One patient in PAC 250 (25%) and three in PAC 500 (43%) discontinued the study because of these drug-related side-effects (P=N.S.). Conclusions: In elderly patients, 1-week triple therapy with a proton pump inhibitor, amoxicillin and clarithromycin is a highly effective and well tolerated anti- H. pylori treatment. With this combination, clarithromycin at the lower dose of 250 mg b.d. achieved excel- lent cure rates and minimized adverse events and costs. [source] Pulsed dye densitometry with two different sensor types for cardiac output measurement after cardiac surgery: a comparison with the thermodilution techniqueACTA ANAESTHESIOLOGICA SCANDINAVICA, Issue 5 2004C. K. Hofer Background:, Assessment of cardiac output (CO) by the indocyanine green (ICG) dye dilution technique (IDD) with transcutaneous signal detection may be a less invasive alternative to the pulmonary artery catheter (PAC). The aim of this study was to determine the accuracy and reliability of the DDG2001 analyzer (Nihon Kohden Corp, Tokyo, Japan) using a finger (IDDf) and a nose (IDDn) sensor as compared with the thermodilution technique by PAC. Methods:, In 31 consecutive patients after routine cardiac surgery, CO measurements were performed by IDD compared with the thermodilution technique following postoperative haemodynamic stabilization in the intensive care unit. Repeated measurements were made at 30-min intervals. CO was determined by iced water bolus (IWB: mean of three repeated injections) and IDDf or IDDn, respectively (mean of three repeated ICG injections). Results:, Thirty-three per cent of all measurements for IDDf and 9% for IDDn failed due to a missing signal detection. Mean bias for IDDf to IWB was ,0.5 l min,1·m,2 (limits of agreement: ,1.8/0.8 l min,1·m,2) and for IDDn to IWB was ,0.1 l min,1·m,2 (limits of agreement: ,1.6/1.5 l min,1·m,2). Correlation between IDDf and IWB (r = 0.2) was found to be inferior to the correlation between IDDn and IWB (r = 0.5). Conclusion:, The IDD showed a systematic bias compared with the IWB and its performance was limited due to signal detection failure. Therefore, the DDG2001 analyzer cannot be recommended as a substitute for the PAC in routine monitoring of cardiac output after cardiac surgery. [source] Electrocardiographic Activity before Onset of Postoperative Atrial Fibrillation in Cardiac Surgery PatientsPACING AND CLINICAL ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY, Issue 11 2008MIRELA OVREIU Ph.D. Background:Electrocardiographic (ECG) characteristics were analyzed in postoperative cardiac surgery patients in an attempt to predict development of new-onset postoperative atrial fibrillation (AF). Methods:Nineteen ECG characteristics were analyzed using computer-based algorithms. The parameters were retrospectively analyzed from ECG signals recorded in postoperative cardiac surgery patients while they were in the cardiovascular intensive care unit (CVICU) at our institution. ECG data from 99 patients (of whom 43 developed postoperative AF) were analyzed. A bootstrap variable selection procedure was applied to select the most important ECG parameters, and a multivariable logistic regression model was developed to classify patients who did and did not develop AF. Results:Premature atrial activity (PAC) was greater in AF patients (P < 0.01). Certain heart rate variability (HRV) and turbulence parameters also differed in patients who did and did not develop AF. In contrast, P-wave morphology was similar in patients with and without AF. Receiver operating curve (ROC) analysis applied to the model produced a C-statistic of 0.904. The model thus correctly classified AF patients with more than a 90% sensitivity and a 70% specificity. Conclusion:Among the 19 ECG parameters analyzed, PAC activity, frequency-domain HRV, and heart rate turbulence parameters were the best discriminators for postoperative AF. [source] Individualized Selection of Pacing Algorithms for the Prevention of Recurrent Atrial Fibrillation: Results from the VIP RegistryPACING AND CLINICAL ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY, Issue 2 2006THORSTEN LEWALTER Objectives: The VIP registry investigated the efficacy of preventive pacing algorithm selection in reducing atrial fibrillation (AF) burden. Background: There are few data identifying which patients might benefit most from which preventive pacing algorithms. Methods: Patients, with at least one documented AF episode and a conventional antibradycardia indication for pacemaker therapy, were enrolled. They received pacemakers with AF diagnostics and four preventive algorithms (Selection and PreventAF series, Vitatron). A 3-month Diagnostic Phase with conventional pacing identified a Substrate Group (>70% of AF episodes with <2 premature atrial contractions [PACs] before AF onset) and a Trigger Group (,70% of AF episodes with <2 PACs before AF onset). This was followed by a 3-month Therapeutic Phase where in the Trigger Group algorithms were enabled aimed at avoiding or preventing a PAC and in the Substrate Group continuous atrial overdrive pacing was enabled. Results: One hundred and twenty-six patients were evaluated. In the Trigger Group (n = 73), there was a statistically significant 28% improvement in AF burden (median AF burden: 2.06 hours/day, Diagnostic Phase vs 1.49 hours/day, Therapy Phase; P = 0.03304 signed-rank test), and reduced PAC activity. There was no significant improvement in AF burden in the Substrate Group (median AF burden: 1.82 hours/day, Diagnostic Phase vs 2.38 hours/day, Therapy Phase; P = 0.12095 signed-rank test), and little change in PAC activity. Conclusions: We identified a subgroup of patients for whom the selection of appropriate pacing algorithms, based on individual diagnostic data, translated into a reduced AF burden. Trigger AF patients were more likely responders to preventive pacing algorithms as a result of PAC suppression. [source] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||