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Selected AbstractsEarly intervention in patients at ultra high risk of psychosis: benefits and risksACTA PSYCHIATRICA SCANDINAVICA, Issue 6 2009M. B. De Koning Objective:, Prediction of transition to psychosis in the prodromal phase of schizophrenia has raised interest in intervention prior to the onset of frank psychosis. The aim of this review was to examine whether interventions in the prodromal phase have a favourable benefit/risk ratio. Method:, A literature search in PubMed, EMBASE and PsycINFO was performed. Results:, Three randomized clinical trials with antipsychotic medication and/or cognitive behavioural therapy as clinical intervention suggested a positive effect at the end of treatment, but no significant differences were found at the end of follow-up periods from 1 to 4 years. Naturalistic studies present a hypothesis about a possible preventive effect of antidepressive medication. The results of eight other studies are more difficult to interpret. Side-effects of antipsychotic medication and non-adherence with medication are essential problems. Conclusion:, At the present time, the data concerning the benefits and risks do not justify prodromal intervention as standard clinical practice. [source] Neural stem cells for the treatment of disorders of the enteric nervous system: Strategies and challengesDEVELOPMENTAL DYNAMICS, Issue 1 2007Maria-Adelaide Micci Abstract The main goal of this review is to summarize the status of the research in the field of stem cells transplantation, as it is applicable to the treatment of gastrointestinal motility. This field of research has advanced tremendously in the past 10 years, and recent data produced in our laboratories as well as others is contributing to the excitement on the use of neural stem cells (NSC) as a valuable therapeutic approach for disorders of the enteric nervous system characterized by a loss of critical neuronal subpopulations. There are several sources of NSC, and here we describe therapeutic strategies for NSC transplantation in the gut. These include using NSC as a relatively nonspecific cellular replacement strategy in conditions where large populations of neurons or their subsets are missing or destroyed. As with many other recent "breakthroughs" stem cell therapy may eventually prove to be overrated. However, at the present time, it does appear to provide the hope for a true cure for many currently intractable diseases of both the central and the peripheral nervous system. Certainly more extensive research is needed in this field. We hope that our review will encourage new investigators in entering this field of research ad contribute to our knowledge of the potentials of NSC and other cells for the treatment of gastrointestinal dysmotility. Developmental Dynamics 236:33,43, 2007. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Screening for type 2 diabetes: an update of the evidenceDIABETES OBESITY & METABOLISM, Issue 10 2010R. K. Simmons A growing body of evidence on diabetes screening has been published during the last 10 years. Type 2 diabetes meets many but not all of the criteria for screening. Concerns about potential harms of screening have largely been resolved. Screening identifies a high-risk population with the potential to gain from widely available interventions. However, in spite of the findings of modelling studies, the size of the benefit of earlier initiation of treatment and the overall cost-effectiveness remains uncertain, in contrast to other screening programmes (such as for abdominal aortic aneurysms) that are yet to be fully implemented. There is also uncertainty about optimal specifications and implementation of a screening programme, and further work to complete concerning development and delivery of individual- and population-level preventive strategies. While there is growing evidence of the net benefit of earlier detection of individuals with prevalent but undiagnosed diabetes, there remains limited justification for a policy of universal population-based screening for type 2 diabetes at the present time. Data from ongoing studies should inform the key assumptions in existing modelling studies and further reduce uncertainty. [source] Thiazolidinediones as anti-inflammatory and anti-atherogenic agentsDIABETES/METABOLISM: RESEARCH AND REVIEWS, Issue 1 2008Antonio Ceriello Abstract In the last few years, there has been increasing focus on the impact of interventions on cardiovascular outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes. Insulin resistance and hyperglycaemia often co-exist with a cluster of risk factors for coronary artery disease, but the underlying mechanisms leading to the development of such vascular complications are complex. The over-production of free radicals in patients suffering from diabetes results in a state of oxidative stress, which leads to endothelial dysfunction and a greater risk of atherosclerosis. Moreover, inflammatory factors which play a critical role in atherothrombosis and plaque rupture are often found to be at elevated levels in this patient population. Thiazolidinediones (TZDs) are now routinely used to manage glucose levels, and have been suggested to influence other cardiovascular risk factors and therefore the pathways leading to macrovascular events. Consequently, recent studies have investigated the anti-inflammatory and anti-atherogenic properties of TZDs. The data available up to the present time, in the context of the emerging cardiovascular outcome profiles of rosiglitazone and pioglitazone, will be discussed here. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Philosophical Arguments, Historical Contexts, and Theory of Education1EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY AND THEORY, Issue 1 2007Daniel Tröhler Abstract This paper argues that many philosophical arguments within the education discourse are too little embedded in their own historical contexts. Starting out from the obvious fact that philosophers of education use sources from the past, the paper asks how we can deal with the arguments that these sources contain. The general attitude within philosophy of education, which views arguments as timeless, is being challenged by the insight that arguments always depend upon their own contexts. For this reason, citing past authors, heroes, or enemies without respecting the context says more about our interest at the present time than it does about the times of the authors examined. Conversely, the contextual approach helps us to avoid believing that ,timeless truths' are to be found in different texts of different ages. However, the present contribution in no way advocates a total relativization of statements. Quite the contrary; it claims that the contextual approach helps us to understand the traditions and contexts within which we ourselves, as researchers, are positioned. And this self-awareness is believed to be the proper starting position for theoretical statements about education. [source] Training aesthetic perception: John Dewey on the educational role of art museumsEDUCATIONAL THEORY, Issue 4 2004Tracie E. Costantino In this article I examine Dewey's ambivalent attitude toward art museums , criticizing their existence as repositories for the rich, while exploring their educational potential , by analyzing Dewey's comments on museums in various texts, by relating his ideas to museum education theories and practice of the time, and by exploring his involvement with Albert Barnes and the Barnes Foundation. Specifically, I discuss how these men influenced each other and consider possible reasons for Dewey's involvement with a "capitalist collector" such as Barnes. This examination is placed within the broader context of Dewey's philosophy of art as experience. An analysis of these issues is especially relevant at the present time, given that museums are increasingly involved in K-12 education through outreach and professional development programs, in addition to school tours. [source] Tobacco smoke carcinogens and breast cancerENVIRONMENTAL AND MOLECULAR MUTAGENESIS, Issue 2-3 2002Stephen S. Hecht Abstract Cigarette smoking is an established cause of a variety of cancer types, but its role in breast cancer etiology is not clear. In this report, the potential role of cigarette smoke carcinogens as causes of human breast cancer is evaluated. Of over 60 known carcinogens in tobacco smoke, several are known to induce mammary tumors in laboratory animals: benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P), dibenzo[a,l]pyrene (DB[a,l]P), 2-toluidine, 4-aminobiphenyl, 2-amino-3-methylimidazo[4,5- f]quinoline (IQ), 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5- b]pyridine (PhIP), 1,3-butadiene, isoprene, nitromethane, ethylene oxide, and benzene. Studies in humans demonstrate that tobacco constituents can reach breast tissue. The uptake and metabolic activation of mammary carcinogens such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and 4-aminobiphenyl are frequently higher in smokers than in nonsmokers. Although it is likely that specific mammary carcinogens in tobacco smoke can reach breast tissue, evidence is lacking at the present time. Some PAHs present in cigarette smoke can be metabolized to sterically hindered diol epoxides, which are potent mammary carcinogens. Thus, compounds such as benzo[c]phenanthrene (B[c]P), not classically considered to be a strong carcinogen in rodents, could nevertheless be metabolized in humans to diol epoxides carcinogenic to the breast. Collectively, the link between smoking and breast cancer is plausible but has been difficult to establish, probably because of the low carcinogen dose. Environ. Mol. Mutagen. 39:119,126, 2002. © 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Understanding the costs of an environmentally ,friendly' common agricultural policy for the European Union1,ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY AND GOVERNANCE, Issue 1 2001Pamela M. Barnes Part of the bedrock of the European Union's (EU's) Environmental Policy is the principle that those who pollute the environment should pay for the cost of remedying the damage they cause (the polluter pays principle) (Article 174 para. 2 TEC ex Article 130r TEC). In addition environmental objectives must be integrated into all the sectoral policies of the European Union (Article 6 TEC ex Article 3c TEC). The Common Agricultural Policy's (CAP's) role at the centre of the EU's sectoral policies would appear to make it an ideal focus for implementing Article 6 of the Treaty establishing the European Community (TEC). If integration of environmental protection can be achieved in this central area of the EU's activities then a major source of environmental degradation could be overcome. However, if these requirements are applied to European agriculture the sector will face a budgetary and financial crisis of even greater magnitude than at the present time. Recent reforms of the CAP have been designed with the objective of achieving an agricultural sector that is moving towards sustainability. As this article argues the political, social and economic significance of the agriculture sector is such that national governments of the EU have repeatedly shied away from adopting the measures, which could significantly reduce the pollution from the sector. The proposals for reform made by the Agricultural Commissioner, Franz Fischler, were amended by the meeting of the European Council that took place in Berlin on 24/25 March 1999. These amendments substantially weakened the ambitions of the strategy for development of the EU, the ,Agenda 2000' adopted in 1997, for a number of reasons (CEC, 1997). This article examines the reasons for the disappointments with the amended reforms and speculates on the possible future path that may be taken to improve matters. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment. [source] H63D homozygotes with hyperferritinaemia: is this genotype, the primary cause of iron overload?EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF HAEMATOLOGY, Issue 1 2007Carles De Diego Abstract Objectives:,Hereditary haemochromatosis is a disease that affects iron metabolism and leads to iron overload. Homozygosity for the H63D mutation is associated with increased transferrin saturation (TS) and ferritin levels. Our objective was to find out if the homozygosity of H63D mutation was the primary cause of iron overload. Patients and methods:,We studied 45 H63D homozygotes (31 males and 14 females) with biochemical iron overload and/or clinical features of haemochromatosis. The simultaneous detection of 18 known HFE, TFR2 and FPN1 mutations and sequencing of the HAMP gene were performed to rule out the possible existence of genetic modifier factors related with iron overload. Results:,Values of biochemical iron overload, measured as percentage TS and serum ferritin concentration (SF), in our H63D homozygotes were significantly higher in patients than in controls: TS 55 ± 15% vs. 35 ± 15% and SF 764 (645,883) ,g/L vs. 115 (108,123) ,g/L for patients and controls, respectively. These H63D homozygotes presented extreme hyperferritinaemia and no additional mutations in HFE, TFR2, FPN1 and HAMP genes were detected. Conclusions:,The lack of additional mutations in our H63D homozygotes suggests that this genotype could be the primary cause of iron overload in these patients. Despite our results, we cannot entirely discount the possibility that one or more genetic modifier factor exists, simply because we were unable to find it, although there was a precedent in the HFE gene. Genetic modifier factors have been described for C282Y mutations in the HFE gene, but at the present time they have never been reported in H63D homozygotes. [source] PHYLOGENETIC ANALYSIS OF ECOMORPHOLOGICAL DIVERGENCE, COMMUNITY STRUCTURE, AND DIVERSIFICATION RATES IN DUSKY SALAMANDERS (PLETHODONTIDAE: DESMOGNATHUS)EVOLUTION, Issue 9 2005Kenneth H. Kozak Abstract An important dimension of adaptive radiation is the degree to which diversification rates fluctuate or remain constant through time. Focusing on plethodontid salamanders of the genus Desmognathus, we present a novel synthetic analysis of phylogeographic history, rates of ecomorphological evolution and species accumulation, and community assembly in an adaptive radiation. Dusky salamanders are highly variable in life history, body size, and ecology, with many endemic lineages in the southern Appalachian Highlands of eastern North America. Our results show that lifehistory evolution had important consequences for the buildup of plethodontid-salamander species richness and phenotypic disparity in eastern North America, a global hot spot of salamander biodiversity. The origin of Desmognathus species with aquatic larvae was followed by a high rate of lineage accumulation, which then gradually decreased toward the present time. The peak period of lineage accumulation in the group coincides with evolutionary partitioning of lineages with aquatic larvae into seepage, stream-edge, and stream microhabitats. Phylogenetic simulations demonstrate a strong correlation between morphology and microhabitat ecology independent of phylogenetic effects and suggest that ecomorphological changes are concentrated early in the radiation of Desmognathus. Deep phylogeographic fragmentation within many codistributed ecomorph clades suggests long-term persistence of ecomorphological features and stability of endemic lineages and communities through multiple climatic cycles. Phylogenetic analyses of community structure show that ecomorphological divergence promotes the coexistence of lineages and that repeated, independent evolution of microhabitat-associated ecomorphs has a limited role in the evolutionary assembly of Desmognathus communities. Comparing and contrasting our results to other adaptive radiations having different biogeographic histories, our results suggest that rates of diversification during adaptive radiation are intimately linked to the degree to which community structure persists over evolutionary time. [source] Measuring metabolic rate in the field: the pros and cons of the doubly labelled water and heart rate methodsFUNCTIONAL ECOLOGY, Issue 2 2004P. J. Butler Summary 1Measuring the metabolic rate of animals in the field (FMR) is central to the work of ecologists in many disciplines. In this article we discuss the pros and cons of the two most commonly used methods for measuring FMR. 2Both methods are constantly under development, but at the present time can only accurately be used to estimate the mean rate of energy expenditure of groups of animals. The doubly labelled water method (DLW) uses stable isotopes of hydrogen and oxygen to trace the flow of water and carbon dioxide through the body over time. From these data, it is possible to derive a single estimate of the rate of oxygen consumption () for the duration of the experiment. The duration of the experiment will depend on the rate of flow of isotopes of oxygen and hydrogen through the body, which in turn depends on the animal's size, ranging from 24 h for small vertebrates to up to 28 days in Humans. 3This technique has been used widely, partly as a result of its relative simplicity and potential low cost, though there is some uncertainty over the determination of the standard error of the estimate of mean . 4The heart rate (fH) method depends on the physiological relationship between heart rate and . 5If these two quantities are calibrated against each other under controlled conditions, fH can then be measured in free-ranging animals and used to estimate . 6The latest generation of small implantable data loggers means that it is possible to measure fH for over a year on a very fine temporal scale, though the current size of the data loggers limits the size of experimental animals to around 1 kg. However, externally mounted radio-transmitters are now sufficiently small to be used with animals of less than 40 g body mass. This technique is gaining in popularity owing to its high accuracy and versatility, though the logistic constraint of performing calibrations can make its use a relatively extended process. [source] Palsas in Härjedalen, Sweden: 1910 and 1998 ComparedGEOGRAFISKA ANNALER SERIES A: PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY, Issue 1 2000Tomas Nihlén In 1998 an area near Helagsfjället in Härjedalen was investigated in an attempt to relocate palsas discovered by the botanist Harry Smith in 1910. Several small palsa-like features with ice cores were detected. The palsas were found on an almost flat peat bog at 950 m, 3 km NW of Helagsfjället. Five clearly elevated mounds and some indistinct ones with palsa-like features were traced. The five mounds were about 0.6 m high and had an area of about 2 × 3 m. One of the mounds was examined in more detail. At a depth of 0.3 m in the peat an ice body with a hard ice core was found. This location is the most southerly area known with occurrence of palsa-like forms in Sweden at the present time. In spite of a warmer climate towards the latter part of this century, palsa-like features have survived in this area. The mean annual temperature barely fits the criterion for palsa formation while the mean annual precipitation is too high as compared with the general assumptions. The palsa formation is probably dependent on strong winds thinning out the snowcover. [source] 6000 years of forest dynamics in Suserup Skov, a seminatural Danish woodlandGLOBAL ECOLOGY, Issue 2 2000Gina E. Hannon Abstract 1The history of a forest stand over the last 6000 years has been reconstructed by studying pollen, macrofossils and charcoal from a small, wet hollow in Suserup Skov on the island of Sjælland in eastern Denmark. 2The earliest recorded forest was Tilia -dominated but contained an intimate mixture of many different tree species that included Acer campestre, A. platanoides, Alnus glutinosa, Betula pubescens, Corylus avellana, Frangula alnus, Fraxinus excelsior, Malus sylvestris, Populus tremula, Pinus sylvestris, Quercus robur, Q. petraea, Salix spp., Sorbus aucuparia, Tilia cordata and T. platyphyllos. The preserved fruits of T. platyphyllos confirm its hitherto doubtful status as a native member of the Danish flora. 3The present-day woodland developed after a period of intensive anthropogenic disturbance between , 600 bc and ad 900, during which time open canopy conditions prevailed at Suserup. Fagus sylvatica and Fraxinus excelsior are the dominant trees at present, together with some Quercus robur and Ulmus glabra.4,Charcoal was present in the sediments from most time periods except at the Ulmus decline. In the last 1000 years of the sequence , the period of Fagus dominance , charcoal counts were consistently low. 5Pinus sylvestris was a natural component of this primarily deciduous forest, and the last macrofossil find dates from c. ad 900. Macrofossil Pinus cone scales recorded c. ad 1800 originate from planted individuals. Prior to Fagus dominance, the forest had an open structure partly caused by frequent, low-intensity fires associated with the presence of Pinus sylvestris. 6The replacement of Tilia by Fagus in this forest was catalysed by human activity. If the forest had not been so disturbed, the rich diversity of trees would most probably have persisted up to the present time, with only a moderate-sized Fagus population. [source] Barrett's oesophagus,a pathologist's viewHISTOPATHOLOGY, Issue 1 2007J-F Fléjou Barrett's oesophagus, a precancerous condition for oesophageal adenocarcinoma, detected on endoscopy and confirmed on histology, shows intestinal metaplasia of the lower oesophagus. The significance of microscopic foci of intestinal metaplasia at the gastro,oesophageal junction, corresponding either to so-called ,ultrashort' segment Barrett's oesophagus, or to carditis with intestinal metaplasia, is still a matter of debate. The surveillance of patients with Barrett's oesophagus is still based on systematic biopsy sampling of Barrett's mucosa on endoscopy, looking for dysplasia. Although well-established classifications of dysplasia are now used by most pathologists, there remain numerous problems with this subjective marker (sampling, diagnostic reproducibility, natural history, etc). Therefore, many alternative biomarkers have been proposed, but only DNA aneuploidy, proliferation markers and p53 loss of heterozygosity/overexpression have been shown to be of some use at the present time. Some endoscopic improvements already allow a better selection of biopsies, and it may be that in future new technologies will allow ,virtual biopsies'. On the other hand, the role of pathologists now extends to the evaluation of new therapeutic modalities of early neoplastic lesions in Barrett's oesophagus, especially endoscopic mucosal resection. [source] Hydro-climatic impacts on the ice cover of the lower Peace RiverHYDROLOGICAL PROCESSES, Issue 17 2008Spyros Beltaos Abstract Since the late 1960s, a paucity of ice-jam flooding in the lower Peace River has resulted in prolonged dry periods and considerable reduction in the area covered by lakes and ponds that provide habitat for aquatic life in the Peace,Athabasca Delta (PAD) region. Though major ice jams occur at breakup, antecedent conditions play a significant role in their frequency and severity. These conditions are partly defined by the mode of freezeup and the maximum thickness that is attained during the winter, shortly before the onset of spring and development of positive net heat fluxes to the ice cover. Data from hydrometric gauge records and from field surveys are utilized herein to study these conditions. It is shown that freezeup flows are considerably larger at the present time than before regulation, and may be responsible for more frequent formation of porous accumulation covers. Despite a concomitant rise in winter temperatures, solid-ice thickness has increased since the 1960s. Using a simple ice growth model, specifically developed for the study area, it is shown that porous accumulation covers enhance winter ice growth via accelerated freezing into the porous accumulation. Coupled with a reduction in winter snowfall, this effect can not only negate, but reverse, the effect of warmer winters on ice thickness, thus explaining present conditions. The present model is also shown to be a useful prediction tool, especially for extrapolating incomplete data to the end of the winter. Copyright © 2007 Crown in the right of Canada. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Identifying the Role of Moral Hazard in International Financial MarketsINTERNATIONAL FINANCE, Issue 1 2004Steven B. Kamin Abstract Considerable attention has been paid to the possibility that large-scale IMF-led financing packages may have distorted incentives in international financial markets, leading private investors to provide more credit to emerging market countries, and at lower interest rates, than might otherwise have been the case. Yet, prior attempts to identify such distortions have yielded mixed evidence, at best. This paper makes three contributions to our ability to assess the empirical importance of moral hazard in international financial markets. First, it is argued that, because large international ,bail-outs' did not commence until the 1995 Mexican crisis, financial indicators prior to that time could not have reflected a significant degree of this type of moral hazard. Therefore, one test for the existence of moral hazard is that the access of emerging markets to international credit is significantly easier than it was prior to 1995. Second, the paper argues that because private investors expect large-scale IMF-led packages to be extended primarily to economically or geo-politically important countries, moral hazard, if it exists, should lead these countries to have easier terms of access to credit than smaller, non-systemically important countries. Finally, in addition to looking at bond spreads, the focus of earlier empirical analyses of moral hazard, the paper also examines trends in capital flows to gauge the access of emerging market countries to external finance. Looking at the evidence in light of these considerations, the paper concludes that there is little support for the view that moral hazard is significantly distorting international capital markets at the present time. [source] Hyperreal transients in transfinite RLC networksINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CIRCUIT THEORY AND APPLICATIONS, Issue 6 2001A. H. Zemanian Abstract Up to the present time, there have been no transient analyses of RLC transfinite networks. Standard analyses of transfinite networks have been restricted to purely resistive ones. In this paper, it is shown how non-standard analysis can be used to examine the transient behaviour of transfinite networks having lumped resistors, inductors, and capacitors. To do so, the time line is expanded into the hyperreal time line, and the transients obtained take on hyperreal values. It is also shown how the diffusion of signals on artificial RC cables and the propagation of waves on artificial RLC transmission lines can ,pass through infinity' and penetrate transfinite extensions of those cables and lines. Less precisely but more suggestively, we can say that diffusions and waves can reach,with appreciable values,nodes that are transfinitely far away from their starting points, but that it will take infinitely long times in order to get there. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Two millennia of male stature development and population health and wealth in the Low CountriesINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF OSTEOARCHAEOLOGY, Issue 4 2005G. J. R. MaatArticle first published online: 5 AUG 200 Abstract This paper offers a review of shifts in average male stature and their relationship with health and wealth in the Low Countries from AD 50 to 1997. Twenty-one population samples were studied to cover the full time span. To make data compatible, so-called ,virtual statures' were used, i.e. the statures which adult males were supposed to have had at the end of their growth period, before they started shrinking by ageing. Original data were extracted from ,in situ measured statures', ,calculated statures' and ,corrected cadaveric statures'. If possible, maximum femoral lengths were also collected from the same population samples to check whether trends in stature development were in agreement with raw skeletal data. A long phase of stature decrease from ca. 176,cm to 166,cm, a so-called ,negative secular trend', was noticed from the Roman Period up to and including the first half of the 19th century. This was followed by a sharp and still ongoing increase in stature to 184,cm, a typical ,positive secular trend', from the second half of the 19th century to the present time. General shifts in stature and ,outliers' illustrative for the process are viewed in the context of socio-economic, demographic, health and nutritional factors. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Dental caries and associated factors in 12-year-old schoolchildren in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, IndiaINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PAEDIATRIC DENTISTRY, Issue 6 2005J. DAVID Summary Objectives. The aims of the present study were to describe the dental health status of 12-year-old schoolchildren in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India, and to identify sociodemographic factors, oral health behaviours, attitudes and knowledge related to dental caries experience. Methods. The study took the form of a cross-sectional survey of 838 children in upper primary schools. A two-stage cluster sampling technique was used. Dental caries was measured using World Health Organization criteria. Sociodemographic factors, oral health behaviours, attitudes and knowledge were assessed by a self-administered questionnaire. Results. The prevalence of dental caries in the permanent dentition was 27%. The mean number of decayed, missing and filled teeth was 0·5 (SD = 0·9). The decayed component (D) constituted 91% of the total number of decayed, missing and filled teeth (DMFT). Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that children had a higher risk of having dental caries if they lived in urban area [OR = 1·5, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1·1,2·1], had visited a dentist (OR = 1·6, 95% CI = 1·2,2·2), did not use a toothbrush (OR = 1·9, 95% CI = 1·2,2·9), consumed sweets (OR = 1·4, 95% CI = 1·0,1·9) or performed poorly in school (OR = 1·7, 95% CI = 1·0,2·3). Conclusions. The prevalence of caries in this sample of 12-year-old schoolchildren was low compared to that in other developing countries. The present study indicated that urban living conditions were associated with more dental caries. Since urbanization is rapid in India, oral health promotion at the present time would be valuable to prevent increased caries prevalence. [source] A forward genetic screen for genes regulating mineralized tooth and bone formation in zebrafish (Danio rerio)JOURNAL OF APPLIED ICHTHYOLOGY, Issue 2 2010P. C. Yelick Summary Our laboratory studies craniofacial skeletal and tooth regeneration. One approach we are using is to exploit the zebrafish model via a large-scale, forward genetic, chemical N-ethyl-nitroso-urea (ENU) mutagenesis screen to identify genes regulating mineralized craniofacial, axial and dental development. The fact that zebrafish continuously regenerate their teeth makes them an extremely useful model to study tooth regeneration. Our goal is to identify and characterize molecular genetic signaling pathways regulating these processes, which can be manipulated via targeted gene delivery strategies. Through these efforts, we hope to eventually define methods for effective, clinically relevant bone and tooth replacement therapies in humans. Here, we describe our studies using the zebrafish model, which are proving to be useful for the identification and characterization of genes regulating mineralized tissue formation, regeneration, and homeostasis. Although preliminary at the present time, we anticipate the elucidation of novel signaling pathways regulating bone and tooth regeneration, which will eventually facilitate the repair of human skeletal and dental dysplasias. [source] The fauna of Greece and adjacent areas in the Age of Homer: evidence from the first written documents of Greek literatureJOURNAL OF BIOGEOGRAPHY, Issue 11 2005Eleni Voultsiadou Abstract Aim, To study the composition of fauna in Greece and adjacent areas around 3000 years ago based on the knowledge of Homeric man about the animal kingdom. Location, Greece and adjacent areas. Method, Analysis of information derived from a thorough study of the first written documents of Greek literature, the epics, attributed to Homer and Hesiod. Results, Records of 2442 animals were found, corresponding to 71 different animal names. All animal names were attributed to recent taxa, at different category levels; the majority (65%) were assigned to taxa at the species level and the rest to supraspecific taxa. Most of the animal names recorded in the epics have been retained as integral words or roots in Modern Greek and they have been used in the formation of the Latin scientific taxa names. Five animal phyla appear in the texts: (1) Chordata (mostly birds and mammals), (2) Arthropoda, (3) Mollusca, (4) Porifera, and (5) Annelida. Information in the epics also includes morphology, biology, ecology (habitat and prey,predator relationships), and behaviour. The presence of several species in the area in that period is documented on the basis of archaeological and/or palaeontological findings from various Greek localities. Main conclusions, The knowledge of Homeric man about animals, as reflected in the epics, seems to concentrate mainly, but not exclusively, on animals involved in human activities. The populations of some common animal species of the Homeric Age in Greek populated areas have become extinct or reduced at the present time. On the other hand, some common animals of the present time do not appear in the epics, since they were introduced later. Useful zoological information can be derived from the study of classical texts, which may help historical biogeographers as a supplement to archaeology and art, in the reconstruction of faunas of older periods. [source] Potato demand in an increasingly organic marketplace,AGRIBUSINESS : AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL, Issue 3 2009Ming-Feng Hsieh The authors investigate pricing and demand issues for four fresh potato categories (russet, red, white, and minor colored), organic fresh potatoes, and two processed potato categories (frozen/refrigerated and dehydrated) using a nonlinear generalized almost ideal demand system (GAIDS) that is closed under unit scaling (CUUS). The model used regionally aggregated at-home consumption data from 2000 to 2005. Estimated uncompensated own price elasticities for fresh potatoes were highly significant and ranged between ,0.5 and ,1.6. The study was designed to capture the effects of the aggregate organic market on the prices, expenditures, and demand for each potato category. Organic food market penetration elasticities suggest that specialty potatoes (organic and minor-colored) are particularly well positioned if demands for organic products continue to rise, red potatoes are not well positioned and evidence of the early warning signs of slippage in market share for white and russet potatoes may exist. Producers and promoters of conventional potato products should account for the increasingly important role of organic products in making decisions. As an auxiliary exercise, we also statistically sourced the variance of the organic potato price premium relative to the other four fresh potato prices. At the present time, the variability of the organic potato premium is not much affected by production costs or other supply-related factors: the premium variability was driven largely by demand, and demographic/seasonal factors. Producers should be cautious about shifting to organic potato production until lower cost practices emerge. [JEL Codes: D120, Q130, Q180]. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source] Genetic testing for HFE hemochromatosis in Australia: The value of testing relatives of simple heterozygotesJOURNAL OF GASTROENTEROLOGY AND HEPATOLOGY, Issue 7 2002JULEEN A CAVANAUGH AbstractBackground : It is unclear whether screening of relatives of C282Y and H63D heterozygotes (other than compound heterozygotes) for hemochromatosis will detect sufficient numbers of cases to justify introduction of this screening strategy. Methods : Conditional probabilities were determined using published Australian allele frequencies and penetrance data to determine the detection rate of hemochromatosis by testing the siblings and offspring of heterozygotes (subjects with only one HFE mutation). Results : The number of individuals who are at risk of developing increased body iron stores because of HFE mutations is substantially higher (1 in 80) than previously estimated. In addition, 33% of the Australian population are heterozygous for either C282Y or H63D. Based on population estimates, the relative risk to the offspring of C282Y and H63D heterozygotes of developing increased iron stores is 4.1 and 1.5, respectively, while the relative risk to each sibling is 2.3 and 1, respectively. The risk of developing clinical features of hemochromatosis or hepatic fibrosis is likely to be substantially lower. Conclusions : Although the detection rate from testing the families of unaffected heterozygotes is low, this can be justified as a clinically useful screening strategy. At the present time this strategy should be restricted to first-degree relatives of heterozygotes. Further studies are recommended to determine if cascade genetic screening is a cost-effective alternative to general population screening. © 2002 Blackwell Publishing Asia Pty Ltd [source] Towards a rational development of anti-endotoxin agents: novel approaches to sequestration of bacterial endotoxins with small moleculesJOURNAL OF MOLECULAR RECOGNITION, Issue 6 2001Sunil A. David Abstract Endotoxins, or lipopolysaccharides (LPS), present on the surface of Gram-negative bacteria, play a key role in the pathogenesis of septic shock, a common clinical problem and a leading cause of mortality in critically ill patients, for which no specific therapeutic modalities are available at the present time. The toxic moiety of LPS is a glycolipid called ,lipid A', which is composed of a bisphosphorylated diglucosamine backbone bearing up to seven acyl chains in ester and amide linkages. Lipid A is structurally highly conserved in Gram-negative bacteria, and is therefore an attractive target for developing anti-endotoxin molecules designed to sequester, and thereby neutralize, the deleterious effects of endotoxins. The anionic and amphipathic nature of lipid A enables the interaction of a wide variety of cationic amphiphiles with the toxin. This review describes the systematic evaluation of several structural classes of cationic amphiphiles, both peptides and non-peptidic small molecules, in the broader context of recent efforts aimed at developing novel anti-endotoxin strategies. The derivation of a pharmacophore for LPS recognition has led to the identification of novel, nontoxic, structurally simple small molecules, the lipopolyamines. The lipopolyamines bind and neutralize LPS in in vitro experiments as well as in animal models of endotoxicity, and thus present novel and exciting leads for rational, structure-based development of LPS-sequestering agents of potential clinical value. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Goal Programming: realistic targets for the near futureJOURNAL OF MULTI CRITERIA DECISION ANALYSIS, Issue 3-4 2009Rafael Caballero Abstract Goal Programming (GP) can be regarded as one of the most widely used multicriteria decision-making techniques. In this paper, two surveys are carried out. First, the evolution of GP since its birth to the present time, in terms of number of publications, references, journals, etc., has been studied. Second, a more in-depth survey has been carried out, which covers the publications from year 2000 to the present time. All the references are listed, and some conclusions and future research lines have been extracted about the late trends of GP. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Recent advances in non-invasive prenatal DNA diagnosis through analysis of maternal bloodJOURNAL OF OBSTETRICS AND GYNAECOLOGY RESEARCH (ELECTRONIC), Issue 6 2007Akihiko Sekizawa Abstract Prenatal diagnosis of aneuploidy and single-gene disorders is usually performed by collecting fetal samples through amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling. However, these invasive procedures are associated with some degree of risk to the fetus and/or mother. Therefore, in recent years, considerable effort has been made to develop non-invasive prenatal diagnostic procedures. One potential non-invasive approach involves analysis of cell-free fetal DNA in maternal plasma or serum. Another approach utilizes fetal cells within the maternal circulation as a source of fetal DNA. At the present time, fetal gender and fetal RhD blood type within RhD-negative pregnant women can be reliably determined through analysis of maternal plasma. Furthermore, genetic alterations can be diagnosed in the maternal plasma when the mother does not have the alterations. However, the diagnosis of maternally inherited genetic disease and aneuploidy is limited using this approach. Non-invasive prenatal diagnosis through examination of intact fetal cells circulating within maternal blood can be used to diagnose a full range of genetic disorders. Since only a limited number of fetal cells circulate within maternal blood, procedures to enrich the cells and enable single cell analysis with high sensitivity are required. Recently, separation methods, including a lectin-based method and autoimage analyzing, have been developed, which have improved the sensitivity of genetic analysis. This progress has supported the possibility of non-invasive prenatal diagnosis of genetic disorders. In the present article, we discuss recent advances in the field of non-invasive prenatal diagnosis. [source] Alcohol Exposure Impairs Myeloid Dendritic Cell Function in Rhesus MacaquesALCOHOLISM, Issue 9 2009Robert W. Siggins Background:, Alcohol intoxication suppresses both the innate and adaptive immunities. Dendritic cells (DCs) are the major cell type bridging the innate and acquired immune responses. At the present time, the effects of alcohol on DC development in hematopoietic tissues and the functional activities of DCs are incompletely elucidated. This study investigated the impact of chronic alcohol exposure on the alteration of hematopoietic precursor cell and DC populations in the bone marrow and peripheral blood of rhesus macaques. Methods:, Rhesus macaques were administered alcohol or isocaloric sucrose daily for a period of 3 months through surgically implanted gastric catheters. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and bone marrow cells (BMCs) were isolated for flow cytometric analysis after 3 months. Monocytes were cultured with human IL-4 (10 ng/ml) and GM-CSF (50 ng/ml) in the absence and presence of alcohol (50 mM). On day 6 of the culture, a cocktail of stimulants including IL-1, (18 ng), IL-6 (1800 U), TNF-, (18 ng), and PGE2 (1.8 ,g) were added to the designated wells for transformation of immature dendritic cells (iDCs) to mature myeloid DCs. The cells were analyzed on day 8 by flow cytometry for expression of DC costimulatory molecule expression. Results:, EtOH-treated animals had significantly lower numbers of myeloid DCs (lineage-HLA-DR+CD11c+CD123,) in both the PBMCs and BMCs compared to controls (5,654 ± 1,273/106 vs. 2,353 ± 660/106 PBMCs and 503 ± 34 vs. 195 ± 44/106 BMCs). Under culture conditions, the number of lineage-HLA-DR+CD83+ cells was low in control wells (0.38 ± 0.08%). Alcohol inhibited the increase in the number of lineage-HLA-DR+CD83+ cells in iDC wells (2.30 ± 0.79% vs. 5.73 ± 1.40%). Alcohol also inhibited the increase in the number of lineage-HLA-DR+CD83+ cells in mature DC wells (1.23 ± 0.15% vs. 4.13 ± 0.62%). Conclusions:, Chronic EtOH decreases the bone marrow and circulating pools of myeloid DCs. Additionally, EtOH suppresses costimulatory molecule CD83 expression during DC transformation, which may attenuate the ability of DCs to initiate T-cell expansion. [source] Chemoradiotherapy in gallbladder cancerJOURNAL OF SURGICAL ONCOLOGY, Issue 8 2006FACS, Xabier de Aretxabala MD Abstract Gallbladder cancer (GC) is considered a rare disease associated with a poor prognosis. Unfortunately, the low number of cases makes the performance of trials addressing the role of adjuvant, neoadjuvant, and/or palliative therapy difficult. For a long time, the majority of trials were 5-fluorouracil (5 FU)-based, and results were uniformly poor. Since the introduction of Gemcitabine, response rates of approximately 30% have been observed through the use of this drug and new approaches have been tested. In this sense, drugs such as Cisplatin and Capecitabine have been employed concurrently with gemcitabine and/or radiation. Since a recurrence pattern is both distant and local, chernoradiation seems a logical option to deal with the disease. However, at the present time, the lack of valid and scientific evidence means that most of the recommendations originate from trials dealing with other tumors, such as pancreas cancer and biliary tract cancer (BTC). The aforementioned treatment alternatives warrant further evaluation focusing on GC. J. Surg. Oncol. 2006;93:699,704. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Ultrafast laser written active devicesLASER & PHOTONICS REVIEWS, Issue 6 2009M. Ams Abstract Direct-write optical waveguide device fabrication is probably the most widely studied application of femtosecond laser micromachining in transparent dielectrics at the present time. Devices such as buried waveguides, power splitters, couplers, gratings, optical amplifiers and laser oscillators have all been demonstrated. This paper reviews the application of the femtosecond laser direct-write technique to the fabrication of active waveguide devices in bulk glass materials. [source] Surgical treatment of Budd-Chiari syndromeLIVER TRANSPLANTATION, Issue 9 2003Andrew S. Klein Shunting and transplantation are satisfactory methods of treating Budd-Chiari syndrome (BCS). Selection of treatment is based on the degree of hepatic injury (clinical settings), liver biopsy results, potential for parenchymal recovery, and pressure measurements. Shunting is recommended in cases of preserved hepatic function and architecture. In the presence of fulminant forms of BCS, in cases of established cirrhosis or frank fibrosis, or for patients with defined hepatic metabolic defects (e.g., protein C or protein S deficiency), liver transplantation is the treatment of choice. Nonsurgical alternatives, although encouraging, have limited long-term outcome results at the present time. In most cases of BCS, a thrombophilic disorder can be identified. However, it is important to note that postoperative vascular thrombosis has been identified in patients with BCS who do not have a definable hypercoagulable predisposition. It therefore is our practice to recommend early (<24 hours postoperatively) initiation of intravenous heparin therapy in all patients with BCS, who then undergo life-long anticoagulation with coumadin. (Liver Transpl 2003;9:891-896.) [source] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||