A telephone survey of parental attitudes and behaviours regarding teenage drinking

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Irish teenagers demonstrate high rates of drunkenness and there has been a progressive fall in age of first drinking in recent decades. International research indicates that parents exert substantial influence over their teenager's drinking. We sought to determine the attitudes and behaviours of Irish parents towards drinking by their adolescent children.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We conducted a telephone survey of a representative sample of of 234 parents who had a teenager aged between 13 and 17 years.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Six per cent reported that they would be unconcerned if their son or daughter was to binge drink once per month. On the issue of introducing children to alcohol in the home, 27% viewed this as a good idea while 63% disagreed with this practice. Eleven per cent of parents reported that they had given a drink to their teenager at home. Parents who drank regularly themselves, who were from higher socio-demographic groups and who lived in the east of Ireland demonstrated more permissive attitudes to teenage drinking.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>We found no evidence of widespread permissive attitudes and behaviours among Irish parents. Given that parental influences have been demonstrated to exert substantial impact on teenage drinking, it may be possible to harness the concerns of Irish parents more effectively to reverse the trends of escalating alcohol related harm in Ireland.</p

Analysis of the Effects of Polymorphism on Pollen Profilin Structural Functionality and the Generation of Conformational, T- and B-Cell Epitopes

An extensive polymorphism analysis of pollen profilin, a fundamental regulator of the actin cytoskeleton dynamics, has been performed with a major focus in 3D-folding maintenance, changes in the 2-D structural elements, surface residues involved in ligands-profilin interactions and functionality, and the generation of conformational and lineal B- and T-cell epitopes variability. Our results revealed that while the general fold is conserved among profilins, substantial structural differences were found, particularly affecting the special distribution and length of different 2-D structural elements (i.e. cysteine residues), characteristic loops and coils, and numerous micro-heterogeneities present in fundamental residues directly involved in the interacting motifs, and to some extension these residues nearby to the ligand-interacting areas. Differential changes as result of polymorphism might contribute to generate functional variability among the plethora of profilin isoforms present in the olive pollen from different genetic background (olive cultivars), and between plant species, since biochemical interacting properties and binding affinities to natural ligands may be affected, particularly the interactions with different actin isoforms and phosphoinositides lipids species. Furthermore, conspicuous variability in lineal and conformational epitopes was found between profilins belonging to the same olive cultivar, and among different cultivars as direct implication of sequences polymorphism. The variability of the residues taking part of IgE-binding epitopes might be the final responsible of the differences in cross-reactivity among olive pollen cultivars, among pollen and plant-derived food allergens, as well as between distantly related pollen species, leading to a variable range of allergy reactions among atopic patients. Identification and analysis of commonly shared and specific epitopes in profilin isoforms is essential to gain knowledge about the interacting surface of these epitopes, and for a better understanding of immune responses, helping design and development of rational and effective immunotherapy strategies for the treatment of allergy diseases. [EN]This study was supported by the following European Regional Development Fund co-financed grants: MCINN BFU 2004-00601/BFI, BFU 2008-00629, BFU2011-22779, CICE (Junta de Andalucía) P2010-CVI15767, P2010-AGR6274 and P2011-CVI-7487, and by the coordinated project Spain/Germany MEC HA2004-0094. JCJ-L thanks Spanish CSIC and the European Marie Curie research program for his I3P-BPD-CSIC, and PIOF-GA-2011-301550 grants, respectively.Peer reviewe

Surgical management of children and young adults with the Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome

The Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, as originally described, includes palpitations, tachycardia, and an abnormal electrocardiogram (short PR interval and wide QRS complex). The clinical manifestations are dependent upon a reentrant tachycardia supported by an accessory connection bridging the atrioventricular junction and frequently appear during the first two decades of life. Palpitations are the usual symptoms; less frequently, severe symptoms, such as syncope and sudden death, may result from very rapid atrioventricular conduction across the accessory connection during atrial fibrillation. We report the surgical management of 30 young patients with this syndrome, including 6 with life-threatening tachycardia. Surgical interruption of the accessory connection(s) was curative in 90% (27/30) of the patients; life-threatening symptoms were eliminated in the other three. Based on the limited knowledge of the natural history of the Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, the individual patient symptoms, and the electrophysiologic properties of each patient's accessory pathway(s), an algorithm is presented outlining the treatment options. This experience strongly suggests that surgical treatment of the Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome is safe, effective, and possibly the preferred treatment for this disorder in selected young symptomatic patients.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/41585/1/380_2005_Article_BF02058591.pd

Impact of Age on the Cerebrovascular Proteomes of Wild-Type and Tg-SwDI Mice

The structural integrity of cerebral vessels is compromised during ageing. Abnormal amyloid (Aβ) deposition in the vasculature can accelerate age-related pathologies. The cerebrovascular response associated with ageing and microvascular Aβ deposition was defined using quantitative label-free shotgun proteomic analysis. Over 650 proteins were quantified in vessel-enriched fractions from the brains of 3 and 9 month-old wild-type (WT) and Tg-SwDI mice. Sixty-five proteins were significantly increased in older WT animals and included several basement membrane proteins (nidogen-1, basement membrane-specific heparan sulfate proteoglycan core protein, laminin subunit gamma-1 precursor and collagen alpha-2(IV) chain preproprotein). Twenty-four proteins were increased and twenty-one decreased in older Tg-SwDI mice. Of these, increases in Apolipoprotein E (APOE) and high temperature requirement serine protease-1 (HTRA1) and decreases in spliceosome and RNA-binding proteins were the most prominent. Only six shared proteins were altered in both 9-month old WT and Tg-SwDI animals. The age-related proteomic response in the cerebrovasculature was distinctly different in the presence of microvascular Aβ deposition. Proteins found differentially expressed within the WT and Tg-SwDI animals give greater insight to the mechanisms behind age-related cerebrovascular dysfunction and pathologies and may provide novel therapeutic targets

Contribution of Microbe-Mediated Processes in Nitrogen Cycle to Attain Environmental Equilibrium

Nitrogen (N), the most important element, is required by all living organisms for the synthesis of complex organic molecules like amino acids, proteins, lipids etc. Nitrogen cycle is considered to be the most complex yet arguably important cycle next to carbon cycle. Nitrogen cycle includes oxic and anoxic reactions like organic N mineralization, ammonia assimilation, nitrification denitrification, anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox), dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium (DNRA), comammox, codenitrification etc. Nitrogen cycling is one of the most crucial processes required for the recycling of essential chemical requirements on the planet. Soil microorganisms not only improve N-cycle balance but also pave the way for sustainable agricultural practices, leading to improved soil properties and crop productivity as most plants are opportunistic in the uptake of soluble or available forms of N from soil. Microbial N transformations are influenced by plants to improve their nutrition and vice versa. Diverse microorganisms, versatile metabolic activities, and varied biotic and abiotic conditions may result in the shift in the equilibrium state of different N-cycling processes. This chapter is an overview of the mechanisms and genes involved in the diverse microorganisms associated in the operation of nitrogen cycle and the roles of such microorganisms in different agroecosystems

Laser controlled cycloaddition and reversion of crossdimers

To treat cataract, the major cause for blindness, the original eye lenses are removed and artificial lenses are implanted. With this procedure, the side effect of secondary cataract has become of interest to research. The treatment thereof calls for the development of a molecular integrated and covalently bound photolinker system for the controlled release of cytostatica. To load the polymeric intraocular lens, crossdimers of the photolinker coumarin together with the antimetabolite 5-fluorouracil are synthesized. After incorporation in the lens, the specific release via cycloreversion then is best realized with a two photon process which offers high spatial resolution, and which uses visual light to pass the cornea. The backbone of this work is the light driven, intermolecular and coumarin based crossdimerization and its reversion. To achieve this goal, the options given for photoreactions, like set up, substrates, and excitation are considered and their variables are evaluated. The choice of photolinker is narrowed down and a comparison between these absorbing substrates provided by kinetic measurements. A list of possible molecule types of the non-absorbing reaction partner for the crossdimerization is given, by which a huge variety of crossdimers can be build up. The commonly used lamp based light sources such as a Rayonet reactor are compared to the novel favored laser system. The sun is also utilized to project a large scale, energetically economic process. The laser, as a new tool for molecule synthesis, exhibits improvements to cycloaddition reactions in a number of experiments. Additives like sensitizers and triplet promoters are shown to be unnecessary with this high energy illumination. The laser fueled set up is analyzed and the photon distribution, together with the photon flux, is determined to be crucial. With parameters attuned to the lifetime of the excited state, the diffusion controlled dimerization reaction can be controlled and steered towards the principal generation of crossdimer. The reversibility of the dimerization reaction caused both by heat and light is demonstrated. Thermal cleavage is used in addition to laser synthesis in the specialization towards exclusive crossdimer synthesis. Light is primarily used in the customary laser based two photon absorption for specific single and two bond cleavage. Hereby the ever more popular two photon cycloreversion is measured of individual stereoisomers. All methods, developed for the dimer generation, belong to the general concept for the extended application of photoreaction in synthesis. Additional examples in form of a sequential photoreaction and photoremovable protective groups are presented accordingly

Die Funktion der Coiled-Coil-Domäne im Nukleoprotein des Ebolavirus

Das Ebolavirus (EBOV) bildet mit dem Marburgvirus die Familie der Filoviren, die aufgrund ihres einzelsträngigen, negativ orientierten RNA-Genoms der Ordnung der Mononegavirales zugeteilt werden. Filoviren verursachen beim Menschen und bei nicht-menschlichen Primaten ein schweres hämorrhagisches Fieber mit einer Mortalitätsrate bis zu 90%. Deshalb und weil es bisher keine spezifische Therapie und keine Impfung gibt, werden Filoviren als Pathogene der Sicherheitsstufe 4 eingestuft. Der Nukleokapsidkomplex des EBOV besteht aus dem nicht-segmentierten RNAGenom sowie dem Nukleokapsidprotein NP, der viralen Polymerase L, dem Polymerase-Ko-Faktor VP35 sowie VP30 besteht. Gegenstand dieser Arbeit ist eine Coiled-Coil-Domäne innerhalb des NP, deren Einfluss auf verschiedene Funktionen des NP untersucht werden sollte. Hierfür wurde die Rolle der Coiled-Coil bei der Interaktion mit VP30 und VP35 analysiert. NPMutanten, die entweder keine Coiled-Coil-3D-Struktur oder gar keine Coiled-Coil mehr aufwiesen, konnten hier zwar noch mit VP35, aber nicht mehr mit VP30 interagieren. Die Gründe hierfür sind vermutlich, dass VP35 mehrere Bindungsstellen besitzt und VP30 entweder im Bereich der Coiled-Coilbindet oder die durch die Coiled-Coil vermittelte Konformation des NP benötigt. Weiterhin befasst sich diese Arbeit mit der Rolle der Coiled-Coil-Domäne bei der NPNP- Interaktion und dem self assembly. Immunfluoreszenzanalysen ergaben, dass die Bildung von NP-Einschlusskörpern, so genannter inclusions, von der Coiled-Coil- Domäne abhängt. Coiled-Coil-defiziente Mutanten können aber noch durch NPwt in inclusions rekrutiert werden, die Fähigkeit zur Selbstinteraktion ist also nur eingeschränkt. Mittels eines Complementation Assays konnte gezeigt werden, dass die Coiled-Coil-Domäne allein ausreichend für eine NP-NP Bindung sein kann. Immunelektronenmikroskopischen Analysen konnten zudem zeigen, dass die Bildung von NP-Helices, welche das Gerüst der Nukleokapside darstellen, ebenfalls nur bei intakter Coiled-Coil-Domäne oder in Gegenwart von NPwt möglich ist. Eine Rolle könnte hierbei entweder eine durch die Coiled-Coil-Domäne vermittelte Oligomerisierung des NP oder RNA-Interaktion spielen, welche zur Bildung von Helices wichtig ist. Im letzten Teil der Arbeit wurde der Einfluss Coiled-Coil-Domäne auf die virale Transkription untersucht. Hierbei zeigte sich im iVLP-Assay, dass eine nicht intakte Coiled-Coil einen dominant negativen Effekt auf die Transkription hat. Dies ist vermutlich dadurch bedingt, dass ohne intakte Coiled-Coil keine NP-Helices gebildet werden können und so auch keine regulären Nukleokapside, welche für die Polymerase als Matrize zur Transkription und Replikation dienen