Reflections on privacy,identity and consent in on-line services

The paper gives an overview of the evolution of the laws protecting personal data privacy in the UK over the last 30 years. Against this background, the author considers: the compromises to personal data privacy brought about by the electronic age; individual motivations for using e-services and the balance of risks and benefits; the place of identity management in e-transactions; and, the ways that data guardianship can be improved by an understanding of the roles and responsibilities of those responsible for personal data in organisations, data handlers and individual citizens. The conclusions reached are that once personal data has been recorded electronically it persists and the divide between public and private space is blurred. Citizens should retain rights to personal data including the right to be asked for their consent before it is shared or linked for commercial or administrative purposes. This puts a particular duty on government to behave (and be perceived to behave) responsibly and transparently with regard to the collection, use and disposal of personal data so as to create trust and support democracy.     

Historical background of clinical trials involving women and minorities

The author provides a historical context for the difficult ethical and clinical issues associated with the inclusion of women and members of minority groups in clinical research. He cites as a point of departure the Nuremberg Code of the late 1940s, which declared the fundamental dignity of human beings involved as research subjects, a principle that was quickly endorsed worldwide. From the period following World War II through the 1970s, the prevailing attitude--not always practiced--toward research subjects in the United States was that they should be protected from exploitation. That attitude was reflected in the first broad federal policy on research subjects, created in 1966. During those years, research was widely regarded by the public as dangerous and of little value to individual participants; it is remarkable that so many men and women consented to participate in clinical studies at that time. Furthermore, during the 1970s, for reasons explained by the author, various events--the abortion debate, disclosures from the infamous Tuskegee syphilis study, Nixon's "war on cancer," new federal regulations in 1974 and 1975 (the latter providing additional protection for pregnant women in research), the broad interpretation of the FDA's 1977 policy excluding pregnant or potentially pregnant women from clinical trials, and the tendency of blacks and persons from other minority groups to shun participation in research--tended to deter participation of women and members of minority groups in clinical research.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Diamorphine-bupivacaine mixture compared with plain bupivacaine for analgesia

We have studied the efficacy of two extradural infusions (10 ml h-1) in 50 patients in active labour. Patients in the diamorphine group (n = 25) received 0.0625% plain bupivacaine 6.25 mg h-1 mixed with 0.005% diamorphine 0.5 mg h-1 and those in the control group (n = 25) received 0.125% plain bupivacaine 12.5 mg h-1. Both groups received intermittent "top-ups" of 0.25% bupivacaine 10 ml when indicated. Although median pain scores during the infusion were similar in both groups, patients in the diamorphine group indicated greater satisfaction with the infusion (88% very satisfied, compared with 52% in the control group (P < 0.02)). There were no differences in the incidence of hypotension, instrumental vaginal delivery, number of "top-ups", duration of the second stage or extent of motor block. However, patients in the diamorphine group had a high incidence of pruritus (44%, compared with 0% in the control group (P < 0.01)).     

Engineering linear F(ab')2 fragments for efficient production in Escherichia coli and enhanced antiproliferative activity

We developed a novel bivalent antibody fragment, the linear(L-) F(ab')₂, comprising tandem repeats of a heavy chain fragmentV_H–C_H1–V_H–C_H1 cosecreted with a light chain.Functional humanized L-F(ab')₂ directed against p185^HER2 wassecreted from Escherichia coli at high titer (100 mg/l) andpurified to homogeneity. The L-F(ab')₂ binds two equivalentsof antigen with an apparent affinity (K_d = 0.46 nM) that iswithin 3-fold of the corresponding thioether-linked F(ab')₂fragment The N-terminal site binds antigen with an affinity(K_d = 1.2 nM) that is 4-fold greater than that for the C-terminalsite, as shown by the comparison of L-F(ab')₂ variants containinga single functional binding site. L-F(ab')₂ has greater antiproliferativeactivity than the thioether-linked F(ab')₂ against the p185^HER2-overexpressingtumor cell line BT474. Linear and thioether-linked F(ab')₂ havevery similar pharmacokinetic properties in normal mice, andtheir serum permanence times are respectively 7- and 8-foldlonger than the corresponding Fab fragment L-F(ab')₂ offersa facile route to bivalent antibody fragments that are potentiallysuitable for clinical applications, and that may have improvedbiological activity compared with thioether-linked F(ab')₂ fragments.     

Calculation of the power spectral density from surface profile data

The power spectral density (PSD), in its two-dimensional form, has been designated as the preferred quantity for specifying surface roughness on a draft international drawing standard for surface texture. The correct calculation of the one-dimensional PSD from discrete surface profile data is given, and problems in using fast Fourier-transform routines that are given in some of the standard reference books are flagged. The method given here contains the correct normalizing factors. Two ways to reduce the variance of the PSD estimate are suggested. Examples are shown of the variance reduction possible in the PSD's.     

Higher incidence of Gastrospirillum sp. in swine with gastric ulcer of the pars oesophagea

Gastric ulcer in swine is characterized by an area of acid-peptic digestion, occurs usually in the pars oesophagea of the stomach, and has unknown etiopathogenesis. The present work was carried out to investigate the prevalence of the newly described spiral-shaped microorganism Gastrospirillum sp. ("Gastrospirillum suis") in stomachs of abattoir pigs with and without gastric ulcer. Stomachs were removed from 32 consecutive pigs presenting apparently normal mucosa and from 32 additional consecutive pigs presenting frank, chronic gastric ulcer of the pars oesophagea. Fragments of antral, oxyntic, cardiac and pars oesophagea regions were taken from each stomach and processed for histology and for identification of Gastrospirillum sp. in tissue sections. The microorganisms were identified mainly in the mucous layer and in gastric foveolas of the antral and oxyntic mucosa. Forty pigs (62.5%) were positive for Gastrospirillum sp.; among them, 27 (67.5%) had gastric ulcer, and 13 (32.5%) had no ulcer. Twenty-four pigs (37.5%) were negative for Gastrospirillum sp.; among them, five (20.8%) presented with gastric ulcer, and 19 (79.2%) had no ulcer. There was a significant difference between pigs with and without gastric ulcer in regard to the presence of Gastrospirillum sp. (P < 0.01). The spiral-shaped microorganism Gastrospirillum sp. that inhabits the stomach of pigs should be considered a possible factor connected with the etiopathogenesis of swine gastric ulcer.     

Homophobia? No, homoprejudice

The ubiquitous expression of anti-homosexual responses and the lack of consensus regarding the characterization of such responses served as the impetus for this study. The purpose of this study was to investigate the nature of anti-homosexual responses as reported by male and female undergraduates. Participants in the study were asked to respond to both a lesbian and a gay target questionnaire. Responses were measured as either phobic or prejudicial. Findings indicated that there is little, if any, evidence to support the characterization of anti-homosexual responses as a phobia. Responses to prejudicial items suggested that anti-homosexual responses lie primarily within the realm of prejudice. Results also indicated that males were less tolerant than females of gays and lesbians and males and females respond differentially according to same-sex target. The implications of using a more accurate term such as "homoprejudice" to characterize anti-homosexual responses are discussed. Additionally, avenues for future research are addressed.     

Somatic mosaicism in a patient with neurofibromatosis type 1

Using loss of heterozygosity analysis, a method designed to detect moderate to large gene deletions, we have identified a new-mutation neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) patient who is somatically mosaic for a large maternally derived deletion in the NF1 gene region. The deletion extends at least from exon 4 near the 5' end of the gene to intron 39 near the 3' end. The gene-coding region is, therefore, mostly or entirely deleted, encompassing a loss of > or = 100 kb. We hypothesize that the deletion occurred at a relatively early developmental timepoint, since signs of NF1 in this patient are not confined to a specific body region, as seen in "segmental" NF, and since both mesodermally and ectodermally derived cells are affected. This report provides the first molecular evidence of somatic mosaicism in NF1 and, taken together with a recent report of germ-line mosaicism in NF1, adds credence to the concept that mosaicism plays an important role in phenotypic and genetic aspects of NF1 and may even be a relatively common phenomenon.     

Properties of whole saliva and dental plaque in relation to 40-month consumption of chewing gums containing xylitol, sorbitol of sucrose

The concern with nursing research in the future work of nurse graduates. Expectations from the viewpoint of the nurse researcher. Keeping in mind the concerns which occupy nurse researchers now and in the future, expectations are raised of the graduates of degree programmes in nursing science which are now also being established in the Federal Republic of Germany. This takes into account the structurally determined areas of self determined action in new fields of professional practice. Nurse graduates will be seen as "change agents" in their future areas of work and will have three essential aspects of involvement with nursing research: 1. they themselves will conduct research 2. they will receive, put into practice and transmit results of nursing research 3. they will initiate and commission nursing research projects. According to the broad topics of nursing research, requirements for nurses to act as professionals in their new working fields are formulated referring to the given structural conditions in Germany.