פרסומים

This study proposes a number of theoretical and methodological innovations in an attempt to better understand how legislators compete for media coverage. We make a distinction between those variables that determine the potential newsworthiness of a legislature (production assets) and those that are related to the political and media environment in which the legislators operate (news opportunities). We then put forth five hypotheses and test them by examining the political standing, charismatic communication skills, and radio exposure of 54 members of the Israeli Knesset. The results confirm that political standing and charismatic communication skills are important predictors of media exposure and that the relative importance of these factors changes during different political seasons.

The Seventh Eilat Conference on New Antiepileptic Drugs (AEDs) (EILAT VII) took place in Villasimius, Sardinia, Italy from the 9th to 13th May 2004. Basic scientists, clinical pharmacologists and neurologists from 24 countries attended the conference,whose main themes included advances in pathophysiology of drug resistance, new AEDs in pediatric epilepsy syndromes, modes of AED action and spectrum of adverse effects and a re-appraisal of comparative responses to AED combinations. Consistent with previous formats of this conference, the central part of the conference was devoted to a review of AEDs in development, as well as updates on second-generation AEDs. This article summarizes the information presented on drugs in development, including atipamezole, BIA-2-093, fluorofelbamate, NPS 1776, pregabalin, retigabine, safinamide, SPM 927, stiripentol, talampanel,ucb 34714 and valrocemide (TV 1901). Updates on felbamate, gabapentin, lamotrigine, levetiracetam, oxcarbazepine, tiagabine,topiramate, vigabatrin, zonisamide, new oral and parenteral formulations of valproic acid and SPM 927 and the antiepileptic vagal stimulator device are also presented.

Some parts of the review were taken from an article by Schmitt et al. entitled "Structure and Technofunctional Properties of Protein-Polysaccharide Complexes. A Review" (C. Schmitt, C. Sanchez, S. Desobry-Banan, and J. Hardy, Crit. Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, 38 (8), 689-753, 1998). Much of the section on Industrial applications of Protein-Polysaccharide Complexes on pages 114-115 were paraphrased or taken directly from Section V-Industrial Utilization of Protein-Polysaccharide complexes on page 730-736 of Schmitt et al. The material borrowed so directly should have been set off in quotes and had more direct attribution and the table should have indicated its source. Table 3 on page 117 was reproduced from Table 8 of Schmitt et al. and the table should have indicated its source. The caption to Figure 10 is incorrect. The figure was extd. from a ref. which should be added to the ref. list as Ref. 36b: C. Schmitt, C. Sanchez, A. Lamprecht, D. Renard, C.-M. Lehr, C. G. de Kruif and J. Hardy. "Study of beta-Lactoglobulin-Acacia Gum Complex Coacervation Using Diffusing Wave Spectroscopy and Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy." Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces, 20 (3), 267-280, 2001. [on SciFinder(R)]

In cystic fibrosis (CF), transcript analysis and quantification are important for diagnosis, prognosis and also as surrogate markers for some therapies including gene therapy. Classical RNA-based methods require significant expression levels in target samples for appropriate analysis, thus PCR-based methods are evolving towards reliable quantification. Various protocols for the quantitative analysis of CFTR transcripts (including those resulting from splicing variants) are described and discussed here.

A review describes new emerging improvements involving the stability and the control issues of double emulsions, discusses mechanistic considerations, and evaluates alternative ways to deal with the double emulsion concerns related to food applications. [on SciFinder(R)]

A review. Double emulsions are complex dispersed liq. systems known also as "emulsion of emulsion" or "emulsions with emulsions", in which the droplets of one dispersed liq. are further dispersed in another liq. Double emulsions can be of water-in-oil-in-water or oil-in-water-in-oil. The most common and the most studied double emulsions are of water-in-oil-in-water since they have higher potential to become com. products in food, cosmetics and pharmaceutical systems. Double emulsions are considered extremely promising formulations for slow and controlled release of entrapped active matter form the inner phase to the outer continuous phase. Recent studies and the different approaches that have been recently introduced to make double emulsions are discussed. One of the most promising techniques for making double emulsions is using the concept of emulsified microemulsion or emulsified mesophases. [on SciFinder(R)]

Eosinophils play an important role in inflammation and probably in airway remodeling in asthma. We previously demonstrated that eosinophils from atopic subjects display pro-fibrogenic properties towards lung fibroblasts partially by preformed transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta). We hypothesized that the pro-fibrogenic potential of eosinophils is increased in children with life-threatening asthma (LTA). Six children with atopic LTA clinically well-controlled by inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) and 5 children with atopic mild asthma (MA) treated only with inhaled beta(2)-agonists were investigated. The effects of their peripheral blood eosinophils on fibroblast proliferation and lattice contraction were investigated. In addition, TGF-beta(1) and IL-6 eosinophil content were also evaluated. Unexpectedly, eosinophils from LTA increased fibroblast proliferation (5.4-fold) and gel contraction (1.1-fold) significantly less than those from MA. TGF-beta(1) but not IL-6 eosinophil content in LTA was significantly lower than that in MA (2.7-fold). In vitro, addition of dexamethasone on eosinophils stimulated by mast cells resulted in a marked decrease in their TGF-beta(1) content by 1.6-fold. In conclusion, eosinophils from children with ICS-treated LTA displayed significantly less pro-fibrogenic properties than those from MA treated only with beta(2)-agonists. Our data suggest that the pro-fibrogenic effect of eosinophils might be influenced by treatment with ICS in childhood asthma.

RATIONALE: In the one-compartment model following i.v. administration the mean residence time (MRT) of a drug is always greater than its half-life (t(1/2)). However, following i.v. administration, drug plasma concentration (C) versus time (t) is best described by a two-compartment model or a two exponential equation:C=Ae(-alpha t)+Be(-beta t), where A and B are concentration unit-coefficients and alpha and beta are exponential coefficients. The relationships between t(1/2) and MRT in the two-compartment model have not been explored and it is not clear whether in this model too MRT is always greater than t(1/2). METHODS: In the current paper new equations have been developed that describe the relationships between the terminal t(1/2) (or t(1/2 beta)) and MRT in the two-compartment model following administration of i.v. bolus, i.v. infusion (zero order input) and oral administration (first order input). RESULTS: A critical value (CV) equals to the quotient of (1-ln2) and (1-beta/alpha) (CV=(1-ln2)/(1-beta/alpha)=0.307/(1-beta/alpha)) has been derived and was compared with the fraction (f(1)) of drug elimination or AUC (AUC-area under C vs t curve) associated with the first exponential term of the two-compartment equation (f(1)=A/alpha/AUC). Following i.v. bolus, CV ranges between a minimal value of 0.307 (1-ln2) and infinity. As long as f(1)t(1/2) and vice versa, and when f(1)=CV, then MRT=t(1/2). Following i.v. infusion and oral administration the denominator of the CV equation does not change but its numerator increases to (0.307+beta T/2) (T-infusion duration) and (0.307+beta/ka) (ka-absorption rate constant), respectively. Examples of various drugs are provided. CONCLUSIONS: For every drug that after i.v. bolus shows two-compartment disposition kinetics the following conclusions can be drawn (a) When f(1)<0.307, then f(1)t(1/2). (b) When beta/alpha>ln2, then CV>1>f(1) and thus(,) MRT>t(1/2). (c) When ln2>beta/alpha>(ln4-1), then 1>CV>0.5 and thus, in order for t(1/2)>MRT, f(1) has to be greater than its complementary fraction f(2) (f(1)>f(2)). (d) When beta/alpha<(ln4-1), it is possible that t(1/2)>MRT even when f(2)>f(1), as long as f(1)>CV. (e) As beta gets closer to alpha, CV approaches its maximal value (infinity) and therefore, the chances of MRT>t(1/2) are growing. (f) As beta becomes smaller compared with alpha, beta/alpha approaches zero, the denominator approaches unity and consequently, CV gets its minimal value and thus, the chances of t(1/2)>MRT are growing. (g) Following zero and first order input MRT increases compared with i.v. bolus and so does CV and thus, the chances of MRT>t(1/2) are growing.

Resistance degradation in potassium lithium tantalate niobate (KLTN) doped with iron and titanium was measured in a single sample containing various concentrations of interstitial hydrogen. In this crystal the degradation arose from the migration of interstitial hydrogen and not oxygen vacancies, as reported in previous research. Interstitial hydrogen and oxygen vacancy defects both arise to compensate the valence shortfall of the substitutional iron impurities and the thermodynamic balance between the two compensation mechanisms can be controlled using reaction chemistry techniques. Through appropriate annealing treatments a single crystal of KLTN was prepared in three states: hydrogen-rich oxidized, hydrogen-poor reduced, and hydrogen-rich reduced. The characteristic degradation times for the three cases were 29, 2710, and 26 min, respectively. The degradation rate is correlated with hydrogen concentration and not oxidation state of the crystal. Infrared absorption from near the two electrodes of the hydrogen-rich reduced crystal after degradation confirmed polarization of the hydrogen concentration. Electrocoloration was also found to correlate with hydrogen-it was observed in both hydrogen-rich states, but was absent from the hydrogen-poor crystal. (C) 2004 American Institute of Physics.