Food web structure of three guilds of natural enemies: predators, parasitoids and pathogens of aphids.

1. Most communities of insect herbivores are unlikely to be structured by resource competition, but they may be structured by apparent competition mediated by shared natural enemies. 2.

Effect of seasonal abiotic conditions and field margin habitat on the activity of Pandora neoaphidis inoculum on soil.

The ability of the aphid pathogenic fungus Pandora neoaphidis to remain active in the absence of a resting stage through a combination of continuous infection and as conidia deposited on soil was assessed alongside the potential for planted field margins to act as a refuge for the fungus. P. neoaphidis was able to infect the pea aphid, Acyrthosiphon pisum, when maintained under controlled conditions that simulated those that occur seasonally in the UK.

Families of patients with premature coronary heart disease: an obvious but neglected target for primary prevention.

Risk of premature coronary heart disease is increased in the families of affected patients. argue that targeting relatives for primary prevention would be an effective policy

Maternal and biochemical predictors of antepartum stillbirth among nulliparous women in relation to gestational age of fetal death.

Objective: To determine whether maternal serum levels of alphafetoprotein (alpha-FP) and human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) at 15-21 weeks provided clinically useful prediction of stillbirth in first pregnancies.

Design: Retrospective study of record linkage of a regional serum screening laboratory to national registries of pregnancy outcome and perinatal death.

Setting: West of Scotland, 1992-2001.

Unemployment and deprivation are associated with a poorer outcome following percutaneous coronary angioplasty.

This prospective observational study aimed to assess the impact of employment status and deprivation on quality of life 12 months after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Patients completed a questionnaire at baseline and at 1 year follow-up including a health utility score (EQ-5D), symptoms and employment status. Deprivation was assessed using the Carstairs' deprivation category based on area postcodes.

Cost-effectiveness of automated external defibrillators in public places: con.

Purpose Of Review: To discuss the clinical effectiveness, public health impact and cost-effectiveness of public access defibrillation.

Recent Findings: High rates of survival from prehospital ventricular fibrillation have been documented in patients treated by first responders using automated external defibrillators. The recent Public Access Defibrillation trial demonstrated a doubling of cardiac arrest survival in community units where volunteers trained in cardiopulmonary resuscitation were additionally equipped with automated external defibrillators.

Maternal obesity in early pregnancy and risk of spontaneous and elective preterm deliveries: a retrospective cohort study.

Objectives: We sought to determine the association between maternal body mass index and risk of preterm delivery.

Methods: We assessed 187,290 women in Scotland and estimated adjusted odds ratios for spontaneous and elective preterm deliveries among overweight, obese, and morbidly obese women relative to normal-weight women.

Results: Among nulliparous women, the risk of requiring an elective preterm delivery increased with increasing BMI, whereas the risk of spontaneous preterm labor decreased.

Influence of socioeconomic status on clinical outcomes and quality of life after percutaneous coronary intervention.

Objectives: To determine whether socioeconomic status (SES) influences clinical outcomes and quality of life after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Design: Prospective observational study.

Setting: Two interventional cardiac centres.

Convergence of Igf2 expression and adhesion signalling via RhoA and p38 MAPK enhances myogenic differentiation.

Cell-cell contact is essential for appropriate co-ordination of development and it initiates significant signalling events. During myogenesis, committed myoblasts migrate to sites of muscle formation, align and form adhesive contacts that instigate cell-cycle exit and terminal differentiation into multinucleated myotubes; thus myogenesis is an excellent paradigm for the investigation of signals derived from cell-cell contact. PI3-K and p38 MAPK are both essential for successful myogenesis.

Previous preeclampsia, preterm delivery, and delivery of a small for gestational age infant and the risk of unexplained stillbirth in the second pregnancy: a retrospective cohort study, Scotland, 1992-2001.

Women with a previous stillbirth are known to be at increased risk of stillbirth in subsequent pregnancies. However, few studies have addressed the association between other complications of pregnancy and the future risk of stillbirth. Using linkage of national pregnancy and perinatal death registries, the authors performed a retrospective cohort study of 133,163 women having a second birth in Scotland between 1992 and 2001 whose first infant was liveborn.

Generation Scotland: the Scottish Family Health Study; a new resource for researching genes and heritability.

Background: Generation Scotland: the Scottish Family Health Study aims to identify genetic variants accounting for variation in levels of quantitative traits underlying the major common complex diseases (such as cardiovascular disease, cognitive decline, mental illness) in Scotland.

Methods/design: Generation Scotland will recruit a family-based cohort of up to 50,000 individuals (comprising siblings and parent-offspring groups) across Scotland. It will be a six-year programme, beginning in Glasgow and Tayside in the first two years (Phase 1) before extending to other parts of Scotland in the remaining four years (Phase 2).

Maternal and biochemical predictors of spontaneous preterm birth among nulliparous women: a systematic analysis in relation to the degree of prematurity.

Background: Nulliparous women are at increased risk of spontaneous preterm birth. Other maternal and biochemical risk factors have also been described. However, it is unclear whether these associations are strong enough to offer clinically useful prediction.

Effects of changing clinical practice on costs and outcomes of percutaneous coronary intervention between 1998 and 2002.

Aim: To assess the effect of changing clinical practice on the costs and outcomes of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) between 1998 and 2002.

Setting: Two tertiary interventional centres.

Patients: Consecutive patients undergoing PCI over a 12-month period between 1998 and 2002.

Dispersal of Beauveria bassiana by the activity of nettle insects.

Recent studies have shown that the entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana occurs naturally on the phylloplanes of several plants, including nettles. Insects could, by their activity, be contributing to this inoculum by dispersing it from other sites. The potential of nettle aphids Microlophium carnosum and their predator Anthocoris nemorum to disperse conidia of B.

Variations in clinical decision-making between cardiologists and cardiac surgeons; a case for management by multidisciplinary teams?

Objective: To assess variations in decisions to revascularise patients with coronary heart disease between general cardiologists, interventional cardiologists and cardiac surgeons

Design: Six cases of coronary heart disease were presented at an open meeting in a standard format including clinical details which might influence the decision to revascularise. Clinicians (n = 53) were then asked to vote using an anonymous electronic system for one of 5 treatment options: medical, surgical (CABG), percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) or initially medical proceeding to revascularisation if symptoms dictated. Each case was then discussed in an open forum following which clinicians were asked to revote.

Hospital volume of throughput and periprocedural and medium-term adverse events after percutaneous coronary intervention: retrospective cohort study of all 17,417 procedures undertaken in Scotland, 1997-2003.

Objective: To determine whether percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) hospital volume of throughput is associated with periprocedural and medium-term events, and whether any associations are independent of differences in case mix.

Design: Retrospective cohort study of all PCIs undertaken in Scottish National Health Service hospitals over a six-year period.

Methods: All PCIs in Scotland during 1997-2003 were examined.

Parachute use to prevent death and major trauma related to gravitational challenge: systematic review of randomised controlled trials.

Objectives: To determine whether parachutes are effective in preventing major trauma related to gravitational challenge. Design Systematic review of randomised controlled trials.

Data Sources: Medline, Web of Science, Embase, and the Cochrane Library databases; appropriate internet sites and citation lists.

Legislation on smoking in enclosed public places in Scotland: how will we evaluate the impact?

Background: From 26 March 2006, smoking will be prohibited in wholly and substantially enclosed public places in Scotland, and it will be an offence to permit smoking or to smoke in no-smoking premises. We anticipate that implementation of the smoke-free legislation will result in significant health gains associated with reductions in exposure to both environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) and personal tobacco consumption as well as other social and economic impacts.

Methods: Health Scotland in conjunction with the Information Services Division (ISD) Scotland and the Scottish Executive have developed a comprehensive evaluation strategy to assess the expected short-term, intermediate and long-term outcomes.

First cesarean birth and subsequent fertility.

Objective: To determine whether cesarean delivery is independently associated with later subfertility.

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Setting: Maternity records kept for Scotland, 1980-1999.

Effect of fungal infection on the reproductive potential of aphids and their progeny.

The effect of infection by Pandora neoaphidis and Beauveria bassiana on the reproductive potential of the pea aphid, Acyrthosiphon pisum, and their progeny was assessed. Infection by either P. neoaphidis or B.