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The aim of the study was to assess the prevalence of joint hypermobility (JH) among school children with and without functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs). School children completed validated Rome III questionnaires to diagnose FGID. Each child diagnosed with an FGID was matched for age and sex with a healthy control. The prevalence of JH in both groups was compared. A total of 654 school children participated in the study. One hundred forty-eight (22.6%) children were diagnosed with an FGID. Data from 136 FGIDs and 136 healthy controls were analyzed. Joint laxity was assessed to establish the Beighton score (≥4 was considered JH). There was no significant difference in JH between children with and without diagnoses of FGIDs odds ratio (OR) 1.03 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.59-1.81, P = 0.89). Multivariate analysis showed that younger age OR 2.31 (95% CI: 1.30-4.10, P = 0.004) and female sex OR 2.27 (95% CI: 1.22-4.24, P = 0.009) were significantly associated with JH. JH is equally prevalent in school children with and without FGIDs.

Academic publishing is changing rapidly as a result of mutually dependent developments. Electronic publishing was born through the emergence of the Internet. The Internet has accelerated globalization, which in turn has enhanced the consolidation of commercial publishing houses and the collaboration between libraries. Old business models are being replaced by new business models, such as open access publishing. The familiar print format is disappearing for journals and perhaps for books. This chapter presents an overview of these developments and addresses potential threats and opportunities to the parties involved in publishing.

Towards more rapid ultraclean sampling of deep ocean waters for trace elements, a novel rectangular frame was constructed of titanium, holding two rows of 12 samplers, as well as various sensors. The frame is deployed to deep ocean waters by an 8000 m length Kevlar wire with internal power and signal cables. Closing of each sampler is by seawater hydraulics via silicone tubings connecting each sampler with a central 24 position Multivalve. Upon recovery the complete frame with 24 samplers is placed inside an ultraclean laboratory van, where water is drawn via filters into bottles. Previously the clean sampling of ocean waters has been very time-consuming by attachment of individual ultraclean bottle samplers one by one to a metal-free (e.g. all-Kevlar) hydrowire. The novel Titan system is 3-4 times faster and permits routine collection of deep ocean sections while economizing required shiptime. In a test of the new system in November 2005 in the Canary Basin excellent low dissolved Fe concentrations (similar to 0.1to similar to 0.4nM) are consistent with values obtained of individual samplers on a simple wire, and previous values in a pilot study of 2002 in the same basin, as well as published dissolved Fe values elsewhere in the northeast Atlantic Ocean. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.