bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Lipopolysaccharide sensitizes microglia toward Ca2+‐induced cell death: Mode of cell death shifts from apoptosis to necrosis
Authors: Nagano Takayuki , Kimura Shinya H. , Takai Eri , Matsuda Toshio , Takemura Motohiko
Published: September 2005

Little is known about the effect of microglial activation on cell death. This study examines the effects of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and interferon‐γ (IFN‐γ), triggers of microglial activation, on cell death induced by several agents in cultured rat microglia. For comparison, the effect of LPS on cell death is also examined in cultured astrocytes. LPS or IFN‐γ enhanced cell death induced by thapsigargin or ionomycin, an agent that increases intracellular Ca2+ concentration, although LPS or IFN‐γ alone did not affect cell viability. Thapsigargin or ionomycin induced apoptosis in LPS‐untreated microglia, while they induced necrosis in LPS‐treated microglia, which were partially reversed by O,O′‐bis(2‐aminophenyl)ethyleneglycol‐N,N,N′,N′‐tetraacetic acid tetraacetoxymethyl ester (BAPTA‐AM, an intracellular Ca2+ chelator). In contrast, LPS treatment did not affect tunicamycin‐ or staurosporine‐induced apoptosis, while it inhibited S‐nitroso‐N‐acetylpenicillamine‐induced apoptosis. The effect of LPS on thapsigargin or ionomycin‐induced apoptosis was not observed in astrocytes. These results indicate that microglial activation sensitizes the cells toward cell death induced by the change in intracellular Ca2+ concentration and shifts the mode of cell death from apoptosis to necrosis. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Up‐regulation of Bak and Bim via JNK downstream pathway in the response to nitric oxide in human glioblastoma cells
Authors: Jin Hyeon‐Ok , Park In‐Chul , An Sungkwan , Lee Hyung‐Chahn , Woo Sang‐Hyeok , Hong Young‐Joon , Lee Su‐Jae , Park Myung‐Jin , Yoo Doo‐Hyun , Rhee Chang‐Hun , Hong Seok‐Il
Published: September 2005

Nitric oxide (NO) is a chemical messenger implicated in neuronal damage associated with ischemia neurodegenerative disease and excitotoxicity. In the present study, we examined the biological effects of NO and its mechanisms in human malignant glioblastoma cells. Addition of a NO donor, S‐nitroso‐N‐acetyl‐penicillamine (SNAP), induced apoptosis in U87MG human glioblastoma cells, accompanied by opening mitochondrial permeability transition pores, release of cytochrome c and AIF, and subsequently by caspase activation. NO‐induced apoptosis occurred concurrently with significantly increased levels of the Bak and Bim. Treatment with SNAP resulted in sustained activation of JNK and its downstream pathway, c‐Jun/AP‐1. The expression of dominant‐negative (DN)‐JNK1 and DN‐c‐Jun suppressed the activation of AP‐1, the induction of Bak and Bim, and the SNAP‐induced apoptosis. In addition, de novo protein synthesis was required for the initiation of apoptosis in that the protein synthesis inhibitor, cycloheximide (CHX), inhibited NO‐induced apoptotic cell death as well as up‐regulation of Bak and Bim. These results suggest that NO activates an apoptotic cascade, involving sustained JNK activation, AP‐1 DNA binding activity, and subsequent Bak and Bim induction, followed by cytochrome c and AIF releases and caspases cascade activation, resulting in human malignant brain tumor cell death. J. Cell. Physiol. 206: 477–486, 2006. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Columnar characteristics of aerosols by spectroradiometer measurements in the maritime area of the Cadiz Gulf (Spain)
Authors: Vergaz Ricardo , Cachorro Victoria E. , De Frutos Ángel M. , Vilaplana José M. , De La Morena Benito A.
Published: September 2005

Atmospheric aerosol characteristics represented by the spectral aerosol optical depth AOD) and the α Ångström turbidity parameter were determined in the coastal area of the Gulf of Cádiz, (southwest of Spain). The columnar aerosol properties presented here correspond to the 1996–1999 period, and were obtained by solar direct irradiance measurements carried out by a Licor1800 spectroradiometer. The performance of this type of medium‐spectral resolution radiometric system is analysed over the measured period. The detailed spectral information of these irradiance measurements enabled the use of selected non‐absorption gases spectral windows to determine the columnar spectral AOD that was modelled by Ångström formula to obtain the α coefficient. Temporal evolutions of instantaneous values together with a general statistical analysis represented by seasonal values, frequency distributions and some representative correlations for the AOD and the derived α Ångström coefficient gave us the first insight of aerosol characteristics in this coastal area. Special attention was paid to the analysis of these aerosol properties at the nominal wavelengths of 440 nm, 670 nm, 870 nm and 1020 nm for the near‐future comparisons with the Cimel sun‐photometer data. However, taking the most representative aerosol wavelength of 500 nm, the variability of the AOD ranges from 0.005 to 0.53, with a mean of 0.12 (s.d = 0.07) and that of the α parameter is given by a mean value of 0.93 (s.d. = 0.58) falling inside the range of marine aerosols. A quantitative discrimination of aerosol types was conducted on the basis of the spectral aerosol properties and air mass back trajectory analysis, which resulted in a mixed type because of the specificity of this area, given by very frequent desert dust episodes, continental and polluted local influences. This study represents the first extended data characterization about columnar properties of aerosols in Spain which has been continued by Cimel‐AERONET data. Copyright © 2005 Royal Meteorological Society.
Testing solar forcing of pervasive Holocene climate cycles
Authors: Turney Chris , Baillie Mike , Clemens Steve , Brown David , Palmer Jonathan , Pilcher Jonathan , Reimer Paula , Leuschner Hanns Hubert
Published: September 2005

The temporal and spatial extent of Holocene climate change is an area of considerable uncertainty, with solar forcing recently proposed to be the origin of cycles identified in the North Atlantic region. To address these issues we have developed an annually resolved record of changes in Irish bog tree populations over the last 7468 years which, together with radiocarbon‐dated bog and lake‐edge populations, extend the dataset back to ∼9000 yr ago. The Irish trees underpin the internationally accepted radiocarbon calibration curve, used to derive a proxy of solar activity, and allow us to test solar forcing of Holocene climate change. Tree populations and age structures provide unambiguous evidence of major shifts in Holocene surface moisture, with a dominant cyclicity of 800 yr, similar to marine cycles in the North Atlantic, indicating significant changes in the latitude and intensity of zonal atmospheric circulation across the region. The cycles, however, are not coherent with changes in solar activity (both being on the same absolute timescale), indicating that Holocene North Atlantic climate variability at the millennial and centennial scale is not driven by a linear response to changes in solar activity. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The Holocene shore displacement of Gästrikland, eastern Sweden: a contribution to the knowledge of Scandinavian glacio‐isostatic uplift
Authors: Berglund Mikael
Published: September 2005

The shore displacement in Gästrikland, east‐central Sweden, has been investigated by means of AMS radiocarbon dating of sediment cores from isolated basins. Twenty dates from 11 sites are presented. Pollen and diatom analyses, and archive material from the Geological Survey of Sweden, have been used to identify isolation intervals in the cores and as chronological support to the 14C dates. An important pollen stratigraphical time‐marker is a distinct mid‐Holocene increase in Tilia. For the mid‐Holocene, pollen stratigraphy is used rather than the 14C dates for the age determination. The deglaciation of Gästrikland, according to the new 14C dates, took place ca. 11 000 cal. yr BP (ca. 9500 14C yr BP). Through the Holocene the shore displacement is regressive. The regression was initially rapid (on average ca. 3.5 m per 100 yr 11 000–7500 cal. yr BP, probably much more rapid at the earliest stage), then slowed down considerably and was from ca. 5000 cal. yr BP (probably already from 7000 cal. yr BP) relatively constant, ca. 0.8–0.9 m per 100 yr. There are important differences between the shore level curve from Gästrikland and curves from other areas, indicating some irregularities in the regional glacio‐isostatic rebound. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Mid‐ and late Holocene tree population density changes in northern Fennoscandia derived by a new method using megafossil pines and their tree‐ring series
Authors: Helama S. , Lindholm M. , Timonen M. , Eronen M.
Published: September 2005

Changes in tree density are estimated for the northern forest‐limit region of Finnish Lapland over the past seven and a half millennia. This is done using dendrochronologically dated Scots pine megafossils and their tree‐ring series. Direct and indirect estimates of past tree density are derived from chronology sample size (CSS) and growth trend modelling (GTM) respectively. The latter is a new method, where the past levels of growth competition (the influence of nearby trees) are extracted from the behaviour of growth trends in cross‐dated tree‐ring series, trends that are expected to be driven by tree‐density control. Two records constructed from the same original data set but by different means (independently) correlate significantly. Both records show a tree‐density maximum around 3000–1750 BC, indicating relative warmth during that time. Another positive tree‐density anomaly occurred in accordance with the ‘Medieval Warm Period’, preceding the thinning at the forest‐limit due to the ‘Little Ice Age’. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Diverse metabolism of cell wall components of melting and non‐melting peach genotypes during ripening after harvest or cold storage
Authors: Manganaris George A , Vasilakakis Miltiadis , Diamantidis Grigorios , Mignani Ilaria
Published: September 2005

The mode of change in a range of physiological, physicochemical and biochemical parameters during fruit ripening between distinct peach genotypes (Prunus persica L. Batsch) after cold storage for up to 4 weeks was determined. The nectarine cultivar ‘Caldesi 2000’ was selected as a genotype with melting flesh (MF) characteristic (fruits characterized by extensive flesh softening during ripening) and the cultivar ‘Andross’ as a genotype with non‐melting flesh (NMF) characteristic (fruits characterized by limited flesh softening during ripening). Flesh firmness, ethylene production, physicochemical and biochemical properties of the cell wall were determined and significant differences between the fruits of the two genotypes were recorded. Fruits of the NMF genotype were characterized by higher tissue retention and ethylene production during their ripening, higher content of uronic acids, as well as higher capacity for calcium binding in the water‐insoluble pectin fraction compared with fruits of the MF genotype. Additionally, the ripening of MF‐type fruits was characterized by higher losses of neutral sugars, especially those of arabinose and galactose than the NMF‐type fruits and these losses were more intense after extended cold storage periods. In fruits of the NMF genotype the decreased activity of pectin methyl esterase (PME) combined with higher levels of calcium in the water‐insoluble pectin fraction possibly provided less substrate for polygalacturonase (exo‐, endo‐PG) activity and less solubility of cell wall pectin compared with fruits of the MF genotype. Overall, the data indicate the existence of a wide range of diverse metabolic pathways during fruit ripening of fresh fruits with MF and NMF characteristics. Copyright © 2005 Society of Chemical Industry
Physicochemical changes during strawberry development in the field compared with those that occur in harvested fruit during storage
Authors: Nunes M Cecilia N , Brecht Jeffrey K , Morais Alcina MMB , Sargent Steven A
Published: September 2005

‘Chandler’, ‘Oso Grande’ and ‘Sweet Charlie’ strawberry cultivars were harvested at four stages of color development ranging from color break to full red and stored in the dark for 8 days at 1 °C. Changes in the physical and chemical characteristics of fruit during storage were compared with those occurring during development in the field. Strawberry fruit harvested at the three‐quarters colored and full red stages continued their development and ripening during storage. However, fruit harvested at the color break and half‐colored stages did not develop like those ripened in the field. Strawberries harvested at the three‐quarters colored stage developed the same pH, acidity, soluble solids, ascorbic acid and total phenolics content during storage as the at‐harvest levels present in strawberries harvested at the full red stage. In addition, three‐quarters colored strawberries were as firm and red after storage as the full red stage fruit were at the time of harvest. Thus, strawberries harvested at the three‐quarters colored stage can be stored for a longer period than strawberries harvested full red while retaining better color and firmness. Copyright © 2005 Society of Chemical Industry
Impact of high‐pressure and traditional thermal processing of tomato purée on carotenoids, vitamin C and antioxidant activity
Authors: Sánchez‐Moreno Concepción , Plaza Lucía , de Ancos Begoña , Cano M Pilar
Published: September 2005

Bioactive compounds (carotenoids and vitamin C) and 2,2‐diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH•) scavenging activity [50% depletion of initial DPPH• radical (EC50) and antiradical efficiency (AE)], in aqueous (AQ) and organic (OR) fractions, were measured in tomato purée subjected to high‐pressure (HP) (400 MPa/25 °C/15 min), low pasteurisation (LPT) (70 °C/30 s), high pasteurisation (HPT) (90 °C/1 min), freezing (F) (−38 °C/15 min), and HPT plus F (HPT + F). In addition, physical and physicochemical parameters were evaluated. CIELab uniform colour space parameters (lightness, L*; green‐red tonality, a*; and blue‐yellow tonality, b*) were significantly higher both in the untreated and in the HP tomato purée than in the rest of the samples. Individual and total carotenoids, and provitamin A carotenoids, were significantly higher in HP tomato purée than in the untreated and other treated tomato purées. Ascorbic acid and total vitamin C were significantly lower in HP, LPT, HPT, and HPT + F tomato purées than in the untreated and F purées. In the AQ fractions, we found an inverse significant correlation between both ascorbic acid and total vitamin C and EC50AQ; and a positive significant correlation with AEAQ. In the OR fractions, a significant correlation was found between EC50OR and AEOR parameters and lycopene and total carotenoids. Total scavenging activity (AQ + OR fractions) in HP tomato purée was similar to that in LPT, HPT, and HPT + F purées. Copyright © 2005 Society of Chemical Industry
Characterization of polyphenol oxidase from Uapaca kirkiana fruit
Authors: Muchuweti Maud , Mupure Chipo H , Ndhlala Ashwell R , Kasiyamhuru Abisha
Published: September 2005

Polyphenol oxidase (PPO), the enzyme responsible for the postharvest spoilage of fruits, was extracted and purified from Uapaca kirkiana peel and pulp by ammonium sulfate precipitation and dialysis. Further purification of peel PPO was carried out by gel filtration chromatography. Optimum pH values were 7 and 8 for peel and pulp PPO, respectively. The optimum temperatures for peel and pulp PPO were 45 and 35 °C, respectively. Inhibition studies of the PPO enzyme were performed using citric acid, sodium azide, sodium metabisulfite and thiourea. The most effective inhibitors were sodium azide and citric acid for both peel and pulp PPO. Vmax and Km values were 13.63 units min−1 and 4.923 mmol L−1, respectively, for peel PPO and 14.03 units min−1 and 5.43 mmol L−1, respectively, for pulp PPO. Three isoenzymes of Uapaca kirkiana PPO were detected by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. One of the isoenzymes could be identified as having a molecular weight of 26 625 Da. Copyright © 2005 Society of Chemical Industry
Simultaneous determination of metformin and glimepride in pharmaceutical dosage form by reverse‐phase liquid chromatography
Authors: Kolte Bhaskar Laxmanrao , Raut Bharat Baburao , Deo Adwait Anant , Bagool Manoj Anil , Shinde Devanand Baburao
Published: September 2005

A simple, rapid, and precise reversed‐phase liquid chromatographic method has been developed for the simultaneous determination of metformin in combination with glimepride. Under the developed conditions, good separation of the analytes was achieved in short analysis time. Several parameters affecting the separation of the analytes were studied, including pH and the concentration of SDS. The method is validated and shown to be linear in the range of 25 μg/mL to 150 μg/mL for metformin and 0.1 μg/mL to 0.6 μg/mL for glimepride. The method is applied for the analysis of these analytes in commercially available tablets.
Behaviour of carbamate pesticides in gas chromatography and their determination with solid‐phase extraction and solid‐phase microextraction as preconcentration steps
Authors: Carabias‐Martínez Rita , García‐Hermida César , Rodríguez‐Gonzalo Encarnación , Ruano‐Miguel Luis
Published: September 2005

This work reports a study of the chromatographic behaviour of seven carbamate pesticides (aldicarb, carbetamide, propoxur, carbofuran, carbaryl, methiocarb, and pirimicarb) by gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry (GC‐MS). Variables such as injector temperature, solvent, injection mode, and the degree of ageing of the chromatographic column were studied. One of the aims of this work was to achieve a controlled decomposition of carbamates by a solid‐phase microextraction (SPME) preconcentration step with a polyacrylate fibre in order to obtain reproducible chromatographic signals of the degradation products. Optimisation of the SPME process was accomplished by means of experimental design. Several methods using ultrapure water were developed with different preconcentration configurations: SPME‐GC‐MS, SPE followed by SPME‐GC‐MS, and SPE plus GC‐MS. For all the pesticides studied, method detection limit (MDL) values below 0.1 μg L–1were reached in at least one of the proposed configurations.
Selective enrichment of anti‐inflammatory drugs from river water samples by solid‐phase extraction with a molecularly imprinted polymer
Authors: Caro Ester , Marcé Rosa M. , Cormack Peter A. G. , Sherrington David C. , Borrull Francesc
Published: September 2005

A molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) is synthesised by a noncovalent protocol in which ibuprofen was used as a template molecule. The polymer was evaluated chromatographically and it was seen that the MIP showed cross‐reactivity. Subsequently, when this polymer was used as sorbent in SPE it was possible to selectively extract a mixture of nonsteroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs from aqueous samples when a clean‐up step with dichloromethane was performed. The performance of the MIP was evaluated with river water and water from a wastewater treatment plant, and compared with the performance of a commercial Isolute ENV+ sorbent.
Complete 1H and 13C NMR assignments of aurasperone A and fonsecinone A, two bis‐naphthopyrones produced by Aspergillus aculeatus
Authors: Campos Francinete Ramos , Barison Andersson , Daolio Cristina , Ferreira Antonio G. , Rodrigues‐Fo Edson
Published: September 2005

Complete assignments of 1H and 13C NMR chemical shifts of the polyketides aurasperone A and fonsecinone A were made by means of nuclear Overhauser enhancement and heteronuclear NMR correlation experiments. These compounds were isolated for the first time from Aspergillus aculeatus, an endophytic fungus obtained from leaves of Melia azedarach(Meliaceae). Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Standardized versus open‐ended assessment of psychosocial and medical concerns among African American breast cancer patients
Authors: Shelby Rebecca A. , Lamdan Ruth M. , Siegel Jamie E. , Hrywna Mary , Taylor Kathryn L.
Published: September 2005

Standardized quality of life measures have been developed and used primarily with Caucasian and middle‐class cancer patients. This study assessed the ability of several widely used standardized measures to capture the concerns and problems of 89 African American breast cancer patients. Concerns and problems were assessed using both an open‐ended format and standardized measures. The degree of overlap in responses from these two formats was examined. The most frequently reported problems in the open‐ended format included physical (43%), financial (40%), and worry about others (30%). Overall, standardized measures had significant overlap with open‐ended concerns and problems. The Cancer Rehabilitation Evaluation System‐Short Form subscales/items were associated with corresponding open‐ended physical, financial, and social problems (R2 change=0.07–0.16, p's⩽0.02), the Interpersonal Support Evaluation List‐Short Form was associated with open‐ended social problems (R2 change=0.11, p=0.004), and the Mental Health Inventory was associated with open‐ended psychological distress problems (R2 change=0.08, p=0.01). One category of open‐ended problems, worry about others, was not captured by standardized measures. With the exception of associations between open‐ended physical problems and psychological distress measures, there were few significant correlations between standardized measures and dissimilar problem categories. These findings suggest that the standardized measures in this study reflected the concerns and problems of African American breast cancer patients. Additional studies are needed to evaluate the utility of other widely used standardized measures that have not been developed or standardized among non‐white samples. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Oxygen precipitation in neutron‐irradiated Czochralski silicon annealed at elevated temperature
Authors: Cui Can , Yang Deren , Ma Xiangyang , Fan Ruixin , Que Duanlin
Published: September 2005

The effects of vacancies introduced by neutron‐irradiation on oxygen precipitation at elevated temperatures in Czochralski (CZ) silicon have been investigated. In comparison with noirradiated CZ silicon, the neutron‐irradiated CZ silicon exhibits stronger oxygen precipitation at 1050 °C or 1150 °C due to the existence of supersaturated vacancies in the bulk. Moreover, it is proved that the oxygen out‐diffusion at high temperature is not enhanced by the supersaturated vacancies induced by neutron‐irradiation. (© 2005 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Electrical analysis and interface states evaluation of Ni Schottky diodes on 4H‐SiC thick epilayers
Authors: Porro Samuele , Ciechonski Rafal R. , Syväjärvi Mikael , Yakimova Rositza
Published: September 2005

This work has been focused on characterization of thick 4H‐SiC layers produced by sublimation epitaxy. Nickel Schottky contacts have been fabricated in order to characterize the grown material and evaluate the interfacial layer between metal and semiconductor. The characterization study includes current–voltage and capacitance–voltage high temperature measurements, from which Schottky barrier, net donor concentration and on‐state resistance values have been extracted. The diodes show a typical behavior of J–V and C–V curves with temperature, with Schottky barrier heights of 1.3 eV ÷ 1.4 eV and net donor concentration of 4 × 1015 cm–3 ÷ 1 × 1016 cm–3. From the Bardeen's model on reverse J–V, the density of states of the interfacial layer has been estimated to 7 × 1011 eV–1 cm–2 ÷ 8 × 1011 eV–1 cm–2, a value that is similar to the density of states of oxide layers in deliberated MOS structures realized on the same epilayers. (© 2005 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Application of point‐group symmetries in chemistry and physics: A computer‐algebraic approach
Authors: Fritzsche S.
Published: September 2005

The present application of computer algebra is reviewed for its use in physical and quantum chemistry. After the rapid development of a great deal of numerical algorithms and codes during the past five decades, it is time that symbolic techniques become available in the chemical sciences. A careful implementation of such symbolic methods will make many tasks more efficient and will facilitate the investigation of many quantum systems. Following a brief account of the advantages and specific requests of applying computer algebra in chemistry and physics, emphasis is placed in this contribution on the BETHE program, a recently developed tool for using point‐group symmetries in various fields of chemistry, including molecular spectroscopy, ligand‐field theory, and material science, or even for the construction of molecular wave functions. Besides the great promise of symbolic techniques for modern research, their merits for education are pointed out, as computer algebra systems are likely to replace the traditional program languages in the undergraduate programs of chemistry and physics. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2006
A simple correction for ties when censoring times depend on covariates
Authors: Samuelsen S. O. , Wisløff T. F. , Skrondal A.
Published: September 2005

We point out that the conventional methods for ties correction may be seriously biased when censoring times depend on covariates. A simple modification to the Efron correction method is suggested which works remarkably well in simulation studies. The method corresponds closely to breaking ties by random ordering. The modified correction method is easy to implement and computationally no more demanding than the Efron correction. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Using propensity scores to estimate the cost–effectiveness of medical therapies
Authors: Indurkhya Alka , Mitra Nandita , Schrag Deborah
Published: September 2005

The cost–effectiveness ratio is a popular statistic that is used by policy makers to decide which programs are cost–effective in the public health sector. Recently, the net monetary benefit has been proposed as an alternative statistical summary measure to overcome the limitations associated with the cost–effectiveness ratio. Research on using the net monetary benefit to assess the cost–effectiveness of therapies in non‐randomized studies has yet to be done. Propensity scores are useful in estimating adjusted effectiveness of programs that have non‐randomized or quasi‐experimental designs. This article introduces the use of propensity score adjustment in cost–effectiveness analyses to estimate net monetary benefits for non‐randomized studies. The uncertainty associated with the net monetary benefit estimate is evaluated using cost–effectiveness acceptability curves. Our method is illustrated by applying it to SEER‐Medicare data for muscle invasive bladder cancer to determine the most cost–effective treatment protocol. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A model for immunological correlates of protection
Authors: Dunning Andrew J.
Published: September 2005

Immunological assays measure characteristics of the immune system, such as antibody levels, specific to certain diseases. High assay values are often associated with protection from disease. A question of interest is how the relationship between assay values and subsequent development of disease should be quantitatively modelled. Existing approaches successfully model the relationship for high assay values, where the probability of developing disease is low. However at low assay values, the probability of developing disease is more closely associated with factors such as disease prevalence rates and an individual's chance of exposure to infection; these are less well captured by existing models. This paper presents a model that accommodates both assay values and factors independent of assay values, enabling protection from disease to be modelled over the whole range of assay values and proposing a method for predicting the efficacy of a vaccine from the assays of vaccinees and non‐vaccinees. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Estimation of the false negative fraction of a diagnostic kit through Bayesian regression model averaging
Authors: Ranyimbo A. O. , Held L.
Published: September 2005

In modelling we usually endeavour to find a single ‘best’ model that explains the relationship between independent and dependent variables. Selection of a single model fails to take into account the prior uncertainty in the model space. The Bayesian model averaging (BMA) approach tackles this problem by considering the set of all possible models. We apply BMA approach to the estimation of the false negative fraction (FNF) in a particular case of a two‐stage multiple screening test for bowel cancer. We find that after taking model uncertainty into consideration the estimate of the FNF obtained is largely dependent on the covariance structure of the priors. Results obtained when the Zellnerg‐prior for the prior variance is used is largely influenced by the magnitude ofg. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Growth of Semiconducting GaN Hollow Spheres and Nanotubes with Very Thin Shells via a Controllable Liquid Gallium–Gas Interface Chemical Reaction
Authors: Yin Long‐Wei , Bando Yoshio , Li Mu‐Sen , Golberg Dmitri
Published: September 2005

An in situ liquid gallium–gas interface chemical reaction route has been developed to synthesize semiconducting hollow GaN nanospheres with very small shell size by carefully controlling the synthesis temperature and the ammonia reaction gas partial pressure. In this process the gallium droplet does not act as a catalyst but rather as a reactant and a template for the formation of hollow GaN structures. The diameter of the synthesized hollow GaN spheres is typically 20–25 nm and the shell thickness is 3.5–4.5 nm. The GaN nanotubes obtained at higher synthesis temperatures have a length of several hundreds of nanometers and a wall thickness of 3.5–5.0 nm. Both the hollow GaN spheres and nanotubes are polycrystalline and are composed of very fine GaN nanocrystalline particles with a diameter of 3.0–3.5 nm. The room‐temperature photoluminescence (PL) spectra for the synthesized hollow GaN spheres and nanotubes, which have a narrow size distribution, display a sharp, blue‐shifted band‐edge emission peak at 3.52 eV (352 nm) due to quantum size effects.
Nanomaterial‐Based Amplified Transduction of Biomolecular Interactions
Authors: Wang Joseph
Published: September 2005

This article reviews progress in the development of nanomaterials for amplified biosensing and discusses different nanomaterial‐based bioamplification strategies. Signal amplification has attracted considerable attention for ultrasensitive detection of disease markers and biothreat agents. The emergence of nanotechnology is opening new horizons for highly sensitive bioaffinity and biocatalytic assays and for novel biosensor protocols that employ electronic, optical, or microgravimetric signal transduction. Nucleic acids and antibodies functionalized with metal or semiconductor nanoparticles have been employed as amplifying tags for the detection of DNA and proteins. The coupling of different nanomaterial‐based amplification platforms and amplification processes dramatically enhances the intensity of the analytical signal and leads to ultrasensitive bioassays. The successful realization of the new nanoparticle‐based signal amplification strategies requires proper attention to nonspecific adsorption issues. The implications of such nanoscale materials on amplified biodetection protocols and on the development of modern biosensors are discussed.
Counterselection and Co-Delivery of Transposon and Transposase Functions for Sleeping Beauty-Mediated Transposition in Cultured Mammalian Cells
Authors: Converse Andrea D. , Belur Lalitha R. , Gori Jennifer L. , Liu Geyi , Amaya Felipe , Aguilar-Cordova Estuardo , Hackett Perry B. , McIvor R. Scott
Published: September 2005

Sleeping Beauty (SB) is a gene-insertion system reconstructed from transposon sequences found in teleost fish and is capable of mediating the transposition of DNA sequences from transfected plasmids into the chromosomes of vertebrate cell populations. The SB system consists of a transposon, made up of a gene of interest flanked by transposon inverted repeats, and a source of transposase. Here we carried out a series of studies to further characterize SB-mediated transposition as a tool for gene transfer to chromosomes and ultimately for human gene therapy. Transfection of mouse 3T3 cells, HeLa cells, and human A549 lung carcinoma cells with a transposon containing the neomycin phosphotransferase (NEO) gene resulted in a several-fold increase in drug-resistant colony formation when co-transfected with a plasmid expressing the SB transposase. A transposon containing a methotrexate-resistant dihydrofolate reductase gene was also found to confer an increased frequency of methotrexate-resistant colony formation when co-transfected with SB transposase-encoding plasmid. A plasmid containing a herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase gene as well as a transposon containing a NEO gene was used for counterselection against random recombinants (NEO+TK+) in medium containing G418 plus ganciclovir. Effective counterselection required a recovery period of 5 days after transfection before shifting into medium containing ganciclovir to allow time for transiently expressed thymidine kinase activity to subside in cells not stably transfected. Southern analysis of clonal isolates indicated a shift from random recombination events toward transposition events when clones were isolated in medium containing ganciclovir as well as G418. We found that including both transposon and transposase functions on the same plasmid substantially increased the stable gene transfer frequency in Huh7 human hepatoma cells. The results from these experiments contribute technical and conceptual insight into the process of transposition in mammalian cells, and into the optimal provision of transposon and transposase functions that may be applicable to gene therapy studies.
Kinetics of the Early Adaptive Response to Gamma Rays: Induction of a Cellular Radioprotective Mechanism in Murine Leukocytes In vivo
Authors: Morales-Ramírez Pedro , Mendiola-Cruz María Teresa
Published: September 2005

The aims of the study were to establish the kinetics of the early adaptive response and to determine the minimum adaptive dose of gamma rays capable of inducing this response. The minimum adaptive dose was determined by exposing groups of five BALB/c male mice to an adaptive dose of 0.005 or of 0.02 Gy γ rays from a 137Cs source and challenge with 1.0 Gy 60 min later. The kinetics of adaptive response induction was established by exposing mice to an adaptive dose of 0.01 Gy, and subsequently to a challenge dose of 1.0 Gy at different times. Blood samples were collected from the tail immediately after exposure to the challenge dose, and the percentage of DNA-damaged cells and the extent of damaged were determined by single cell gel electrophoresis in 300 leukocytes per animal in five mice. The results confirms the capability of an in vivo induction of an early radioprotective process against the DNA-damage produced by gamma rays in murine leukocytes, and allows us to conclude that the minimum adaptive dose lies between 0.005 and 0.01Gy of gamma rays, and the early adaptive response is induced as early as 30 min after the exposure and persists for at least 18 hr.
FORGERY AND THE END OF THE ‘BLOODY CODE’ IN EARLY NINETEENTH-CENTURY ENGLAND
Authors: HANDLER PHIL
Published: September 2005

Penal reformers in the 1810s and 1820s condemned the English criminal law as a ‘bloody code’: a monolithic mass of draconian statutes inherited from a former, less civilized age. This overwhelmingly negative image underpinned the dramatic and unexpected repeal of the capital statutes in the 1830s and survived to define a whole era of criminal justice history. This article explores the conditions that enabled the reformers to establish such a powerful critique of the law in such a short space of time. It contends that a key to their success was their ability to exploit contemporary scandals to argue that the law had lost touch with public opinion. Forgery aroused more controversy than any other species of capital crime in the 1820s and became the focal point for opposition to the capital laws. By analysing how reformers used the scandal surrounding forgery to foster the notion that the law was a ‘bloody code’, this article presents a new perspective on the early nineteenth-century penal reform debate.
NATION AND EMPIRE IN THE GOVERNMENT ARCHITECTURE OF MID-VICTORIAN LONDON: THE FOREIGN AND INDIA OFFICE RECONSIDERED
Authors: BREMNER G. ALEX
Published: September 2005

In 1856 the British government held an international competition for the design of public offices to be located near Whitehall and the houses of parliament. Comprising a Foreign Office and War Office, the project was radically altered in 1858 when the War Office component was abandoned and replaced with a new India Office. The controversy that surrounded this competition and its aftermath has attracted the attention of scholars for decades, not least for its importance to the history of Victorian architecture. The current study seeks a wider interpretation of this project by examining the way it became a conflict over ideas concerning British identity and nationhood. It is argued that, at a time when Britain had reached the relative height of its international power, these buildings were seen as a means of not only improving London's urban environment but also celebrating its unrivalled political and economic status. The India Office, often neglected by historians, was significant in this regard, symbolizing the reach and authority of the British empire. Here the Foreign and India Office are reconsidered for what they reveal about British national/imperial self-perception and its representation in architecture during the mid-Victorian period.
THE NEW AMERICAN HISTORIES
Authors: TUCK STEPHEN
Published: September 2005

For at least a decade, many American historians have bemoaned the downfall of synthesis in the writing of the history of the United States. A wide variety of subfields has replaced a single national narrative. This fragmentation has been caused in part by methodological changes in the historical profession worldwide, but also because of the collapse of American exceptionalism. However, there are still some distinctly American themes that are interwoven throughout these subfields. These themes include the rise of transnational and regional history as replacements for an exceptional national history, and above all the influence of the American present on the study of the American past.

This article summarizes the apparent fragmentation of the history of the United States before discussing some of the distinctively American themes that remain. The article then focuses in detail on five subfields in modern American history – the new western history, the new history of the segregated South, the cultural turn in Cold War history, and the histories of modern conservatism and modern evangelicalism – to show how these distinctively American themes recur in seemingly disconnected debates.
Schistosoma japonicumtriose-phosphate isomerase plasmid DNA vaccine protects pigs against challenge infection
Authors: ZHU Y. , SI J. , HARN D. A. , XU M. , REN J. , YU C. , LIANG Y. , YIN X. , HE W. , CAO G.
Published: September 2005

The protective efficacy of aSchistosoma japonicum, Chinese strain, triose-phosphate isomerase (TPI) plasmid DNA vaccine was examined in naïve pigs. Pigs were vaccinated with the TPI DNA-plasmid alone, or in conjunction with IL-12 as pcDNA3.1-P35, pcDNA3.1-P40 plasmids via intramuscular injection. Control pigs were immunized with equivalent amounts of pcDNA3.1. Pigs were immunized 3 times at 21-day intervals and challenged 30 days after the final boost. Forty-five days post-challenge, pigs were sacrificed and perfused to compare adult worm burdens, female worm burdens, liver egg burdens and granuloma size. We found that pigs vaccinated with SjCTPI DNA alone had adult worm burdens reduced by 48·3% and that a further decrease in adult worm burdens was not seen in the group vaccinated with SjCTPI DNA in conjunction with IL-12 (46·2% reduction). The SjCTPI DNA vaccines had a more pronounced effect on reducing female worm burdens i.e. 53·6% SjCTPI alone and 59·6% for SjCTPI+IL-12. Vaccination with SjCTPI-DNA reduced liver eggs by 49·4% and this response was significantly enhanced by the addition of IL-12 (65·8% reduction in liver eggs). In addition to the dramatic protective effects seen in vaccinated pigs, we also noted that granuloma size was reduced by 42% in both groups. Thus, vaccination of pigs and other large animals in China with SjCTPI DNA vaccine will likely reduce transmission by reducing adult worm burdens and worm egg output and simultaneously reduce hepatic egg-associated pathology.
deus israel and roman introits
Authors: boe john
Published: September 2005

the roman wedding introit deus israel (its text extracted from the book of tobit) was assembled during the latter half of the ninth century using two initial and three cadential formulas that pervade the urban repertory of deuterus introits. at least fifteen additional formulas can be identified within this modal group, by far the most numerous among introits at rome. one initial figure stands out from the rest of these formulas, introducing a ‘paschal tone’ incorporating the alleluias regularly interjected into eastertide introits. narrow in range and archaic in style, the paschal tone quotes a roman office antiphon for easter week dating from the seventh century or earlier, whose pitches – the emblematic initial permeating the tone – eventually generated a psalm-tone differentia and a formula used to begin many later deuterus introits, including deus israel.
liturgical chant bibliography 14
Authors: paucker günther michael
Published: September 2005

liturgical chant bibliography 14 maintains the previously established subdivisions: (1) editions and facsimile editions, (2) books and reprints, (3) congress reports, (4) chant journals, (5) collections of essays and dictionaries, (6) articles in periodicals and festschriften. additions to previous bibliographies, for the most part reviews, directly follow this introduction.
sperm-based contraceptive vaccines: current status, merits and development
Authors: suri anil
Published: September 2005

at the present growth rate, the world population is estimated to reach a phenomenal 8.9 billion people by the year 2050, posing a great risk of overpopulation. therefore, new strategies of contraception are required. a novel contraceptive strategy that is receiving considerable attention is that of immunocontraception. spermatozoa have proteins that are unique, cell specific, immunogenic and accessible to antibodies. the targeting of antibodies to gamete-specific antigens implicated in sperm function, sperm–egg binding and fertilisation could block sperm binding and thus fertilisation. the present review highlights the current status, relative merits and future directions for various sperm-based candidate antigens with regard to the development of a contraceptive vaccine.
librarianship related studies at city university–choices for law librarians
Authors: eisenschitz tamara
Published: September 2005

gillian sands started her career by studying the msc in information science at city university in the session 1998–99. among the standard skills, she studied in particular legal aspects of library and information work and also services and documentation about the law in general, in other words, information law and legal information.
the brand van zyl law library @ the university of cape town (uct)
Authors: brey dilshaad
Published: September 2005

this article by dilshaad brey, reference librarian, is a description of the brand van zyl law library at the university of cape town (uct), south africa. the author met gillian sands whilst on an internship at the ials library in june 2004.
access to legal literature: the italian dogi database
Authors: peruginelli ginevra
Published: September 2005

legal information has specific features due to its nature, its different utilisation purposes and the intrinsic need for integration of its components, represented by legislation, cases and doctrine. access to legal literature in particular is a primary requirement; it responds to the demand for understanding and interpretation of statutes and cases, an objective that law scholars and professionals greatly contribute to.
sarbanes-oxley act resources: print and electronic, free and fee
Authors: rogers dave
Published: September 2005

the sarbanes-oxley act of 2002 has established a new reason for legal publishers to bring out books and loose-leaf services on a new topic. in his second contribution dave rogers from sidley austin's chicago office describes materials of greater interest to law librarians and lawyers.
Refinement of the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory solar benchmark computations and an improved parameterization for climate models
Authors: Freidenreich S. M. , Ramaswamy V.
Published: September 2005

A recent intercomparison study of solar radiative transfer models has revealed a notable difference (5%) in the total spectrum column absorptance, for a specified clear‐sky atmospheric profile, between two principal line‐by‐line benchmark results (namely, the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory (GFDL) and the Atmospheric and Environmental Research, Inc. models). We resolve this discrepancy by performing a series of “benchmark” computations which show that the water vapor continuum formulation, spectral line information, and spectral distribution of the solar irradiance at the top of the atmosphere are key factors. Accounting for these considerations reduces the difference between the two benchmarks to less than 1%. The analysis establishes a high level of confidence in the use of benchmark calculations for developing and testing solar radiation parameterizations in weather and climate models. The magnitude of the change in absorption in the newer GFDL benchmark computations, associated with the use of a more recent spectral line catalog and inclusion of the water vapor continuum, has also necessitated revising the solar parameterization used in the operational GFDL general circulation model (GCM). When compared with the newer reference computation, the older parameterization shows an underestimate of the clear‐sky heating rate throughout the atmosphere, with the error in the atmospheric solar absorbed flux being about 20 W m−2 for a midlatitude summer atmosphere and overhead Sun. In contrast, the new parameterization improves the representation of the solar absorption and reduces the bias to about 5 W m−2. Another important feature of the new parameterization is a nearly 50% reduction in the number of pseudomonochromatic columnar calculations compared to the older formulation, with only relatively small increases in the biases in absorption for cloudy layers. This yields a reduction of about 10% in the GCM computational time. The effect of the new parameterization on the simulated temperature in the new operational GFDL climate GCM is also examined. There is an increased solar heating; this yields temperature increases exceeding 1 K in the lower stratosphere.