bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Progressive retinal dystrophy in two sisters with glutathione synthetase (GS) deficiency
Authors: Ristoff E. , Burstedt M. , Larsson A. , Wachtmeister L.
Published: January 2007

We report the ophthalmological findings of two sisters with severe glutathione synthetase deficiency, an autosomal recessive inborn error of metabolism resulting in very low intracellular levels of the free‐radical scavenger glutathione. The patients were investigated because of declining visual acuity. The most prominent finding was progressive retinal dystrophy with hyperpigmentations and maculopathy. Generally disturbed functioning of both the outer and inner layers of the retina resulted in attenuated or nearly abolished electroretinograms. These findings agree with a rod/cone type of retinal dystrophy, and we suggest that this is due to glutathione deficiency. Treatment with antioxidants such as vitamins E and C seems to prevent the progression of CNS damage. We speculate that it might also prevent retinal dystrophy in patients with glutathione synthetase deficiency. We suggest that patients with retinal dystrophy and additional neurological signs should be investigated for a defect in glutathione metabolism. Also, we recommend that patients with low levels of glutathione should be examined for retinal dystrophy. Our results suggest that a decreased capacity for scavenging reactive oxygen species and/or increased oxidative stress may cause retinal dystrophy. If this is the case, the redox state in the retina should be a potentially useful therapeutic target to prevent reduced visual function and blindness.
The Dutch Fabry cohort: Diversity of clinical manifestations and Gb3 levels
Authors: Vedder A. C. , Linthorst G. E. , van Breemen M. J. , Groener J. E. M. , Bemelman F. J. , Strijland A. , Mannens M. M. A. M. , Aerts J. M. F. G. , Hollak C. E. M.
Published: January 2007

Background: Fabry disease (OMIM 301500) is an X‐linked lysosomal storage disorder with characteristic vascular, renal, cardiac and cerebral complications. Globotriaosylceramide (Gb3) accumulates in Fabry patients as a result of α‐galactosidase A deficiency. The phenotypic variability is high, but the relationship between clinical symptoms in individual Fabry patients has not been uniformly documented. Also, the relation between the most prominent biochemical abnormalities, elevated Gb3 levels in plasma and urine, and clinical symptoms is not firmly established. Methods: Clinical and biochemical characteristics of 96 (25 deceased) Dutch Fabry patients were collected retrospectively and before the initiation of enzyme therapy. Results: Clinical assessment revealed that median life expectancy was 57 years for male and 72 years for female patients. Cerebral complications, acroparaesthesias and gastrointestinal complications, but not cardiac and auditory complications, were all seen more frequently in male than female patients. Glomerular filtration rate (GFR) was highly variable in male patients, including 2 patients with GFR < 30 ml/min, but median GFR did not differ between males and females (103 and 101 ml/min, respectively). Hyperfiltration was more frequently observed in the female patient group. Microalbuminuria was present in 60% of males and 45% of females. No specific pattern of combined symptoms existed except for a relationship between left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) and cerebral complications (males 36%, females 32%), or proteinuria (males 35%, females 31%). Gb3 was found to be more elevated in plasma samples from male (n = 26; median 6.27 μmol/L (1.39–9.74)) than female Fabry patients (n = 37; median 2.16 (0.77–4.18)). This was also observed for urinary Gb3: males (n = 22) median 1851 nmol/24 h (40–3724); females (n = 29) median 672 (86–2052). Plasma and urinary Gb3 levels correlated with each other in both males (r = 0.4, p = 0.05) and females (r = 0.4, p = 0.03), but no correlation between elevated Gb3 levels and clinical symptoms could be detected. Conclusion: Analysis of the characteristics of the Dutch Fabry cohort has revealed that a limited relationship between various disease manifestations exists and that individual symptoms do not correlate with elevated urinary or plasma Gb3 levels, limiting their value as surrogate disease markers.
SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS DURING CHILDHOOD AND HEALTH STATUS IN ADULTHOOD: THE WROCŁAW GROWTH STUDY
Authors: LIPOWICZ ANNA , KOZIEŁ SŁAWOMIR , HULANICKA BARBARA , KOWALISKO ALICJA
Published: January 2007

It has been widely observed that socioeconomic status (SES) is associated with frequency of cardiovascular disease. Both men and women of low socioeconomic position have increased risk of cardiovascular disease morbidity and premature death. In this study the relationship between SES in childhood, and health status at the age of 50 years was examined. Socioeconomic status in childhood was measured using objective (father’s educational level and number of children in the family) and subjective (self-assessed SES in childhood declared in early adulthood) indicators. Data from the Wrocław Growth Study were completed when subjects were 50 years old, and information concerning health status was added. The results indicated that the objective, universally used measures of SES in childhood such as father’s educational level and size of family did not show any essential relationships with health outcomes in adulthood, both for men and women. By contrast, retrospective, self-assessed SES (as better, average or worse as compared with peers) in childhood was significantly associated with the appearance of cardiovascular disease among women aged 50 years. Women who at the beginning of their adult life declared better socioeconomic condition in childhood were significantly healthier at the age of 50 years (OR=3·43; p=0·02). Moreover, this appeared to be independent of BMI, SES and life-style in adulthood. For men, retrospective self-assessed SES showed no relation to health status at the age of 50 years. The gender differences in the relationships between self-assessed SES in childhood and health status in adulthood are explained by possible selective premature mortality among men from lower childhood SES and/or sex differences in cognitive abilities.
Between Iron Formalism and Playful Relativism: Five Recent Studies in Malay Writing
Authors: van der Putten Jan
Published: January 2007

The heritage of traditional Malay literature: A historical survey of genres,
writings, and literary views
By VLADIMIR BRAGINSKY
Leiden: KITLV Press, 2004. Pp. xiv, 890. Notes, Bibliography, Index.

John Leyden's Malay Annals
With an introductory essay by VIRGINIA MATHESON HOOKER and M. B.
HOOKER
Kuala Lumpur: MBRAS, 2001. Pp. 81, 361. Notes, Bibliography, Index.

We are playing relatives: A survey of Malay writing
By HENK MAIER
Leiden: KITLV Press, 2004. Pp. viii, 542. Notes, Bibliography, Index.

Bidasari: Jewel of Malay Muslim culture
Edited by JULIAN MILLIE
Leiden: KITLV Press, 2004. Pp. 310. Notes, Bibliography, Index.

A merry senhor in the Malay world: Four texts of the Syair Sinyor Kosta
Edited by A. TEEUW, R. DUMAS, MUHAMMAD HAJI SALLEH, R. TOL and M. J.
VAN YPEREN
Leiden: KITLV Press, 2004. Pp. x, 467. Notes, Bibliography, Index.
Rapid population declines and mortality clusters in three Oriental white-backed vulture Gyps bengalensis colonies in Pakistan due to diclofenac poisoning
Authors: Gilbert Martin , Watson Richard T. , Virani Munir Z. , Oaks J. Lindsay , Ahmed Shakeel , Chaudhry Muhammad Jamshed Iqbal , Arshad Muhammad , Mahmood Shahid , Ali Ahmad , Khan Aleem A.
Published: January 2007

The population declines affecting Asian Gyps vultures are among the most rapid and geographically widespread recorded for any species. This paper describes the rates and patterns of mortality and population change over 4 years at three Oriental white-backed vulture Gyps bengalensis colonies in Pakistan: Dholewala (initially 421 pairs), Toawala (initially 445 pairs) and Changa Manga (initially 758 pairs). Vulture mortality led to the extirpation of two of these colonies (Changa Manga and Dholewala) in 3 years, and a decline of 54.3% in the third. Visceral gout, indicative of diclofenac poisoning, was the largest single cause of death in vultures examined. Annual adult mortality from diclofenac poisoning was significantly positively correlated with annual population declines at each colony indicating a direct causal relationship. Visceral gout occurred in temporal and spatial clusters suggesting multiple point sources of diclofenac exposure. The spatial and temporal distribution of dead vultures and approximate time since death were used to estimate minimum rates at which colonies encountered carcasses with sufficient diclofenac to cause mortality of 1.26–1.88 carcasses per colony per month. By estimating total carcass consumption at each colony, the percentage of carcasses contaminated with diclofenac was calculated as 1.41–3.02%, exceeding the minimum required to have caused the observed population decline. With populations declining by approximately 50% annually, the long term survival of Gyps vultures in South Asia will require the removal of diclofenac from vulture food and establishment of captive populations for future restoration once the environment is free from contamination.
The first signs of language: Phonological development in British Sign Language
Authors: MORGAN GARY , BARRETT-JONES SARAH , STONEHAM HELEN
Published: January 2007

A total of 1,018 signs in one deaf child's naturalistic interaction with her deaf mother, between the ages of 19 and 24 months were analyzed. This study summarizes regular modification processes in the phonology of the child sign's handshape, location, movement, and prosody. First, changes to signs were explained by the notion of phonological markedness. Second, the child managed her production of first signs through two universal processes: structural change and substitution. Constraints unique to the visual modality also caused sign language-specific acquisition patterns, namely, more errors for handshape articulation in locations in peripheral vision, a high frequency of whole sign repetitions and feature group rather than one-to-one phoneme substitutions as in spoken language development.
Model order reduction for impact-contact dynamics simulations of flexible manipulators
Authors: Ma Ou , Wang Jiegao
Published: January 2007

Dynamic simulation of a flexible manipulator performing physical contact (including low-speed impact) tasks with stiff environment is very time consuming because very small integration step sizes have to be used for numerical stability. Existing model order reduction techniques cannot be readily applied due to the nonlinear nature of the contact dynamics. In this paper, a method is introduced to deal with this problem. The method first linearizes the contact force model on the right-hand side of the dynamics equations periodically. It then identifies the linear “stiffness” and “damping” terms from the linearized contact force model and combines them with the existing structural stiffness and damping matrices of the associated multibody system on the left-hand side of the equations. After such a process, the traditional modal analysis and reduction techniques for linear dynamic systems can be applied to reduce the order of the resulting dynamic system. Two numerical examples of flexible manipulators performing a contact task are presented to demonstrate the significant gain in computational efficiency and the improved output results.
Painting and Printing Living Bacteria: Engineering Nanoporous Biocatalytic Coatings to Preserve Microbial Viability and Intensify Reactivity
Authors: Flickinger Michael C. , Schottel Janet L. , Bond Daniel R. , Aksan Alptekin , Scriven L. E.
Published: January 2007

Latex biocatalytic coatings containing ∼50% by volume of microorganisms stabilize, concentrate and preserve cell viability on surfaces at ambient temperature. Coatings can be formed on a variety of surfaces, delaminated to generate stand‐alone membranes or formulated as reactive inks for piezoelectric deposition of viable microbes. As the latex emulsion dries, cell preservation by partial desiccation occurs simultaneously with the formation of pores and adhesion to the substrate. The result is living cells permanently entrapped, surrounded by nanopores generated by partially coalesced polymer particles. Nanoporosity is essential for preserving microbial viability and coating reactivity. Cryo‐SEM methods have been developed to visualize hydrated coating microstructure, confocal microscopy and dispersible coating methods have been developed to quantify the activity of the entrapped cells, and FTIR methods are being developed to determine the structure of vitrified biomolecules within and surrounding the cells in dry coatings. Coating microstructure, stability and reactivity are investigated using small patch or strip coatings where bacteria are concentrated 102‐ to 103‐fold in 5–75 μm thick layers with pores formed by carbohydrate porogens. The carbohydrate porogens also function as osmoprotectants and are postulated to preserve microbial viability by formation of glasses inside the microbes during coat drying; however, the molecular mechanism of cell preservation by latex coatings is not known. Emerging applications include coatings for multistep oxidations, photoreactive coatings, stabilization of hyperthermophiles, environmental biosensors, microbial fuel cells, as reaction zones in microfluidic devices, or as very high intensity (>100 g·L‐1 coating volume·h‐1) industrial or environmental biocatalysts. We anticipate expanded use of nanoporous adhesive coatings for prokaryotic and eukaryotic cell preservation at ambient temperature and the design of highly reactive “living” paints and inks.
Ozone‐isoprene reaction: Re‐examination of the formation of secondary organic aerosol
Authors: Kleindienst Tadeusz E. , Lewandowski Michael , Offenberg John H. , Jaoui Mohammed , Edney Edward O.
Published: January 2007

The reaction of ozone and isoprene has been studied to examine physical and chemical characteristics of the secondary organic aerosol formed. Using a scanning mobility particle sizer, the volume distribution of the aerosol was found in the range 0.05–0.2μm. The aerosol yield was estimated to be 0.01, a value which is a factor of 5–10 higher than previous reports. The aerosol formation is complicated by the presence of minor impurities in the isoprene and the fact that OH‐radicals produced in the ozonolysis can react with isoprene to produce organic aerosol. Without an OH‐radical scavenger present, up to 50% of the observed aerosol comes from the OH channel. A GC‐MS analysis of the products of the composite aerosol showed that two methyl tetrols and 2‐methylglyceric acid are formed which can be attributed to the OH reaction channel. A measurement of the effective enthalpy of vaporization using a volatility differential mobility analyzer found the aerosol to have ΔHeffof −42 kJ mol−1, a value at the upper end of the range of organic aerosols previously studied. Even with the increased yield found in this study, the ozonolysis reaction probably remains a minor contributor to secondary organic aerosol in PM2.5from the atmospheric oxidation of isoprene.
Ocean current and wave effects on wind stress drag coefficient over the global ocean
Authors: Kara A. Birol , Metzger E. Joseph , Bourassa Mark A.
Published: January 2007

The effects of ocean surface currents and dominant waves on the wind stress drag coefficient (CD) are examined over the global ocean. Major findings are as follows: (1) the combination of both ocean wave and current speeds can result in reductions in daily CD (>10%), but the notable impact of the latter is only evident in the tropical Pacific Ocean; (2) the presence of waves generally makes winds weaker and CD lower almost everywhere over the global ocean; (3) strong ocean currents near the western boundaries (Kuroshio and Gulf Stream) do not substantially influence CD since the winds and currents are not always aligned; and (4) the change in speed used in bulk flux parameterization also causes large changes in fluxes. Globally, the combined outcome of ocean currents and waves is to reduce CD by about (2%), but spatial variations (0% to 14%) do exist.
Mw 7.8 Tarapaca intermediate depth earthquake of 13 June 2005 (northern Chile): Fault plane identification and slip distribution by waveform inversion
Authors: Delouis Bertrand , Legrand Denis
Published: January 2007

The Mw 7.8 Tarapaca earthquake of 13 June 2005 occurred between 90 and 115 km depth within the subducting slab of northern Chile. The fault plane could be identified using two independent approaches: by locating accurately one week of aftershocks and by modeling the strong‐motion waveforms. The rupture occurred on a low‐angle (15°) west‐dipping plane in pure normal faulting. The slip distribution obtained by the joint inversion of strong‐motion and teleseismic data indicates a compact slip zone of dimension 50 × 40 km2 with a maximum slip of 13 m. The aftershock distribution slightly extends beyond the slip zone dimension in the NS direction but slip extends slightly more towards the west than do the aftershocks. The Tarapaca earthquake can be classified as an intraslab down‐dip tensional event, in the context of a mature seismic gap.
Lower E region field‐aligned irregularities studied using the Equatorial Atmosphere Radar and meteor radar in Indonesia
Authors: Patra A. K. , Yokoyama T. , Yamamoto M. , Nakamura T. , Tsuda T. , Fukao S.
Published: January 2007

This paper presents the first observations of lower E region echoes made with the Equatorial Atmosphere radar (EAR) located in West Sumatra, Indonesia (0.2°S, 100.32°E; dip latitude 10.36°S). The lower E region echoes observed over West Sumatra display descending layer structures with occasional descent to altitude as low as 85 km. The descending characteristics resemble the characteristics of tidal winds. Simultaneous observations of wind measured using a meteor radar show tidal wind fields with westward and northward winds above and eastward and southward winds below. The velocities of the field‐aligned irregularities (FAI) observed by the EAR are found to agree quite well with the winds measured by the meteor radar. This suggests that in the collision dominated lower E region the FAI velocities represent essentially the neutral winds. The observations of low‐altitude FAI are found to be consistent with the gradient drift instability except those occurring below 90 km, which deserves further investigation.
Comparison of hydrologic calibration of HSPF using automatic and manual methods
Authors: Kim Sang Min , Benham Brian L. , Brannan Kevin M. , Zeckoski Rebecca W. , Doherty John
Published: January 2007

The automatic calibration software Parameter Estimation (PEST) was used in the hydrologic calibration of Hydrological Simulation Program–Fortran (HSPF), and the results were compared with a manual calibration assisted by the Expert System for the Calibration of HSPF (HSPEXP). In this study, multiobjective functions based on the HSPEXP model performance criteria were developed for use in PEST, which allowed for the comparison of the calibration results of the two methods. The calibrated results of both methods were compared in terms of HSPEXP model performance criteria, goodness‐of‐fit measures (R2, E, and RMSE), and base flow index. The automatic calibration results satisfied most of the HSPEXP model performance criteria and performed better with respect to R2, E, RMSE, and base flow index than manual calibration results. The results of the comparison with the manual calibration suggest that the automatic method using PEST may be a suitable alternative to manual method assisted by HSPEXP for calibration of hydrologic parameters for HSPF. However, further research of the weights used in the objective functions is necessary to provide guidance when applying PEST to surface water modeling.
Relating low‐flow characteristics to the base flow recession time constant at partial record stream gauges
Authors: Eng Ken , Milly P. C. D.
Published: January 2007

Base flow recession information is helpful for regional estimation of low‐flow characteristics. However, analyses that exploit such information generally require a continuous record of streamflow at the estimation site to characterize base flow recession. Here we propose a simple method for characterizing base flow recession at low‐flow partial record stream gauges (i.e., sites with very few streamflow measurements under low‐streamflow conditions), and we use that characterization as the basis for a practical new approach to low‐flow regression. In a case study the introduction of a base flow recession time constant, estimated from a single pair of strategically timed streamflow measurements, approximately halves the root‐mean‐square estimation error relative to that of a conventional drainage area regression. Additional streamflow measurements can be used to reduce the error further.
Thermal transport analysis of the edge region in the low and high confinement stages of a DIII-D discharge
Authors: Stacey W. M. , Groebner R. J.
Published: January 2007

The ion and electron thermal diffusivities have been inferred from measured density and temperature profiles in the edge of a DIII-D [J. Luxon, Nucl. Fusion 42, 614 (2002)] discharge with a low confinement (L-mode) stage followed by a high confinement (H-mode) stage free of edge localized modes. Conductive heat flux profiles used to construct the inferred thermal diffusivities were calculated taking into account heat convection, radiation, atomic physics effects of recycling neutrals, ion-electron equilibration, and neutral beam heating. The inferred thermal diffusivities were compared with theoretical predictions.
Novel nanobubble inflation method for determining the viscoelastic properties of ultrathin polymer films
Authors: O’Connell P. A. , McKenna G. B.
Published: January 2007

We describe a novel experimental technique for measuring the viscoelastic properties of ultrathin polymer films. The method is based on the classic bubble inflation technique for measuring the biaxial creep compliance of films, reduced in size to measure films with thicknesses down to at least 13nm. The method uses the imaging capabilities of the atomic force microscope to determine the time evolution of the geometry of nanobubbles. Using these data, along with the applied pressure, the absolute creep compliance of the films can be determined.
Percus-Yevick theory for the structural properties of the seven-dimensional hard-sphere fluid
Authors: Robles Miguel , López de Haro Mariano , Santos Andrés
Published: January 2007

The direct correlation function and the (static) structure factor for a seven-dimensional hard-sphere fluid are considered. Analytical results for these quantities are derived within the Percus-Yevick [Phys. Rev.110, 1 (1958)] theory.
Characteristics of InN grown on SiC under the In-rich regime by molecular beam heteroepitaxy
Authors: Losurdo Maria , Giangregorio Maria M. , Bruno Giovanni , Kim Tong-Ho , Wu Pae , Choi Soojeong , Brown April , Masia F. , Capizzi M. , Polimeni A.
Published: January 2007

InN epitaxial films were grown by N2 plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy on 4H- and 6H-SiC substrates using low-temperature InN nucleation layers. InN films grown at various In fluxes under the In-rich regime show improved crystal quality, surface morphology, and optical properties, without sizable metallic In incorporation. Photoluminescence measurements show emission up to room temperature, band gap values as low as 0.64eV at T=10K, and carrier concentrations of the order of 8×1017cm−3.
Ultraprecise microreproduction of a three-dimensional artistic sculpture by multipath scanning method in two-photon photopolymerization
Authors: Yang Dong-Yol , Park Sang Hu , Lim Tae Woo , Kong Hong-Jin , Yi Shin Wook , Yang Hyun Kwan , Lee Kwang-Sup
Published: January 2007

Ultraprecise fabrication of three-dimensional (3D) microstructures comes up to be one of the most important issues in two-photon induced photopolymerization. To date, it has been difficult to fabricate 3D microstructures without any deformation due to the surface tension between a rinsing material and solidified microstructures during the developing process: In general, the surface tension significantly affects the precision of the resulting 3D microstructures. To overcome this problem, the authors propose a simple and effective laser scanning method to reinforce the strength of 3D microstructures without loss of precision. Overall, a complex 3D artistic sculpture such as “The Thinker” was reproduced in the controlled ultraprecise form, which shows that the proposed method enables the fabrication of 3D patterns with dramatically improved precision and stability.
Regulation of epithelial tight junction assembly and disassembly by AMP-activated protein kinase
Authors: Zheng Bin , Cantley Lewis C.
Published: January 2007

AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is a serine/threonine protein kinase that plays an important role in maintaining cellular energy balance. The activity of AMPK is modulated both by the cellular AMP-to-ATP ratio and by upstream kinases. Recently, AMPK was shown to be phosphorylated and activated by LKB1, a protein kinase that plays a conserved role in epithelial polarity regulation in mammals and
Drosophila
. Here, we investigate the involvement of AMPK in the regulation of epithelial tight junction assembly and cell polarization in MDCK cells. We show that the level of AMPK phosphorylation increases during calcium-induced tight junction assembly and cell polarization and that this increase depends on the kinase activity of LKB1. Expression of a kinase-dead mutant of AMPK inhibits tight junction assembly as indicated by measurement of transepithelial resistance and analysis of ZO-1 localization to the tight junction after calcium switch. Conversely, 5-aminoimidizole-4-carboxamide riboside, an activator of AMPK, promotes transepithelial resistance development and tight junction assembly upon calcium switch. Furthermore, 5-aminoimidizole-4-carboxamide riboside partially protects the tight junctions from disassembly induced by calcium depletion. These results support an important role of AMPK in the regulation of epithelial tight junction assembly and disassembly and suggest an intriguing link between cellular energy status and tight junction function.
Response of Peripheral Blood Lymphocytes to Fungal Extracts and Staphylococcal Superantigen B in Chronic Rhinosinusitis
Authors: Douglas Richard , Bruhn Maressa , Tan Lor‐Wai , Ooi Eng , Psaltis Alkis , Wormald Peter‐John
Published: January 2007

Background: Previous studies have suggested that chronic rhinosinusitis may result from a hypersensitivity response of the nasal mucosa to the presence of fungal antigens or staphylococcal superantigens in the nasal mucus. Both of these groups of antigens are present so frequently in the nasal mucus of patients with chronic rhinosinusitis that their presence together is likely to be a common event.

Objective: The objective of this study was to determine whether the combined presence of fungal antigens and staphylococcal superantigens exert a synergistic proinflammatory effect on peripheral blood lymphocytes from patients with chronic rhinosinusitis.

Methods: Peripheral blood lymphocytes were extracted from patients with chronic rhinosinusitis with and without nasal polyposis (n = 7 for both groups) and normal controls (n = 7). These cells were cultured for 48 hours after the addition of fungal extracts (Aspergillus and Alternaria), staphylococcal superantigen type B (SEB), or a combination of these two antigens. Real‐time polymerase chain reaction was used to determine the level transcription of interleukinL‐5 and interferon‐γ genes.

Results: Fungal extracts alone resulted in minimal changes in the levels of cytokine expression in peripheral blood lymphocytes. SEB increased the expression of IFN‐γ, and this effect was magnified by the addition of SEB and fungal extracts together to the culture medium. There were no differences in the magnitude of responses seen in patients with and without polyps nor between patients with chronic rhinosinusitis and normal controls.

Conclusion: SEB exerts a powerful proinflammatory effect on peripheral blood lymphocytes and fungal extracts may act synergistically to promote this action.
Visualization of Endolymphatic Hydrops in Patients With Meniere's Disease
Authors: Nakashima Tsutomu , Naganawa Shinji , Sugiura Makoto , Teranishi Masaaki , Sone Michihiko , Hayashi Hideo , Nakata Seiichi , Katayama Naomi , Ishida Ieda Maria
Published: January 2007

Objective: Recently, there have been many reports of intratympanic gentamicin therapy for the treatment of intractable Meniere's disease. Intratympanic administration of steroids has also been used to treat sudden sensorineural hearing loss. We attempted to visualize how the intratympanically administered drug enters the inner ear.

Methods: Gadolinium hydrate diluted eightfold with saline was injected intratympanically through the tympanic membrane using a 23 G needle in nine patients with inner ear diseases. With a 3 Tesla magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) unit, three‐dimensional fluid‐attenuated inversion recovery (3D‐FLAIR) imaging was performed.

Results: 3D‐FLAIR MRI clearly revealed that the gadolinium entered the perilymphatic space and delineated the perilymphatic and endolymphatic spaces of the inner ear. In patients with endolymphatic hydrops, the perilymphatic space surrounding the endolymph was small or had disappeared. Gadolinium appeared first in the scala tympani of the basal turn of the cochlea and the perilymphatic space of the vestibule. One day after the intratympanic injection of gadolinium, the gadolinium was observed in almost all parts of the perilymph. Six days after the intratympanic injection, the gadolinium had almost disappeared from the inner ear.

Conclusion: We reported the first visualization of endolymphatic hydrops in patients with Meniere's disease. The relationship between the image of the endolymphatic space and functional tests, such as electrocochleography and vestibular‐evoked myogenic potential, must be examined in the near future. It is important for the development of intratympanic drug therapies for inner‐ear diseases to investigate how the drugs enter and leave the inner ear.
A model for the contractility of the cytoskeleton including the effects of stress-fibre formation and dissociation
Authors: Deshpande Vikram S , McMeeking Robert M , Evans Anthony G
Published: January 2007

A model for the contractility of cells is presented that accounts for the dynamic reorganization of the cytoskeleton. It is motivated by three key biochemical processes: (i) an activation signal that triggers actin polymerization and myosin phosphorylation, (ii) the tension-dependent assembly of the actin and myosin into stress fibres, and (iii) the cross-bridge cycling between the actin and the myosin filaments that generates the tension. Simple relations are proposed to model these coupled phenomena and a constitutive law developed for the activation and response of a single stress fibre. This law is generalized to two- and three-dimensional cytoskeletal networks by employing a homogenization analysis and a finite strain continuum model is developed. The key features of the model are illustrated by considering: (i) a single stress fibre on a series of supports and (ii) a two-dimensional square cell on four supports. The model is shown to be capable of predicting a variety of key experimentally established characteristics including: (i) the decrease of the forces generated by the cell with increasing support compliance, (ii) the influence of cell shape and boundary conditions on the development of structural anisotropy, and (iii) the high concentration of the stress fibres both at the focal adhesions and at the sites of localized applied tension. Moreover, consistent with the experimental findings, the model predicts that multiple activation signals are more effective at developing stress fibres than a single prolonged signal.
Morphological variation among populations of Aphanius fasciatus Nardo, 1827 (Teleostei, Cyprinodontidae) from the Mediterranean
Authors: Ferrito V. , Mannino M. C. , Pappalardo A. M. , Tigano C.
Published: January 2007

The amount of osteological variation among 11 Italian killifish Aphanius fasciatus populations was examined by the univariate and multivariate analysis of 40 morphometric and meristic variables of the skull and vertebral column. Populations were sampled in three geographically distinct areas (the Adriatic, Sardinia and Sicily). The statistical analysis confirmed that several populations were well differentiated. In particular, discriminant analysis revealed a strong discriminating power of the morphometric variables. Morphometrics of the vertebrae, bony elements of the pharyngeal jaws, supraoccipital and parasphenoid were the most important in discriminating populations. The dendrogram obtained by UPGMA cluster analysis shows the separation of the south‐eastern Sicilian populations, that of the Sardinian populations and that of the central‐northern Sicilian plus Adriatic populations, as well as the isolation of the Sicilian population from Pantano Viruca and of the Sardinian populations from Pauli Figu from all the others. The significance of the observed differentiation pattern is discussed.
Size‐specific growth of bluegill, largemouth bass and channel catfish in relation to prey availability and limnological variables
Authors: Shoup D. E. , Callahan S. P. , Wahl D. H. , Pierce C. L.
Published: January 2007

Growth of sympatric populations of three important sport fish species: bluegill Lepomis macrochirus, largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides and channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus, in 14 Illinois reservoirs was assessed in an attempt to relate size‐specific growth to environmental conditions. Multiple regression relationships for most species and size classes explained a large percentage of the variation in growth. Growth of small bluegill (50 mm total length, LT) showed a strong negative relationship with bluegill catch per unit effort (cpue), per cent littoral area and pH. Large bluegill (150 mm LT) growth was negatively related to Daphnia spp. and benthic macroinvertebrate abundance and lake volume, and positively related to bluegill cpue. Growth of small (100 mm LT) and large (250 mm LT) largemouth bass was not well explained by any of the measured variables. Growth of both small (300 mm LT) and large (450 mm LT) channel catfish was strongly positively related to forage fishes and ichthyoplankton abundance, and per cent littoral area while negatively related to benthic macroinvertebrates. By identifying environmental conditions associated with increased growth rates, these models provide direction for managing fish populations and suggest testable hypotheses for future study of the complex interactions between environmental conditions and growth.
Inhibitory effect of osmotic concentration, potassium and pH on motility of the sperm of the North American burbot Lota lota maculosa
Authors: Zuccarelli M. D. , Jensen N. , Ingermann R. L.
Published: January 2007

Seminal plasma factors maintaining North American (NA) burbot Lota lota maculosa sperm quiescent were examined. Sperm were diluted into buffered saline solutions of various compositions and motility assessed. After 1 h in these solutions at 10° C, aliquots of the suspension were diluted with tap water and motility again assessed. Dilution of sperm in an incubation solution containing Ca2+ in the absence of K+ initiated sperm motility resulting in low motility when sperm were subsequently diluted in tap water. Incubation solutions with osmolalities >200 mOsm kg−1 and containing 12·5 mM K+ prevented the onset of sperm motility and were associated with maximal sperm motility upon dilution in tap water. Sperm maintained at lower osmolalities exhibited limited motility upon dilution in tap water indicating interdependence between K+ and osmolality in maintaining sperm quiescent in the presence of Ca2+. Sperm kept in incubation solution at pH values < c. 7·5 for 1 h demonstrated reduced motility when subsequently diluted in tap water. That motility of sperm was pH sensitive was further indicated by CO2 inhibition of motility. Therefore, NA burbot sperm are probably maintained in an immotile state, yet with potential for motility, by combination of high K+, osmolality and possibly pH. The results from this study differ from published information on sperm quiescence in the temporally and geographically distinct Eurasian burbot Lota lota lota.
Habitat quality and endoparasitism in the Pacific sanddab Citharichthys sordidus from Santa Monica Bay, southern California
Authors: Hogue C. , Swig B.
Published: January 2007

Prevalence, mean abundance and mean intensity of the most common endohelminths infecting Pacific sanddab Citharichthys sordidus were compared among six trawl stations in the Santa Monica Bay. These trawl stations varied in their distance from the 8 km effluent of the Hyperion treatment plant which is situated adjacent to Santa Monica Bay. Juvenile stages of Anisakis sp., Corynosoma sp., Lacistorhynchus dollfusi and Tetraphyllidean plerocercoids were found infecting Pacific sanddabs. Significantly higher prevalence and mean intensity of L. dollfusi and Anisakis sp. were seen at the non‐outfall stations compared to outfall stations either immediately surrounding or in the vicinity of the outfall. These differences appeared to be related to changes in invertebrate population densities in response to the presence of contaminants. Canonical analysis of discriminance using parasite abundance data discriminated non‐outfall from outfall stations. The cestode L. dollfusi explained most of the variability in discriminant scores generated from the analysis and appears to warrant further investigation as a potential bioindicator of pollution exposure in its fish host.
Comparison of different definitions of the metabolic syndrome
Authors: Sandhofer A. , Iglseder B. , Paulweber B. , Ebenbichler C. F. , Patsch J. R.
Published: January 2007

Background  The International Diabetes Federation (IDF) published a new definition of the metabolic syndrome (MetS). For this definition we compared frequency, concordance, clinical and laboratory stigmata and carotid atherosclerosis with those of the established definitions by the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) and World Health Organization (WHO).

Materials and methods  A total of 1518 subjects (943 men, 575 women) from the Salzburg Atherosclerosis Prevention Program in Subjects at High Individual Risk (SAPHIR), free of clinical atherosclerosis, were included in this study. To estimate insulin sensitivity two methods, i.e. homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA‐IR) and the short insulin tolerance test, were employed. Carotid intima media thickness (IMT) and plaque extent were quantified for all subjects using high‐resolution ultrasound.

Results  Prevalence of the MetS was 18·7% for men and 16·2% for women for the WHO definition, 18·9% and 17·0%, respectively, for the NCEP definition, and 25·8% and 19·5%, respectively, for the IDF definition. Concordance was lower between the definitions of WHO and IDF (< 50%) than between NCEP and IDF (> 67%). Compared to subjects identified by NCEP definition, subjects identified in excess by IDF (3·1–11·7%) showed less insulin resistance and lower IMT and plaque extent indistinguishable from MetS‐free subjects.

Conclusions  Our data suggest that the IDF definition includes subjects as MetS sufferers above these detected by NCEP or WHO, who exhibit considerably less insulin resistance and carotid atherosclerosis blurring the distinction between health and disease.
Helicobacter pylori‐induced apoptosis in T cells is mediated by the mitochondrial pathway independent of death receptors
Authors: Ganten T. M. , Aravena E. , Sykora J. , Koschny R. , Mohr J. , Rudi J. , Stremmel W. , Walczak H.
Published: January 2007

Background  Chronic infection with Helicobacter pylori is related to the pathogenesis of the noncardia carcinoma of the stomach. In this study we investigated the mechanisms of H. pylori‐induced apoptosis in T lymphocytes, which could explain a mechanism of immune evasion facilitating chronic inflammation of the mucosa and gastric carcinogenesis.

Materials and methods  The supernatant of H. pylori culture was used to study the mechanism of apoptosis induction in human leukaemia T cell lines Jurkat and CEM and in primary T cells. The cytotoxin associated gene A (CagA) and vacuolating cytotoxin A (Vac A) positive bacterial strain H. pylori 60190 (CagA+, VacA+) and as a control the less toxic H. pylori strain Tx30a (CagA−, VacA−) were used to produce the supernatant. Cell death was determined by DNA fragmentation and protein expression by Western blot.

Results  H. pylori 60190‐induced apoptosis was neither blocked by inhibition of the death ligands TRAIL (TNF‐related apoptosis‐inducing ligand), CD95L/FasL and TNF‐α (tumour necrosis factor‐a) in wild type Jurkat cells nor in FADDdef (Fas‐associated death domain protein) and caspase‐8def subclones of the Jurkat cell line. Yet, the pancaspase inhibitor zVAD‐fmk could inhibit up to 90% of H. pylori‐induced apoptosis. Stable transfection of Jurkat wild type cells with Bcl‐xL and Bcl‐2 resulted in marked reduction of H. pylori‐induced apoptosis, showing that the mitochondrial pathway is the key regulator. This is supported by the finding that surviving primary human lymphocytes upregulate Bcl‐2 when exposed to H. pylori supernatant.

Conclusions  H. pylori‐induced apoptosis of T cells is mediated by the mitochondrial pathway and could create a local environment that facilitates life‐long infection by immune evasion.
Robust association of the APOEɛ4 allele with premature myocardial infarction especially in patients without hypercholesterolaemia: the Aachen study
Authors: Schmitz F. , Mevissen V. , Krantz C. , Kimmel M. , Erdmann J. , Hoffmann R. , Zerres K. , Ortlepp J. R.
Published: January 2007

Background  Genetic influence on the manifestation of coronary artery disease (CAD) and myocardial infarction (MI) has been shown previously. From many candidate genes the APOE (apolipoprotein E) with the major alleles ɛ2/ɛ3/ɛ4 is in the focus of interest.

Materials and methods  In 1817 patients admitted for their first left heart catheterization at a premature age (males < 55 and females < 65) the association of APOE alleles with MI was analysed. Genotyping was done by 5′ exonuclease assay (TaqMan(M)).

Results  APOE was significantly associated with hypercholesterolaemia (ɛ4 72% vs. ɛ3 66% vs. ɛ2 51%; P < 0·0001), and premature MI (ɛ4 57% vs. ɛ3 50% vs. ɛ2 41%; P < 0·0001; hazard ratio 1·41, 95%CI 1·14–1·75). In patients without hypercholesterolaemia, the APOE allele ɛ4 was highly predictive for the presence of premature MI (ɛ4 55% vs. ɛ3 45% vs. ɛ2 28%; P < 0·0001; hazard ratio 1·75, 95%CI 1·19–2·57).

Conclusion  The APOEɛ4 allele shows a robust association with premature MI independent of hypercholesterolaemia.
Calculation of magnetic anomalies caused by 2D bodies of arbitrary shape with consideration of demagnetization
Authors: Kostrov Nick P.
Published: January 2007

Forward calculations of magnetic anomalies caused by two‐dimensional bodies of any shape and magnetic properties may be performed either without considering demagnetization as in the equivalent source technique or taking demagnetization into account as in the volume integral equation (VIE) approach, in which, for this purpose, magnetized bodies are divided into a set of rectangular prismatic cells. Ignoring demagnetization may result in distortion of the shape and the amplitude of an anomaly, whereas rectangular cells may not be an optimal representation of the source. Moreover, an inaccurate form approximation in the VIE technique may lead to inconsistent results in the near‐body region. In this paper, a method is proposed, based on the VIE approach but differing by applying triangular elementary cells. The method largely overcomes the above‐mentioned limitations of the VIE technique. It allows us to delineate large and complex structures exactly and only requires the source to be divided into a few elementary cells to take demagnetization into account satisfactorily. These improvements have been attained through analytical calculation of the Green's function in the complex plane, using the theory of the Cauchy‐type integral. Comparing numerical solutions with analytical solutions for homogeneous elliptic cylinders without remanence, the method is found to be consistent with the theory in the range of relative magnetic permeability of 2–20, not only far from but also at subcell distances from the body. The method is appropriate for modelling highly and inhomogeneously magnetized 2D bodies of any shape. It may be of value in interpreting underground measurements or topographic effects, as well as in modelling regional geomagnetic profiles, and it is also a convenient tool for testing questionable geological hypotheses. In the framework of the method, the gravitational anomaly for the same causative bodies can be easily calculated. However, at higher and geologically uncommon values of relative magnetic permeability, the algorithm may become unstable but may be stabilized with SVD regularization. The fact that discrepancies were found with the method employed is a basis for further research.
Assessment and compensation of inconsistent coupling conditions in point‐receiver land seismic data
Authors: Bagaini Claudio , Barajas‐Olalde César
Published: January 2007

We introduce a method to detect and compensate for inconsistent coupling conditions that arise during onshore seismic data acquisitions. The reflected seismic signals, the surface waves, or the ambient‐noise records can be used for the evaluation of the different coupling conditions of closely spaced geophones. We derive frequency‐dependent correction operators using a parametric approach based upon a simple model of the interaction between geophone and soil. The redundancy of the measurements available permits verification of the assumptions made on the input signals in order to derive the method and to assess the validity of the model used. The method requires point‐receiver data in which the signals recorded by the individual geophones are digitized.

We have verified the accuracy of the method by applying it to multicomponent ambient‐noise records acquired during a field experiment in which the coupling conditions were controlled and modified during different phases of the experiment. We also applied the method to field data, which were acquired without the coupling conditions being controlled, and found that only a few geophones showed an anomalous behaviour. It was also found that the length of the noise records routinely acquired during commercial surveys is too short to provide enough statistics for the application of our method.