bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Plasmid Donor Affects Host Range of Promiscuous IncP-1β Plasmid pB10 in an Activated-Sludge Microbial Community
Authors: De Gelder Leen , Vandecasteele Frederik P. J. , Brown Celeste J. , Forney Larry J. , Top Eva M.
Published: September 2005

Horizontal transfer of multiresistance plasmids in the environment contributes to the growing problem of drug-resistant pathogens. Even though the plasmid host cell is the primary environment in which the plasmid functions, possible effects of the plasmid donor on the range of bacteria to which plasmids spread in microbial communities have not been investigated. In this study we show that the host range of a broad-host-range plasmid within an activated-sludge microbial community was influenced by the donor strain and that various mating conditions and isolation strategies increased the diversity of transconjugants detected. To detect transconjugants, the plasmid pB10 was marked with
lacp
-
rfp
, while
rfp
expression was repressed in the donors by chromosomal
lacI
q
. The phylogeny of 306 transconjugants obtained was determined by analysis of partial 16S rRNA gene sequences. The transconjugants belonged to 15 genera of the α- and γ-
Proteobacteria
. The phylogenetic diversity of transconjugants obtained in separate matings with donors
Pseudomonas putida
SM1443,
Ralstonia eutropha
JMP228, and
Sinorhizobium meliloti
RM1021 was significantly different. For example, the transconjugants obtained after matings in sludge with
S. meliloti
RM1021 included eight genera that were not represented among the transconjugants obtained with the other two donors. Our results indicate that the spectrum of hosts to which a promiscuous plasmid transfers in a microbial community can be strongly influenced by the donor from which it transfers.
A Persistent, Productive, and Seasonally Dynamic Vibriophage Population within Pacific Oysters (
Crassostrea gigas
)
Authors: Comeau André M. , Buenaventura Enrico , Suttle Curtis A.
Published: September 2005

In an effort to understand the relationship between
Vibrio
and vibriophage populations, abundances of
Vibrio
spp. and viruses infecting
Vibrio parahaemolyticus
(VpVs) were monitored for a year in Pacific oysters and water collected from Ladysmith Harbor, British Columbia, Canada. Bacterial abundances were highly seasonal, whereas high titers of VpVs (0.5 × 10
4
to 11 × 10
4
viruses cm
−3
) occurred year round in oysters, even when
V. parahaemolyticus
was undetectable (<3 cells cm
−3
). Viruses were not detected (<10 ml
−1
) in the water column. Host-range studies demonstrated that 13 VpV strains could infect 62% of the
V. parahaemolyticus
strains from oysters (91 pairings) and 74% of the strains from sediments (65 pairings) but only 30% of the water-column strains (91 pairings). Ten viruses also infected more than one species among
V. alginolyticus
,
V. natriegens
, and
V. vulnificus
. As winter approached and potential hosts disappeared, the proportion of host strains that the viruses could infect decreased by ∼50% and, in the middle of winter, only 14% of the VpV community could be plated on summer host strains. Estimates of virus-induced mortality on
V. parahaemolyticus
indicated that other host species were required to sustain viral production during winter when the putative host species was undetectable. The present study shows that oysters are likely one of the major sources of viruses infecting
V. parahaemolyticus
in oysters and in the water column. Furthermore, seasonal shifts in patterns of host range provide strong evidence that the composition of the virus community changes during winter.
Epoxide Formation on the Aromatic B Ring of Flavanone by Biphenyl Dioxygenase of
Pseudomonas pseudoalcaligenes
KF707
Authors: Han Jaehong , Kim Song-Young , Jung Jihyun , Lim Yoongho , Ahn Joong-Hoon , Kim Su-Il , Hur Hor-Gil
Published: September 2005

Prokaryotic dioxygenase is known to catalyze aromatic compounds into their corresponding
cis
-dihydrodiols without the formation of an epoxide intermediate. Biphenyl dioxygenase from
Pseudomonas pseudoalcaligenes
KF707 showed novel monooxygenase activity by converting 2(
R
)- and 2(
S
)-flavanone to their corresponding epoxides (2-(7-oxabicyclo[4.1.0]hepta-2,4-dien-2-yl)-2, 3-dihydro-4
H
-chromen-4-one), whereby the epoxide bond was formed between C2′ and C3′ on the B ring of the flavanone. The enzyme also converted 6-hydroxyflavanone and 7-hydroxyflavanone, which do not contain a hydroxyl group on the B-ring, to their corresponding epoxides. In a previous report (S.-Y. Kim, J. Jung, Y. Lim, J.-H. Ahn, S.-I. Kim, and H.-G. Hur, Antonie Leeuwenhoek 84:261-268, 2003), however, we found that the same enzyme showed dioxygenase activity toward flavone, resulting in the production of flavone
cis
-2′,3′-dihydrodiol. Extensive structural identification of the metabolites of flavanone by using high-pressure liquid chromatography, liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry, and nuclear magnetic resonance confirmed the presence of an epoxide functional group on the metabolites. Epoxide formation as the initial activation step of aromatic compounds by oxygenases has been reported to occur only by eukaryotic monooxygenases. To the best of our knowledge, biphenyl dioxygenase from
P. pseudoalcaligenes
KF707 is the first prokaryotic enzyme detected that can produce an epoxide derivative on the aromatic ring structure of flavanone.
Structure and Sequence Conservation of
hao
Cluster Genes of Autotrophic Ammonia-Oxidizing Bacteria: Evidence for Their Evolutionary History
Authors: Bergmann David J. , Hooper Alan B. , Klotz Martin G.
Published: September 2005

Comparison of the organization and sequence of the
hao
(hydroxylamine oxidoreductase) gene clusters from the gammaproteobacterial autotrophic ammonia-oxidizing bacterium (aAOB)
Nitrosococcus oceani
and the betaproteobacterial aAOB
Nitrosospira multiformis
and
Nitrosomonas europaea
revealed a highly conserved gene cluster encoding the following proteins:
hao
, hydroxylamine oxidoreductase;
orf2
, a putative protein;
cycA
, cytochrome
c
554
; and
cycB
, cytochrome
c
m
552
. The deduced protein sequences of HAO,
c
554
, and
c
m
552
were highly similar in all aAOB despite their differences in species evolution and codon usage. Phylogenetic inference revealed a broad family of multi-
c
-heme proteins, including HAO, the pentaheme nitrite reductase, and tetrathionate reductase. The
c
-hemes of this group also have a nearly identical geometry of heme orientation, which has remained conserved during divergent evolution of function. High sequence similarity is also seen within a protein family, including cytochromes
c
m
552
, NrfH/B, and NapC/NirT. It is proposed that the hydroxylamine oxidation pathway evolved from a nitrite reduction pathway involved in anaerobic respiration (denitrification) during the radiation of the
Proteobacteria
. Conservation of the hydroxylamine oxidation module was maintained by functional pressure, and the module expanded into two separate narrow taxa after a lateral gene transfer event between gamma- and betaproteobacterial ancestors of extant aAOB. HAO-encoding genes were also found in six non-aAOB, either singly or tandemly arranged with an
orf2
gene, whereas a
c
554
gene was lacking. The conservation of the
hao
gene cluster in general and the uniqueness of the
c
554
gene in particular make it a suitable target for the design of primers and probes useful for molecular ecology approaches to detect aAOB.
Assessment of
cry1
Gene Contents of
Bacillus thuringiensis
Strains by Use of DNA Microarrays
Authors: Letowski Jaroslaw , Bravo Alejandra , Brousseau Roland , Masson Luke
Published: September 2005

A single
Bacillus thuringiensis
strain can harbor numerous different insecticidal crystal protein (
cry
) genes from 46 known classes or primary ranks. The
cry1
primary rank is the best known and contains the highest number of
cry
genes which currently totals over 130. We have designed an oligonucleotide-based DNA microarray (
cryArray
) to test the feasibility of using microarrays to identify the
cry
gene content of
B. thuringiensis
strains. Specific 50-mer oligonucleotide probes representing the
cry1
primary and tertiary ranks were designed based on multiple
cry
gene sequence alignments. To minimize false-positive results, a consentaneous approach was adopted in which multiple probes against a specific gene must unanimously produce positive hybridization signals to confirm the presence of a particular gene. In order to validate the
cryArray
, several well-characterized
B. thuringiensis
strains including isolates from a Mexican strain collection were tested. With few exceptions, our probes performed in agreement with known or PCR-validated results. In one case, hybridization of primary- but not tertiary-ranked
cry1I
probes indicated the presence of a novel
cry1I
gene. Amplification and partial sequencing of the
cry1I
gene in strains IB360 and IB429 revealed the presence of a
cry1Ia
gene variant. Since a single microarray hybridization can replace hundreds of individual PCRs, DNA microarrays should become an excellent tool for the fast screening of new
B. thuringiensis
isolates presenting interesting insecticidal activity.
Detection of Diverse New
Francisella
-Like Bacteria in Environmental Samples
Authors: Barns Susan M. , Grow Christy C. , Okinaka Richard T. , Keim Paul , Kuske Cheryl R.
Published: September 2005

Following detection of putative
Francisella
species in aerosol samples from Houston, Texas, we surveyed soil and water samples from the area for the agent of tularemia,
Francisella tularensis
, and related species. The initial survey used 16S rRNA gene primers to detect
Francisella
species and related organisms by PCR amplification of DNA extracts from environmental samples. This analysis indicated that sequences related to
Francisella
were present in one water and seven soil samples. This is the first report of the detection of
Francisella
-related species in soil samples by DNA-based methods. Cloning and sequencing of PCR products indicated the presence of a wide variety of
Francisella
-related species. Sequences from two soil samples were 99.9% similar to previously reported sequences from
F. tularensis
isolates and may represent new subspecies. Additional analyses with primer sets developed for detection and differentiation of
F. tularensis
subspecies support the finding of very close relatives to known
F. tularensis
strains in some samples. While the pathogenicity of these organisms is unknown, they have the potential to be detected in
F. tularensis
-specific assays. Similarly, a potential new subspecies of
Francisella philomiragia
was identified. The majority of sequences obtained, while more similar to those of
Francisella
than to any other genus, were phylogenetically distinct from known species and formed several new clades potentially representing new species or genera. The results of this study revise our understanding of the diversity and distribution of
Francisella
and have implications for tularemia epidemiology and our ability to detect bioterrorist activities.
Bifidobacterium longumEndogalactanase Liberates Galactotriose from Type I Galactans
Authors: Hinz Sandra W. A. , Pastink Marieke I. , van den Broek Lambertus A. M. , Vincken Jean-Paul , Voragen Alphons G. J.
Published: September 2005

A putative endogalactanase gene classified into glycoside hydrolase family 53 was revealed from the genome sequence ofBifidobacterium longumstrain NCC2705 (Schell et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 99:14422-14427, 2002). Since only a few endo-acting enzymes from bifidobacteria have been described, we have cloned this gene and characterized the enzyme in detail. The deduced amino acid sequence suggested that this enzyme was located extracellularly and anchored to the cell membrane.galAwas cloned without the transmembrane domain into the pBluescript SK(−) vector and expressed inEscherichia coli. The enzyme was purified from the cell extract by anion-exchange and size exclusion chromatography. The purified enzyme had a native molecular mass of 329 kDa, and the subunits had a molecular mass of 94 kDa, which indicated that the enzyme occurred as a tetramer. The optimal pH of endogalactanase activity was 5.0, and the optimal temperature was 37°C, using azurine-cross-linked galactan (AZCL-galactan) as a substrate. TheKmandVmaxfor AZCL-galactan were 1.62 mM and 99 U/mg, respectively. The enzyme was able to liberate galactotrisaccharides from (β1→4)galactans and (β1→4)galactooligosaccharides, probably by a processive mechanism, moving toward the reducing end of the galactan chain after an initial midchain cleavage. GalA's mode of action was found to be different from that of an endogalactanase fromAspergillus aculeatus. The enzyme seemed to be able to cleave (β1→3) linkages. Arabinosyl side chains in, for example, potato galactan hindered GalA.
Genome-Wide Transcriptional Variation within and between Steady States for Continuous Growth of the HyperthermophileThermotoga Maritima
Authors: Shockley Keith R. , Scott Kevin L. , Pysz Marybeth A. , Conners Shannon B. , Johnson Matthew R. , Montero Clemente I. , Wolfinger Russell D. , Kelly Robert M.
Published: September 2005

Maltose-limited, continuous growth of the hyperthermophileThermotoga maritimaat different temperatures and dilution rates (80°C/0.25 h−1, 80°C/0.17 h−1, and 85°C/0.25 h−1) showed that transcriptome-wide variation in gene expression within mechanical steady states was minimal compared to that between steady states, supporting the efficacy of chemostat-based approaches for functional genomics studies.
S434F in NrdE Generates the Thermosensitive Phenotype of
Corynebacterium ammoniagenes
CH31 and Enhances Thermolability by Increasing the Surface Hydrophobicity of the NrdE(Ts) Protein
Authors: Elhariry Hesham M. , Meens Jochen , Stehr Matthias , Auling Georg
Published: September 2005

The thermosensitive phenotype of strain CH31, a derivative of
Corynebacterium ammoniagenes
ATCC 6872, was allocated by cloning, sequencing, and genetic complementation to a single C→T exchange in the
nrdE
(
n
ucleotide
r
e
d
uction) gene at nucleotide 1301. Protein modeling indicates the impaired surface hydrophobicity of NrdE(Ts) due to the S434F transition.
Molecular Characterization of
Clostridium tetani
Strains by Pulsed-Field Gel Electrophoresis and Colony PCR
Authors: Plourde-Owobi Lucile , Seguin Delphine , Baudin Marie-Anne , Moste Catherine , Rokbi Bachra
Published: September 2005

Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis and PCR were applied for the first time to the molecular characterization of
Clostridium tetani
. Among five strains tested, one (CN1339) turned out to contain a mixture of two genetically different clones and two (D11 and G761) to contain bacteria differing by the presence or absence of the 74-kb plasmid harboring the
tetX
gene.
Selenite and Tellurite Reduction byShewanella oneidensis
Authors: Klonowska Agnieszka , Heulin Thierry , Vermeglio André
Published: September 2005

Shewanella oneidensisMR-1 reduces selenite and tellurite preferentially under anaerobic conditions. The Se(0) and Te(0) deposits are located extracellularly and intracellularly, respectively. This difference in localization and the distinct effect of some inhibitors and electron acceptors on these reduction processes are taken as evidence of two independent pathways.
Rapid and Quantitative Detection of Hepatitis A Virus from Green Onion and Strawberry Rinses by Use of Real-Time Reverse Transcription-PCR
Authors: Shan X. C. , Wolffs P. , Griffiths M. W.
Published: September 2005

In this study, an immunomagnetic capture method and a real-time reverse transcription-PCR assay were used to quantify hepatitis A virus (HAV) in green onion and strawberry rinses. This combined protocol detected as low as 0.5 PFU HAV in produce rinses and concentrated HAV levels up to 20-fold.
Common Receptor for
Bacillus thuringiensis
Toxins Cry1Ac, Cry1Fa, and Cry1Ja in
Helicoverpa armigera
,
Helicoverpa zea
, and
Spodoptera exigua
Authors: Hernández Carmen Sara , Ferré Juan
Published: September 2005

Binding studies using
125
I-Cry1Ac and biotinylated Cry1Fa toxins indicate the occurrence of a common receptor for Cry1Ac, Cry1Fa, and Cry1Ja in
Helicoverpa armigera
,
Helicoverpa zea
, and
Spodoptera exigua
. Our results, along with previous binding data and the observed cases of cross-resistance, suggest that this pattern seems to be widespread among lepidopteran species.
Secretion of Recombinant Pediocin PA-1 by
Bifidobacterium longum
, Using the Signal Sequence for Bifidobacterial α-Amylase
Authors: Moon Gi-Seong , Pyun Yu-Ryang , Park Myeong Soo , Ji Geun Eog , Kim Wang June
Published: September 2005

A recombinant DNA, encoding the chimeric protein of the signal sequence for bifidobacterial α-amylase mature pediocin PA-1, was introduced into
Bifidobacterium longum
MG1. Biologically active pediocin PA-1 was successfully secreted from the strain and showed bactericidal activity against
Listeria monocytogenes
and the same molecular mass as native pediocin PA-1.
Method for Isolation of
Bacteroides
Bacteriophage Host Strains Suitable for Tracking Sources of Fecal Pollution in Water
Authors: Payan Andrey , Ebdon James , Taylor Huw , Gantzer Christophe , Ottoson Jakob , Papageorgiou Georgos T. , Blanch Anicet R. , Lucena Francisco , Jofre Juan , Muniesa Maite
Published: September 2005

Bacteriophages infecting
Bacteroides
are potentially a good tool for fecal source tracking, but different
Bacteroides
host strains are needed for different geographic areas. A feasible method for isolating
Bacteroides
host strains for phages present in human fecal material is described. Useful strains were identified for application in Spain and the United Kingdom. One strain, GA-17, identified as
Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron
, was tested in several locations in Europe with excellent performance in Southern Europe.
Calcineurin-Binding Protein Cbp1 Directs the Specificity of Calcineurin-Dependent Hyphal Elongation during Mating in
Cryptococcus neoformans
Authors: Fox Deborah S. , Heitman Joseph
Published: September 2005

Mating and virulence of the human fungal pathogen
Cryptococcus neoformans
are controlled by calcineurin, a serine-threonine-specific calcium-activated phosphatase that is the target of the immunosuppressive drugs cyclosporine A and FK506. In previous studies, a calcineurin binding protein (Cbp1, Rcn1, Dscr1/Csp1-3/MCIP1-3) that is conserved from yeasts to humans has been identified, but whether this protein functions to regulate calcineurin activity or facilitate calcineurin function as a signaling effector has been unclear. Here we show that, like calcineurin, Cbp1 is required for mating in
C. neoformans
. By contrast, Cbp1 plays no role in promoting calcineurin-dependent growth at 37°C and is not essential for haploid fruiting. Site-directed mutagenesis studies provide evidence that tandem phosphorylation and dephosphorylation of two serine residues in the conserved SP repeat motif are critical for Cbp1 function. Epistasis analysis supports models in which Cbp1 functions coordinately with calcineurin to direct hyphal elongation during mating. Taken together, these findings provide insights into the roles of Cbp1 as an accessory subunit or effector of calcineurin-specific signaling pathways, which may be features conserved among the calcipressins to govern calcineurin signaling in immune cells, cardiomyocytes, and neurons of multicellular eukaryotes.
LaeA, a Regulator of Morphogenetic Fungal Virulence Factors
Authors: Bok Jin Woo , Balajee S. Arunmozhi , Marr Kieren A. , Andes David , Nielsen Kristian Fog , Frisvad Jens C. , Keller Nancy P.
Published: September 2005

Opportunistic animal and plant pathogens, well represented by the genus
Aspergillus
, have evolved unique mechanisms to adapt to and avoid host defenses.
Aspergillus fumigatus
, an increasingly serious pathogen owing to expanding numbers of immunocompromised patients, causes the majority of human infections; however, an inability to identify bona fide virulence factors has impeded therapeutic advances. We show that an
A. fumigatus
mutation in a developmentally expressed transcriptional regulator (
ΔlaeA
) coordinating morphological and chemical differentiation reduces virulence in a murine model; impaired virulence is associated with decreased levels of pulmonary gliotoxin and multiple changes in conidial and hyphal susceptibility to host phagocytes ex vivo. LaeA, a conserved protein in filamentous fungi, is a developmental regulator of virulence genes and, possibly, the first antimicrobial target specific to filamentous fungi that are pathogenic to plants and animals.
Electron Affinities of BN, NO and NF: Coupled Cluster and Multireference Configuration Interaction Calculations
Authors: Fišer Jiří , Polák Rudolf
Published: September 2005

The accurate adiabatic electron affinities (EA) of the BN, NO and NF molecules have been determined using the coupled cluster approach and multireference configuration interaction methods. By combining large doubly augmented correlation-consistent basis sets (through the sextuple zeta) and complete basis set extrapolations with corrections for core-valence correlation and relativistic effects, we find that the RCCSD(T) method gives EA(BN) = 3.153 eV in very close agreement with experiment and predicts EA(NF) = 0.247 eV. The RCCSD(T) and UCCSD(T) EA(NO) results, 0.008 and 0.031 eV, bracket the experimental value. For both the neutral and anionic ground state species the usual spectroscopic constants were derived.
Notes on the Riccati Equation
Authors: Kryachko Eugene S.
Published: September 2005

The relationship between the Riccati and Schrödinger equations is discussed. It is shown that the transformation converting the Riccati equation into its normal form is expressed in terms of the roots of its algebraic part treated as a second-order polynomial. Together with the well-known Riccati transformation, a new transformation which also links the Riccati equation to the second-order linear differential equation is introduced. The latter is actually the Riccati transformation applied to an "inverse" Riccati equation. Two specific forms of the Riccati equation admitting the explicit particular rational solutions are obtained.
MIXTURE PRINCIPAL COMPONENT ANALYSIS MODEL FOR MULTIVARIATE PROCESSES MONITORING
Authors: ZHANG FENG , WENG ZHUJUN
Published: September 2005

A mixture probabilistic principal component analysis model is proposed as a process monitoring tool in this paper. High-dimensional measurement data could be aggregated into some clusters based on the mixture distribution model, where the number of these clusters are automatically determined from the maximum likelihood estimation procedures. It was illustrated that the mixture PCA models conform to the multivariate data well in the experiments involving Gaussian mixtures. The multivariate statistical process monitoring mechanism is then developed first with the learning of a finite mixture model with variant principal component within each cluster, followed by the construction of the statistical process confidence intervals for the identified regions or nodes from T2charts. For the abnormal input measurement, they would fall out of the acceptance region set by the confidence control limits.
MOMENTS OF THE ORDERS OF TATE–SHAFAREVICH GROUPS
Authors: DELAUNAY CHRISTOPHE
Published: September 2005

We give some conjectures for the moments of the orders of the Tate–Shafarevich groups of elliptic curves belonging to a family of quadratic twists. These conjectures follow from the predictions on L-functions given by the random matrix theory [12,5] and from the Birch and Swinnerton–Dyer conjecture. Furthermore, including the Cohen–Lenstra type heuristics for Tate–Shafarevich groups, we obtain some conjectural estimates for the regulator of rank 1 elliptic curves in a family of quadratic twists.
ON EVALUATION OF GENERALIZED EULER SUMS OF EVEN WEIGHT
Authors: EIE MINKING , LIAW WEN-CHIN , YANG FU-YAO
Published: September 2005

The classical Euler sum [Formula: see text] cannot be evaluated when the weight p + q is even unless p = 1 or p = q or (p, q) = (2, 4) or (p, q) = (4, 2) [7]. However it is a different story if instead we consider the alternating sums [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] They can be evaluated for even weight p + q.

In this paper, we shall evaluate a family of generalized Euler sums containing [Formula: see text] when the weight p + q is even via integral transforms of Bernoulli identities.
ON A PROBLEM OF CARLITZ
Authors: BAOULINA IOULIA
Published: September 2005

Let Nq be the number of solutions to the equation [Formula: see text] over the finite field [Formula: see text]. Carlitz found formulas for Nq when n = 3 or 4. In an earlier paper, we found formulas for Nq when d = gcd (n - 2, q - 1) = 1 or 2 or 3 or 4; and when there exists an l such that pl ≡ -1 (mod d). In another paper the cases d = 7 or 14, p ≡ 2 or 4 (mod 7) were considered. In this paper, we find formulas for Nq when d = 8. We also simplify formulas for Nq when d = 4, p ≡ 1 (mod 4).
ON A CERTAIN GENERAL EXPONENTIAL SUM
Authors: MAIER H. , SANKARANARAYANAN A.
Published: September 2005

In this paper we study the general exponential sum related to multiplicative functions f(n) with |f(n)| ≤ 1, namely we study the sum [Formula: see text] and obtain a non-trivial upper bound when α is a certain type of rational number.
Endogenous estrogen mediates a higher threshold for endotoxin-induced myocardial protection in females
Authors: Pitcher Jeffrey M. , Wang Meijing , Tsai Ben M. , Kher Ajay , Nelson Nicholas T. , Meldrum Daniel R.
Published: September 2005

Myocardial endotoxin tolerance may be induced in both males and females; however, it remains unknown whether there are mechanistic and threshold differences between the sexes. We hypothesized that endogenous estrogen mediates a higher threshold for endotoxin (ETX)-induced protection in females. Adult proestrus and ovariectomized (OVX) female rats were preconditioned (PC) with intraperitoneal injections of 125 (PC+125) or 500 (PC+500) μg/kg Salmonella typhimurium LPS (ETX) or normal saline (PC−). Twenty-four hours later, injury dose ETX (500 μg/kg) was injected. After 6 h, myocardial function was measured via Langendorff. p38 MAPK and JNK activation and TNF-α, IL-1, and IL-6 expression were evaluated. ETX injury significantly decreased left ventricular developed pressure in PC− groups vs. controls. PC+500 regimen protected against ETX injury, resulting in normal cardiac function. PC+125 regimen protected OVX but not proestrus females, which had diminished myocardial function. Activated JNK and TNF-α increased in PC− but were diminished in PC+500 animals. Importantly, activated JNK and TNF increased in PC+125 proestrus females, whereas PC+125 OVX females displayed decreases in these molecules. There were no differences in p38 MAPK activation or expression of IL-1 or IL-6. These results demonstrate that proestrus females require a higher stimulus (PC+500) to achieve myocardial protection against ETX injury. Removal of endogenous estrogen (OVX) lowered the preconditioning threshold (PC+125), resulting in protection after lesser injury. Additionally, myocardial JNK and TNF expression was decreased in OVX PC+125 females, which correlated with myocardial function differences. Therefore, we conclude that endogenous estrogen mediates a higher threshold for ETX tolerance in female myocardium.
Multistage Model for Binocular Rivalry
Authors: Freeman Alan W.
Published: September 2005

Binocular rivalry is the alternating perception that occurs when incompatible stimuli are presented to the two eyes: one monocular stimulus dominates vision and then the other stimulus dominates, with a perceptual switch occurring every few seconds. There is a need for a binocular rivalry model that accounts for both well-established results on the timing of dominance intervals and for more recent evidence on the distributed neural processing of rivalry. The model for binocular rivalry developed here consists of four parallel visual channels, two driven by the left eye and two by the right. Each channel consists of several consecutive processing stages representing successively higher cortical levels, with mutual inhibition between the channels at each stage. All stages are architecturally identical. With n the number of stages, the model is implemented as 4 n nonlinear differential equations using a total of eight parameters. Despite the simplicity of its architecture, the model accounts for a variety of experimental observations: 1) the increasing depth of rivalry at higher cortical areas, as shown in electrophysiological, imaging, and psychophysical experiments; 2) the unimodal probability density of dominance durations, where the mode is less than the mean; 3) the lack of correlation between successive dominance durations; 4) the effect of interocular stimulus differences on dominance duration; and 5) eye suppression, as opposed to feature suppression. The model is potentially applicable to issues of visual processing more general than binocular rivalry.
Fructose Supports Energy Metabolism of Some, But Not All, Axons in Adult Mouse Optic Nerve
Authors: Allen Lynne , Anderson Susan , Wender Regina , Meakin Paul , Ransom Bruce R. , Ray David E. , Brown Angus M.
Published: September 2005

We used transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and electrophysiological techniques to characterize the morphology and stimulus-evoked compound action potential (CAP), respectively, of the adult mouse optic nerve (MON). Electrophysiological recordings demonstrated an identical CAP profile for each MON. An initial peak, smallest in area and presumably composed of the fastest-conducting axons displayed the lowest threshold for activation as expected for large axons. The second peak, the largest, was presumably composed of axons of intermediate diameter and conduction velocity, and the third peak was composed of the slowest and presumably smallest axons. In 10 mM fructose, the first CAP peak area was reduced by 78%, but the second and third peaks were unaffected. Histological analysis revealed a cross-sectional area of 33,346 μm2, containing 24,068 axons per MON. All axons were myelinated and axon diameter ranged from 0.09 to 2.58 μm, although 80 ± 6% of the axons were <0.75 μm in diameter and only 0.6 ± 0.3% of the axons were >2 μm in diameter. After bathing in fructose for 2 h 94 ± 2% of normal appearing axons were <0.75 μm in diameter and none were >1.5 μm—all of the larger axons being grossly abnormal in structure. We conclude that fructose is unable to support function of the larger axons contributing to the first CAP peak, thus enabling us to identify a distinct population of axons that contributes to that peak.
Preparation and Biological Characteristics of Recombinant Human Bone Morphogenetic Protein-2-Loaded Dextran-co-Gelatin Hydrogel Microspheres, in vitro and in vivo Studies
Authors: Chen Faming , Wu Zhifen , Wang Qintao , Wu Hong , Zhang Yongjie , Nie Xin , Jin Yan
Published: September 2005

Hydrogels are based on hydrophilic polymers which are cross-linked to prevent dissolution in water. Because hydrogels can contain large amounts of water, they are interesting devices for the delivery of protein drugs. In this contribution, biodegradable dextran-co-gelatin hydrogel microspheres (DG-MPs) are described which are based on physical interactions and are particularly suitable for the controlled delivery of pharmaceutically active proteins. The unique feature of this preparation system is that the hydrogel microsphere formation takes place in an all-aqueous solution, by which the use of organic solvents is avoided. We investigated the preparation and biological activities of recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 (rhBMP2)-loaded dextran-co-gelatin hydrogel microspheres (rhBMP2-DG-MPs), which aimed to keep rhBMP2’s biological activity and to achieve a long-term sustained release of rhBMP2. The microspheres’ average diameter was about 20–40 µm and rhBMP2 release in vitro could be maintained for >10 days. Cytology studies showed that using rhBMP2-DG-MPs could promote the proliferation and osteoblastic differentiation of periodontal ligament cells better than using rhBMP2 aqueous solution. By a freeze-drying method, rhBMP2-DG-MPs could be adhered in chitosan membranes for guided tissue regeneration use, namely functionalized membranes. To evaluate bone regeneration induced by rhBMP2-DG-MPs, an animal experiment with canine class III furcation defects was adopted and the results indicated that using rhBMP2-DG-MPs incorporating scaffolds and functionalized membranes could gain more periodontal tissue regeneration than using scaffolds and general membranes soaked with concentrated rhBMP2 aqueous solution. Therefore, those studies demonstrate the potential of DG-MPs in the sustained delivery of low dosages of rhBMP2 to periodontal defects.
Metabolic and Vascular Effects of Tumor Necrosis Factor-α Blockade with Etanercept in Obese Patients with Type 2 Diabetes
Authors: Dominguez Helena , Storgaard Heidi , Rask-Madsen Christian , Steffen Hermann Thomas , Ihlemann Nikolaj , Baunbjerg Nielsen Dorthe , Spohr Camilla , Kober Lars , Vaag Allan , Torp-Pedersen Christian
Published: September 2005

Objective: The pro-inflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) impairs insulin action in insulin-sensitive tissues, such as fat, muscle and endothelium, and causes endothelial dysfunction. We hypothesized that TNF-α blockade with etanercept could reverse vascular and metabolic insulin resistance. Method and Results: Twenty obese patients with type 2 diabetes were randomized to etanercept treatment (25 mg subcutaneously twice weekly for 4 weeks) or used as controls in an open parallel study. Forearm blood flow and glucose uptake were measured during intra-arterial infusions of serotonin, sodium nitroprusside and insulin co-infused with serotonin. β-Cell function was assessed with oral and intra-venous glucose tolerance tests and whole-body insulin sensitivity by hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamps. Plasma levels of C-reactive protein and interleukin-6 decreased significantly with etanercept (C-reactive protein from 9.9 ± 3.1 to 4.8 ± 1.4 mg l–1, p = 0.04; interleukin-6 from 3.1 ± 0.4 to 1.9 ± 0.2 ng l–1, p = 0.03). Vasodilatory responses to serotonin and sodium nitroprusside infusions remained unchanged. Insulin effect on vasodilatation and on whole-body and forearm glucose uptake remained unchanged as well. β-Cell function tended to improve. Conclusion: Although short-term etanercept treatment had a significant beneficial effect on systemic inflammatory markers, no improvement of vascular or metabolic insulin sensitivity was observed.
Quantitative Measurement of Monocyte HLA-DR Expression in the Identification of Early-Onset Neonatal Infection
Authors: Ng Pak Cheung , Li Geng , Chui Kit Man , Chu Winnie Chiu Wing , Li Karen , Wong Raymond Pui On , Fok Tai Fai
Published: September 2005

Background: This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic utilities of monocyte HLA-DR as an infection marker in the identification of early-onset clinical infection and pneumonia in newborn infants. Methods: Term newborns in whom infection was suspected when they were <72 h of age were eligible for enrollment in the study. C-reactive protein (CRP), monocyte HLA-DR and neutrophil CD64 expressions were quantitatively measured at the time of sepsis evaluation (0 h) and 24 h afterwards by flow cytometry and standard laboratory method. Results: A total of 288 infants with suspected sepsis were investigated, and 93 were found to be clinically infected. There were no significant differences in monocyte HLA-DR expression between the infected, non-infected and control groups at 0 h (median (interquartile range): 13,986 (10,994–18,544), 14,234 (12,045–17,474) and 18,441 (14,250–21,537) antibody phycoerythrin (PE) molecules bound/cell), and between infected and non-infected infants at 24 h (median (interquartile range): 17,772 (12,933–25,167) and 19,406 (14,885–24,225) antibody PE molecules bound/cell). The areas under the receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curves for HLA-DR, CD64 and CRP were 0.52–0.54, 0.88–0.94 and 0.75–0.77, respectively. We were unable to determine an optimal cutoff value for HLA-DR, as the diagnostic utilities of any cutoff point on the ROC curves were unable to satisfy the criteria (i.e. sensitivity and specificity ≧80%) for consideration as an useful diagnostic marker of infection. Conclusions: Our findings did not support the use of monocyte HLA-DR alone or in combination with other infection markers in the diagnosis of early-onset clinical infection and pneumonia in term newborns.
Waiting for Balancing: Why the World Is Not Pushing Back
Authors: Lieber Keir A. , Alexander Gerard
Published: September 2005

Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, many observers predicted a rise in balancing against the United States. More recently, the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003 has generated renewed warnings of an incipient global backlash. Indeed, some analysts claim that signs of traditional hard balancing can already be detected, while others argue that in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, U.S. grand strategy has generated a new phenomenon known as soft balancing, in which states seek to undermine and restrain U.S. power in ways that fall short of classic measures. There is little credible evidence, however, that major powers are engaging in either hard or soft balancing against the United States. The absence of hard balancing is explained by the lack of underlying motivation to compete strategically with the United States under current conditions. Soft balancing is much ado about nothing: the concept is difficult to define or operationalize; the behavior seems identical to traditional diplomatic friction; and, regardless, specific predictions of soft balancing are not supported by the evidence. Balancing against the United States is not occurring because contemporary U.S. grand strategy, despite widespread criticism, poses a threat to only a very limited number of regimes and terrorist groups. Most countries either share U.S. strategic interests in the war on terrorism or do not have a direct stake in the confict. As such, balancing behavior is likely only among a narrowly circumscribed list of states and actors being targeted by the United States.
Hard Times for Soft Balancing
Authors: G. Brooks Stephen , Wohlforth William C.
Published: September 2005

The development of the concept of soft balancing is an attempt to stretch balance of power theory to encompass an international system in which traditional counterbalancing among the major powers is absent. There are two fundamental faws, however, in current treatments of soft balancing: the failure to consider alternative explanations for state actions that have the effect of constraining the United States, and the absence of empirical analysis of the phenomenon. A comparison of soft balancing and four alternative explanations in the main cases highlighted by proponents of the concept-Russia's strategic partnerships with China and India, Russian assistance to Iran's nuclear program, the European Union's efforts to enhance its defense capability, and opposition to the U.S.-led Iraq war in 2003—reveals no empirical support for the soft-balancing explanation. The lack of evidence for the relevance of balancing dynamics in contemporary great-power relations indicates that further investments in adapting balance of power theory to today's unipolar system will not yield analytical dividends.
Diamond in the Rough: Is There a Genuine Environmental Threat to Security? A Review Essay
Authors: McNeill J.R.
Published: September 2005

In Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed, Jared Diamond claims that several societies in times past collapsed in part for environmental reasons and that these cases bear lessons for today. By and large, Diamond has got his history right. But the application of lessons derived from these historical cases to today's environmental problems will leave many readers unconvinced. Scaling up from diminutive, isolated, and low-technology examples such as precontact Easter Island or the Greenland Norse to the contemporary world is fraught with conceptual difficulties, not all of which Diamond can dispel. Diamond's arguments, whether one finds them convincing or not, raise some timely questions. Are we indeed at serious risk of environmental collapse? And how do some current trends—the rise of China, the coming transition to a new energy regime, and the slowing of population growth—affect the chances of environmental collapse?
Perpetration-induced Traumatic Stress in Persons Who Euthanize Nonhuman Animals in Surgeries, Animal Shelters, and Laboratories
Authors: Bennett Pauleen , Rohlf Vanessa
Published: September 2005

This study explored possible identification of Perpetration-induced Traumatic Stress (PITS) in workers whose occupations required euthanizing nonhuman animals and determining whether event or person-related factors influenced symptoms. The sample included 148 animal workers: veterinarians, veterinary nurses, and research and animal shelter staff. The Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R) assessed traumatic stress. Experimenters constructed additional scales measuring satisfaction with social support, participation in various types of training, and concern over animal death. More than 70% of participants reported affinity toward animals had strongly influenced their occupation selection. Half the sample perceived animal death—particularly euthanasia—as one of the least desirable jobs. Of the sample, 11% reported experiencing moderate levels of traumatic symptoms. The study found lower levels of euthanasia-related stress were associated with increased satisfaction with social support and length of time working with animals. Those who reported high levels of concern about animal death reported higher levels of euthanasia-related stress. The study found occupational context was not associated with different levels of euthanasia-related stress symptoms—even though reasons for administering euthanasia differed significantly between occupations.
Why Do Some Infants Survive and Others Not? Determinants of Infant Mortality in the Mewat Region of Haryana State, India
Authors: Jatrana Santosh
Published: September 2005

Infants and children are the most vulnerable group for morbidity and mortality. Consequently, infant and child mortality has long been of interest to demographers. Unlike the causes of death for the elderly, a high proportion of the deaths of children under the age of five years in developing countries is believed to be preventable through fairly simple medical attention (Zheng, 1993). High infant and child mortality may present one of the greatest health problems in today's developing world, and research on the covariates of infant and child mortality, as well as mortality differentials in different socio-economic groups of a population, is particularly important for both social policy makers and health programme planners in developing countries.
Un Ecart Infime (Part I): Foucault's Critique of the Concept of Lived-Experience ( Vécu)
Authors: Lawlor Leonard
Published: September 2005

In this essay, I start from Foucault's last text, his "Life: Experience and Science." Speaking of Canguilhem, Foucault makes a distinction between "le vécu" (lived-experience) and "le vivant" (the living). I then examine this difference between "le vécu" (lived-experience) and "le vivant" (the living); that is, I examine the different logics, we might say, of immanence that each concept implies. To do this, I reconstruct the "critique" that Foucault presents of the concept of vécu in the ninth chapter of The Order of Things (Les Mots et les choses): "Man and His Doubles." I try to show how this critique applies to the early Merleau-Ponty, the Merleau-Ponty of the Phenomenology of Perception. Then, I construct the positive logic of Foucault's relation of immanence by means of another text, which is contemporaneous with Les Mots et les choses: This is not a Pipe. The critique of the concept of vécu is based on the fact that the relationship in vécu is a mixture (un mélange) that closes "un écart infime." Conversely, Foucault's conception of the relationship in "le vivant" is one that dissociates and keeps "l'écart infime" open. At the end, I suggest, through three "landmarks," how Foucault's critique might be applied to the later Merleau-Ponty. This essay is Part I of a trilogy on Merleau-Ponty and Foucault. Part II concerns Merleau-Ponty's "mixturism," while Part III concerns "the blind spot" in Foucault. These three texts complete the work necessary to open the problem of memory and life.
"Phenomenology Is the Poetic Essence of Philosophy": Maurice Natanson on the Rule of Metaphor
Authors: Crowell Steven
Published: September 2005

Taking Maurice Natanson's posthumously published book, The Erotic Bird: Phenomenology in Literature, as its point of departure, the essay argues that "fictive reality" is the specific content of transcendental-phenomenological reflection. Elaborating this concept allows us to see how phenomenological concepts such as constitution, horizon, and the "transcendental" have a tropological, rather than a psychological, meaning. Specifically, the article considers the metonymical structure of reality's "spatial horizon" and the metaphorical structure of reality's "temporal horizon." This latter is demonstrated on Natanson's analysis of Thomas Mann's concept of the "leitmotiv" in The Magic Mountain. The essay concludes by pointing toward the ontology of metaphor entailed by Natanson's analysis, while suggesting the difference between phenomenology, as the "poetic essence" of philosophy, and philosophy itself, as the categorial elaboration of what phenomenology uncovers.
Hinduism to Hindus in the Western Diaspora
Authors: Dhand Arti
Published: September 2005

This article reflects on some of the methodological issues pertaining to situations in which both instructor and students belong to the same religious tradition as that about which the course is taught. It is framed within questions of scholarly objectivity and privilege to represent religious traditions. In a political atmosphere in which it has become increasingly suspect for "Outsiders" to teach traditions that they do not personally confess, this article engages the reverse scenario: what pedagogical challenges confront the professor who is an "Insider" to the tradition she teaches?
A pragmatic critique of three kinds of religious naturalism
Authors: Pihlström Sami
Published: September 2005

This paper takes a critical look at a number of recent attempts to reconcile religious and scientifi c ways of thinking. Three basic programs of what I call "religious naturalism" are discussed: (1) attempts to synthesize science and religion by defending a combination of (Christian) theism and naturalism by means of the concept of emergence; (2) "demythologized" interpretations of religious statements, allegedly rendering them compatible with science (for example, in John Dewey's pragmatic naturalism or in the religious naturalism inherited from the Chicago School of liberal theology); and (3) a form of naturalism analogous to Arthur Fine's "natural ontological attitude" (NOA), debated in the philosophy of science over the past two decades. I suggest that (1) amounts to a nonreductively naturalist metaphysics, whereas (2) is a nonmetaphysical and (3) a postmetaphysical program in the philosophy of religion. It is argued, among other things, that while the concept of emergence has become increasingly relevant in the philosophy of mind and science, its place in the philosophy of religion remains obscure. Similarly, nonmetaphysical discussions of religious experiences or "the religious" à la Dewey and his followers are difficult to combine with genuinely religious views. Further, it is hard to see how postmetaphysical naturalism (NOA) could be part of a philosophically responsible program at all, because of its diffi culties in accounting for the normativity of ontological commitments. It is proposed that, instead of elaborating on these pseudo-solutions, the problem of the relation between science and religion should be subordinated to a pragmatist re-evaluation.