bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
New developments of brain imaging for Parkinson's disease and related disorders
Authors: Piccini Paola , Brooks David J.
Published: July 2006

Parkinson's disease (PD) and related disorders are subcortical degenerations targeting the nigrostriatal dopaminergic system and basal ganglia. Traditionally, MRI has been used to detect structural and positron emission tomography and single emission computed tomography functional neurochemical and metabolic changes associated with these disorders. Recently, advances in diffusion‐weighted MRI, ultrasonography, and radiotracer‐based imaging have yielded greater sensitivity for revealing structural change and allowed detection of changes in brain dopamine levels after levodopa and during behavioral tasks. This review focuses on these recent advances in neuroimaging technology and their use for the diagnosis and assessment of PD and other parkinsonian disorders. © 2006 Movement Disorder Society
Translation of nondopaminergic treatments for levodopa‐induced dyskinesia from MPTP‐lesioned nonhuman primates to phase IIa clinical studies: Keys to success and roads to failure
Authors: Fox Susan H. , Lang Anthony E. , Brotchie Jonathan M.
Published: July 2006

Studies in MPTP‐lesioned nonhuman primates have demonstrated the potential of nondopaminergic drugs in reducing the problems of levodopa‐induced dyskinesia (LID). Here we review the process of translating findings from the monkey to man. Agents targeting glutamate, adensosine, noradrenaline, 5‐hydroxytryptamine, cannabinoid, and opioid transmitter systems have been assessed for antidyskinetic potential in human studies. Eleven nondopaminergic drugs with antidyskinetic efficacy in the MPTP primate have been advanced to proof‐of‐concept phase IIa trials in PD patients (amantadine, istradefylline, idazoxan, fipamezole, sarizotan, quetiapine, clozapine, nabilone, rimonabant, naloxone, and naltrexone). For all six nondopaminergic transmitter systems reviewed, the MPTP‐lesioned primate correctly predicted phase II efficacy of at least one drug. Of the 11 specific molecules tested in both monkeys and humans, 8 showed clear antidyskinetic properties in both human and monkey. In the instances where the primate studies did not, or did not consistently, predict the outcome of the human studies, the discrepancy may reflect limitations in the validity of the model or limitations in the design of either the clinical or the preclinical studies. We find that the major determinant of success in predicting efficacy is to ensure that primate studies are conducted in a statistically rigorous way and incorporate designs and outcome measures with clinical applicability. On the other hand, phase IIa trials should strive to replicate the preclinical study, especially in terms of protocol, drug dose equivalence, and outcome measure, so as to test the same hypothesis. Failure to meet these criteria carries the risk of false negative conclusions in phase IIa trials. © 2006 Movement Disorder Society
Predictive value of transcranial sonography in the diagnosis of Parkinson's disease
Authors: Prestel Jürgen , Schweitzer Katherine J. , Hofer Anne , Gasser Thomas , Berg Daniela
Published: July 2006

Transcanial sonography (TCS) is increasingly applied in the diagnosis of Parkinson's disease (PD), but investigator bias may influence the results of examination. Blinding the sonographer to the clinical diagnosis of 42 PD patients and 35 controls, we obtained a positive predictive value of 85.7% and a negative predictive value of 82.9% in the diagnosis of PD solely by interpreting the results of TCS, indicating that TCS is a valuable additional tool in the diagnosis of PD. © 2006 Movement Disorder Society
Structural analysis of complex saponins of Balanites aegyptiaca by 800 MHz 1H NMR spectroscopy
Authors: Stærk Dan , Chapagain Bishnu P. , Lindin Therese , Wiesman Zeev , Jaroszewski Jerzy W.
Published: July 2006

The main saponin (1) present in the mesocarp of Balanites aegyptiaca fruit is a mixture of 22R and 22S epimers of 26‐(O‐β‐D‐glucopyranosyl)‐3‐β‐[4‐O‐(β‐D‐glucopyranosyl)‐2‐O‐(α‐L‐rhamnopyranosyl)‐β‐D‐glucopyranosyloxy]‐22,26‐dihydroxyfurost‐5‐ene. This structure differs from a previously reported saponin isolated from this source by the site of attachment of the rhamnosyl residue, and presumably represents a structural revision of the latter. The main saponin (2) present in the kernel is a xylopyranosyl derivative of 1. The use of high‐field NMR enabled the practically complete assignment of 1H and 13C chemical shifts of these complex saponins, existing as a mixture of C‐22 epimers. Moreover, the work represents a new approach to structural elucidation of saponins: direct preparative‐scale HPLC‐RID of crude extracts followed by high‐field NMR investigations supported by ESI‐MSn. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Conjugated polymers containing phenothiazine moieties in the main chain
Authors: Liu Yingliang , Li Jianghui , Cao Huayu , Qu Bo , Chen Zhijian , Gong Qihuang , Xu Shengang , Cao Shaokui
Published: July 2006

Several conjugated polymers containing phenothiazine moieties in the main chain were synthesized by Knovenagel or Wittig condensations. The polymers were identified and characterized by 1H‐NMR, IR, gel permeation chromatography (GPC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), UV‐vis and fluorescent (FL) spectra. Results indicated that the m‐polymer, which was prepared from the polycondensation of N‐octyl‐3,7‐diformylphenothiazine with m‐phenylene diacetonitrile, is the most thermally stable one in all the polymers synthesized. While, the p‐polymer, which was prepared from the polycondensation of N‐octyl‐3,7‐diformylphenothiazine with p‐phenylene diacetonitrile, is the most thermally instable one. The introduction of a cyano group made the absorption and emissive maxima red‐shift from 429 and 537 nm for the Ph‐polymer to 465 and 597 nm for the p‐polymer respectively. The quinoid structure formation allows the p‐polymer to have a lower band gap than any other polymers. Emissive spectra of all these polymers in tetrahydrofuran (THF) solution have a narrow half‐peak width. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Study design options in evaluating gene‐environment interactions: Practical considerations for a planned case‐control study of pediatric leukemia
Authors: Goodman Michael , Dana Flanders W.
Published: July 2006

Background

We compare methodological approaches for evaluating gene–environment interaction using a planned study of pediatric leukemia as a practical example. We considered three design options: a full case‐control study (Option I), a case‐only study (Option II), and a partial case‐control study (Option III), in which information on controls is limited to environmental exposure only.

Procedure

For each design option we determined its ability to measure the main effects of environmental factor E and genetic factor G, and the interaction between E and G. Using the leukemia study example, we calculated sample sizes required to detect and odds ratio (OR) of 2.0 for E alone, an OR of 10 for G alone and an interaction G × E of 3.

Results

Option I allows measuring both main effects and interaction, but requires a total sample size of 1,500 cases and 1,500 controls. Option II allows measuring only interaction, but requires just 121 cases. Option III allows calculating the main effect of E, and interaction, but not the main effect of G, and requires a total of 156 cases and 133 controls.

Conclusions

In this case, the partial case‐control study (Option III) appears to be more efficient with respect to its ability to answer the research questions for the amount of resources required. The design options considered in this example are not limited to observational epidemiology and may be applicable in studies of pharmacogenomics, survivorship, and other areas of pediatric ALL research. Pediatr Blood Cancer. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Outcome for young children newly diagnosed with ependymoma, treated with intensive induction chemotherapy followed by myeloablative chemotherapy and autologous stem cell rescue
Authors: Zacharoulis Stergios , Levy Adam , Chi Susan N. , Gardner Sharon , Rosenblum Marc , Miller Douglas C. , Dunkel Ira , Diez Blanca , Sposto Richard , Ji Lingyun , Asgharzadeh Shahab , Hukin Juliette , Belasco Jean , Dubowy Ronald , Kellie Stewart , Termuhlen Amanda , Finlay Jonathan
Published: July 2006

Background:

The purpose of this study is to investigate the efficacy of an intensive chemotherapy induction regimen followed by myeloablative chemotherapy and autologous hematopoietic stem cell rescue (AHSCR) in children with newly diagnosed ependymoma.

Patients and Methods:

Twenty‐nine children less than 10 years of age at diagnosis of ependymoma were enrolled on the “Head Start” studies. Twenty‐four patients with localized disease received an induction regimen including five cycles of chemotherapy (cisplatin, vincristine, etoposide cyclophosphamide, and high dose methotrexate for patients with metastatic disease). Following induction, individuals without evidence of disease proceeded to marrow‐ablative chemotherapy (thiotepa, carboplatin, and etoposide) with AHSCR.

Results:

The estimated 5‐year event free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS) from diagnosis were 12% (±6%) and 38% (±10%), respectively. The toxic mortality amongst this group of 29 patients was 10.3%. Younger age (less than 18 months at diagnosis) was the only statistically significant prognostic factor. The estimated 5‐year OS rate for the five patients with metastatic disease at presentation was 80% (±18%). Overall, radiation‐free survival at 5 years from diagnosis was 8% (±5%).

Conclusions:

The use of an intensive induction chemotherapy regimen including myeloablative chemotherapy followed by AHSCR in newly diagnosed young children with ependymoma is not superior to other previously reported chemotherapeutic strategies. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2007;49:34–40. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Anticipated uptake of genetic testing for familial melanoma in an Australian sample: an exploratory study
Authors: Kasparian Nadine A. , Meiser Bettina , Butow Phyllis N. , Soames Job R. F. , Mann Graham J.
Published: July 2006

Introduction: The potential role of genetic testing in families with an inherited pattern of melanoma is a complex issue, and yet limited data exist on perceptions of predictive genetic testing for mutations among individuals at high risk of melanoma.

Methodology: Forty semi‐structured interviews were undertaken with affected and unaffected individuals at either high or average risk of developing melanoma due to family history. Interviews addressed key issues such as: the role of genetics in causal attributions for melanoma; genetic testing intentions and motivations; perceived accuracy of genetic testing in predicting melanoma onset, and the impact of varied accuracy on testing intentions; views on the testing of children; perceived benefits and limitations of testing; and information needs and communication preferences.

Results: In‐depth thematic analysis revealed a number of important qualitative differences between groups at varying risk of melanoma, and genders. Specifically, participants with a family history of melanoma believed genetic factors play an important role in melanoma causation; conveyed strong intentions to pursue genetic testing; and viewed the benefits of genetic testing as outweighing the limitations. Females appeared to endorse the testing of children more firmly than males, and males' intentions to pursue testing appeared more contingent on penetrance than females'. Across groups, the most preferred communication option was an informational video.

Conclusion: Those at high risk of melanoma due to family history express a strong interest in predictive genetic testing. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
High pulse area undamping of Rabi oscillations in quantum dots coupled to phonons
Authors: Vagov A. , Croitoru M. D. , Axt V. M. , Kuhn T. , Peeters F. M.
Published: July 2006

We study the dynamics of strongly confined semiconductor quantum dots, coupled to acoustic phonons and driven by external laser pulses, by a numerical path integral method. Our method fully explores the relevant memory of the system thus accounting for all non‐Markovian features of the dynamics. The decay time and the frequency of Rabi oscillations are found to depend notably on the temperature and the applied field. The field dependence is non‐monotonic leading to an undamping of Rabi oscillations at high pulse areas. (© 2006 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Quantum optics with interacting polaritons
Authors: Savasta Salvatore , Stefano Omar Di
Published: July 2006

Recent theoretical and experimental investigations evidencing quantum optical effects in semiconductor microcavities are reported. In particular the results of an experiment that probes polariton quantum correlations by exploiting quantum complementarity are described. In this experiment, it has been shown that polaritons in two distinct idler modes interfere if and only if they share the same signal mode so that which‐way information cannot be gathered, according to Bohr's quantum complementarity principle. The experimental results prove the existence of polariton pair correlations that store the which‐way information. This interpretation is confirmed by a theoretical analysis of the measured interference visibility in terms of quantum Langevin equations. The devised experimental scheme employs two frequency‐degenerate mutually‐coherent pump modes. It is shown that this kind of two‐pump parametric schemes can be exploited to realize a number of interesting tasks as the emission of polarization‐entangled cavity‐polariton states and the coherent control and trapping of parametric amplification in SMCs. (© 2006 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Memory and correlation effects in the exciton–phonon kinetics
Authors: Mannarini Gianandrea , Zimmermann Roland
Published: July 2006

Memory and correlation effects in the interband absorption from quantum wells due to exciton–phonon dynamics are investigated. They are traced back to the frequency dependence and matrix character of the self energy arising in a 2nd Born theory. It is found that interpeak absorption increases with respect to the case in which this memory and correlation effects are neglected. (© 2006 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Quantum Stark confined strongly correlated indirect excitons in quantum wells
Authors: Ludwig P. , Filinov A. V. , Bonitz M. , Stolz H.
Published: July 2006

In this contribution we consider small ensembles of optically excited indirect excitons in a single quantum well. Using Path Integral Monte Carlo we compute from first principles the spatial separation of electrons and holes and the lateral quantum Stark confinement of the excitons in the quantum well which is produced by an external electric field of a single tip electrode. By changing the field strength, the tip to sample distance, the excitation intensity (exciton number) and temperature, the exciton–exciton correlations can be varied in broad ranges. Discussing two different semiconductor quantum well heterostructures (GaAs/AlGaAs and ZnSe/ZnSSe) we propose a possible setup which should allow to observe in experiments interesting many‐particle phenomena. (© 2006 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Autonomous excavation using a rope shovel
Authors: Dunbabin Matthew , Corke Peter
Published: July 2006

This paper describes the development of a system to automate the digging cycle of an electric rope shovel, a machine which is widely used in open‐pit mining. Achieving optimal digging performance requires path planning strategies to ensure dipper (bucket) filling, as well as methods to detect when to disengage the dipper from the bank. To this end, techniques to detect and avert dipper stall, and the online estimation of dipper “full‐ness,” are described along with in‐field experimental results using a one‐seventh scale‐model electric rope shovel. Over 100 autonomous excavation cycles, in a variety of digging conditions, resulted in cycle times consistent with a human operator, but with lower overall motor loading. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
A situational implementation method for web‐based content management system‐applications: method engineering and validation in practice
Authors: van de Weerd Inge , Brinkkemper Sjaak , Souer Jurriaan , Versendaal Johan
Published: July 2006

The usage of data‐intensive web applications raises problems concerning consistency, navigation, and data duplication. Content management systems (CMSs) can overcome these problems. In this research, we focus on special types of web content management systems—web‐based CMS applications. Currently, no general available methods exist for implementing and configuring these applications. In this research, an assembly based situational method engineering approach is proposed for constructing an implementation method for web‐based CMS applications. The approach consists of four steps: (a) identification of implementation situations, (b) selection of candidate methods, (c) analysis and storage of relevant fragments in the method base, and (d) assembly of the new method using route maps to obtain situationality. This method engineering approach is supported by a meta‐modeling technique, resulting in a process‐data diagram, which integrates UML (Unified Modeling Language) activity diagrams and class diagrams. To validate the method, two case studies were performed at a large health insurance organization and a telecommunication organization in the Netherlands. The new implementation method performed well in both case studies, and the project workers were satisfied with the associated templates and instructions. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Mobile virtual private networks with dynamic MIP home agent assignment
Authors: Chen Jyh‐Cheng , Liu Yi‐Wen , Lin Li‐Wei
Published: July 2006

This paper presents the dynamic external Home Agent (x‐HA) assignment in mobile Virtual Private Networks (VPNs). The proposed architecture is based on the mobile VPN proposed by the IETF, which adopts Mobile IP and IPsec. The IETF solution, however, leads to two questions: where should we put the x‐HA and how should we trust the x‐HA? We propose to assign the x‐HA dynamically so the handoff latency and end‐to‐end latency could be reduced significantly. By using Diameter Mobile IPv4 application, we also propose a technique such that the x‐HA can be associated with the VPN securely. In addition, the registrations with x‐HA and internal HA (i‐HA) are concurrently accomplished. The proposed technique has been implemented in a mobile VPN testbed. Performance analysis based on empirical experiments is discussed. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Fast movement detection in IEEE 802.11 networks
Authors: Montavont Nicolas , Noel Thomas
Published: July 2006

This paper proposes a solution framework for Mobile IPv6 to anticipate movement over IEEE 802.11 networks. Layer 2 triggers such as the signal strength is used to trigger in advance scanning phases, in which a mobile device probes the adjacent access points. This scanning phase is performed alternatively with communication. Sufficient Layer 3 information is conveyed in Layer 2 frames, which allows a mobile device to identify both its next Layer 2 and Layer 3 point of attachment. Simulation results show that this method performs well and enhance both the Layer 2 and the Layer 3 handover. The impact of handovers on real‐time application is also considerably minimized. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Mobile IPv6‐based efficient vertical handoff approach for heterogeneous wireless networks
Authors: Chang Ben‐Jye , Lin Shu‐Yu
Published: July 2006

The demand and amount of data transfer in heterogeneous wireless network increases as the techniques of the third/fourth generation mobile communications (3G/4G) are progressed significantly. Vertical handoff provides continuous and seamless transfer between various wireless mobile networks, which have different data transmission techniques and standards such as GPRS, UMTS, cdma2000 and IEEE 802.11 family WLANs. In contrast to the horizontal handoff, the vertical handoff should consider not only the strength of signal power but also QoS classes, network bandwidth and service types, etc. Most of the previous works proposed the received signal strength (RSS) based methods to set thresholds for making the decision of performing vertical handoff or not. The RSS‐based approach yields serious ping‐pong effect when the mobile node moves around the overlay area of two heterogeneous wireless networks, which causes unnecessary handoff and increases the handoff overhead. Although the RSS‐based approach with the hysteresis technique decreases the number of unnecessary handoffs, it suffers from large overhead of handoff and causes several drawbacks, including low network throughput, long handoff delay, and high dropping probability. Therefore, an efficient cost‐based vertical handoff algorithm is proposed herein to reduce unnecessary handoffs while increasing network throughput, decreasing handoff delay, and avoiding connection dropping. Two primary motivations of this paper include the prediction of node mobility from RSS and the adaptive cost‐based competitive on‐line (COL) method to determine the optimal network to handoff to from all available candidates. Furthermore, message flows of vertical handoffs between 3G/UMTS and WLAN as well as horizontal handoff between WLANs with MIPv6 are expressed in detail. Finally, the handoff delays are analyzed for the proposed MIPv6 handoff. Numerical results demonstrate that the proposed cost‐based approach outperforms other approaches in the number of vertical handoffs and connection dropping while yielding competitive throughput. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Reversible metabolic myopathy in biotinidase deficiency: its possible role in causing hypotonia
Authors: Bay C. A. , Berry G. T. , Glauser T. A. , Hayward J. C. , Wolf B. , Sladky J. T. , Kaplan P.
Published: July 2006

A 5‐year‐old girl diagnosed with biotinidase deficiency at 9 months of age demonstrated limb and axial hypotonia which improved on biotin therapy. In this patient, electromyographic (EMG) studies prior to treatment were compatible with a mild myopathic process. Serial EMGs performed on biotin therapy demonstrated a gradual resolution of the myopathy. This is the first documented case of a reversible myopathy in a patient with biotinidase deficiency, which may contribute to the clinical finding of hypotonia.
Assignment of the human peroxisomal palmitoyl‐CoA oxidase gene to chromosome 17q23‐qter by PCR technique
Authors: Moghrabi N. N. , Dawson D. B. , Bennett M. J.
Published: July 2006

Human peroxisomal palmitoyl‐CoA oxidase plays a pivotal role in the β‐oxidation of fatty acids. Its importance is reflected by the severity of the disease associated with its deficiency in man. The gene was previously mapped to chromosome 17q25 with a FISH technique and is now confirmed using a PCR technique.
Pseudodeficiency of arylsulphatase A: Strategy for clarification of genotype in families of subjects with low ASA activity and neurological symptoms
Authors: Leistner S. , Young E. , Meaney C. , Winchester B.
Published: July 2006

A benign deficiency (pseudodeficiency) of the lysosomal enzyme arylsulphatase A (ASA) (EC 3.1.6.8) towards synthetic substrates complicates the diagnosis of metachromatic leukodystrophy (MLD). The pseudodeficiency is due to a single base substitution in the 3′‐untranslated region of the ASA gene (1524+95 A→G) and it has been reported that this mutation (PD2) always occurs on a chromosome carrying a second mutation in the ASA gene (PD1), which abolishes anN‐glycosylation site (N350S). Analysis of the two PD mutations in the ASA gene separately was carried out in a large group of subjects with neurological symptoms and low ASA activity, including close relatives and MLD patients. The relationship between ASA enzyme activity and the different genotypes identified is presented. Evidence for the existence of an allele containing the PD2 mutation alone is presented. A strategy for cases with low ASA activity and neurological symptoms in families carrying a PD allele or both PD and MLD alleles is proposed.
Genotyping of a patient homozygous for a rare apolipoprotein E1 [Gly127→Asp; Arg158→Cys] (Weisgraber allele)
Authors: Iron A. , Richard P. , Pascual de Zulueta M. , Thomas G. , Thomas M.
Published: July 2006

We examined the apolipoprotein E polymorphism of an obese patient presenting non‐insulin‐dependent diabetes, hypertension and moderate lipid disturbances. The apolipoprotein E genotyping carried out from leukocyte DNA using PCR amplification and restriction enzyme digestion demonstrated homozygosity for the rare apoE1[Gly127→Asp; Arg158→Cys] (Weisgraber allele). The nucleotide change results in a glycine to aspartic acid substitution at amino acid 127 in the apolipoprotein E2.
Fatty acid content in lymphocytes from children with syndromic paucity of interlobular bile ducts, Alagille syndrome
Authors: Pina P. , Couturier M. , Lemonnier F.
Published: July 2006

Fatty acid (FA) concentrations were studied in lymphocytes isolated from children with syndromic paucity of interlobular bile ducts (PILBD), Alagille syndrome. The aim of this study was to assess whether the specific FA changes previously observed in fibroblast cultures from such patients were also present in other tissues. Lymphocyte FA, obtained both from controls and patients were studied under two experimental conditions, either after separation of the mononuclear cells or after 48 hours of culture. Freshly isolated lymphocytes from patients presented few FA changes compared to the controls. However, when patient lymphocytes were placed in culture medium for 47 hours, FA changes were amplified compared to those observed in controls; the decrease in the sum of saturated andn‐6 polyunsaturated FA of total lipids was significant only in patients, and then‐3 FA of phospholipids was strikingly increased in patients (p≤0.001), compared to controls. These results are related to those previously observed in fibroblast cultures and suggest that placing cells in culture could reveal a pre‐existing cellular abnormality in patients with PILBD.
Fabricating colloidal crystals and construction of ordered nanostructures
Authors: Sun Zhiqiang , Yang Bai
Published: July 2006

Colloidal crystals of polymeric or inorganic microspheres are of extensive interest due to their potential applications in such as sensing, optics, photonic bandgap and surface patterning. The article highlights a set of approaches developed in our group, which are efficient to prepare colloidal crystals with ordered voids, patterned colloidal crystals on non-planar surfaces, heterogeneous colloidal crystals of different building blocks, colloidal crystals composed of non-spherical polyhedrons, and colloidal crystals of non-close-packed colloidal microspheres in particular. The use of these colloidal crystals as templates for different microstructures range from nanoscale to micron-scale is also summarized.
Hypertonic saline‐induced muscle nociception and c‐fos activation are partially mediated by peripheral NMDA receptors
Authors: Ro Jin Y. , Capra Norman F. , Lee Jong‐Seok , Masri Radi , Chun Yang‐Hyun
Published: July 2006

In this study, the animal model of hypertonic saline (HS) infusion protocol was developed and utilized to test the hypothesis that HS causes peripheral release of glutamate, and that blockade of peripheral NMDA receptors significantly reduces HS‐induced nocifensive behavior and central neuronal activation. Nocifensive behavior and c‐fos immunoreactivity, as a marker of central neuronal activation, were assessed from the animals that received intramuscular HS infusion with and without the NMDA receptor antagonist, MK‐801. HS infusion (20μl/min for 10min) in the rat masseter produced prolonged nocifensive hindpaw shaking responses that peaked in the first minute and gradually diminished over the infusion period. The HS induced nocifensive behavior was dose‐dependently attenuated by MK‐801 pretreatments (0.3mg/kg and 0.1mg/kg), but not by vehicle pretreatment (isotonic saline; ISO), in the masseter muscle. HS infusion produced a significant number of Fos positive neurons in the ispsilateral subnucleus caudalis (Vc). Subsequent immunohistochemical studies showed that peripheral MK‐801 pretreatment effectively reduced the HS induced neuronal activation in the Vc. These results provide compelling evidence that HS‐induced muscle nociception is mediated, in part, by peripheral release of glutamate, and that blockade of peripheral glutamate receptors may provide effective means of preventing central neuronal activation.
Elucidation of the β‐carotene hydroxylation pathway in Arabidopsis thaliana
Authors: Fiore Alessia , Dall’Osto Luca , Fraser Paul D. , Bassi Roberto , Giuliano Giovanni
Published: July 2006

The first dedicated step in plant xanthophyll biosynthesis is carotenoid hydroxylation. In Arabidopsis thaliana, this reaction is performed by both heme (LUT1 and LUT5) and non‐heme (CHY1 and CHY2) hydroxylases. No mutant completely abolishing α‐ or β‐carotene hydroxylation has been described to date. We constructed double and triple mutant combinations in CHY1, CHY2, LUT1, LUT5 and LUT2 (lycopene epsilon‐cyclase). In chy1chy2lut2, 80% of leaf carotenoids is represented by β‐carotene. In chy1chy2lut5, β‐carotene hydroxylation is completely abolished, while hydroxylation of the β‐ring of α‐carotene is still observed. The data are consistent with a role of LUT5 in β‐ring hydroxylation, and with the existence of an additional hydroxylase, acting on the β‐ring of α‐, but not β‐carotene.
Dislocations of the self: Eliza Farnham at Sing Sing Prison
Authors: FLOYD JANET
Published: July 2006

Early in 1844 Eliza Farnham (1815–64) was appointed to the post of matron at the first purpose-built women's prison, the women's section of Mount Pleasant Prison in New York, the institution popularly known as Sing Sing. Her appointment, which she won through her connection with Horace Greeley and the reforming circles of New York, brought her, at first, a burst of favourable attention and subsequently considerable notoriety. The precise reasons for this reversal are a matter of varying interpretations, but the defining impulse of Farnham's tenure at Sing Sing is not: Farnham's particular interest was in campaigning for phrenology, perhaps the most popular of the new psychologies of the period, as a means to diagnose and cure female prisoners. This psychological science was based on the premise that there was a match between character and the outer shape and protuberances of the head; character could be read by studying the head's surface. During this period, phrenology was often linked with the figure of the criminal, indeed phrenology first evolved in the work of Franz-Joseph Gall and was subsequently frequently explained through descriptions of prisoners and the inhabitants of asylums. Farnham was a pivotal figure in the argument for phrenology's efficacy in treating prisoners in New York in the mid-1840s.
Neoconservatism Prefigured: The Social Democratic League of America and the Anticommunists of the Anglo-American Right, 1917–21
Authors: RUOTSILA MARKKU
Published: July 2006

Far from being limited to conspiracist McCarthyism, American anticommunism always spanned the entire ideological spectrum. Recognizing this, in his classic studies of the initial Western reception of Bolshevism, Arno J. Mayer divided early anticommunists into mutually antagonistic “parties of order” and “parties of movement” and claimed that these two fought each other almost as much as they combatted the Bolsheviks themselves. Mayer's conceptualization spoke to a profoundly important dimension in Western anticommunism, both before and during the Cold War, in that it exposed a sort of civil war between Western liberals, conservatives and socialists in which each of these groups tended to define their ideological rivals as the allies, unconscious tools or prototypes of Soviet Bolshevism.
Recovery of termite (Isoptera) assemblage structure from shifting cultivation in Barito Ulu, Kalimantan, Indonesia
Authors: Gathorne-Hardy F. J. , Syaukani  , Inward D. J. G.
Published: July 2006

The lowland rain-forest ecosystem in Sundaland (Borneo, Sumatra, Java, the Malay Peninsula south of 10°N, and associated islands) has been recognized as a biodiversity hotspot (Myers et al. 2000). However, it is suffering from huge amounts of disturbance, and it is predicted that South-East Asia will lose three-quarters of its rain forest by the turn of next century (Sodhi et al. 2004).
Diversity and abundance of termites along an altitudinal gradient in Khao Kitchagoot National Park, Thailand
Authors: Inoue Tetsushi , Takematsu Yoko , Yamada Akinori , Hongoh Yuichi , Johjima Toru , Moriya Shigeharu , Sornnuwat Yupaporn , Vongkaluang Charunee , Ohkuma Moriya , Kudo Toshiaki
Published: July 2006

Termites are dominant invertebrates in tropical soils (Wood & Sands 1978) and are important mediators of decomposition in terrestrial ecosystems (Abe & Matsumoto 1979, Lawton et al. 1996, Lee & Wood 1971, Matsumoto & Abe 1979, Wood & Sands 1978, Yamada et al. 2005). Furthermore, these processes, such as carbon mineralization and nitrogen fixation, are dependent on the species assemblage structure of the termite community (Lawton et al. 1996, Yamada et al. 2005, 2006). Feeding habits of termites reflect their metabolic processes. The three major isopteran groups – wood-feeders, fungus-growers (fungus-growing wood/litter feeders), soil-feeders – appear to play very different roles in the decomposition process (Tayasu et al. 1997, Wood 1976, Wood & Sands 1978, Yamada et al. 2005). Consequently, the relative abundance of each feeding group provides useful information on the function of the termite assemblage in an ecosystem.
Effects of canopy cover and seasonal reduction in rainfall on leaf phenology and leaf traits of the fern Oleandra pistillaris in a tropical montane forest, Indonesia
Authors: Takahashi Koichi , Mikami Yumi
Published: July 2006

Leaf phenology and leaf traits of the fern Oleandra pistillaris were examined in relation to canopy cover (open and understorey) and seasonal reduction in rainfall in a wet tropical montane forest, Indonesia. Although the annual rainfall is high, rainfall is relatively less in June and July. Stomatal density and diameter were greater in the open than in the understorey (229 versus 167 mm−2 for stomatal density and 33 versus 29 μm for stomatal diameter). The stable carbon isotope ratio (δ13C) of leaves, positively correlated with water use efficiency, was higher in the open than in the understorey (mean δ13C −30 versus −33‰). Therefore, it is considered that leaves have high gas-exchange capacities per leaf area in the open where water availability would be limited, compared with the understorey. In contrast, leaf mass per area (LMA) was lower and leaf life span was longer in the understorey than in the open (25 versus 34 g m−2 for LMA and 2.1 and 1.6 y for leaf life span). These thin leaves with a long life span in the understorey would contribute to efficient light capture and photosynthetic production per leaf mass. The number of leaves per stem decreased during the period with less rainfall in both the open and understorey conditions, which should reduce the water loss from plants, but increased again after the period with less rainfall. Stem growth rate was higher in the open than in the understorey, and the seasonal reduction in rainfall hardly affected stem growth rate in either open or understorey conditions. This study concludes that O. pistillaris responds to canopy cover and seasonal reduction in rainfall by adjusting leaf traits and leaf phenology, respectively.
All memory has to be re-imagined: the villa and architectural imagination
Authors: Lynch Patrick
Published: July 2006

Three projects by Lynch Architects illustrate the author's argument that the villa type enables contemplation to become an ethos, and the reconciliation of action and poetry.
Flexible housing: opportunities and limits
Authors: Schneider Tatjana , Till Jeremy
Published: July 2006

Flexibility in housing design has social, economic and environmental advantages and yet is currently often ignored. The first of two papers sets out the history of this issue.
A 27 kyr terrestrial biomarker record in the southern Indian Ocean
Authors: Sicre Marie‐Alexandrine , Labeyrie Laurent , Ezat Ullah , Mazaud Alain , Turon Jean‐Louis
Published: July 2006

Terrestrial inputs were reconstructed using high molecular weight n‐alkane concentrations recorded in the sub‐Antarctic Indian Ocean core MD94‐103 (45°35′S, 86°31′E, 3560 m) to examine regional changes in the atmospheric circulation over the last 27 kyr. This record was compared to the dust content of EPICA‐Dome C ice and continental data from South Africa (e.g., pollen sequences and isotope records in speleothems) to get a comprehensive understanding of atmospheric links between low and midlatitudes of the Indian Ocean. Terrestrial n‐alkanes indicate higher glacial than Holocene inputs and marked glacial oscillations. Minimum values during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) are consistent with colder and drier climate and presumably caused by the persistence of subtropical anticyclones over southern Africa limiting the amount of rainfall and vegetation growth. The otherwise higher glacial n‐alkanes suggest a stronger influence of the tropical rainfall in southern Africa, likely associated with a contraction of the polar vortex with respect to its LGM position. During northern Heinrich events, moderate decline of n‐alkanes suggests reduced rainfall over southern Africa possibly caused by weaker tropical easterly winds when, according to Stott et al. (2002), the Pacific Ocean would have experienced Super‐ENSO conditions.
Radiative forcing by well‐mixed greenhouse gases: Estimates from climate models in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Fourth Assessment Report (AR4)
Authors: Collins W. D. , Ramaswamy V. , Schwarzkopf M. D. , Sun Y. , Portmann R. W. , Fu Q. , Casanova S. E. B. , Dufresne J.‐L. , Fillmore D. W. , Forster P. M. D. , Galin V. Y. , Gohar L. K. , Ingram W. J. , Kratz D. P. , Lefebvre M.‐P. , Li J. , Marquet P. , Oinas V. , Tsushima Y. , Uchiyama T. , Zhong W. Y.
Published: July 2006

The radiative effects from increased concentrations of well‐mixed greenhouse gases (WMGHGs) represent the most significant and best understood anthropogenic forcing of the climate system. The most comprehensive tools for simulating past and future climates influenced by WMGHGs are fully coupled atmosphere‐ocean general circulation models (AOGCMs). Because of the importance of WMGHGs as forcing agents it is essential that AOGCMs compute the radiative forcing by these gases as accurately as possible. We present the results of a radiative transfer model intercomparison between the forcings computed by the radiative parameterizations of AOGCMs and by benchmark line‐by‐line (LBL) codes. The comparison is focused on forcing by CO2, CH4, N2O, CFC‐11, CFC‐12, and the increased H2O expected in warmer climates. The models included in the intercomparison include several LBL codes and most of the global models submitted to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Fourth Assessment Report (AR4). In general, the LBL models are in excellent agreement with each other. However, in many cases, there are substantial discrepancies among the AOGCMs and between the AOGCMs and LBL codes. In some cases this is because the AOGCMs neglect particular absorbers, in particular the near‐infrared effects of CH4 and N2O, while in others it is due to the methods for modeling the radiative processes. The biases in the AOGCM forcings are generally largest at the surface level. We quantify these differences and discuss the implications for interpreting variations in forcing and response across the multimodel ensemble of AOGCM simulations assembled for the IPCC AR4.
Long‐term changes of methane and hydrogen in the stratosphere in the period 1978–2003 and their impact on the abundance of stratospheric water vapor
Authors: Rohs S. , Schiller C. , Riese M. , Engel A. , Schmidt U. , Wetter T. , Levin I. , Nakazawa T. , Aoki S.
Published: July 2006

The long‐term changes of the stratospheric mixing ratio of CH4 over the period of 1978–2003 are derived from balloon‐borne data of H2, CH4 and N2O. The data were obtained by collecting whole air samples and subsequent gas chromatographic analyses. To eliminate the short‐term variability attributed to dynamical processes, the N2O mixing ratio is used as a proxy for altitude. A correlation analysis for the individual years is applied and the CH4 mixing ratios are interpolated to four different levels of N2O, corresponding to altitudes of approximately 17, 23, 26 and 30 km at midlatitudes. For the investigated period of 1978 to 2003 we find increases at the four levels of 207 ± 32 ppb, 159 ± 21 ppb, 140 ± 34 ppb and 111 ± 60 ppb, respectively. The CH4 trend has slowed down in recent years and is best fitted by a second‐order polynomial. The increase of CH4 can account for only 25–34% of the increase in stratospheric H2O of 1%/yr over the last decades as derived from previous studies. The simultaneously measured time series of stratospheric H2 mixing ratios shows that the contribution of stratospheric H2 to the H2O trend in the period 1988–2003 is minor.
Flow and transport effects of compaction bands in sandstone at scales relevant to aquifer and reservoir management
Authors: Sternlof K. R. , Karimi‐Fard M. , Pollard D. D. , Durlofsky L. J.
Published: July 2006

Thin, tabular, low‐porosity, low‐permeability compaction bands form pervasive, subparallel, anastomosing arrays that extend over square kilometers of exposure in the Aztec Sandstone of southeastern Nevada, an exhumed analog for active aquifers and reservoirs. In order to examine the potential flow and transport effects of these band arrays at scales relevant to production and management, we performed a suite of simulations using an innovative discrete‐feature modeling technique to capture the exact pattern of compaction bands mapped over some 150,000 m2 of contiguous outcrop. Significant impacts related to the presence of the bands and their dominant trend are apparent: the average pressure drop required to drive flow between wells exceeds that for band‐free sandstone by a factor of three and is 10% to 50% higher across the bands versus along them; reservoir production efficiency varies up to 56% for a typical five‐spot well array, depending on its orientation relative to the dominant band trend; and contaminant transport away from a point source within an aquifer tends to channel along the bands, regardless of the regional gradient direction. We conclude that accounting for the flow effects of similar compaction‐band arrays would prove essential for optimal management of those sandstone aquifers and reservoirs in which they occur.
cGMP signalling in a transporting epithelium
Authors: Davies S.-A. , Day J.P.
Published: July 2006

The biochemical aspects of cGMP signalling are well known, although in vivo roles of cGMP have only been recently discovered through work in genetic model organisms. The Drosophila melanogaster Malpighian (renal) tubule has been used to address the roles of cGMP in epithelial function. Here, we describe some of this work and outline recent progress in understanding the organotypic function of novel phosphodiesterases encoded by the D. melanogaster genome.
Human polymorphism around recombination hotspots
Authors: Spencer C.C.A.
Published: July 2006

Meiotic recombination in humans is thought to occur as part of the resolution of DSBs (double-strand breaks). The repair of DSBs potentially leads to biases in DNA repair that can distort the population frequency of the alleles at single-nucleotide polymorphisms. Genome-wide variation data provide evidence for a weak fixation bias in favour of G and C alleles that is strongest at the centre of inferred recombination hotspots.
Meiosis in mammals: recombination, non-disjunction and the environment
Authors: Hunt P.A.
Published: July 2006

By comparison with other species, the meiotic process in the human female is extraordinarily error-prone. In addition to the well-known effect of advancing maternal age, recent studies have demonstrated that the number and location of meiotic recombination events influences the likelihood of meiotic non-disjunction in our species. Although this association extends to many other organisms, the factors that influence the number and placement of exchanges within a cell remain poorly understood. Like other aspects of meiosis, the control of recombination is likely to be subject to variation among species. In this review we summarize data from recent studies in mammals; the combined data suggest that both genetic and environmental factors influence recombination in mammals and, importantly, that control mechanisms probably differ between males and females.
Mechanisms of neurotrophin receptor signalling
Authors: Zampieri N. , Chao M.V.
Published: July 2006

Regulation of cell survival decisions and neuronal plasticity by neurotrophins are mediated by two classes of receptors, Trks (tropomyosin receptor kinases) and p75, the first discovered member of the tumour necrosis factor receptor superfamily. The p75 receptor participates with the TrkA receptor in the formation of high-affinity nerve growth factor-binding sites to promote survival under limiting concentrations of neurotrophins. Activation of Trk receptors leads to increased phosphorylation of Shc (Src homology and collagen homology), phospholipase C-γ and novel adaptor molecules, such as the ARMS (ankyrin-rich membrane spanning)/Kidins220 protein. Small ligands that interact with G-protein-coupled receptors can also activate Trk receptor kinase activity. Transactivation of Trk receptors and their downstream signalling pathways raise the possibility of using small molecules to elicit neuroprotective effects for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. Like amyloid precursor protein and Notch, p75 is a substrate for γ-secretase cleavage. The p75 receptor undergoes an α-secretase-mediated release of the extracellular domain followed by a γ-secretase-mediated intramembrane cleavage. Cleavage of p75 may represent a general mechanism for transmitting signals as an independent receptor and as a co-receptor for other signalling systems.
Femtosecond study on the isomerization dynamics of NK88. I. Ground-state dynamics after photoexcitation
Authors: Nuernberger Patrick , Vogt Gerhard , Gerber Gustav , Improta Roberto , Santoro Fabrizio
Published: July 2006

Recently, optimal control of a photoisomerization reaction in the liquid phase was demonstrated for the first time on the system 3,3′-diethyl-2,2′-thiacyanine (NK88). Additionally, the class of cyanines to which the molecule NK88 belongs draws a lot of attention in different recent theoretical publications. Therefore, a better understanding of the molecular dynamics of this molecular system is of special interest. Experiments using the femtosecond pump-supercontinuum probe technique with an excitation wavelength of 400nm and a spectral range from 370to620nm for the probe beam have been performed. In order to analyze the dynamics properly the time window has been chosen to comprise the characteristic times of the contributing processes, additionally we have employed two solvents, methanol and ethylene glycol, and have conducted anisotropy measurements. The spectroscopic data have been assigned to different molecular states with the help of density functional theory and second-order Möller-Plesset perturbation theory calculations. The analysis of the data has revealed in the most likely model that three different isomers exist with different lifetimes. On the basis of experimental and theoretical data, a conclusive scheme of the isomerization reaction is presented.