bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Immunocytochemical staining of p16INK4a protein from conventional Pap test and its association with human papillomavirus infection
Authors: Pientong Chamsai , Ekalaksananan Tipaya , Kongyingyoes Bunkerd , Kritpetcharat Onanong , Swadpanich Ussanee , Pengsa Prasit , Yuenyao Pissamai
Published: September 2004

The p16INK4a protein is immunocytochemically detected in liquid‐based (LB) specimens as a diagnostic marker of cervical dysplasia and neoplasia. Its up‐regulation is promoted by high‐risk human papillomavirus (HR‐HPV) infection. We aimed to detect p16INK4a on conventional Papanicolaou (Pap) test (CPT) slides and to determine the relationship between its overexpression and HR‐HPV infection. CPT and LB Pap test (LBPT) slides (165 samples of each) were examined by immunocytochemical staining for p16INK4a. After polymerase chain reaction (PCR), HPV‐DNA was genotyped by dot blot hybridization. The CPT slides displayed more numerous dispersed squamous cells and LBPT slides had a clearer background. Positive p16INK4a on CPT occurred in 0% (0/30), 52.5% (21/40), 54.3% (19/35), 100% (30/30), and 100% (30/30) in normal, atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASCUS), low‐grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (LSILs), high‐grade SILs (HSILs), and squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) cases, respectively. LBPT slides showed comparable results but were less sensitive. HPV‐DNA was detected in 86.7, 70, 45, 57.14, and 10% in SCCs, HSILs, ASCUS, LSILs, and normal cervical cells, respectively. Because HR‐HPV was identified in all HPV+ samples of high‐grade dysplasia (HSILs and SCCs) and all positive p16INK4a samples infected with HR‐HPV, the association of p16INK4a overexpression with HR‐HPV infection was confirmed. This study suggests that immunocytochemical staining of p16INK4a on CPT slides is convenient and cost‐effective for cervical cancer screening by the detection of dysplastic cells infected with HR‐HPV. Diagn. Cytopathol. 2004;31:235–242. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Measurement and statistical analysis of spectrum occupancy
Authors: Fleurke S. R. , Dehling H. G. , Leonhard H. K. , Brinkerink A. D. , den Besten R.
Published: September 2004

In this paper, we discuss two definitions of spectrum occupancy in land‐mobile radiocommunication, actual occupancy and mean occupancy. We argue that for most monitoring purposes, the mean occupancy is the more relevant notion. We propose measurement procedures for spectrum occupancy, based on discrete observations of the channel, and investigate their properties. For the estimation of the mean occupancy, we provide confidence intervals, both for long as well as for short sampling intervals. For short sampling intervals, dependence of the observations is of crucial importance. We analyse the dependence for an alternating renewal model with Erlang(2)‐distributed renewals, which is better supported by the data than the exponential distribution used in past models. For the estimation of the actual spectrum occupancy, we propose a new random sampling scheme and investigate its properties. Copyright © 2004 AEI.
Iterative channel estimation and data detection in frequency‐selective fading MIMO channels
Authors: Lončar Maja , Müller Ralf R. , Wehinger Joachim , Mecklenbräuker Christoph F. , Abe Tetsushi
Published: September 2004

Signals transmitted through multiple‐input multiple‐output (MIMO) wireless channels suffer from multiple‐access interference (MAI), multipath propagation and additive noise. Iterative multiuser receiver algorithms mitigate these signal impairments, while offering a good tradeoff between performance and complexity. The receiver presented in this paper performs channel estimation, multiuser detection and decoding in an iterative manner. The estimation of the frequency selective, block‐fading channel is initiated with the pilot symbols. In subsequent iterations, soft decisions of all the data symbols are used in an appropriate way to improve the channel estimates. This approach leads to significant improvement of the overall receiver performance, compared to other schemes. The bit‐error‐rate (BER) performance of the receiver is evaluated by simulations for different parameter setups. Copyright © 2004 AEI.
Generation of multiple Rayleigh fading sequences with specified cross‐correlations
Authors: Beaulieu Norman C. , Merani Maria Luisa
Published: September 2004

A recent technique for generating two spatially correlated Rayleigh fading envelope sequences is generalized to give an efficient method for the generation of multiple correlated Rayleigh fading sequences. By coloring the quadrature components of the Rayleigh sequences, any desired envelope correlations can be realized for an arbitrary number of diversity branches. The computational complexity of the new method is compared to the computational complexity of a direct method. It is shown that properly utilizing the underlying block Toeplitz structure of the correlation matrix gives computational savings over the direct method. Copyright © 2004 AEI.
Trellis coded quantization/trellis coded continuous phase modulation over Rician channel with imperfect phase reference
Authors: Ucan Osman Nuri
Published: September 2004

In this paper, to improve bandwidth efficiency and error performance, trellis coded quantization/trellis continuous phase modulation (TCQ/TCPM) are combined and a trellis coded quantization/trellis coded continuous phase modulation (TCQ/TCCPM) scheme is introduced. Here, we use TCQ/TCM system as source coding because of its advantage over classical joint systems in terms of decoding time and complexity. We also present CPM for TCQ/TCM signals, since CPM provides low spectral occupancy and is suitable for power and bandwidth limited channels. The bit error performance of TCQ/TCCPM schemes is derived taking into account quantization noise over Rician channel with imperfect phase reference. The analytical upper bounds are obtained using Chernoff bounding technique, combined with the modified generating functional approach with no channel state information (CSI) and no side information for the phase noise process. As an example, TCQ/TCCPM scheme for 16CPFSK with modulation index h = 1/2 (16CPFSK‐TCQ/TCCPM) is investigated and compared to TCQ/TCM for 16PSK (16PSK‐TCQ/TCM). It is shown that 16CPFSK‐TCQ/TCCPM has better bit error performance than 16PSK‐TCQ/TCM in all signal‐to‐noise‐ratio (SNR) and quantization noise effect increases at high SNR values for both uniform and optimum quantization. Copyright © 2004 AEI.
Sequences and sequence pairs with imaginary correlation sidelobes
Authors: Lüke Hans Dieter , Hadinejad‐Mahram Hafez
Published: September 2004

Time‐discrete signals with good correlation properties are used in various applications in communications engineering. In this paper, the construction of quadriphase and 8‐phase sequences and sequence pairs with purely imaginary aperiodic, periodic and odd‐periodic correlation sidelobes is discussed. Using coherent detection, these imaginary sequences show perfect correlation properties if only the real part of the correlation function is used. Copyright © 2004 AEI.
A new speech synthesis algorithm for high quality TTS systems: a mixed phase vocoder
Authors: Kwon Chul Hong , Lee Minkyu
Published: September 2004

Currently, time domain pitch synchronous overlap‐add (TD‐PSOLA) is the most popular synthesis algorithm for text‐to‐speech (TTS) systems. The algorithm produces very high quality synthetic speech, particularly when a pitch modification factor is small. However, as the pitch modification factor becomes larger, the quality degradation due to a slight pitch epoch detection error becomes severe. On the other hand, the vocoder framework has very flexible prosody manipulation. It can obtain a uniform voice quality over a wide range of prosody modification. Unfortunately, the synthesized speech quality from the vocoder is far from natural human speech, often showing buzzy quality. To remedy buzzy quality from the vocoder and make more natural synthetic speech, we propose a new speech synthesis algorithm for high quality TTS systems that is based on the homomorphic vocoder framework. The impulse response of vocal tract is obtained by mixing the minimum phase in lower frequency band and original phase in higher frequency band—thus, the name is a mixed phase vocoder. Informal subjective listening tests reveal that the mixed phase vocoder is a good candidate for TTS synthesis with high intelligibility and naturalness. Copyright © 2004 AEI.
Performance of affine geometry low‐density parity‐check codes in long‐haul optical communications
Authors: Djordjevic Ivan B. , Vasic Bane
Published: September 2004

In this paper, we investigate the performance of low‐density parity‐check (LDPC) codes in long‐haul optical communication systems for different modulation formats (nonreturn to zero (NRZ), return to zero (RZ), chirped return to zero (CRZ)). We are particularly concerned with high‐rate codes based on affine geometries. These codes have large minimum distance and simple iterative decoding algorithms, which make them good candidates for high‐speed applications such as optical communications. We consider both bit‐flipping iterative decoding and iterative decoding based on min‐sum algorithms. We demonstrate a significant performance improvement with respect to the state‐of‐the‐art error control schemes employed in long‐haul systems. Contrary to the common practice of considering the performance of error controlling schemes using the AWGN channel assumption, we consider the performance of the proposed LDPC schemes taking into account, in a natural way, all major impairments in long‐haul optical transmission such as ASE noise, pulse distortion due to fiber nonlinearities, chromatic dispersion or polarization dispersion, crosstalk effects, intersymbol‐interference (ISI), etc. Copyright © 2004 AEI.
Meshfree weak–strong (MWS) form method and its application to incompressible flow problems
Authors: Liu G. R. , Wu Y. L. , Ding H.
Published: September 2004

A meshfree weak–strong (MWS) form method has been proposed by the authors' group for linear solid mechanics problems based on a combined weak and strong form of governing equations. This paper formulates the MWS method for the incompressible Navier–Stokes equations that is non‐linear in nature. In this method, the meshfree collocation method based on strong form equations is applied to the interior nodes and the nodes on the essential boundaries; the local Petrov–Galerkin weak form is applied only to the nodes on the natural boundaries of the problem domain. The MWS method is then applied to simulate the steady problem of natural convection in an enclosed domain and the unsteady problem of viscous flow around a circular cylinder using both regular and irregular nodal distributions. The simulation results are validated by comparing with those of other numerical methods as well as experimental data. It is demonstrated that the MWS method has very good efficiency and accuracy for fluid flow problems. It works perfectly well for irregular nodes using only local quadrature cells for nodes on the natural boundary, which can be generated without any difficulty. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Simulation of lid‐driven cavity flows by parallel lattice Boltzmann method using multi‐relaxation‐time scheme
Authors: Wu J.‐S. , Shao Y.‐L.
Published: September 2004

Two‐dimensional near‐incompressible steady lid‐driven cavity flows (Re = 100–7,500) are simulated using multi‐relaxation‐time (MRT) model in the parallel lattice Boltzmann BGK Bhatnager–Gross–Krook method (LBGK). Results are compared with those using single‐relaxation‐time (SRT) model in the LBGK method and previous simulation data using Navier–Stokes equations for the same flow conditions. Effects of variation of relaxation parameters in the MRT model, effects of number of the lattice points, improved computational convergence and reduced spatial oscillations of solution near geometrically singular points in the flow field using LBGK method due to MRT model are highlighted in the study. In summary, lattice Boltzmann method using MRT model introduces much less spatial oscillations near geometrical singular points, which is important for the successful simulation of higher Reynolds number flows. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Medical comorbidity in late‐life depression
Authors: Taylor Warren D. , McQuoid Douglas R. , Krishnan K. Ranga Rama
Published: September 2004

Objectives

Medical comorbidity is common in elderly patients with depression, however the difference between depressed and non‐depressed elderly populations is not well established. Additionally, differences between subgroups of depressed populations, including those with MRI‐defined vascular depression and those with late‐onset compared with early‐onset depression are not well described.

Methods

We compared self‐report of medical disorders between 370 depressed elders and 157 non‐depressed control subjects. Subjects were additionally dichotomized based on presence or absence of subcortical MRI lesions and age of onset. Medical comorbidity was assessed by self report only, and depressed subjects were additionally assessed by the clinician‐rated Cumulative Illness Rating Scale.

Results

When compared with the non‐depressed group, depressed subjects were significantly more likely to report the presence of hypertension, heart disease, gastrointestinal ulcers, and ‘hardening of the arteries’. Analyses of subjects with subcortical disease demonstrated they were significantly older, more likely to have depression, and more likely to report the presence of hypertension. Finally, the depressed cohort with late‐onset depression (occurring after age 50 years) had more male subjects, exhibited greater CIRS scores, and greater prevalence of hypertension, but these did not reach a level of statistical significance after applying a Bonferroni correction.

Conclusions

Vascular comorbidities are common in depressed elders. The differences in the report of hypertension supports past work investigating a vascular contribution to late‐life depression. Given the association between depression and poor medical outcomes of cardiac disease, this population deserves clinical scrutiny and further research. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Potential treatment effects of donepezil not detected in Alzheimer's disease clinical trials: a physician survey
Authors: Rockwood Kenneth , Black Sandra E. , Robillard Alain , Lussier Isabelle
Published: September 2004

Objectives

Clinical trials of the cholinesterase inhibitor donepezil have used standard psychometric tools to evaluate treatment efficacy. These trials, however, appear not to capture clinically demonstrable, but otherwise unmeasured, beneficial treatment effects. We sought to identify and categorize clinically recognizable effects of donepezil treatment in Alzheimer's disease.

Methods

A list of potential effects was developed using clinical trials data and the experience of an expert panel. These were incorporated in a questionnaire, which was tested with a focus group, revised and then used in a postal survey of physicians. Data were classified by cognitive domain, and reviewed by a second panel.

Results

Items that were most often rated as being improved were related to frontal systems function, including attentional capacity and initiative. Behavioral symptoms that were among the highest rated items were apathy, mood, and agitation. The top two other items were social interactions and involvement in domestic activities. Of the top ten symptomatic treatment effects, only four appeared to be readily identified by current standard measures.

Conclusions

Physicians recognize as important several treatment effects that are not well captured by current standard measures. New methods are needed to capture such effects, which also have the potential to offer insight into the neurobiology of the human cholinergic system. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Vulnerability to post‐traumatic stress disorder and psychological morbidity in aged holocaust survivors
Authors: Brodaty Henry , Joffe Charmaine , Luscombe Georgina , Thompson Claire
Published: September 2004

Objective

Although high rates of post‐traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and psychological morbidity have been consistently reported in Holocaust survivors (HS), reports are inconsistent about which factors are associated with psychological morbidity. In a study of the oldest HS cohort yet reported, we aim to clarify why this variability exists by examining factors associated with PTSD and psychological morbidity, including for the first time measures of personality and defense mechanisms.

Methods

One hundred HS randomly selected from a convenience sample of 309 respondents to a survey of Jewish persons aged 60 years and older living in the community in Sydney were assessed using the following instruments: demographics, severity of trauma experienced, General Health Questionnaire (GHQ‐28), PTSD diagnosis (DSM‐IV), Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale, Impact of Events Scale, Defense Style Questionnaire, modified Eysenck Personality Inventory.

Results

Older age, experience of more severe trauma, use of immature defense mechanisms and higher neuroticism were associated with significant PTSD and psychological morbidity; severity of trauma was associated with PTSD and with more severe psychological morbidity.

Conclusions

A profile of survivors at‐risk can be identified that may have application to survivors of more recent holocausts. Late life may be a period of vulnerability in the aftermath of severe trauma. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Use of constraints and their correlates in Norwegian nursing homes
Authors: Kirkevold Øyvind , Sandvik Leiv , Engedal Knut
Published: September 2004

Objective

To analyse the effect of patient and ward characteristics on the use of constraints in nursing homes.

Method

Primary carers in 222 wards in Norwegian nursing homes were asked about use of constraints towards 1926 patients during seven days. Constraints were grouped as mechanical restraints, non‐mechanical restraints, electronic surveillance, force or pressure in medical examination or treatment, and force or pressure in ADL. The patients' mental capacity (CDR score), activity in daily living (ADL) and behaviour (BARS score) were rated. Type and size of ward, staffing level and educational level of the staff was recorded.

Results

In all 758 of the patients were subjected to any constraint. Degree of dementia, aggressive behaviour and loss of function in ADL had significant impact on all types of constraint except for electronical surveillance. The strongest associations were found between degree of dementia and mechanical restraint (OR 5.14), impaired ADL and mechanical restraint (OR 9.23) and aggression and force or pressure in ADL (OR 3.75). Mechanical restraint was less used towards patients in special care units for persons with dementia (SCU) (OR 0.38) compared to patients in regular units (RU), whereas non‐mechanical restraint was more frequent used in SCUs (OR 2.28). Type of ward had no significant impact on use of other types of constraints. Staff level and education level of the staff had no significant impact on the use of constraint.

Conclusion

Constraint is frequently used in nursing homes, and most frequent toward patients with severe dementia, aggressive behaviour or low ADL function. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Microarrays in biology and medicine
Authors: Choudhuri Supratim
Published: September 2004

The remarkable speed with which biotechnology has become critical to the practice of life sciences owes much to a series of technological revolutions. Microarray is the latest invention in this ongoing technological revolution. This technology holds the promise to revolutionize the future of biology and medicine unlike any other technology that preceded it. Development of microarray technology has significantly changed the way questions about diseases and/or biological phenomena are addressed. This is because microarrays facilitate monitoring the expression of thousands of genes or proteins in a single experiment. This enormous power of microarrays has enabled scientists to monitor thousands of genes and their products in a given living organism in one experiment, and to understand how these genes function in an orchestrated manner. Obtaining such a global view of life at the molecular level was impossible using conventional molecular biological techniques. However, despite all the progress made in developing this technology, microarray is yet to reach a point where all data are obtained, analyzed, and shared in a standardized fashion. The present article is a brief overview of microarray technologies and their applications with an emphasis on DNA microarray. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biochem Mol Toxicol 18:171–179, 2004; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/jbt.20023
Quantitative analysis of total mitochondrial DNA: Competitive polymerase chain reaction versus real‐time polymerase chain reaction
Authors: Bhat Hari K. , Epelboym Irina
Published: September 2004

An efficient and effective method for quantification of small amounts of nucleic acids contained within a sample specimen would be an important diagnostic tool for determining the content of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) in situations where the depletion thereof may be a contributing factor to the exhibited pathology phenotype. This study compares two quantification assays for calculating the total mtDNA molecule number per nanogram of total genomic DNA isolated from human blood, through the amplification of a 613‐bp region on the mtDNA molecule. In one case, the mtDNA copy number was calculated by standard competitive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique that involves co‐amplification of target DNA with various dilutions of a nonhomologous internal competitor that has the same primer binding sites as the target sequence, and subsequent determination of an equivalence point of target and competitor concentrations. In the second method, the calculation of copy number involved extrapolation from the fluorescence versus copy number standard curve generated by real‐time PCR using various dilutions of the target amplicon sequence. While the mtDNA copy number was comparable using the two methods (4.92 ± 1.01 × 104 molecules/ng total genomic DNA using competitive PCR vs 4.90 ± 0.84 × 104 molecules/ng total genomic DNA using real‐time PCR), both inter‐ and intraexperimental variance were significantly lower using the real‐time PCR analysis. On the basis of reproducibility, assay complexity, and overall efficiency, including the time requirement and number of PCR reactions necessary for the analysis of a single sample, we recommend the real‐time PCR quantification method described here, as its versatility and effectiveness will undoubtedly be of great use in various kinds of research related to mitochondrial DNA damage‐ and depletion‐associated disorders. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biochem Mol Toxicol 18:180–186, 2004 Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/jbt.20024
A cyclic peptide, L1AD3, induces early signs of apoptosis in human leukemic T‐cell lines
Authors: Smith Charles A. , Hinman Channing L.
Published: September 2004

L1AD3 is a small cyclic synthetic peptide designed to resemble the first loop of a cobra venom cytotoxin. Instead of inducing membrane disruption similar to that caused by the parent toxin, L1AD3 promotes extensive and unusually rapid apoptosis in leukemic T‐cells without making the plasma membrane permeable to small fluorescent dyes. Within 4 h, micromolar concentrations of L1AD3 almost totally inhibit thymidine incorporation, and ATP levels decrease significantly. By contrast, normal human white blood cells are not affected by L1AD3, nor is heart cell function affected by it. If L1AD3 kills by interacting with targets that are different from those of currently applied agents, this peptide, or a derivative of it, could become a useful adjunct for cancer chemotherapy. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biochem Mol Toxicol 18:204–220, 2004; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/jbt.20025
Molecular cloning, genomic organization and functional characterization of a new short‐chain potassium channel toxin‐like peptide BmTxKS4 from Buthus martensii Karsch(BmK)
Authors: Jiqun Sheng , Xiuling Xu , Zhijian Cao , Wanhong Liu , Yingliang Wu , Shunyi Zhu , Xianchun Zeng , Dahe Jiang , Xin Mao , Hui Liu , Wenxin Li , Teng Wang
Published: September 2004

Scorpion venom contains many small polypeptide toxins, which can modulate Na+, K+, Cl−, and Ca2+ ion–channel conductance in the cell membrane. A full‐length cDNA sequence encoding a novel type of K+‐channel toxin (named BmTxKS4) was first isolated and identified from a venom gland cDNA library of Buthus martensii Karsch (BmK). The encoded precursor contains 78 amino acid residues including a putative signal peptide of 21 residues, propeptide of 11 residues, and a mature peptide of 43 residues with three disulfide bridges. BmTxKS4 shares the identical organization of disulfide bridges with all the other short‐chain K+‐channel scorpion toxins. By PCR amplification of the genomic region encoding BmTxKS4, it was shown that BmTxKS4 composed of two exons is disrupted by an intron of 87 bp inserted between the first and the second codes of Phe (F) in the encoding signal peptide region, which is completely identical with that of the characterized scorpion K+‐channel ligands in the size, position, consensus junctions, putative branch point, and A+T content. The GST‐BmTxKS4 fusion protein was successfully expressed in BL21 (DE3) and purified with affinity chromatography. About 2.5 mg purified recombinant BmTxKS4 (rBmTxKS4) protein was obtained by treating GST‐BmTxKS4 with enterokinase and sephadex chromatography from 1 L bacterial culture. The electrophysiological activity of 1.0μM rBmTxKS4 was measured and compared by whole cell patch‐clamp technique. The results indicated that rBmTxKS4 reversibly inhibited the transient outward K+ current (Ito), delayed inward rectifier K+ current (Ik1), and prolonged the action potential duration of ventricular myocyte, but it has no effect on the action potential amplitude. Taken together, BmTxKS4 is a novel subfamily member of short‐strain K+‐channel scorpion toxin. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biochem Mol Toxicol 18:187–195, 2004; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/jbt.20026
Lead‐induced oxidative stress and hematological alterations and their response to combined administration of calcium disodium EDTA with a thiol chelator in rats
Authors: Saxena Geetu , Flora S. J. S.
Published: September 2004

The therapeutic efficacy of calcium disodium ethylenediaminetetracetic acid (CaNa2EDTA) and the two thiol chelators, 2,3‐dimercaptopropane 1‐sulfonate (DMPS) and monoisoamyl dimercaptosuccinic acid (MiADMSA) was studied, both individually and in combination, in reducing lead concentration in blood and soft tissues and in restoring lead induced altered biochemical variables in rats. Exposure to subacute dose of lead implicated a critical role of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and oxidative stress in altering the normal values of these variables. Exposure to lead caused a significant inhibition of blood δ‐aminolevulinic acid dehydratase (ALAD), an important enzyme in the haem synthesis pathway and glutathione (GSH) level. These changes were also accompanied by inhibition of ALAD activity in kidney, δ‐aminolevulinic acid synthase (ALAS) activities in liver and changes in platelet counts in whole blood suggesting disturbed haem synthesis pathway. Lead exposure also led to a pronounced depletion of brain GSH contents, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, an increase in thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), and activity of glutathione S‐transferase (GST). Specific activities of membrane‐bound enzymes, acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and monoamine oxidase (MAO), were significantly inhibited on lead exposure. These biochemical changes were correlated with increased uptake of lead in blood and soft tissues. Post lead exposure treatment with MiADMSA in particular provided significant recovery in altered biochemical variables besides significant depletion of tissue lead burden. Treatment with CaNa2EDTA and DMPS individually had only moderate beneficial effects on tissue oxidative stress, although they were equally effective in the removal of tissue lead burden. Tissue zinc and copper levels did not depict any significant depletion, although changes like marked depletion of zinc following CaNa2EDTA and copper after MiADMSA administration were of some concern. Combined administration of CaNa2EDTA, particularly with MiADMSA, was the most effective treatment protocol compared to all other treatments. It can be concluded from our present results that combined therapy with CaNa2EDTA and MiADMSA proved significantly better in restoring biochemical and clinical variables over monotherapy with these chelating agents against subacute lead exposure in adult rats. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biochem Mol Toxicol 18:221–233, 2004; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/jbt.20027
Protective effect of caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) on lipid peroxidation and antioxidant enzymes in diabetic rat liver
Authors: Yilmaz H. Ramazan , Uz Efkan , Yucel Nezahat , Altuntas Irfan , Ozcelik Nurten
Published: September 2004

The aim of this study was to examine the effect of caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) on lipid peroxidation (LPO) and the activities of antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH‐Px) in the liver of streptozotocin (STZ)‐induced diabetic rats. Twenty‐seven rats were randomly divided into three groups: group I, control non‐diabetic rats (n = 9); group II, STZ‐induced, untreated diabetic rats (n = 8); group III, STZ‐induced, CAPE‐treated diabetic rats (n = 10), which were intraperitoneally injected with CAPE (10 μM kg−1 day−1) after 3 days followed by STZ treatment. The liver was excised after 8 weeks of CAPE treatment, the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and the activities of SOD, CAT, and GSH‐Px in the hepatic tissues of all groups were analyzed. In the untreated diabetic rats, MDA markedly increased in the hepatic tissue compared with the control rats (p < 0.0001). However, MDA levels were reduced to the control level by CAPE. The activities of SOD, CAT, and GSH‐Px in the untreated diabetic group were higher than that in the control group (p < 0.0001). The activities of SOD and GSH‐Px in the CAPE‐treated diabetic group were higher than that in the control group (respectively, p < 0.0001, p < 0.035). There were no significant differences in the activity of CAT between the rats of CAPE‐treated diabetic and control groups. Rats in the CAPE‐treated diabetic group had reduced activities of SOD and CAT in comparison with the rats of untreated diabetic group (p < 0.0001). There were no significant differences in the activity of GSH‐Px between the rats of untreated diabetic and CAPE‐treated groups. It is likely that STZ‐induced diabetes caused liver damage. In addition, LPO may be one of the molecular mechanisms involved in STZ‐induced diabetic damage. CAPE can reduce LPO caused by STZ‐induced diabetes. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biochem Mol Toxicol 18:234–238, 2004; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/jbt.20028
The modulatory effects of ellagic acid and vitamin E succinate on TCDD‐induced oxidative stress in different brain regions of rats after subchronic exposure
Authors: Hassoun Ezdihar A. , Vodhanel Jennifer , Abushaban Ahmed
Published: September 2004

The effects of ellagic acid (EA) and vitamin E succinate (VES) on 2,3,7,8‐tetrachlorodibenzo‐p‐dioxin (TCDD)‐induced oxidative stress in different brain regions of rats have been studied after subchronic exposure to the compounds. TCDD was administered to groups of rats at a dose of 46 ng/kg/day for 90 days. EA and VES were administered to groups of rats, either separately or simultaneously with TCDD, every other day for 90 days. At the end of the treatment period, animals were sacrificed and brains were dissected to cerebral cortex (Cc), hippocampus (H), cerebellum (C), and brain stem (Bs), and were assayed for production of superoxide anion (SA), lipid peroxidation (LP), and DNA single‐strand breaks (SSBs). While TCDD administration to rats resulted in significant production of SA, LP, and DNA SSBs in Cc and H, simultaneous administration of VES or EA with the xenobiotics resulted in significant protection against those effects. The results also indicate that VES provided a better protyection against TCDD‐induced effects in brains when compared with EA. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biochem Mol Toxicol 18:196–203, 2003; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/jbt.20030
Differential localization and expression of the Cdk9 42k and 55k isoforms
Authors: Liu Hongbing , Herrmann Christine H.
Published: September 2004

Cdk9, a member of the cyclin‐dependent kinase family, is the catalytic subunit of P‐TEFb, a protein kinase complex that stimulates transcriptional elongation. Cdk9, complexed with its regulatory partner cyclin T1, serves as the cellular mediator of the transactivation function of the HIV Tat protein. There are two known isoforms of Cdk9: a 42 kDa protein (42k, originally identified as PITALRE) and a more recently identified 55 kDa form (55k). To investigate possible functional differences between the two isoforms, we examined their kinase activities, their subcellular distributions, and their expression levels in primary cells relevant to HIV infection. Both isoforms were found to hyper‐phosphorylate the carboxyl‐terminal domain of the largest subunit of RNA polymerase II and displayed identical phosphorylation patterns with 144 peptide substrates. Epitope‐tagged transiently‐expressed Cdk9 42k localized diffusely in the nucleoplasm, while Cdk9 55k accumulated in the nucleolus. In primary undifferentiated monocytes, Cdk9 55k expression was not detected although 42k was present at high levels; however, 55k expression was induced upon macrophage differentiation. In primary lymphocytes, the levels of 55k decreased or remained steady following activation, while the levels of 42k increased. The promoter for 42k was significantly stronger than that of 55k in HeLa cells, and only the 42k promoter was responsive to activation signals in primary lymphocytes. These results indicate that expression of the 42k and 55k isoforms is differentially regulated and suggest that functional differences between the 42k and 55k isoforms of Cdk9 are likely to depend on access to substrates based on their differential subcellular localization and expression patterns. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Removal of water‐soluble azo dye by the magnetic material MnFe2O4
Authors: Wu Rongcheng , Qu Jiuhui
Published: September 2004

Magnetic ferrite material, MnFe2O4, as a novel adsorbent was prepared and characterized. Adsorption tests indicated that it is an excellent adsorbent for the removal of the azo dye Acid Red B (ARB) from water. After adsorbing ARB and recovery by the magnetic separation method, it can be regenerated by Fenton's reagent. The pseudo‐first‐order and second‐order kinetic models were used to describe the kinetic data and the rate constants were evaluated. The adsorption capacity was highly affected by the pH of the solution, and pH 3.8 was optimal. After regeneration, the adsorption capacity of MnFe2O4 increased significantly, which was the result of a decrease in average pore diameter, an increase in surface area of the adsorbent and the adsorption of ferric hydroxide produced in the regeneration reaction. The adsorption can be described with the Langmuir model and the maximum adsorption capacity for ARB was 53.8 mg g−1 adsorbent. FTIR study for ARB on MnFe2O4 indicated that the adsorption of ARB occurred via the azo group and the sulfonic group of the dye through the formation of a complex with the adsorbent surface. Copyright © 2004 Society of Chemical Industry
Analysis of batch submerged cultivations of Geotrichum candidum growing in lactate with either glutamate or lysine
Authors: Aziza M , Adour L , Couriol C , Amrane A
Published: September 2004

Amino acid and lactate assimilation by Geotrichum candidum were examined in submerged culture. G candidum growth on lysine and lactate clearly showed that lactate can be assimilated as a carbon source, in addition to an energy source. Lysine was chosen since G candidum did not grow on lysine as the sole carbon and nitrogen source. On the contrary, when a convenient carbon source amino acid (glutamate) was used, lactate appeared to have no effect on G candidum growth; it was only assimilated at a low rate during the stationary state for energy supply, in agreement with previous observations recorded during growth on peptones. The assimilation of glutamate, the more convenient substrate for G candidum growth, required less energy than lysine assimilation, indicated by the lower level of CO2 released. Copyright © 2004 Society of Chemical Industry
Correlating gas–liquid co‐current flow hydrodynamics in packed beds using the F‐function concept
Authors: Radilla Giovanni , Fourar Mostafa , Larachi Faiçal
Published: September 2004

A phenomenological model based on the generalization of the single‐phase Forchheimer equation was recently proposed for predicting pressure drop and phase saturations in gas–liquid co‐current horizontal and downward high‐pressure packed beds. Here, we extend the model to packed‐bubble (co‐current upflow) and trickle‐bed operation using phase saturation power laws similar to Corey relative permeabilities. The power‐law exponents were fitted using a wide pressure gradient and liquid saturation databank in co‐current up/downward packed‐bed flows. It was found that this approach, as well as other in the literature developed for down‐flow reactors apply also to upward flows; the prediction accuracy was comparable for both flow directions to existing literature approaches. Copyright © 2004 Society of Chemical Industry
High hydrostatic pressure extraction of flavonoids from propolis
Authors: Shouqin Zhang , Jun Xi , Changzheng Wang
Published: September 2004

A high hydrostatic pressure extraction (HHPE) method is presented for the extraction of flavonoids from propolis. Various experimental conditions of the HHPE process, such as solvents, ethanol concentration (35–95%, v/v), HHPE pressure (100–600 MPa), HHPE time (1–10 min) and solid/liquid ratio (1:5–1:45 g cm−3), were investigated to optimize the extraction process. The extraction yield with HHPE for 1 min was higher than those using extraction at room temperature for 7 days and heat reflux extraction for 4 h respectively. From the viewpoints of extraction time, the extraction efficiency and the extraction yield of flavonoids, HHPE was more effective than the conventional extraction methods studied. Copyright © 2004 Society of Chemical Industry
Why are we still arguing about globalization?
Authors: Sumner Andrew
Published: September 2004

This paper addresses the following question: why are we still arguing about globalization? Focus is placed on the conceptual point of departure, ‘globalization’ and its quantification. Differentiation is made between two perspectives on global economic integration: globalization as liberalization versus globalization as internationalism. The former, a policy input, a process of ‘opening’, leading to the latter. The latter, a policy outcome or the end outcome of ‘openness’, possible with or without the former. Selected literature on globalization and growth is discussed using the above criteria, categorizing ‘proponents’ and ‘sceptics’. The question is posed: to what extent differing approaches to conceptualizing globalization are responsible for generating different research findings. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
HIV/AIDs and development concern us all
Authors: Barnett Tony
Published: September 2004

Development studies have increasingly lost sight of engagement with long term issues as short term, often consultancy funding, has been available for ever shorter and more ‘practical’ projects. This has meant that one of the most important developmental events—the HIV/AIDs epidemic—has been largely neglected by the development studies community. This article outlines the major developmental implications of the epidemic together with basic information about the disease and the epidemic. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
NGDOs' role in building poor people's capacity to benefit from globalization
Authors: Tembo Fletcher
Published: September 2004

There has been a growing recognition of the role of Non‐Governmental Development Organizations (NGDOs) in strengthening civil society as an effective strategy for poverty eradication. This approach includes broad‐based development ownership and empowerment of the poor. The paper argues that in the context of globalization NGDOs need to focus on expanding space for poor people to engage with emerging forms of states and markets for their livelihood advantage. This implies creating space where the poor can effectively negotiate the global discourses and frameworks of development from their particular experiences and images of reality. In this position, the poor will find room for manoeuvre within which to influence the local, national and global processes and structures for their benefit. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Economic development in a changing globalized economy
Authors: Huq Mozammel , Tribe Michael
Published: September 2004

This introductory article provides an overview of the Development Studies Association's 2003 annual conference, the theme of which was Globalization and Development. A brief summary of the articles that have been based on three plenary addresses follows the overview, together with outlines of the contents of the seven other articles included in this special issue of the Journal of International Development. Opposing views about the role of globalization in international development, particularly as it relates to developing countries, are then summarized within in a broad historical context. Some of the published evidence concerning the economic impact of globalization is then presented, continuing the adversarial standpoints of opposing ‘camps’. The introduction is concluded with some discussion about future prospects for a ‘globalized’ world. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Quaternary ecological and geomorphic changes associated with rainfall events in presently semi‐arid northeastern Brazil
Authors: Auler Augusto S. , Wang Xianfeng , Edwards R. Lawrence , Cheng Hai , Cristalli Patrícia S. , Smart Peter L. , Richards David A.
Published: September 2004

Several geomorphic features and palaeobiotic remains in now semi‐arid northeastern Brazil indicate major palaeoenvironmental changes during past periods of increased rainfall. 230Th mass spectrometric ages of speleothems and travertines have allowed the determination of the timing and duration of wetter than present conditions. The data demonstrate that wet events have occurred throughout much of the Pleistocene, present dry conditions having been established at the end of the Younger Dryas. A markedly different fauna comprising megafaunal elements not adapted to the present low arboreal scrubland caatinga vegetation existed in the area. Palaeobotanical remains embedded in travertine indicate forested vegetation at these wetter intervals, suggesting that the caatinga was then replaced or mixed with a semi‐deciduous forest. Due to the abundance of travertine sites containing fossil botanical remains in northeastern Brazil, it is believed that forest expansion occurred over large areas of the now semi‐arid zone, showing that the long hypothesised forested links between biodiversity‐rich Amazon and Atlantic rainforests may indeed have existed during these moister phases. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Colombian vegetation at the Last Glacial Maximum: a comparison of model‐ and pollen‐based biome reconstructions
Authors: Marchant Robert , Boom Arnoud , Behling Hermann , Hooghiemstra Henry , Melief Bert , Geel Bas Van , Hammen Thomas Van der , Wille Michael
Published: September 2004

Colombian vegetation, at the ecological level of the biome, is reconstructed at the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) using two methods. A reconstruction of modern biomes shows that, for the majority of the sites, the pollen data accurately reflect the potential vegetation, even though much of the original vegetation has been transformed by agricultural practices. At 18 000 14C yr BP a generally cool and dry environment is reflected in biome assignments of cold mixed forests, cool evergreen forests and cool grassland/shrub, the latter extending to lower altitudes than presently recorded. Differential responses of the vegetation to climatic shifts are related to changes in moisture sources and the importance of edaphic control on the vegetation. Secondly, biomes at the LGM are also investigated by applying a vegetation model (BIOME‐3) set to operate at CO2 levels of 200 ppmV and with climatic data from 12 meteorological stations that encompass a range of environments within Colombia. At lower altitudes it is apparent that moisture is the dominant control on driving vegetation change whereas temperature becomes more important at higher altitudes. The combined reconstruction of biome‐scale vegetation dynamics in Colombia allows an understanding of the environmental controls on these to be developed that demonstrates the need to invoke different factors to explain the vegetation change rather than a uniform reduction in temperature or moisture. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Observations on Late Pleistocene cooling and precipitation in the lowland Neotropics
Authors: Bush Mark B. , Silman Miles R.
Published: September 2004

Although accurate reconstructions of Amazonian palaeoclimates are central to understanding the distribution and history of Neotropical biodiversity, current reconstructions based on proxy data are discordant and subject to intense debate. We review some current thinking in Amazonian climatology and incorporate some new ideas in an attempt to explain the apparently contradictory records of palaeoprecipitation from across the Amazon Basin. We suggest that palaeoecologists need to recognise that organised convective radiation, the process that induces most wet season rainfall in Amazonia, should be treated as a phenomenon related to, but separate from, the passage of the inter‐tropical convergence zone (ITCZ). Decoupling ITCZ migration from larger convective activity provides a mechanism to account for observed palaeoclimatic heterogeneity. Patterns of observed precipitation change are consistent with the long‐term persistence of closed forest across much of Amazonia, indicating that the greatest changes in precipitation during the last glacial maximum came during the wet season, which would have little negative impact on forest extent. Neotropical cooling at the last glacial maximum (LGM) is widely accepted, although the estimates of that cooling range between 1°C and > 5°C. In answering the basic question ‘What is meant by cooling?’ we observe that interhemispheric ice mass asymmetry may have caused cooling to be manifested differently according to location. A terrestrial cooling of ca. 5°C, as well as radiative cooling and event‐based cooling combined to induce vegetation change. Probably, both absolute temperature and mean monthly minima were reduced by polar air incursions in the northern Neotropics. However, in the southern Neotropics, mean monthly minima were reduced by more frequent incursions of Patagonian air masses, but absolute minima may have been largely unchanged. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.