bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Antiamnesic effect of the two novel κ‐opioid agonists, VA‐100 and VA‐101, in the mouse passive avoidance test
Authors: Ghelardini Carla , Galeotti Nicoletta , Di Cesare Mannelli Lorenzo , Cappelli Andrea , Anzini Maurizio , Bartolini Alessandro
Published: August 2002

The effects of the administration of the two novel κ‐opioid agonists (VA‐100, VA‐101) on memory processes were evaluated with the mouse passive avoidance test. The administration of VA‐100 (50–100 mg kg–1 p.o.) and VA‐101 (100 mg kg–1 p.o.) administered 20 min before the training session prevented nor‐binaltorphimine (4.9 μg per mouse i.c.v.), scopolamine (1.5 mg kg–1 i.p.), mecamylamine (20 mg kg–1 i.p.), diphenhydramine (20 mg kg–1 i.p.), and baclofen (2 mg kg–1 i.p.) amnesia. At the highest effective doses, none of the drugs impaired motor coordination, as revealed by the rota‐rod test, nor modified spontaneous motility and inspection activity, as revealed by the hole board test. The antiamnesic effect induced by VA‐100 and VA‐101 was comparable to that exerted by the κ‐opioid agonist U‐50,488H, as well as that induced by the nootropic drug piracetam and the cholinesterase inhibitor physostigmine. These results suggest that the activation of κ‐opioid receptors plays an important role in the prevention of memory impairment. On these bases, κ‐opioid receptor agonists could represent a useful symptomatic treatment for cognitive deficits. Drug Dev. Res. 54:12–18, 2001. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Prophylactic effects of caprine serum factor (CSF‐I) in mice infected with Salmonella typhimurium
Authors: Willeford Kenneth O. , Parker Todd A. , Pharr G. Todd , Buddington Karyl
Published: August 2002

Administration of caprine serum fraction–immunomodulator (CSF‐I) resulted in an enhanced survival rate in female Swiss Webster mice infected with approximately 5,000 colony‐forming units of Salmonella typhimurium. The prophylactic benefit of CSF‐I resulted in a significant reduction in mortality of treated mice vs. control mice. Dependent upon the inoculum’s titer, 80–90% of the control group was lost due to salmonellosis by 8 days postchallenge. A single 0.1 ml (3 mg) subcutaneous dose of CSF‐I given 1 day before challenge improved the survival by 70–80% and dramatically reduced the presence of S. typhimurium in splenic tissue. No prophylactic benefits were observed if CSF‐I was given 4 days in advance of the pathogenic challenge. The prophylactic benefits of CSF‐I developed in a dose‐dependent manner. CSF‐I enhances the ability of the host to withstand and survive the challenge of an infectious agent. Drug Dev. Res. 54:45–51, 2001. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Design and syntheses of diarylisoxazoles: Novel inhibitors of cyclooxygenase‐2 (COX‐2) with analgesic‐antiinflammatory activity
Authors: Habeeb Amgad G. , Rao P.N. Praveen , Knaus Edward E.
Published: August 2002

A group of 4,5‐diphenylisoxazoles (11a–p), 3,4‐diphenyl‐5‐trifluoromethylisoxazoles (15, 21), and 4,5‐diphenyl‐3‐methylsulfonamidoisoxazole (23) possessing a variety of substituents (H, F, MeS, MeSO, MeSO2) at the para‐position of one of the phenyl rings were synthesized for evaluation as analgesic, and selective COX‐2 inhibitory antiinflammatory (AI), agents. Although the 4,5‐diphenylisoxazole group of compounds (11a–p) exhibited potent analgesic and AI activities, those compounds evaluated (11a, 11b, 11m) were more selective inhibitors of COX‐1 than COX‐2, with the exception of 4‐(4‐methylsulphonylphenyl)‐5‐phenylisoxazole (11n) that showed a modest COX‐2 selectivity index (SI) of 2.1. In contrast, 3‐(4‐methylsulphonylphenyl)‐4‐phenyl‐5‐trifluoromethylisoxazole (15), which retained good analgesic and AI activities, was a highly potent and selective COX‐2 inhibitor (COX‐1 IC50 > 500 μM; COX‐2 IC50 < 0.001 μM) with a COX‐2 SI of > 500,000, relative to the reference drug celecoxib (COX‐1 IC50 = 22.9 μM; COX‐2 IC50 = 0.0567 μM) with a COX‐2 SI of 404. The 3‐phenyl‐4‐(4‐methylsulphonylphenyl) regioisomer (21) was a less potent inhibitor (COX‐1 IC50 = 252 μM; COX‐2 IC50 = 0.2236 μM) with a COX‐2 SI of 1122, relative to the regioisomer (15). The related compound 4,5‐diphenyl‐3‐methylsulfonamidoisoxazole (23) exhibited similar (to 21) potency and COX‐2 selectivity (COX‐1 IC50 > 200 μM; COX‐2 IC50 = 0.226 μM) with an SI of 752. A molecular modeling (docking) study for the most potent, and selective, COX‐2 inhibitor (15) in the active site of the human COX‐2 enzyme showed the C‐5 CF3 substituent is positioned 3.37 Å from the phenolic OH of Tyr355, and 6.91 Å from the Ser530 OH. The S‐atom of the MeSO2 substituent is positioned deep (7.40 Å from the entrance) inside the COX‐2 secondary pocket (Val523). These studies indicate a C‐5 CF3 (15, 21), or C‐3 NHSO2Me (23), central isoxazole ring substituent is crucial to selective inhibition of COX‐2 for this class of compounds. Drug Dev. Res. 51:273–286, 2000. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Human fetal and neonatal movement patterns: Gender differences and fetal‐to‐neonatal continuity
Authors: Almli C. Robert , Ball Robert H. , Wheeler Mark E.
Published: August 2002

Longitudinal quantification of leg movements per minute for human subjects during both fetal and neonatal periods was accomplished from videotapings conducted antenatally (ultrasonography 30, 34, and 37 weeks gestational age) and postnatally (birth and 6 weeks of age). Fetal/neonatal subjects displayed decreasing numbers of leg movements per minute during antenatal development (30 to 37 weeks), followed by increasing numbers of leg movements per minute during postnatal development (birth to 6 weeks of age). Male subjects displayed greater numbers of leg movements per minute than female subjects during both antenatal and postnatal development. Fetal‐to‐neonatal continuity for numbers of leg movements per minute was found for comparisons between fetal (37 weeks gestational age) and neonatal (during sleep states at birth) measures, and females displayed a stronger and different movement continuity pattern than males. These results indicate a differential time course for neurobehavioral development of male and female fetuses/neonates, and the findings have implications for the clinical assessment of fetal neurobehavioral development and well‐being. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Dev Psychobiol 38: 252–273, 2001
Competition and cooperation among huddling infant rats
Authors: Sokoloff Greta , Blumberg Mark S.
Published: August 2002

Huddling is expressed by infant rats and continues to be an important behavior throughout adulthood. As a form of behavioral thermoregulation, huddling is thought to play an essential role in compensating for inadequate physiological thermoregulation early in development. Infant rats, however, are capable of heat production shortly after birth using brown adipose tissue (BAT) and exhibit thermogenesis in the huddle, suggesting that huddling does not obviate the need for endothermy during cold exposure. In the present experiment, 4‐pup huddles of infant rats (2‐ or 8‐day‐olds) were exposed to two subthermoneutral temperatures, and BAT thermogenesis was inhibited in 0, 2, or 4 of the rats in each huddle. Inhibition of BAT thermogenesis compromised the pups' ability to maintain huddle temperature, but surprisingly did not result in enhanced huddling at either age. These results suggest that effective huddling during cold exposure requires the thermal resources provided by endothermy. Furthermore, the heat provided by BAT appears to shape behavioral interactions in the huddle during development. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Dev Psychobiol 39: 65–75, 2001
Autoimmune gestational diabetes mellitus: a distinct clinical entity?
Authors: Mauricio Dídac , de Leiva Alberto
Published: August 2002

This review gives an update of the present knowledge on what is defined here as autoimmune gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Autoimmune phenomena associated with type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM) can be detected in a subgroup of women with GDM. Islet autoantibodies are present in sera from women with GDM with variable frequency. Distinct phenotypic and genotypic features may be recognised in this subset of women with GDM, which are representative of a distinct clinical entity. Furthermore, these women are at increased risk of developing type 1 DM after pregnancy. However, the eventual progression of the autoimmune destruction of beta‐cells in these subjects may follow different time‐course patterns thus leading to variable forms of presentation of autoimmune DM. As a high‐risk group for type 1 diabetes, women with previous autoimmune GDM may be candidates for potential immune intervention strategies. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Vestibular dysgenesis in mice lacking Abr and Bcr Cdc42/RacGAPs
Authors: Kaartinen Vesa , Nagy Andre , Gonzalez‐Gomez Ignacio , Groffen John , Heisterkamp Nora
Published: August 2002

The inner ear develops from a simple epithelium (otic placode) into the complex structures specialized for balance (vestibule) and sound (cochlea) detection. Abnormal vestibular and cochlear development is associated with many birth defects. During recent years, considerable progress has been made in understanding the molecular bases of these conditions. To determine the biological function of two closely related GTPase activating proteins for the Cdc42/Rac GTPases, Abr and Bcr, we generated a mouse strain deficient in both of these proteins. Double null mutant mice exhibit hyperactivity, persistent circling, and are unable to swim. These phenotypes are typically found in mice with vestibular defects. Indeed, adult double null mutants display abnormal dysmorphic structures of both the saccule and utricle. Moreover, a total loss of otoconia can be seen in the utricle, whereas in the saccule, otoconia are either missing or their number is drastically decreased and they are abnormally large. Interestingly, both the cochlea and semicircular canals are normal and the double null mutant mice are not deaf. These data demonstrate that Abr and Bcr play important complementary roles during vestibular morphogenesis and that a function of Cdc42/RacGAPs and, therefore, that of the small Rho‐related GTPases is critically important for balance and motor coordination. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Segment‐specific expression of connexin31 in the embryonic hindbrain is regulated by Krox20
Authors: Jungbluth Stefan , Willecke Klaus , Champagnat Jean
Published: August 2002

Communication and interaction between cells has been shown to be important during the embryonic development of the vertebrate hindbrain, which becomes transiently subdivided into segments called rhombomeres (r). One gene family allowing intercellular communication and possibly being involved in the control of hindbrain development is the connexin family encoding gap junction channels. Here, we have characterized in detail the previously observed (Dahl et al., 1997) expression of one particular connexin gene, connexin31 (Cx31), in the mouse embryonic hindbrain and compared it with that of Cx43 and Cx36. We found transient Cx31 expression from approximately embryonic day (E) E8–E11 in two small lateral/dorsal subgroups of cells in the hindbrain. We could show that these spots of expression corresponded to r3 and r5 and that Cx31 expression in r3 and r5 was controlled by the transcription factor Krox20. In contrast, expression of Cx43 and Cx36 started later (from E9.5 and E10.5, respectively) and was confined to longitudinal stripes of expression. In addition, from E10.5–E11.5, Cx31 was expressed by a column of cells in ventral r4, most likely representing contralateral vestibulo‐acoustic efferent neurons, immediately anterior to a ventral column expressing Cx36 at the same stage. From E11.5 onward, another site of Cx31 expression was detected in the boundary cap cells in the entry/exit points of all mixed sensory/motor and in the entry points of pure sensory nerves. This expression was not present in the boundary cap cells of the exit points of pure motor nerves. So far, our analysis of the hindbrain area of Cx31‐deficient embryos in terms of projections of sensory or motor neurons or in the generation or migration of neurons has not yet revealed any obvious defects. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
HOXB4 homeodomain protein is expressed in developing epidermis and skin disorders and modulates keratinocyte proliferation
Authors: Kömüves László G. , Michael Elias , Arbeit Jeffrey M. , Ma Xiao‐Kui , Kwong Angela , Stelnicki Eric , Rozenfeld Sophia , Morimune M. , Yu Qian‐Chun , Largman Corey
Published: August 2002

The HOX homeodomain proteins are fundamental regulators of organ and tissue development, where they are thought to function as transcription factors, and HOX gene expression has been associated with numerous types of cancers. Previous studies have demonstrated that enforced expression of the HOXB4 protein transforms cultured fibroblasts and leads to a selective expansion of the hematopoietic stem cell pool, suggesting that this protein might play a role in cellular proliferation. In support of this concept, we now show that enforced expression of HOXB4 in human neonatal keratinocytes results in increased cellular proliferation and colony formation as well as decreased expression of the alpha‐2‐integrin and CD44 cell surface adhesion molecules. We previously have reported HOXB4 gene expression in the basal and suprabasal layers of developing human skin and now show extensive HOXB4 mRNA in psoriatic skin and basal cell carcinoma. In fetal human skin HOXB4 protein expression was both nuclear and cytoplasmic within epidermal basal cells and in hair follicle inner and outer root sheath cells, whereas strong nuclear signals were observed in the bulge region. In adult skin, HOXB4 protein expression was both nuclear and cytoplasmic, but was predominantly localized to the intermediate and differentiated cell layers. In contrast to the striking gradient patterns of HOX gene and protein expression previously described in developing spinal cord and limb, HOXB4 protein was uniformly detected in all regions of the fetal and adult skin. Although little HOXB4 signal localized to proliferative cell layers, as marked by proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) staining, in normal adult epidermis, nuclear HOXB4 protein expression substantially overlapped with PCNA‐positive cell in a series of samples of hyperproliferative skin. Taken together, these data suggest that nuclear HOXB4 protein may play a role in the regulation of cellular proliferation/adhesion in developing fetal human epidermis and in hyperproliferation conditions, including cancers, in adult epidermis. Published 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Molecular characterization of Calymmin, a novel notochord sheath‐associated extracellular matrix protein in the zebrafish embryo
Authors: Cerdà Joan , Gründ Christine , Franke Werner W. , Brand Michael
Published: August 2002

During the screening of a zebrafish postsomitogenesis embryo cDNA library, we have identified a cDNA corresponding to a novel type of protein localized to the notochordal sheath‐associated extracellular matrix (ECM) of the embryo. The 4.049‐kb mRNA encodes a predicted polypeptide of 1,207 amino acids (122 kDa, pI 10.50) with a potential signal peptide of 20 amino acids. After the signal peptide, the mature protein consists of 1,187 amino acids (119 kDa, pI 10.46), for which the name “Calymmin” (from Greek χαλνμμα, to envelop, to cover) is proposed. The Calymmin mRNA is highly and transiently expressed by the notochord cells of the embryo from the 10‐ to 12‐somite stage to the pharyngula period (13 and 24 hours postfertilization, respectively), and light and electron microscopical immunolocalization analysis revealed that the protein was specifically localized within a granular and filamentous layer of the ECM compartment surrounding the notochord. In zebrafish no tail mutants (ntltc41), in which the notochord precursor cells are present but fail to differentiate, the Calymmin protein was not detected, confirming the notochord origin of Calymmin. These results indicate that Calymmin is a novel constitutive protein of the ECM compartment associated to the perinotochordal sheath in the zebrafish embryo, which is specifically expressed by the differentiating notochord cells. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Multiple sites of L‐histidine decarboxylase expression in mouse suggest novel developmental functions for histamine
Authors: Karlstedt Kaj , Nissinen Markku , Michelsen Kimmo A. , Panula Pertti
Published: August 2002

Histamine mediates many types of physiologic signals in multicellular organisms. To clarify the developmental role of histamine, we have examined the developmental expression of L‐histidine decarboxylase (HDC) mRNA and the production of histamine during mouse development. The predominant expression of HDC in mouse development was seen in mast cells. The HDC expression was evident from embryonal day 13 (Ed13) until birth, and the mast cells were seen in most peripheral tissues. Several novel sites with a prominent HDC mRNA expression were revealed. In the brain, the choroid plexus showed HDC expression at Ed14 and the raphe neurons at Ed15. Close to the parturition, at Ed19, the neurons in the tuberomammillary (TM) area and the ventricular neuroepithelia also displayed a clear HDC mRNA expression and histamine immunoreactivity (HA‐ir). From Ed14 until birth, the olfactory and nasopharyngeal epithelia showed an intense HDC mRNA expression and HA‐ir. In the olfactory epithelia, the olfactory receptor neurons (ORN) were shown to have very prominent histamine immunoreactivity. The bipolar nerve cells in the epithelium extended both to the epithelial surface and into the subepithelial layers to be collected into thick nerve bundles extending caudally toward the olfactory bulbs. Also, in the nasopharynx, an extensive subepithelial network of histamine‐immunoreactive nerve fibers were seen. Furthermore, in the peripheral tissues, the degenerating mesonephros (Ed14) and the convoluted tubules in the developing kidneys (Ed15) showed HDC expression, as did the prostate gland (Ed15). In adult mouse brain, the HDC expression resembled the neuronal pattern observed in rat brain. The expression was restricted to the TM area in the ventral hypothalamus, with the main expression in the five TM subgroups called E1–E5. A distinct mouse HDC mRNA expression was also seen in the ependymal wall of the third ventricle, which has not been reported in the rat. The tissue‐ and cell‐specific expression patterns of HDC and histamine presented in this work indicate that histamine could have cell guidance or regulatory roles in development. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
TGFβ Type III and TGFβ Type II receptors have distinct activities during epithelial–mesenchymal cell transformation in the embryonic heart
Authors: Boyer Angelique S. , Raymond B. Runyan
Published: August 2002

During the early stages of heart development, progenitors for the heart valves and septa come from endothelial cells via a developmental process known as “epithelial–mesenchymal cell transformation.” This process is restricted to the atrioventricular (AV) canal and outflow tract portions of the embryonic heart. TGFβ signal transduction pathways play critical roles during epithelial–mesenchymal cell transformation in heart development. Previously, we showed that both TGFβ Type II (TβRII) and Type III (TβRIII) receptors are required to mediate epithelial mesenchymal cell transformation in chick heart. Further, distinct TGFβ2 and TGFβ3 activities correspond to separate components of the embryonic cell transformation process. Studies by others of TGFβ‐mediated inhibition of cell proliferation produced a model where TβRIII functions by facilitating TGFβ2 binding to TβRII. In the present study, we provide evidence that TβRIII mediates distinct cellular responses from those of TβRII. Blocking antibody for TβRIII, but not antibody against TβRII, specifically inhibits the endothelial cell–cell separation step. Examination of developmental markers, perturbed by blocking TβRIII antibody, revealed a pattern of expression distinctively different from that of TβRII antibody treatment. These data show that a distinct TβRIII‐mediated process is required for endothelial cell–cell separation during epithelial mesenchymal cell transformation. As TGFβ2 mediates endothelial cell–cell separation, the data point to a specific association of TGFβ2 and TβRIII in the cell separation step of epithelial mesenchymal cell transformation. We conclude that distinct TβRII and TβRIII signal transduction pathways mediate epithelial–mesenchymal cell transformation in the heart. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Sorting nexin‐14, a gene expressed in motoneurons trapped by an in vitro preselection method
Authors: Carroll Patrick , Renoncourt Yannick , Gayet Odile , De Bovis Béatrice , Alonso Serge
Published: August 2002

A gene‐trap strategy was set up in embryonic stem (ES) cells with the aim of trapping genes expressed in restricted neuronal lineages. The vector used trap genes irrespective of their activity in undifferentiated totipotent ES cells. Clones were subjected individually to differentiation in a system in which ES cells differentiated into neurons. Two ES clones in which the trapped gene was expressed in ES‐derived neurons were studied in detail. The corresponding cDNAs were cloned, sequenced, and analysed by in situ hybridisation on wild‐type embryo sections. Both genes are expressed in the nervous system. One gene, YR‐23, encodes a large intracellular protein of unknown function. The second clone, YR‐14, represents a sorting nexin (SNX14) gene whose expression in vivo coincides with that of LIM‐homeodomain Islet‐1 in several tissues. Sorting nexins are proteins associated with the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and may play a role in receptor trafficking. Gene trapping followed by screening based on in vitro preselection of differentiated ES recombinant clones, therefore, has the potential to identify integration events in subsets of genes before generation of mouse mutants. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Word recognition deficits in German: more evidence from a representative sample
Authors: Landerl Karin
Published: August 2002

In a representative sample of German speaking dyslexic children, earlier findings on dyslexia in the highly consistent orthography of German were confirmed. In a sample of 78 dyslexic 3rd graders selected on the basis of their poor word recognition skills, reading accuracy for both words and non‐words was deficient but high in absolute terms. This indicates that the highly consistent grapheme–phoneme correspondences of German orthography in combination with the straightforward phonics teaching approach, which is usually applied in Austrian primary schools, allows even dyslexic children to acquire the process of phonological decoding. The central reading problem was extremely slow speed. Poor performance on a reading comprehension test was at least partly due to slow reading speed as well. Dyslexic children's spelling development was also severely delayed. The number of phonologically incorrect spellings was low; however, dyslexic children quite often produced spellings that are orthographically incorrect, indicating that they have not yet been able to develop an extensive and easily accessible orthographic lexicon. The most prominent cognitive deficit was reduced rapid naming speed closely followed by deficits in phonological awareness. Deficits in phonological memory were also evident (but mild) showing that despite marked differences in findings on reading and spelling skills of English dyslexic children, the underlying causes are very similar. The present sample of dyslexic children showed deficits in visual processing speed in addition to their linguistic deficits. However, this deficit in visual processing speed did not seem causally related to the children's reading and spelling deficits. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Estimating readiness for change in anorexia nervosa: Comparing clients, clinicians, and research assessors
Authors: Geller Josie
Published: August 2002

Objective

This research compared the relative ability of clients, clinicians, and research assessors in estimating readiness for change in individuals with anorexia nervosa.

Method

Fifty‐six individuals with a current or past diagnosis of anorexia nervosa made ratings of the extent to which they perceived themselves to be ready for treatment and recovery. Clinicians and research assessors made the same ratings based on their impressions following clinical and research assessments, respectively. The outcome variables included questionnaire measures of change activities, assigned behavioral tasks, and clients' decision to accept intensive treatment.

Results

While research assessor and client ratings predicted questionnaire recovery activities, only research assessor ratings predicted completion of behavioral tasks and clients' decision to accept intensive treatment. Clinician ratings were not related to any of the questionnaire or behavioral recovery activity measures.

Discussion

Conditions favoring the accurate prediction of readiness for treatment and recovery are discussed, and implications for clinical practice are addressed. © 2002 by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Eat Disord 31: 251–260, 2002; DOI 10.1002/eat.10045
A case of anorexia nervosa with severe hyperlipoproteinemia
Authors: Homma Yasuhiko , Homma Koichiro , Iizuka Shinichi , Iigaya Kamon
Published: August 2002

Objective

The complication of severe hyperlipoproteinemia with anorexia nervosa is very rare. We investigated the mechanisms of severe hyperlipoproteinemia in a patient with anorexia nervosa.

Methods

The measurement of plasma levels of lipids, apolipoproteins (Apo), lipoprotein subfractions, free T3, and estrogen, apo (lipoprotein) E phenotyping, and the assay of lymphocyte low‐density lipoprotein (LDL)‐receptor activity were accomplished in a 40‐year‐old female patient with anorexia nervosa.

Results

Her body mass index was 10.3 kg/m2. Her plasma levels of total cholesterol (C), triglyceride (TG), apoB, apoE, very‐low‐density lipoprotein (VLDL)‐C, and intermediate‐density lipoprotein (IDL)‐C were 757 mg/dl, 526 mg/dl, 288 mg/dl, 13.6 mg/dl, 133 mg/dl, and 99 mg/dl, respectively. VLDL was cholesterol rich (C/TG ratio = 0.68; normal value = 0.2). The plasma LDL was high and skewed to less dense fractions. Her apoE phenotype was E 3/2. Her lymphocyte LDL‐receptor activity was 79% of normal subjects. The plasma level of estradiol was low and that of free T3 was subnormal.

Discussion

We concluded that the plasma lipoprotein abnormality of this anorexia nervosa patient was induced by the impaired removal of TG‐rich lipoprotein remnants and less dense LDL due to apoE phenotype E 3/2,subnormal LDL‐receptor activity, subnormal plasma level of free T3, and diminished secretion of estrogen. © 2002 by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Eat Disord 32: 121–124, 2002.
The role of daily hassles in binge eating
Authors: Crowther Janis H. , Sanftner Jennifer , Bonifazi Deanne Z. , Shepherd Kristen L.
Published: August 2002

Objective

The present study investigated the relationship between daily hassles and the frequency and caloric intake of eating episodes among normal‐weight women who engage in binging (n = 17) and those who do not (n = 17).

Method

For 2 weeks, participants self‐monitored their food intake during the day and completed The Hassles Scale each evening before retiring.

Results

Results indicated that women who engage in binge eating rated daily hassles as significantly more stressful than women who do not binge. Also, women who engage in binge eating consumed significantly more calories on those days characterized by higher as opposed to lower levels of stress.

Discussion

Theoretical and clinical implications of these findings are discussed. © 2001 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Eat Disord 29: 449–454, 2001.
Broadband microstrip antenna excited by coplanar waveguide
Authors: Haneishi Misao , Ochiai Takahito , Suzuki Atsushi
Published: August 2002

The configuration and radiation characteristics of an antenna system exciting a rectangular microstrip antenna with coplanar waveguide are studied. In addition, a method for broadbanding is discussed. (1) The radiation characteristics of this antenna are characterized by simulation and experiment, and basic design data are obtained. (2) A method of construction for an antenna system with a parasitic element stacked on the microstrip antenna is investigated. It is confirmed that a broadband characteristic of about 23% in terms of return loss (VSWR ≤ 2.0) can be obtained. (3) In addition, the radiation pattern and gain of the present antenna system are studied. It is shown that these characteristics are broadband in nature. Further, the mutual coupling between the elements is studied, since this is important for the consideration of array antenna. Basic design data are obtained. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electron Comm Jpn Pt 1, 85(10): 1–7, 2002; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/ecja.10010
Reliability and cost‐effectiveness of a telecommunication network composed of distributed switching nodes and high‐performance control nodes
Authors: Matsumura Hajime , Yamada Shigeki , Kubota Minoru
Published: August 2002

We have already proposed DONA‐α (distributed object‐oriented network architecture) as a candidate architecture for future telecommunications networks. A node in a conventional network contains both control and switching subsystems. In DONA‐α, these subsystems are physically separated, as independent nodes, so the network is composed of a small number of high‐performance control nodes that each control numerous low‐capacity switching nodes.

Since service faults in a large‐scale public telecommunications network can have a severe effect on human society, the reliability of conventional networks is improved by designing redundancy into the network architecture. However, this raises the network configuration cost.

DONA‐α should reduce network configuration costs without drastically decreasing the reliability. This is because each switching node will accommodate fewer subscribers than a conventional subscriber node, so it will be possible to reduce the degree of redundancy.

In this paper, we examine the relationship between reliability and the degree of redundancy in the architecture of a DONA‐α network. We also evaluate the reliability and cost‐effectiveness of a DONA‐α network compared with a conventional network. © 2001 Scripta Technica, Electron Comm Jpn Pt 1, 84(11): 1–15, 2001
Calibration of a biconical antenna and its usage in EMI measurements
Authors: Suzuki Nobuyuki , Sugiura Akira , Yamanaka Yukio , Iwasaki Takashi
Published: August 2002

Biconical antennas, which are typical broadband antennas, are widely used to measure electromagnetic interference (EMI) in the band from 30 to 300 MHz. Thus, theoretical studies using the method of moments have investigated antenna arrangements suitable for biconical antenna calibration. The results showed that the proximity effect between the standard dipole antenna for calibration and the transmitting antenna in the low‐frequency band and the nonuniformity of the electric field strength near the biconical antenna being calibrated in the high‐frequency band greatly affected the calibration uncertainty. Based on these considerations, the antenna setup was determined to calibrate the biconical antenna with an uncertainty of 0.1 dB. Furthermore, the difference between the EMI measurements using a biconical antenna and the measurements using a dipole antenna was examined theoretically by means of a radiating point source. This result showed that the overall difference in the measurements is not very large at about 1 dB or less, but the difference increases in measurements for vertically polarized waves than for horizontally polarized waves, and this difference was conspicuous particularly at a measurement distance of 3 m. In addition, the difference in the measurements decreases when a free space antenna factor is used. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electron Comm Jpn Pt 1, 85(7): 23–31, 2002; Published online in Wiley Interscience (www.interscience. wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/ecja.1108
Electromagnetic cutoff by metallic lines on the glass
Authors: Kobayashi Yutaka , Takahashi Masaharu , Abe Minoru
Published: August 2002

With recent advances in electrical and electronic devices, they are proliferating in the office environment. In turn, electromagnetic interference, mixing, and information leakage due to the use of wireless LAN have become problematic. Electromagnetic wave absorbers based on glass have been investigated using resistive films. In this paper, the electromagnetic wave is cut off by placing metallic wires on windowglass so that a low‐cost shielding material easily manufactured can be developed. First, only the frequency of 2.45 GHz for wireless LAN is considered in the discussion of shielding. Further, MMAC (Multimedia Mobile Access Communication Systems) has been considered as a future wireless LAN. In order to also cut off 5.2 GHz for the MMAC frequency, a method for cutting off two frequencies is proposed in which circular conductors and crossed conductors are combined. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electron Comm Jpn Pt 1, 85(7): 45–52, 2002; Published online in Wiley Interscience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/ecja.1110
Effect of directional antenna on packet radio network
Authors: Minami Takuya , Arinobu Akihiko , Matsuno Hiroshi
Published: August 2002

There have been many proposals for media access control protocols in packet radio networks (PRN) in which transmission efficiency is improved by using a directional antenna. This paper assumes that the topology of the PRN and the data to be transmitted among the stations are specified, and discusses the essential effectiveness of using the directional antenna, as independent of the protocol, using the shortest time needed to complete all data transmissions as a measure. It is shown that the number of directional antennas in each station is sufficient if it is equal to the number of neighboring stations, and that the effectiveness of the directional antenna is more pronounced when the PRN has a high density. The effectiveness when the communication buffer used to store the data to be sent or received is combined with the directional antenna is also discussed. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electron Comm Jpn Pt 1, 85(9): 51–58, 2002; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/ecja.1125
Radar SCR improvement using a wavelet transform
Authors: Saitou Akihiko , Kouya Satoshi , Miwa Susumu , Kaku Nobuyuki
Published: August 2002

Since the autocorrelation function of radar clutter between cells usually attenuates rapidly compared to that of the signal, the waveform after detection has larger changes in the clutter than the signal. Improving the signal‐to‐clutter ratio (SCR) in conventional radar relies on the integration effect of the amplitude, but here we tried to use the differences in the frequency components of the waveforms. We compared the output after detection obtained from aircraft flying over the ocean by asynchronous detection shipborne radar to the waveform that used Daubechies wavelet, and verified the effect. Next, we defined the signal area and the SCR and quantitatively calculated the improvement. Although we were able to verify an improvement of several decibels for a nearby target, the effect could not be obtained for a distant target. We could provide nearly the same improvement for all of the targets by changing the filter that varies the cutoff frequency with distance. In experiments, we were able to demonstrate a similar improvement by using wavelets in the detected output of the experimental Airport Surface Detection Equipment set up at Sendai Airport. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electron Comm Jpn Pt 1, 85(10): 23–32, 2002; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/ecja.1128
Absorption of electromagnetic waves by dome‐shaped concrete walls
Authors: Sato Hiroshi , Takahashi Masaharu , Abe Minoru
Published: August 2002

In the communication systems expected to be used indoors, such as PHS, wireless LAN and MMAC, degradation of the communication quality by transmitting waves from the exterior to the room and the information leaks by the electromagnetic waves from the room to the exterior are of concern. Absorption and shielding of the electromagnetic waves with structural elements such as walls are required so that the indoor reflection is suppressed and the transmission of the electromagnetic waves in both ways between the room and the exterior are reduced. For this purpose, this paper proposes dome‐shaped walls that are modifications of the surface shape of the concrete wall such that dome‐shaped protrusions are placed orthogonally with the planar concrete wall. The characteristics are studied by the FD‐TD method. It is found that the domed wall can suppress the reflection and transmission for an arbitrary polarization. Also, the insertion interval is confirmed to maintain a high absorption effect of the electromagnetic wave even when iron wires are inserted. Finally, the effectiveness of the FD‐TD simulation is confirmed by experiment. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electron Comm Jpn Pt 1, 85(10): 33–43, 2002; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/ecja.1129
Nonstop processor field upgrading with layered software architecture
Authors: Futagami Shin , Nakamura Hiroyuki , Inamori Hisayoshi
Published: August 2002

In order to achieve a sophisticated information communication network and diversified services, it is required that the performance of the node system composing the network be further improved. To deal with such a requirement for the performance improvement, it will eventually be effective to apply general‐purpose microprocessor technology, in which performance is making very rapid progress. In the node system, in particular, techniques must be established for upgrading the processor without interrupting service. This paper assumes layered software structure intended for a multi‐vendor system and proposes a technique that provides nonstop high‐performance processor upgrading simply and with high reliability. By applying the idea to a real node system, the effectiveness of the approach is verified. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electron Comm Jpn Pt 1, 85(11): 87–96, 2002; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/ecja.1141
An analysis of the effective performance of a handset diversity antenna influenced by head, hand, and shoulder effects—A proposal for a diversity antenna gain based on a signal bit‐error rate and analytical results for the PDC system
Authors: Ogawa Koichi , Takada Jun‐ichi
Published: August 2002

An analysis of the effective performance of a handset diversity antenna, comprising a whip antenna and a planar inverted F antenna (PIFA), has been made by introducing a new figure‐of‐merit, the Diversity Antenna Gain (DAG). The analysis includes the electromagnetic interaction with a human operator. The DAG can take account of all of the effects associated with effective antenna gains, unequal median values, and correlations between diversity branches, and therefore can directly indicate the system gain in a multiple radio wave environment. By using the DAG, a direct performance comparison between diversity antennas with different effective gains and correlations can be easily made from the viewpoint of particular system criteria. This comparison is difficult to make from the respective performances only. The analysis has been made on π/4‐shift QPSK signals with the assumption of a PDC system with a postdetection two‐branch selection combining method or a maximum ratio combining method. The analytical results indicate DAG characteristics under various incident wave propagation environments with head‐to‐radio separation, whip length, and inclination of the radio from the vertical as variable parameters. The results demonstrate the structural and environmental requirements for designing a diversity antenna with a high effective performance in an actual talk situation. © 2001 Scripta Technica, Electron Comm Jpn Pt 2, 84(6): 10–23, 2001
Interactions between dispersion‐managed solitons in optical‐time‐division‐multiplexed systems
Authors: Inoue Takashi , Sugahara Hiroto , Maruta Akihiro , Kodama Yuji
Published: August 2002

Nonlinear interactions between neighboring pulses in an optical time division multiplexed (OTDM) system may cause timing jitter of the signal pulse, which degrades transmission quality. A dispersion‐managed (DM) soliton is a stable pulse in a DM line and is less influenced by various nonlinear effects than conventional solitons. On the other hand, interactions between DM solitons depend on the strength of the DM line, which is defined as the length of DM period times the variation of the fiber dispersion, and the transmission quality is degraded mainly due to the interactions in a strongly DM line. In this paper, the interactions between DM solitons are studied theoretically and numerically, and we then show that alternating the phases or amplitudes of pulses in the time sequence is effective for reducing the interactions. © 2001 Scripta Technica, Electron Comm Jpn Pt 2, 84(6): 24–29, 2001
Effects of upper‐layer protocols on the self‐similarity of network traffic
Authors: Sumida Yoshiaki , Ohsaki Hiroyuki , Murata Masayuki , Miyahara Hideo
Published: August 2002

Recent research has suggested that traffic measured in LANs and WANs is self‐similar. However, no one has clarified why self‐similarity occurs in traffic on networks or how the self‐similarity of traffic affects network performance. In addition, no research has been done on how the self‐similarity of traffic affects the transfer delay or throughput for files, including retransmission processing due to upper‐layer protocols, or on what kinds of effects a user experiences in terms of network performance. Therefore, in this paper the authors clarify through simulations the causes of self‐similarity in the traffic flowing through a network using TCP/IP in the upper layer. In addition, the authors also evaluate how the self‐similarity of traffic affects the packet transfer delay, packet loss probability, and other aspects of network performance. Furthermore, the authors consider how the self‐similarity of traffic impacts on the network performance a user experiences. The results show that the self‐similarity of traffic is affected by the packet loss probability in switches and that the self‐similarity of traffic on a network is preserved when TCP/IP control is used in the upper layer. In addition, the authors show that although average network performance, such as the average transfer delay for files and the effective throughput are not affected much by self‐similarity, the 99.9% transfer delay for files is significantly impacted by self‐similarity. © 2001 Scripta Technica, Electron Comm Jpn Pt 2, 84(7): 19–30, 2001
Optimization approach with edge‐preserving regularization to time domain 1D inverse scattering
Authors: Yoshida Hiromi , Tanaka Toshiyuki , Takenaka Takashi
Published: August 2002

The electromagnetic inverse scattering problems are in general ill‐conditioned, so that image reconstruction becomes unstable when noise exists or when the number of unknown parameters is increased. Usually, regularization is required. However, when regularization is applied, the high‐frequency components in the reconstructed image are suppressed and the reconstruction of the edges becomes difficult. Hence, the concept of edge preservation has been proposed, by which the smoothly varying parts are made smoother and the sharply varying parts sharper. The effectiveness of this concept has been confirmed by analysis in the frequency domain. In this paper, the concept of edge preservation is introduced into the analysis in the time domain. The effect of edge preservation is discussed. As numerical examples, estimation results are presented for the medium constants in a lossless dielectric slab and a lossy dielectric slab. The effectiveness of the method is confirmed. © 2001 Scripta Technica, Electron Comm Jpn Pt 2, 84(10): 1–8, 2001
Stabilization of millimeter‐wave multistage amplifier using amplitude‐and‐phase setting circuits
Authors: Uchida Hiromitsu , Nakahara Kazuhiko , Takeuchi Norio , Matsunaga Makoto , Itoh Yasushi
Published: August 2002

This paper derives the conditions to be satisfied by the amplifier in each stage of a multistage amplifier in order for it to be absolutely stable. It is shown that the stability factor K of each stage need not be larger than unity except for the initial and last stages. By means of this condition, it is possible to improve the gain in comparison to the conventional method in which the amplifiers in all stages are made K > 1 and then are cascaded. In the millimeter wave range, where device performance deteriorates, the gain reduction due to stable design is significant. Therefore, the present conclusion is extremely effective for the design of multistage amplifiers in the millimeter wave range. Further, in this paper, a new design method is presented that assures absolute stability of a multistage amplifier that consists of unit amplifiers, each of which has a stability factor K of less than 1. In this method, an amplitude‐and‐phase setting circuit consisting of transmission lines and resistors is connected at the output of each stage and the transmission amplitude and phase are adjusted in such a way that the stability condition derived in this paper is satisfied. It is shown that there exists an optimum transmission phase maximizing the gain of the multistage amplifier. Finally, the proposed method is applied to the design of a U‐band four‐stage low‐noise amplifier. © 2001 Scripta Technica, Electron Comm Jpn Pt 2, 84(12): 26–36, 2001
Optical near field by vertical cavity surface emitting laser
Authors: Shinada Satoshi , Koyama Fumio , Nishiyama Nobuhiko , Arai Masakazu , Matsutani Akihiro , Goto Kenya , Iga Kenichi
Published: August 2002

Our research examines the generation of an optical near field by a vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL), which can readily be formed into a two‐dimensional array, and the possible application to optical recording capable of high‐speed data transfers due to the higher density and parallel processing achieved when the optical near field is used as the optical head. We propose a VCSEL with metal micro‐aperture for generating the optical near field. Then we demonstrate the ability to create a micro spot size of 100 nm or smaller based on this structure from analysis of the intensity distribution of the micro‐aperture by the two‐dimensional finite element method. We also form a micro‐aperture by using a focused ion beam in a GaAs/AlGaAs VCSEL with an 850‐nm wavelength and perform initial evaluations. In these evaluations, we obtained an emitted power density of 0.12 mW/µm2 from a 400‐nm square micro‐aperture. Furthermore, we observed the light from a 100‐nm square aperture in near field observations and verified the generation of an optical near field by this structure. © 2002 Scripta Technica, Electron Comm Jpn Pt 2, 85(2): 43–53, 2002
Analysis of scattering by means of atomic model: The case of H‐wave
Authors: Hosono Hiroyuki , Hosono Toshio
Published: August 2002

A method using the atomic model to analyze the scattering of H‐polarized wave by a cylindrical object of arbitrary cross section shape is described. The differences from the case of the E‐polarized wave are as follows. (1) The number of degrees of freedom of the atomic polarization becomes two so that the number of unknowns is doubled. (2) The method of deriving the atomic polarizations for the case of a conductor is different from that of a dielectric. (3) The method can easily be extended to the three‐dimensional case. (4) In place of the real frequency representation, the complex frequency representation is used. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electron Comm Jpn Pt 2, 85(4): 1–9, 2002; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/ecjb.1099