bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Nest-tree selection by the threatened brush-tailed phascogale (Phascogale tapoatafa) (Marsupialia:Dasyuridae) in a highly fragmented agricultural landscape
Authors: van der Ree Rodney , Bennett Andrew F. , Soderquist Todd R.
Published: April 2006

The conservation of roosting and nesting resources is of critical concern for many hollow-dependent species around the world. We investigated the nest-tree requirements of the threatened brush-tailed phascogale (Phascogale tapoatafa) in a highly cleared agricultural landscape in south-eastern Australia. We documented the physical characteristics of selected nest trees and describe the spatial and temporal patterns of nest-tree use as revealed by radio-tracking. Nine phascogales (seven females, two males) were radio-tracked between March and July 1999 in an area where most woodland habitat is confined to linear strips along roads and streams or small patches and scattered trees in cleared farmland. Female phascogales were monitored for 13–35 days over periods of 5–15 weeks and two males were monitored for 2 and 9 days respectively. A total of 185 nest-tree fixes was collected and all nests occupied by phascogales were in standing trees. Eighty-three nest trees were identified, ranging in diameter at breast height (dbh) from 25 to 171 cm, with a mean dbh for the trees used by each individual phascogale of >80 cm. Phascogales did not discriminate between canopy tree species in selecting nest trees, but showed highly significant selection for trees in the largest size class. All individuals used multiple nest trees, with the seven females occupying an average of 11.4 nest trees from a mean of 25 diurnal locations. The number of nest trees continued to increase throughout the study, suggesting that more would be identified during a longer or more intensive study. Occupied nest trees were located throughout each individual’s home range, highlighting the importance of a continuous spatial distribution of suitable nest trees across the landscape. Nest trees were also located in adjacent farmland up to 225 m from roadside vegetation, demonstrating the value that scattered clumps and even single trees in farmland can have for wildlife conservation.
Modelling the cost-effectiveness of wallaby control in New Zealand
Authors: Choquenot David , Warburton Bruce
Published: April 2006

Bennett’s wallaby (Macropus rufogriseus rugogriseus) was introduced to South Canterbury in New Zealand’s South Island in 1874. The species rapidly established populations throughout the region, and by the 1940s had increased to levels where it had become a significant agricultural pest. Potential wallaby-control techniques include the use of shooting teams with dogs and deployment of 1080 either from the air or as gel applied to foliage. For livestock graziers, shooting teams are probably the least cost-effective of these techniques (i.e. highest cost per unit reduction in average wallaby density), but are preferred to either form of 1080 poisoning because the latter require stock to be withheld from treated areas. In this study, we combine a simple model of wallaby population dynamics with empirically derived estimates of the density-dependent variation in wallaby-control costs to contrast the relative cost-effectiveness of these control techniques. Variation in wallaby density was predicted from a logistic population model modified for the positive effects of rainfall on rates of change in wallaby abundance. The model was fitted to estimates of density- and rainfall-dependent variation in the instantaneous rate of change in wallaby abundance (r), derived from catch–effort data recorded by shooting teams. Comparison of the control techniques demonstrated that the cost-effectiveness of hunting with dogs was lower than that achieved by either poisoning technique, and increased exponentially as progressively lower wallaby densities were targeted. This increase reflected the higher variable cost of locating wallabies to shoot as their density declined. In contrast, because 1080 poisoning is dominated by the fixed costs of bait or gel deployment, overall costs increased linearly as lower wallaby densities were targeted, and the frequency of poisoning was increased. Of the two 1080 poisoning methods considered, deployment using gel applied to foliage was always more cost effective than aerial distribution of bait.
Estimating the abundance of eastern grey kangaroos (Macropus giganteus) in south-eastern New South Wales, Australia
Authors: Pople A. R. , Cairns S. C. , Menke N. , Payne N.
Published: April 2006

To provide an estimate of kangaroo numbers for harvest management, a survey was designed for an area of 29 500 km2 encompassing the agricultural and grazing lands of the Braidwood, Cooma, Goulburn, Gundagai and Yass Rural Lands Protection Board (RLPB) districts in south-east New South Wales. An aerial survey using a helicopter was considered more efficient than ground survey because of the size of the area, relatively high relief and dense tree cover, and the need for regular monitoring. Tree cover and landscape relief was used to stratify the five RLPB districts into areas of probable high, medium and low kangaroo density. Kangaroo density estimated from helicopter surveys conducted in the Northern Tablelands of New South Wales was used to suggest densities and thereby allocate survey effort in each stratum. A survey comprising 735 km of transect line was conducted in winter 2003 with a target precision of 20%. The survey returned an estimate of 286 600 ± 32 300 eastern grey kangaroos for the whole of the proposed south-east New South Wales kangaroo-management zone. In 2004, a trial harvest of slightly less than 15% of this estimate was taken. Success of the trial will be determined by the impact of harvesting on the population’s dynamics, by landholder and industry participation, and by the capacity to monitor population size, harvest offtake and compliance with regulations.
Methyl binding domain protein 2 mediates γ-globin gene silencing in adult human βYAC transgenic mice
Authors: Rupon Jeremy W. , Wang Shou Zhen , Gaensler Karin , Lloyd Joyce , Ginder Gordon D.
Published: April 2006

The genes of the vertebrate β-globin locus undergo a switch in expression during erythroid development whereby embryonic/fetal genes of the cluster are sequentially silenced and adult genes are activated. We describe here a role for DNA methylation and MBD2 in the silencing of the human fetal γ-globin gene. The γ-globin gene is reactivated upon treatment with the DNA methyltransferase inhibitor 5-azacytidine in the context of a mouse containing the entire human β-globin locus as a yeast artificial chromosome (βYAC) transgene. To elucidate the mechanism through which DNA methylation represses the γ-globin gene in adult erythroid cells, βYAC/MBD2−/− mice were generated by breeding βYAC mice with MBD2−/− mice. Adult βYAC/MBD2−/− mice continue to express the γ-globin gene at a level commensurate with 5-azacytidine treatment, 10- to 20-fold over that observed with 1-acetyl-2-phenylhydrazine treatment alone. In addition, the level of γ-globin expression is consistently higher in MBD2−/− mice in 14.5- and 16.5-days postcoitus fetal liver erythroblasts suggesting a role for MBD2 in embryonic/fetal erythroid development. DNA methylation levels are modestly decreased in MBD2−/− mice. MBD2 does not bind to the γ-globin promoter region to maintain γ-globin silencing. Finally, treatment of MBD2-null mice with 5-azacytidine induces only a small, nonadditive induction of γ-globin mRNA, signifying that DNA methylation acts primarily through MBD2 to maintain γ-globin suppression in adult erythroid cells.
Direct evolution of genetic robustness in microRNA
Authors: Borenstein Elhanan , Ruppin Eytan
Published: April 2006

Genetic robustness, the invariance of the phenotype in the face of genetic perturbations, can endow the organism with reduced susceptibility to mutations. A large body of work in recent years has focused on the origins, mechanisms, and consequences of robustness in a wide range of biological systems. Despite the apparent prevalence of mutational robustness in nature, however, its evolutionary origins are still unclear. Does robustness evolve directly by natural selection or is it merely a correlated byproduct of other phenotypic traits? By examining microRNA (miRNA) genes of several eukaryotic species, we show that the structure of miRNA precursor stem–loops exhibits a significantly high level of mutational robustness in comparison with random RNA sequences with similar stem–loop structures. Hence, this excess robustness of miRNA goes beyond the intrinsic robustness of the stem–loop hairpin structure. Furthermore, we show that it is not the byproduct of a base composition bias or of thermodynamic stability. These findings suggest that the excess robustness of miRNA stem–loops is the result of direct evolutionary pressure toward increased robustness. We further demonstrate that this adaptive robustness evolves to compensate for structures with low intrinsic robustness.
Translocation of molecules into cells by pH-dependent insertion of a transmembrane helix
Authors: Reshetnyak Yana K. , Andreev Oleg A. , Lehnert Ursula , Engelman Donald M.
Published: April 2006

We have previously observed the spontaneous, pH-dependent insertion of a water-soluble peptide to form a helix across lipid bilayers [Hunt, J. F., Rath, P., Rothschild, K. J. & Engelman, D. M. (1997)
Biochemistry
36, 15177–15192]. We now use a related peptide, pH (low) insertion peptide, to translocate cargo molecules attached to its C terminus across the plasma membranes of living cells. Translocation is selective for low pH, and various types of cargo molecules attached by disulfides can be released by reduction in the cytoplasm, including peptide nucleic acids, a cyclic peptide (phalloidin), and organic compounds. Because a high extracellular acidity is characteristic of a variety of pathological conditions (such as tumors, infarcts, stroke-afflicted tissue, atherosclerotic lesions, sites of inflammation or infection, or damaged tissue resulting from trauma) or might be created artificially, pH (low) insertion peptide may prove a useful tool for selective delivery of agents for drug therapy, diagnostic imaging, genetic control, or cell regulation.
Insulin‐sensitizing and Anti‐proliferative Effects of Argania spinosa Seed Extracts
Authors: Samane Samira , Noël Josette , Charrouf Zoubida , Amarouch Hamid , Haddad Pierre Selim
Published: April 2006

Argania spinosa is an evergreen tree endemic of southwestern Morocco. Many preparations have been used in traditional Moroccan medicine for centuries to treat several illnesses including diabetes. However, scientific evidence supporting these actions is lacking. Therefore, we prepared various extracts of the argan fruit, namely keel, cake and argan oil extracts, which we tested in the HTC hepatoma cell line for their potential to affect cellular insulin responses. Cell viability was measured by Trypan Blue exclusion and the response to insulin evaluated by the activation of the extracellular regulated kinase (ERK1/2), ERK kinase (MEK1/2) and protein kinase B (PKB/Akt) signaling components. None of the extracts demonstrated significant cytotoxic activity. Certain extracts demonstrated a bi‐phasic effect on ERK1/2 activation; low doses of the extract slightly increased ERK1/2 activation in response to insulin, whereas higher doses completely abolished the response. In contrast, none of the extracts had any significant effect on MEK whereas only a cake saponin subfraction enhanced insulin‐induced PKB/Akt activation. The specific action of argan oil extracts on ERK1/2 activation made us consider an anti‐proliferative action. We have thus tested other transformed cell lines (HT‐1080 and MSV‐MDCK‐INV cells) and found similar results. Inhibition of ERK1/2 activation was also associated with decreased DNA synthesis as evidenced by [3H]thymidine incorporation experiments. These results suggest that the products of Argania spinosa may provide a new therapeutic avenue against proliferative diseases.
A field investigation of fracture compliance
Authors: Lubbe R. , Worthington M.H.
Published: April 2006

A field measurement of fracture compliance is described. The aim was to determine how compliance scales with fracture size and, specifically, how laboratory measurements of fracture compliance compared with field estimates from sonic and seismic data. A test site was constructed, consisting of three 40 m vertical boreholes drilled in the floor of a Carboniferous Limestone quarry. Detailed knowledge of the rocks in the test area was obtained from core analysis, wireline logging and local area fracture mapping. Seismic cross‐hole surveys were performed using a sparker source with a dominant frequency of 2000 Hz and hydrophone receivers. The rocks had a compressional‐wave velocity anisotropy of 10%, which was attributed to the presence of predominantly horizontal, partially open fractures. Estimates of normal fracture compliance within a range from 2.5 × 10−13 m/Pa to 3.5 × 10−12 m/Pa were obtained from both the cross‐hole data and the sonic‐log data. This is an order of magnitude greater than values obtained from laboratory experiments which are reported elsewhere.
Enforcing smoothness and assessing uncertainty in non‐linear one‐dimensional prestack seismic inversion
Authors: Varela Omar J. , Torres‐Verdín Carlos , Sen Mrinal K.
Published: April 2006

Estimation of elastic properties of rock formations from surface seismic amplitude measurements remains a subject of interest for the exploration and development of hydrocarbon reservoirs. This paper develops a global inversion technique to estimate and appraise 1D distributions of compressional‐wave velocity, shear‐wave velocity and bulk density, from normal‐moveout‐corrected PP prestack surface seismic amplitude measurements. Specific objectives are: (a) to evaluate the efficiency of the minimization algorithm (b) to appraise the impact of various data misfit functions, and (c) to assess the effect of the degree and type of smoothness criterion enforced by the inversion. Numerical experiments show that very fast simulated annealing is the most efficient minimization technique among alternative approaches considered for global inversion. It is also found that an adequate choice of data misfit function is necessary for a reliable and efficient match of noisy and sparse seismic amplitude measurements. Several procedures are considered to enforce smoothness of the estimated 1D distributions of elastic parameters, including predefined quadratic measures of length, flatness and roughness.

Based on the general analysis of global inversion techniques, we introduce a new stochastic inversion algorithm that initializes the search for the minimum with constrained random distributions of elastic parameters and enforces predefined autocorrelation functions (semivariograms). This strategy readily lends itself to the assessment of model uncertainty. The new global inversion algorithm is successfully tested on noisy synthetic amplitude data. Moreover, we present a feasibility analysis of the resolution and uncertainty of prestack seismic amplitude data to infer 1D distributions of elastic parameters measured with wireline logs in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico. The new global inversion algorithm is computationally more efficient than the alternative global inversion procedures considered here.
Numerical modelling of complex resistivity effects on a homogenous half‐space at low frequencies
Authors: Ingeman‐Nielsen T. , Baumgartner François
Published: April 2006

The many different existing models describing the spectral behaviour of the resistivity of geological materials at low frequency, combined with the lack of available field data, render the interpretation of complex resistivity (CR) data very difficult. With a recent interest in CR‐measurements for environmental applications and thanks to technological progress, the use of wide‐band frequency equipment seems promising, and it is expected to shed light on the different results among the published solutions to the electromagnetic (EM) coupling problem. We review the theory of EM‐coupling over a homogeneous half‐space with CR‐effects and study some aspects of the complex coupling function. We advocate the use of the CR‐based coupling function in the interpretation process, in order to obtain a better understanding of the physical processes involved in CR‐effects. Application of the model to real field data shows systematic good agreement in two simple cases, even over wide ranges of frequencies. Interpretation with a double Cole–Cole model is applied for comparison, and in spite of good fits to the data, large differences are observed in the interpreted low‐frequency dispersion. We conclude that the use of a second Cole–Cole model to describe EM‐coupling may corrupt the interpretation of the low‐frequency dispersion, even when only the normal range of frequencies (<100 Hz) is considered, and that the use of the actual EM‐coupling expression is essential when the goal is a better understanding of interaction between CR‐effects and EM‐coupling.
Internal structure of an alpine rock glacier based on crosshole georadar traveltimes and amplitudes
Authors: Musil Martin , Maurer Hansruedi , Hollinger Klaus , Green Alan G.
Published: April 2006

Rapid melting of permafrost in many alpine areas has increased the probability of catastrophic rock slides. In an attempt to provide critical structural information needed for the design and implementation of suitable mitigation procedures, we have acquired low frequency (22 MHz) cross‐hole radar data from within a fast‐moving rock glacier, an important form of alpine permafrost. Since the ice, rock and pockets of water and air found in the underground of high alpine areas have very different dielectric permittivities and electrical conductivities, the radar method was well‐suited for investigating the structure and state of the rock glacier. Our interpretation of the radar velocities and attenuations was constrained by geomorphological observations, borehole lithological logs and the results of a surface seismic survey. The radar data revealed the existence of a discontinuous 7–11 m thick ice‐rich zone distinguished by high velocities (0.14–0.17 m/ns) and low attenuations (0.04–0.09 m−1) and a thin underlying ice‐free zone characterized by moderate velocities (0.11–0.12 m/ns) and low attenuations (0.04–0.09 m−1). Beneath these two zones, we observed a prominent band of high velocities (0.14–0.17 m/ns) and moderately high attenuations (0.10–0.20 m−1) associated with unconsolidated glacial sediments and numerous large air‐filled voids, which in the past were probably filled with ice. At greater depths, the variably dry to water‐saturated sediments were represented by generally lower velocities (0.08–0.10 m/ns) and higher attenuations (0.16–0.24 m−1). The bedrock surface was represented by an abrupt ∼0.03 m/ns velocity increase. We speculate that the disappearance of ice, both laterally and with depth, occurred during the past one to two decades.
Extraction of permeability from time‐lapse seismic data
Authors: MacBeth Colin , Al‐Maskeri Yahya
Published: April 2006

Two formulae are developed for estimating horizontal permeability directly from maps of 4D seismic signatures. The choice of the formula used depends on whether the seismic is dominated by changes of pressure or saturation. However, pressure derived from time‐lapse seismic, or seismic amplitudes controlled predominantly by pressure are to be preferred for optimal ‘illumination’ of the reservoir. The permeability is predicted to be dependent on porosity but weighted by a 4D term related to the magnitude and spatial gradient of the 4D signature. Tests performed on model‐based synthetic seismic data affirm the validity and accuracy of this approach. Application to field data from the UK continental shelf reveals a large‐scale permeability variation similar to the existing simulation model, but with additional fine‐scale detail. The technique thus has the potential of providing extra information with which to update the simulation model. The resultant permeability estimates have been successfully ground‐truthed against the results of two well tests. As non‐repeatable noise in the time‐lapse seismic data diminishes with improved 4D‐related acquisition, it will become increasingly possible to make robust permeability estimates using this approach.
Going quantitative with 4D seismic analysis
Authors: MacBeth Colin , Floricich Mariano , Soldo Juan
Published: April 2006

It is demonstrated that time‐lapse seismic signatures can be directly calibrated with historical data from producing and injecting wells via a reservoir simulator, material balance calculation or simply using the hard data. When this procedure is applied to a field over which two or more repeat surveys have been shot at different calendar times, the correlation coefficients that link the seismic difference signatures to the reservoir's pressure and saturation variations are determined. By utilizing several seismic attributes that respond differently to reservoir perturbations, pressure and saturation changes are then independently estimated. The approach is tested on synthetic data and then on data from the Schiehallion Field on the UK continental shelf, with favourable results.
Inversion of 2D spectral induced polarization imaging data
Authors: Loke M.H. , Chambers J.E. , Ogilvy R.D.
Published: April 2006

Laboratory measurements of various materials suggest that more information can be obtained by measuring the in‐phase and out‐of‐phase potentials at a number of frequencies. One common model used to describe the variation of the electrical properties with frequency is the Cole‐Cole model. Apart from the DC resistivity (ρ) and chargeability (m) parameters used in conventional induced‐polarization (IP) surveys, the Cole‐Cole model has two additional parameters, i.e. the time (τ) and relaxation (c) constants. Much research has been conducted on the use of the additional Cole‐Cole parameters to distinguish between different IP sources. Here, we propose a modified inversion method to recover the Cole‐Cole parameters from a 2D spectral IP (SIP) survey. In this method, an approximate inversion method is initially used to construct a non‐homogeneous starting model for the resistivity and chargeability values. The 2D model consists of a number of rectangular cells with constant resistivity (ρ), chargeability (m), time (τ) and relaxation (c) constant values in each cell. A regularized least‐squares optimization method is then used to recover the time and relaxation constant parameters as well as to refine the chargeability values in the 2D model. We present results from tests carried out with the proposed method for a synthetic data set as well as from a laboratory tank experiment.
Modelling the DC electrical response of fully and partially saturated Permo‐Triassic sandstone
Authors: Taylor Steve , Barker Ron
Published: April 2006

Results from a laboratory investigation into the electrical properties of fully and partially saturated Wildmoor Triassic Sandstone have been modelled using the Archie, Waxman–Smits and Hanai–Bruggeman equations. The results demonstrate the limitation of using simple relationships to describe samples when the matrix resistivity ρr is not significantly greater than the saturating electrolyte resistivity ρw. In these situations Archie's parameters m and n are not accurately determined. Conversely, the more sophisticated Waxman–Smits and Hanai–Bruggeman models provide parameters that better describe the electrical properties of the rock and are able to identify heterogeneity between samples that would otherwise be missed. The ranges of values for matrix resistivity (49 < ρr < 161 Ωm) and cementation factor (1.6 < m < 2.1) obtained from the Hanai–Bruggeman model indicate significant variation between samples. Comparison of laboratory‐determined values for cation exchange capacity (0.06 < Qv < 0.51 meq/mL) and those obtained from the Waxman–Smits model (0.09 < Qv < 0.55 meq/mL) indicates a very strong correlation, suggesting this model is appropriate for describing the rock. There is good agreement between parameters modelled using fully and partially saturated versions of both the Hanai–Bruggeman and Waxman–Smits equations, indicating that the data are consistent with these models and that the assumptions made are appropriate.
Sensitivity of time‐lapse seismic to reservoir stress path
Authors: Sayers Colin M.
Published: April 2006

The change in reservoir pore pressure due to the production of hydrocarbons leads to anisotropic changes in the stress field acting on the reservoir. Reservoir stress path is defined as the ratio of the change in effective horizontal stress to the change in effective vertical stress from the initial reservoir conditions, and strongly influences the depletion‐induced compaction behaviour of the reservoir. Seismic velocities in sandstones vary with stress due to the presence of stress‐sensitive regions within the rock, such as grain boundaries, microcracks, fractures, etc. Since the response of any microcracks and grain boundaries to a change in stress depends on their orientation relative to the principal stress axes, elastic‐wave velocities are sensitive to reservoir stress path. The vertical P‐ and S‐wave velocities, the small‐offset P‐ and SV‐wave normal‐moveout (NMO) velocities, and the P‐wave amplitude‐versus‐offset (AVO) are sensitive to different combinations of vertical and horizontal stress. The relationships between these quantities and the change in stress can be calibrated using a repeat seismic, sonic log, checkshot or vertical seismic profile (VSP) at the location of a well at which the change in reservoir pressure has been measured. Alternatively, the variation of velocity with azimuth and distance from the borehole, obtained by dipole radial profiling, can be used. Having calibrated these relationships, the theory allows the reservoir stress path to be monitored using time‐lapse seismic by combining changes in the vertical P‐wave impedance, changes in the P‐wave NMO and AVO behaviour, and changes in the S‐wave impedance.
Hemosiderotic fibrohistiocytic lipomatous lesion: Early pleomorphic hyalinizing angiectatic tumor?
Authors: Luzar Boštjan , Gašljević Gorana , Juričić Vesna , Bračko Matej
Published: April 2006

Hemosiderotic fibrohistiocytic lipomatous lesion (HFLL) and early pleomorphic hyalinizing angiectatic tumor (PHAT) are characterized histologically by an admixture of fat, moderately cellular fascicles of hemosiderin‐laden spindle cells growing in a perivascular, periadipocytic and septal pattern, as well as the presence of macrophages and chronic inflammatory cells. In contrast to a suggested reactive nature of HFLL, PHAT is regarded as a non‐metastasizing tumor of uncertain lineage in the recent World Health Organization classification of soft tissue tumors. Reported herein is the case of a 47‐year‐old woman with an unencapsulated and irregularly circumscribed recurring lesion in the ankle/foot region that developed following ankle distortion and that fulfills histological criteria for both HFLL and early PHAT. In summary, the present case suggests a reactive over‐neoplastic nature of HFLL and confirms profound histological similarities with early PHAT. Until more data become available on the biological potential of HFLL/early PHAT, radical surgical excision and follow up of the patient remains the best treatment option.
Concomitant hepatocellular carcinoma and non‐Hodgkin's lymphoma in a patient with nodular regenerative hyperplasia
Authors: Kataoka Tatsuki R. , Tsukamoto Yoshitane , Kanazawa Naoko , Izumi Tadahiro , Awata Nobuhisa , Nishizawa Yasuko , Ohsawa Masahiko , Ishiguro Shingo
Published: April 2006

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary cancer in the liver. Liver invasion of non‐Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) is also often observed. But simultaneous existence of HCC and NHL in a liver is extremely rare. Such patients reported previously had cirrhotic livers. Herein is reported a patient who simultaneously had HCC and NHL in a liver without cirrhosis, but with nodular regenerative hyperplasia (NRH). NHL was of the diffuse large B‐cell type. Lymphoma cells invaded the portal vein, and formed thrombi. These thrombi would contribute to the development of NRH by decreasing portal vein blood flow. HCC was of the well‐differentiated type and there was a 2 cm‐sized nodule at the lateral segment. There is the possibility that NRH was associated with the HCC because NRH is reported as a premalignant lesion. HCC and NHL were colocalized in the liver without hepatic virus infection or cirrhosis, although common cause(s) of development of these malignancies remain unclear in the present case.
Identification of novel genes expressed during rhabdomyosarcoma differentiation using cDNA microarrays
Authors: Carey Kate A. , Segal David , Klein Reuben , Sanigorski Andrew , Walder Ken , Collier Gregory R. , Cameron‐Smith David
Published: April 2006

Rhabdomyosarcomas (RMS) are highly aggressive tumors that are thought to arise as a consequence of the regulatory disruption of the growth and differentiation of skeletal muscle progenitor cells. Normal myogenesis is characterized by the expression of the myogenic regulatory factor gene family but, despite their expression in RMS, these tumor cells fail to complete the latter stages of myogenesis. The RMS cell line RD‐A was treated with 12‐O‐tetradecanoylphorbol‐13‐acetate to induce differentiation and cultured for 10 days. RNA was extracted on days 1, 3, 6, 8 and 10. A human skeletal muscle cDNA microarray was developed and used to analyze the global gene expression of RMS tumors over the time‐course of differentiation. As a comparison, the genes identified were subsequently examined during the differentiated primary human skeletal muscle cultures. Prothymosin alpha (PTMA), and translocase of inner mitochondrial membrane 10 (Tim10), two genes not previously implicated in RMS, showed reduced expression during differentiation. Marked differences in the expression of PTMA and Tim10 were observed during the differentiation of human primary skeletal muscle cells. These results identify several new genes with potential roles in the myogenic arrest present in rhabdomyosarcoma. PTMA expression in RMS biopsy samples might prove to be an effective diagnostic marker for this disease.
Immunohistochemical analysis of thyroid‐specific transcription factors in thyroid tumors
Authors: Zhang Ping , Zuo Hui , Nakamura Yasushi , Nakamura Misa , Wakasa Tomoko , Kakudo Kennichi
Published: April 2006

Thyroid transcription factor 1 (TTF1), thyroid transcription factor 2 (TTF2) and paired box gene 8 (Pax8) are demonstrated to play a crucial role for the differentiation and organogenesis of thyroid follicular cells. Their roles in thyroid carcinogenesis are not very clear. Because dedifferentiation is a common process in thyroid carcinogenesis, thyroid‐specific transcription factors seem also to be involving in thyroid carcinogenesis. The purpose of the present paper was to investigate their expression in a broad spectrum of follicular cell tumors in different degrees of differentiation, from well‐differentiated benign follicular adenoma to anaplastic carcinoma. Medullary (C cell) carcinoma was also included in the investigation. Results of immunohistochemical staining showed that nuclear localization of these transcription factors was gradually decreased corresponding to the progressive dedifferentiation of thyroid tumors. Also, abnormal cytoplasmic accumulation of TTF2 and Pax8 was detected in many tumors samples, which may indicate a subtle regulation mechanism on the function of these transcription factors. In conclusion, abnormal expression of TTF1, TTF2 and Pax8 was closely related to thyroid tumorigenesis.
Ovarian epithelial tumors of low malignant potential: Are they precursors of ovarian carcinoma?
Authors: Fukumoto Manabu , Nakayama Kentaro
Published: April 2006

Ovarian tumors of low malignant potential (LMP) are intermediate between benign adenoma and frank ovarian carcinoma, and are characterized by the absence of destructive stromal invasion, or microinvasion. If LMP did not develop into invasive carcinoma, then a minimally invasive simple treatment could be chosen. However, histological diagnosis cannot completely predict the prognosis of patients with ovarian tumors. It was found that mucinous LMP is most frequent in Japan, whereas serous LMP is the most common in Western countries. Mucinous LMP with loss of heterozygosity (LOH) at chromosomes 5q14‐21 and 17q11.2, and serous LMP were suggested to be precursor lesions of ovarian carcinomas. Follow‐up study revealed that patients with mucinous LMP who had LOH at 19q12 and/or Xq11‐12 were at the greatest risk of progression. It is concluded that molecular genetic analysis such as LOH study could predict prognosis and aid in treatment decision‐making. The present review describes molecular genetic changes of LMP and presents problems on LMP that remain to be elucidated.
Expression of vascular endothelial growth factor‐C and its receptor in invasive micropapillary carcinoma of the breast
Authors: Li Yu‐sang , Kaneko Mayumi , Amatya Vishwa Jeet , Takeshima Yukio , Arihiro Koji , Inai Kouki
Published: April 2006

Invasion to lymphatic vessels and metastasis to lymph nodes are frequent complications in invasive micropapillary carcinoma (IMPC) of human breast cancer. Vascular endothelial growth factor‐C (VEGF‐C) and its receptor, VEGFR‐3 have been implicated as the important factors in the formation of lymphatic vessels and recent experimental evidence strongly suggests that lymphangiogenesis in tumor promotes lymphatic metastasis. To clarify the mechanism of its occurrence, the expression of VEGF‐C, VEGFR‐3 and lymphatic vessel density (LVD) was examined in 40 cases of IMPC (pure and mixed type) and in 40 cases of pseudo‐IMPC. Cytoplasmic expression of VEGF‐C and VEGFR‐3 were more frequent in tumor cells of IMPC compared to those of pseudo‐IMPC. A significant positive correlation was found between the expression of VEGF‐C and VEGFR‐3 in both IMPC and pseudo‐IMPC. The expression of VEGF‐C was also significantly associated with higher peritumoral LVD, lymphatic invasion and number of lymph node metastasis in IMPC. These findings suggest that VEGF‐C promotes the proliferation of peritumoral lymphatic vessels and that lymphatic invasion and metastasis to lymph nodes are frequently induced in IMPC of breast.
Two dimensional ultrasound guidance in central venous catheter placement; a postal survey of the practice and opinions of consultant pediatric anesthetists in the United Kingdom
Authors: BOSMAN MARIE , KAVANAGH RICHARD JAMES
Published: April 2006

Background : Recent guidelines from the UK National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) recommend the use of ultrasound guidance for central venous catheter (CVC) insertion in children. We conducted a survey of pediatric anesthetists to determine current practice and opinion on the appropriate use of ultrasound guidance.

Method : A confidential postal questionnaire was sent to all members of the Association of Paediatric Anaesthetists working in the UK. After 4 weeks a follow‐up questionnaire was sent to nonrespondents. Members were questioned on availability and use of ultrasound, and its place in clinical practice and training.

Results : A total of 250 questionnaires were returned, a response rate of 63%. Of those members who placed CVCs in children (n = 196), 85% had access to ultrasound, and 68% stated that they used ultrasound guidance. Thirty‐nine percent of clinicians who used ultrasound did so routinely. The remaining 61% used either a landmark or an ultrasound technique depending on circumstances. Regarding its mandatory use, 76% of responders believed that ultrasound guidance was beneficial in certain circumstances but did not need to be used routinely. Seventy‐five percent of responders agreed that all pediatric anesthetists should have training and access to ultrasound for CVC placement.

Conclusions : In the UK most pediatric anesthetists placing CVCs in children currently have access to ultrasound guidance. Despite a lack of widespread support for its routine use, most agree ultrasound is a useful tool, and that all pediatric anesthetists should have access and training in the use of this technology.
Effects of lidocaine and steroids on breast milk‐induced lung injury in rabbits1
Authors: HOWLETT THOMAS , LERMAN JERROLD
Published: April 2006

Background : Local anesthetics inhibit mediator and free radical release from polymorphonuclear granulocytes and migration to their site of action. In a recent study, lidocaine significantly improved the alveolar–arterial oxygen difference gradients (A‐aDO2) after tracheal instillation of acid in rabbits. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the effects of lidocaine and pulse‐dose steroids on human breast milk (HBM)‐induced lung injury in rabbits.

Methods : After Animal Care Committee approval, six adult rabbits were assigned to each of three treatments: control, lidocaine, and steroids. After induction of anesthesia and controlled ventilation, acidified HBM at pH 1.8 and volume 1.2 ml·kg−1 was instilled into the trachea. Rabbits in the lidocaine group received lidocaine 2 mg·kg−1 i.v. before tracheal instillation and then 2 mg·kg−1·h−1 i.v. continuously. Rabbits in the steroid group received 30 mg·kg−1 methylprednisolone before tracheal instillation. A‐aDO2, static compliance and blood for white cell count, and cytokine interleukin‐8 (IL‐8) concentration were obtained at baseline and at 1 and 4 h postinstillation. After 4 h, the rabbits were killed. The left upper lobe was isolated and excised to determine the wet/dry ratio. The right lung was lavaged with 30 ml normal saline to determine the white cell count and the concentrations of albumin and IL‐8. Data were analyzed using one‐ or two‐way anova with repeated measures and an Student‐Newman‐Keuls (SNK) posthoc test (P < 0.05).

Results : All rabbits completed the protocol. A‐aDO2 and CO2 tensions increased significantly at 1 and 4 h compared with baseline, although there were no differences among the treatments (P < 0.05). Compliance in the control group decreased compared with lidocaine and steroids.

Conclusion : We conclude that preemptive lidocaine and steroids attenuate in part HBM‐induced lung injury in rabbits.
Immunization and anesthesia – an international survey
Authors: SHORT JUDITH A , VAN DER WALT JOHAN H , ZOANETTI DAVID C
Published: April 2006

Background : There is no direct evidence of any major interaction between immunization and commonly used anesthetic agents and techniques in children, but it is possible that immunosuppression caused by anesthesia and surgery may lead to decreased vaccine effectiveness or an increased risk of complications. In addition, diagnostic difficulty may arise if a recently immunized child suffers from postoperative pyrexia or malaise.

Aim : The aim of this study was to ascertain anesthetists’ attitudes and practices regarding anesthesia and immunization.

Methods : We conducted an international survey of members of the Association of Paediatric Anaesthetists of Great Britain and Ireland (APAGBI) and the Society for Paediatric Anaesthesia of New Zealand and Australia (SPANZA).

Results : Two hundred and ninety‐six (52.1%) APAGBI and 86 (49.4%) SPANZA responses were analyzed. There was no consensus of approach to this theoretical risk among respondents. In total, 60% of respondents would anesthetize a child for elective surgery within 1 week of receiving a live attenuated vaccine, but 40% would not. Few hospitals have formal policies on this issue and government guidance is based on a lack of evidence for adverse events rather than positive evidence of safety.

Conclusions : There is a theoretical risk associated with anesthesia and surgery in recently immunized children. An international postal survey failed to find a consensus to this risk among pediatric anesthetists. From a risk management perspective, a review of the available evidence suggests that it would be prudent to adopt a cautious approach where the timing of elective surgery is discretionary. We therefore recommend that elective surgery and anesthesia should be postponed for 1 week after inactive vaccination and 3 weeks after live attenuated vaccination in children.
Couples therapy: effectiveness of treatment and long‐term follow‐up
Authors: Lundblad Ann‐Marie , Hansson Kjell
Published: April 2006

Most couples therapy theories are developed and tested in the USA. In this clinical study, we investigated such therapies in a Swedish context. Over 300 couples were enrolled in the study of whom just under half completed the end‐of‐treatment assessment and just over 40 per cent a two‐year follow‐up. At the start, the study group displayed severe problems in marital adjustment, dyadic interactions and psychiatric symptoms. A relatively short treatment was used and 50 per cent of the couples attended less than nine sessions. Outcomes of treatment showed significant improvements in relationship matters, individual mental health and enhanced coping abilities. At long‐term follow‐up, all results remained the same and in some aspects improved for both sexes. This study confirms the effectiveness of such therapies in a Swedish context.
How is the therapeutic relationship talked into being?
Authors: Roy‐Chowdhury Sim
Published: April 2006

A review of the place of the therapeutic relationship within systemic approaches to therapy is provided. This serves to contextualize the findings of a research study that subjects therapy sessions to a discursive analysis. The purpose of the analysis is to learn more about the therapeutic relationship through an examination of what actually takes place in sessions. Moments in therapy where therapeutic engagement is stronger and moments when it is weaker are identified and analysed. The discursive contours of a robust therapeutic relationship are highlighted. A theoretical account of the constituents of a stronger therapeutic relationship is constructed from this analysis.

But let me tell you something about experience. It outstrips all accounts of it. All ulterior versions.

Martin Amis, Experience

The weight of this sad time we must obey;

Speak what we feel not what we ought to say.

William Shakespeare, King Lear
Family in transition: parents, children and grandparents in lesbian families give meaning to ‘doing family’
Authors: Perlesz Amaryll , Brown Rhonda , Lindsay Jo , McNair Ruth , De Vaus David , Pitts Marian
Published: April 2006

Lesbian parents, their children and grandparents ‘do family’ in rich and diverse ways. This article draws on innovative grounded theory research using qualitative, multi‐generational family interviews with twenty lesbian‐parented families living in Victoria, Australia. The intersection between the public and the private in lesbian family life has been seriously neglected by family researchers, and in particular the perspectives of family members other than the lesbian parents themselves. This article addresses the question of ‘How members of lesbian‐parented families define and describe their family’, and the results reported here focus on children's and grandparents' views, because they are the voices less well represented in the literature. Children and grandparents straddle both mainstream and marginalized spaces as they negotiate contemporary family life. We examine the interface and tensions between the traditional and the transformative, and the implications of these findings for family therapists are briefly discussed.
Working with refugee families in Greece: systemic considerations
Authors: Voulgaridou Maria G. , Papadopoulos Renos K. , Tomaras Vlassis
Published: April 2006

When refugee families leave their country of origin, they may also leave behind their culture and support systems but not their abilities to overcome the emerging adversities. This article addresses issues concerning the process of refugee families' ‘acculturation’ and adaptation to their new setting in Greek society. It attempts to develop culture‐sensitive approaches to family therapy based on narrative perspectives and inspired by Pike's ‘‐emic and ‐etic’ distinction. It discusses the innovative methods developed by the therapeutic team of the Greek Council for Refugees which included the use of ‘cultural therapeutic mediators’ and others in an endeavour to access the overlapping systems of refugee families in more effective ways.
Names in frames: infants interpret words in sentence frames faster than words in isolation
Authors: Fernald Anne , Hurtado Nereyda
Published: April 2006

In child‐directed speech (CDS), adults often use utterances with very few words; many include short, frequently used sentence frames, while others consist of a single word in isolation. Do such features of CDS provide perceptual advantages for the child? Based on descriptive analyses of parental speech, some researchers argue that isolated words should help infants in word recognition by facilitating segmentation, while others predict no advantage. To address this question directly, we used online measures of speech processing in a looking‐while‐listening procedure. In two experiments, 18‐month‐olds were presented with familiar object names in isolation and in a sentence frame. Infants were 120 ms slower to interpret target words in isolation than when the same words were preceded by a familiar carrier phrase, suggesting that the sentence frame facilitated word recognition. Familiar frames may enable the infant to ‘listen ahead’ more efficiently for the focused word at the end of the sentence.
The role of sensorimotor impairments in dyslexia: a multiple case study of dyslexic children
Authors: White Sarah , Milne Elizabeth , Rosen Stuart , Hansen Peter , Swettenham John , Frith Uta , Ramus Franck
Published: April 2006

This study attempts to investigate the role of sensorimotor impairments in the reading disability that characterizes dyslexia. Twenty‐three children with dyslexia were compared to 22 control children, matched for age and non‐verbal intelligence, on tasks assessing literacy as well as phonological, visual, auditory and motor abilities. The dyslexic group as a whole were significantly impaired on phonological, but not sensorimotor, tasks. Analysis of individual data suggests that the most common impairments were on phonological and visual stress tasks and the vast majority of dyslexics had one of these two impairments. Furthermore, phonological skill was able to account for variation in literacy skill, to the exclusion of all sensorimotor factors, while neither auditory nor motor skill predicted any variance in phonological skill. Visual stress seems to account for a small proportion of dyslexics, independently of the commonly reported phonological deficit. However, there is little evidence for a causal role of auditory, motor or other visual impairments.
Are preschoolers sensitive to configural information in faces?
Authors: Pellicano Elizabeth , Rhodes Gillian , Peters Marianne
Published: April 2006

Several researchers have proposed that developmental improvements in children's face recognition abilities might reflect an increasing reliance on configural information (i.e. spatial relations between features) in faces (Carey & Diamond, 1994; Mondloch, Le Grand & Maurer, 2002). We investigated 4‐ and 5‐year‐olds’ use of configural information for upright and inverted faces using Tanaka and Sengco's (1997) configural change paradigm. Participants saw a photograph of a child's face (e.g. Luke). Memory for features (e.g. Luke's mouth) was then tested in a face with the same configuration as the study face (e.g. Luke's face), in a face with a novel spatial configuration (e.g. Luke's face with the eyes shifted further apart), and presented on their own (e.g. Luke's mouth alone). We found that preschoolers and adults recognized target features from upright faces better when tested in the context of a face with the same configuration as the study face, than when they were embedded in a face with a new spatial configuration or when they were presented in isolation. This effect was lost when faces were inverted. The results suggest that adult‐like styles of face processing are present from 4 years of age.