bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The application of eye‐tracking technology in the study of autism
Authors: Boraston Zillah , Blakemore Sarah‐Jayne
Published: April 2007

For many decades, eye‐tracking has been used to investigate gaze behaviour in the normal population. Recent studies have extended its use to individuals with disorders on the autism spectrum. Such studies typically focus on the processing of socially salient stimuli. In this review, we discuss the potential for this technique to reveal the strategies adopted by individuals with high‐functioning autism when processing social information. Studies suggest that eye‐tracking techniques have the potential to offer insight into the downstream difficulties in everyday social interaction which such individuals experience.
Ectopic expression of caveolin-1 restores physiological contractile response of aged colonic smooth muscle
Authors: Somara Sita , Gilmont Robert R. , Martens Jeffrery R. , Bitar Khalil N.
Published: April 2007

Reduced colonic motility has been observed in aged rats with a parallel reduction in acetylcholine (ACh)-induced myosin light chain (MLC20) phosphorylation. MLC20phosphorylation during smooth muscle contraction is maintained by a coordinated signal transduction cascade requiring both PKC-α and RhoA. Caveolae are membrane microdomains that permit rapid and efficient coordination of different signal transduction cascades leading to sustained smooth muscle contraction of the colon. Here, we show that normal physiological contraction can be reinstated in aged colonic smooth muscle cells (CSMCs) upon transfection with wild-type caveolin-1 through the activation of both the RhoA/Rho kinase and PKC pathways. Our data demonstrate that impaired contraction in aging is an outcome of altered membrane translocation of PKC-α and RhoA with a concomitant reduction in the association of these molecules with the caveolae-specific protein caveolin-1, resulting in a parallel decrease in the myosin phosphatase-targeting subunit (MYPT) and CPI-17 phosphorylation. Decreased MYPT and CPI-17 phosphorylation activates MLC phosphatase activity, resulting in MLC20dephosphorylation, which may be responsible for decreased colonic motility in aged rats. Importantly, transfection of CSMCs from aged rats with wild-type yellow fluorescent protein-caveolin-1 cDNA restored translocation of RhoA and PKC-α and phosphorylation of MYPT, CPI-17, and MLC20, thereby restoring the contractile response to levels comparable with young adult rats. Thus, we propose that caveolin-1 gene transfer may represent a promising therapeutic treatment to correct the age-related decline in colonic smooth muscle motility.
Cytokine modulation of muscarinic receptors in the murine intestine
Authors: Akiho Hirotada , Khan Waliul I. , Al-Kaabi Atheer , Blennerhassett Patricia , Deng Yikang , Collins Stephen M
Published: April 2007

The extent to which gut motility and smooth muscle contractility are altered by intestinal inflammation depends on the nature of the underlying immune activation. The muscarinic receptor on smooth muscle plays a critical role in mediating acetylcholine-driven motor function. We examined the ability of cytokines to influence muscarinic receptor characteristics on intestinal longitudinal muscle and related the findings to studies on carbachol-induced contraction. Cells were isolated from longitudinal muscle myenteric plexus (LMMP). Cytokine receptor expression, muscle contractility, and muscarinic agonist receptor characteristics were examined by agonist displacement of [ N- methyl-3H]scopolamine ([3H]NMS) binding. The TGF-β1 receptor (543 bp) and the IFN-γ receptor 1 (660 bp) were identified on smooth muscle cells. Scatchard analysis revealed dissociation constant and maximum binding values for [3H]NMS of 2.6 nM and 2.4 × 104sites/cell, respectively, in control cells. Nematode infection was accompanied by a reduction in inhibitory constant of the high-affinity sites ( KH), and this was independent of signal transduction and activator of transcription 6. Preincubation with TGF-β1 enhanced longitudinal muscle contractility and decreased the KHto 2.2 pM (increased muscarinic receptor affinity), whereas preincubation with IFN-γ increased the KHto 0.4 μM (decreased muscarinic receptor affinity) and decreased longitudinal muscle contractility. Preincubation of LMMP with IL-13 decreased the KHto 0.2 nM. Cytokines exert differential effects on the muscarinic receptor on intestinal longitudinal smooth muscle. These findings explain the basis for altered muscle contractility observed in Th1 and Th2 models of inflammation, as well as in the post-nematode-infected state.
Analysis of Tones in Cantonese Speech Based on the Command-Response Model
Authors: Gu Wentao , Hirose Keikichi , Fujisaki Hiroya
Published: April 2007

As one of the major Chinese dialects, Cantonese has a tone system consistingof nine lexical tones and three additional changed tones, which is considerablymore complex than that of Mandarin. The most important acoustic feature characterizingthese tones is the contour of the voice fundamental frequency (the F₀ contour).In this article we present an approach to modeling F₀ contours of Cantoneseutterances, based on an extension of the command-response model. Analysis-bysynthesisof F₀ contours of the utterances with a fixed carrier frame, in which a targetsyllable with each tone type is embedded, shows that each tone type can berepresented by a specific pattern (polarity, timing, and amplitude) of tone commands.These patterns are found to be essentially maintained in F₀ contours of theutterances with unconstrained text. With the definition of these tone commandpatterns, the command-response model not only provides a novel phonologicaldescription of tones, but also gives high accuracy of approximations to F₀ contoursof Cantonese utterances and allows one to analyze various tonal phenomenain quantitative terms. Quantitative distinctions between various tones are thenrevealed by statistical analysis of the timing and amplitude of tone commands.Especially, systematic alignment in timing is found between the onsets/offsets oftone commands and the rhyme of a syllable, and hence a set of constraints can beintroduced, which together with those on tone command amplitudes and phrasecommand parameters, is then applied for generating F₀ contours of Cantoneseutterances. The validity of the approach is verified by perceptual evaluation of thesynthetic speech stimuli with model-generated F₀ contours, both on the intelligibilityof tones and on the naturalness of prosody.
A new heritable fragile site at 15q13 in a three-generation family
Authors: Zamani A.G. , Durakbasi-Dursun H.G. , Acar A.
Published: April 2007

Here, we describe a family ascertained through recurrent spontaneous abortions in which a new heritable fragile site located at 15q13 is segregating. The fragile site was present in nine members of a three-generation family and expressed spontaneously in a high proportion of the metaphases varying from 88 to 95% under standard culture conditions in all the carriers. This didn’t change under folate deficiency.
Histone H2AX phosphorylation is associated with most meiotic events in grasshopper
Authors: Cabrero J. , Teruel M. , Carmona F.D. , Camacho J.P.M.
Published: April 2007

It is widely accepted that the H2AX histone in its phosphorylated form (γ-H2AX) is related to the repair of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs). In several organisms, γ-H2AX presence has been demonstrated in meiotic processes such as recombination and sex chromosome inactivation during prophase I (from leptotene to pachytene). To test whether γ-H2AX is present beyond pachytene, we have analysed the complete sequence of changes in H2AX phosphorylation during meiosis in grasshopper, a model organism for meiotic studies at the cytological level. We show the presence of phosphorylated H2AX during most of meiosis, with the exception only of diplotene and the end of each meiotic division. During the first meiotic division, γ-H2AX is associated with i) recombination, as deduced from its presence in leptotene-zygotene over all chromosome length, ii) X chromosome inactivation, since at pachytene γ-H2AX is present in the X chromosome only, and iii) chromosome segregation, as deduced from γ-H2AX presence in centromere regions at first metaphase-anaphase. During second meiotic division, γ-H2AX was very abundant at most chromosome lengths from metaphase to telophase, suggesting its possible association with the maintenance of chromosome condensation and segregation.
Carotid Chemoreceptor Modulation of Regional Blood Flow Distribution During Exercise in Health and Chronic Heart Failure
Authors: Stickland Michael K. , Miller Jordan D. , Smith Curtis A. , Dempsey Jerome A.
Published: April 2007

Previous work has shown sensitization of carotid chemoreceptor (CC) responsiveness during exercise as well as in chronic heart failure (CHF). Accordingly, we hypothesized that the CCs contribute to the sympathetic restraint of skeletal muscle blood flow during exercise and CHF. We examined the effect of transient CC inhibition on total (Con
T
) and hindlimb (Con
L
) conductance, and blood pressure at rest and during exercise (2.5 miles per hour, 5% grade) in chronically instrumented dogs. Via a carotid arterial catheter, CCs were inhibited using dopamine (5 to 10 μg/kg) or hyperoxic lactated Ringer’s solution. Although vasodilation did not occur with CC inhibition in resting healthy dogs, CC inhibition during exercise caused an immediate vasodilatory response (increase in Con
T
and Con
L
and decrease in blood pressure). When comparing the peak Con
L
response from CC inhibition versus α-adrenergic blockade (phentolamine), we found that the CCs accounted for approximately one-third of the total sympathetic restraint during exercise. CHF was then induced by chronic rapid cardiac pacing and characterized by impaired cardiac function, enhanced chemosensitivity, and greater sympathetic restraint at rest and during exercise. In contrast to healthy dogs, CC inhibition in resting CHF dogs produced vasodilation, whereas a similar vasodilatory response was observed during exercise in CHF as compared with healthy dogs. The vasodilation following CC inhibition during exercise and in CHF was abolished with α-adrenergic blockade and was absent in healthy exercising animals after carotid body denervation. These results establish an important role for the CCs in cardiovascular control in the healthy animal during exercise and in the CHF animal both at rest and during exercise.
Recovery of Cognitive Function After Surgery for Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage
Authors: Samra Satwant K. , Giordani Bruno , Caveney Angela F. , Clarke William R. , Scott Phillip A. , Anderson Steven , Thompson Byron G. , Todd Michael M.
Published: April 2007

Background and Purpose—

Abnormalities in neurocognitive function are common after surgery for aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage, even among patients with good functional outcomes. The time course of neurocognitive recovery, along with the long-term effects of mild intraoperative hypothermia (33°C) and aneurysm location, is unknown. We determined these in a subset of subarachnoid hemorrhage patients enrolled in the Intraoperative Hypothermia for Aneurysm Surgery Trial (IHAST).

Methods—

We performed a longitudinal, multicenter, prospective, blinded study of adult IHAST patients with a Glasgow Outcome Score=1 or 2 (independent function), 3 months postsurgery and a matched control group (n=45). Subjects were tested with a 5-test cognitive function battery and standard neurological evaluations at 3, 9 and 15 months postsurgery. The primary outcome measure was a composite score on cognitive test performance.

Results—

There were 303 IHAST patients available for inclusion: 218 eligible, 185 enrolled (89 hypothermic, 96 normothermic). Significant cognitive improvement was noted from 3 to 9 (
P
<0.001) and 3 to 15 (
P
<0.001) months in both hypothermic and normothermic groups, even after adjusting for practice effects observed in the control group. No significant change was identified between 9 and 15 months. Neither mild hypothermia nor aneurysm location (anterior communicating artery versus others) had a significant effect on recovery over time or frequency of cognitive impairment. Compared with control group, the frequency of cognitive impairment (
Z
score <−1.96) in all patients at 3, 9 and 15 months was 36%, 26% and 23%, respectively.

Conclusions—

In this population, cognitive improvement continued beyond 3 months, with a plateau between 9 and 15 months. This was not affected by the use of intraoperative hypothermia or anatomical location of aneurysm.
Interaction of Mesoscale Variability with Large-Scale Waves in the Argentine Basin
Authors: Fu Lee-Lueng
Published: April 2007

The Argentine Basin of the South Atlantic Ocean is a region of complicated ocean dynamics involving a wide range of spatial and temporal scales. Previous studies reported the existence of a basin mode of topographic barotropic Rossby waves with a period close to 25 days in the region. Using observations of sea level anomalies from satellite altimeter measurements, the present study provides evidence of interaction between the large-scale 25-day waves and the energetic mesoscale variability of the region. The amplitude of the 25-day waves is highly intermittent with dominant periods in the range of 110–150 days. Within this period band, the wave amplitude is coherent with the energy level of the mesoscale variability: when the mesoscale energy level goes down, the wave amplitude goes up, and vice versa, suggesting an exchange of energy between the two scales. This coherence is linked to the first three empirical orthogonal functions (EOFs) of the sea level anomalies. The spatial patterns of these EOFs are characterized by eddies and meanders associated with the Brazil–Malvinas Confluence. The findings of the study suggest a mechanism of energy exchange at work between the mesoscale variability and the large-scale waves in the Argentine Basin.
Effect of Bathymetric Curvature on Gulf Stream Instability in the Vicinity of the Charleston Bump
Authors: Xie Lian , Liu Xiaoming , Pietrafesa Leonard J.
Published: April 2007

The effect of the isobathic curvature on the development and evolution of Gulf Stream frontal waves (meanders and eddies) in the vicinity of the Charleston Bump (a topographic rise on the upper slope off Charleston, South Carolina; referred to as CB hereinafter) is studied using the Hybrid-Coordinate Ocean Model (HYCOM). Baroclinic and barotropic energy transfers from the Gulf Stream to its meanders and eddies that appear as cold and warm anomalies are computed for four different cases. In case I, the curvature of the isobaths is artificially reduced and the CB is removed from the bathymetry. In this simulation, the simulated Gulf Stream meanders were barely noticeable in the study region. Energy transfer from the Gulf Stream to meanders and eddies was negligible. In case II, the curvature of the isobaths was the same as in case I, but a bump of the scale of the CB was added to the bathymetry. In this simulation, Gulf Stream meanders were amplified while passing over the CB. In case III, the CB was removed from the bathymetry as in case I, but the curvature of the isobaths was similar to the actual bathymetry, which was larger than that of cases I and II. In this simulation, large meanders were simulated, but the development of these meanders was not confined to the region of the CB. The total baroclinic and barotropic energy transfer rate in this case was an order of magnitude greater than in case II, suggesting that isobathic curvature was able to generate Gulf Stream meanders and eddies even without the presence of the CB. In case IV, actual bathymetry data, which contain both the CB and the isobathic curvature, were used. In this case, large-amplitude Gulf Stream meanders were simulated and there was also a tendency for the amplification of the meanders to be anchored downstream of the CB, consistent with observations. The results from this study suggest that the formation of the “Charleston Trough,” a Gulf Stream meander that appears as a low pressure or depressed water surface region downstream of the bump, is the result of the combined effect of the CB and the isobathic curvature in the region. The isobathic curvature plays a major role in enhancing the baroclinic and barotropic energy transfer rates, whereas the bump provided a localized mechanism to maximize the energy transfer rate downstream of the CB.
Equilibration of Two-Dimensional Double-Diffusive Intrusions
Authors: Simeonov Julian , Stern Melvin E.
Published: April 2007

This paper considers the equilibration of lateral intrusions in a doubly diffusive fluid with uniform unbounded basic-state gradients in temperature and salinity. These are density compensated in the horizontal direction and finger favorable in the vertical direction. Previous nonlinear studies of this effect have qualitative and quantitative limitations because of their fictitious parameterizations of the weak “turbulence” that arises. Here, two-dimensional direct numerical simulations (DNS) that resolve scales from the smallest to the intrusive are used to predict the equilibrium state. This is achieved by numerically tilting the x–z computational box so that the mean intrusion is represented by a mode with no lateral variation, but smaller-scale 2D eddies comparable to the intrusion thickness are resolved. The DNS show that the initial plane wave intrusion evolves to an equilibrium state containing both a salt finger interface and a diffusive interface, surrounded by well-mixed layers. The inversion of the horizontally averaged density in the mixed layer is negligibly small, but the salt finger buoyancy flux produces large transient density inversions that drive the mixed layer convection. For the considered values of horizontal/vertical gradients, the calculations yield small Cox numbers and buoyancy Reynolds numbers [comparable to those measured in staircases during the Caribbean-Sheets and Layers Transects (C-SALT) program]. An important testable result is the time-averaged maximum velocity of the fastest-growing intrusion Umax = 18.0 (Σ*z/Σ*x)+1/2KT(gΘ*z/νKT)1/4. Here Θ*z is the undisturbed vertical temperature gradient in buoyancy units, Σ*z and Σ*x are the corresponding vertical and horizontal salinity gradients, g is the gravity acceleration, and ν and KT are the respective values of the molecular viscosity and heat diffusivity. The paradoxical inverse dependence on the horizontal gradient results from the assumption that the latter is unbounded.
Reconstructing the Meridional Overturning Circulation from Boundary Densities and the Zonal Wind Stress
Authors: Hirschi J. , Marotzke J.
Published: April 2007

Numerical models are used to test whether the meridional overturning circulation (MOC) can be reconstructed from boundary densities and the wind stress. In idealized model setups without topography the strength as well as the temporal and spatial variability of the MOC cell can largely be reproduced from boundary densities and the zonal wind stress. With added slopes along the meridional boundaries, most of the depth-averaged flow is missed and neither strength nor spatial structure of the MOC is well reproduced. However, the temporal evolution of both MOC and its estimate are similar. In an eddy-permitting model with realistic bottom topography the contribution of the depth-averaged meridional flow to the MOC is captured at some places while it is missed at others. Nevertheless, boundary densities and the zonal wind stress allow the leading modes of the temporal and spatial MOC variability to be reproduced. On seasonal time scales most of the MOC variability is due to the wind stress but changes in the boundary density affect the MOC as well. On interannual time scales the MOC variability largely reflects changes in the boundary density. Generally, the MOC reconstructions are accurate when bottom velocities are small, an assumption made in the reconstruction approach. The results are relevant for estimates of both the modern and the past MOC. In the real ocean, boundary densities can be obtained from measurements of temperature, conductivity, and pressure in the water column, whereas past seawater densities have left their imprint in sea sediments.
On the Existence of Solitary Wave Solutions to the Shallow-Water Equations on the f Plane
Authors: Stastna Marek , Poulin Francis
Published: April 2007

In a recent paper Li argued that the inviscid shallow-water equations on the f plane exhibit a class of zonally propagating solitary wave solutions, referred to by the author as “geosolitary waves.” These solutions have propagation speeds that are slower than the shallow-water speed gH, and as constructed by Li, have a cusp in the height and zonal velocity field at the origin. The meridional velocity is found to be discontinuous at the origin, though its magnitude is much smaller than the magnitude of the zonal velocity. The authors reconsider the existence of geosolitary waves from the point of view of dynamical system theory and demonstrate that the cusp discontinuity at the origin is an unavoidable property of the solutions. Moreover, it is shown that, in contrast to suggestions made by Li, adding viscosity and diffusivity does not yield smooth, bounded solitary wave solutions. Last, the reason why geosolitary waves cannot be expected to exist in a continuously stratified fluid is discussed.
Summertime Coupling between Sea Surface Temperature and Wind Stress in the California Current System
Authors: Chelton Dudley B. , Schlax Michael G. , Samelson Roger M.
Published: April 2007

Satellite observations of wind stress and sea surface temperature (SST) are analyzed to investigate ocean–atmosphere interaction in the California Current System (CCS). As in regions of strong SST fronts elsewhere in the World Ocean, SST in the CCS region is positively correlated with surface wind stress when SST fronts are strong, which occurs during the summertime in the CCS region. This ocean influence on the atmosphere is apparently due to SST modification of stability and mixing in the atmospheric boundary layer and is most clearly manifest in the derivative wind stress fields: wind stress curl and divergence are linearly related to, respectively, the crosswind and downwind components of the local SST gradient. The dynamic range of the Ekman upwelling velocities associated with the summertime SST-induced perturbations of the wind stress curl is larger than that of the upwelling velocities associated with the mean summertime wind stress curl. This suggests significant feedback effects on the ocean, which likely modify the SST distribution that perturbed the wind stress curl field. The atmosphere and ocean off the west coast of North America must therefore be considered a fully coupled system. It is shown that the observed summertime ocean–atmosphere interaction is poorly represented in the NOAA North American Mesoscale Model (formerly called the Eta Model). This is due, at least in part, to the poor resolution and accuracy of the SST boundary condition used in the model. The sparse distribution of meteorological observations available over the CCS for data assimilation may also contribute to the poor model performance.
Novel RUNX1 isoforms determine the fate of acute myeloid leukemia cells by controlling CD56 expression
Authors: Gattenloehner Stefan , Chuvpilo Sergei , Langebrake Claudia , Reinhardt Dirk , Müller-Hermelink Hans-Konrad , Serfling Edgar , Vincent Angela , Marx Alexander
Published: April 2007

CD56high acute myeloid leukemias (AMLs) have a poor prognosis, but it has been unclear how CD56 expression is controlled and how it relates to clinical aggressiveness. We show that CD56 expression on AML cells correlates with an abnormal expression pattern of runt-related transcription factor 1 (RUNX1) isoforms. Whereas full-length p48 RUNX1 (p48) up-regulated CD56 in AML cells, 3 previously unknown shorter RUNX1 isoforms, p38a, p30, and p24, suppressed CD56 expression. Both p48 and CD56 induced nuclear translocation of nuclear factor (NF)–κB and increased bcl2L12 expression, and inhibition of this pathway by small inhibitory RNA-mediated p48 knock down or NF-κB blockade substantially increased apoptosis in CD56+ AML cell lines. These findings indicate the potential for new therapy of CD56high AML by suppression of the “overactive” RUNX1/CD56/NF-κB signaling pathway(s).
Autoimmune Diseases and Sjögren's Syndrome
Authors: FOX PHILIP C.
Published: April 2007

Abstract:  Autoimmune diseases include a diverse group of over 80 conditions. Sjögren's syndrome is the second most common autoimmune rheumatic disease, with an estimated prevalence in the United States of 2–4 million persons. There are prominent and consistent oral and dental findings in Sjögren's syndrome related to the autoimmune‐mediated loss of normal salivary function. Additionally, nonoral clinical manifestations of Sjögren's syndrome include: dry eyes (with specific ocular surface changes termed keratoconjunctivitis sicca); other xeroses, such as dryness of the nose, throat, skin, and vagina; peripheral (and less frequently central) neuropathies; myalgias and arthralgias; thyroid disorders (particularly autoimmune thyroiditis); pulmonary disorders; renal disorders; and lymphoma. There is a significant (20‐ to 40‐fold) increase in the incidence of malignant lymphoma, particularly in primary Sjögren's syndrome. Establishing the diagnosis of Sjögren's syndrome has been difficult in the light of its nonspecific symptoms (dry eyes and mouth), disagreement on diagnostic criteria, and a lack of both sensitive and specific laboratory markers. Many serum and salivary biomarkers for Sjögren's syndrome have been proposed although, to date, none has proven to be sufficiently specific for diagnostic purposes or has been well correlated with disease activity measures. Investigators have recently begun to apply modern genomic and proteomic approaches to identify candidate biomarkers in Sjögren's syndrome. The results of these investigations promise to provide a wealth of information on candidate biomarkers and possible etiopathological mechanisms underlying this disorder. Further, this information will improve clinical outcomes by fostering the design of new rational therapeutics and assisting in the monitoring of clinical disease.
Rapid Quantitative Chairside Test for Active MMP‐8 in Gingival Crevicular Fluid
Authors: PRESCHER N , MAIER K , MUNJAL S. K. , SORSA T. , BAUERMEISTER C.‐D , STRUCK F , NETUSCHIL L
Published: April 2007

Abstract:  In a first pilot field study 64 gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) samples were collected from patients of dental practitioners. The dentists (one orthodontist one periodontist, and one general practitioner) were asked to monitor the respective clinical status of the sites of sampling and to collect, if possible, sulcus fluid samples from healthy as well as affected sites from the same patient. The concentration of activated matrix metalloproteinase‐8 (aMMP‐8) in the GCF was recorded using a set of monoclonal antibodies and a novel DentoAnalyzer. From all three dental offices the distribution of the aMMP‐8 values in GCF showed a congruent pattern, where healthy and periodontitis‐affected inflamed sites were clearly disparate.
Analysis of Gingival Crevicular Fluid as Applied to the Diagnosis of Oral and Systemic Diseases
Authors: LAMSTER IRA B. , AHLO JOSEPH K.
Published: April 2007

Abstract:  Gingival crevicular fluid (GCF), a serum transudate or inflammatory exudate, can be collected from the gingival crevice surrounding the teeth. As such, the fluid reflects the constituents of serum, the cellular response in the periodontium, and contributions from the gingival crevice. The study of GCF has focused on defining the pathophysiology of periodontal disease, and identification of a potential diagnostic test for active periodontitis. The majority of markers that have been identified as potential candidates for such a test are measures of inflammation (i.e., prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), neutrophil elastase, and the lysosomal enzyme β‐glucuronidase). Further, analysis of inflammatory markers in GCF may assist in defining how certain systemic disorders (e.g., diabetes mellitus) can modify periodontal disease, and how periodontal disease/periodontal inflammation can influence certain systemic disorders (i.e., cardiovascular/cerebrovascular diseases). Methodological concerns related to the collection and analysis of GCF are important factors that need to be considered when studying GCF. Practical concerns argue against the widespread clinical application of GCF as an adjunct to periodontal diagnosis. Rather, analysis of GCF‐derived mediators in saliva may serve as a means of rapid screening for periodontal disease.
Oral Diseases
Authors: LIGTENBERG ANTOON J. M. , De SOET JOHANNES J. , VEERMAN ENNO C. I. , AMERONGEN ARIE v. NIEUW
Published: April 2007

Abstract:  In addition to saliva, other oral components such as gingival crevicular fluid, epithelial cells, bacteria, breath, and dental plaque have diagnostic potential. For oral diseases such as caries and periodontal disease, visual diagnosis is usually adequate, but objective diagnostic tests with predictive value are desired. Therefore, prediction models like the Cariogram have been developed that also include oral aspects such as saliva secretion, buffering capacity, and Streptococcus mutans counts for the prediction of caries. Correlation studies on salivary components and caries have not been conclusive, but correlation studies on functional aspects, such as saliva‐induced bacterial aggregation and caries, look promising. Modern proteomic techniques make it possible to study simultaneously the many salivary components involved in these functions.
Genomics and Proteomics
Authors: TANKE HANS J.
Published: April 2007

Abstract:  Advances in genomics and proteomics increasingly contribute to the understanding of signal transduction pathways that control growth, differentiation, and death of cells. Since defects in these processes may result in the expression of inherited and or acquired disease, the identification of candidate disease genes and modifier genes by parallel use of genotyping together with an integrated study of gene expression and metabolite levels is instrumental for future health care. This approach, called systems biology, aims to recognize early onset of disease, institute preventive treatment, and identify new molecular targets for novel drugs in cancer, cardiovascular and metabolomic disease (e.g., diabetes), and neurodegenerative disorders. Gene interaction networks have recently been demonstrated, in which hub genes, that is, genes that show the highest level of interactions with other genes, play a special role. Hub genes, often chromatin regulators, may act as modifier genes (genes that modify the effect of other genes) in multiple mechanistically unrelated genetic diseases in humans. In addition, it has been shown that small metabolites such as hormones and cytokines, or proteins/enzymes such as C reactive protein (C‐RP) and matrix metaloproteinase (MMP), reflect disease status in case of oral cancer, asthma, or periodontal and cardiac disease. Many of these molecular targets, as well as pathogen‐specific DNA and RNA sequences, can be measured in oral fluids, providing a unique opportunity to develop novel noninvasive diagnostic tests. Efforts so far concentrate on the use of lab‐on‐a‐chip technology in combination with novel reporters and microsensor arrays to measure multianalytes in oral fluids. Handheld devices that perform sensitive detection of multiple analytes in oral fluid will be obtainable in the near future.
Abnormal development of urogenital organs in Dlgh1-deficient mice
Authors: Iizuka-Kogo Akiko , Ishidao Takefumi , Akiyama Tetsu , Senda Takao
Published: April 2007

Dlgh1 (discs large homolog 1) is a mammalian homolog of the Drosophila tumor suppressor Discs large 1, and is a member of the membrane-associated guanylate kinase (MAGUK) scaffolding proteins that contain three PSD-95/Dlg/ZO-1 (PDZ) domains. Discs large 1 is involved in epithelial polarization and cell-cell adhesion complex formation during Drosophila development. However, the functions of Dlgh1 during mammalian development remain to be elucidated. We generated Dlgh1-knockout mice and found that homozygous Dlgh1-knockout mice developed various abnormalities in their renal and urogenital organs. The kidneys and ureters were hypoplastic and the lower ends of the ureters were ectopic. In addition, the vagina and seminal vesicle, which are derived from the lower part of the Müllerian and Wolffian duct, respectively, were absent. Unexpectedly, loss of Dlgh1 function in the developing ureters did not disrupt cell-cell junctional complexes, but did impair cellular proliferation in the epithelium. These results suggest a novel role for Dlgh1 in regulating epithelial duct formation and morphogenesis during mammalian development. Although congenital absence of the vagina associated with other variable Müllerian duct abnormalities has been reported in humans, its mechanism has not yet been clarified. Our findings might contribute to a better understanding of such abnormalities.
Nitroso and Azo Compounds in Modern Organic Synthesis: Late Blooming but Very Rich
Authors: Yamamoto Hisashi , Kawasaki Masanori
Published: April 2007

The catalytic enantioselective oxidation is an extremely important process in organic synthesis and numbers of effort to improve this process have been reported so far. Although nitroso and azo compounds are attractive tools for hydroxylation and amination of organic compounds, no reports on a catalytic asymmetric version of these reactions had been reported until recently. The main issues were their high and unique reactivities. In this review, we would like to introduce the recent advances in this area.
Photochemical Behavior of an Anthracene–Urea Derivative Interacting with Anions
Authors: Ohshiro Ikuma , Ikegami Masashi , Shinohara Yoshihiro , Nishimura Yoshinobu , Arai Tatsuo
Published: April 2007

The synthesis and photophysical properties of a fluorescent anthracene–urea derivative, which can associate with anions, such as acetate or phosphate, by hydrogen-bonding, are reported. A new anthracene derivative bearing phenylurea group at the 9-position of anthracene, 1-anthracen-9-yl-3-phenylurea, (9PUA) was prepared. 9PUA was found to exhibit strong selectivity in relation to anions, some of which showed a remarkable change in emission. 9PUA had a monomer emission maximum at 450 nm, and the monomer emission was quenched to give a new emission with a maximum at 580 nm on the addition of acetate anion. The emission at 580 nm was assigned to a tautomer form of 9PUA generated by intermolecular proton transfer as a result of an excited-state reaction with acetate anion.
ESR Measurement Using 2-Diphenylphosphinoyl-2-methyl-3,4-dihydro-2H-pyrrole N-Oxide (DPhPMPO) in Human Erythrocyte Ghosts
Authors: Shioji Kosei , Iwashita Hidefumi , Shimomura Taiji , Yamaguchi Takeo , Okuma Kentaro
Published: April 2007

Competitive spin-trapping behavior of 2-diphenylphosphinoyl-2-methyl-3,4-dihydro-2H-pyrrole N-oxide (DPhPMPO) and 2,2-dimethyl-3,4-dihydro-2H-pyrrole N-oxide (DMPO) indicated that the affinity of DPhPMPO for hydroxyl radicals was 1.7 times higher than that of DMPO. Human erythrocyte ghosts (HEGs) with encapsulated FeII catalysts (HEG–Fe) were prepared for ESR measurement. By trapping the hydroxyl radical (OH•) in the presence of polyethylene glycol (PEG-4000) outside the HEG–Fe, the generation of OH• inside the catalyst was confirmed. The trapping of hydroxyl radicals generated in HEG was accomplished using DPhPMPO, and the permeability of the erythrocyte membrane to DPhPMPO was 2.4 times greater than that of DMPO.
Synthesis of 1(3H)-Imino-2-benzothiophene and 1-Imino-1H-2-benzothiopyran Derivatives by Reactions of Secondary o-(Vinyl)thiobenzamide Derivatives with Iodine
Authors: Kobayashi Kazuhiro , Fujita Seiki , Hase Masanori , Morikawa Osamu , Konishi Hisatoshi
Published: April 2007

Efficient methods have been developed for the preparation of 1(3H)-imino-2-benzothiophene and 1-imino-1H-2-benzothiopyran derivatives. Treatment of secondary o-(vinyl)thiobenzamide derivatives with iodine in the presence of sodium hydrogencarbonate in acetonitrile at 0 °C gave the former derivatives. Similar treatment at reflux gave the latter derivatives.
Synthesis and Characterization of Zeolites by Conventional and Microwave-Assisted Methods Using (2-Hydroxyethyl)trimethylammonium Hydroxide as a Template
Authors: Samadi-Maybodi Abdolraouf , Goudarzi Nasser
Published: April 2007

Different types of zeolites were synthesized using two different techniques: conventional hydrothermal synthesis (CHS) and microwave-assisted hydrothermal synthesis (MAHS) using (2-hydroxyethyl)trimethylammonium hydroxide (2-HETMAOH) as a template. The influence of the chemical composition of the starting sol and hydrothermal synthesis parameters, i.e., MW power, heating time, number of synthesis steps, conditions on the formation of zeolite by MAHS and CHS methods were studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and IR spectroscopy. Zeolites obtained by conventional heating had irregular shapes, while these form microwave irradiation had regular rounded shapes. In both cases, in the presence of template, samples contained particles with sizes between 12 and 15 μm, and the samples without a template had spherical morphology with average particle size of 6 μm.
Micro-Space Synthesis of Core–Shell-Type Semiconductor Nanocrystals for Thermosensing
Authors: Lee Chan-Gi , Uehara Masato , Yamaguchi Yoshiko , Nakamura Hiroyuki , Maeda Hideaki
Published: April 2007

Optical properties of semiconductor nanocrystals possess characteristic dependence on temperature, thus making them good candidates for temperature sensors. We synthesized CdSe and CdSe/ZnSe/ZnS core/shell-type semiconductor nanocrystals using a microreactor and optimized the structure of composite semiconductor nanocrystals to obtain high quantum yield with high stability for thermosensing.
Wintel: Cooperation and Conflict
Authors: Casadesus-Masanell Ramon , Yoffie David B.
Published: April 2007

We study competitive interactions between Intel and Microsoft, two producers of complementary products. In a system of complements, like the PC, the value of the final product depends on how well the different components work together. This, in turn, depends on the firms’ investment in complementary R&D. We ask whether Intel and Microsoft will want to cooperate and make the final product as valuable as possible. Contrary to the popular view that two tight complements will generally have well aligned incentives, we demonstrate that natural conflicts emerge over pricing, the timing of new product releases, and who captures the greatest value at different phases of product generations.
Access and participation: Rethinking work-based learning on the foundation degree in art and design
Authors: Tynan Jane
Published: April 2007

Despite the recent expansion of places on foundation degree courses in art and design, its significance to art and design education is under-researched. This article considers how non-traditional students negotiate the uneasy relationship between theory and practice in art and design education by exploring their experience of cultural studies. Using responses from a small group of foundation degree students and BA students at London College of Fashion, qualitative differences were identified in student perceptions of cultural studies tasks and their role in the curriculum.
Reviews
Authors: Farthing Stephen , Kwint Marius
Published: April 2007

Drawing-The Process

Digital Art History (Computers and the History of Art, Vol. 1), Anna Bentkowska-Kafel, Trish Cashen and Hazel Gardiner (eds.) (2005), Bristol: Intellect Books, ISBN 1-84150-116-6; ISSN 1743-3959
Favourite artworks chosen by young children in a museum setting
Authors: Danko-McGhee Katherina
Published: April 2007

Research that set out to determine the aesthetic preferences of young children aged 26 was conducted at the Toledo Museum of Art, Ohio. Fifty children were randomly selected and taken into the museum. Each child was asked to walk around and view artworks. Works that held their attention
for one minute were considered to be of aesthetic interest. After they expressed interest in a particular work the children were questioned about it and their responses were recorded. This provided insights into their selections. The findings were that these young children liked both abstract
and realistic art. Particular aesthetic qualities that interested them included shiny surfaces, and gold and silver objects. They chose to view furniture such as chairs and cabinets and dinner ware, not just paintings.
Digital cinema: The transformation of film practice and aesthetics
Authors: Ganz Adam , Khatib Lina
Published: April 2007

This article discusses the emergence of digital cinema and the effect it has had on the practice of filmmaking as well as on the aesthetics of cinema. The article does not look at digital cinema as a kind of technological determinism; rather, digital film-making is looked at as creating
new possibilities for cinemas around the world. The article proposes a new way of thinking about digital cinema that locates it within the process of cinematic development, yet that also recognizes the medium's uniqueness in transforming the relationship between the director, the actors and
the audience, as well as in impacting narrative structure, performance and image. The article applies this theory to the case of cinema in Iran, where digital technology is having a remarkable effect on the existence of the industry in a new, freer form.
Biophoton the language of the cells: What can living systems tell us about interaction?
Authors: da Nbrega Carlos Augusto Moreira
Published: April 2007

With the aid of new technologies, science has found creative ways to investigate nature. Through the use of a highly sensitive, low-noise, cooled camera, previously applied to exploring dark sky, scientific laboratories around the world have been looking at the weak emission of light
from cells in a living organism. Biophoton emission, as so-called by Fritz Albert Popp, was introduced to science in the 1920s by the Russian embryologist Alexander Gurwitsh, receiving the name of mitogenetic rays.

Since 1974, systematic research carried out by Fritz Albert Popp and his
colleagues in many parts of the world has been focused on conducting experiments and working towards a biophoton theory to inform us about its properties. One of the main hypotheses is that biophoton plays an important biological function and due to evidence of coherence of its light, i.e.
a high degree of order with an extremely stable intensity (Bischof 2005), biophoton is supposed to operate as a biological laser, able to manage a network of information in the organism as well as to form electromagnetic field patterns.

Interactive art based on digital technologies uses
numerical data to produce interactions between our body and lit pixels on the screen. Maybe, with the correct tools and equations, data from subtle fields of energy in living systems could be used to connect different systems of information, conjugating micro and macro levels of energy.

This
paper intends to examine biophoton research as a possible model to interactive art and consider the way it could lead to new forms for perception and consciousness.
Validierung von Untersuchungsverfahren im Bereich der Virusdiagnostik / Validation of virus diagnostics tests
Authors: Rabenau Holger F. , Kortenbusch Marhild , Berger Annemarie , Steinhorst Andreas
Published: April 2007

In den letzten zwei Jahrzehnten hat die Diagnostik viraler Infektionen wesentlich an Bedeutung gewonnen. Neben kostengünstigen Untersuchungen ist es insbesondere für den Arzt und die Patienten wichtig, schnelle und richtige Untersuchungsergebnisse von den Laboratorien zu erhalten. Die Richtigkeit der Untersuchungsergebnisse hängt von verschiedenen Faktoren ab. Besonders wichtig ist die Eignung und Leistungsfähigkeit des benutzten Tests bzw. Untersuchungsverfahrens.

Gemäß der DIN EN ISO 15189 „Medizinische Laboratorien – besondere Anforderungen an die Qualität und Kompetenz“ und der In-vitro-Diagnostika-Richtlinie dürfen nur Tests bzw. Untersuchungsverfahren eingesetzt werden, deren Eignung und Leistungsfähigkeit ermittelt und nachgewiesen wurde.

Die Darlegung der Eignung und Leistungsfähigkeit – die so genannte Validierung – wird allerdings in beiden Dokumenten nur in allgemeiner Form angesprochen. Für den Bereich der Virusdiagnostik wurde daher ein Leitfaden erstellt, in dem die Mindestanforderungen an die Validierung konkretisiert werden. Dabei wird zwischen kommerziellen CE-gekennzeichneten Tests und In-house-Tests sowie zwischen den verschiedenen in der Virusdiagnostik zur Anwendung kommenden Methoden unterschieden.
Prognosis in non-metastatic colorectal cancer: multivariate evaluation of preoperative levels of six tumor markers in addition to clinical parameters / Multivariate Analyse der prognostischen Aussagekraft von sechs präoperativen Tumormarkern zusätzlich zu klinischen Parametern beim nicht metastasierten kolorektalen Karzinom
Authors: Hofmann Dominik , Nagel Dorothea , Lau-Werner Ulla , Wichmann Matthias W. , Hornung Hans-Martin , Stenman Ulf H. , Schalhorn Andreas , Stieber Petra
Published: April 2007

Background: In addition to carcino-embryonic antigen (CEA), several oncological biomarkers have been described to be of prognostic relevance in colorectal cancer. Currently, it is still unclear which of these markers are able to provide additive information to established prognostic factors in non-metastatic colorectal cancer.

Methods: We investigated whether tumor markers have additive prognostic value to tumor stage in 458 patients with non-metastatic colorectal cancer. Preoperative serum levels of CEA, cancer antigen (CA) 19-9, CA 242, CA 72-4, CYFRA 21-1 and human chorionic gonadotropin (hCGβ) were analyzed.

Results: For evaluating disease-free survival (DFS) and overall tumor-related survival (OTS), based on recommendations for adjuvant treatment, patients were divided into the good prognosis group (GPG: colon cancer stage I-II or rectal cancer stage I) and the bad prognosis group (BPG) consisting of the remaining patients with indication for adjuvant treatment. Evaluating tumor markers, linearity was tested. In case of non-linearity a cut-off value was determined. Log (CEA) showed linearity in the GPG and BPG. In the GPG, CEA was the only significant tumor marker, whereas in the BPG, CEA, CA 19-9, CA 242 and CA 72-4 were significant predictors. In multivariate Cox regression analysis, T stage (T3 or T4) and CEA proved independent relevance in the GPG, whereas T4, N2, site, CEA and CA 19-9 were independent predictors in the BPG.

Conclusions: CEA and possibly CA 19-9 have additional prognostic value besides tumor stage and, therefore, should be included in the decision for adjuvant treatment.
Men's Arrack Drinking and Domestic Violence against Women in a Bangladeshi Village
Authors: Karim K. M. Rabiul
Published: April 2007

Arrack, indigenously made and known as tari, is a widely-used alcoholic beverage among poor drinkers in rural Bangladesh. This study examines the influences of men's arrack drinking habits on violence against women at the family level in Parbattipur, a typical village of northwest Bangladesh. Fifty purposively-selected married male arrack drinkers as well as their wives were interviewed singly by using a semi-structured questionnaire. Results show that arrack drinkers suffer from behavioral abnormalities. It creates family problems and women are often victimized by their husbands' drunken behaviors. Although violence against women is a common phenomenon in rural Bangladesh, it is argued that men's habitual arrack drinking behaviors, through the interplay of a patriarchal family structure, are directly linked with incidences of violence against women within marriage.