bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Protein Kinase FA/GSK‐3 Phosphorylates on Ser235‐Pro and Ser404‐Pro that Are Abnormally Phosphorylated in Alzheimer's Disease Brain
Authors: Yang Shiaw‐Der , Song Jen‐Shin , Yu Jau‐Song , Shiah Shine‐Gwo
Published: October 2006

Abstract— Previously, we identified protein kinase FA/gly‐cogen synthase kinase‐3 (GSK‐3) as a microtubule‐associated protein kinase that can incorporate 4 mol of phosphates into 1 mol of protein and cause its electrophoretic mobility shift in sodium dodecyl sulfate gels, a unique property characteristic of paired helical filament‐associated pathological (PHF‐) in Alzheimer's disease brains. In this report, we identified TPPKS(p)PSAAK and SPVVSGDTS(p)PR as two phosphorylation site sequences phosphorylated by kinase FA/GSK‐3 in using peptide sequence analysis and sequential manual Edman degradation for radiosequencing. When mapping with human brain sequence, we further identified Ser235‐Pro and Ser404‐Pro as the two major phosphorylation sites according to the numbering of the longest isoform. Ser235 and Ser404 have been reported as two of the major abnormal phosphorylation sites in PHF‐. Taken together, the results provide initial evidence that protein kinase FA/GSK‐3 may represent one of the Ser‐Pro motif‐directed kinases involved in the abnormal phosphorylation of pathological PHF‐ in Alzheimer's disease brain.
Forskolin and Phorbol Myristate Acetate Inhibit Intracellular Ca2+ Mobilization Induced by Amitriptyline and Bradykinin in Rat Frontocortical Neurons
Authors: Shimizu Masami , Nishida Akira , Yamawaki Shigeto
Published: October 2006

Abstract— Regulations of the increase in intracellular Ca2+concentration ([Ca2+]i) and inositol 1, 4, 5‐trisphosphate (IP3) production by increasing intracellular cyclic AMP (cAMP) levels or activating protein kinase C (PKC) were studied in rat frontocortical cultured neurons. Amitriptyline (AMI; 1 mM), a trìcyclic antidepressant, and bradykinin (BK; 1 μM) stimulated IP3 production and caused transient [Ca2+]i increases. Pretreatment with forskolin (100mkUM, 15 min) decreased the AMI‐and BK‐induced [Ca2+]i increases by 33 and 48%, respectively. However, this treatment had no effect on the AMI‐and BK‐induced IP3 productions. Dibutyryl‐cAMP (2 mM, 15 min) also decreased the AMI‐and BK‐induced [Ca2+]i increases by 23 and 47%, respectively. H‐8 (30 μM), an inhibitor of protein kinase A (PKA), attenuated the ability of forskolin to inhibit the AMI‐and BK‐induced [Ca2+]i increases, suggesting that the activation of cAMP/PKA was involved in these inhibitory effects of forskolin. On the other hand, forskolin treatment had no effect on 20 mM caffeine‐, 10 μM glutamate‐, or 50 mM K+‐induced [Ca2+]i increases. Pretreatment with phorbol 12‐myristate 13‐acetate (PMA; 100 nM, 90 min) decreased both the AMI‐induced [Ca2+]i increases and the IP3 production by 31 and 25%, respectively. H‐7 (200 μM), an inhibitor of PKC, inhibited the ability of PMA to attenuate the [Ca2+]i increases. PMA also inhibited the BK‐induced IP3 production and the [Ca2+]i increases. Taken together, these results suggest that activation of cAMP/ PKA may inhibit the IP3‐mediated Ca2+ release from internal stores; on the other hand, activation of PKC may inhibit the phosphatidylinositol 4,5‐bisphosphate breakdown and consequently reduce the [Ca2+]i increases or inhibit independently both responses. PKA and PKC may differently regulate the phosphatidylinositol‐Ca2+ signaling in rat frontocortical cultured neurons.
Characterization of the Scavenger Receptor on Bovine Cerebral Endothelial Cells In Vitro
Authors: de Vries H. E. , Kuiper J. , de Boer A. G. , van Berkel Th. J. C. , Breimer D. D.
Published: October 2006

Abstract— Primary cultures of bovine brain capillary endo‐thelial cells (BCEC), possessing tight junctions and high levels of γ‐glutamyl transpeptidase, were used as an in vitro model for the blood‐brain barrier. The interaction of acetylated low density lipoprotein (AcLDL) with BCEC was studied to characterize the scavenger receptor on these cells. A saturable high affinity binding site was found with a dissociation constant of AcLDL of 5.4 μg/ml (3.1 nM) and a maximal binding ranging from 284 to 626 ng of AcLDL/mg of cell protein for eight primary cultures, and independent of the presence of calcium. Cell association was coupled to degradation, and both could be effectively competed for by polyinosinic acid and AcLDL but not by low density lipoprotein or by high density lipoprotein. Prolonged incubation showed an accumulation of the ligand in the cells. The rate of degradation of AcLDL was ∼ 10–20‐fold lower in BCEC than that of peripheral endothelial cells. No evidence for lysosomal degradation could be obtained. Binding of 1,1′‐dioctadecyl‐3,3,3,3′‐tetramethylindocar‐boxyamine perchlorate‐labeled AcLDL by BCEC was observed, which could be competed for by an excess of un‐labeled AcLDL and polyinosinic acid. We have shown that in vitro BCEC possesses specific binding sites for AcLDL, whereas these cells show a relatively low degradative capacity.
Arachidonic Acid Activates Cation Channels in Bovine Adrenal Chromaffin Cells
Authors: Mochizuki‐Oda Noriko , Negishi Manabu , Mori Kensaku , Ito Seiji
Published: October 2006

Abstract— Microscopic fluorescence analysis of fura‐2‐loaded bovine adrenal chromaffin cells demonstrates that ∼70% of the cells responded to arachidonic acid in increasing the intracellular Ca2+ concentration. Because this increase was markedly less in the absence of external Ca2+, we examined the effect of arachidonic acid on Ca2+ influx electrophysiologically. Bath application of 10 μM arachidonic acid induced a long‐lasting inward current when the cell was clamped at ‐50 mV. Other fatty acids, such as oleic acid, linoleic acid, eicosatrienoic acid, and eicosa‐pentaenoic acid, were all ineffective. The current‐voltage relationships suggest that arachidonic acid may activate voltage‐insensitive channels. Arachidonic acid (2μM) activated a single‐channel current in the inside‐out patch, even in the presence of inhibitors of cyclooxygenase and lipoxygenase, possibly suggesting that arachidonic acid could activate channels directly. The onset delay of the inward channel current in the outside‐out patch configuration (54.02 ± 63.5 s; mean SD) was significantly shorter than that in the inside‐out patch one (197.3 ± 177.7 s). Washout of arachidonic acid decreased the probability of channel openings in the outside‐out patch but not in the inside‐out one. These results suggest that arachidonic acid activates channels reversibly from outside of the plasma membrane. The unitary conductarce for Ca2+ of arachidonic acid‐activated channel was ∼17 pS. The arachidonic acid‐activated channel was permeable to Ba2+, Ca2+, and Na+ but not to Cl−. The opening probability of the arachidonic acid‐activated channel did not depend on membrane potential. These results demonstrate that arachidonic acid activates cation‐selective, Ca2+‐permeable channels in bovine adrenal chromaffin cells.
NMDA Receptor Activation Increases Cyclic AMP in Area CA1 of the Hippocampus via Calcium/Calmodulin Stimulation of Adenylyl Cyclase
Authors: Chetkovich Dane M. , Sweatt J. David
Published: October 2006

Abstract: We observed previously that activation of N‐methyl‐d‐aspartate (NMDA) receptors in area CA1 of the hippocampus, through either NMDA application or long‐term potentiation (LTP)‐inducing high‐frequency stimulation (HFS), results in an increase in cyclic AMP. In the present study, we performed experiments to determine the mechanism by which NMDA receptor activation causes this increase in cyclic AMP. As the NMDA receptor‐mediated increase in cyclic AMP is dependent upon extracellular calcium, we hypothesized that NMDA receptors are coupled to adenylyl cyclase (AC) via calcium/calmodulin. In membranes prepared from area CA1, AC was stimulated by calcium in the presence of calmodulin, and the effect of calcium/calmodulin on AC in membranes was blocked by the calmodulin antagonists N‐(6‐aminohexyl)‐5‐chloro‐1‐naphthalenesulfonamide (W‐7) and trifluopera‐zine (TFP). In intact hippocampal slices, W‐7 and TFP blocked the increase in cyclic AMP levels caused by both NMDA application and HFS of Schaffer collateral fibers. Exposure of hippocampal slices to elevated extracellular potassium to induce calcium influx also caused increased cyclic AMP levels; the increase in cyclic AMP caused by high potassium was also blocked by W‐7 and TFP. These data support the hypothesis that NMDA receptor activation is positively coupled to AC via calcium/calmodulin and are consistent with a role for cyclic AMP metabolism in the induction of NMDA receptor‐dependent LTP in area CA1 of the hippocampus.
Rapid Communication: GM3 Regulates Protein Kinase Systems in Cultured Brain Microvascular Endothelial Cells
Authors: Kanda Takashi , Ariga Toshio , Yamawaki Masanaga , Yu Robert K.
Published: October 2006

Abstract: The barrier function of endothelial cells is known to be positively regulated by protein kinase A (PKA) and negatively regulated by protein kinase C (PKC). We found that exogenously administered GM3(NeuAc) promoted PKA activity in cultured brain microvascular endothelial cells (BMECs). Other glycolipids, including GM1, sulfoglucuronyl paragloboside, and GM3(NeuGc), did not have any effect on the PKA activity of BMECs. PC12 cells did not respond to exogenously applied GM3(NeuAc). GM3(NeuAc) also suppressed the PKC activity of BMECs. Thus, GM3(NeuAc) may function as a modulator of blood‐brain barrier function via the two different kinase systems.
Interior Design Supports Art Education: A Case Study
Authors: Clemons Stephanie A.
Published: October 2006

Interior design, as a field of study, is a rapidly growing area of interest — particularly for teenagers in the United States. Part of this interest stems from the proliferation of design‐related reality shows available through television media. Some art educators and curriculum specialists in the nation perceive the study of interior spaces as a ‘practical application’ of the arts.

This article discusses an experiential design problem, originally used in higher education interior design studio courses that was modified and shared with students in third grade to address national academic standards. Later, this same project was modified for use with high school students in the educator's community and with international design students in South Korea. Lastly, the project was presented in a workshop to art education students at a higher education institution. The project was modified to address (1) the age group level and (2) a topic relevant to the audience. Goals of the design project were: (1) to explore creative problem‐solving, (2) to explore the application of design elements and principles, and (3) to increase student understanding of spatial relationships within an interior environment. Findings indicate that the project supported several visual art standards, including perception and community. This project may be of interest to current and future art educators and others interested in the potential of interior design content supporting art education.
Coming in From the Cold: Imperialist Legacies and Tactical Criticalities
Authors: Kill Rebekka
Published: October 2006

There is a perception in British universities and art colleges that art students are not very good at writing, that they don't want to write, and furthermore, that writing gets in the way of the real business of making art. These perceptions are reinforced in much of the literature that has been produced about, and in support of, undergraduate art education in the last few decades.

This paper will examine the tensions, both historical and contemporary, between academic practices (such as the academic essay, the dissertation) and fine art studio practices. This translative gap both produces, and perpetuates, a set of binaries: visual/textual, art/literature, words/images, Studio/Art History, making/writing. The net result of which is a resistance to writing from many Art students in Higher Education. I will outline subject specific multidisciplinary strategies used with undergraduate and postgraduate students to harness, and develop, this resistance as both transformational and inventive.
Evaluation of Liver Support Systems for Preclinical Testing by Animal Trials
Authors: Seleverstov Oleksandr , Bader Augustinus
Published: October 2006

Abstract:  In the present review, various animal models of acute liver failure are reviewed with respect to their suitability for evaluating liver support systems (LSS) according to envisaged modes of therapy. In order to increase the value of the preclinical testing of LSS, it would be advantageous to include more than one animal model in the evaluation program. It is possible to identify appropriate sets of models, which make a suitable test system for particular clinical applications. A standardization of evaluation methods between testing groups would also be beneficial to the field of liver support.
Visions for Regenerative Medicine: Interface Between Scientific Fact and Science Fiction
Authors: Kirkpatrick C. James , Fuchs Sabine , Peters Kirsten , Brochhausen Christoph , Hermanns M. Iris , Unger Ronald E.
Published: October 2006

Abstract:  This article gives a brief overview of the authors' views on the future development of tissue engineering with respect to the challenges both to the materials and life sciences. Emphasis will be placed on the advantages of three‐dimensional bioresorbable polymers in combination with relevant molecular cues and the application of autologous stem or progenitor cells. There is a requirement for much more diversity in the synthesis of so‐called “intelligent” materials, which respond to external stimuli, as well as the development of novel drug and gene delivery systems. In addition, much more basic research is necessary in developmental biology and the application of modern cell and molecular biology to biomaterial questions.
A Review of Screening Tools for Psychiatric Comorbidity in Headache Patients
Authors: Maizels Morris , Smitherman Todd A. , Penzien Donald B.
Published: October 2006

Psychiatric comorbidity, especially depression and anxiety, has been well documented in patients with primary headache disorders. The presence of psychiatric comorbidity in headache patients is associated with decreased quality‐of‐life, poorer prognosis, chronification of disease, poorer response to treatment, and increased medical costs. Despite the prevalence and impact, screening for psychiatric disorders in headache patients is not systematically performed, either clinically or in research studies, and there are no guidelines to suggest which patients should be screened or in what manner. We review a variety of screening methods and instruments, focusing primarily on self‐report measures and those available in the public domain. Informal verbal screening may be sufficient in a primary care setting, but should include screening for both anxiety and depression. Explicit screening for anxiety is important, as anxiety may have a more significant impact on headache than does depression and may occur in the absence of clinical depression. Formal screening with instruments that can identify a variety of psychiatric disorders is appropriate for patients with daily headache syndromes, patients who are refractory to usual care, and patients referred for specialty evaluation. Limitations of screening instruments include the influence of transdiagnostic symptoms and the need for confirmatory diagnostic interview. The following instruments appear most suitable for use in headache patients: for depression, the Patient Health Questionnaire Depression Module, the Beck Depression Inventory‐II, or the Beck Depression Inventory‐Primary Care; for anxiety, the Beck Anxiety Inventory and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7‐item Scale; and for multidimensional psychiatric screening, the Patient Health Questionnaire or Primary Care Evaluation of Mental Disorders.
Ventriculocordectomy as the Sole Treatment for Recurrent Laryngeal Neuropathy: Long‐Term Results from Ninety‐Two Horses
Authors: TAYLOR SARAH E. , BARAKZAI SAFIA Z. , DIXON PADRAIC
Published: October 2006

Objective—To evaluate the effect ventriculocordectomy (VC) for treatment of recurrent laryngeal neuropathy (RLN) on exercise performance and owner satisfaction in a mixed‐breed population of horses.

Study Design—Retrospective study.

Animals—Adult horses (n=92) with a history of abnormal respiratory noise and RLN.

Methods—Retrospective analysis of horse that had unilateral VC (and contralateral ventriculectomy in 63 horses) for treatment of idiopathic RLN. Owners/trainers completed a questionnaire about complications and outcome at least 1 year after surgery. Performance index was determined using race records for previously raced Thoroughbreds to evaluate outcome.

Results—Clinical signs included abnormal exercise‐induced respiratory noises (noises; 52%), poor performance (11%), and noises and poor performance (37%). The median preoperative resting endoscopic grade of laryngeal function was Havemeyer grade III.1 (mild asymmetry). No discharge from the laryngotomy 1 week postoperatively occurred in 62% horses, 22% coughed after surgery, 66% made no noises, 9% continued to make noises at the canter, 21% made noise at the gallop, and 4% of owners were unsure whether noises were present. Ninety‐three percent of horses returned to full work after surgery. Overall, 86% of owners considered the surgery worthwhile, 3% did not consider it worthwhile, and 11% were unsure. Surgery had a significantly beneficial effect on the racing performance index in Thoroughbreds (P=.004).

Conclusions—VC is a useful alternative to laryngoplasty for selected cases of RLN and is associated with a positive effect on exercise performance, a low postoperative complication rate, and a high rate of owner satisfaction

Clinical Relevance—Unilateral VC should be considered as a sole treatment in horses with low grades of RLN.
In Vitro Evaluation of an Inverted End‐to‐End Equine Jejunojejunal Anastomosis Using Skin Staples
Authors: GANDINI MARCO , BERTUGLIA ANDREA
Published: October 2006

Objective— To compare functional indices of end‐to‐end (EEA) jejunojejunal anastomosis using skin staples in horses with a 2‐layer inverting hand‐sewn technique.

Study Design— Experimental study.

Sample Population— Jejunal segments from 8 fresh equine cadavers.

Methods— For each bowel segment, 2 EEA anastomoses were created: one 2‐layer hand‐sewn and one 1‐layer using skin staples. Time for anastomosis creation was recorded and compared. Lumen diameter of each anastomosis was measured on digital radiographs after intraluminal instillation of contrast medium and inflation of the jejunal segments to 14 mm Hg. Anastomotic indices (a compensated measure of stoma diameter) and bursting pressure were determined.

Results— EEA jejunal anastomosis using skin staples was significantly faster than use of a 2‐layer hand‐sewn technique. Anastomotic index, a measure of lumen size, was significantly larger with the skin‐staple technique; however, the bursting pressure of stapled anastomoses was significantly less than for the hand‐sewn technique, but the values were well above those reported for other anastomotic techniques.

Conclusions— An anastomotic technique using skin staples was easy to learn and perform, effective and faster, and mechanically comparable with a hand‐sewn 2‐layer technique.

Clinical Relevance— The staple technique could be beneficial in equine gastrointestinal surgery by reducing anastomosis time, although further in vivo studies are needed to establish clinical safety.
Which Bets Paid Off? Early Findings on the Impact of Private Management and K‐8 Conversion Reforms on the Achievement of Philadelphia Students
Authors: Mac Iver Martha Abele , Mac Iver Douglas J.
Published: October 2006

This article reports initial findings from a study of middle grades educational reforms in Philadelphia. We use multilevel change models to analyze the impact on student mathematics achievement of privatization through the use of educational management organizations (EMOs), taking account of the structural reforms (creation of new K‐8 schools to replace selected middle schools) occurring simultaneously within the district. Overall, the longitudinal mathematics achievement gains for students in EMO‐managed schools were not larger than those for students in schools managed by the district. Non‐Edison EMO schools actually performed worse than district‐managed schools. With the exception of one older K‐8 school in one cohort, Edison schools did not significantly outperform district‐managed counterparts. Students in long‐established K‐8 schools generally outgained students in middle schools, but gains were not as large in newly‐established K‐8 schools. Across all types of schools, the second cohort of students obtained greater gains than did the first.
Not only oxidized R‐(+)‐ but also S‐(−)‐limonene is a common cause of contact allergy in dermatitis patients in Europe
Authors: Matura Mihaly , Sköld Maria , Börje Anna , Andersen Klaus E. , Bruze Magnus , Frosch Peter , Goossens An , Johansen Jeanne D. , Svedman Cecilia , White Ian R. , Karlberg Ann‐Therese
Published: October 2006

Limonene, one of the most often used fragrance terpenes in any kind of scented products, is prone to air‐oxidation. The oxidation products formed have a considerable sensitizing potential. In previous patch test studies on consecutively tested dermatitis patients, oxidized R‐limonene has been proven to be a good and frequent indicator of fragrance‐related contact allergy. The current study extends these investigations to 6 European clinics of dermatology, where the oxidation mixture of both enantiomers of limonene (R and S) have been tested in 2411 dermatitis patients. Altogether, 63 out of 2411 patients tested (2.6%) reacted to 1 or both the oxidized limonene preparations. Only 2.3% reacted to the oxidized R‐limonene and 2.0% to the oxidized S‐limonene. In 57% of the cases, simultaneous reactions were observed to both oxidation mixtures. Concomitant reactions to the fragrance mix, colophonium, Myroxylon pereirae, and fragrance‐related contact allergy were common in patients reacting to 1 or both the oxidized limonene enantiomers. Our study provides clinical evidence for the importance of oxidation products of limonene in contact allergy. It seems advisable to screen consecutive dermatitis patients with oxidized limonene 3% petrolatum, although this patch test material is not yet commercially available.
Phosphoinositide 3‐kinase is not overexpressed in melanocytic lesions
Authors: Singh Rajendra S. , Diwan A. Hafeez , Zhang Peter S. , Prieto Victor G.
Published: October 2006

Background:  Although various studies have stressed the role of phosphatase and tensin homologue deleted on chromosome 10 (PTEN)‐PI3K‐AKT pathway in the progression of melanocytic lesions, little is known about the expression pattern of PI3K in these lesions.

Objective:  To investigate the expression pattern of PI3K in benign and dysplastic nevi, primary melanomas, and metastatic melanomas and the role of PTEN and PI3K in melanocytic tumor progression.

Methods:  Tissue microarrays were constructed using formalin‐fixed, paraffin‐embedded archival tissue blocks from 89 melanocytic lesions: 17 benign nevi, 18 dysplastic nevi, 23 primary melanomas, and 31 metastatic melanomas. Expression of PTEN and PI3K (p85 and p110 subunits) was evaluated immunohistochemically, and the number of cells and labeling intensity were assessed semiquantitatively.

Results:  Both benign and dysplastic nevi showed strong cytoplasmic staining with PTEN, which was subsequently less in melanomas and completely lost in the metastatic lesions. Eleven of 17 (64%) benign nevi, seven of 10 (70%) dysplastic nevi, four of 23 (17%) primaries, and one of 31 (3%) visceral or lymph node metastasis showed strong positivity. Loss of PTEN expression from benign and dysplastic nevi to melanoma was statistically significant (p = 0.001). Although few cells showed reactivity for phosphoinositide 3‐kinase (PI3 kinase)‐p85 subunit, strong positivity was not detected in the cytoplasm of benign, malignant, or metastatic lesions, except for a single visceral metastasis. Three of 13 (23%) nevi showed positivity for the p110 subunit. No positivity was observed in the dysplastic nevi. Two of 22 (9%) melanomas, one of 14 (7%) visceral metastasis, and three of 12 (25%) lymph node metastasis showed strong positivity. There was no statistical difference in PI3 kinase expression in benign and malignant melanocytic lesions (p = 0.2).

Conclusion:  PI3K is not overexpressed in melanocytic lesions.
Preliminary experiments on mechanical stretch‐induced activation of skeletal muscle satellite cells in vivo
Authors: SAKATA Tomowa , TATSUMI Ryuichi , YAMADA Michiko , SHIRATSUCHI Sei‐Ichi , OKAMOTO Shinpei , MIZUNOYA Wataru , HATTORI Akihito , IKEUCHI Yoshihide
Published: October 2006

We have shown in vitro that mechanical stretch triggers activation of quiescent satellite cells of skeletal muscle to enter the cell cycle through an intracellular cascade of events including nitric oxide (NO) synthesis that results in the release of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) from its extracellular association and its subsequent presentation to signaling receptors. In order to explore the activation mechanism in vivo, stretch experiments were conducted in the living animal using our suspension model developed. This system used the weight of the hind portion of rats to stretch the inside muscles of the left hind limb suspended for a period of 0.5–2.0 h. At the end of the stretch period, the rats received an intraperitoneal injection of bromodeoxyuridine followed by immunocytochemistry for its incorporation as an index of satellite cell activation in vivo. Depending on the period of stretch, bromodeoxyuridine labeling was increased significantly over the contralateral unstretched leg or control muscle from untreated rats. A stretched muscle extract prepared from the 2 h stretched tissue by incubating it in PBS, showed the active form of HGF as revealed by immunoblotting and it could stimulate the activation of unstretched satellite cells. Also, administering NO synthase inhibitor L‐NAME prior to muscle stretch abolished the stretch activation of satellite cells. Therefore, the results from these experiments demonstrate that stretching muscle triggers NO synthesis and HGF release, which could activate satellite cells in vivo.
Total lipid and triacylglycerol contents in the liver of broiler and layer chickens at embryonic stages and hatching
Authors: SATO Momoka , TACHIBANA Tetsuya , FURUSE Mitsuhiro
Published: October 2006

To compare the hepatic function of broiler and layer chickens (Gallus gallus domesticus) at various embryonic stages and hatching, the total lipid and triacylglycerol (TG) content were determined. The chicken embryos accumulated a large amount of lipids in the liver and the total lipid content gradually increased toward hatching, though no significant difference was observed between broilers and layers. The TG contents in the liver increased considerably with developmental stage. At embryonic day 14 the TG content in the liver was similar between broilers and layers; thereafter, it was 1.3 and 2.2 times higher in broilers than in layers at embryonic day 18 and for newly hatched chicks, respectively. Chick embryos accumulate an excessive amount of cholesterol ester in the liver, but cholesterol ester is replaced by TG after hatching. The results of hepatic TG contents in the present study suggest that the development of the hepatic function between broilers and layers may already differ at embryonic stages.
Effect of a commercial microbiological additive on beef manure compost in the composting process
Authors: SASAKI Hiraku , KITAZUME Osamu , NONAKA Jun , HIKOSAKA Kenji , OTAWA Kenichi , ITOH Kikuji , NAKAI Yutaka
Published: October 2006

We observed the effects of a commercial microbiological additive (MA) on the beef manure composting process and investigated the changes in its physical and chemical components and microbial populations in the composting process. When beef manure compost was inoculated with the MA, its temperature rapidly increased at the beginning of the process, and after the first turning, the ammonia emission from the compost pile and nitrate production decreased quicker than that in the composting process without the MA. During the composting process, the manure inoculated with MA showed a larger numbers of mesophilic and thermophilic aerobes, and a smaller number of thermophilic anaerobes than in the process without the MA. These results suggested that mesophilic aerobes increased in number and metabolized ammonia by assimilation rather than nitrification to accelerate the temperature elevation in the composting process with the MA.
Class and Antebellum American Literature
Authors: Lawson Andrew
Published: October 2006

This article discusses the formation and transformation of the elite, the middle class and the artisan class in the antebellum period. It then analyses the work of three major authors from each of these classes: Emily Dickinson, Nathaniel Hawthorne and George Lippard, showing how each author responded to the challenges and contradictions of their particular class location.
Preference for salts in cooking as perceived by sensory panelists
Authors:   Undergraduate Creative Inquiry Team
Published: October 2006

This study was conducted to determine if consumers have a preference for sea, table or kosher salt. Mashed potatoes were tested and accepted as an adequate carrier. Preliminary sensory research was conducted over two trial days in the Food Science and Human Nutrition Department. The panelists (n = 100) conducted evaluations on three samples of mashed potatoes seasoned with three types of salt (sea, kosher and noniodized table) using preference testing. A control sample, unsalted mashed potatoes, was presented with each set. The objective of this study was to determine the ‘best overall salt flavor’. Consumers preferred the table and sea salt samples more than the kosher salt, but there was not a distinguishable difference between the table and the sea salts. However, there was no statistical preference by the participant for either of the salts.
On the Use of Differing Money Transmission Methods by Mexican Immigrants
Authors: Amuedo-Dorantes Catalina , Pozo Susan
Published: October 2006

Interest in the factors shaping migrants' use of a given money transmittal method has recently intensified following researchers' agreement on the often inadequate infrastructure surrounding remittances transfers. This concern has also captured the attention of government officials, who appear more eager to promote more efficient and safe transfers of emigrant's earnings given the potential that remittances hold for increasing resources at the disposal of receiving nations. This study uses data from Mexican immigrants who have resided in the United States to examine the various factors that shape migrants' use of the various methods to remit earnings to Mexico. We find, not surprisingly, that accessibility factors play a key role in explaining migrants' use of the various money-transfer mechanisms. Migrants are less likely to use banks and more likely to use nonbank money-transmitting services when they lack immigration documents. Additionally, migrants' awareness of alternative remitting methods, either through educational attainment, skill level, or networks of friends and family in the city to which they migrated, makes them more likely to use banks relative to the more expensive nonbank money-transmitting mechanisms. In contrast, the use of informal money transfer mechanisms (cash in the mail and hand-carried transfers) is more likely among workers with “less regular” employment – such as self-employed and specific-task workers, more newly arrived migrants, and migrants remitting to rural and poorer areas.
Geographic Mobility and Spatial Assimilation among U.S. Latino Immigrants
Authors: South Scott J. , Crowder Kyle , Chavez Erick
Published: October 2006

Although the spatial assimilation of immigrants to the United States has important implications for social theory and social policy, few studies have explored the patterns and determinants of interneighborhood geographic mobility that lead to immigrants' residential proximity to the white, non-Hispanic majority. We explore this issue by merging data from three different sources – the Latino National Political Survey, the Panel Study of Income Dynamics, and tract-level census data – to begin unraveling causal relationships among indicators of socioeconomic, social, cultural, segmented, and spatial assimilation. Our longitudinal analysis of 700 Mexican, Puerto Rican, and Cuban immigrants followed from 1990 to 1995 finds broad support for hypotheses derived from the classical account of minority assimilation. High income, English language use, and embeddedness in Anglo social contexts increase Latino immigrants' geographic mobility into Anglo neighborhoods. U.S. citizenship and years spent in the United States are positively associated with geographic mobility into more Anglo neighborhoods, and coethnic contact is inversely associated with this form of mobility, but these associations operate largely through other predictors. Prior experiences of ethnic discrimination increase and residence in public housing decreases the likelihood that Latino immigrants will move from their origin neighborhoods, while residing in metropolitan areas with large Latino populations leads to geographic moves into “less Anglo” census tracts.
“Picking Winners”: The Recent Transformation of Australia's Skilled Migration Policy
Authors: Hawthorne Lesleyanne
Published: October 2006

From 1980 to 1996, Australian researchers identified consistently inferior labor market outcomes for professionals from non-English-speaking background source countries. In 1997, the incoming conservative government initiated a major review of Australia's skilled migration program, based on a determination to ‘select for success' among applicants. Subsequent initiatives included mandatory English language testing, rigorous qualifications screening, incentives for international students to migrate, and abolition of income support in the first two years post-arrival. This article provides a detailed analysis of factors leading to this policy transformation. Labor market outcomes for 2001 are defined, including a halving of unemployment among recently arrived migrants.
Variation in Dual Citizenship Policies in the Countries of the EU
Authors: Howard Marc Morjé
Published: October 2006

While the concept of citizenship has received considerable scholarly attention in recent years, few studies focus on the increasingly prevalent reality of dual citizenship, or full membership – with its respective rights, privileges, and obligations – in two different countries. The main objective of this article is to conceptualize, measure, and classify variation in dual citizenship in the countries of the European Union. I start by recounting the historical opposition to dual citizenship and by describing its emergence in recent decades. I then develop a “Citizenship Policy Index” that accounts for some of the intricacies associated with citizenship policies in general and dual citizenship policies in particular. I go on to apply these measures to the fifteen “older” EU countries in both the 1980s and the contemporary period – thus allowing for an analysis of the changes that have taken place over the past two decades – while also briefly examining the current policies of the ten new EU members. Overall, the findings point to surprisingly resilient national differences that stand out in contrast to the EU's institutional “harmonization” in so many other areas.
Trends in the Gender Ratio of Immigrants to the United States
Authors: Gordon Linda W.
Published: October 2006

Females have held a majority in the immigrant population arriving in the United States since about 1930, despite the traditional picture of the lone male pioneer or the immigrant family group. The 1980s and early 1990s saw a reversal of this pattern. This article provides information on the gender ratio of immigrants in recent years and analyzes how elements of U.S. immigration law favor one gender or the other. The number of marriages between U.S. citizens or legal residents and non-citizens is highlighted as the dynamic factor determining the trend and proportion of male and female immigrants.
Current velocity and habitat patchiness shape stream herbivore movement
Authors: Hoffman Aaron L. , Olden Julian D. , Monroe Jeremy B. , LeRoy Poff N. , Wellnitz Todd , Wiens John A.
Published: October 2006

Animal movements are influenced by the structure and arrangement of patches in a landscape. Most movement studies occur in terrestrial landscapes, though aquatic landscapes are equally heterogeneous and feature patches that differ in resistance to animal movements. Furthermore, the variable and highly directional flow of water over streambed landscapes is a unique environmental element, yet its constraint on animal movement is poorly understood. This study examines how habitat availability in a streambed landscape interacts with current velocity to affect movement patterns of two benthic grazers: glossosomatid caddisfly larvae (Agapetus boulderensis) and pulmonate snails (Physa sp.). Using experimental streambed landscapes, we found that Agapetus traveled farther as availability of smooth habitat (composed of low diatom turfs) increased compared to tall, structured filamentous stands, but only did so in slow current velocities. Swifter flows caused restricted movement of Agapetus and more upstream‐oriented paths, but only in smooth landscapes where the potential for flow refugia from filamentous stands was minimal. Similarly, increasing proportions of smooth habitat facilitated greater net displacement of Physa using more upstream‐oriented paths. Higher current velocities caused Physa to move faster, a pattern demonstrated only in smooth landscapes.

Our results illustrate a strong interaction between benthic habitat structure and current velocity in shaping patterns of grazer movements in a streambed landscape. Our study also suggests that the flow of water be considered not only a strong environmental gradient in streams, but also an interactive landscape feature that can combine with streambed structure to determine the permeability of patches to the movement of benthic organisms. Landscape ecology has mainly focused on terrestrial environments, and this study offers insight into some of the unique processes that may shape animal movement in aquatic environments.
From the Hodgkin–Huxley axon to the virtual heart
Authors: Noble Denis
Published: October 2006

Experimentally based models of the heart have been developed since 1960, starting with the discovery and modelling of potassium channels. The early models were based on extensions of the Hodgkin–Huxley nerve impulse equations. The first models including calcium balance and signalling were made in the 1980s and have now reached a high degree of physiological detail. During the 1990s these cell models have been incorporated into anatomically detailed tissue and organ models to create the first virtual organ, the Virtual Heart. With over 40 years of interaction between simulation and experiment, the models are now sufficiently refined to begin to be of use in drug development.
New Periodic Orbits for the n-Body Problem
Authors: Moore Cristopher , Nauenberg Michael
Published: October 2006

Since the discovery of the figure-eight orbit for the three-body problem [Moore, C., 1993, Phys. Rev. Lett., 70, pp. 3675–3679] a large number of periodic orbits of the n-body problem with equal masses and beautiful symmetries have been discovered. However, most of those that have appeared in the literature are either planar or are obtained from perturbations of planar orbits. Here we exhibit a number of new three-dimensional periodic n-body orbits with equal masses and cubic symmetry, including some whose moment of inertia tensor is a scalar. We found these orbits numerically, by minimizing the action as a function of the trajectories’ Fourier coefficients. We also give numerical evidence that a planar three-body orbit first found in [Hénon, M., 1976, Celest. Mech., 13, pp. 267–285], rediscovered by [Moore, 1993], and found to exist for different masses by [Nauenberg, M., 2001, Phys. Lett., 292, pp. 93–99], is dynamically stable.
Co-dimension-Two Grazing Bifurcations in Single-Degree-of-Freedom Impact Oscillators
Authors: Thota Phanikrishna , Zhao Xiaopeng , Dankowicz Harry
Published: October 2006

Grazing bifurcations in impact oscillators characterize the transition in asymptotic dynamics between impacting and nonimpacting motions. Several different grazing bifurcation scenarios under variations of a single system parameter have been previously documented in the literature. In the present paper, the transition between two characteristically different co-dimension-one grazing bifurcation scenarios is found to be associated with the presence of certain co-dimension-two grazing bifurcation points and their unfolding in parameter space. The analysis investigates the distribution of such degenerate bifurcation points along the grazing bifurcation manifold in examples of single-degree-of-freedom oscillators. Unfoldings obtained with the discontinuity-mapping technique are used to explore the possible influence on the global dynamics of the smooth co-dimension-one bifurcations of the impacting dynamics that emanate from such co-dimension-two points. It is shown that attracting impacting motion may result from parameter variations through a co-dimension-two grazing bifurcation of an initially unstable limit cycle in a nonlinear micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) oscillator.
Amber GaNP-based light-emitting diodes directly grown on GaP(100) substrates
Authors: Odnoblyudov V. A. , Tu C. W.
Published: October 2006

Growth and fabrication of GaNP-based amber light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are reported. A simple p-i-n heterojunction LED structure, emitting at 612nm was grown directly on a transparent GaP(100) substrate. Current-voltage (I-V) characteristics of 380μm×380μm LED chips are comparable to those of conventional AlInGaP-based LEDs, but GaNP-based LEDs exhibit a much higher breakdown voltage. The significant simplicity of a one-step growth process of GaNP-based LEDs is an advantage over etch removing of a GaAs absorbing substrate and wafer bonding to a GaP transparent substrate for conventional AlInGaP-based LEDs.
Templated germanium nanowire synthesis using oriented mesoporous organosilicate thin films
Authors: Jagannathan Hemanth , Deal Michael , Nishi Yoshio , Kim Ho-Cheol , Freer Erik M. , Sundstrom Linnea , Topuria Teya , Rice Philip M.
Published: October 2006

The authors report on a technique of combining low temperature nanowire synthesis with self-assembly of block copolymers in order to obtain a controlled array of nanowires. An oriented mesoporous inorganic thin film with ∼12nm pores was used as a template for synthesizing and controlling an array of vertical germanium nanowires. The number density of the nanowires growing through the pores was found to increase with an increase in the growth temperature. A low growth temperature of 275°C results in sparse nanowire growth while growth at 340°C results in approximately 50% of the pores being filled with nanowires. The growth through the pores is increased to close to 100% by growing the nanowires at a higher temperature of 380°C. Scanning electron micrographs confirm the presence of the nanowires conforming to the shape and dimensions of the pores. Transmission electron microscopy further reveals the microstructure of nanowires inside the pores to be polycrystalline. The technique of templated nanowire growth is a promising method to obtain well ordered arrays of nanowires which would be useful in a broad number of studies and applications.
Neutron irradiation effects in p-GaN
Authors: Polyakov A. Y. , Smirnov N. B. , Govorkov A. V. , Markov A. V. , Kolin N. G. , Merkurisov D. I. , Boiko V. M. , Shcherbatchev K. D. , Bublik V. T. , Voronova M. I. , Pearton S. J. , Dabiran A. , Osinsky A. V.
Published: October 2006

Electrical properties, admittance, and microcathodoluminescence spectra are compared for p-GaN samples grown by hydride vapor phase epitaxy (HVPE) and by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). The former are characterized by a high 300K hole concentration and a weak temperature dependence of conductivity. The latter samples show strongly temperature-activated conductivity due to ionization of Mg acceptors. The main effects of neutron irradiation were similar for the p-HVPE and the p-MBE materials: a compensation of p-type conductivity starting with neutron fluences exceeding 2×1016cm−2 and conversion to high resistivity n type with the Fermi level pinned near Ec-(0.8–0.9)eV after irradiation with high doses of 1018cm−2. For the heavily neutron irradiated p-HVPE samples, a strong increase was observed in the c-lattice parameter which indicates an important role for interstitial-type defects.
Etching characteristics of TiN used as hard mask in dielectric etch process
Authors: Darnon M. , Chevolleau T. , Eon D. , Vallier L. , Torres J. , Joubert O.
Published: October 2006

This study focuses on the etching characteristics of a TiN hard mask in terms of etch rate and faceting when using a dielectric etch process. The etching experiments have been performed on blanket wafers and patterned structures in an inductively coupled plasma using a conventional CF4∕Ar based plasma. The etch rate and faceting of TiN have been measured as a function of the plasma parameters (bias power and pressure) and also plasma chemistries (Ar dilution and CH2F2 addition). The TiN etch rate is about 30nmmin−1 using the base line process conditions (70SCCM CF4, source power of 500W, bias power of 100W, and pressure of 4mTorr). Lower etch rate is observed at lower pressure and bias power and with higher Ar dilution and CH2F2 addition. The faceting is strongly reduced at lower bias power and higher pressure whereas higher Ar dilution and CH2F2 addition have no clear effect on the facet formation. Surface analysis using x-ray photoelectrons spectroscopy reveal that the top surface of TiN is mainly fluorinated in the steady state etching regime whatever the plasma conditions. Plasma diagnostics have been also performed thanks to an optical emission spectrometer, an ion mass spectrometer, and a capacitive probe to determine the fluorine concentration and the ion flux composition and density, respectively. The whole results show that the etching of TiN is mainly controlled by the fluorine concentration and the ions energy dissipated on the surface. The etch rate and faceting evolution will be discussed and interpreted in terms of plasma surface interaction.
Zinc tin oxide thin-film transistors via reactive sputtering using a metal target
Authors: Hong David , Chiang Hai Q. , Wager John F.
Published: October 2006

Zinc tin oxide based thin-film transistors are fabricated via reactive magnetron sputtering using a metallic zinc/tin alloy target. The oxygen partial pressure and total sputtering pressure are explored. An oxygen partial pressure and total sputtering pressure of 0.8 and 30mTorr, respectively, are found to be optimal. Devices with a reactively sputtered zinc tin oxide channel layer and channel layer annealing of 500°C exhibit incremental mobilities of ∼32cm2V−1s−1, turn-on voltage of ∼−4V and drain current on-to-off ratios of ∼107. Both direct current and radio frequency magnetron sputtering are explored showing similar characteristics.