bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Statins Provoking MELAS Syndrome
Authors: Thomas Joseph E. , Lee Nora , Thompson Paul D.
Published: March 2007

Background: Statins inhibit the production of 2,3-dimethoxy,5-methyl,6-polyisoprene parabenzoquinone also known as ubiquinone or coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), which is required for mitochondrial electron transport. Idiopathic or primary CoQ10 deficiencies have been known to cause mitochondrial encephalomyopathy. Methods: We present the case of a patient with mitochondrial syndrome, consisting of mitochondrial encephalomyopathy, lactic acidosis and stroke-like episodes (MELAS), whose symptoms were temporally related to statin therapy. Conclusion: Statins may provoke symptoms related to MELAS in susceptible individuals.
Hearing Results after Stapedotomy: Role of the Prosthesis Diameter
Authors: Marchese Maria Raffaella , Cianfrone Francesca , Passali Giulio Cesare , Paludetti Gaetano
Published: March 2007

Objective: To evaluate the functional results obtained after stapedotomy in patients affected by otosclerosis, according to the prosthesis diameter. Patients and Methods: A retrospective case review was performed. Two hundred and twelve consecutive ears in 132 patients affected by otosclerosis were operated on. All patients underwent primary small-fenestra stapedotomy. In 112 of the 212 stapedotomies (52.83%) the 0.6-mm piston (group A) and in 100 of the 212 stapedotomies (47.16%) the 0.4-mm piston (group B) were employed. Results: After surgery, the difference between the two groups in the air conduction improvement (21.04 dB group A vs. 11.14 dB group B) reached statistical significance (p < 0.05). In group A, the postoperative air conduction pure-tone average improvement obtained at 0.5, 1, and 2 kHz was statistically greater as compared with group B (p < 0.05). In group A the postoperative bone conduction pure-tone average decreased by 5.19 dB, whereas in group B it increased by 2.95 dB (p > 0.05). The incidence of ears with a postoperative bone conduction worsening >10 dB (sensorineural hearing loss) was lower in group B than in group A: 5 of 100 ears (5%) versus 9 of112 ears (8.03%) (p > 0.05). The postoperative air-bone gap was smaller in group A than in group B for all frequencies, but the difference can be considered significant at 1 and 2 kHz. The air-bone gap improvement in group A if compared with group B was statistically greater at 0.5, 1, and 2 kHz (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Our study suggests that an increase in piston diameter gives better results, especially at lower frequencies. The functional results obtained after stapedotomy confirm the advantageous effect of a larger piston diameter on hearing of the speech frequencies and support the opinion of a better clinical effect.
Growth Hormone Insensitivity and Severe Short Stature in Siblings: A Novel Mutation at the Exon 13-Intron 13 Junction of the STAT5b Gene
Authors: Hwa Vivian , Camacho-Hübner Cecilia , Little Brian M. , David Alessia , Metherell Lou A. , El-Khatib Nesrin , Savage Martin O. , Rosenfeld Ron G.
Published: March 2007

Background/Aims: Growth hormone insensitivity (GHI) is characterized by severe short stature, high serum growth hormone (GH), low serum IGF-I and IGFBP-3 levels and is classically associated with genetic defects of the GH receptor (GHR). Recently, mutations of the STAT5b gene have been identified and shown to be associated with GHI and severe IGF deficiency. We investigated 2 sisters from a consanguineous family from Kuwait, with clinical and biochemical features of GHI, in whom no molecular defects in the GHR were identified. Methods: Serum and DNA were analyzed. Results: In addition to GHI, siblings 2 and 1 presented with, respectively, a diagnosis of juvenile idiopathic arthritis and recurrent pulmonary infections. Molecular analysis of the STAT5b gene revealed a novel homozygous deletion of a G at the junction of exon 13-intron 13. The parents, who are of normal height, were heterozygous for the mutation. Conclusions: This is the first STAT5b defect to be identified in siblings, further supporting the autosomal recessive mode of transmission of STAT5b deficiency. The results affirm that defective STAT5b is an etiology for IGF deficiency and the GHI phenotype, and emphasize the importance of considering this diagnosis in patients with IGF deficiency, especially when associated with diverse immunological problems.
Factors Influencing Skeletal Maturation at Diagnosis of Paediatric Cushing’s Disease
Authors: Peters C.J. , Ahmed M.L. , Storr H.L. , Davies K.M. , Martin L.J. , Allgrove J. , Grossman A.B. , Savage M.O.
Published: March 2007

Background/Aims: Growth retardation is a recognised complication of paediatric Cushing’s disease (CD), but there are few published data on skeletal maturation at diagnosis. We assessed factors contributing to skeletal maturation in patients with paediatric CD. Patients/Methods: 17 patients, 12 males, 5 females (median age 12.1 years, range 5.8–17.4) were studied. The bone age (BA) of each child was determined by a single observer using the TW3 RUS method. BA delay, i.e. the difference between chronological age (CA) and BA, was compared with clinical and biochemical variables. Results: BA delay was present in 15/17 patients (mean delay 2.0 years, range –0.5 to 4.1 years) and correlated negatively with height SDS (r = –0.70, p < 0.01) and positively with duration of symptoms (r = 0.48, p = 0.05) and CA (r = 0.48, p = 0.05). No relationships were found with midnight cortisol, ACTH, DHEA-S or cortisol suppression during the low-dose dexamethasone suppression test. Conclusions: BA in most children with CD was delayed and related to length of symptoms and height SDS at diagnosis. Early diagnosis will reduce delay in skeletal maturation and thus contribute to optimal catch-up growth.
Coincident Activation of Th2 T Cells with Onset of the Disease and Differential Expression of GRO-Gamma in Peripheral Blood Leukocytes in Minimal Change Disease
Authors: Adrogue Horacio E. , Borillo Jason , Torres Lisa , Kale Arundhati , Zhou Cindy , Feig Daniel , Merszei Justin , Johnson Richard , Lou Ya-Huan
Published: March 2007

Background: Involvement of Th2 T cells/NFĸB in minimal change disease (MCD) has been postulated. A promising but unconfirmed glomerular permeability factor (GPF) from MCD T cells has been described. We explored whether GPF was the consequence of Th2 cell activation. Methods: Peripheral blood leukocytes (PBL) from 16 MCD patients and 7 normal controls were analyzed and the results were statistically compared. Results: Flow cytometry demonstrated a significant expansion of CD4+ T cell population and dramatically increased CD69+ cells among CD4+ T cells in MCD, suggesting coincident activation of T cells with onset of the disease. RT-PCR on RNA from either freshly isolated PBL or post in vitroactivation showed high-level expression of the Th2 cytokine interleukin-4 in all MCD patients. Importantly, both antibody microarray assay on sera and RT-PCR on mRNA of PBL revealed expression of a CXC chemokine GRO-γ (growth-related oncogene) in all MCD patients as compared with one of 7 controls. Conclusions: Our results reveal an association between onset of MCD and activation of Th2 cells. The GRO family has been implicated in the function of endothelial cells, and its expression is under NFĸB regulation. Thus, GRO-γ is a promising candidate for Th2-associated GPF in MCD.
Isobolographic Analyses of the Gabapentin-Metamizol Combination after Local Peripheral, Intrathecal and Oral Administration in the Rat
Authors: Ortega-Varela Luis F. , Herrera Jorge E. , Caram-Salas Nadia L. , Rocha-González Héctor I. , Granados-Soto Vinicio
Published: March 2007

This study was designed to evaluate the possible antinociceptive interaction between gabapentin and metamizol on formalin-induced nociception. Gabapentin, metamizol or a fixed dose-ratio combination of both drugs were assessed after local peripheral, intrathecal and oral administration in rats. Isobolographic analyses were employed to define the nature of the interaction between drugs. Gabapentin, metamizol and gabapentin-metamizol combinations yielded a dose-dependent antinociceptive effect when administered by the three different routes. ED30 values were estimated for the individual drugs and isobolograms were constructed. Theoretical ED30 values for the combination estimated from the isobolograms were 21.11 ± 1.17 µg/paw, 104.6 ± 5.5 µg/rat and 78.8 ± 5.5 mg/kg for the local peripheral, intrathecal and oral administration routes, respectively. These values were significantly higher than the experimentally obtained ED30 values which were 11.3 ± 1.5 µg/paw, 36.8 ± 3.1 µg/rat and 15 ± 1.2 mg/kg indicating a synergistic interaction. Systemic administration resulted in the highest synergism. Data confirm that low doses of the gabapentin and metamizol can interact synergistically to reduce formalin-induced nociceptive behavior suggesting that this combination could be useful to treat inflammatory pain in humans.
Interleukin-10 Production after Pro-Inflammatory Stimulation of Neutrophils and Monocytic Cells of the Newborn
Authors: Davidson Dennis , Miskolci Veronika , Clark Denise C. , Dolmaian Gigliola , Vancurova Ivana
Published: March 2007

Background: Neutrophils followed by monocytic cells are recruited into the lung during the early development of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). Objectives: We determined: (1) the capacity of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) and peripheral blood monocytic cells (PBMCs) of the newborn to produce and release the anti-inflammatory cytokine, interleukin (IL)-10, after stimulation by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or tumor necrosis factor (TNF), and (2) the levels of exogenous IL-10 and/or dexamethasone (DEX) needed to inhibit the release of the pro-inflammatory chemokine IL-8 from stimulated cells. Methods: PMNs and PBMCs were isolated from cord blood of healthy term infants. RT-PCR and ELISA were used to detect mRNA and cytokine levels from culture media, respectively. Results: We found that PMNs did not produce IL-10 mRNA or release IL-10 but did produce IL-8 mRNA by 1 h. PBMCs did produce IL-10 mRNA after 4 h (with IL-8 mRNA expression by 1 h). LPS-stimulated PBMCs released IL-10 to a maximum of 1,038 pg/ml/5 million cells (56 femtomolar). Equimolar doses of exogenous IL-10 or DEX produced up to 83% inhibition of IL-8 from PMNs. Exogenous IL-10 was more potent than DEX, on an equimolar basis, with regard to IL-8 release from PBMCs (90 vs. 33% respectively at a 10 nanomolar level). No inhibition of IL-8 release by IL-10 or DEX was observed at 100 femtomolar level. IL-10 and DEX did not have an additive inhibitory effect on IL-8 release. Conclusions: We conclude that for the newborn: (1) PBMCs produce IL-10 far below the level needed to inhibit a submaximal release of IL-8 from PMNs or PBMCs, and (2) exogenous IL-10 was equipotent or more potent than therapeutic levels of DEX on inhibition of IL-8 from these cells. Further studies are needed to determine if exogenous IL-10 may be useful in the treatment of BPD or other inflammatory disorders of the newborn.
Tsunami, Text and Trauma: Hermeneutics after the Asian Tsunami
Authors: Sugirtharajah
Published: March 2007

This essay is about the political and hermeneutical ramifications of the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami which had such a devastating effect upon millions of people. The first section deals with how a national disaster like a tsunami becomes a vehicle for both decolonization and recolonization. In Dutch colonial Indonesia, an earlier tsunami became in the hands of nationalists an ideal gift to whip up anti-colonial sentiments. The current humanitarian reconstruction, with all its good intentions, lends itself to economic, cultural and spiritual neo-colonialism. The second section looks at how the biblical flood story was utilized for the justification of colonial projects such as the invasion of South America and also used as a benchmark to evaluate and judge other peoples' history and chronology, and how in the process the authenticity of the biblical account was established. The third section addresses the theological reactions of different faith communities, which tend either to blame an angry God for the misfortune, or attribute the disaster to the misbehavior of the people. The last section advances the idea that a possible place to look for an answer to the theological conundrum produced by the tsunami is in secular stories which, in contemporary society, act as surrogate sacred texts. The essay analyses two novels—José Saramago's The Gospel According to Jesus Christ, and Vicente Leñero's The Gospel of Lucas Gavilán, which shed new light on old stories and offer a complex picture of God.
Heroism in 1 and 2 Maccabees
Authors: Tomes Roger
Published: March 2007

Three types of heroism can be identified in 1 and 2 Maccabees: those of the warrior, the martyr and the suicide. While these concepts derive in part from the histories in the Hebrew Bible, they also display affinities with Greek ideas. Greek influence may be traced in vocabulary, in the manner of writing history, and in the emphasis on the motivation of the heroes. Greek history writing however occasionally appeals to universal values, whereas the Maccabaean literature does not look directly beyond the defence of the Jewish way of life. The martyrs were honoured by both Christians and Jews in times of persecution; and, although they never directly appealed to the suicide of Razis, Jews embraced suicide under the threat of torture or forced conversion as a legitimate way of 'sanctifying the name'. The example of Judas and his brothers may have been used to justify the Crusades: it has certainly helped to inspire Zionism and Israeli aspirations.
Legal and Cultural Aspects of Ignominious Parading (Tashhir) in Islam
Authors: Lange Christian
Published: March 2007

Ignominious parading (tashhīr) was a crucial element of Islamic punitive practice well into the 19th century CE. In the context of a cultural-legal tradition for which the distinction between private and public was all-important, a punishment consisting, literally, in "making someone public" had a fundamental role to play. However, tashhīr has gone largely unnoticed by historians of Islamic law, despite the fact that it features prominently in legal discussions as the penalty for perjury (shahādat al-zūr). This essay, based for the most part on sources from the late-classical period (5th/11th and 6th/12th centuries), not only analyzes the place of tashhīr in fiqh, but it also takes into account instances of tashhīr in Islamic historiography and in the eschatological literature, thus uncovering the symbolic structure that underlies the tashhīr ritual.
Vessel Volumetrics and the Myth of the Cyclopean Bronze Age Ship
Authors: Monroe Christopher
Published: March 2007

The largest seagoing sailed merchantmen in the Mediterranean and Gulf during the Bronze Age (c. 3000-1150 BC) were probably not much larger than the ship that wrecked at Uluburun—about 20 tons capacity and 16 meters long. A 13th c. letter from Ugarit, long interpreted as indicative of much larger ships, is reinterpreted in the context of available texts, archaeology, and iconography. Available iconographical evidence points toward a 20 meter maximum length, and the evidence of the Uluburun shipwreck only nominally exceeds the maximum size of seagoing ships appearing in Mesopotamian records. Storage jars from shipwrecks, including those found at Uluburun, are used to address problematical aspects of the textual evidence, wherein the capacity of ships is given in volumetric units. Though problematic, all available evidence suggests that reconstructions of Bronze Age trade networks should assume smaller ship capacities. On se doute que les navires de commerce les plus larges – il s'agit des voiliers – naviguant sur la Méditerranée et le Golfe à l'Âge du Bronze (vers 3000-1150 av. J.-C.) ne furent pas plus grands que le vaisseau qui coula au large d'Uluburun (côte méridionale de la Turquie). Ce bateau-là a dû avoir une contenance d'environ 20 tonnes et une longueur de 16 mètres. Un passage se trouvant dans une lettre d'Ugarit datant du XIIIe s. av. J.-C. longuement interprété comme reflétant l'existence des vaisseaux beaucoup plus larges à cette époque-là, a été réinterprété dans le contexte des témoignages textuels, archéologiques et iconographiques disponibles. Tandisque l'iconographie suggère une longueur maximale de 20 mètres, l'épave d'Uluburun par contre correspond à peu près à la largeur maximale des navires de mer tels qu'ils figurent dans les documents Mésopotamiens. Les amphores sorties des épaves, y inclus celles d'Uluburun, servent à aborder des aspects problématiques des textes donnant la capacité des vaisseaux sous forme d'unités volumétriques. Or, en admettant que les l'interprétation des sources disponibles posent des difficultés, tout se porte à croire que la reconstruction des réseaux de commerce de l'Â ge de Bronze devrait être fait à base des capacités plus modestes.
"The Doctor Quarrels with Some Pictures": Exegesis and Animals in Thomas Browne's Pseudodoxia epidemica
Authors: Killeen Kevin
Published: March 2007

This essay explores Thomas Browne's Pseudodoxia epidemica (1646), with its lengthy book on 'errors' in animal lore. In the limited critical literature on Browne's natural history, this author is generally seen as stumbling towards a zoological idiom and clearing away the emblematic 'clutter' of earlier writers on natural history—Gesner, Aldrovandi, Topsell or Franzius. This essay proposes that Browne is working with a more complex set of co-ordinates in his thought, beyond his experimental inclinations and his Aristotelian assumptions. It will explore the extent to which his studies of animals emerge from, and duplicate, the presumptions of his biblical hermeneutics, and it will suggest that Browne regularly exports terms from scriptural exegesis—the categories of the literal, the figurative, and the emblematic—into his investigations of the natural world.
Work–life boundary management and the personal digital assistant
Authors: Golden Annis G. , Geisler Cheryl
Published: March 2007

New mobile information and communication technologies are of special interest to researchers seeking to understand the problematic of boundaries between work and personal-life. This study examines how workers used and interpreted the personal digital assistant (PDA) as a boundary management resource. Using a protocol that combined structured, closed-ended questions with open-ended questions, 42 users were interviewed. The data were analyzed to examine individuals' practices in using this technology, the interpretive resources they drew upon, and the ways in which the spirit of the device's design intersected with their practices and interpretations. Results suggest that the spirit of the device is control, and that users interpreted their technological practices as expressions of personal agency, using the PDA to control the work—life boundary through both integration and segmentation of work and personal-life.
Foreign Aid and Policy Concessions
Authors: de Mesquita Bruce Bueno , Smith Alastair
Published: March 2007

We model foreign-aid-for-policy deals, assuming that leaders want to maximize their time in office. Their actions are shaped by two political institutions, their selectorate and winning coalition. Leaders who depend on a large coalition, a relatively small selectorate, and who extract valuable policy concessions from prospective recipients are likely to give aid. Prospective recipients are likely to get aid if they have few resources, depend on a small coalition and a large selectorate, and the policy concession sought by the donor is not too politically costly. The amount of aid received, if any, increases as the recipient leader's coalition increases, the selectorate decreases, the issue's salience increases, and the domestic resources increase. The theory explains why many Third World people hate the United States and want to live there. Empirical tests using the U.S. Agency for International Development data for the post—World War II years support the model's predictions.
Donor Motivations and Contributions to War Crimes Tribunals
Authors: Roper Steven D. , Barria Lilian A.
Published: March 2007

We investigate why states provide a voluntary contribution to war crimes tribunals despite the fact that these tribunals are located in states that offer few economic and strategic advantages. We view tribunal financing as a form of foreign assistance and place the funding of tribunals within the broader foreign assistance literature to explain the motivations of donor states. We examine voluntary contributions to four tribunals, and our analysis shows that there are differences between the gatekeeper stage and the secondary decision to allocate assistance. However, donors generally make no distinction among tribunals for purposes of foreign assistance. As a consequence, purely voluntarily funded tribunals are at a disadvantage, since they are not seen by states as unique and requiring special consideration. Ultimately, the lack of funding calls into question the ability of these tribunals to provide justice to victims as well as serve as a mechanism for national reconciliation.
Non-Union Employee Representation in Australia
Authors: Markey Raymond
Published: March 2007

Non-union representative employee participation recently has attracted increasing international attention in employment relations due to the growing representation gap in many countries as union membership declines, and mounting evidence of the benefits of representative employee participation for enterprise flexibility and efficiency. However, relatively little is known about Australian experiments in employee participation, although it is essential to learn from Australian experience in order to develop effective public policy. This case study represents a contribution to this larger project. SMEC is a non-union employee representative body that has adopted a European works council organizational model. The case study evaluates SMEC's effectiveness as a non-union form of representative employee participation. It concludes that the opportunities for the formation of genuinely independent works council style organs of employee participation remain severely constrained by the current Australian regulatory environment, which tends to encourage a union substitution role.
Entropic Anxiety and the Allegory of Disappearance
Authors: Mi Jiayan
Published: March 2007

This article examines the cultural anxieties and utopian impulse in the post-Mao early 1980s through a symptomatic reading of two paradigmatic texts of the “roots-searching” literature. Essential to the two novels is the pervasive obsession with the disappearance and evaporation of the river. Instead of reading the representations of the river in aesthetical terms, the article foregrounds the river as the central trope of symptom in testimony to post-Mao social, political, and ecological malaise and the utopian desire for redefining national identity. What is at issue in the inscription of the river as an “absent cause” is the problematic translation of the lack into a collective dreamscape for rejuvenation through the dream scenario. By way of Freud-Žižek's pschoanalytical readings of the dream, the article decodes the sociopolitical unconscious that structures such an allegorical vision of the river.
Thrombin regulates intracellular cyclic AMP concentration in human platelets through phosphorylation/activation of phosphodiesterase 3A
Authors: Zhang Wei , Colman Robert W.
Published: March 2007

Thrombin-induced cyclic AMP (cAMP) reduction potentates several steps in platelet activation, including Ca++ mobilization, cytoskeletal reorganization, and fibrinogen receptor conformation. We now reinvestigate the signaling pathways by which intracellular cAMP content is controlled after platelet activation by thrombin. When washed human platelets were stimulated with thrombin, cAMP-dependent phosphodiesterase (PDE3A) activity was significantly increased. A nonselective PDE inhibitor, 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine (IBMX), and the PDE3 selective inhibitors milrinone and cilostazol each suppressed thrombin-induced cAMP-dependent PDE responses, but not 2 different PDE2 inhibitors. Selective inhibition of PDE3A resulted in reversal of thrombin-induced cAMP reduction, indicating that thrombin activated PDE3A. In synergy with inhibition of adenylate cyclase by thrombin, activated PDE3A accelerates cAMP hydrolysis and maximally reduces the cAMP content. Thrombin-induced PDE3A activation was diminished concomitantly with dephosphorylation of PDE3A by protein phosphatase 1 (PP1). An Akt inhibitor blocked PDE3A activation and constrained thrombin-induced cAMP reduction. A P2Y12 inhibitor also reduced thrombin-induced cAMP reduction. The combination of both reversed cAMP decrease by thrombin. Thrombin-mediated phosphorylated PDE3A was isolated by liquid chromatography, detected by a monoclonal antibody against Akt-phosphorylated substrate, and verified by immunoprecipitation study. The predominant isoform phosphorylated by Akt was the 136-kDa species. We suggest that activation/phosphorylation of PDE3A via Akt signaling pathway participates in regulating cAMP during thrombin activation of platelets.
Naive B cells generate regulatory T cells in the presence of a mature immunologic synapse
Authors: Reichardt Peter , Dornbach Bastian , Rong Song , Beissert Stefan , Gueler Faikah , Loser Karin , Gunzer Matthias
Published: March 2007

Naive B cells are ineffective antigen-presenting cells and are considered unable to activate naive T cells. However, antigen-specific contact of these cells leads to stable cell pairs that remain associated over hours in vivo. The physiologic role of such pairs has not been evaluated. We show here that antigen-specific conjugates between naive B cells and naive T cells display a mature immunologic synapse in the contact zone that is absent in T-cell–dendritic-cell (DC) pairs. B cells induce substantial proliferation but, contrary to DCs, no loss of L-selectin in T cells. Surprisingly, while DC-triggered T cells develop into normal effector cells, B-cell stimulation over 72 hours induces regulatory T cells inhibiting priming of fresh T cells in a contact-dependent manner in vitro. In vivo, the regulatory T cells home to lymph nodes where they potently suppress immune responses such as in cutaneous hypersensitivity and ectopic allogeneic heart transplant rejection. Our finding might help to explain old observations on tolerance induction by B cells, identify the mature immunologic synapse as a central functional module of this process, and suggest the use of naive B-cell–primed regulatory T cells, “bTregs,” as a useful approach for therapeutic intervention in adverse adaptive immune responses.
Role of PD-1 and its ligand, B7-H1, in early fate decisions of CD8 T cells
Authors: Goldberg Monica V. , Maris Charles H. , Hipkiss Edward L. , Flies Andrew S. , Zhen Lijie , Tuder Rubin M. , Grosso Joseph F. , Harris Timothy J. , Getnet Derese , Whartenby Katharine A. , Brockstedt Dirk G. , Dubensky Thomas W. , Chen Lieping , Pardoll Drew M. , Drake Charles G.
Published: March 2007

Expression of the PD-1 receptor on T cells has been shown to provide an important inhibitory signal that down-modulates peripheral effector responses in normal tissues and tumors. Furthermore, PD-1 up-regulation on chronically activated T cells can maintain them in a partially reversible inactive state. The function of PD-1 in the very early stages of T-cell response to antigen in vivo has not been fully explored. In this study, we evaluate the role of PD-1 and its 2 B7 family ligands, B7-H1 (PD-L1) and B7-DC (PD-L2), in early fate decisions of CD8 T cells. We show that CD8 T cells specific for influenza hemagglutinin (HA) expressed as a self-antigen become functionally tolerized and express high levels of surface PD-1 by the time of their first cell division. Blockade of PD-1 or B7-H1, but not B7-DC, at the time of self-antigen encounter mitigates tolerance induction and results in CD8 T-cell differentiation into functional cytolytic T lymphocytes (CTLs). These findings demonstrate that, in addition to modulating effector functions in the periphery, B7-H1:PD-1 interactions regulate early T-cell–fate decisions.
Sirolimus-based graft-versus-host disease prophylaxis protects against cytomegalovirus reactivation after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation: a cohort analysis
Authors: Marty Francisco M. , Bryar Julie , Browne Sarah K. , Schwarzberg Talya , Ho Vincent T. , Bassett Ingrid V. , Koreth John , Alyea Edwin P. , Soiffer Robert J. , Cutler Corey S. , Antin Joseph H. , Baden Lindsey R.
Published: March 2007

Sirolimus-based immunosuppressive regimens in organ transplantation have been associated with a lower than expected incidence of cytomegalovirus (CMV) disease. Whether sirolimus has a similar effect on CMV reactivation after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is not known. We evaluated 606 patients who underwent HSCT between April 2000 and June 2004 to identify risk factors for CMV reactivation 100 days after transplantation. The cohort included 252 patients who received sirolimus-tacrolimus for graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) prophylaxis; the rest received non–sirolimus-based regimens. An initial positive CMV DNA hybrid capture assay was observed in 225 patients (37.1%) at a median 39 days after HSCT for an incidence rate of 0.50 cases/100 patient-days (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.44-0.57). Multivariable Cox modeling adjusting for CMV donor-recipient serostatus pairs, incident acute GVHD, as well as other important covariates, confirmed a significant reduction in CMV reactivation associated with sirolimus-tacrolimus–based GVHD prophylaxis, with an adjusted HR of 0.46 (95% CI, 0.27-0.78; P = .004). The adjusted HR was 0.22 (95% CI, 0.09-0.55; P = .001) when persistent CMV viremia was modeled. Tacrolimus use without sirolimus was not significantly protective in either model (adjusted HR, 0.66; P = .14 and P = .35, respectively). The protective effect of sirolimus-containing GVHD prophylaxis regimens on CMV reactivation should be confirmed in randomized trials.
ABO phenotypes and inflammation-related predictors of lung cancer mortality: the Copenhagen Male Study – a 16-year follow-up
Authors: Suadicani P. , Hein H. O. , Gyntelberg F.
Published: March 2007

Inflammation and genetic susceptibility influence the risk of lung cancer. Previous studies suggest that the inflammatory response may depend upon ABO phenotype.

The hypothesis that the association with lung cancer mortality risk of lifestyle and occupational factors previously linked to inflammation would depend upon ABO phenotype was tested in a long-term follow-up of 3,346 male subjects aged 53–74 yrs.

During a 16-yr period, 170 (5.1%) of the male subjects died due to lung cancer; 84 (5.9%) of phenotype O, 70 (4.9%) of phenotype A and 16 (3.2%) of phenotype B/AB. In addition to cumulative tobacco consumption, high salt intake long-term occupational dust exposure, high fat intake and consumption of alcohol were significantly predictive of lung cancer mortality for phenotype O subjects. After multivariable adjustment, the hazard ratios associated with the first three of these factors were 2.31, 2.08 and 1.67, respectively. Compared with abstainers, the hazard ratios for males drinking 1–10 wine drinks·week−1and males drinking >10 wine drinks·week−1were 1.65 and 2.02, respectively. Among phenotype A subjects, only cumulative tobacco consumption was associated with lung cancer mortality risk.

The predictive role of inflammation-related risk factors for lung cancer mortality was significantly stronger among males of phenotype O than A.
Diaphragm dysfunction in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a role for heparan sulphate?
Authors: Ottenheijm C. A. C. , Jenniskens G. J. , Geraedts M. C. P. , Hafmans T. , Heunks L. M. A. , van Kuppevelt T. H. , Dekhuijzen P. N. R.
Published: March 2007

In the present study, phage display-derived antibodies were used to investigate the topology of glycosaminoglycan epitopes in the diaphragm of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and non-COPD patients. Furthermore, the potential physiological significance of changes in the occurrence of glycosaminoglycan epitopes in the diaphragm of COPD patients was studied by determining the overlap in epitope recognition of glycosaminoglycan antibodies and growth factors.

Diaphragm cryosections from non-COPD (n = 5) and COPD patients (Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) stage I/II; n = 9) were incubated with antibodies directed against heparan sulphate, chondroitin sulphate and dermatan sulphate epitopes. Antibodies were visualised immunofluorescently. In addition, interference of antibody and growth factor binding with heparan sulphate epitopes was tested.

Specific glycosaminoglycan epitopes showed increased expression in the diaphragm of COPD patients, whereas other epitopes were decreased or unaffected. Interestingly, the anti-heparan sulphate antibody HS4C3, which is directed against a downregulated epitope, interfered with the binding of hepatocyte growth factor. Three patients with the most severe airway obstruction also demonstrated interference of heparan sulphate antibody A04B08 with hepatocyte growth factor binding.

Results indicate changes in glycosaminoglycan composition in the diaphragm of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. This may affect cellular physiologyviaalterations in growth factor handling and might be related to reduced levels of contractile protein in the diaphragm of these patients.
Unexpected Reaction of an Overcrowded 9,10-Dihydroanthrylchlorosilane Leading to the Formation of a Dibenzo-7-silanorbornadiene Derivative
Authors: Sasamori Takahiro , Ozaki Shuhei , Tokitoh Norihiro
Published: March 2007

A novel and simple synthetic route for a dibenzo-7-silanorbornadiene derivative has been developed. The extremely hindered chlorosilane bearing 9,10-dihydroanthryl group, TbtRSiHCl (Tbt = 2,4,6-tris[bis(trimethylsilyl)methyl]phenyl, R = 9,10-dihydroanthryl) could be quantitatively converted into the corresponding dibenzo-7-silanorbornadiene 1 by the reaction with LDA. The molecular structure of 1 was revealed by the spectroscopic and X-ray crystallographic analyses.
Hexaphenylbenzene Derivatives for Blue Organic Light-emitting Devices
Authors: Watanabe Soichi , Kido Junji
Published: March 2007

Novel hexaphenylbenzene derivatives having high triplet energy levels were synthesized and used in blue organic electrophosphorescent devices. The device with a blue phosphorescent emitter, iridium(III) bis[(4,6-difluorophenyl)pyridinato-N,C2′]-picolinate, exhibited a high external quantum efficiency of 11% (24 cd/A) and a high power efficiency of 12 lm/W at 100 cd/m2.
Fabrication and Photoluminescence of Urchin-like ZnO/MgO Hierarchical Structures
Authors: Qin Li-rong , Zhao Jian-wei , Zhang Li-de , Zou Xian-wu
Published: March 2007

A novel hollow urchin-like hierarchical structure of ZnO nanorods grown on hollow MgO microspheres has been prepared through a simple one-step chemical vapor deposition method. Photoluminescence property and possible growth mechanism of the ZnO/MgO hierarchical structures have also been discussed.
Spontaneous Assembly of Dendrite Structure by Coordination of Al to 5,8-Dihydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone
Authors: Koide Yoshihiro , Sato Yusuke
Published: March 2007

The reaction of boehmite ([AlO(OH)]n) and 5,8-dihydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone (DHNQ) in refluxing water led to spontaneous assembly of a mixture of coordination complexes, in which extended network of deprotonated DHNQ (DONQ2−) is bridging between two Al3+ ions in the bis-O,O′-bidentate fashion. UV–vis spectroscopy, 13C solid-state NMR, and size exclusion chromatography (SEC) analysis are consistent with the formation of dendrite structures.
Highly Emissive Pyrene-excimer Formation in Self-assembled Monolayer on Gold Surface and Photocurrent Generation from the Excimer
Authors: Nakamura Mitsunobu , Saito Norikazu , Takayama Kaori , Kumamoto Satoshi , Yamana Kazushige
Published: March 2007

Strong pyrene excimer fluorescence is observed in the SAM derived from disulfide-functionalized bis-pyrene derivative on gold surface at the pyrene surface coverage similar to that exhibits only weak monomer fluorescence in the SAM derived from disulfide-functinalized monopyrene derivative. The pyrene excimer is less sensitive to the quenching by gold substrate than pyrene monomer excited state. The photocurrent generates from the excimer emissive SAM more effectively than the monomer emissive SAM.
Simulation of cracks in wood using a coupled material model for interface elements
Authors: Schmidt Jörg , Kaliske Michael
Published: March 2007

A three-dimensional anisotropic material model is presented that is applicable in combination with interface elements for simulation of the behavior of timber structures loaded in shear and tension perpendicular to the wood fibers. The material model can predict the stresses derived from the three-dimensional state of deformation. Determination of the algorithmic material tangent is shown. Computation of a stress component results from deformation in all directions. Furthermore, a damage model is implemented to simulate cyclic loading that yields a realistic unloading function for a cracked structure. In this case, a continuous-differentiable material formulation guarantees a robust path-following algorithm. A basic example is used to demonstrate the capability of the model to simulate the behavior of timber structures realistically and underlines the need for further research.
Failure mechanisms in wood-based materials: A review of discrete, continuum, and hybrid finite-element representations
Authors: Smith Ian , Snow Monica , Asiz Andi , Vasic Svetlana
Published: March 2007

Challenges arise in finite element (FE) analyses that predict mechanical failure in wood-based materials because their structural complexity is difficult to mimic. When considered at the macro scale, wood and engineered wood composites can reasonably be assumed to behave as homogenous continua. However, accurate meso- and micro-scale representations require a different approach. Models employing discrete FEs are robust tools for detailed failure analysis, because the elements can be made to mimic the functions of morphological structures in the material. Hybrid models that meld continuum and discrete FEs also show good promise as generalised analysis tools, but as yet their development is in its infancy. In the future, beyond mechanical damage, other energy sinks also need to be included in models, and computational efficiency should be improved. In this overview, the advantages and limitations of alternative FE representations are demonstrated in terms of failure processes in wood-based materials via case analyses.
Adsorption of water-soluble organic dyes on ferrofluid-modified sawdust
Authors: Safarik Ivo , Lunackova Petra , Mosiniewicz-Szablewska Ewa , Weyda Frantisek , Safarikova Mirka
Published: March 2007

A magnetically responsive composite material based on lignocellulose and magnetic nanoparticles has been prepared. Spruce sawdust was magnetically modified by contact with water-based magnetic fluid stabilised with perchloric acid. Electron spin resonance and transmission electron microscopy measurements indicated the presence of both individual magnetic nanoparticles and clusters precipitated on the surface of sawdust particles. The material prepared was used to study the adsorption of selected water-soluble organic dyes. The adsorption isotherms followed Langmuir, generalised Freundlich, generalised Langmuir, and Langmuir-Freundlich adsorption patterns. Maximum adsorption capacities for acridine orange, Bismarck brown, crystal violet, malachite green, methyl green, Nile blue, safranin O and Saturn blue LBRR 200 ranged between 34 and 59 mg g-1 dry adsorbent. A change in pH value can increase the dye adsorption. Ferrofluid-modified sawdust is thus an interesting material for further study and potential applications.
Power and Sample Size Estimation Techniques for Fisheries Management: Assessment and a New Computational Tool
Authors: Gerow Kenneth G.
Published: March 2007

Formulae for sample size calculations in the literature are often predicated on unrealistic assumptions (e.g., equal variances) or on unrealistic or undesirable designs (e.g., two independent samples of the same size). In addition, sample size and power calculations usually involve repeated use of a given formula that the researcher works through varying inputs (significance level (α), power choices, design choices, etc.), making the process of considering sample size and power issues unpleasantly tedious and error prone. I survey those formulae in the fisheries literature and describe deficiencies. I then discuss sample size formulae that correct these deficiencies and describe a freely available Excel tool that enables the calculations.
Back in the Saddle Again
Authors: LeNoir W. David
Published: March 2007

After many years of teaching, the author, of necessity, enrolled in an equitation course—to learn how to care for his family's newly acquired horse—and was thereby reminded of some of the many psychological and academic challenges students face: establishing a personal level of comfort, facing performance anxiety, and formulating test‐preparation strategies. As a result of the experience, the author suggests that educators may work more effectively with their students when this sort of experience is fresh, and he encourages other teachers to put themselves into student roles to see what lessons and reminders they might gather.
Supporting Learning‐Disabled Adults in Literacy
Authors: Pannucci Lynnette , Walmsley Sean A.
Published: March 2007

The learning difficulties of 23 adults were investigated in order to determine ways to better serve their literacy needs. These adults were all living in poverty, had less than eighth‐grade literacy levels, and had failed to graduate from high school. The participants' records were examined and structured interviews were conducted with them; also, best practices from the professional literature were researched. In addition, 10 adults who had learning difficulties throughout their schooling but graduated from high school were interviewed. These adults are all now successful in their chosen professions.

The study found several learning difficulties that were common among the 23 adults (e.g., lack of organizational ability) and several that showed up in the majority (e.g., modality overload). In terms of best teaching practices, the study found many featured prominently in the literature (e.g., connecting learning to the adults' interests and purpose for learning), as well as some unique practices offered by the 10 successful adults.

One of the most important conclusions reached in this study is that with sufficient determination and motivation, and with appropriate strategies, an adult with quite severe learning difficulties can succeed.
Khmer Rap Boys, X‐Men, Asia's Fruits, and Dragonball Z: Creating Multilingual and Multimodal Classroom Contexts
Authors: McGinnis Theresa Ann
Published: March 2007

In our rapidly changing global culture, students' social worlds are becoming increasingly multilingual and multimodal, yet school practices do not often reflect the complexities or diversity of students' literacy and language practices. Valuing students' experiences with language and culture is important in creating supportive learning environments. This is true for all learners, but perhaps particularly so for immigrant students.

This article presents the use of inquiry‐based projects as one pedagogical practice that can support students' literacy and language, create supportive classroom environments, and provide an avenue for teachers to learn more about the social worlds of their students. In particular, it describes how the use of inquiry‐based projects with middle school‐aged children of migratory agricultural workers served as a small space for some of the students to address feelings of loss of home and country. For others, the project served as a way to make sense of their new American identities. Important for this discussion is the notion that when students are allowed to bring in the literacy and language practices they engage in naturally in their social worlds, it is possible to broaden the monolingual and one‐dimensional nature of our curricula and create multilevel literacy communities within the classroom.
The Expertise of Adolescent Literacy Teachers
Authors: Parris Sheri R. , Block Cathy Collins
Published: March 2007

The purpose of the study described in this article was to identify the qualities of teaching expertise that correlate with highly effective literacy instruction in grades 6 through 12. Findings draw on survey responses of secondary literacy supervisors at the local school district or state department of education level in every U.S. state. From these responses, 397 characteristics of teaching expertise were analyzed and collapsed into 38 categorical behaviors. After interrater reliabilities were computed, researchers returned to analyze and consolidate the data. This process yielded the following eight domains of secondary literacy teaching expertise:

Approaches to teaching (pedagogy)

Addressing diverse needs

Personal characteristics

Knowledge base

Approaches to teaching (activities)

Professional development

Appropriate relationships with students

Classroom management

Applications of these data for research, policy, and practice are discussed.
Training Paraprofessionals to Effectively Work With all Students
Authors: Cobb Charlene
Published: March 2007

Paraprofessionals can serve a vital role in supporting the literacy achievement of all students. However, many times their services are underutilized.

As instructional leaders in a school, the principal and reading specialist can facilitate training for paraprofessionals that supports classroom instruction, is cost effective, and is relatively simple to implement. This article presents what that training might look like, beginning with a needs assessment, continuing with training, and concluding with follow‐up consultations.
Starting Out Together: A Home–School Partnership for Preschool and Beyond
Authors: Paratore Jeanne R. , Jordan Gail
Published: March 2007

Research has indicated the critical role families play in supporting literacy development in young children. Developing effective home–school partnerships is an important step in helping parents provide that support.

This column describes a program designed for families of preschool children, but with an eye on later literacy achievement. The program, Building Language Together, focuses on the development of cognitive, linguistic abilities that provide the framework for academic success. It addresses areas of vocabulary development, narrative understanding, phonological awareness, and expository text.
A Culpable CALP: Rethinking the Conversational/Academic Language Proficiency Distinction in Early Literacy Instruction
Authors: Aukerman Maren
Published: March 2007

For second‐language learners, “academic” language and “social” language are inextricably interwoven. Using examples from several primary classrooms, the author critiques current conceptualizations of second‐language learning that distinguish between basic interpersonal communication skills and cognitive academic language proficiency (CALP). She argues that what counts as CALP is arbitrarily defined and varies widely, depending on culture and context, and points out that it is both inaccurate and pedagogically counterproductive to think of any classroom language as truly decontextualized. To understand how second‐language learners engage with reading and writing in school, teachers should hold children's understanding of the context in a central place in literacy teaching and learning.